Abstract:
A device for transportation and selective release of live bait organisms is disclosed. The device has a ventilated body providing a plurality of ventilation openings, a lid having a lid base adapted to interfit with the ventilated body and tapering to an opening defined opposite the base. The opening is wide enough to allow only a single bait organism to pass. The lid has a trap door sprung in a normally closed position to cover the opening. A base is adapted to interfit with the ventilated body and provide at least one tackle storage compartment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to live bait containers in general and, more specifically, to cricket tube containers. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    When fishing, live baits may be preferred over artificial lures for various reasons. Live baits present a number of problems, particularly in handling, transporting, and storing the baits prior to and during their use. The baits must be kept alive or viable and the baits must be moved from their purchase or capture location to the fishing location. Once on location, the baits need to be easily accessible while being kept alive or viable. Some lives baits, such as crickets, can also be dirty to handle such that a user may wish to have a container that at least partially shields the user from the associated droppings or other detritus from the live bait. 
         [0003]    What is needed is a system, method, and device for addressing the above and related issues. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a device for transportation and selective release of live bait organisms. The device comprises a ventilated body providing a plurality of ventilation openings, a lid having a lid base adapted to interfit with the ventilated body and tapering to an opening defined opposite the base. The opening is wide enough to allow only a single bait organism to pass. The lid has a trap door sprung in a normally closed position to cover the opening. A base is adapted to interfit with the ventilated body and provide at least one tackle storage compartment. 
         [0005]    The present invention disclosed and claimed herein, in another aspect thereof, comprises a cricket tube for selectively dispensing a cricket. The cricket tube comprises a substantially tubular body defining a plurality of ventilation holes along a first side and providing a solid surface on an opposite side, a lid attached to the tubular body on a first end thereof and tapering to an opening defined in the lid, the opening being sized to pass a single cricket, a trapdoor attached to the lid and configured to selectively cover the opening in the lid, and a base attached to the tubular body on a second end thereof. The base provides at least one tackle storage compartment. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments, the lid will have a lid base and a hinged fill cap. The is attached to the tubular body on a first end thereof and the hinged fill cap defines an opening sized to pass a single cricket such that when closed only a single cricket at a time may pass into or out of the cricket tube and when open a plurality of crickets may be passed simultaneously into or out of the cricket tube. A trapdoor attaches to the hinged fill cap and is configured to selectively cover the cricket sized opening. The at least one tackle storage compartment may be operable to remain closed via an interference fit. The lid and base may also each define a flat portion for stabilizing the cricket tube against rolling when stored horizontally on a flat surface. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate similar parts: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a top down view of a cricket tube according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the cricket tube of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  2  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side cutaway view of the cricket tube of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  3  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  3  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of an upper portion of a cricket tube according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a cricket tube with the lid removed according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a side view of a cricket tube according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The cricket tube  100  comprises a body  102 , a base  104 , and a multi-function lid  106 . The body  102  serves as the primary containment mechanism for live bait organisms. Although the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein are referred to as being cricket tubes, it is understood that live bait organisms other than crickets can be contained and/or handled by the devices shown and described herein. Such live bait organisms may include, but are not limited to, crickets, grasshoppers and other insects, and possibly grubs or other larvae. The base  104  caps off the lower end of the body  102  while the multi-function lid  106  caps off the upper end of the body  102 . The full functionality of the multi-function lid  106  will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0015]    In the present embodiment, the cricket tube  100  has a base  104  with an integrated storage compartment  108 . It can be seen from  FIG. 1  and the other drawings that the storage compartment  108  may fit entirely within the base  104 . In some embodiments, the storage compartment  108  closes via an interference fit, but in other embodiments, other closing mechanisms are possible. The base  104  may be constructed of a plastic, metal, or another suitably resilient material. In some embodiments, the base  104  may be impact resistant to impart durability to the cricket tube  100 . The base  104 , including the storage compartment  108 , could be manufactured by casting, machining, or other processes. 
         [0016]    The body  102  serves as the primary containment mechanism for the live bait organisms as previously stated. It can also be seen that the body  102  in the current embodiment defines a number of openings or holes  110 . These holes  110  serve to provide ventilation to allow the organisms contained within the cricket tube  100  to remain viable. In some embodiments, the holes  110  may be defined only on a portion of the body  102  such that the cricket tube  100  may be handled without exposing the user to droppings, debris, or other detritus that may be able to pass through the openings  110 . This can better be appreciated from  FIGS. 3 ,  5 , and  6  as will be described in greater detail below. In some embodiments, the body  102  will be made from a translucent material to allow a user to easily ascertain the condition and quantity of organisms remaining within the cricket tube  100 . In such embodiments, the body  102  may be made from a suitably resilient and translucent plastic, for example. The base  104  may be attached to the body  102  by an interference fit, by gluing, or by other means. 
         [0017]    The multi-function lid  106  sits atop the body  102  and may be used for both filling and dispensing of live bait organisms. A trap door  112  is provided for dispensing live bait organisms one at a time or in small quantities. The trap door  112  rotates about a hinge  114  which may also have a spring  116  biasing the trap door  112  in a closed position. A tab  118  may be provided on trap door  112  such that pressure on the tab  118  will rotate the trap door  112  about the hinge  114  against the bias of the spring  116  opening a cover  120  that closes an opening  302  ( FIG. 3 ) at or near the end of the multi-function lid  106 . In this manner, a user may depress the tab  118  while the opening  302  is in a downward position relative to the rest of the cricket tube  100  and live bait organisms may be dispensed singularly or in small quantities. The multi-function lid  106 , including the trap door  112 , may be made from plastics, metals, or other suitable materials. The pieces may be formed by casting, machining, or other appropriate methods. In some embodiments, the multi-function lid  106  attaches to the body  102  by an interference fit, but in other embodiments, the multi-function lid  106  may be permanently attached to the body  102  by gluing, for example. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a cross-sectional view of the cricket tube of  FIG. 1  taken along line  2  of  FIG. 1  is shown.  FIG. 2  illustrates the storage compartment  108  in a closed position in dotted line and in an open position in dashed line. It can be seen that in some embodiments the storage compartment  108  may be further divided into sub-compartments  202 ,  204 , and  206 . Although three sub-compartments are shown, more or fewer or none at all may be present in other embodiments. It can also be seen that the general shape of the cricket tube  100  is round or tubular and that the storage compartment  108  may open by rotating about a hinge  208 . It can also be seen that the base  104  may provide additional features, such as a lanyard loop  210 . With the lanyard loop  210 , a user may attach a lanyard or other tie to the cricket tube  100  and secure the cricket tube  100  to a convenient location. Lanyards or other securement means may also be attached elsewhere on the cricket tube  100  (e.g., such as to the hinge  314  of  FIG. 3  described below). 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a side cutaway view of the cricket tube of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  3  of  FIG. 1  is shown. Here, the trap door  112  is shown in a closed position in solid line and in an open position in dashed line. The opening  302  in the end of the multi-function lid  106  may be sized to appropriately deliver one or only a few bait organisms such as the crickets  312  shown in  FIG. 3 . It can also be seen that an upper portion  107  of the multi-function lid  106  may taper from a size approximating the width of the body  102  down to the size of the opening  302 . In some embodiments, the multi-function lid  106  may be hinged by a hinge  314  to allow the upper portion  107  of the lid  106  to separate from a base portion of the lid  306 . In these embodiments, the base portion  306  of the lid  106  may remain attached to the body  102  while the upper portion  107  of the lid  106  is opened, thereby creating a wide opening for filling of the cricket tube body  102 . It an also be seen from  FIG. 3  that the cricket tube  100  could be held in the palm of a user&#39;s hand in a horizontal position, thereby allowing thumb operation of the tab  118 . It will be appreciated, however, that the tab  118  is not limited to thumb operation. 
         [0020]    As described, the holes or openings  110  are only defined on a first portion  308  of the body  102 . Therefore a user may hold the cricket tube  100  in the palm of the hand by a second portion  310  of the body  102 , and thereby operate the trap door  112  without coming into contact with undesirable material that may be contained within the cricket tube body  102 . In addition, the cricket tube  100  may be configured such that the second portion  310  of the body  102  is down when the cricket tube is laying horizontally on a flat surface. The lid  106  and/or the base  104  may provide flat portions (flats) on which the cricket tube may rest when laying down. Such flat portions stabilize the cricket tube  100  in a horizontal position and prevent it from rolling. In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , these flat portions may be formed by or near the hinge  314  of the lid  106  and by the lanyard loop  208  of the base  104 . In other embodiments, the flats may be provided separately or on a different location on the lid  106  and/or the base  104 . Flats or other stabilizing features could also be formed directly on the body  102  of the cricket tube  100 . When the cricket tube  100  is laying on the flats with second portion  310  of the body  102  facing downward, the solid surface of the second portion  310  of the body  102  prevents debris from dropping out of the cricket tube  100 . 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a cross-sectional view taken along the line  4  of  FIG. 3  is shown. From this viewpoint looking down the cricket tube body  102 , the base  104  can be seen, as well as the multi-function lid  106  sitting atop the body  102 . The lid hinge  314  can be seen located opposite the trap door  112 . Here, the trap door hinge  114  and spring  116  can also be seen. Although the spring  116  in the current embodiment is a coil spring, in other embodiments, other types of springs are possible. Additionally, in other embodiments, the trap door  112  may provide an interference fit against the upper portion  107  of the lid  106  and/or the opening  302  such that a spring may not be needed. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a cross-sectional view of an upper portion of a cricket tube according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. Here, the multi-function lid  106  is shown in an open position in solid line and shown in a closed position in dashed line. From this viewpoint, it can be seen that the multi-function lid  106  may be opened on the hinge  314  to allow for rapid or easy filling of the cricket tube  100  with live bait organisms  312 . The upper portion  107  of the lid  106  may fit into the lid base  306  by an interference fit, by a snap fit, or by other suitable means. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a perspective view of a cricket tube with the multi-function lid removed according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. From this viewpoint, it can be appreciated that the holes  110  may be defined only in the first portion  308  of the body  102  while the second portion  310  may be solid so as to prevent a user from coming into contact with undesirable material within the cricket tube  100 . Although the body  102  shown in the present embodiments is substantially circular in cross section, and cylindrical or tubular in shape, other embodiments may have other shapes.  FIG. 6  also provides an additional vantage point illustrating the storage compartment  108  opened about the hinge  208  away from the base  104 . Although in the embodiments shown and described herein the base  104  provides a storage compartment  108  rotating away from the axis of the body  102 , in other embodiments, other fit and access means are possible. 
         [0024]    Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within the spirit of this invention as defined by the claims.