Patent Publication Number: US-7716869-B2

Title: Artificial bait

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This Patent Application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/524,144, filed on Sep. 20, 2006, and entitled “ARTIFICIAL BAIT” which is hereby incorporated by reference. 

   FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
   Not Applicable 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates to artificial baits for fishing, specifically to baits with spinning elements mounted on a shaft and respectively baits with flexible appendages. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Artificial baits with spinning elements mounted on a shaft usually comprise a lure body equipped with a wire shaft and a propeller made of sheet metal or other rigid, non resilient materials, rotatably mounted on the shaft ahead of a thrust bead. Like any other fishing lures they have their limitations, proved to be in certain fishing conditions disadvantages: (a) the reaction blades cannot be to large without impeding the fish hooking, their inherently limited reaction surface resulting in limited efficiency, and (b) the propeller attracts fish only when spinning; when paused it is simply an inert piece of tin or other rigid material, attached to a more or less enticing prey imitation. 
   Baits with flexible appendages make use of materials such as soft plastic, rubber etc. for their lifelike appearance, feel and movement. Moreover, some of these materials can be impregnated with various fish attractants. The flexible appendages are attached in various ways, temporarily, interchangeably, or permanent, to a lure body or to a hook. 
   3. Objects and Advantages 
   The object of the present invention is to provide an artificial bait with spinning element mounted on a shaft where the spinning element is made of soft plastic or other resilient material, despite the high friction characteristic to such materials. 
   Consequently, the present invention also provides a new type of attachment for baits with flexible appendages, which enables an appendage made of resilient material to revolve about a shaft. 
   Accordingly, the bait provided here has several advantages over the prior art, as follows: 
   (a) being soft and collapsible, as opposed to rigid, the present spinning element does not impede the fish hooking and therefore can be relatively large and shaped in various ways, possibly imitating frog legs or other animal limbs. 
   (b) being considerably heavier than the usual tin propeller, the spinning element has more inertia, therefore goes on moving for longer when the bait is paused during a stop and go retrieve. 
   (c) even when comes to a stop, the spinning element still entices fish to strike trough its life-like appearance and, possibly, trough contained fish attractants. 
   (d) when slowly walked trough cover, as weed or lily pads, the present bait seems to naturally step over. 
   (e) the reaction blades of the spinning element do not only spin but also erratically flex back and forth and kick the water with a distinct plopping sound specific to soft, resilient materials. 
   (f) the spinning element provided here can be easily changed at any time with another one, identical or different in color, shape or size, which means that the manufacturer will also offer packages with replacements. 
   (g) the present type of attachment for flexible appendages enables an appendage made of resilient material, whether or not shaped as a propeller, to turn about a shaft, therefore to step over weed, lily pads etc. 
   SUMMARY 
   In accordance with the present invention, an artificial bait contains a radial bearing of an approximately tubular shape that bears a flexible appendage made of soft plastic or other resilient material enabling it to spin about a shaft, against an end thrust surface, despite the high friction characteristic to such materials. 

   
     DRAWINGS—FIGURES 
       FIG. 1A  shows a lure body equipped with a shaft, a thrust bead and a radial bearing. 
       FIG. 1B  shows the assembly shaft—thrust bead—radial bearing. 
       FIGS. 1C-1D  show a flexible appendage with an axial longitudinal hole. 
       FIG. 1E , suitable as front page view, shows the manual attachment process. 
       FIG. 1F  shows the flexible appendage stretched as it is pushed over the radial bearing. 
       FIG. 1G  shows the assembled frog bait. 
       FIG. 1H  shows the flexible appendage fitted over the radial bearing. 
       FIG. 1I  shows the frog bait on water, in the process of angling. 
       FIGS. 2A-2B  show an alternative flexible appendage, with a groove. 
       FIG. 2C  shows a lizard bait where the flexible appendage ends in a tail. 
       FIG. 2D  shows a crawdad bait where the flexible appendage ends in a pair of whiskers. 
       FIGS. 3A-3B  show a floating creature bait where a hook is connected to a shaft. 
       FIG. 4A  shows a sinking, jig like bait, where the hook shank acts as shaft. 
       FIG. 4B  shows a floating creature bait where the hook shank acts as shaft. 
       FIG. 5  shows a creature bait where the flexible appendage runs ahead of the lure body. 
       FIG. 6  shows an alternative radial bearing and a corresponding flexible appendage. 
   

   REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     21 ,  21 ′—lure body 
     22 ,  22 ′—fishing line eyelet 
     23 ,  23 ′,  23 ″—hook 
     24 —weed guard 
     25 ,  25 ′,  25 ″—wire shaft 
     26 ,  26 ′,  26 ″—thrust bead 
     27 ,  27 ′—radial bearing 
     28 ,  28 ′—flexible appendage 
     29 —trough hole 
     29 ′—groove 
     30 —arrow showing pull direction 
     31 —arrow showing rotation sense 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   FIGS.  1 A- 1 I—Preferred Embodiment 
   A preferred embodiment of the artificial bait of the present invention is a frog lure shown in  FIGS. 1A-1I .  FIG. 1A  shows a lure body  21 , equipped with an eyelet  22  for fishing line connection, a hook  23 , a weed guard  24 , a wire shaft  25  with a bent acting as stopper, an end thrust bearing  26  well known in the art as thrust bead, and a radial bearing  27  consisting of a thin walled metal tube with tapered ends or rims. The assembly formed by shaft  25 —thrust bead  26 —radial bearing  27  is shown in an enlarged detail in  FIG. 1B . 
   A flexible appendage  28  ( FIGS. 1B and 1C ), made of soft plastic, consists of a hub with radial arms integrally formed thereon, partially shaped as reaction blades and imitating a pair of frog legs. The hub has an axial longitudinal trough hole  29  as means to be interchangeably fitted over the radial bearing  27 . 
   The radial bearing  27  and respectively the flexible appendage  28  hub are correlated as shape and dimensions, so that when the flexible appendage spins about its longitudinal axis it engages the radial bearing, which undertakes the friction against shaft  25  and thrust bead  26 . Essentially, the trough hole  29  has a diameter slightly smaller than the exterior diameter of the radial bearing  27 . Accordingly, the radial bearing compresses the hub as shown in  FIG. 1H , tensioning its resilient material. In turn, the hub exerts pressure on the radial bearing, the resulting friction engaging the radial bearing in rotation. 
   In order to assemble the lure, the appendage  28  is simply pushed by hand, as shown in  FIGS. 1E and 2F  by the arrow, over the thrust bead  26 , then over the trailing rim of the radial bearing  27 , and then fitted between the rims of the radial bearing  27 , as shown in  FIG. 1H . The assembled lure is shown in  FIG. 1G  and again in a perspective view in  FIG. 1I , this time on the water. 
   The preferred embodiment described above is conceived as topwater bait, as is generally the case with propeller baits as well as with frog baits. Accordingly, the lure body  21  may contain a float insert—air chamber—and respectively a weight insert—lead or tin—features not shown here, being well known in the art. The wire shaft  25  could actually run trough the body  21 , having an eyelet for fishing line connection formed on its leading end. The thrust bead  26 , shown as freely mounted on the shaft  25  to simplify the drawings, can be fixed against the bend in order to minimize friction, as the hole in a common brass bead, used for example in spinnerbaits, is actually narrower at one end. The hook  23  can be as well a double or a treble, as shown in the additional embodiment of  FIG. 2C . 
   Operation—FIG.  1 I 
   At rest, the frog lure floats as shown in  FIG. 1I  in a slightly oblique position, head up, with the legs hanging free right under the water surface. This position is important not only as natural for a frog bait, but also in order for the reaction blades to catch water on retrieve. To simplify the drawing, a fishing line is omitted. 
   On retrieve, when the bait is pulled as shown by the arrow  30 , the water resistance forces the flexible appendage  28  in rotation as shown by the arrows  31 . The flexible appendage  28  engages the radial bearing  27  which undertakes the friction against the shaft  25  respectively against the thrust bead  26 . 
   As any propeller baits, and topwater baits in general, this embodiment of the present invention is especially effective when retrieved in a stop and go manner. Even only a sharp twitch of the rod tip makes the legs spin and kick the water with a distinct plopping sound, creating an enticing disturbance. Depending on the momentum of the applied force, the appendage limbs do not only spin, but they also flex back and forth, as a pair of frog legs would actually do. Even when paused, the soft plastic legs continue to shake and flex, due to inertia and any water movement. Moreover, the frog legs can be easily replaced at any time with another pair, identical or different in shape, size or color. 
   FIGS.  2 A- 2 D Additional Embodiments 
   An alternative flexible appendage  28  shown in  FIG. 2A  has instead of the through-hole  29  a groove  29 ′ shaped so as to accommodate and hide the trailing end of shaft  25 , the thrust bead  26  and respectively the trailing rim of radial bearing  27 , as shown in  FIG. 2B , for a more natural appearance. Accordingly, the flexible appendage could end in a tail as shown in the lizard bait of  FIG. 2C , or in a pair of whiskers as in the crawdad bait of  FIG. 2D . During a stop and go retrieve, the whiskers would twist and then erratically untwist, adding to the illusion of a live creature. 
   Other possible embodiments, not shown in the drawings and not necessarily imitating a certain actual pray but simply a live creature, could have different interchangeable flexible appendages, for example ending in a split tail, spiral tail etc. 
   FIGS.  3 A- 6  Alternative Embodiments 
   There are various possibilities with regard to the relative disposition of the flexible appendage, the hook and respectively the lure body. If in the preferred embodiment described above the flexible appendage runs behind the hook for a more natural appearance, in the following alternative embodiments the flexible appendage runs ahead of the hook for a better fish hooking ratio. 
   Consequently the flexible appendage, which is fed over the trailing end of the shaft in the preferred embodiment, will be fed either over the hook point ( FIGS. 3A ,  4 A and  4 B) or over the leading end of the shaft ( FIG. 5 ). 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B  show a creature bait where a hook  23 ′ is connected to the trailing end of a shaft  25 ′ trough a ribbed thrust bearing  26 ′ which is actually molded over their tapered ends. Accordingly, the flexible appendage is fed over the hook point and the hook can be dressed with various soft plastic tails or simply a plastic worm secured on the thrust bearing. 
     FIG. 4A  and respectively  FIG. 4B  show two alternative embodiments where the hook shank acts as shaft. Consequently, a hook  23 ″ is tapered on a certain point on its shank so as to form a stopper and is equipped with a radial bearing  27  and a cupped thrust bead  26 ″. In  FIG. 4A  the lure body  21 ′ is actually a jig head, the eyelet  22 ′ is oriented at an angle as in jigs, and the hook shank is tapered on a few more points to secure various soft plastic tails. 
   In  FIG. 5 , the flexible appendage  28  runs ahead of the lure body  21 . Accordingly, the flexible appendage is fed over the eyelet formed on a shaft  25 ″ and then a fishing line is tied to the eyelet. The present embodiment can be as well topwater or sinking bait, even for salt water, possibly featuring a metal body whose leading end acts as thrust surface in which case there is no need for a thrust bead. Alternatively, the flexible appendage could run between two body sections interchangeably connected; the eyelet formed on shaft  25 ″ can be connected to a lure head (not shown) equipped with a snap-on clip at its trailing end and respectively with an eyelet at its leading end so that in order to change the flexible appendage, instead of cutting the line, the head is disconnected from the body. 
     FIG. 6  shows an alternative, solid body radial bearing  27 ′ and a corresponding flexible appendage  28 ′. 
   Conclusion, Ramifications and Scope 
   Accordingly, the reader will see that the artificial bait of the present invention contains a radial bearing which accommodates a flexible appendage made of soft plastic or other elastic material, enabling it to spin about a shaft in the process of angling despite the high friction coefficient characteristic to such materials. Although the detailed description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of a number of possible embodiments of the present invention. 
   The radial bearing of the invention is defined not by the particular shapes shown here, but exclusively by its function: when the appendage is forced to spin about its longitudinal axis due to the resistance opposed by water, it engages the radial bearing which in turn undertakes the inherent friction against the shaft, respectively against the thrust surface running behind. Accordingly, the radial bearing can be designed in different ways, made of various materials, consisting of one single element or a plurality of parts. 
   The flexible appendage, if made of a relatively durable resilient material as rubber or soft polyurethane, can be as well a permanent, integral part of the bait. 
   The artificial bait of the present invention can be designed in many various ways, as top-water or sinking bait, for fresh or salt water, for casting or trolling. Moreover, the shaft can be bent as in spinnerbaits, buzzbaits etc. 
   While the particular embodiments described above fall in the category of baits with spinning element mounted on a shaft, the present invention also provides a new type of attachment for the category of baits with flexible appendages, whether or not the flexible appendage is shaped as a propeller. Let us consider for example a frog bait with a pair of soft plastic legs where the front upper part of the leg is cupped, so as to flex back and forth when pulled trough water. The advantages of this new type of attachment are: (a) it is self-aligning, and (b) it enables the flexible appendage to turn about its longitudinal axis—that is to step over when walked trough cover, despite the high friction characteristic to soft, resilient materials. 
   Moreover, even a soft plastic appendage with no explicit built-in action whatsoever beside its inherent resilience would be enabled to spin about its longitudinal axis, whenever forced to do so by external conditions, without engaging the lure body in rotation or twisting the line. 
   Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.