DUAL RELEASE ROLLER CLIP FOR KITE FISHING

Abstract

A clip for attaching a fishing line to a kite line. The clip mounts on the housing for loosely supporting the fishing line. The clip includes a pair of top rollers and a bottom roller aligned in parallel during operation. The rollers rotate freely to prevent twisting of the kite line. The rollers do cooperate to hold the kite line and prevent axial motion between the kite line and the rollers of the clip. The clip is moveable between a locked configuration where the clip is secured axially to the fishing line and is capable of holding the fishing line, to an unlocked configuration that releases the fishing line. When bait at one end of the fishing line is hit or tugged, the clip releases both the fishing line and the kite line to enable the clip to slid down the kite line away from the kite and fishing line.

Claims

1. A clip for attaching a fishing line to a kite line, comprising: a housing; a top roller set hinged to the housing for receiving a kite line; a latch mounted on the housing for receiving the fishing line, the latch is moveable between a locked configuration that is capable of loosely holding the fishing line, and an unlocked configuration that is capable of fully releasing the fishing line; and a bottom roller that is adjustably distanced from the top roller set in response to locking and unlocking the clip.

2. The clip as set forth in claim 1, wherein the top roller set has two generally cylindrical rollers having annular rings, the two generally cylindrical rollers align in parallel with each other for gripping the kite line, which enables inhibition of translation of the clip on the kite line.

3. The clip as set forth in claim 2, wherein cylindrical components of the top roller enable the top roller set enables the clip to swivel on the kite line when the top roller grips the kite line.

4. The clip as set forth in claim 3, wherein bottom roller has a single roller having annular gripping rings for contacting the top roller set and the kite line.

5. The clip as set forth in claim 1, wherein the latch distances the top roller set from the bottom roller in the unlocked configuration.

6. The clip as set forth in claim 1, wherein the latch presses the bottom roller against the top roller set from the bottom roller in the locked configuration.

7. The clip as set forth in claim 6, wherein the housing includes lock groove for receiving the latch in the locked configuration, the housing further includes a threaded adjuster threadably attached to the housing for adjustably release the latch.

8. The clip as set forth in claim 2, wherein the bottom roller and the two cylindrical top rollers have radial rings that extend along the full length of each.

9. The clip as set forth in claim 7, wherein the bottom roller and the two cylindrical top rollers each rotate on a respective axis to enable the clip to swivel on a kite line without significantly translating relative to the kite line.

10. A clip for attaching a fishing line to a kite line, comprising: a housing having a moveable latch for loosely holding the fishing line, and a lock groove for locking the latch; a top roller set hinged to the housing for receiving a kite line, the top roller is manufactured from a flexible material having a softness of at least 45 durometer for holding a kite line manufactured from polyethylene terephthalate and having a twenty to fifty pound tensile capacity; and the latch is moveable between a locked configuration where the latch mates with the locking groove and is capable of loosely holding the fishing line, and an unlocked configuration; and a bottom roller that is moveably distanced from the top roller set in response to movement of the latch from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration.

11. The clip as set forth in claim 10, wherein the top roller set has two generally cylindrical rollers having annular rings, the two generally cylindrical rollers align in parallel with each other for gripping the kite line, which enables inhibition of translation of the clip on the kite line.

12. The clip as set forth in claim 11, wherein the top roller enables the clip to swivel on the kite line when the top roller grips the kite line so that the latch aligns in a consistent vertical orientation consistently enable release of the latch in response to a hit by a fish.

13. The clip as set forth in claim 12, wherein bottom roller has a single roller having annular gripping rings for contacting the top roller set and the kite line.

14. The clip as set forth in claim 10, wherein the latch distances the top roller set from the bottom roller in the unlocked configuration.

15. The clip as set forth in claim 10, wherein the latch presses the bottom roller against the top roller set from the bottom roller in the locked configuration.

16. The clip as set forth in claim 15, wherein the housing includes lock groove for receiving the latch in the locked configuration, the housing further includes a threaded adjuster threadably attached to the housing for adjustably release the latch.

17. The clip as set forth in claim 16, wherein the bottom roller and the two cylindrical top rollers have radial rings that extend along the full length of each.

18. The clip as set forth in claim 17, wherein the bottom roller and the two cylindrical top rollers each rotate on a respective axis to enable the clip to swivel on a kite line without significantly translating relative to the kite line.

19. The clip as set forth in claim 10, wherein the the bottom roller is manufactured from nitrile butadiene rubber and having a softness within the range of 45 to 100 durometer.

20. The clip as set forth in claim 11, wherein the bottom roller and the cylindrical top rollers have radial rings that extend along the full length of both the bottom roller and the cylindrical components of the top roller, so that the radial rings are effective at gripping a kite line to inhibit axial movement of the bottom roller and the cylindrical of the top rollers on the kite line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 is a prior art kite fishing scene using a Goldfinger Clip on a kite line.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a prior art Goldfinger Clip.

[0024] FIG. 3 is perspective view of the present invention with a transparent housing and a clip latch in a released orientation.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention with a clip latch in a locked orientation.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention with arrows indicating the direction of movement of a distal portion of the clip latch, and rotation of the rollers.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the present invention with arrows indicating the direction of movement of a proximal portion of the clip latch during release, and radial separation of the rollers.

[0028] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention showing shapes of the clip latch and the roller assembly.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the present invention with the top rollers hinged.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the clip of the present invention generally designated with the reference numeral 30. The clip 30 includes a housing 32 (shown in a transparent view). The housing 32 includes a hinged top roller set 34 attached to the housing with a hinge 36 and moveable from an open configuration for receiving a kite line, to a closed configuration for holding a kite line.

[0031] The housing 38 holds a bottom roller 38 that is moveable to contact the top roller set 34 when the top roller set is in the closed configuration to enable holding of the kite line. Cooperation of the top roller set 34 and the bottom roller 38 enables selective attachment of the present invention to a kite line and inhibits translation of the clip 30 along the kite line during normal operation. Releasing the bottom roller 38 from the top roller set 34 enables translation of the clip 30 on a kite line. Moving the hinged top roller set 34 to the open configuration shown enables removal of the clip 30 from the kite line.

[0032] Preferably, release of the bottom roller 38 from the top roller set 34 is accomplished by movement of the latch 40 from a locked configuration where the latch 40 engages the lock groove 42, to a released configuration as shown where the latch 40 disengages from the lock groove 42.

[0033] The housing 32 further includes a threaded adjustor 44 that can be hand adjusted to regulate pressure required for releasing the latch 40 from the lock groove 42. Twisting the threaded adjustor 44 selectively increases or decreases pressure applied by the lock groove 42 and the housing on the latch 40 when the latch 40 is in the locked configuration. Locking the latch 40 in the locked configuration also presses the elbow 46 of the latch 40 against the bottom roller assembly 48 to guide the bottom roller 38 towards the top roller set 34 during operation

[0034] FIG. 4 shows the clip 30 of the present invention. The top roller set 34 is hinged to a closed configuration to attach the clip 30 to the kite line 12. The bottom roller 38 presses against the kite line 12 and the top roller set 34 due to contact with the elbow 46 of the latch 40. The latch 40 locks in the lock groove 42 of the housing 32 to loosely support the fishing line 18.

[0035] The contact between the top roller set 34 and the bottom roller 38 holds the kite line 12 and prevents the clip 30 from translating along an axis defined by the kite line 12. The top roller set 34 and the bottom roller 38 are freely rotatable to enable the clip 30 to freely swivel about the kite line 12 to inhibit or prevent twisting of the kite line due to presence of the clip.

[0036] The top roller 34 enables the clip to swivel on the kite line 12 when the top roller 34 grips the kite line 12 so that the latch 40 aligns in a consistent vertical orientation to consistently enable release of the latch 40 in response to tension of a fishing line 18 when it is snagged or when the bait on the fishing line is hit by a fish.

[0037] Rotation of the threaded adjuster 44 deforms the housing 32 at the lock groove 42 to selectively hold an end 49 of the latch 40 in the engaged configuration with the lock groove 42. It should be appreciated that the threaded adjuster 44 can be modified in any way to selectively release the latch 40 in response to tension applied by the fishing line 18 in various alternative aspects of the invention.

[0038] Importantly, it should be appreciated that the combination of the swivel movement, which hangs the latch 40 in a generally vertical orientation with respect to water, and the use of the threaded adjuster 44 results in a consistent release functionality without causing the fishing line or kite line to break.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows the clip 30 where rollers 50 and 51 of the top roller set 34 rotate in the direction of the arrow 52 to enable the clip 30 to swivel on a kite line. The bottom roller 38 rotates too in the direction of the arrow 53. It can be appreciated that the rollers 50 and 51 are distant from each other and contact the roller 38 to enable free swivel motion of the clip 30 about a kite line. Contact between the rollers 50 and 51, and the bottom roller 38 enable annular grooves formed on each roller 50, 51 and 38 to mesh to hold any kite line and inhibit translation of the clip 30 on the kite line.

[0040] Locking the latch 40 in the closed configuration urges the elbow 46 of the latch 40 against the bottom roller assembly 48 to press the bottom roller 38 against the top roller set 34.

[0041] FIG. 6 shows the release of the latch 40 from the lock groove 40 of the housing. This release moves the elbow 46 (FIG. 5) of the latch 40 away from the bottom roller assembly 48 in the direction of the arrow 56. The bottom roller 38 also moves in the direction of the arrow 56 in response to movement of the latch 40 to release contact from the top roller set 34. This movement simultaneously releases any fishing line 18 (FIG. 4) from the latch 40 and releases the kite line from the top roller set 34 and the bottom roller 38 to allow the clip to slide to translate along kite line towards the fishing vessel to enable re-loading of the clip 30 with a fresh fishing line, or removal of the clip 30 from the kite line. FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of the clip 30 having the top roller 51 engaged with the bottom roller 38 in a configuration to hold a kite line. The latch 40 locks in the lock groove 42 and the elbow 46 of the latch 40 presses against the lower roller assembly 48 to hold the lower roller 38 against the top roller 51.

[0042] FIG. 8 shows the clip 30 with the top roller set 34 rotating in the direction of the arrow 60 on the hinges 36 to release a kite line from between the top roller set and the bottom roller 38.

[0043] While the present invention is disclosed by way of various examples set forth above, the true scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. The invention should be understood so that the term “Kite” is any tethered flying device, including a drone. The invention can also be practiced using the clip with an untethered drone. While the invention is disclosed in terms of kite fishing, it can also be used with drone delivery technology to enable safety for the drone device when carrying a package with a line, or lines.

[0044] The rollers can have various designs and materials for holding kite lines of various strengths, for example. The annular rings can be replaced by helical or other patterns, although presently the annular rings mate between the bottom roller and top roller sets and seem to function better than other options. The threaded adjuster can be replaced by a battery powered system including piezoelectric sensors and releasing devices. Alternatively a remote-controlled release is possible, either manually actuated or automatically actuated using sensors and wireless communications, for example.