Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present invention is a continuation-in-part of the copending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 824,860 of the same title filed Jan. 31, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,880, and the disclosure and prosecution thereof is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to fishing lures. More particularly, it relates to self-contained light emitting fishing lures for enhanced fish attracting qualities. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Six prior art patents have been located which disclose light emitting fishing lures. The first is U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,331 issued Oct. 14, 1980 to Ursrey, et al. for a Fish Lure. That patent describes a lure which uses one or more light emitting diodes, preferably of a type which emits green light, and includes a suitable power source disposed interally of the lure body for energizing the diode. The light emitting diodes are attached to and protrude outwardly from the lure body so as to provide wide angle disbursion of light. When the lure is submerged in water, an electrical circuit is established to activate the light emitting source. 
     Another is U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,650, issued Feb. 17, 1981, to Raoul G. Fima for an Intermittently Illuminated Fishing Lure. That patent discloses a fishing lure containing one or more light sources and which includes an internal guide way along which a battery rolls back and forth in response to an occillatory movement of the lure. A series of stationary electrical contacts are positioned along the guide way to successively engage the moving battery to intermittently complete a circuit and energize the light sources. The light sources are mounted interally for protection of the lure body and the light is transmitted to exterior locations by optical conductors. 
     A further one is U.S. Pat. No. 3,621,600 issued Nov. 23, 1971 to M. Dworski for a Fish Lure, and it discloses a lure which has a separate translucent head and body members which are assembled to the head either in the form of a series of disks or like halves assembled around an incandescent lamp and dry cell which weight the lure. 
     Yet another is U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,228 issued Sept. 28, 1971, to R. W. Borreson, et al. for a Fishing Lure. That patent discloses a lure of the plug type comprised of hollow detachable sections which are provided with apparatus for illuminating the lure. Various weights may be positioned within the lure cavities, and the head section is formed of translucent material to provide a prismatic effect for the illumination means to form eye simulating areas on each side of the head section of the lure. 
     Still further is U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,462 issued June 26, 1962, to F. C. Guida for a Luminescent Fishing Lure. That patent discloses a lure which has a pair of chambers, one of which contains a power source and the other of which contains a light emitting bulb which also projects into a third water filled chamber and illuminates the lure by transmitting light through the translucent body of the lure. 
     Still another is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,121,114 issued June 21, 1938, to G. Beck for a Fish Lure. That device discloses a fish lure also having a translucent body within which a light emitting source is disposed for illuminating the lure. 
     The present invention provides a simplified device which makes use of improved electronics for longer life and ease of construction to reduce cost as compared with the referenced prior art devices. A significant difference between the present invention and the known prior art is that in most cases the prior art devices must be disassembled to remove the battery in order to shut off the light emitter. They do not include a positive switch means for actuating the light sources from a position external to the lure or without immersing the lure in water. 
     Because of the very hostile environment the lures are subjected to, it is very desirable to be able to check batteries and interal circuitry of an illuminable lure quickly. Fishermen also like to be able to change lures rapidly, and in order to accomplish this with the least loss of time, an external switch means is required to turn off the replaced lure and turn on the new one. Disassembly and assembly of lures, with their differing battery requirements, sizes, and parts to shut off and turn on a lure makes those procedures unsatisfactory in the most desired fishing environment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a light emitting fishing lure which includes a body portion having a cavity formed therein for containing one or more batteries. An electrical contact for establishing an electrical connection with the battery is formed integral to the cavity. The cavity includes means for urging the battery toward the front end or head portion of the lure. At least one fish hook is secured to the body portion of the lure. A head portion is provided which is securable to the body portion. The front end of the body portion is adapted to mate with the head portion in sealing relation to prevent water from entering the cavity portion of the body. An electrical contact for the battery of opposite polarity from the body portion contact is provided in the head to complete the electrical circuit for the lure. A switch means operable from a position external to the head and body portions is formed integral to the lure for activating the battery. At least one light emitting diode projects from the lure and is electrically connected to the battery and the switch means. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a simplified illuminated lure. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an illuminated lure using light emitting diodes as simulated eyes or other features for the lure which flash on and off for increased fish attraction. 
     And it is a further object of the present invention to provide an illuminated fishing lure which has an external switch to allow the light emitter to be turned on and off without assembly or disassembly of the lure and while it is held in the fisherman&#39;s hands. 
    
    
     Other objects of the invention with become apparent when it is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the light emitting fishing lure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view in cross-section thereof taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial top plan view of the head of the fishing lure; and 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation in cross-section of an alternative construction of the present invention taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose the light emitting fishing lure of the present invention. It includes a body portion 11 which has a cavity 13 formed therein for containing one or more batteries 15, and a head portion 17 which is securable to the body portion. The front end of the body portion of the lure is adapted to mate with the head portion 17 in sealing relation to prevent water from entering the cavity portion of the body 11. The head portion 17 of the lure is securable to the body portion by means of a threaded connection 19 which is made water tight by means of a gasket 21 in the form of a washer or &#34;O&#34; ring disposed around the threaded shank of the head portion and squeezed between the peripheral shoulders of the head and body portions 23, 25 respectively. 
     The body portion 11 has an electrical contact integral thereto for making an electrical connection with the battery 15. In its simplest form that connection is comprised of a spring 27 which also is the means for urging the battery toward the head portion of the lure. The body portion 11 of the lure can be made of metal for conducting electrical current or of plastic with an internal electrical circuit such as a wire molded into it. The spring contacts the negative electrode or bottom of the battery, and the spring is in electrical contact with the body portion of the lure, if it is electrical conducting, by virtue of its fit in the small cavity 29 disposed at the rear end of the lure. This cavity is a female recess formed to hold the spring 27 therein with a friction fit so that when the battery is removed from the cavity, the spring remains in its predisposed position in the body of the lure at the rear end thereof. If the body is non-conducting, the internal electrical circuit is formed to contact the spring. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the body of the lure is molded of plastic and an electrical wire 31 is placed in electrical contact with the spring. The front end of the body of the lure is formed with an annular collar 33 which is secured in the lure body by a tight fit and waterproof adhesive. The internal surface of the annular collar is provided with female threads for engaging the male threads on the head portion. The electrical wire 31 which is in electrical connection with the new spring 27 is attached to the collar 33 also with an electrical connection. 
     The head portion 17 of the lure shown in FIG. 3 has an electrical contact 35 for engaging the battery which is of opposite polarity from the body portion contact. In the preferred embodiment, this contact 35 which engages the positive electrical contact 37 of the battery is a projecting stud which is imbedded in an epoxy matrix which forms the head portion 17 of the lure and insulates the post 35 from the head portion of the lure if it is coated with metal. The fixed post is in electrical contact with the positive leads 41 for the light emitting diodes (LEDs) 43 by being soldered thereto. The diodes, circuit wires, and electrical contacts all mold integrally into the head portion. When the head portion of the lure is screwed into the body portion, the projecting post 35 engages the positive contact of the battery 37 and remains in continuous engagement therewith by virtue of the spring 27 pressure. 
     A switch means is provided integral to said lure for activating the battery from a position external to the lure. This is effected by an electrical contact which is a rotatable arm 45 that is secured to the head portion of the lure and is in electrical contact with the negative lead 47 of the circuit of the light emitting diode(s). The arm pivots on a journal shaft 49, such as a screw which threadably engages the head portion of the lure by means of a female receptacle stud 51 which is secured in the head portion matrix by a tight fit and waterproof adhesive. 
     The respective ends of the negative 47 and positive leads 41 of the LEDs are soldered together before they are potted in the epoxy matrix of the head. In order to complete the electrical circuit and activate the diodes 43, the rotatable arm 45, which is electrically connected to the negative lead 47 of the light emitting diodes 43, is rotated into contact with the metal collar 33 of the body portion 11 of the lure, which is in electrical connection with the negative contact of the battery, establishing the electrical circuit. The negative and positive leads of the LEDs are insulated from each other by the epoxy matrix of the head portion. Thus, the rotatable arm 45, which can be rotated into and out of contact with the metal collar 33 of the body portion 11 of the lure, from outside of the lure, is the switch means for turning on and off the flashing light emitting diodes 43 by completing the electrical circuit. 
     While the invention contemplates at least one light emitting diode 43 projecting from the lure and being electrically connected to the battery by the switch means, the preferred embodiment utilizes a pair of light emitting diodes which are disposed on, and epoxied into, opposite sides of the lure to project from the head portion thereof with semi-globular configurations for maximum light dispersion simulating a pair of eyes. Additional LEDs could be employed to simulate other features of a fish or simply be disposed at preferred locations to provide additional light emission sources. In the preferred embodiment the LEDs 43 are provided with a solid state circuit which interrupts the electrical flow to make the LEDs intermittent in their light emission. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes at least one fish hook 53 secured to the body 11 of the lure unless the line is just used as a fish attractor in which case a hook is unnecessary. The end of the shank 55 of the hook is provided with a groove 57 instead of an eye. A pin 59 which is force fitted through the body of the lure engages the groove of the fish hook and allows the hook to rotate in its connection to the lure body. The hook can be camouflaged by a rubber or plastic hula skirt disposed over the rear of the lure body and multiple and ganged hooks can be employed as with other lures. 
     Thus, it will be seem from the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention that all of the objects and advantages attributable thereto have been attained. While the invention has been described in considerable detail the invention is not to be limited to such details as have been set forth except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

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