FISHING GAME WITH RETRACTION MECHANISM

Abstract

According to one embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention includes one or more artificial fish which are removably placed on a support member and which can be engaged and removed by an operation which is similar to the action of fishing. An artificial lure is positioned over the support member and pulled toward the user in an attempt to engage the lure with one of the fish. If the lure engages such a fish, the fish is considered to be caught and can be drawn away from the support member toward the user. Additionally, one or more of the fish may be secured to the back side of the support member by way of an elastic bungee that extends when fish is pulled away from the support and then retracts to pull the fish back to the support after the fish has been released from the lure.

Claims

1. A fishing game, comprising: (a) a support member; (b) a plurality of spaced apart hangers affixed to said support member; (c) a plurality of fish game pieces, each of said game pieces having a front side and a back side, each of said game pieces comprising: (i) a mounting member on said back side of said fish game piece, said mounting member designed to mate with an associated one of said plurality of hangers and releasably hold said game piece against said support member, (ii) an outwardly flaring upper terminus, said upper terminus having an angled guide surface leading to a guide slot in said upper terminus, (iii) a lure engaging member affixed to said back side of said game piece proximate to said guide slot, (iv) a tether having a first end and a second end, said tether first end attached to said game piece, said tether providing a restoring force tending to draw said game piece toward an associated hanger on said support member when said game piece is drawn away from said associated hanger, and (d) a rod connected by a line to a lure, said lure suitable for engaging with said lure engaging member on said back side of each of said game pieces with sufficient attaching force to allow said rod to pull said engaged game fish away from said support member.

2. A fishing game according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of fish game pieces is a flat cutout with an outline of a type of fish and a representation of said type of fish printed on said front side of said fish game piece.

3. A fishing game according to claim 1, wherein said second end of said tether is attached to a weight hanging below said support surface.

4. A fishing game according to claim 1, wherein said tether is elastic.

5. A fishing game according to claim 1, wherein each hanger has hole therein that is coincident with a hold through said support surface and each tether passes through both said hanger hole and said support surface hole.

6. A knockdown game, comprising: (a) a support member; (b) a plurality of rearwardly rotatable targets mounted on said support member, said targets rotatable between a vertical and a horizontal orientation; (c) a rearwardly rotatable reset target mounted on said support member, said reset target having a forward side and a reward side, said reset target being rotatable between a horizontal orientation and a vertical orientation; (d) a reset bar affixed to said reset target, said reset bar rotatable with said reset target and extending behind each of said plurality of rotatable targets, thereby: (i) preventing any of said rotatable targets in said vertical orientation from rotating into a horizontal orientation until said reset target is rotated into a horizontal orientation, and (ii) raising any of said rotatable targets in said horizontal orientation to said vertical orientation when said reset target is rotated from said orientation to said vertical orientation; (e) a reset catcher mounted atop said reset target; (f) a plug connected by a cord to a rod, said plug being configured: (i) to strike and rotate said reset target and any of said targets from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, and (ii) to engage said reset catcher and allow said reset target to be rotated into a vertical orientation thereby.

7. A knockdown game according to claim 6, wherein said cord is an elastic cord.

8. A knockdown game according to claim 6, wherein said rod is a paddle.

9. A knockdown game according to claim 6, wherein said reset target further comprises a support post on said reward side of said reset target.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] These and further aspects of the invention are described in detail in the following examples and accompanying drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1 contains a front view of an embodiment which utilizes elastic lines as retaining members.

[0020] FIGS. 2A-2D contain some example poles that would be suitable for use with an embodiment of the inventive fishing game.

[0021] FIG. 3 is an example of an embodiment wherein the restoring force associated with each tether is provided by a weight at its end remote from that of the.

[0022] FIGS. 4A and 4B contain more detailed information about the structure of fish game pieces that would be suitable for use with an embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 5 contains a front view of a knock down game embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 6 contains a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 after only the reset target has been knocked into a horizontal orientation.

[0025] FIG. 7 contains a view of the rear side of the reset target which contains an example of a support post suitable for use with this embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described hereinafter in detail, some specific embodiments of the instant invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments or algorithms so described.

[0027] This application incorporates by reference the entirety of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,891,667 and 7,484,733 as if fully set out herein at this point.

[0028] The present embodiment involves a fishing game device or apparatus 100 that requires an action on the part of the user/game player similar to that of actual fishing. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a user plays the game by using a short rod or pole of the sort generally indicated in FIG. 2 to cast or otherwise position an artificial lure 110 supported by the pole toward a support member 170 on which are laid, hung, or otherwise supported a plurality of artificial fish FIG. 130. In some embodiments the fish FIG. 130 might be held in a vertical orientation but the general mode of operation will be the same.

[0029] It should be noted that for purposes herein the game pieces or figures that are utilized in the game will generally be referred to as fish, fish shaped, fish figures, etc. However, it should be clear that any sort of figure might be used in the same way as the fish figures are used herein. Also, the fish game pieces are typically flat and relatively thin. In some embodiments, each fish game piece bears the image of a fish on its front, back or both. In some instances, a plurality of fish game pieces will be provided and each will bear the image of a different type of fish. Thus, when this application refers to fish (e.g., fish shaped, fish game piece, fish figure, etc.) that text should not be limited to its literal meaning but instead it should be broadly construed to include any sort of game piece that is suitable for use with the support surface, tether, and lures discussed hereinafter and which includes the specialized structures discussed herein.

[0030] In FIG. 1, one of the fish 130 has been snagged by a lure 110 and pulled away from the support surface 170. In this particular case, the lure 110 comprises a hook-and-loop material lure 110 which has mated with a complementary patch of the same material 160 on the back of the fish 130. Note that hook-and-loop material is just one example of the sort of lure that could be used. Another example would be a magnet and steel (or other ferromagnetic material) combination. More generally, all that is required is that the lure be readily removably attached to its complementary material on the back of the fish so that the fish may be easily caught and then released.

[0031] The lure 110 is connected to a rod (not shown) by line 185. Some general examples of rods are included in FIGS. 2A to 2D. Retraction tether 180 is attached to the fish 130 and extends from the fish 130, though the support surface 170 and to an attachment point 181 below the support surface 170. In this particular case, the tether 180 is elastic and expands to allow the fish to be caught and drawn away from the support member 170. Then, after the fish 130 is released from the lure 110, the tether 180 provides a restoring force to urge the fish 130 to move back toward the support surface 170, thereby causing the hook and loop material 165 on the back of the fish to mate with a complementary patch 175 of the same material which is affixed to the support surface 170. For purposes of clarity in the discussion that follows, the complementary patch 175 on the support 170 may also be referred to as a hanger 175. Thus, when the fish 130 is released, it will automatically be drawn back to its original position on the support surface 170 and engage the hanger 175 without interaction by the user. As is seen in FIG. 1, it may be advantageous for the tether 180 to be attached to the fish 130 proximate to the hook and loop material 165 on its back side and then pass through a hole 190 in the support surface 170 and hanger 175 to the location beneath the support surface 170 where it is secured. This makes it more likely that the released fish 130 will reengage with the hanger 175 when it returns to the support surface.

[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates another arrangement of the instant invention. In this variation, instead of an elastic tether, an inelastic tether 380 is used which is attached to a weight 390 that is situated underneath the support surface 370. As before, once the fish 130 is released by disengaging it from the lure 215, the weight 390 will cause the tether 380 to draw the fish 130 back down to its original position on the support surface 370 where, in this case, the hook- and loop-material on the underside of the fish 130 will mate with the complimentary material 395 which is affixed to the support surface, thereby positioning the fish 130 to be caught again. In some embodiments, the weight might be one or more metal washers. In others, it might be a fishing lure weight of the sort sold to fishermen. In either case, this operation will automatically tend to restore the fish 130 to its original position on the support surface 370 after it is separated from the lure 215, thereby resetting the fish for another try by the same participant or by another participant without needing for the game to be manually reset.

[0033] In still another embodiment (not pictured), an arrangement like that illustrated in FIG. 1 might be used but instead of having multiple elastic tethers 180 affixed to a common attachment point 181, inelastic tethers will be used, with multiple fish 130 being tethered to a single weight. Thus, drawing one fish away from the support surface will raise the weight and, upon release of the fish, restoring force from the weight will return it to its original position. It is preferred that such action not disturb the locations of the other fish.

[0034] FIG. 2 contains some example poles that would be suitable for use with an embodiment. FIG. 2A contains a fishing rod and reel combination 210 with a hook and loop lure 215 attached to a conventional fishing line 218 by a fastener 212. FIG. 2B contains another example rod 220 which comprises of a short handle 221 with a hook and loop lure 225 attached to a line 228 by a fastener 222. FIG. 2C contains another exemplary embodiment of a rod 230 which comprises a handle 231 with an attached line 238 terminated by a fishing float or bobber 235 which is sized to make it provide some weight to the end of the line 238 so that the lure 232 may be swung or cast toward the fish. Finally, FIG. 2D contains a representation 240 of a modified paddle ball bat 241 and attached ball 245 connected by a line 248, to which has been added a lure 242. Obviously, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are many possible ways a lure and rod might be configured and attached to each other.

[0035] As is generally indicated in FIG. 2, the artificial lure might be a plastic plug, a magnet, a section of hook-and-loop material, etc. If the lure is comprised of a piece of hook-and-loop material, it will be designed to mate with a complementary section of the same material 110 on the back of the fish 130. Many other arrangements are possible and all that is required is that the lure 110 be capable of becoming removably attached to an artificial fish so that it can be pulled away from the support member 170.

[0036] The rod 105 and lure 110 are connected by a thin line of some sort. In some cases this will be standard fishing line, although any sort of line or string could potentially be used. Preferably the fish will be arranged on the support member 170 in a row as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In some cases the artificial fish 130 will be arranged in a vertical configuration and hung tail-down from the support member 170.

[0037] FIGS. 4A and 4B contain a more detailed illustration of one embodiment of a game piece, e.g., fish 130, that is suitable for use with the instant invention. Preferably each of the plurality of fish 130 in FIG. 1 will have the silhouette and markings of a real fish although, as has been discussed previously, that sort of target is used for purposes of illustration only and any shape that has an accompanying guide slot of the sort illustrated in this figure could be used. Each fish 130 in this embodiment is provided with a releasable mounting mechanism 165 on its back or under side which is designed to mate with a complementary hanger 175 on the support surface 170. In one embodiment, Velcro? or a similar hook-and-loop material will be used. Other embodiments might use magnets, clips, etc. What is important, though, is that however the fish is mounted on the support surface 170 it needs to be held securely enough to keep it in place but it should be readily released when snagged by a lure 110.

[0038] In some embodiments, a guide slot 320 will be provided to aid the user in snaring a fish. In this case, the user might position the lure 110 so that the line 185 from the rod passes over the guide surfaces 340 of the fish 150. Once that is done, it will then be relatively easy to maneuver the line to the slot 320 where it can be then pulled toward the user to draw the lure 110 up against lure engaging member 160. For purposes of the instant disclosure, the term guide member will generally refer to any structure provided on the engageable end of the fish that assists a user in guiding a lure into a position where it can become attached to the fish. By way of example only, the guide member of the embodiment of FIG. 3 comprises the guide slot 320 and guide surface 340.

[0039] In practice, after the line 108 is seated within the guide slot 320, the lure 110 will be in a position to snare the fish 130 by engaging the lure 110 with the complementary lure engaging member 160 on its back, e.g., by engaging the lure 110 with a compatible piece of hook-and-loop material 160 affixed to the back of the fish. After the lure 110 is so positioned, the user will be able to tug on the rod, thereby removably attaching the lure 110 to the fish 130 and disengaging it from the support surface.

[0040] FIGS. 4A and 4B show, respectively, a generalized representation of the top and bottom of a fish 130. Note that affixed to the midsection of the fish 130 in some embodiments there is an attachment member 350 which provides a means of securing the tether 180 to the fish. This may be an item such as a button, or a bead, staple, etc., that secures the tether 180 after it passes through the fish or it may be just a knot in the end of the tether 180. Obviously, many other arrangements are possible including affixing the tether with glue, magnets, etc. All that is required is that the tether 180 be affixed to the fish in some way, preferably proximate to the attachment member 350. The intent is that this should be a permanent or semi-permanent attachment, although attaching the tether 180 to the fish 130 removably is certainly possible so long as the attachment is strong enough to hold against the restoring force exerted by the tether 180 against the fish 130.

[0041] Each fish 130 will have a guide surface 340 and guide slot 320 at the head of the fish 130 and proximate to the hook-and-loop material 165 (the catching member, hereinafter) on the underside of the fish 130. The guide surface 340 has been provided to make it easier for the user to maneuver the lure into the guide slot 320 and engage the catching member 165 on the underside of the fish 130.

[0042] In some embodiments, a single elastic or inelastic tether is used to connect the fish 130 to the support surface 170. In other embodiments, the tether 180 might attach at two or more locations on the fish 130, e.g., the tether might split into two leads at the end near the fish 130 and be attached to opposite ends of the fish tail fins. In still other embodiments, the tether 180 may be attached to a part of the fish other than proximate to the head, e.g., the tail, gills, a fin, etc. with respect to the Practically speaking, currently the preferred place is to secure the attachment member tether 165 to the fish 130 is near its midsection. Clearly, many variations of this approach are possible with the main goal being to choose a location that will cause the fish 130 to be returned to near its starting position when the tether 180 draws it back to the support surface 170.

[0043] Although the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 3 show the tether dropping down from the support surface 170 toward the floor, that is just one way of configurating it. In the event that the tether is an elastic cord, it could be attached at its end remote from the fish to the underside of the support surface, just to provide one example. Many other variations are possible.

[0044] Note that for purposes of the instant application, when the term support member is used that term should be broadly construed to include any arrangement where the fish are removably attached to the support member and the guide surface 340 and guide slot 320 of the fish are presented in a way that allows the fish to be engaged by the lure 110 and pulled away from the support member by a user.

[0045] Note also that in some embodiments the hangers 175/395 could be eliminated, although that would make for a more frustrating game for the users. That is, absent the hanger 175/395 a fish would be free to rotate about the hole 190/398 in the support surface through which the tether 180/380 passes. This would make engaging the lure with the fish more difficult.

[0046] Note that some embodiments might have the following advantages. According to a Fishing Game Fund-Raising embodiment, this sort of approach would benefit greatly from the use of this new design. In this embodiment, the participants turn-rate is very high. That is because: [0047] 1. Fish will not be wind-blown and will remain very close to restocking position in view of their retaining member. [0048] 2. A one minute time limit allows 4 participants to catch and restock up to 5 fish. This will result in an extremely high turn-rate. [0049] 3. This eye/hand coordination challenge may include a paddle-ball or a very short fishing rod with several Sponsor Product Targets to impact with the lure before casting to catch each fish. [0050] 4. The general approach would work well with fish species and IGFA (International Game Fish Association) world record weight of each fish. (This information is posted at the tail of each fish in some embodiments). [0051] 5. The general approach teaches conservation via the restocking of each caught fish by repositioning it on the support member after it has been caught by a user. [0052] 6. In some embodiments participants win a sponsor's product raffle ticket each time they improve their fish catching time record.

[0053] Turning now to FIG. 5, there is provided another eye-hand coordination game 500 which features a quick and easy reset of downed targets. According to the pictured embodiment, there is provided a knock-down target game which contains a number of rearwardly rotatably mounted upright targets 510 and 520 which a user is tasked with knocking down. The term rearwardly rotatable should be understood to mean that each target is rotatable toward the rear of the target between a vertical/upright orientation and a horizontal orientation. One goal will be to knock down some predetermined number of the targets which might include one, two or more targets.

[0054] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, each target 510 is mounted (either removably or not) on a vertical post 550, which post 550 is rotatably mounted on the support member 540. Similarly, the reset target 520 is mounted to its own post 555, which post 550 is surmounted by reset catcher 530 and is rotatably mounted on the support member 540. Clearly, the use of a separate post to support each target 510/520 is not essential and the targets could be directly rotatably mounted on the support member.

[0055] In some embodiments, the user will use a paddle and rubber ball combination 240 such as is illustrated in FIG. 2D. As is conventionally done, in this variation the ball 245 could be connected to the paddle 241 via an elastic connector 248. In this variation, the user will use the paddle 241 to strike the ball 245 which in turn will strike one of the targets 510/520 if the user's aim is true. Since the targets 510/520 are rotatably mounted, that will result in the struck target being knocked down from a veridical into a horizontal orientation, except that, as is explained below, the reset target 520 must be knocked down first or none of the other targets 510 will fall when struck. Note that, although the paddle and ball combination 240 is a preferred way to allow a user to strike the targets, that is not a requirement. Any sort of object that could be swung toward or thrown at the targets could be used instead of the ball 245. One advantage of the paddle/ball combination 240 is that there is no need to retrieve separately thrown objects after the user's turn is completed. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the ball 245 could easily be replaced by a weighted lure of any sort that has sufficient mass to knock over the targets and can engage the reset catcher 530 with sufficient force (e.g., using a hook-and-loop material, magnets, etc., or by physical engagement as is generally suggested in FIG. 7) to allow the reset target 520 to be drawn upright when that is desired. For purposes of the discussions that follows in connection with this embodiment, the term plug will be used to describe balls (rubber or otherwise), weighted lures, etc., that would be suitable for use with this embodiment. All that is required is that the plug have sufficient mass to knock down a target and then be able to engage the reset catcher 350 with sufficient attaching force to pull the reset target 520, and any other downed targets, into an upright orientation.

[0056] As is generally illustrated in FIG. 5, the reset target 520 is preferably different from the other targets 510 in several ways. First, it is preferably larger than the others and situated in the middle of the target array, but that is not critical. Neither its size nor its location in the target group is a requirement.

[0057] Also, in this figure the rest target 520 is attached to a post 555 that is surmounted by a reset catcher 530. Of course, in some embodiments the reset catcher 530 might be attached directly to the reset target 520. As was the case with the fishing embodiments discussed above, the reset catcher 530 might take any form so long as a user will be able to engage a lure of some sort with it and pull the reset target 520 into an upright orientation when that is desired. Note that the device that is used to knock down the targets (e.g., the paddle and ball combination of FIG. 2D) might be different from the one that is used to engage the reset target 520, although preferably they will be the same device.

[0058] Note also that the reset target 520 might also include a support post 710 (FIG. 7) on the back of the reset target 520 that is intended to elevate the target 520 slightly off of the support surface after it has been knocked down into a horizontal orientation. As should be clear, one function of the support post 710 is to elevate the reset catcher 530 off of the support member to make it easier for the lure to engage the reset catcher 530. Also, it should be noted that the reset post might be affixed to the support post 710 or directly to the target 520 itself. Additionally, if the rotation of the reset target 520 is stopped before it contacts the support surface and remains suspended above it, a support post 710 might not be necessary.

[0059] Most significantly though, the reset target 520 contains a reset bar 560 affixed (removably or otherwise) to the post 555 or to the rearward side of reset target 520 itself. The reset bar 560 extends the length of the game or at least extends far enough to include the targets 510 are intended to be reset when the reset target 520 is pulled back into an upright orientation by the user. That is, when the reset target 520 is upright, the reset bar 560 will prevent the other targets 510 from being knocked down into a horizontal orientation. It is only after the reset target 520 has been pushed down into a horizontal orientation, thereby taking the reset bar 560 away from the backs of the other targets, that the other targets can be knocked into a horizontal orientation as well.

[0060] Finally, when the user engages the catching member 530 and pulls the reset target 520 back into an upright/vertical orientation, the reset bar 560 will similarly raise into verticality any of the other targets that were knocked down previously, thereby resetting the game.

[0061] Note that some embodiments might contain a mechanism to help hold the targets in their vertical orientation until they are struck. For example, a patch of hook-and-loop material on the front of each target or on its post could be matched with a complementary patch on a barrier which has been placed in front of the targets to halt their forward rotation. Magnets could also be used. That would make it less likely that an unstruck target would fall after the reset target 520 has been struck, or that the weight of multiple targets pressing backward might cause the reset target 520 to fall without it being struck. Many other variations are possible and those of ordinary skill in the art will be readily able to devise them.

[0062] It is to be understood that the terms including, comprising, consisting and grammatical variants thereof do not preclude the addition of one or more components, features, steps, or integers or groups thereof and that the terms are to be construed as specifying components, features, steps, or integers.

[0063] If the specification or claims refer to an additional element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element.

[0064] It is to be understood that where the claims or specification refer to a or an element, such reference is not to be construed that there is only one of that element.

[0065] It is to be understood that where the specification states that a component, feature, structure, or characteristic may, might, can or could be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included.

[0066] Where applicable, although state diagrams, flow diagrams or both may be used to describe embodiment, the invention is not limited to those diagrams or to the corresponding descriptions. For example, flow need not move through each illustrated box or state, or in exactly the same order as illustrated and described.

[0067] Methods of the present invention may be implemented by performing or completing manually, automatically, or a combination thereof, selected steps or tasks.

[0068] The term method may refer to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the art to which the invention belongs.

[0069] For purposes of the instant disclosure, the term at least followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable defined). For example, at least 1 means 1 or more than 1. The term at most followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, at most 4 means 4 or less than 4, and at most 40% means 40% or less than 40%. Terms of approximation (e.g., about, substantially, approximately, etc.) should be interpreted according to their ordinary and customary meanings as used in the associated art unless indicated otherwise. Absent a specific definition and absent ordinary and customary usage in the associated art, such terms should be interpreted to be ?10% of the base value.

[0070] When, in this document, a range is given as (a first number) to (a second number) or (a first number)-(a second number), this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 should be interpreted to mean a range whose lower limit is 25 and whose upper limit is 100. Additionally, it should be noted that where a range is given, every possible subrange or interval within that range is also specifically intended unless the context indicates to the contrary. For example, if the specification indicates a range of 25 to 100 such range is also intended to include subranges such as 26-100, 27-100, etc., 25-99, 25-98, etc., as well as any other possible combination of lower and upper values within the stated range, e.g., 33-47, 60-97, 41-45, 28-96, etc. Note that integer range values have been used in this paragraph for purposes of illustration only and decimal and fractional values (e.g., 46.7-91.3) should also be understood to be intended as possible subrange endpoints unless specifically excluded.

[0071] It should be noted that where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where context excludes that possibility), and the method can also include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all of the defined steps (except where context excludes that possibility).

[0072] Further, it should be noted that terms of approximation (e.g., about, substantially, approximately, etc.) are to be interpreted according to their ordinary and customary meanings as used in the associated art unless indicated otherwise herein. Absent a specific definition within this disclosure, and absent ordinary and customary usage in the associated art, such terms should be interpreted to be plus or minus 10% of the base value.

[0073] Still further, additional aspects of the instant invention may be found in one or more appendices attached hereto and/or filed herewith, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference as is fully set out at this point.

CONCLUSIONS

[0074] Of course, many modifications and extensions could be made to the instant invention by those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0075] Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While the inventive device has been described and illustrated herein by reference to certain preferred embodiments in relation to the drawings attached thereto, various changes and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made therein by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept the scope of which is to be determined by the following claims.