Hollow Bodies Patents (Class 43/42.35)
  • Patent number: 11399524
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved fishing lure having the ability to be camouflaged. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fishing lure having multiple catching devices with capacity for varying the bait and size of lures, having a built-in compartment adapted for the insertion of live bait or chum used in the attraction of fish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Inventor: Brad W Caldeira
  • Patent number: 9003689
    Abstract: An improved cover for a pre-existing jig-type fishing lure comprises an elastomeric membrane which conceals a greater amount of the hard, weighted head of a pre-existing jig-type lure, as compared to prior art. One or more flap elements, a thin portion of the membrane located generally opposite a mount-enabling first aperture, a second aperture located generally opposite the mount-enabling first aperture, or a combination thereof, enables the improved cover to conceal more of the weighted head. The cover can be attached to or removed from the weighted head without having to break the line of an already-tied jig-type lure. The cover also enables fluttering fish attracting elements and the generation of acoustic stimuli while the lure itself remains stationary. The elastomeric membrane can further comprise a generally concave or flat surface to enable a pre-existing jig-type lure to exhibit an oscillating-type motion when retrieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Inventors: Ryan Patrick Rye, Shelby Earl Rye
  • Publication number: 20150089859
    Abstract: The various embodiments provide for a fishing lure configured to allow a fisherman to quickly change the body of the fishing lure without having to cut the line. In the various embodiments, the fishing lure may include two sides configured to fit around a center piece tied to a fishing line, whereby a fisherman may quickly changes the sides of the fishing lure by separating the sides from the center piece and assembling two other sides to the center piece. In further embodiments, the center piece may be positioned on the interior of the sides such that a portion of the fishing line is hidden within the fishing lure, thereby improving the fishing lure's presentation by attaching the fishing line to the fishing lure internally instead of to an external protrusion (e.g., a snap swivel) on conventional fishing lures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Jesse Burkett Jarvis, III
  • Publication number: 20150082684
    Abstract: A fishing lure including a head portion and a flow-through appendage cavity portion which are removably secured together, the cavity portion including an open front end, a closed tail end, and a substantially rigid sidewall between the front and tail ends, the sidewall having a plurality of sidewall openings disposed to permit flow-through of fluid while preventing pass-through of solids dimensioned greater than the widest sidewall opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventor: William G. Madala
  • Patent number: 8904700
    Abstract: A fishing lure having a material that is magnetically attracted to a magnet slid down a fishing line connected to the lure. A movable hook shaft housed within the lure is spring loaded to a position where a free end thereof is captured within the lure and a hook attached to the hook shaft cannot be removed from the free end. When the magnet is slid down the fishing line and magnetically influences the magnetic material, the hook shaft is moved to a position where the free end thereof is exposed and the hook can be removed therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Inventor: Jeffery J. Kacines
  • Patent number: 8745916
    Abstract: A fishing lure includes an inner member and a sheath. The inner member is positioned in the sheath with a bottom wall of the inner member facing an open end of the sheath. A closed end of the sheath, a perimeter wall of the inner member and the bottom wall of the inner member define an interior space. Openings are provided in the bottom wall. A primary hook is inserted through the closed end of the sheath and the open end of the inner member. The hook extends through the perimeter wall and a peripheral wall of the sheath such that a point of the hook is positioned outside of the sheath. A weighted capsule is positioned in the interior space. A scent producing material is releases a scent through the openings in the bottom wall of the inner member and the open end of the sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventor: Ken Rutty
  • Patent number: 8635804
    Abstract: A fishing jig includes a hook shank including i) a substantially straight portion extending along a first axis; ii) an angulated length forming a shoulder at a first upper end of the straight portion including a first section extending at an obtuse angle to the straight portion and a second section bent at a 45° away from the point, a place of intersection between the first section and the second section forming a crook in said angulated length; a malleable weight secured to the hook shank overlying the crook and iii) a line-tie eyelet formed at a terminal end of the second section. Molded soft plastic baits having pockets to receive the malleable weight are also a feature of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Tabu Tackle, LLC
    Inventor: David M. Lefebre
  • Publication number: 20120285069
    Abstract: A tube-type fishing lure comprises a head portion, body portion, and tail portion having respective inner surfaces that define corresponding sections of a hollow channel which extends longitudinally through the lure. The channel is configured for water to flow through the lure by entering through the head portion, passing through the body portion, and exiting through the tail portion. The head section of the channel narrows or tapers from a diameter defined at a leading edge of the head portion to a narrower width corresponding to a diameter of the body section of the channel. When the lure is pulled, twitched, and/or retrieved (e.g., reeled in) when on a fishing line, the head portion leads, and water flows through the lure in a direction opposite to the direction in which the lure travels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth Baumgardner, Joshua Giran
  • Publication number: 20110296736
    Abstract: An improved fishing lure comprising a body which defines an internal compartment therein and the body having a leading end and a trailing end. A hook is attached to the lure and an eye hook is attached to the leading end to facilitate the attachment of the fishing lure to a fishing line. A cover covers an access opening which provides access to the internal compartment. The cover generally has an open position, in which the cover permits access to the internal compartment to allow bait to be inserted therein, and a closed position, in which the cover captively retains the bait within the internal compartment. At least one opening is provided at the body to allow a scent of the bait to emanate out from the internal compartment. The fishing lure may be a “broken-back” type lure which simulates a desired “swimming” motion as the fishing lure travels through water to further improve the attractiveness of the fishing lure to any adjacent fish.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventor: Robert A. SUNDSTROM
  • Publication number: 20110232156
    Abstract: A convertible fishing lure assembly includes a lure body having at least one body section and a channel extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating in oppositely disposed open ends. A securing member is removably disposable within the channel and is dimensioned and disposed to include opposite ends being disposed through the open ends of the channel for connection to fishing tackle components disposed exteriorly of the body section. Both the channel and the securing member have corresponding cross sectional configurations to restrict rotation of the securing member within the channel. The lure body may include a plurality of body sections each having a channel extending therethrough with a securing member removably disposed therein, wherein the body sections are movably interconnected to one another through interconnection of corresponding ends of the different securing members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventor: Jon Scott Burdick
  • Publication number: 20110214332
    Abstract: An artificial fishing lure that has a sleeve extending over the lure to create a water resistant cavity. Wherein the sleeve is made to elastically constrict around at least the head to hold the sleeve thereto. The sleeve may have a diving lip mounted to the front to regulate the depth of the lure while being pulled through the water. The sleeve may have at least one appendage mounted thereto. The cavity may be used to place fish scent attractant material, weights, air or other desirable material therein. At least one hole may be mounted through the circumscribing wall in a location juxtaposing the cavity. The sleeve may also contain at least one partition positioned in the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventor: Stephen Partridge
  • Publication number: 20100293833
    Abstract: The invention claims a novel fishing lure comprising a segmented portion wherein the segmented portion is rigid. The invention also claims a novel wing feature comprising a rotating wing bar, a blade and a wing lock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Martin Dominic Bossone, III
  • Publication number: 20100251597
    Abstract: An artificial lure for fishing comprises a hollow body fillable with compressed air, an intake valve for inlet of compressed air therein, a rotatable tail, a joint unit connecting the body with the tail, and a discharge unit. The joint unit includes a front elastic bushing secured in the body, a rear elastic bushing secured in the tail, two hollow members respectively secured in the front and rear bushings, forming a common cylinder, a string fixed to the first member, a stud coupled to the string and to a washer supported by a nut screwed on the stud, a spring fixed to the first member and to the washer. The discharge unit includes a front pipe communicated to the body and a rear pipe providing outlet of compressed air into the surrounding water at a predetermined angle of turning the tail around the central longitudinal axis of the lure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventors: Yuriy Yatsenko, Roman Pankiv
  • Patent number: 7788842
    Abstract: An improved artificial bait, which is composed of metal chain, fish-shaped head and body of fish; wherein metal chain is connected in series with chain link pivoted based on end hole and axial pivot; fish-shaped head is composed of two half sectioned body, concave and protruding point for embedding are respectively set on its combining surface, groove of stopping edge is also formed at end part connecting body of fish; body of fish is formed by several blocks made in separated part, concave and protruding point for embedding are made on combining surface of block, slot connecting groove at two ends are also set, stopping edge is then made at end side of groove; based on this structure combination, metal chain can caulk with slot and groove by use of the difference formed between single link and double links, so that block can be put together with each chain part, and stopping edge may make spacing between chain part of metal chain, therefore, the rotation of axial pivot of metal chain can control the connecte
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Inventor: Tsung-Hsi Tsai
  • Publication number: 20100205849
    Abstract: A lure of the present invention comprises a lure body formed as a hollow body by using a transparent material, wherein a plurality of long projections are arranged parallel at predetermined intervals on an inner face of the hollow lure body, a first coloring part is provided on one side face of the long projection, and a second coloring part expressing a color different from the first coloring part is provided on the other side face of the long projection. In the lure of the present invention, the first and second coloring parts provided on the inner face of the lure body can be seen through via the lure body. For example, in the case of viewing the lure from one direction, only the color of the first coloring part can be seen through. On the other hand, in the case of viewing the lure from the other direction, only the color of the second coloring part can be seen through.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: DUEL CO., INC.
    Inventor: Eric Eun Ha Choi
  • Publication number: 20100175304
    Abstract: One embodiment of a fishing lure may include a fish-shaped member having at least one hook carried by an outer surface thereof. The fishing lure may further include an electrical unit adapted to be removably received within a hollow compartment of the fish-shaped member. The electrical unit may include a power source, a signaling circuit operative associated with the power source, and a pair of electrical contact elements operatively associated with the signaling circuit and the power source. The pair of electrical contact elements may be capable of operating the signaling circuit based on contact with water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas C. Barmore
  • Publication number: 20100071252
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fishing lure comprising a body member, the body member having an outer surface comprising one or more indentations and/or one or more protuberances. The indentations and/or protuberances located on the outer surface of the body member results in an increased bubble trail when the lure is pulled through water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventor: Warren WOODLEY
  • Publication number: 20100043273
    Abstract: A soft bait fishing lure includes a soft bait lure body made of an elastomer and a cylindrical fiber reinforcement shell molded within the soft bait lure body such that the elastomer encompasses an outer surface of the cylindrical fiber reinforcement shell. The cylindrical fiber reinforcement shell is multi-directionally flexible, and includes one or more fiber strands, a plurality of apertures formed by the one or more fiber strands, and a tubular cavity formed by the one or more fiber strands. One or more apertures of the plurality of apertures is configured to secure a hook. At least a portion of the tubular cavity is filled with the elastomer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventor: James Benjamin Hobbins
  • Patent number: 7637050
    Abstract: A fishing lure shaped like a snake that mimics the undulating, swimming action of a snake. It incorporates this original action into an extremely versatile lure specifically designed to be fished on water's surface, under water's surface, diving, bouncing around on floor bottom, and swimming back up to surface simply by adjusting rod position/retrieval speed. Furthermore, consisting of not only replaceable (soft plastic) snake bodies, but replaceable (soft plastic) lizard bodies and replaceable (soft plastic) frog bodies as well that all attach to the same hard plastic head and neck via a snap-on/squeeze-off connection. Furthermore, it's design enables each body to have it's own swimming action. The snake body, aforementioned, undulates like a real snake swimming. The lizard body wiggles and sways like a real lizard swimming. And the frog body wobbles and kicks it's legs like a real frog swimming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Slog, LLC
    Inventor: Derek Ross Brick
  • Publication number: 20090307960
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fishing lure comprising a body and a lip. The body includes a front end and a back end. The lip extends from the front end of the body and has a hollow interior portion. The lure is versatile due to its ability to effectively function as a “surface lure”, “wake bait”, and “crankbait” in a single cast.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: Mann's Bait Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis J. Oelerich, Jr., Michael E. McPherson, Stanley B. Tyler
  • Patent number: 7513075
    Abstract: A unified swivel snap device provides optional rotational motion for use as fishing tackle to couple lures, bait hooks, and weights to a main fishing line. Embodiments include a rod rotatably held within a housing and a snap configured to lock the swivel by attaching to both the housing and the rod. Embodiments of the swivel can be unlocked by attaching the snap to the rod alone and allowing the rod to swivel relative to the housing. The swivel snap can be used for enhancing a variety of fishing mechanisms including the shank of jigs and the spindle of lures and other apparatus attached to fishing lines. Embodiments of the locking swivel snap can be used in other applications which call for selective locking of swivel motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Inventor: David P. Garber
  • Publication number: 20090049735
    Abstract: A fishing device for indicating a lure strike from fishes is disclosed. The device may be a strike indicator that may include a hollow body filled with trapped air, where the strike indicator includes a tab having an opening formed therein and a grommet made from a hard, durable material seated in the opening. Alternatively, the device may be a fishing lure that may be attachable to a fishing hook and having a hollow body filled with trapped air and an attachment mechanism for attaching the lure to the fishing leader and/or fishing line. For example, the fishing lure may be a fishing fly having a hollow body filled with trapped air. In either embodiment, the device may be made from a lightweight, resilient material, for example ethylene vinyl acetate or other similar thermoplastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventor: Brian Spencer Westover
  • Publication number: 20080313948
    Abstract: An improved lure for use when fishing provides better control of the lure by novice and experienced fishermen, better camouflage of the hook and weighting system associated with the lure and more secure setting of the hook when a fish bites. The improved lure comprises a standard tube bait in combination with a hook and weighting arrangement that makes the lure easier to use than prior art tube baits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventor: Paul Lewis
  • Publication number: 20080202016
    Abstract: A realistically shaped dragonfly fishing lure with a body comprised of several sections, which mimic those of a dragonfly. The dragonfly fishing lure has an H-shaped wing positioned on the top side of the body. More specifically, the H-shaped wing is attached to the thorax of the dragonfly fishing lure. The dragonfly fishing lure has at least one hook attached to the bottom of the body. The dragonfly fishing lure is designed to realistically look like and behave like a real dragonfly, thus replacing prior dragonfly lures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventor: John W. Robertson
  • Patent number: 7036264
    Abstract: A fishing lure is made with an interior channel communicating with a front opening to and to a pattern of apertures in the rear. The motion of the lure, rising from, and diving into the water, traps an air pocket which is forced out the rear apertures in a stream of bubble which attract fish and other marine life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Inventor: Patrick Barbary
  • Patent number: 7028430
    Abstract: The variable weight diamond jig fishing lure has a jig body with an elongated diamond shape, having a greater length than width, with eyes formed into the opposing longitudinal ends for attachment to a fishing line and a fishhook, respectively. The jig body is formed from two symmetrical plates having their central portions stamped, molded, or otherwise formed outward to form a central chamber or cavity for receiving a weight or ballast. Slots are formed in the plates between the cavity and the eye. A lock plate having an eye defined in one end and a lock tab attached by a tang depending from the opposite end are inserted through the slots and rotated to lock opposing ends of the jig body together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Inventor: William Gironda
  • Patent number: 6941696
    Abstract: Lure body (2) comprises of hard portion (8) and soft portion (9), which is made of soft plastic, soft silicon or soft rubber. A portion of the lure body can bend repeatedly, and the hard portion is covered by the soft portion. The hard portion is made of at least two separate components, connected to each other by elastic component (10), which has elasticity. The lure body can bend approximately 30 degrees or more around the elastic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Jackall, Inc.
    Inventor: Seiji Kato
  • Patent number: 6922939
    Abstract: A fishing lure having a head portion, a body portion and a tail portion, the fishing lure defining an internal chamber having a first opening in the head portion and a second opening in the body portion; the first opening configured to allow fishing line to be inserted therethrough into the internal chamber, and the second opening configured to allow a fishing weight to be inserted therethrough into the internal chamber. A method of assembling such a fishing lure, and a fishing weight and hook, onto a fishing line; the method comprising the steps of: assembling the fishing lure onto the fishing line by threading fishing line through the first opening and the second opening of the fishing lure; assembling the fishing weight onto the fishing line; and assembling the hook onto the fishing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Inventor: John Richard Moorhouse
  • Patent number: 6912808
    Abstract: A lure comprising: a) a hollow body, made of hard plastic, having a shape approximating the front of a natural fish, and including several ribs with through holes; b) several weights, affixed inside the hollow body; c) a resilient skin, having the shape, texture and coloration of the front of a natural fish and an eye sockets, adhered around the hollow body, around the ribs and through the through holes; d) a resilient tail having the shape, texture and coloration of the tail of a natural fish, integral with the resilient skin; the resilient tail including approximately vertical slits; e) a diving bill affixed to the hollow body just below the nose and protruding through the skin; f) a reflective eye attached to the hollow body within the eye socket; g) a line eye hook, affixed to the hollow body at the nose and protruding through the skin; and h) a fish hook eye hook, affixed to the hollow body underneath and protruding through the skin).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Inventor: Luke Chi Kwong Mak
  • Patent number: 6904712
    Abstract: The variable weight diamond jig fishing lure has a jig body with an elongated diamond shape, having a greater length than width, with eyes formed into the opposing longitudinal ends for attachment to a fishing line and a fishhook, respectively. The jig body is formed from two symmetrical plates having their central portions stamped, molded, or otherwise formed outward to form a central chamber or cavity for receiving a weight or ballast. Slots are formed in the plates between the cavity and the eye. A lock plate having an eye defined in one end and a lock tab attached by a tang depending from the opposite end are inserted through the slots and rotated to lock opposing ends of the jig body together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Inventor: William Gironda
  • Patent number: 6860058
    Abstract: A body and a tail which is curled and is integrally formed in a thin wall shape at a rear end of the body are provided, and a spherical body is integrally formed at a tip of the tail. When the tail extends and swings in the water, an efficient lure action can be produced according to a balance to other parts. Additionally, water flow resistance increases according to volume of the spherical body to produce vibration efficiently, and therefore, it is possible to easily obtain a lure action which is complex and has a high fish-luring effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Megabass General Baits Inc.
    Inventor: Koichi Ito
  • Patent number: 6836997
    Abstract: A floating fishing lure having the capability to adjust the buoyancy of the fish lure with a high degree of precision, such that the fish lure has fore and aft chamber sections connected and held together by an attaching means. Disposed on each fore and aft chamber sections are a plurality of buoyancy windows, one set of which will coincidentally overlie the other set of buoyancy windows as the fore chamber section is rotationally moved in regard to the aft chamber section. By changing the rotational placement of the two sections, valve aperture openings are produced that regulate the air to water ratio within the fish lure, thereby controlling its buoyancy. Additional fish attractors, hooks and illuminators can be added to the fishing lure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Inventor: John F. Cramsey
  • Patent number: 6807766
    Abstract: A fishing lure or decoy is provided, the lure having a casement for receiving an electronic insert. The insert is operated by a microcontroller programmed to implement at least one sequence of operation implemented by at least one of a LED light emitter, a vibration-producing device and an audio transducer. An electrical power supply in the insert provides power to the devices and microcontroller, and a pair of externally exposed contacts switches the microcontroller ON when bridged by water containing electrolytes, as would be found in a fishing area. This also produces an electrical field around the lure, this electrical field also serving to simulate living food creatures to entice fish to bite the lure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Inventors: Charles B. Hughes, Emory D. Hughes
  • Patent number: 6678992
    Abstract: A soft plastic fishing lure may be made to float by incorporating air bubbles therein by methods and in molds that draw air from inside the molds in which the lures are cast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Knight Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Michael R. Clark
  • Patent number: 6675525
    Abstract: A disposable, buoyant, scented fishing lure is formed of a soft, resilient, economically disposable plastic material, with a hollow chamber formed within the lure body. A fish attractant scent material and flotation element are placed within the lure body chamber. The float may be coated or otherwise treated with the scent material prior to installation within the lure, to install the scent material therein. The chamber, with the scent material and float installed therein, is then hermetically sealed to prevent escape of the scent therefrom. When the lure is to be used, the angler installs a fish hook therein and penetrates the scent and float chamber with the hook. This allows the scent material to be released gradually from the lure through the passages formed by the hook insertion in the lure. Once the scent material has substantially dissipated, the angler may discard the used lure for a fresh one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Inventor: James R. Ford
  • Patent number: 6581320
    Abstract: A tube weight lure apparatus includes a lure body having a hollow interior cavity. An inner tube extends through the cavity and receives a fishing line therethrough. A weight member is fixedly mounted on the inner tube within the interior cavity in the body. The weight member is in the form of a hollow tube variably positionable along the length of the inner tube. The inner tube is flexible and has a length greater than the length of the body to assume an arcuate shape when the first and second ends of the inner tube are fixed to the body. In this aspect, the weight member is mounted at the valley of the arcuate shape of the inner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventor: Thomas A. Hnizdor
  • Patent number: 6574909
    Abstract: A buoyant fishing lure having a relatively long narrow body with a rotating tail fin. The lure assumes a vertical position when it is stationary in the water. When drawn through the water the lure sounds and looks sufficiently like a live bait that a game fish will strike without hesitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: H & H Industries
    Inventor: Ken Hoffman
  • Patent number: 6536365
    Abstract: A flexible nose assembly for an underwater vehicle provides increased energy-absorbing capabilities and facilitates recovery and handling of the vehicle. The flexible nose assembly includes a flexible nose cap, at least one retrieval device, and at least one cable that is strong in tension, yet weak in compression which is coupled between the retrieval device and the UUV body. The flexible nose cap has a gap formed therein allowing the communication of environmental water into the region between the vehicle body and the nose cap. Optionally, the retrieval device may be recessed into the flexible nose assembly, thereby reducing hydrodynamic drag and overall vehicle length. Energy-absorbing ballast can be positioned within the nose cap in order to further enhance survivability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Duane M. Horton
  • Patent number: 6460286
    Abstract: A fishing lure includes a plurality of substantially rigid, preferably plastic body sections including a head section, a tail section, and three central body sections, decreasing in size from the head to the tail, therebetween. Each section behind the head section includes a hinge portion, and each section in front of the tail section includes a cavity, and each hinge portion is snap fit into the cavity of an adjacent section to form a hinge assembly having a pivot axis inside the respective cavity. The hinge assemblies are together adapted to permit different degrees of relative movement of selected adjacent sections to more closely simulate the movement of a live bait fish, and particularly produce fluid tail end movement, as the lure is being pulled through water. Various embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: NGC Worldwide Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Wilson
  • Patent number: 6266916
    Abstract: A fishing lure molded of flexible, translucent, soft plastic material into an integral unit in the form of a baitfish. Pigments, glitter, scent and flavor additives are mixed with the plastic during manufacture to create realistic visual, smell and taste characteristics. A wide gap offset fish hook is removably attached and substantially hidden in the lure by a hook slot in the lower longitudinal edge of the lure, and by an internal chamber. The internal chamber further serves to allow the body of the lure to collapse when attacked by a fish, exposing the point of the hook, as well as to conceal tube weights, flotation inserts, trap air contributing to the buoyancy and upright positioning of the lure, and to act as a reservoir for liquid fish attractant. The buoyancy and sink rate of the lure can be manipulated by utilizing various combinations of hook sizes, tube weight sizes, and flotation inserts positions into the internal chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventor: Randal Scot Dugan