Fish bite alert system

Abstract

A fish bite alert system. A Y-shaped fishing rod holder is provided having two upper portions spaced apart from one another and a vertical post having a proximal end and a distal end, the vertical post extending from a center location of the Y-shaped fishing rod holder and an optional, removable cone disposed proximate the distal end of the vertical post. An electrical speaker unit is mounted to the Y-shaped fishing rod holder. An LED is attached to each of the upper portions of the fishing rod holder. A retractable, spring-loaded trigger assembly is supported by the Y-shaped fishing rod holder and electrically connected to the power supply via a momentary switch. In another embodiment, a detachable ladder assembly supports the fishing rod holder and includes a folding ladder base with extendable support members having distal ends and a plurality of extension arms operatively connect thereto.

Claims

1. A fish bite alert system, comprising: a) a standalone fishing rod holder having two upper, longitudinal portions, each longitudinal portion having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal ends thereof being rotatably connected to a vertical post having a proximal end and a distal end, the vertical post extending from the proximal ends of the upper, longitudinal portions of the fishing rod holder in combination with the vertical post-forming a Y shape, and a removable cone disposed proximate the distal end of the vertical post; b) an electrical speaker unit mounted to the fishing rod holder; c) an LED attached to each of the upper portions of the fishing rod holder; d) a power supply disposed in the vertical post and electrically connected to the electrical speaker unit and to each of the LEDs; and e) a retractable, spring-loaded trigger assembly having a U-shaped support, the trigger assembly being operatively attached to only one of the two upper, longitudinal portions of the fishing rod holder and electrically connected to the power supply via a momentary switch, the spring-loaded trigger assembly having a protrusion being swivable perpendicular to the attached rod holder portion between a substantially horizontal extended position and a substantially vertical retracted position and a U-shaped support attached to the protrusion for guiding a fishing line, wherein the protrusion is configured to be positioned at an angle above the horizontal such that when the fishing line is pulled the fishing line contacts the U-shaped support, moving the protrusion to the substantially horizontal position and signaling a fish catch.

2. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises at least one dry cell battery.

3. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the at least one dry cell battery comprises at least one battery selected from the group: size AA batteries and size AAA batteries.

4. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the distal end of the vertical post comprises threads and the removable cone is threadably connected thereto.

5. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the speaker and the LEDs is separately energized.

6. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a power switch.

7. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the power switch, the momentary switch, the power supply, the speaker unit, and the LEDs are electrically connected in series.

8. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a retractable dock pin housed in the removable cone.

9. A fish bite alert system, comprising: a) a standalone fishing rod holder having two upper, longitudinal portions, each longitudinal portion having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal ends thereof being rotatably connected to a vertical post having a proximal end and a distal end, the vertical post extending from the proximal ends of the upper, longitudinal portions of the fishing rod holder in combination with the vertical post-forming a Y shape, and a removable cone disposed proximate the distal end of the vertical post; b) electrical signaling means mounted to the Y-shaped fishing rod holder; c) a power supply disposed in the vertical post and electrically connected to the electrical signaling means; d) a retractable, spring-loaded trigger assembly having a U-shaped support, the trigger assembly being operatively attached to one of the two upper, longitudinal portions of the fishing rod holder and electrically connected to the power supply via a momentary switch, the spring-loaded trigger assembly having a protrusion being swivable perpendicular to the attached rod holder portion between a substantially horizontal extended position and a substantially vertical retracted position and a U-shaped support attached to the protrusion for guiding a fishing line, wherein the protrusion is configured to be positioned at an angle above the horizontal such that when the fishing line is pulled the fishing line contacts the U-shaped support, moving the protrusion to the substantially, horizontal position and signaling a fish catch; and e) a ladder assembly supporting the fishing rod holder and comprising a folding ladder base with extendable support members having distal ends and a plurality of extension arms operatively connected thereto.

10. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the power supply comprises at least one dry cell battery.

11. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a power switch.

12. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the power switch, the power supply, and the electrical signaling means are electrically connected in series.

13. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the electrical signaling means is selected from a group consisting of: LEDs and a speaker.

14. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a plurality of removable cones operatively connected to respective distal ends of the extendable support members.

15. The fish bite alert system in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a plurality of retractable dock pins respectively housed in the removable cones.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent detailed description, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fish bite alert system in accordance with the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the fish bite alert system shown in FIG. 1, supporting a fishing pole in situ;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the fish bite alert system in which a ladder assembly supports the fish bite alert system;

(5) FIG. 3a is an enlarged schematic view of the rotatable joint and joining screw shown in FIG. 3; and

(6) FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electrical connections among the components of the fish bite alert system.

(7) Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(8) Although the following detailed description contains specific details for the purposes of illustration, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention described below are set forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the claimed invention.

(9) The fish bite alert system of the present invention includes a Y-shaped fishing rod holder having two upper portions spaced apart from one another and a vertical post having a proximal end and a distal end, the vertical post extending from a center location of the Y-shaped fishing rod holder and an optional, removable cone disposed proximate the distal end of the vertical post. An electrical speaker unit is mounted to the Y-shaped fishing rod holder and an LED is attached to each of the upper portions of the fishing rod holder. A retractable, spring-loaded trigger assembly is supported by the Y-shaped fishing rod holder and electrically connected to the power supply via a momentary switch.

(10) Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of the fish bite alert system in accordance with the present invention generally at reference numeral 10. An upper portion 12 of the apparatus has two upper extremities 12a, 12b and a vertical post 14 extending downwardly from the lower center thereof and attached thereto by a rotatable joint 16 secured by a joining screw 18 and manually-operated wingnut 19, in a manner well known in the art. Upper portion 12 is thus rotatable about axis A-A in the directions shown by arrows B.

(11) At the distal end 20 of vertical post 14 is a removable cone 22 for inserting into dirt or sand, not shown. Cone 22 is removably attached to distal end 20 of vertical post 14 by means of threads 24 formed in vertical post 14 and internally (not shown) in cone 22. When fish bite alert system 10 is used on a solid, impermeable surface, such as a boat deck or dock, not shown, cone 22 can be unscrewed and removed from vertical post 14. Fish bite alert system 10, therefore, is a standalone apparatus that is not attached to a fishing pole 40 (FIG. 2).

(12) Mounted on the center, lower part of upper portion 12 is an electrical speaker or buzzer 26, discussed in greater detail hereinbelow. Attached to both upper extremities 12a, 12b of upper portion 12 are two light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 28, 30, respectively.

(13) A power switch 32 is mounted on vertical post 14, as is a snap-in panel 34 that covers and protects two, nested dry cell batteries, not shown, which are AA or AAA batteries in the preferred embodiment.

(14) Swivably disposed at an inner surface 12 of one of upper extremities 12a, 12b is a retractable, spring-loaded trigger assembly 13 having a U-shaped support 13 attached to a rigid member 13, retractable trigger assembly 13 being swivable between extended and retracted positions, as shown by arrows C. The force needed to activate trigger assembly 13 can be adjusted by adjustment means well known in the art. Such force adjustment can be dialed in at one of a predetermined number of settings or can be infinitely adjustable. In this way, fish bite alert system 10 can be set to alert a person when a fish strikes, but not when mere waves affect fishing line 42.

(15) A set of base clips 36 is fixedly attached to vertical post 14 and described in greater detail hereinbelow.

(16) Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown fish bite alert system 10 in situ with a conventional fishing rod 40 and corresponding fishing line 42 extending therefrom. A fish hook 44 is attached to the distal end of fishing line 42. Fishing rod 40, fishing line 42, and fish hook 44 are no part of the present invention.

(17) As shown in FIG. 2, part of fishing line 42 is withdrawn from fishing rod 44 to loop around retractable, spring-loaded trigger assembly 13 (FIG. 1) and, when a fish, not shown, pulls fishing line 42, a circuit 46 (FIG. 4) is completed momentarily by a contact 48 that forms a spring-loaded second switch SW2 (FIG. 4).

(18) Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 3a, there are shown a schematic view (FIG. 3) of another embodiment of fish bite alert system 10 and an enlarged view (FIG. 3a), in which a ladder assembly 50 supports the device. In this embodiment, vertical post 14 need not be inserted into the ground, not shown. For example, when fish bite alert system 10 is positioned on a wooden dock, insertion of threaded cone 22 is neither advised nor lawful in many places.

(19) A folding ladder base 52 having three legs extends from rotatable joint 16 and ladder joining screw 18. When ladder joining screw 18 is removed from joint 16, ladder assembly 50 can be detached from the device. This is advantageous both for storage and for use of system 10 on sand, dirt, or ice. Extension arms 54 support the legs of base 52 and are secured by means well known in the art.

(20) A slidable dock pin plunger 56 is supported by and extends from vertical post 14. Plunger 56 is operatively connected to a retractable dock pin 58. Thus, vertical movement of slidable dock pin plunger 56 extends and retracts dock pin 58.

(21) Referring now also to FIG. 4, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram 60 of the electrical part of fish bite alert system 10. Batteries are connected via power switch 32 and spring-loaded trigger assembly 13 (FIG. 1) to speaker 26 and LEDs 28, 30, as shown. In an alternative embodiment, each of speaker 26 and/or LEDs 28, 30 can be de-energized with suitable switches, not shown.

(22) In operation, when power switch 32 is turned ON and a fishing rod 40 and fishing line 42 are configured as shown in FIG. 2, the system 10 is operational. When a fish, not shown, strikes hook 44, fishing line 42 is pulled so as to activate and contact trigger assembly 13, turning momentary contact switch SW2 ON. This action, in turn, energizes both speaker 26 and LEDs 28, 30, signaling to the fisherman or woman that a fish has struck hook 44, lure, or bait.

(23) Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention.

(24) Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.