DEVICE AND METHOD FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING THE APPEARANCE OF A FISHING LURE

Abstract

The present disclosure relate to a device and method for changing the appearance of a fishing lure. The device is an image printed on a vinyl product with adhesive backing. Once the image is printed on the vinyl the image is scored and removed. It is then adhered to the side of a hard bodied fishing lure. For some lures, a mirror image graphic is adhered to the opposite side of the lure. The vinyl images can be removed and reused several times.

Claims

1. A device for changing the appearance of a fishing lure comprising: a visual image printed onto a first surface of a substantially planar material, wherein the planar material has an adhesive on a second surface opposite the first surface for adhering the material to the fishing lure.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the image is selected from a group of images comprising images of: baitfish, insects, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, or random geographic shapes.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the image is printed onto the first surface of the material with ink jet printing.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the material is provided with a releasable backing.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the material is scored around the image without cutting through the backing.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the material is vinyl.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein multiple images are printed on a sheet of material.

8. A device for changing the appearance of a fishing lure comprising: an image of a fishing bait printed onto a sheet of vinyl material, wherein the vinyl material is provided with an adhesive side and a removable backing, and the vinyl is scored around the periphery of the image so that the image can be removed from the backing and applied to the fishing lure.

9. A method for changing the appearance of a fishing lure, comprising the steps of selecting a fishing lure, creating at least one image for a fish bait to be applied to the lure, printing the selected image on a paper backed vinyl material, scoring around the image through the vinyl, removing the image bearing vinyl material from the backing and applying the image to the lure.

10. The method of claim 9 adding the step of applying a second image to the lure.

11. A method for using the device of claim 1, comprising the steps of selecting an image from a set of provided images, applying the image to one side of a fishing lure, applying a second printed image to the opposite side of the lure, fishing with the lure, and removing the images from the lure when finished.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following more particular description of the embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a printed lure image for application to a hard bodied fishing lure.

[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a lure as provided by a manufacturer.

[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates the lure shown in FIG. 2 with an inventive vinyl image applied thereto.

[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a fishing spoon image.

[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates spoon lures with inventive vinyl images applied

[0020] FIG. 6 illustrates a lure displayed with a variety of graphic images applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Referring now generally to the figures, an inventive device and method for changing the appearance of a fishing lure is shown and will be described herein. A hard bodied fishing lure is selected, preferably formed from plastic, wood or metal. An image is drawn, painted, or otherwise created from photographs or computer imagery that generally depicts an animal or object to attract fish. The image may be a substantial replication of the image or appearance of the selected fishing lure or may be an originally created artwork. Generally, the image will be of a baitfish, insect, amphibian, crustacean, reptile or mammals that fish are known to eat. It is important that the image be proportionate to the lure being used.

[0022] It is anticipated that the images will be created for specific lures that are commonly available in the marketplace. The images created may replicate the color palette, hue, design, layout and appearance of the lure being used. For example, a single lure manufactured by any one of the large lure manufacturers may be available in dozens of colors and sizes. It is understood that the inventive method can be used to replicate the existing array of colors and images provided by the lure manufacturer or can be entirely new and originally created. Moreover, this process allows for more color variations and styles than generally available because of the substantial cost difference and space required for storage.

[0023] Because the images are created independently from the lure to which they will be applied, there is substantial control over the images compared to the types of images that can be molded into the lure body or applied to the lure surface during manufacturing. One method of creating the image is to photograph living animals, such as baitfish or insects and use the image to create electronic files for printing. The preferred method for creating an image is to use highly accurate and very realistic images of bait which are created by talented artists. As shown in the accompanying FIG. 1, a hand painted baitfish with realistic detail makes a very desirable image for decorating an fishing lure.

[0024] Once the image 100 has been created it is printed onto a sheet of vinyl material 102. The vinyl material is commercially available from a number of manufacturers and is the same type of vinyl commonly used to wrap or decorate automobiles. The preferred vinyl material is manufactured by 3M under a product line referred to as Controltac. More specifically, the material is 3M Controltac Graphic Film, Series 180 with Comply Adhesive. Controltac is a vinyl product with pressure activated adhesive which is tacky enough to stick to a surface but can be removed and repositioned. Importantly, the product has air release channels for easy, bubble free installation. It is provided with a polyethylene-coated paper backing that allows the vinyl to peel from the backing in large sheets without tearing or folding.

[0025] Other characteristics of the material include the ability to affect the stickiness of the adhesive using heat. This allows the material to be positioned and repositioned on the lure until the adhesive is fixed using firm pressure or heat. The adhesive will also release at temperature and can be easily peeled off of a lure with exposure to heat or flame above 100 F. The vinyl also takes color very well and highly detailed images can be created on the vinyl using standard ink jet printers. Finally, the vinyl can be scored or cut without cutting the backing material. This allows the user to print an image on the vinyl, score or cut around the image but leave the image intact on the backing so it can be used at a later time.

[0026] Certain vinyl products are well suited to this application generally referred to as premium cast vinyl which conforms to curved surfaces. In addition to the 3M product preferred, other manufacturers provide products that can be used, including: Avery Supreme Wrap Film, ORACAL 970RA, PrismJET 230 Ultra, ORAJET 3551 RA, 3751RA and 3951 RA, Avery EZRS Supercast. This list is not exhaustive and it is understood that any vinyl product that holds printed images could potentially be used for the inventive device and method.

[0027] Once a lure 104 has been selected for its size, configuration and desirability, a set of printed images 100 can be created for use with that specific lure. An entire palette of colors and designs can be created and provided on a sheet shown in FIG. 6, or multiple sheets of vinyl material. This allows the angler to take a very large selection of images to change lure appearance at a cost far below buying individual lures. Moreover, the vinyl sheets can be provided in notebooks that are easy to use and store. The change from a commercially available lure, shown in FIG. 2 to the decorated lure with the inventive vinyl image, shown in FIG. 3 is significant. It has been shown that fish are much more likely to bite on the decorated lure than the undecorated lure.

[0028] It is understood that this inventive product and method can be adapted to many kinds of fishing lures for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. The change to the appearance of a lure is dramatic, such as the change in appearance to spoon lures shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0029] One platform for delivering the product is to develop sets of lure images and make them available via computer download or on electronic media. Sheets of vinyl templates are offered for sale with lure-shaped sections which are scored or cut in the vinyl. Images are selected from the electronic media and the user prints out the desired images via ink-jet printer onto the vinyl sheets. Obviously, the user could cut the images from an un-scored sheet of vinyl.

[0030] The method for performing this invention includes the steps of selecting a lure, creating at least one image for a fish attractant to be applied to the lure, printing the selected image on a flat vinyl material, cutting the image from the vinyl material and applying the image to the lure. The method for using the inventive product includes the steps of selecting a printed image from a set of provided images, applying the image to one side of a fishing lure, applying a second printed image to the opposite side of the lure, fish with the lure, removing the images from the lure when finished.

[0031] Comprise, include, and/or plural forms of each are open ended and include the listed parts and can include additional parts that are not listed. And/or is open ended and includes one or more of the listed parts and combinations of the listed parts.

[0032] Importantly, the inventive assembly can be configured in many sizes for fitting fishing lures of practically any size and configuration. Moreover, the device can be manufactured from a variety of materials or combination of materials without departing from the scope of this patent. One skilled in the art will realize that the present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The foregoing embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects illustrative rather than limiting of the present disclosure. Scope of the present disclosure is thus indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.