Patent Publication Number: US-2023157266-A1

Title: Retractable barb fish hook

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/264,479, filed Nov. 23, 2021, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This disclosure relates generally to fishing hooks and more specifically to fishing hook apparatus with a barb that can be retracted to facilitate removal from a caught fish. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Fish hooks generally include one or more barbed ends. One primary purpose of the barbed end of a fish hook is to catch onto tissues in a mouth region of a fish (or another creature to be caught) after the fish has swallowed the hook together with any bait attached thereto. With the hook caught in the fish, a user (e.g., a fisher) may retrieve the caught fish by reeling in a fishing line secured to the hook. After the user has retrieved the caught fish, the user must remove the fish from the line, which may be accomplished by immediately removing the hook from the fish or by cutting the line and subsequently removing the hook after the line is severed. The presence of the barb on the hook can slow down the process of removing the hook from the fish and may lead to injuries—either to the fish or to the user—if the barb gets caught in flesh and must be torn out. The present invention relates to a hook design that is intended to improve the hook removal process by permitting the user to release and retract the barb of the hook so that the hook can be more easily removed from flesh if the barb becomes caught therein. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, a retractable barb fish hook includes a body and an insert. The body includes a hollow interior, a shank end with a shank opening, and a hook end with a barb opening. The insert includes a wire and an eye. The wire has a connecting end and a barb end, and the barb end defines a barb. The eye has a receiving portion and a base that is connected to the connecting end of the wire. The receiving portion and the base of the eye may rotate with respect to the barb end of the wire. The wire extends in the hollow interior of the body such that the barb protrudes from the barb opening at a skew angle relative to the hook end. At least a portion of the barb end of the wire may be retracted into the interior of the body by moving the eye in an outward direction relative to the shank opening and exerting a force on the wire sufficient to deform the barb. 
     In another aspect, a retractable barb fish hook includes a body and an insert. The body includes a shank end with a shank opening and a threaded portion, and a hook end with a barb opening. The insert includes a wire and an eye. The wire has a connecting end and a barb end, and the barb end defines a barb. The eye has a receiving portion and a base that may mate threadably with the threaded portion of the body. The wire is coupled to the base of the eye and extends in the body such that the barb protrudes from the barb opening at a skew angle relative to the hook end. The barb is exposed outside the barb opening when the base is threadably coupled to the threaded portion of the body. 
     In yet another aspect, a method of making a retractable barb fish hook includes the step of providing an elongate tube, an eye, and a flexible wire. The tube has a shank end with a shank opening and a distal end with a barb opening. The eye has a receiving portion and a base, and the wire has a proximal end and a distal end. The method further includes the steps of connecting the proximal end of the wire to the base of the eye; inserting the wire through the tube such that the distal end of the wire protrudes from the barb opening and the base of the eye is received in the shank opening; and securing the base of the eye to the sank end of the tube. The method may include an additional step of forming an arc in the tube near the distal end of the tube, or another additional step of forming a barb by bending the distal end of the wire. 
     Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective of a fish hook assembly of the present invention including a hook body, eye bolt, and wire; 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of the fish hook assembly of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is an exploded front view of the fish hook assembly of  FIG.  1    with the eye bolt and the wire removed from the hook body; 
         FIG.  4    is a section of the fish hook assembly taken through line  4 - 4  of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a fragmentary section of a shank region of the hook assembly of  FIG.  4   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a fragmentary section of a hook region of the hook assembly of  FIG.  4   ; 
         FIG.  7    is a side view of the eye bolt of the fish hook assembly of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  8    is a fragmentary perspective of an alternative embodiment of the fish hook assembly; and 
         FIG.  9    is a fragmentary section of the fish hook assembly of  FIG.  8   . 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1 - 4   , a fish hook assembly of the present disclosure is indicated generally by reference number  10 . As shown in  FIG.  1   , the fish hook assembly  10  includes a hook body  20 , an eye bolt  30  (broadly, “eye”), and a wire  40 . The fish hook assembly includes a shank region  12  located generally at a proximal end of the hook assembly where the eye bolt  30  can be installed, and a hook region  14  located generally at a distal end of the hook assembly  10  opposite the proximal end. 
     As best shown in  FIG.  4   , the hook body  20  has a hollow, tubular wall  22  that defines a shank opening  24  at the proximal end of the body  20 , a shank portion  25 , a hook portion  26 , and a barb opening  28  at the distal end of the body  20 . The body wall  22  defines a passage  23  in the body  20  that extends from the shank opening  24  to the barb opening  28 . Desirably, the passage  23  is wide enough to surround the wire  40  without restricting the movement thereof. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6   , the shank portion  25  is generally straight and communicates with the hook portion  26 ; and the hook portion  26  has a generally semicircular or arcuate profile that is coincident with the shank portion  25 . 
     Now referring to  FIG.  5   , at the proximal end of the hook body  20  near shank opening  24 , the tubular wall  22  includes a threaded interface  27 . The threaded interface  27  is dimensioned to mate with a corresponding thread  38  on the eye bolt  30  to allow the eye bolt  30  to be releasably secured to the hook body  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  6   , at the distal end of the hook body  20 , the barb opening  28  is oriented at an angle such that the barb opening  28  may generally face the shank portion  25 . In some embodiments, the hook portion  26  of the hook body  20  may be formed by providing a straight tubular member such as a hypodermic needle and bending the member near one end of the tubular member (e.g., the beveled end of the needle). It is contemplated that the hook portion  26  may be formed before or after the wire  40  is inserted through the passage  23  of the hook body  20  as described herein. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  3 ,  5 , and  7   , the eye bolt  30  includes an eye portion  32  (broadly, “receiving portion”), a base  34  adjacent the eye portion  32  at an upper end of the base, and a ferrule portion  36  adjacent the base  34  at a lower end  35  opposite the eye portion  32 . In the illustrated embodiment, the eye bolt  30  is integrally formed, though in alternative embodiments, either the eye portion  32  or the ferrule portion  36  (or other components) can be formed separately and subsequently attached to a respective end of the base  34  without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     The eye portion  32  has a solid, annular shape and is dimensioned to receive a fishing line (not pictured) for use with fishing equipment such as a fishing rod (not pictured). The base  34  is generally cylindrical and has a helical thread  38  disposed about its perimeter. The thread  38  is dimensioned to mate with the threaded interface  27  in the shank opening  24  of the hook body  20  such that the eye bolt  30  may be releasably secured to the hook body  20 . Although a threaded connection is shown in the illustrated embodiment, other embodiments may employ other ways for releasably securing the eye bolt  30  to the hook body  20 , including pins or levers as non-limiting examples. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  5  and  7   , the ferrule portion  36  protrudes from the lower end  35  of the base  34  and includes a generally tubular wall  37  that is dimensioned to receive and secure a proximal portion of the wire  40  so that the barb  42  of wire  40  can be retracted during use of the hook assembly  10 , as will described in greater detail herein. It will be appreciated that the ferrule portion  36  is no wider than the passage  23  of the hook body  20  to ensure that the eye bolt  30  can advance through the passage  23  (for example, when the eye bolt  30  is inserted or removed). 
     Now referring to  FIGS.  1 ,  3 , and  4 - 6   , the wire  40  includes several outer strands that are twisted around a unitary core. In alternative embodiments, a suitable wire may have different characteristics, which could include without limitation a configuration with braided strands or a single strand. The wire  40  has a proximal portion  44 , a central portion  46 , and a distal portion  48 . The distal portion  48  can be bent to define the barb  42  in the hook assembly  10 , as described in greater detail herein. Referring to  FIG.  6   , the barb  42  is angled at approximately 45° relative to the barb opening  28 , though the angle of the barb may vary substantially in other embodiments depending on the needs or preferences of the user, the physical characteristics of the fish to be caught, or other conditions pertinent to the use of the hook assembly  10 . Now referring to  FIG.  5   , the outer diameter of the wire  40  generally corresponds with the dimensions of the wall  37  of the ferrule portion  36  such that the proximal portion  44  of the wire  40  can be received and secured by the ferrule portion. 
     As is best seen in  FIG.  4   , the wire  40  is dimensioned to extend through the passage  23  of the hook body  20  such that the barb  42  protrudes from the barb opening  28  when the proximal portion  44  is secured to the ferrule portion  36  of the eye bolt  30  and the eye bolt  30  is threadably received in the shank opening  24 . When the proximal portion  44  of the wire  40  is secured to the ferrule portion  36  of the eye bolt  30 , the proximal portion  44  moves in concert with the eye bolt  30 . The central portion  46  of the wire  40  is configured to rotate internally as torque is applied, allowing the proximal portion  44  to rotate relative to the distal portion  48  or vice versa. As a non-limiting example, the user may be able to rotate the eye bolt  30  and proximal portion  44  of the wire  40  even while the distal portion  48  is incapable of rotating (e.g., if the barb  42  is lodged in the mouth of a fish or flesh of a user&#39;s hand). 
     Now referring to  FIGS.  1 - 6   , one contemplated manner of assembling and using the fish hook assembly  10  will be described as would be achieved by an ordinary user. As is best seen in  FIGS.  3 ,  4 , and  5   , the user may insert the proximal portion  44  of the wire  40  into the ferrule  36  and clamp the ferrule wall  37  until the ferrule  36  securely retains the proximal portion  44 . Then, the user may feed the distal portion  48  of the wire  40  into the shank opening  24  of the hook body  20  and through the passage  23 . As is best seen in  FIG.  5   , the user may then fasten the eye bolt  30  to the hook body  20  by screwing the base  34  into the shank opening  24 . As is best seen in  FIG.  6   , when the eye bolt  30  is fully fastened and the distal portion  48  of the wire  40  protrudes from the barb opening  28 , the user may form the barb  42  by bending the distal portion  48  generally inward toward the shank portion  25  and the hook portion  26  at a desired angle. The user may subsequently prepare the fish hook assembly  10  for use by tying a fishing line around the eye portion  32  of the eye bolt  30  and/or attaching bait to the hook assembly, as non-limiting examples. 
     After the hook assembly  10  becomes lodged in an object (e.g., the mouth of a fish or the flesh of the user, not pictured), the user may perform a number of steps to retract the barb  4  to facilitate the removal of the hook assembly  10  from the object. Specifically, the user may unfasten the eye bolt  30  by rotating the eye bolt in its unfastening direction. The unfastening of the eye bolt  30  may cause the eye bolt and the proximal portion  44  of the wire  40  to rotate and travel upward relative to the hook body  20  and the distal portion  48 , the rotation and upward motion individually and collectively resulting in an increase in tension in the central portion  46 . The tension in the central portion  46  of the wire  40  subsequently causes the barb  42  to unbend and the distal portion  48  to recede into the hook body  20 . In this manner, the barb  42  is retracted from the barb opening  28 , and the user may remove the hook assembly  10  from the object without resistance caused by the barb  42 . Desirably, the unthreading of the eye bolt  30  from the hook body  20  sufficiently pulls the wire to cause the barb to deform to permit easy removal of the hook. However, it will be appreciated that the user may need to further pull the eye bolt after unthreading is complete to sufficiently deform the barb. 
     As described herein, it is contemplated that the hook assembly  10  is configured such that the barb  42  may be retracted once, at which point the user may dispose of at least the wire  40 , and possibly also the hook body. However, in alternative embodiments, the hook assembly  10  or components thereof may be capable of being reassembled and reused one or more times. 
     Numerous modifications can be made to the elements of the exemplary fish hook assembly described above without departing from the scope of the invention. As a non-limiting example, the ferrule  36  of the eye bolt  30  may be attached to the base  34  with a swivel connector or another fastener that permits the base  34  and the eye portion  32  to rotate independently. In such a configuration, the eye bolt  30  may be rotated in its fastening and/or unfastening direction without causing substantial rotation in the wire  40 , which is retained by the ferrule  36 . Referring to  FIGS.  8 - 9   , an alternative fish hook assembly indicated generally by reference number  110  includes a hook body  120 , an eye nut  130 , a wire  140 , a threaded collar  150 , and a crimp  160 . In this embodiment, the collar  150  fits tightly to the upper shank of the hook body  120  and functions as a widening extension of the hook body  120  in the upper shank region. The eye nut  130  includes a threaded lower sheath  134  that threadably engages an upper portion of the collar  150  to secure the eye nut  130  to the fish hook assembly  110 . The eye nut also has a central bore  136  that extends through the longitudinal axis of the eye nut so that the wire  140  may be installed. A crimp  160  may secure the proximal end of the wire  140  generally to prevent the wire  140  from moving downward while permitting the relative rotation of the wire  140  and the eye nut  130 . This allows the eye nut  130  to travel in its fastening and unfastening directions without causing the wire  140  to rotate internally. 
     In yet other embodiments, an eye bolt such as eye bolt  30  may accommodate a wire through a central bore rather than with the ferrule  36  as described above in connection with  FIG.  5   . 
     It will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. 
     When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
     In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. 
     As various changes could be made in the above products without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.