Movable center-of-gravity tube and fishing lure having same built in

Abstract

A movable center-of-gravity tube comprising a tube body (41), a center-of-gravity body (42) accommodated inside the tube body and balls (43) held on the center-of-gravity body (42) is provided, in which the center-of-gravity body (42) has a slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of an inner surface of the tube body and comprises three or more rows of ball circulation grooves (44) on its outer surface in parallel with each other, in which the ball circulation grooves (44) accommodate the balls in a circulation manner, and each of which comprises two rows connected to each other, in such manner that the balls in one groove of the ball circulation grooves rotate and circulate in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tube body, while the balls in another groove rotate and circulate in no contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tube body, when the center-of-gravity body moves.

Claims

1. A movable center-of-gravity tube configured for use with a fishing lure comprising a tube body, a cylindrical center of gravity body accommodated inside the tube body, and balls held on the cylindrical center of gravity body, in which the cylindrical center of gravity body has a slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of an inner surface of the tube body and comprises three or more endless circulation grooves, each comprising a ball movement groove and a ball return groove on its outer surface in parallel with each other, in which the endless circulation grooves accommodate the balls in a circulation manner, and each of which has a closed bottom and comprises two rows connected to each other, in such manner that the balls in the movement groove rotate and circulate in contact with said inner surface of the tube body and, balls in the return groove circulate out of contact, when the cylindrical center of gravity body moves.

2. The movable center-of-gravity tube described in claim 1, in which the tube body is provided with a magnet at least at one end.

3. The movable center-of-gravity tube described in claim 1, in which three ball circulation grooves are provided.

4. A fishing lure having appearance analogous to a small fish and a hollow lure body which is provided with a forwardly slanting lip on one end, in which the hollow lure body contains therein a movable center-of-gravity tube comprising a tube body, a cylindrical center of gravity body accommodated inside the tube body, and balls held on the cylindrical center of gravity body is provided, in which the cylindrical center of gravity body has a slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of an inner surface of the tube body and comprises three or more endless circulation grooves, each comprising a ball movement groove and a ball return groove on its outer surface in parallel with each other, in which the endless circulation grooves accommodate the balls in a circulation manner, and each of which has a closed bottom and comprises two rows connected to each other, in such manner that the balls in the movement groove rotate and circulate in contact with said inner surface of the tube body and balls in the return groove circulate out of contact, when the cylindrical center of gravity body moves.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a section of a whole figure of the fishing lure disclosed in publication 1.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the center-of-gravity movement mechanism of a linear bush included in the fishing lure.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the linear bush shown in FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a movable center-of gravity tube according to the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a section of the movable center-of-gravity tube shown in FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of the section of the movable center-of-gravity tube shown in FIG. 4.

(7) FIG. 7 is a partial section of a typical fishing lure in which the movable center-of-gravity tube shown in FIG. 4 is included.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(8) The movable center-of-gravity tube and fishing lure according to the invention are described below, referring to FIGS. 4 to 7. It should be noted that the constitution of the prior art fishing lure is described in the descriptions given herein-before, referring to FIGS. 1 to 3.

(9) FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an example of the constitution of movable center-of-gravity tube according to the invention. FIG. 5 shows a section along the diameter.

(10) In FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the movable center-of-gravity tube 40 comprises a tube body 41, a center-of-gravity body 42 which is included within the tube body in such manner that the center-of-gravity body is movable in the tube body, and balls 43 held on the center-of-gravity body.

(11) The center-of-gravity body 42 has a slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of an inner surface of the tube body 41 and comprises three or more rows of ball circulation grooves 44 on its outer surface in parallel with each other, in which each ball circulation groove comprises two grooves connected to each other. The ball circulation grooves contain balls 43 in a circulation manner.

(12) The balls contained in one groove of the ball circulation grooves rotate and circulate in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tube body when the center-of-gravity body moves, while the balls contained in another groove rotate and circulate in no contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tube body.

(13) In the invention, it is preferred that there ball circulation grooves are provided, in consideration of the manufacturing and smooth moving of the movable center-of-gravity body.

(14) The tube body of the movable center-of-gravity body can be made of metal material, resin material, or ceramic material such as glass. The tube body can be preferably made of metal material such as stainless steel. However, the tube body may be made of a composite of metal material and resin material.

(15) The movement of the center-of-gravity body in the movable center-of-gravity tube of the invention is done in a manner similar to the movement of a retainer (ball-holding means) encased in an outer cylinder of a linear bush (which is generally used as a linear motion bearing). In more detail, the ball-holding/circulating means of the retainer encased in the outer cylinder of a linear bush consists of two rows of grooves and so holds the balls as to enable their eternal circulation.

(16) In the circulation, the balls within one groove of the ball circulation grooves rotate and circulate in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tube body, while the balls within another groove rotate and circulate in no contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tube body.

(17) For the sake of convenience, the constitution of the movable center-of-gravity tube to enable smooth movement of the center-of-gravity body in the movable center-of-gravity tube according to the invention is described below, referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.

(18) The ball-circulating groove 44 formed on the center-of-gravity body 40 consists of a ball rotation movement groove 44a within which the balls 43 move under rotation in contact with the internal surface of the tube 41, and a ball return groove 44b within which the balls 43 move under rotation in no contact with the internal surface of the tube 41. The ball rotation movement groove 44a and the ball return groove 44b are so connected to each other at both ends, as to the balls circulate in these grooves.

(19) The relationship of the position of the ball rotation movement groove 44a and the position of the ball return groove 44b are described below in more detail. The line X indicating the position of the center of the center-of-gravity body. The distance of the line Y indicating the position of the ball rotation movement groove 44a from the line X is adjusted to differ from the distance of the line Z indicating the position of the ball return groove 44b from the line X, in such manner that the former distance (namely, X-Y) is adjusted to be larger than the latter distance (namely, X-Z).

(20) Since the distance (X-Y) of the line Y indicating the position of the ball rotation movement groove 44a from the line X is made to be relatively large, balls residing in the ball rotation movement groove 44a are kept in contact with the internal surface of the tube body 41, while balls residing in the ball return groove 44b are kept in no contact with the internal surface of the tube body 41. Therefore, balls 43 can smoothly circulate within the ball circulating groove 44 thorough the ball rotation movement groove 44a and the ball return groove 44b.

(21) The fishing lure of the invention, which includes the aforementioned movable center-of-gravity tube in its body is described below, referring to FIG. 7.

(22) The fishing lure 50 shown in FIG. 7 has essentially the same structure as the fishing lure disclosed in the patent publication 1 (namely, the fishing lure described herein-before, referring to FIG. 1). In more detail the fishing lure 50 comprises a lure body 11 and the movable center-of-gravity tube 40 of the invention. Descriptions concerning other constitutional members (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21) are no more required.

(23) As is easily understandable, the fishing lure of FIG. 7 has such constitution as that of the fishing lure of FIG. 1 replaced with the fishing lure which works according to the mechanism of the center-of-gravity movement proposed by the invention.

(24) The magnet 29 attached to the lib 24 of the lure body 11 in FIG. 1 can be employed as such in the invention. Otherwise, the magnet 29 can be attached to one end of the movable center-of-gravity tube 40.

(25) As is apparent from FIG. 7, the fishing lure containing the movable center-of-gravity tube therein has a more simple structure, compared with the fishing lure 11 illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3. Therefore, the manufacturing of the fishing lure of the invention, particularly, incorporation of the movable center-of-gravity tube into the fishing lure, can be more easily done.

(26) As is understandable from the descriptions given herein-before, the fishing lure of the invention has a structure essentially the same as that disclosed in the patent publication 1 and can be employable for the same purpose. Accordingly, most of the descriptions of fishing lures given in the patent publication 1 are appropriate for the fishing lure of the invention, and these descriptions are contained in the descriptions for the fishing lure of the invention.

(27) In addition, the movable center-of-gravity tube of the invention can be employed not only for the fishing lures but also for magnetic generators and sliding units. The uses of the movable center-of-gravity tube in the fields other than the fishing lure are described in detail in the patent publication 2. Therefore, these descriptions are also contained in the descriptions for the uses of the movable center-of-gravity tube of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

(28) 10 fishing lure described in the patent publication 1; 11 lure body described in the patent publication 1; 13 fishing line; 22 guide shaft; 23 linear bush; 40 movable center-of-gravity tube of the invention; 41 tube body; 42 center-of-gravity body; 43 spherical body (ball); 44 ball circulation groove; 50 fishing lure