Patent Description:
A split ring is attached to the artificial bait so that different types of hooks can be attached to and detached from the bait as necessary. The split ring is formed by curving a linear member in a ring shape, and the one disclosed in Patent Literature <NUM>, for example, is generally known. Here, the split ring disclosed in Patent Literature <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG> Normally, a split ring <NUM> has a configuration in which both ends 101a and 101b of a wire <NUM> are wound approximately twice so as to be in close contact with an intermediate portion <NUM>, and one of the ends is forcibly separated from the intermediate portion, and keeping this state, a ring portion <NUM> of a hook <NUM> is fitted into the end of the wire and moved along the intermediate portion, whereby the hook <NUM> is attached. Similarly, when the hook <NUM> is detached, the end 101a (101b) of the split ring and the intermediate portion <NUM> are forcibly separated from each other, and the ring portion <NUM> of the hook <NUM> is fitted into the gap and moved along the intermediate portion, whereby the hook <NUM> is detached.

Patent Literature <NUM> also discloses a connecting eye having a configuration in which a wire is wound approximately once and an end is slightly separated from a base end. When such a connecting eye is used as a detachable structure for a hook, it is not necessary to expand the end when attaching the ring portion of the hook, so that the hook can be easily attached and detached.

<CIT> concerns a connecting mechanism consisting of a hook connecting part where both end parts of a hardened wire are coiled double and a pair of bent pieces for guiding the insertion of the hook and preventing its removing.

<CIT> describes a split ring interposed between a pseudo bait and a fishing line by first and second ring portions formed of a wire material. A part of the second ring portion in the circumferential direction is projected to the outer diameter side and a split ring is formed in the same shape, the first and second ring portions being in close contact with each other.

<CIT> discusses a breakaway link or flexible connector taking the form of a short coil of wireform material having known elastic and tensile properties.

<CIT> details an oval spring tension ring with left and right hooks at the opening on the top mid-section.

<CIT> discusses a fastening system for anchoring agricultural sheeting to a support.

In a conventional split ring, when attaching or detaching the ring portion of the hook, it is necessary to expand the end of the split ring from the intermediate portion (expanding the end using a tool such as a plier); therefore, the hook is not easily attached and detached. In addition, when the hook is attached, the ring portion can freely rotate in the split ring, which makes the hook easily turn in various directions in water, and makes the hooking performance poor. Further, in the case of the type where the wire is wound approximately once, though the hook can be relatively easily attached and detached, the tensile strength is weak, and similarly to the above-mentioned configuration, the hook easily turns in various directions in water, which makes the hooking performance poor.

The present invention was made with particular attention on the above-described issues, and aims to provide an artificial bait provided with a split ring that has a high tensile strength and an easily detachable hook and that prevents the hook from freely rotating in water.

The present invention provides an artificial bait according to claim <NUM>. In order to achieve the above purpose, an artificial bait according to the present invention has a split ring with a replaceable hook, and at least one end of a wire formed in a ring shape is curved in a direction that separates the end from an intermediate portion.

In the artificial bait having the above-described configuration, when the hook is attached by inserting the ring portion of the hook into the split ring, since at least one end of the wire of the split ring formed in the ring shape is separated from the intermediate portion, it is not necessary to separate the end from the intermediate portion by using a tool as in conventional split rings, whereby the hook can be easily attached. Further, even if the hook is attached and the ring portion is moved along the split ring, the ring portion abuts against the curved end of the split ring, so that the movement of the hook in the rotational direction and the lateral direction is restricted. That is, the hook is prevented from freely moving in water, and the direction of the hook tip is stabilized, whereby the performance of hooking fish is improved.

The present disclosure also features a split ring attachable to an artificial bait as described above, and the split ring is characterized in that at least one end of a wire formed in a ring shape is curved so as to be separated from the intermediate portion.

The present invention provides an artificial bait provided with a split ring that has a high tensile strength and an easily detachable hook and that prevents the hook from freely rotating in water, as well as provides a split ring attached to the artificial bait.

Embodiments of an artificial bait according to the present invention will be described below.

<FIG> shows a first embodiment of an artificial bait according to the present invention.

An artificial bait <NUM> shown in <FIG> is a so-called jig head, and is configured by attaching a large number of rubbers <NUM> so as to hang on a sinker <NUM> on which an eye 3a to which a fishing line is tied is formed.

A split ring <NUM> is integrally attached to the sinker <NUM> on the side opposite to the position where the eye 3a is provided, and a ring portion <NUM> formed on a hook <NUM> is attached to the split ring <NUM>. As will be described later, the split ring <NUM> of the present embodiment has a shape in which the hook <NUM> can be easily attached and detached and which can restrict the movement of the hook.

As shown in <FIG>, the split ring <NUM> is formed by bending a metallic wire <NUM> into a ring shape. The wire <NUM> to be used has a diameter that is smaller than the opening diameter of the ring portion <NUM> of the hook <NUM> and is as large as possible under such constraint. More specifically, though the diameter of the wire <NUM> depends on the opening diameter of the ring portion <NUM> of the hook <NUM>, a wire is used, which is thick (approximately <NUM> to <NUM>) enough to ensure sufficient strength even where a large tensile force is applied when fish is caught. Further, as described below, as the wire <NUM> is wound more than once (winding amount greater than <NUM>°,) it does not expand under the power of the hooked fish.

In the present embodiment, one end 11a (base end) of the wire <NUM> is integrally fixed to a base 3b of the sinker <NUM>, from which point the end is wound more than once in a ring shape, and the other end (tip portion) 11c is wound so as to be separated from, without contacting the side of, the intermediate portion 11b wound in a ring shape. In particular, the wire <NUM> is wound approximately once and a half (approximately <NUM>°), so that the tip portion 11c is not expanded under the power of the hooked fish, and when winding the wire, the wire is formed in a curve so that an angle (bending angle) between a plane P including the intermediate portion 11b and the direction in which the tip portion 11c is facing (direction away while curving toward the tip) is more than a certain value. Therefore, a certain gap G is formed between the tip portion 11c and the intermediate portion 11b by curving the wire <NUM> to form the angle.

If the wire described above is curved so that the angle becomes large, the ring portion <NUM> of the hook <NUM> can be easily passed therethrough. The angle is therefore a certain angle or more so as to be slightly separated from the intermediate portion. Specifically, the angle is set at <NUM>° or more so that the ring portion <NUM> of the hook <NUM> can be passed as is even if the ring portion <NUM> has a certain thickness, which makes it possible to pass the ring portion <NUM> of the hook <NUM> through the tip portion 11c smoothly toward the intermediate portion without using a tool or the like. The upper limit of the angle is not particularly specified, but may be curved at <NUM>° or less.

Here, referring to <FIG>, a procedure for attaching the hook <NUM> on the split ring <NUM> with the above-described configuration will be described.

First, the ring portion <NUM> of the hook <NUM> is inserted from the tip portion 11c of the split ring (see <FIG>). In this operation, since the tip portion 11c is separated from the intermediate portion 11b of the wire to form a gap, the ring portion <NUM> can be easily passed through the split ring without using a tool. Thereafter, the hook <NUM> is pinched and rotated along the wire (see <FIG>) so that the hook <NUM> is attached to the split ring <NUM> (see <FIG>). The hook <NUM> can be easily detached by pinching the hook <NUM> and following the reverse procedure to attaching the hook.

When the hook <NUM> is attached to the split ring <NUM> according to the above-described procedure, if the angle is small, the ring portion <NUM> of the hook <NUM> abuts on an end face 11c' of the tip portion 11c, which prevents the hook <NUM> from largely rotating along the intermediate portion 11b. That is, as shown in <FIG>, though the rotational movement can be performed from the position of the solid line to the position on the front side shown by the double-chain line 20A, the rotational movement from the position of the solid line to the position on the back side shown by the double-chain line 20B is prevented. Consequently, the hook can, without rotating backward, rotate in the forward direction in which fish is easily caught, which makes it easier to hook fish. In this case, even if the angle is formed to be slightly largely curved, since the ring portion <NUM> of the hook abuts on an inner surface 11c" (see <FIG>) near the tip portion 11c, the backward rotation is similarly restricted, and the hook is prevented from rotating backward.

Further, on the back side of the end face <NUM> c' of the tip portion of the split ring <NUM>, the movement in the side-to-side direction as illustrated by a double chain line in <FIG> (side-to-side direction as illustrated by the double chain lines 20C and 20D) are also restricted by the restrictions described above.

Therefore, when the hook <NUM> is attached to the split ring <NUM> having the above-described configuration, the rotation in the forward-backward direction and the movement in the side-to-side direction are restricted from the tip portion 11c of the wire, whereby a hook tip 20a of the hook <NUM> is easily maintained upward in water, which improves the hooking performance.

<FIG> shows a second embodiment of an artificial bait. An artificial bait 1A of this embodiment is configured as a lure type, and a hook <NUM> is attached thereon by attaching the split rings <NUM> having the above-described configuration to two positions on the underside of a body 3A. Also in the configuration of the present embodiment, the ring portion <NUM> of the hook <NUM> can be easily attached to and detached from the split ring <NUM>, and when a fishing line is tied to an eye 3a' on a main body 3A and an action is applied to the lure while winding up a reel, the rotation in the forward-backward direction and movement in the side-to-side direction of the hook <NUM> are restricted as described above, so that the attitude of the lure is stabilized in water, which makes it easier to catch the fish (ability to increase the chance of fish preying on baits is improved.

The embodiments of the present invention are described above; however, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various variation may be made. In the embodiments described above, one end (base end) of the wire of the split ring <NUM> is attached to the body of the artificial bait, but similarly to the configuration shown in <FIG>, the intermediate portion of the split ring <NUM> may be attached to the body of the artificial bait, and the both ends of the wire may be curved so as to be separated from the intermediate portion 11b. Such a configuration makes it easier to attach or detach the hook. Further, when the wire <NUM> is curved to form a ring shape, the number of turns (amount of windings) is not particularly limited to two turns or the like as shown in <FIG>, and the amount of windings can be increased to improve the tensile strength.

In the present invention, with respect to the split ring, it suffices that at least one end of the wire formed in a ring shape is curved in the direction away from the intermediate portion, which can be done in many different ways. For examples of the deformations made as necessary, only the end face 11c' of the tip portion 11c is sharply bent and separated from the intermediate portion 11b as shown in <FIG>, the end face 11c' of the tip portion 11c extends upward while being separated from the intermediate portion 11b as shown in <FIG>, or the tip portion 11c is bent into a substantially right angle (dogleg shape) to be separated from the intermediate portion 11b as shown in <FIG>.

Claim 1:
An artificial bait (<NUM>) comprising a split ring (<NUM>) with a replaceable hook (<NUM>), wherein at least one end of a wire (<NUM>) of the split ring (<NUM>) formed in a ring shape is curved in a direction away from a plane (P) including an intermediate portion (11b) of the wire (<NUM>), said at least one end of the wire (<NUM>) being separated from said intermediate portion (11b) of the wire (<NUM>) to form a gap (G) therebetween,
wherein the replaceable hook (<NUM>) further comprises a ring portion (<NUM>) attached to the split ring (<NUM>), the wire (<NUM>) having a diameter that is smaller than an opening diameter of the ring portion (<NUM>), and
wherein an end of the split ring (<NUM>) is bent at <NUM>° or more with respect to the plane (P) including the intermediate portion.