Patent Publication Number: US-2013247446-A1

Title: Fishing lure

Description:
This application claims priority from previously filed U.S. provisional patent application 61/615,585 filed Mar. 26, 2012 by Ivo Coia under the title FISHING LURE. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to fishing lures. More specifically it relates to an improved jigging apparatus which includes a hook which is resiliently biased between a retracted position and a fully extended position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the more popular lures is commonly referred to as a jig. In it&#39;s simplest form the jig comprises a body or as it sometimes called a head which includes an eye attached to the head and a hook which is usually formed integrally therein. When fishing with a jig it is up to the fisherman to create the motion designed to attract the fish. This is usually done by moving the fishing rod back and forth or up and down allowing the lure to bounce and settle back to the bottom. 
     One of the challenges faced with fishing with a jig is the ability to be able to set the hook into the mouth of a fish. In many instances the fish will strike at the jig however due to incomplete or failure for the hook to set into the mouth of the fish often the fish escapes without being caught in the hook. 
     The present device the fishing lure described and depicted herein includes a resiliently biased hook which can extend from a retracted position to a fully extended position depending on the tension of the line thereby improving the possibility of the hook setting properly into the fishes mouth. 
     A fishing lure includes;
         a) a body;   b) an eye for attaching a fishing line thereto, the eye attached to the body;   c) a hook is pivotally attached to the body and normally biased in a retracted position, the hook has a fully exposed hook end;   d) such that in the retracted position when the line is oriented substantially along a vertical direction the hook shank is oriented substantially along a horizontal direction;   e) wherein the hook is capable of pivoting between a retracted position and a fully extended position.       

     A fishing lure includes;
         a) a body;   b) an eye for attaching a fishing line thereto, the eye attached to the body;   c) a hook is pivotally attached to the body and normally biased in a retracted position, the hook has a fully exposed hook end;   d) such that in the retracted position when the line is oriented substantially along a vertical direction the hook bend is oriented substantially along the vertical direction with the hook barb vertically above the hook shank.       

     Preferably such that in the retracted position when the line is oriented substantially along a vertical direction the hook barb is positioned vertically above the hook shank. 
     Preferably such that in the retracted position when the line is oriented substantially along a vertical direction the hook bend is oriented substantially along the vertical direction. 
     Preferably wherein the hook is capable of pivoting between a retracted position and a fully extended position. 
     Preferably wherein there is constant bias on the hook to return to the retracted position. 
     Preferably wherein the hook pivots to the fully extended position when a predetermined amount of tension is applied to the fishing line due to the presence of weight on the hook. 
     Preferably wherein in the fully extended position the hook shank is collinear with the fishing line. 
     Preferably wherein the fishing lure further includes a spring for applying bias to the hook shank relative to the body, the spring partially housed in a spring housing. 
     Preferably wherein the pivot pin mounted to the body and the hook mounted pivotally to the pivot pin. 
     Preferably wherein the spring partially wound around the pivot pin and partially wound around the hook shank. 
     Preferably wherein the angle between the fishing line and the hook shank is the retracted angle when the fishing lure in the retracted position. 
     Preferably wherein the retracted angle is between 80 and 100 degrees. 
     Preferably wherein the angle between the fishing line and the hook shank is the extended angle when the fishing lure in the extended position. 
     Preferably wherein the retracted angle is between 170 and 190 degrees. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       With the intention of providing demonstration of the characteristics of the device or method, an example is given below, without any restrictive character whatsoever, with reference to the corresponding figures, of a preferred embodiment of the device and method as follows; 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of the present device a lure shown in a retracted position in solid lines and in intermediate and fully extended positions in dashed lines; 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the fishing lure shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines AA of  FIG. 1  showing the pivot pin and the spring housing. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines BB of  FIG. 2  showing the spring housing and spring mounted onto the hook. 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the spring. 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the spring. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic representation of the present device a fishing lure deployed with a fishing line shown with a fishes mouth being set into the hook showing the lure in a fully extended position. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of the present device a fishing lure deployed with a fishing line shown with a fishes mouth being set into the hook showing the lure in an intermediate position. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic representation of the present device a fishing lure deployed with a fishing line shown with a fishes mouth being set into the hook showing the lure in a retracted position. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic representation of the present device a fishing lure deployed with a fishing line shown in a normal orientation relative to vertical just as a fishes mouth is biting into the hook showing the lure in a retracted position. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic representation of the present device a fishing lure deployed with a fishing line shown with a fishes mouth being set into the hook showing the lure in an intermediate position. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic representation of the present device a fishing lure deployed with a fishing line shown in a normal orientation with a fishes mouth set into the hook and tension applied to the fishing line as the fish is being reeled in and the weight of the fish pulls on the fishing line thereby placing the lure in a fully extended position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the attached Figures the present device a lure  100  also known as a jig  102  includes the following components namely a body  104  which has an eye  106  mounted thereon and a hook  108 . This geometry is known in the art however lure  100  further includes a spring  126  which is housed within a spring housing  130 . 
     The hook  108  includes a shank  188  and as hook end  125  which includes a hook barb  121  and a hook bend  123 .  FIGS. 1 and 10  show the normal orientation of the lure when jigging in that the line  148  is roughly oriented along a vertical direction  202  and the hook shank is oriented along the horizontal direction  204 . 
     Spring  126  provides for movement of hook  108  from a retracted position  112  through intermediate positions  116  to a fully extended position  114  by moving it through the pivot direction shown as  118 . The hook normally is in the retracted position  112  and there is a constant bias on the hook  108  to return the hook to the retracted position  112 . The hook end  125  is always fully exposed. 
     Referring now more specifically to  FIGS. 3 through 6  spring  126  includes a coil portion  122  first arm  110  and a second arm  124 . 
     The reader will note that spring  126  is mounted onto a pivot pin  120  and housed within spring housing  130  all housed within body  104 . Second arm  124  simply held in position in spring housing  130  and first arm  110  is wrapped and/or coiled around the shank  188  of hook  108 . 
     Referring now to the schematic  FIG. 7 through 9  lure  100  is shown deployed with a fishing line  148  and a fish  140  have then bitten into hook  108  such that the fish&#39;s mouth  142  has set into hook  108 . 
     First of all  FIG. 9  shows lure  100  in retracted position  112  which is the position normally wherein the fish would first strike. The reader will note that the orientation of lure  100  also called jig  102  may be different than the orientation on the page shown in  FIG. 9 . In other words the shank  188  of hook  108  may be vertical to the bottom of the water and/or it may be oriented horizontally parallel to the bottom of the water or any position there between. 
     In any orientation a fish  140  would strike at lure  100  and the fishes mouth  142  would be partially hooked and/or caught by hook  108 . 
     Once fishing line  148  is pulled due to the weight of fish  140  on the end of hook  108  hook  108  can pivot relative to body  104  into an intermediate position  116  as shown in  FIG. 8  due to the initial pull  160  on fishing line  148 . 
     Referring now to the schematic representation shown as  FIG. 7  the fishes mouth  142  is fully set into hook  108  and the hook  108  can fully pivot into the extended position  114  due to the full pull  162  on fishing line  148 . The reader will note that in the extended position  114  the fishing line  148  is parallel to the shank  188  of hook  108  and subtends in extended angle of 180 degrees shown as  154 . 
     In the retracted position shown as  112  the angle between the fishing line  148  and the shank  188  of hook  108  is the retracted angle  150  shown as 90 degrees. 
     In other words hook  108  can pivot through pivot direction  118  to subtend an angle between 90 degrees and 180 degrees as measured between the fishing line  148  and the shank  188  of hook  108  as shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9 . 
     It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.