Abstract:
A bait holder includes a multi-purpose lid that has a sliding portion operable to both cut and enclose bait within a bait container.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. ______ (entitled Bait Container with Bait Cutter, filed Dec. 31, 2015) which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Bait is used in fishing as a means to entice fish to bite into a hook and become set on the hook. Many times, the bait is larger than desired and may be cut to an appropriate size. Commercial bait cutters may include a steel housing and adjustable blades to cut large amounts of bait to different selectable lengths. Such commercial bait cutters utilize hydraulic motors and may weight over 20 kgs. 
         [0003]    When worms are used as bait, knives or even fingernails may be used to cut the worms to a desired size. The worms are removed from bait containers and cut. The unused portion of the worm may be thrown away, or returned to the bait container. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    A bait holder includes a multi-purpose lid that operates to both cut and enclose bait within a bait container. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a bait holder with a container and a lid for cutting bait according to an example embodiment. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a bait holder with an alternative lid for cutting bait according to an example embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a top view of an alternative bait container lid having an opening for providing access to and cutting bait in the container according to an example embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the bait container lid of  FIG. 3  according to an example embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the bait container lid of  FIG. 3  according to an example embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a bait container lid insert that rotates within the bait container lid of  FIG. 3  according to an example embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the bait container lid insert of  FIG. 6  according to an example embodiment 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the bait container lid insert of  FIG. 6  according to an example embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments which may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural, logical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following description of example embodiments is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a bait holder  100  including a bait container  105  with a lid  110  for cutting bait according to an example embodiment. In one embodiment, bait container  105  is formed as a cylindrical container having a reinforced lip  115 . Walls of the cylindrical container may be sloped inward from the lip  115  in some embodiments, enabling easy stacking of multiple containers  105  and an easier grip for a user. The container  105  may be formed of Styrofoam or plastic in various embodiments. While the container  105  is shown as cylindrical or partial cone shaped, it may also have a different shape, such as generally square or rectangular with rounded corners and a cross section that decreases similarly to the partial cone shaped container shown. Similarly, containers and lids may have a polygonal shape with at least three sides, which need not be equal in length. 
         [0015]    Lid  110  in one embodiment has a lip  120  formed to mate with the lip  115  of the container  105 . The lid  110  may also be formed of Styrofoam or plastic as desired. Lid  110  has a generally rectangular shaped insert  125  with a lateral sliding portion  130  that slides across an opening  135  to cut bait that is partially inserted into the opening  135 . The lid may be coupled to the container  105  during a sliding and cutting operation. The sliding portion may be formed of plastic that is thin enough to cut the bait, but thick enough to provide adequate structural integrity. The operation of sliding the siding portion across opening  135  results in two functions being performed. First, the bait is cut by the sliding portion moving across the opening. Second, the container is sealed upon the sliding portion moving across the opening resulting in the bait being cut and the container being sealed in a single movement. 
         [0016]    In one embodiment, the sliding portion is captured within two layers of the lid  110  that capture the sliding portion  130  and allow it to move back and forth across the opening  135  as indicated by an arrow  140 . A leading edge  145  of the sliding portion  130  may be curved slightly to facilitate cutting of the bait. In some embodiments, the leading edge may be thinned to provide a sharper cutting edge. Ridges  147  or other structural integrity enhancing structures may he included in the sliding portion  130 . The sliding portion  130  may also have a raised portion  150  located partway between the leading edge  145  and a trailing edge to facilitate movement of the sliding portion  130  by a finger of a user and hence cutting of the bait by the leading edge  145 , The raised portion  150  may vary in height and may be shaped in a race track or simply be a ridge or other structure suitable for applying sufficient force to move the sliding portion  130  and cut the bait. The lid  110  and sliding portion  130  may he vacuum molded from plastic in various embodiments, or otherwise formed of plastic or another material, such as metal or even wood. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a bait holder  200  with a container  05  and an alternative lid  210  for cutting bait according to an example embodiment. in one embodiment, bait container  205  is formed as a cylindrical container having a reinforced lip  215 . Walls of the cylindrical container may be sloped inward from the lip  215  in some embodiments, enabling easy stacking of multiple containers  205  and an easier grip for a user. The container  205  may be formed of Styrofoam or plastic in various embodiments. 
         [0018]    Lid  210  in one embodiment has a lip  220  formed to mate with the lip  215  of the container  205 . The lid  210  may also be formed of Styrofoam or plastic as desired. Lid  210  has an insert  225  with a lateral rotating portion  230  that rotates about an axial connection  233  to the lid  210  such that the portion  230  slides across an opening  235  to cut bait that is partially inserted into the opening  235 . In one embodiment, the rotating portion is triangularly shaped with two sides extending from the axial connection  233  toward the lid  210  circumference, and third side formed in an arc near the periphery of the lid. The lid  210  may be coupled to the container  205  during a sliding/rotating and cutting operation. The rotating portion  230  may be formed of plastic that is thin enough to cut the bait, but thick enough to provide adequate structural integrity. The operation of sliding the siding portion across opening  235  via rotation results in two functions being performed. First, the bait is cut by the rotating portion  230  moving across the opening  235 . Second, the container  205  is sealed upon the rotating portion moving across the opening resulting in the bait being cut and the container  205  being sealed in a single movement. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, the rotating portion  230  is captured by axial connection  233 , such as a rivet, allowing the rotating portion  230  to rotate back and forth across the opening  235  as indicated by a curved arrow  240 . The lid  210  may have a lateral crevice  242  about an outer periphery of the opening  235  to capture the rotating portion  230  to help maintain the rotating portion against the lid  210 . A leading edge  245  of the rotating portion  230  may be curved slightly to facilitate cutting of the bait. The rotating portion  230  may also have a raised portion  250  located partway between the leading edge  245  and a trailing edge to facilitate movement of the sliding portion  230  by a finger of a user and hence cutting of the bait by the leading edge  245 . The raised portion  250  may vary in height and may be shaped in a race track or simply be a ridge or other structure suitable for applying sufficient force to move the rotating portion  230  and cut the bait, The lid  210  and rotating portion  230  may be vacuum molded from plastic in various embodiments, or otherwise formed of plastic or another material, such as metal or even wood. 
         [0020]    In the case of a container that is generally square or rectangular shaped, the lid  201  is shaped to cover the container and the rotating portion and opening may be positioned such that the lid does not interfere with the rotating portion. For instance, the rotating portion and opening may be positioned via an axial connection that is located near an edge of the square lid such that the rotating portion and opening are spaced inward from the edge. The axial connection may also be located inward from an edge or corner of the lid such that the opening and rotating portion extend toward an edge or corner of the lid. Many configurations may be utilized in various embodiments to provide a suitable relative motion between the opening and rotating portion that are not interfered with by the lid. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a bait container lid  300  having an opening  310  for providing access to and cutting bait in a container according to an example embodiment. The lid  300  has an inner portion  312  that mates with an insert shown later, An insert shown in figures below provides a rotating portion to make with the container lid  300  for cutting the bait. In one embodiment, lid  300  includes a curved bait cutting guide  315  on an end  320  of the opening  310  that serves to both guide a user in where to place the bait and secures the bait for the cutting operation as the insert is rotated. In one embodiment, the guide  315  is a half circle or semi-circle in shape and is placed near a center of the end  320 . A radius of the guide may be similar to an average radius of bait to be cut in one embodiment. Other shapes may also be utilized, such as a triangle or square shaped perimeter for the guide, 
         [0022]    A projection  325  may also be formed on the lid  300  in a position to mate with a groove or structure of the insert to be placed on the lid and rotated. The projection  325  may operate as a stop for controlling the amount of rotation of the insert in some embodiments, and may also in conjunction with the insert structure serve as a soft, deformable locking mechanism to keep the insert in a position to maintain covering of the opening  310 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the bait container lid  300  of  FIG. 3 . In some embodiments, the lid  300  has an annular ridge  330  that serves as a snap fit retention mechanism for capturing the insert and allowing rotation of the insert. The size of the ridge  330  or other structure may depend on the deformability of the materials used for the lid and insert, which may be similar to the materials described with respect to the previous embodiments. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the bait container lid  300  of  FIG. 3 . Note that the inner portion  312  may be at least partially dome shaped, extending inward towards a container or outward from the container on which the lid  300  may be placed to cover the container. The dome shape may provide structural integrity to the lid  300  in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the lid  300  may be partially planar or completely planar. 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a bait container lid insert  600  that rotates within the bait container lid  300  of  FIG. 3  according to an example embodiment. As previously indicated, the insert  600  may snap fit within the ridge  330  of the lid  300 , allowing it to rotate in a captured manner on the lid  300 . In one embodiment, a curved groove  610  of limited length is formed on the insert  600  to mate with projection  325  to provide stops to control the amount of rotation of the insert  600 . Insert  600  contains an open section  615 , which may have dimensions similar to opening  310 , providing access to the bait container when lined up with opening  310 , as permitted by the groove  610  length and position with respect to projection  325 , and to close access to the bait container when rotated to cover the opening  310  as indicated by curved arrow  617 . 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, the opening  615  may have a leading cutting edge  620 , which may optionally have an insert guide  625  shaped similarly to guide  315  to mate therewith when rotating the insert to cut the bait. The guide  625  is optional, or may even be used instead of guide  315  to guide the user in placing the bait and holding the bait in position when cutting the bait. The guide  625  may also facilitate one handed operation of the insert, with one hand holding the bait in the guide and also providing force to rotate the insert and cut the bait. To further aid the user in rotating the insert  600 , one or more protrusions  630  may be provided to give a user a protruding surface to push against. The protrusion  630  in one embodiment is a straight ridge extending across the insert  630  and may also provide enhanced structural integrity. In further embodiments, the protrusions may be shorter, shaped differently, or may even be eliminated, with the grove  610  providing an adequate surface for a user to push against to rotate the insert  600 . 
         [0027]    In one embodiment, the grove  610  may have one or more flexible narrow positions to provide resistance to rotation of the insert at desired positions by providing additional friction via the projection  325  being slightly wider than a width of the groove  610  at such positions. One such position may include a position of the insert  600  where the insert is completely covering the opening  310 . Other positions may be included as desired. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the bait container lid insert  600  of  FIG. 6 . The ridge  630  is more clearly illustrated in this view, as is the dome shaped structure of the insert  600 . The ridge  630  is more pronounced in a middle of the insert  600  as the insert slopes away from a plane defined by the circumference of the insert  600 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the bait container lid insert  600  of  FIG. 6  illustrating the dome shape that is formed to mate with the dome shape of the lid  300  when the insert  600  is captured within the lid  300 . 
         [0030]    Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. For example, the logic flows depicted in the figures do not require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. Other steps may be provided, or steps may be eliminated, from the described flows, and other components may be added to, or removed from, the described systems. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.