U.S. patent application number 11/338040 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-26 for fishing assembly.
Invention is credited to Charles Gierke.
Application Number | 20070173139 11/338040 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38286137 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070173139 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gierke; Charles |
July 26, 2007 |
Fishing assembly
Abstract
A fishing assembly is provided that includes a wireless sonar
attached to a trolling assembly.
Inventors: |
Gierke; Charles; (Hudson,
WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
PO BOX 1022
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55440-1022
US
|
Family ID: |
38286137 |
Appl. No.: |
11/338040 |
Filed: |
January 24, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
440/6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K 97/00 20130101;
A01K 91/20 20130101; B63B 21/66 20130101; G01S 15/96 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
440/006 |
International
Class: |
B63H 21/17 20060101
B63H021/17 |
Claims
1. A fishing assembly comprising a wireless sonar attached to a
planar board.
2. The fishing assembly of claim 1 wherein the wireless sonar is
permanently attached to the planar board.
3. The fishing assembly of claim 2, wherein the wireless sonar is
permanently attached to the planar board at an angle .theta.
relative to the longitudinal axis of the back portion of the planar
board.
4. The fishing assembly of claim 1, wherein the wireless sonar is
removable.
5. The fishing assembly of claim 1, wherein the wireless sonar is
moveably attached to the planar board.
6. The fishing assembly of claim 5, wherein the wireless sonar can
be moveably attached to the planar board at an angle .theta.
relative to the longitudinal axis of the back portion of the planar
board.
7. The fishing assembly of claim 6, wherein said wireless sonar is
fixed at said angle .theta..
8. The fishing assembly of claim 1, wherein the wireless sonar
further comprises a wet switch.
9. The fishing assembly of claim 1, wherein the wireless sonar
determines a depth of a body of water or a location of fish.
10. The fishing assembly of claim 1, wherein the planar board is
selected from the group consisting of an inline planer board and a
mast-style planer board.
11. A fishing system comprising: a fishing assembly, wherein the
fishing assembly comprises a wireless sonar attached to a planar
board; and a receiver module, wherein the receiver module receives
and interprets signals from the wireless sonar.
12. The fishing system of claim 11, wherein the receiver module
comprises a display screen.
13. The fishing system of claim 11, wherein the planar board is
selected from the group consisting of an inline planer board and a
mast-style planer board.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to fishing equipment, and more
particularly to a wireless sonar attached to a trolling
assembly.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Game fish often stalk and strike their prey as it moves
through the water. Fishing from a moving boat, or "trolling",
allows for the prey (e.g., the bait or the lure) to be constantly
moving, and is often a successful method used to catch game fish.
Game fish such as salmon, steelhead, brown trout, walleye, striper,
white bass, northern pike and numerous other species often are
caught by trolling.
[0003] Trolling, however, can cause other problems. For example,
the boat, along with its noisy engine and the wake it creates,
often spooks the fish. In fact, many fish species, particularly
those found in shallow water, routinely move away from a boat's
path. Therefore, trolling assemblies such as planer boards,
outriggers, and the like often are used to move a fishing line away
from the boat.
SUMMARY
[0004] This disclosure provides a fishing assembly that includes a
wireless sonar attached to a trolling assembly. A trolling assembly
includes, for example, an inline planer board or a mast-style
planer board. In some embodiments, a wireless sonar can be
permanently attached to a trolling assembly, or a wireless sonar
can be removable. In other embodiments, a wireless sonar can be
moveably attached to a trolling assembly. For example, a wireless
sonar can be attached to a trolling assembly at an angle .theta.
relative to the longitudinal axis of the back portion of the
trolling assembly. In some embodiments, a wireless sonar can be
fixed at an angle .theta.. A wireless sonar suitable for use in a
fishing assembly described herein can have a wet switch. Generally,
a wireless sonar determines the depth of the body of water or the
location of fish in the body of water.
[0005] The invention also provides for a fishing system that
includes a fishing assembly as described herein and a receiver
module. A receiver module can receive and interpret signals from
the wireless sonar. Usually, a receiver module has a display
screen.
[0006] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms
used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although
methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described
herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present
invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In
addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative
only and not intended to be limiting. All publications, patent
applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are
incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict,
the present specification, including definitions, will control.
[0007] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are
set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below.
Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the drawings and detailed description, and from the
claims.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 shows a wireless sonar mounted internally in a
trolling assembly. FIG. 1A shows a side view; and FIG. 1B shows a
bottom view.
[0009] FIG. 2 shows a wireless sonar mounted externally at the back
of a trolling assembly. The wireless sonar has a battery access
door. FIG. 2A shows a side view; and FIG. 2B shows a bottom
view.
[0010] FIG. 3 shows a wireless sonar mounted externally to the side
of a trolling assembly. FIG. 3A shows a side view; and FIG. 3B
shows a bottom view.
[0011] Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like
elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] A fishing assembly as described herein generally includes a
wireless sonar attached to a trolling assembly. Fishing assemblies
such as those described herein are useful for monitoring the
location of game fish as well as the bottom surface (e.g., contour
and depth) of a body of water (e.g., a lake, a river, an ocean, or
a sea) away from a moving boat. The advantages include, but are not
limited to, a reduced likelihood that fish will be disturbed or
spooked by the boat motor or the wake produced from the boat, and
more accurate presentation of bait or lures near fish-holding
structures such as sunken islands, wrecks, reefs, or rock
piles.
[0013] A trolling assembly as used herein refers to any means by
which bait or a lure can be moved away from the boat (e.g., to the
side of or behind the boat). For example, a trolling assembly can
be, without limitation, a planer board. Planer boards are known in
the art. Planer boards utilize their shape and the water pressure
created by the boat's forward progress to force them out to the
side of the moving boat. Planer boards are typically made from
buoyant plastic or wood, and generally have a rectangular shape
with a tapered front end to minimize diving and flying. Planer
boards are used to increase the width of a trolling spread, and
allow for much more versatility in the presentation of the bait or
lure than when a line is simply run out behind a boat.
[0014] There are generally two types of planer boards: inline
boards (also known as sideplaner boards) and dual boards (also
known as mast-style planer boards). Inline or sideplaner boards
attach directly to the fishing line, while a dual board or a
mast-style planer board is attached to a mast-mounted tow-line with
the fishing lines attached to the tow-line. Typical inline or
sideplaner boards can be, for example, about 10
inches.times.31/2inches or smaller, while typical mast planer
boards are considerably larger (e.g., some dual planer boards can
have ten times the surface area of inline planer boards).
[0015] Whether mast-mounted or tied inline, a planer board used in
a fishing assembly described herein can include any or all of the
characteristics of or available with conventional planer boards.
These characteristics include, without limitation, fins (e.g., side
fins), adjustable weights to keep the planer board tracking, line
clip mechanisms, a strike release, a flag (e.g., a spring-loaded
flag with, for example, an adjustable tension indicator), and/or a
light (e.g., for night fishing).
[0016] The Church Tackle Co. (Sodus, Mich.), Off Shore Tackle
Co./Riviera (Port Austin, Mich.), Big Jon (Traverse City, Mich.),
and Cannon/Bottom Line (Meridian, Id.) are representative
manufacturers of inline and dual planer boards. In addition,
representative planer boards are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,826,365; 6,256,924; and 6,789,350, which are incorporated herein
by reference.
[0017] One of the few drawbacks of trolling assemblies, however, is
that the user is not able to monitor conditions such as depth,
water temperature, and/or the position of a weed line or other
targeted fish holding structure away from the boat where the
trolling assembly positions the bait or lure. Such conditions often
are monitored directly underneath a boat with a conventional fish
finder, but conditions in a body of water can change significantly
over a relatively short distance. Therefore, it would be
advantageous to a user to have sonar and/or other capabilities
(e.g., a global positioning system (GPS)) attached to a planer
board or a similar trolling assembly and to be able to monitor such
conditions at positions away from the boat (e.g., wirelessly).
[0018] Sonar (SOund Navigation And Ranging) technology was first
developed during World War I and is very well known in the art. In
addition to military uses, sonar technology is used routinely in
oceanography and in sport fishing. Representative fish locators or
fish finders that utilize sonar are described in, without
limitation, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,425,635; 4,686,659; 4,879,697;
5,184,330; 5,999,490; 6,325,020; and 6,980,484, which are
incorporated herein by reference.
[0019] Wireless technology also is known in the art and generally
encompasses frequency ranges of 9 kHz to 300 GHz. Although
frequencies in the radio frequency (RF) range frequently are used
in wireless devices, a fishing assembly can be designed to use any
wireless frequency that is suitable for transmission of data from
the fishing assembly to a receiver module. See, for example, U.S.
Pat. Nos. 6,693,847; 6,771,562; and 6,724,688; and Goldsmith, 2005,
Wireless Communications, Cambridge University Press; Rappaport,
2002, Wireless Communications: Principles and Practice, 2.sup.nd
Edition, Prentice Hall PTR; and Stallings, 2001, Wireless
Communications and Networks, Prentice Hall.
[0020] A wireless sonar suitable for use in a fishing assembly as
described herein generally includes a sonar transmitter, a sonar
receiver, a transducer, a wireless transmitter, and a
microprocessor. The microprocessor generally controls the sonar
transmit-receive cycle (e.g., the amount of time between receiving
a sonar signal and transmitting the next sonar signal, and/or the
length of time each sonar signal is transmitted), interprets the
sonar data received from the transducer, and controls the signals
being sent from the wireless transmitter to a remote receiver
module (see below). Representative wireless sonar suitable for use
in a fishing assembly as described herein include those disclosed
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,693,847; 6,771,562; and 6,724,688, which are
incorporated herein by reference.
[0021] Typically, a wireless sonar also includes a battery to
supply power to the necessary components. A wireless sonar can be
designed to utilize any of a number of different battery
configurations including replaceable and/or rechargeable
configurations. See, for example, Herman, 1999, Delmar's Standard
Textbook of Electricity, 2.sup.nd Edition, Delmar Publishers.
[0022] A wireless sonar also can include an antenna for
transmitting and receiving the wireless signals. The antenna of a
wireless sonar may utilize one or more of a number of
configurations. The particular antenna configuration used in a
wireless sonar may be dependent upon, for example, the trolling
distance (i.e., the distance between the wireless sonar and the
remote receiver module) and, therefore, the signal distance. In
some embodiments, antenna configurations can be distinguished by a
set of parameters such as resonance frequency, input impedance,
bandwidth, radiation pattern, gain, and/or polarization.
[0023] A wireless sonar also can include a wet-switch such that
minimal to no battery power is used when the fishing assembly is
dry. Wet-switches and the like are known in the art. See, for
example, Condensate Overflow Protector (Beckett Corp.); Wet Switch
Stop the Flood (Wagner Manufacturing), AquaSwitch (EDC
International Ltd.); and Low Voltage Auxiliary Condensate Switch
(Little Giant Pump Co.) as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,693,847;
6,771,562; and 6,724,688.
[0024] The components of a wireless sonar can be housed within a
single water-resistant housing, or can be separated into two or
more water-resistant housings that are in communication with one
another. For example, in one embodiment, certain components (e.g.,
the sonar transmitter, the sonar receiver, and the transducer) can
be located in a water-resistant housing that is attached to a
trolling assembly at a position that maintains an appropriate
relationship between the sonar components and the water, while
other components (e.g., the antenna) can be located in another
water-resistance housing that is positioned at or near the top of
the trolling assembly.
[0025] A water-resistant housing also can be designed to have a
water-proof door or similar type of access such that, for example,
the battery can be replaced or recharged. Alternatively, a
water-resistant housing can contain a port or other type of
receptacle, for example, to plug in and charge an internal battery
from an external source. Such a port or other receptacle could be
capped or covered during use of the fishing assembly.
[0026] A wireless sonar can be mounted to a trolling assembly in
any number of ways. FIG. 1 shows an internally-mounted embodiment
of a fishing assembly 1 in which the wireless sonar 10 is attached
within a void or a recess in the trolling assembly 20.
Representative line clips 30 also are shown. FIG. 1A shows a side
view of a fishing assembly 1 and FIG. 1B shows a bottom view. In
the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an antenna node 10a is shown
attached to the top of the trolling assembly 20.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows an externally-mounted embodiment of a fishing
assembly 1. The wireless sonar 10 shown in the fishing assembly 1
is attached to the back of the trolling assembly 20 in the
embodiment shown in FIG. 2. As with FIG. 1, FIG. 2 shows
representative line clips 30. FIG. 2 also shows a mounting unit 15
that can be used to permanently or removably attach a wireless
sonar 10 to a trolling assembly 20. The wireless sonar shown in
FIG. 2 has an access door 12 (e.g., a water-proof door) such that,
for example, a battery within the wireless sonar 10 can be replaced
or recharged. It would be understood by those of skill in the art
that any type of access into the trolling assembly or wireless
sonar would need to be waterproof.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows another externally-mounted embodiment of a
fishing assembly 1. The wireless sonar 10 shown in the fishing
assembly 1 is attached to the side of the trolling assembly 20 in
FIG. 3. As with FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 3 shows representative line
clips 30. FIG. 3 also shows a mounting unit 15 that can be used to
permanently or removably attach a wireless sonar 10 to a trolling
assembly 20. The side-mounted embodiment shown in FIG. 3 has an
antenna that extends above the top of the trolling assembly 20.
[0029] A wireless sonar can be permanently attached to a trolling
assembly or a wireless sonar can be removable. Mounting units
optionally can be used for permanent or removable attachment of the
wireless sonar to a trolling assembly. Mounting units are known in
the art. For example, a wireless sonar can be configured to be
removed from one trolling assembly (e.g., a planer board) and
attached to another trolling assembly (e.g., a different planer
board). In other embodiments, a wireless sonar or a mounting unit
for mounting a wireless sonar is manufactured as an integral
portion of a trolling assembly. Alternatively, a wireless sonar or
a mounting unit therefore can be attached, for example, by a user
(e.g., a consumer) to an existing trolling assembly.
[0030] As can be seen from the representative embodiments shown in
FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a wireless sonar can be manufactured in any
number of different sizes and shapes. It is understood by those of
skill in the art, however, that whatever the shape, size, mounting
means (e.g., internal or external), and attachment means (e.g.,
permanent or removable, with or without a mounting unit), a
wireless sonar should not significantly increase the drag or change
the balance of a trolling assembly. In some embodiments, weights
can be introduced or added to a trolling assembly (e.g., by a
manufacturer or by a user) to accommodate a wireless sonar.
[0031] FIGS. 1 and 3 show a wireless sonar 10 positioned
essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the back
portion of the planer board. Depending upon a variety of factors
including the weight, size, and depth of the bait or lure, a planer
board does not always plane exactly level with the water surface
during trolling. Therefore, essentially perpendicular as shown in
FIG. 1 might not be the optimal angle. To accommodate the position
of the trolling assembly during trolling, the recess or void within
the trolling assembly, and similarly, the wireless sonar placed
therein, can be positioned at an angle .theta. relative to the
longitudinal axis L of the back portion of a planer board. For
example, an angle .theta. of approximately 60.degree. relative to
the longitudinal axis L of the back portion of a planer board may
maintain the position of the wireless sonar substantially downward
toward the bottom of the body of water when trolling at an
appropriate speed.
[0032] A wireless sonar can be attached to a trolling assembly such
that the wireless sonar is maintained in a fixed position. A
wireless sonar can be fixed at any angle .theta. relative to the
longitudinal axis L of the back portion of a trolling assembly. The
angle .theta. of a fixed wireless sonar (relative to the
longitudinal axis L of the back portion of a trolling assembly) can
be predetermined (e.g., by the manufacturer, based on the
dimensions of the trolling assembly) or can be adjustably fixed by
a user, for example, to accommodate different trolling speeds.
[0033] In addition, a wireless sonar can be attached to a trolling
assembly in a manner that allows the wireless sonar to move,
usually in a controlled manner. For example, the wireless sonar may
swing in a pendulum-like or partial pendulum-like fashion relative
to a longitudinal axis L of a trolling assembly. In certain
embodiments, a wireless sonar can include one or more angular rate
sensors that serve to maintain a position of the wireless sonar
itself or of the sonar transducer-receiver component of the
wireless sonar that is directed substantially downward toward the
bottom of the body of water independent of the position of the
trolling assembly and, thus, independent of the trolling speed.
Angular rate sensor technology is known in the art. See, for
example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,952,572; 6,345,533; 6,584,410; 6,415,643;
and 6,658,937.
[0034] In addition to maintaining a desired position, angular rate
sensors also can be used to reduce unwanted movement. For example,
angular rate sensors that remove or filter out vibrational
interference due to excessive movement are well known in the art.
See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,305,222 and 6,155,115. Angular
rate sensors can include, but are not limited to, gyroscopes such
as piezoelectric rate gyroscopes.
[0035] In some embodiments, a microprocessor can be used in
conjunction with one or more of the above-mentioned components to
maintain a downward direction regardless of the position of the
trolling assembly or, alternatively, to maintain a particular angle
.theta. as determined by the user. In addition, a microprocessor
can use the data provided by the one or more angular rate sensors
to compute the correct depth of the water even when the sonar
transducer-receiver component is not positioned exactly downward.
It is understood by those of skill in the art that the position
and/or directionality referred to herein of the wireless sonar or
of the sonar transducer-receiver component of the wireless sonar
refers to the conical area toward which and from which,
respectively, the sonar transducer-receiver is directed and
gathering information.
[0036] A system is described herein that includes a fishing
assembly (e.g., a wireless sonar attached to a trolling assembly)
and a compatible receiver module. A receiver module is compatible
with a fishing assembly when the receiver module is able to receive
and interpret signals from the wireless sonar. A receiver module
can be designed to analyze any signal received from the wireless
sonar (e.g., valid signals as well as noise or interference), but
to only display the valid signals (e.g., sync pulses).
[0037] The receiver module typically includes a visual display that
can be used to determine, for example, the depth, the water
temperature, the composition of the bottom surface, the location of
fish, and/or the size of a fish. A receiver module can be portable,
or can be mounted to an object or a surface (e.g., to the dashboard
of a boat). The receiver module can have black and white or a color
visual display, and also can have a split screen.
[0038] The receiver module also can include additional features
such as a GPS, programmable memory for marking positions or
objects, weather information (e.g., ambient temperature, barometric
pressure, and/or solar/lunar schedules), and/or the ability to add
(e.g., download) additional data (e.g., updated satellite pictures
and/or information). Receiver modules that are compatible with
wireless sonar are known in the art, and are disclosed, for
example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,693,847; 6,771,562; and 6,724,688.
[0039] Briefly, a fishing assembly that includes an inline or
sideplaner board can be used as follows. While the boat is moving,
the line with the bait or lure is let out to a desired distance A.
The desired distance A is the amount of line that will be
underwater (e.g., the amount of line to reach the desired depth).
At the desired distance A, the planer board portion of the fishing
assembly is attached to the line (e.g., using a line clip 30) and
placed in the water. The fishing line is further let out to a
desired distance B. The distance B is the distance from the planer
board to the boat. The distance of B during trolling can be about
30 feet, but lengths of 125 feet or more are not uncommon. To
remove a fishing assembly from a fishing line, the planer board is
reeled in and the line is released from the line clip 30. The
remaining line with the bait or lure and the fish then are reeled
in.
[0040] A fishing assembly that includes a dual or mast-style planer
board can be used as follows. While the boat is moving, a dual or
mast-style planer board is attached to the tow-line, and the
tow-line is let out from the mast. After the tow-line has been let
out a desired distance, the fishing line(s) are attached to the
tow-line (e.g., with one or more line clip mechanisms). The fishing
line is attached to the tow-line at a desired distance A from the
bait or lure. The desired distance A is the length of line that
will be underwater (e.g., the depth of the bait or lure in the
water). The tow-line with the fishing line attached is then let out
to the desired distance B. The distance B is the distance of the
line from the boat. Masts can be fitted with one or more reels to
take in or let out the tow-line.
[0041] Oftentimes, multiple trolling assemblies are used to move
multiple lines away from the boat and to keep the lines from
tangling. Each trolling assembly need not have a wireless sonar
attached thereto, however, multiple fishing assemblies (i.e.,
multiple wireless sonar) can be used on the same boat to, for
example, obtain information (e.g., depth, water temperature, and
the presence and size of fish) from both sides. Multiple fishing
assemblies can be used provided each wireless sonar can transmit
signal on a different channel. As discussed herein, a receiver
module can have a split screen to accommodate signals from more
than one wireless sonar.
[0042] Given that a boat is constantly moving, particularly while
trolling, simple multiple channels (e.g., channels A and B) might
not be sufficient to consistently distinguish a multitude of
signals that might be encountered on a body of water. Thus, in some
embodiments, each wireless sonar can possess a unique
identification number. For example, one or more identification
numbers can be programmed into a compatible receiver module such
that the receiver module will receive signals only from the
corresponding fishing assembly or assemblies to the exclusion of
other fishing assemblies in the vicinity.
[0043] The invention also provides for articles of manufacture. For
example, an article of manufacture can include a fishing assembly
as described herein (i.e., a trolling assembly and a wireless
sonar). Alternatively, an article of manufacture can include a
wireless sonar and an appropriate mounting unit. In other
embodiments, appropriate mounting units can be obtained separately
from a fishing assembly or from a wireless sonar. The system
described herein (e.g., a fishing assembly and a compatible
receiver module) also can be packaged as an article of
manufacture.
OTHER EMBODIMENTS
[0044] It is to be understood that while the invention has been
described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof, the
foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the
scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the
appended claims. Other aspects, advantages, and modifications are
within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *