Abstract:
A fishing lure that is dually operational for self-propelled movement or manual manipulation through the water to mimic the natural movement of live fish prey. The fishing lure comprising a watertight body for housing a battery, a controller connected to the battery, a motor connected to the controller, a tail assembly operatively connected to the body by a tail shaft driven by the motor to cause the tail assembly to oscillate and propel the fishing lure through water. In accordance with another aspect, the battery is connected via a controller to a coil, the coil positioned relative to a magnet, said coil oscillating in response to magnetic pole interactions between the coil and the magnet by virtue of a controller defined alternating current passing through the coil. The coil oscillation causing movement of the tail assembly to propel the fishing lure through water.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to the field of fishing lures and, in particular, to an interchangeable fishing lure that self-propels through the water to simulate the movement of live bait. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The success of a fishing bait to attract fish will depend on properties such as the lifelike texture, odour and colour of the bait presented. Natural fishing bait such as smaller bait fish, worms, leeches, minnows, frogs, salamanders, and insects, are all commonly used natural bait. Some anglers prefer to use live or dead natural bait to attract predatory fish, however, concerns relating to disease transfer and the risk of contaminating ecosystems through the use of natural bait, have made artificial lures an attractive alternative. 
         [0003]    Artificial fishing bait, also called lures, are designed to mimic fish prey. In particular, artificial fishing lures typically have hooks and sometimes appendages on their outer surface designed to cause the bait to wobble, or vibrate, when the bait is drawn through the water. By manually manipulating the presentation and retrieval of the lure through the water, the action of the fishing lure can be controlled by the angler to mimic the movement of fish prey. In this way, it is intended that the lure will attract fish to the bait. 
         [0004]    Conventional fishing lures have evolved into a number of different styles designed to resemble fish prey. These include plugs, jigs, spinners, flies, spoons, and others. Spoons, for example, are commonly dish shaped pieces of metal that have a hook which revolves or wobbles as it is drawn through the water due to the curvature of the metal dish. Plugs or spinners are roughly of a fish shape and are typically painted, or patterned, to look like a fish. The plug or spinner includes a lip which is slightly dished and which, on pulling the plug through the water, causes the plug or spinner to wobble so attracting fish to the bait. 
         [0005]    Artificial lures exist where the lures at least partially provide for their own movement and in a manner try to mimic a live fish. Examples include self-propelling lures which typically consist of a casing that is assembled around, amongst other things, a battery, a motor and a set of gears which drive the tail of the lure to and fro sideways. While these self-propelled lures rely less on the skill of the angler to manipulate the lure through the water, achieving movement that mimics natural prey has been found to be challenging. Moreover, the movement of a self-propelled lure can be one-dimensional, offering little opportunity for the angler himself to control or vary the movement of the lure. 
         [0006]    A common trait of artificial lures, whether the manually manipulated type or the self-propelled type, is that they need to be tied on to the fishing line in a secure manner. While it is typical for anglers to have a preferred style of lure for catching specific prey, it is often desired to change the style of lure being used in order to improve the chances of success. To do so requires the artificial lure to be cut from the line and the new lure tied on. This can be cumbersome and inconvenient. 
         [0007]    This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Dislosed herein are exemplary embodiments pertaining to a fishing lure. An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to an interchangeable fishing lure that self-propels through the water to simulate the movement of live bait. In accordance with a further exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to an interchangeable fishing lure that has dual modes between a self-propelled mode and a manual mode. 
         [0009]    In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a fishing lure comprising a watertight body for housing a battery for providing electrical energy, a controller connected to the battery, a motor connected to the controller for converting the electrical energy into mechanical energy; a tail assembly operatively connected to one end of the body, the tail assembly connected to the body by a tail shaft driven by the motor to cause the tail assembly to oscillate and propel the fishing lure through water; and a plurality of fasteners secured on the body for attaching one or more hooks and one or more lines to the fishing lure. 
         [0010]    In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a fishing lure that is interconvertible between a self-propelled mode and a manual mode, the fishing lure comprising a watertight body housing a battery electrically connected via a controller to a coil, the coil positioned relative to a magnet, said coil oscillating in response to magnetic pole interactions between the coil and the magnet by virtue of a controller defined alternating current passing through the coil, the coil oscillation causing movement of a tail assembly that is engaged to the coil and the watertight body to cause the fishing lure to self-propel through water; and a first line fastener positioned on the dorsum of the fishing lure and a second line fastener positioned on the head of the fishing lure, the fishing lure attachable to a fishing line at the first line fastener when self-propelled through water and to the second line fastener when manually manipulated through water. 
         [0011]    In accordance with a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a kit comprising the fishing lure according to the present disclosure, wherein the tail assembly comprises one or more interchangeable tail attachments each tail attachment shaped to resemble a different style of tail. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    These and other features of the invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description in which reference is made to the appended drawings. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a fishing lure according to embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein the exterior of the fishing lure is shown; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows the interior of a fishing lure, according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C  are side cross-sectional views of three variations of a fishing lure, according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a close-up side cross-sectional view of the lipless fishing lure embodiment shown in  FIG. 3A , according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a close-up side cross-sectional view of the lipped fishing lure embodiment shown in  FIG. 3B , according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a close-up side cross-sectional view of the fishing lure shown in  FIG. 3C  illustrating an embodiment of an alternative tail shape, according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a top cross-sectional view of the fishing lure, according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a top cross-sectional view of the fishing lure, according to embodiments of the present disclosure 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    A fishing lure according to embodiments of the present disclosure is motorized for self-propelled movement through the water to mimic the natural movement of live fish prey. The fishing lure of the present disclosure comprises a motorized tail assembly having a side-to-side oscillatory motion relative to the body of the fishing lure. The side-to-side oscillatory motion of the tail assembly propels the fishing lure through the water, and in some embodiments, the fishing lure can be caused to turn in a live fish-like manner. In some embodiments, the motor assembly of the present disclosure comprises a minimal number of moving parts to effect the movement of the fishing lure through the water. In this way, the noise level created by operation of the fishing lure is minimized to further mimic live fish prey. 
         [0022]    The fishing lure, according to some embodiments, may comprise a tail assembly having an interchangeable tail. The interchangeability of the tail allows the fishing lure to be transformed into a variety of styles that resemble a variety of fish prey. According to such embodiments, the style of the fishing lure can be changed without having to cut and retie a lure to the line. In this way, the fishing lure of the present disclosure offers the user multiple options and versatility in the choice of fishing lure to use that best suits the fish being targeted. 
         [0023]    According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the fishing lure may be dually operational between a self-propelled mode and a manual mode for controlling movement. In specific embodiments, for example, the shape of the fishing lure body and the buoyancy of the fishing lure may be modified to build in the specialized movement of the fishing lure. For example, the body of the fishing lure may be shaped as a plug lure such as a crankbait, wobbler, minnow, popper, shallow-diver, or deep-diver lure, that may comprise a lip to enable the fishing lure to dive to shallow or deep depths when manually propelled through the water. In this way, the movement of the fishing lure of the present disclosure may be controlled manually. Accordingly, such embodiments of the present disclosure offer the user the option to switch between a self-propelled fishing lure and a manually operated fishing lure. 
       Self-Propelled Mode 
       [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  the fishing lure  1  of the present disclosure is of a buoyant configuration and motorized to allow it to self-propel through the water in a live fish-like movement. The fishing lure  1  comprises a body assembly  10  and a tail assembly  20 . The tail assembly  20  is operably engaged with the body assembly  10  to allow coordinated movement through the water when in the self-propelled mode. 
       Oscillating Movement 
       [0025]    In the self-propelled mode (referring to  FIGS. 2, 7 and 8 ), the tail assembly  20 , is mechanically oscillated relative to the body  10  and thereby propels the fishing lure  1  through the water. The tail shaft  50 , connected to the tail assembly  20 , is driven by a motor to cause the tail assembly  20  to oscillate. The tail-free end of the tail shaft  50 , enters the body cavity and is operatively connected to the motor housed within the body assembly  10 . 
         [0026]    The motor, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, is an electromagnetic motor comprising a magnet  90  secured within the body assembly  10  and oriented to allow alternating interaction with an energizable coil  70 . The energizable coil  70  is connected to the tail shaft  50  to cause the tail shaft  50  to oscillate with the alternating interaction of the coil  70  with the magnet  90 . The coil  70  is electrically connected  100  to a battery  130  and a controller  120  to control the direction of current through the coil  70  and thus the magnetic polarity of the coil  70 . For example, when the coil  70  is energized, magnetic poles are induced in the coil  70  and these magnetic poles interact with the magnetic poles of the magnet  90 . Specifically, in such embodiments, the magnet  90  will generate an attraction force when the coil  70  is energized with a first current, and a repelling force when the coil  70  is energized with a reversed second current. In this way, alternating the direction of the current causes the generated force between the energized coil  70  and the magnet  90  to also alternate, thereby causing the attached tail shaft  50  to oscillate. 
         [0027]    It is contemplated that persons of skill in the art will recognize that a conventional electric motor with gear box or a linear actuator motor may be used in place of an electro-magnetic coil motor to drive the tail shaft  50 . Such embodiments are also included in the present disclosure. 
       Mechanical Tail Assembly 
       [0028]    Again referring to  FIG. 2 , the tail assembly  20  comprises a rudder  30  to which a tail attachment  40   a  is attached. The rudder  30  provides a supporting structure for the tail attachment  40   a  which is attached overtop of the rudder  30 . A tail shaft  50  connects to the tail assembly  20  at the rudder  30  and, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the opposite free end of the tail shaft  50  enters the body assembly  20  through an opening at the tail end of the body assembly  10  to connect the tail assembly  20  to the body assembly  10 . In order to maintain a watertight body cavity, the entry of the tail shaft  50  into the cavity of the body assembly  10  is sealed. In one embodiment, the seal is provided by a sealing ring  60 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the tail shaft  50  enters the inner cavity of the body assembly  10  and is attachably mounted to an electromagnet coil  70 . In one embodiment, the tail shaft  50  comprises a mounting bracket  190  to retain the coil  70  in place within the body assembly  10  and to operatively connect the coil  70  to the tail assembly  20  as will be discussed below. 
         [0030]    A magnet  90  having opposing magnetic poles is secured within the body assembly  10  such that the coil  70  and magnet  90  cooperatively interact to effect oscillation of the tail assembly  20 . In a preferred embodiment, the magnet  90  is secured within the body assembly  20  by a holding bracket  80  on either side of the coil  70  such that the central axis of the magnet  90  is disposed perpendicular to the central axis of the coil  70 . In one embodiment, the coil  70  is toroidal and the magnet  90  is disposed perpendicularly through the toroid. 
         [0031]    In use, when the coil  70  is energized the magnetic poles formed in the coil  70 , cause either an attraction or repelling force between the coil  70  and the magnet  90 . Alternating these forces between the coil  70  and the magnet  90  causes the coil  70  to correspondingly move which translates through the connected tail shaft  50  to ultimately cause the tail assembly  20  to oscillate. It will be apparent to those of skill in the art that the magnet and coil configuration may be different, but have the same effect. 
       Power Assembly 
       [0032]    The coil  70  is electrically connected  100  to a power assembly situated within the body assembly  10 . The power assembly comprises a battery  130  and a controller or control circuit  120 . In one embodiment ( FIG. 2 ), the power assembly is secured within the body assembly  10  by a supporting scaffold  15  to ensure that the power assembly is centrally contained within the body assembly  10 . In this way, the weight of the fishing lure remains balanced and movement of parts within the body assembly  10  is prevented. 
         [0033]    As discussed above, the movement of the tail assembly  20  can be controlled by the alternating interaction of the coil  70  with the magnet  90 . Thus, the direction that the fishing lure  1  moves can be changed by varying the current direction through the coil  70 . For example, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the current pulses can be varied in direction, duration, amplitude, or by applying an offset sine wave current pulse to the coil  70 . In this way, the movement of the fishing lure  1  can be controlled. 
         [0034]    In one embodiment, the controller  120  comprises a PCB and an on/off switch (not shown). In some embodiments, the controller  120  can further comprise an LED indicator light capable of showing the status of activation of the fishing lure  1  or charging of the fishing lure  1 . 
         [0035]    In some embodiments, the battery  130  is rechargeable. For example, the body assembly  10  can comprise a watertight port and a charge socket for connecting to a suitable charging plug. 
       Manual Mode 
       [0036]    According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the fishing lure  1  is dually operational between the self-propelled mode discussed above and a manual mode. When in the self-propelled mode, the fishing lure  1  relies less on the skill of the angler to manipulate the lure through the water in a manner that mimics natural prey. The angler merely needs to switch on the power, to activate the oscillating movement of the tail assembly  20 , and direct the rod with the attached fishing line to where he wishes to fish. In this way, the self-propelled mode allows the angler to fish hands-free if desired by securing the rod to a stationary rod holder. At any time, the angler may use the fishing lure  1  in a manual mode. In one embodiment, the weight distribution and balance of the fishing lure  1  is designed to allow the fishing lure  1  to be used in a manual cast and retrieve manner by the angler. In other embodiments, the fishing lure  1  is adapted to allow positioning of the fishing line to facilitate manual casting and retrieving of the fishing lure  1 . 
         [0037]    When used in the manual mode, the fishing lure  1  can remain in its activated state (power on state) such that the fishing lure  1  has self-propelled movement during retrieval by the angler. In other embodiments, the fishing lure  1  can be deactivated by switching the power off for use in its manual mode. 
         [0038]    When used in the self-propelled mode, it is preferred to attach the fishing lure  1  to the fishing line at a central point on the dorsum of the fishing lure  1 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , this centrally located line fastener  110  ensures that the fishing lure  1  is balanced on the line to allow it to move in a natural prey-like manner. 
         [0039]    Manually operated fishing lures, however, require the angler to manipulate the lure through the water. The shape of the fishing lure can be designed to cause the lure to move a certain way in the water when manually cast and retrieved by an angler. Accordingly, certain embodiments of the present disclosure include fishing lures  1  in which the body assembly  10  is designed to move enticingly through the water when used in the manual mode. For example, the fishing lure  1  according to some embodiments, can be shaped as a plug lure. In other embodiments, the fishing lure  1  can be shaped as a lipless crankbait lure ( FIGS. 3A and 4 ). In further embodiments, the fishing lure  1  can be shaped as lipped crankbait lure having a lip  180   b  extending from its head ( FIGS. 3B, 3C, 5 and 6 ). To successfully manipulate such embodiments through the water, the fishing lure  1  according to some embodiments can be drawn by its head as opposed to its dorsum. Accordingly, the fishing lure  1  according to some embodiments, can be adapted for connection to a fishing line at its dorsum, for use in the self-propelled mode, as well as for connection at its head, for use in the manual mode. 
         [0040]    In certain embodiments, the fishing lure  1  of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of fasteners  170   a,    170   b,    110 ,  150  secured on the body assembly  10  for attaching hooks  160   a,    160   b  and/or lines and/or weights to the fishing lure  1 . In some embodiments, the fishing lure  1  comprises a single line fastener  110  positioned on the dorsum of the fishing lure  1  and attachable to a fishing line when in the self-propelled mode. In other embodiments the fishing lure  1  comprises two line fasteners  110 ,  150 , a first line fastener  110  positioned on the dorsum of the fishing lure  1  and attachable to a fishing line when in the self-propelled mode, and a second line fastener  150  positioned on the head of the fishing lure  1  and attachable to a fishing line when in the manual mode. In further embodiments the fishing lure  1  comprises two or more line fasteners  110 ,  150 . For example, in such embodiments, a first line fastener  110  can be positioned on the dorsum for use in the self-propelled mode, a second line fastener  150  can be positioned on the head for use in the manual mode, and a third line fastener can be positioned on the lip  180   b  of the lure to provide the option of attaching the line at a distance from the body in the manual mode. In dual mode embodiments, therefore, the angler can quickly reposition the fishing line to the desired line fastener and, in this way, convert the fishing lure  1  from a self-propelled lure to a manual lure and vice versa. 
         [0041]    In addition to the one or more line fasteners  110 , the fishing lure  1  of the present disclosure comprises one or more hook fasteners  170   a,    170   b  for attaching one or more hooks  160   a,    160   b.  The hook fasteners  170   a,    170   b  can be positioned anywhere on the body assembly  10 . In some embodiments, one or more hook fasteners  170   a,    170   b  can be positioned on the ventrum of the lure body. In other embodiments, one or more hook fasteners (not shown) can be positioned on the dorsum of the lure body. In further embodiments, one or more hook fasteners can be positioned on the dorsum and the ventrum  170   a,    170   b  of the lure body. 
       Interchangeable Form 
       [0042]    As shown in  FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 7 , for example, the fishing lure  1 , according to some embodiments, may comprise a tail assembly  20  having an interchangeable tail attachment  40   a,    40   b,    40   c.  The interchangeability of the tail attachment  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  allows the fishing lure  1  to be transformed into a variety of styles that resemble a variety of fish prey. According to such embodiments, the style of the fishing lure  1  can be changed without having to cut and retie a lure to the line. In this way, the fishing lure  1  of the present disclosure offers the user multiple options and versatility in the choice of fishing lure to use that best suits the fish being targeted. 
         [0043]    The tail attachment  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  can take the shape of any number of tail styles known in the art. For example, the tail attachment  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  according to some embodiments can be shaped to resemble a fish tail  40   a  ( FIG. 3A ), a grub tail  40   b  ( FIG. 3C ), a mouse tail, a beaver tail, a worm tail, a split tail  40   c  ( FIG. 7 ), an octopus style tail, or any commercially available style of fishing lure tail. The tail attachment  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  is releasably attachable to the rudder  30 . For example, the tail attachment  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  and rudder  30  can matingly attach by way of a screw-type attachment means. In other embodiments, the tail attachment  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  can fittingly slide over the rudder  30  in a secure manner. 
         [0044]    The body assembly  10  of the fishing lures  1  of the present disclosure can be manufactured from any resilient, water-resistent material. For example, the body assembly  10  according to some embodiments can be made from polycarbonates or plastics. In some embodiments, the tail attachment  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  can be made from the same material as the body assembly  10 . In other embodiments, the tail attachment  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  can be made from a more pliable material including, for example, plastic or rubber. The body assembly  10  can also be decorated, patterned, or painted to further resemble fish prey or to better attract fish. 
         [0045]    It is further contemplated that the buoyancy of the fishing lures of the present disclosure can be adapted by attaching weight to the lure. For example, in accordance with certain embodiments, one or more weights can be attached to the fishing lure  1  to adjust the lure to the desired buoyancy. Such weights can, for example, be attached to any one of the fasteners  170   a,    170   b.  In other embodiments, weights can be inserted into the body cavity of the fishing lure  1 . 
       Kits 
       [0046]    The present disclosure additionally provides for kits comprising a fishing lure  1  of the present disclosure comprising one or more interchangeable tails and/or one ore more attachable weights. Interchangeable replacement tails and/or buoyancy weights could be individually packaged separately. 
         [0047]    To gain a better understanding of the invention described herein, the following examples are set forth. It will be understood that these examples are intended to describe illustrative embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. 
         [0048]    The disclosures of all patents, patent applications, publications and database entries referenced in this specification are hereby specifically incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each such individual patent, patent application, publication and database entry were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. 
         [0049]    Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such modifications as would be apparent to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.