Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates broadly to ice fishing apparatus and, more particularly, pertains to a self-contained system for supporting and encasing a fully assembled fishing rod in respective fishing and storage modes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The use of ice fishing equipment of known designs and configurations is well known in the prior art. More specifically, ice fishing equipment has been constructed and devised for the purpose of simplifying and improving the fishing process using methods and apparatuses consisting of familiar structural combinations having various features developed for satisfying a large number of objectives and requirements. 
     Among those ice fishing structures which have been used are U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,670 issued Apr. 12, 1977, U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,233 issued Jun. 21, 1977, U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,387 issued Nov. 4, 1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,286 issued Jun. 14, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,333 issued Sep. 24, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,243 issued Nov. 17, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,080 issued Nov. 30, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,142 issued Jun. 27, 2000, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,852 issued Aug. 1, 2000. 
     When fishing with systems of the prior art, a fisherman is alerted of a fish taking his line by the fishing rod end tipping down towards the ice fishing hole which results from the line being pulled. While some of these designs may be folded or otherwise collapsed, none are known to enable self contained or protectively enclosed transport of a fully assembled ice fishing rod and a quick easy conversion to a fishing mode with a minimum of complexity. For those fisherman who carry a group of ice fishing rods, it is desirable to provide a system which will eliminate the common tangling of fishing lines during transport and set up. 
     Accordingly, it should be appreciated that there is a continued need for a differently constructed ice fishing apparatus which can be utilized to both conveniently support and store an ice fishing rod with a minimum of components and without tools of any kind. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide a fishing rod container which is convertible to a fishing rod support for use while fishing. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a self-contained ice fishing system having a set of collapsible and expandable legs. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ice fishing system which adequately protects and utilizes a fully assembled ice fishing rod. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a tip down ice fishing apparatus equipped with an optional mercury operated, light module for signaling the fisherman during periods of darkness. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an ice fishing system which has a vertically adjustable support for locating the fishing rod relative to an ice fishing hole. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide ice fishing equipment which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an ice fishing system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture and sale. 
     Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a method of retaining an assembled fishing rod in a storage position and a fishing position adjacent a body of water. 
     In one aspect of the invention, a self-contained fishing system includes a telescopic, tubular fishing rod holder and support tower having an extendable and retractable upper end for pivotally supporting a fishing rod therefrom. Also included in the system is a cavity sized to contain a fishing rod in an assembled condition, and a set of movable legs in a retractable condition. A closure device is removably fastened to an open lower end of the holder and tower for supporting the fishing rod and the movable legs in a storage mode within the cavity. To define a fishing mode, with the upper end extended and the closure device detached, the fishing rod is removed from the cavity and pivotally supported on the upper end, and the legs are removed from the cavity, moved into an extended condition adapted to engage a solid support surface and the closure device is replaced such that the legs support the fishing rod holder and tower. 
     In another aspect of the invention, an ice fishing apparatus includes an outer tube having an open top end and an open bottom end provided with a removably attached closure device connected to a set of foldable legs movable from a storage position within the outer tube to a fishing position extending from beneath the bottom end upon removal, inversion and reattachment of the closure device. An inner tube has a closed upper end and an open lower end, the inner tube being telescopically mounted in the outer tube such that the inner tube moves between the storage position which is retracted within the top end of the outer tube, and the fishing position in which the upper end is extended from the top end of the outer tube and pivotally supports an assembled fishing rod thereon. The assembled fishing rod is held within the outer and inner tubes and surrounded by the foldable legs in the storage position. The top end of the outer tube includes a locking collar engagable with an upper groove on an outside surface of the inner tube when the inner tube is retracted, and with a lower groove on an outside surface of the inner tube when the inner tube is extended. An inside surface of the outer tube includes a first fixed stop for limiting the movement of the inner tube. An outside surface of the inner tube includes a second fixed stop engagable with the first fixed stop when the inner tube is retracted. The upper end of the inner tube is closed by means of a plug connected to a lanyard for pulling the inner tube when retracted. The top end of the inner tube includes a pair of upwardly extending head portions, each being formed with a downwardly depending notch structure for receiving a pivot pin extending through the fishing rod. The bottom end of the outer tube includes a coupling having internal threads. The closure device is comprised of a leg base having external threads engagable with the internal threads of the coupling. The closure device includes locking structure for holding the legs in the fishing position. The fishing rod has a pair of handles, one on each side of a spool with one of the handles having an extendable rod projecting therefrom. The fishing rod includes a counterweight outside the handle from which the rod projects. The fishing rod further includes a mercury operated, light module inserted in the other of the handles. 
     The invention also contemplates a method of retaining an assembled fishing rod in a storage position and a fishing position adjacent a body of water. The method includes the steps of providing a tubular, telescopic structure with a movable upper end and a closure device connected to a set of movable legs on a lower end for normally storing the assembled fishing rod and the movable legs in a collapsed condition therein; moving the upper end from a retracted position to an extended position to define a pivotal support for the fishing rod; removing the closure device to enable removal of the fishing rod from the storage position to the fishing position pivotally supported on the upper end of the telescopic structure, and to allow the legs to be moved to an expanded condition; and inverting and reattaching the closure device to the lower end of the telescopic structure such that the legs support the telescopic structure in the fishing position. 
    
    
     Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a self-contained ice fishing system embodying the present invention and shown in a fishing mode; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the ice fishing system of FIG. 1 shown in a storage mode; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the individual components of the ice fishing system, namely, a leg assembly, a fishing rod, and an inner tube telescopically mounted within an outer tube; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line  7 — 7  of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the fishing rod removed; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail view taken on line  9 — 9  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line  10 — 10  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line  11 — 11  of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial front view of the fishing rod having an optional counterweight and mercury operated, light module; 
     FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 showing the actuation of the light module when the fishing rod tips down; and 
     FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line  14 — 14  of FIG.  12 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings, there is shown the preferred embodiment of the fully assembled telescopic, tubular fishing rod holder and support tower/storage system and apparatus for ice fishing embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention, and generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . Ice fishing system  10  is shown in a fishing mode in FIG. 1, and a storage mode in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     In the present invention, the ice fishing system  10  is comprised of a combination of components. As seen in FIG. 5, such components in their broadest context include an outer tube  12 , a foldable leg assembly  14 , an inner tube  16  and a fully assembled ice fishing rod  18 . Such components are individually configured and correlated with respect to each other so as to attain desired objectives described above. 
     As best seen in FIG. 6, outer tube  12  is an elongated, cylindrical, rigid member preferably constructed from plastic having an inner surface  20  and an outer surface  22 . At an open top end of the outer tube  12  on the inner surface  20  is a locking collar  24 , typically fabricated from plastic, which is used to lock the inner tube  16  in a retracted or expanded condition as will be further described hereafter. Collar  24  is generally cylindrically shaped and is formed with a plurality of downwardly depending fingers  26  around its periphery. The fingers  26  have inwardly projecting portions  28  at their bottom ends cooperable with groove structure on the inner tube  16 . Beneath the midpoint of the outer tube  12  on the inner surface  20  is a cylindrical ring  30  of plastic which functions as a first fixed stop engagable with the lower end of the inner tube  16 , also to be further described below. A generally cylindrical coupling  32  carrying an O-ring  34  for sealing purposes is attached to the outer surface  22  of the outer tube  12  at its open bottom end. Coupling  32  is provided with internal threads  36  for facilitating support of the leg assembly  14 . 
     Turning to FIG. 5, the folding leg assembly  14  includes at least three and preferably four elongated support legs  38 , preferably of aluminum, which are pivotally connected by pins  40  (FIG. 10) to a closure device in the form of a generally cylindrical leg base  42 . The leg base  42  has a top portion  44  to which the legs  38  are movably attached, a bottom portion  46  and a medial portion  48  which is externally threaded at  50  to be screwed into and out of engagement with the internal threads  36  of coupling  32 . In the storage mode illustrated in FIG. 3, the four legs  38  are folded upwardly so that they extend vertically into the lower half of outer tube  12 . When the leg base  42  is manually unscrewed from coupling  32 , the attached legs  38  are extracted from the outer tube  12 , folded outwardly and locked by means of tabs  52  molded into the top portion of the leg base  42 . More particularly, each tab  52  is formed with a contoured slot  54  (FIG.  11 ), the upper end  55  of which is frictionally engaged with a proximal end portion of each leg  38 . Once the legs  38  have been folded and locked out, the leg base  42  is inverted and manually screwed back into the coupling  32  (FIG.  8 ). With the legs  38  expanded and extending externally from the bottom end of the outer tube  12 , the legs  38  have been moved from the storage mode to a fishing mode to be further explained. 
     Referring to FIG. 6 again, inner tube  16  is an elongated, cylindrical rigid member also constructed from plastic having an internal surface  56  and an external surface  58 . The inner tube  16  has a length which is shorter than that of the outer tube  12  and an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer tube  12  so that it may be slidably and telescopically mounted therein. An upper end is closed by a plug  60  having a lanyard  62  connected to an apertured cylinder  63 . The upper end of inner tube  16  has a pair of upwardly extending head portions  64 , each being formed with a downwardly depending notch  66  used for supporting the fishing rod  18 . The external surface  58  of inner tube  16  includes an upper lock groove  68  for locking the inner tube  16  in a retracted position in which the head portions  64  are disposed within the top end of the outer tube  12 . A lower lock groove  70  is also formed on the external surface  58  for locking the inner tube  16  in an extended position (FIG.  8 ). At a lower end on the external surface  58  of the inner tube  16  is a second cylindrical ring which acts as a second fixed stop engagable with the bottom of the locking collar  24  on the outer tube  12  when the inner tube  16  is in the extended position. The ring  72  is also engagable with the first fixed stop  30  on the outer tube  12  when the inner tube  16  is in the retracted position. The inwardly projecting portions  28  on the locking collar fingers  26  are either engagable in a snap fit with the upper lock groove  68  when the inner tube  16  is retracted (FIG.  6 ), or with the lower lock groove  70  when the inner tube  16  is extended (FIG.  9 ). Also, as seen in FIG. 6, the lower portion of inner tube  16  is formed with a series of passages  74  to enable circulation of air between the outer tube  12  and the inner tube  16  (as depicted by the arrows) so that any condensation will not cause freezing of the tubes together. The air passages  74  generally allow the entire inner structure of the tubes  12 ,  16  to breathe. 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, the fishing rod  18  is fully assembled and includes an upper handle portion  76 , a lower handle portion  78  and a spool holding portion  80  connecting the handle portions  76 ,  78 . Each of the handle portions  76 ,  78  normally carries an end cap  82 . The handle portions  76 ,  78  and spool holder  80  are deliberately sized so that they fit adequately in the center of and are surrounded by the four legs  38  as shown in FIG.  4 . The upper handle portion  76  carries a horizontally disposed, stainless steel pivot pin  84  which is received in the notches  66  of inner tube head portion  64  so that the rod  18  will pivot therefrom. Extending from the upper handle portion  76  is a flexible rod  86 , and preferably a telescopic rod, having an inner section  88  and an outer section  90 . As seen in FIG. 1, a fishing line  92  extends from a plastic, spring loaded, slip clutch spool  94  rotatably mounted in the spool holder  80  along the rod  86  through eyelets  87  and then down to water in a hole formed in a support surface  96 , such as ice. The line  92  commonly includes a bobber  98  and a hook  100  which is baited as desired. Although not shown, the invention contemplates that a handle could be included on the spool  94  to facilitate reeling in and/or paying out of line  92 . 
     FIGS. 12 through 14 illustrate an optional fishing rod structure when the lower handle portion  78  is provided with a battery operated, light module  102  having a mercury switch arrangement or the like (not shown). The light module  102  is designed such that when the rod  18  moves from an up position (FIG. 12) to a down position (FIG.  13 ), the light module  102  will be used to visually indicate the strike of a fish during dark periods from dusk to dawn. A counterweight  104  is optionally installed on the lower end of the rod  18  adjacent the upper handle portions  76 . FIG. 14 shows the details of the spool  94  used in both embodiments shown in the drawings. In particular, the spool  94  has a pair of knurled outer rims  106  for retaining fishing line in a line receiving groove formed therebetween. The spool  94  is rotatably mounted in its holder  80  by a headed bolt  108  which passes through aligned openings in the holder  80 . A pressure spring  110  is interposed between the head of the bolt  108  and a first circular fiberglass, brake disc lying adjacent the inner face of one of the rims  106 . A second circular fiberglass, brake disc  114  is disposed between the outer face of the outer rim  106  and the inside of the holder  80 . An adjustment knob  116  is screwed onto a threaded end  118  of the head bolt  108 . 
     In use, the ice fishing system  10  has a compact, lightweight storage mode as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein the inner tube  16  is retracted in outer tube  12 , and wherein the legs  38  and fishing rod  18  are protectably retained within the outer and inner tubes  12 ,  16 , respectively. In the storage mode, the outer tube  12  typically has a length of about  24  inches and a diameter of about two and one-eighth inches so that the system can be easily carried by the lanyard  62  or by grasping the outer tube  12  along its outer surface  22 . 
     The system is made ready for the fishing mode by unscrewing the threaded leg base  42  with attached legs  38  from the outer tube coupling  32 . This also removes the stored fishing rod  18  which is centered in the middle of the legs  38  and is further extracted therefrom. Once this has been done, the inner tube  16  is telescopically extended relative to the outer tube  12  by pulling on the lanyard  62  until the inner tube  16  locks into position with the locking collar fingers  26  engaging with the lower groove  70  on inner tube  16  (FIGS.  8  and  9 ). Extension of the inner tube  16  provides the system  10  with additional height (about 36.75 inches) to minimize bending over for the fisherman. Next, the leg base  42  is grasped and the four legs  38  are flipped out and locked as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The leg base  42  is then inverted and screwed back into the outer tube coupling  32 , as shown in FIG.  10 . The assembly is then positioned upon the ice  96  and the rod pivot pin  84  is placed in the notch structure  66  at the top of the inner tube  16  with the inner rod section  88  extended as depicted at FIG.  1 . The fishing line  92  with its bobber  98  and hook  100  is then placed in a hole in the ice  96 . If a heavy bait is used, a larger bobber  98  may be required to compensate for the added weight. The fisherman now sets the bait depth, baits the hook  100 , positions the bobber  98  at water level and sets the rod  18  in the upward tilted position. With the bobber  98  at water level, any excess line is taken up by turning the spool  94 . When the fish takes the bait, the rod  18  will tilt down until it reaches the downwardly tilted position shown in phantom lines of FIG.  1 . The downwardly tilted position signals the fisherman that the fish has taken the bait. With the line tension lightly set, the fish takes as much line as necessary with the rod  18  downwardly tilted. The fisherman removes the fishing rod  18  from the top of the inner tube  16  and at any time sets the hook  100 . By grasping the rod handle  76  or  78  and the spool  94  simultaneously, the hook  100  may be set without any loss of line  92 . The fisherman then pulls on the line  92  and fish by hand, after which the fish is removed, the hook  100  is baited and fishing is resumed. When the fisherman is done fishing, the set up procedure described above is reversed so the system  10  again is placed in the storage mode. 
     If desired, the rod  18  can carry the counterweight  104  in advance of the upper handle portion  76 . Also, for fishing in darker conditions, the optional light module  102  is used to provide a visual indication to the fisherman of a fish strike when the rod  18  pivots down as seen in FIG.  13 . 
     It should be appreciated that the present invention provides a telescopic, tubular fishing rod holder and support/storage tower employing a minimum of parts and requiring less than a minute to convert the assembly from a storage mode to a fishing mode. The entire system is particularly durable, compact and easy to use by fishermen of any age. 
     While the preferred embodiment has been described as a self-contained fishing system particularly attracted for ice fishing, it should be further understood that the system  10  could also function as a rod support placed on a pier, a boat deck or other support surface adjacent a body of water. 
     Various alternatives and embodiments are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.

Technology Category: 1