GB2394156A

GB2394156A - Fishing Rod Bite Indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2394156A
Application number: GB0224308A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Paul Beattie; Christopher Patrick Lacey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-18
Filing date: 2002-10-18
Publication date: 2004-04-21
Also published as: GB0224308D0

Abstract

A bite indicator system comprising a bite indicator located at the tip 21 of a fishing rod, a light source (17, fig.1) remote from the tip and a light guide (8, fig.1) to guide light from the source to the tip. Preferably the light guide is an optical fibre or the inner surface of a tubular fishing rod. The bite indicator may be a transparent or translucent quiver tip made of resin, and may comprise fluorescent material. The light source preferably has a power supply (18, fig. 1) and may be fixed onto a fishing rod near its handle, or located inside a hollow handle. Alternatively the light source may be contained in a fishing rod cradle. A fishing rod comprising a bite indicator system is also claimed.

Description

I, 23941 56

( A FISHING ROD BITE INDICATOR SYSTEM

The present invention relates to a fishing rod bite indicator system and a fishing rod employing such a bite indicator system, which system assists in identifying that a fish 5 engaged the bait, hereinafter referred to as a "bite". The system is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to night fishing.

Fishing rods normally employ a section towards the tip of the fishing rod that is arranged to be deflected on the occurrence of a bite. In course fishing, this section of the 10 rod, extending back from the tip is referred to as a quiver tip. Quiver tips have test curve values which are equal to the weight required to bend a tip through 90 . Other types of indicators may be used, for example "swing tip" bite indicator in course fishing or "quivering tip indicators" used in sea fishing. Although different terms are used to describe these types of tips, common to them all is that they are deflected on the occurance of a bite 15 and this deflection can be visually detected. For convenience, all fishing rod tips which are arranged to be deflected on a bite are herein after referred to, for the purposes of this specification, as a quiver tip.

Quiver tips are normally painted black and can be clearly contrasted with the 20 background in the daytime, however for night fishing, brightly coloured quiver tips can be

employed but it can be difficult or impossible to detect movement of these particularly on a dark night.

- 2 According to the present invention there is provided a fishing rod bite indicator system comprising a visual bite indicator arranged to be located substantially at the tip of a fishing rod where a bite will normally cause the indicator to be deflected; a light source arranged to be located remote from the tip and the bite indicator; and a light guide for 5 guiding light from the light source to the bite indicator.

Employing the present invention enables a bite indicator at the tip of the rod to be illuminated without the need to mount a light source at the tip of the rod, which light source may be too heavy or may interfere with operation of the rod if mounted at the tip.

Preferably, the light guide includes an optical fibre. An optical fibre may be relatively fine and convey the light to the bite indicator along the fishing rod without interfering with the operation of the rod. However, alternatively the light guide could be formed by the internal walls of the rod of the fishing rod, appropriately treated.

The bite indicator preferably comprises an at least partially optically transmissive flexible section of the rod, which may be formed of resin, the section of rod being arranged to receive light from the light guide causing the section of rod to be illuminated, the section of rod being deflected in response to a bite occuring.

The section of rod may contain a fluorescent material that fluoresces in response to light received from the light source via the light guide. The section of rod may be a separate to the light guide and preferably the section of rod forms an integral part at least of

- 3 the quiver tip of the fishing rod. In this manner, the quiver tip itself can be arranged to be illuminated, however, as an alternative the section of rod may be separate to a quiver tip and arranged to be attached to the quiver tip of a fishing rod. In this latter case, the visual bite indicator may comprise a section of the light guide itself, this section arranged to be 5 illuminated by light from the light source such that it is clearly visible at night.

Advantageously, the light guide is arranged to run coaxially through the centre of a fishing rod, where the light guide is an optical fibre this can run through the normally hollow section of a fishing rod. This is particularly advantageous where the visual bite 10 indicator comprises a section of rod which is integral with at least part of a quiver tip of the fishing rod, the light guide terminating at the section of rod.

The light source is advantageously arranged to be mounted in the handle of a fishing rod, but alternatively may be arranged to be located remote of the fishing rod and connected 15 to the light guide by a quick release connector.

The light source may be located in a fishing rod cradle which cradle includes a quick release connector which is disconnected by the action of lifting a fishing rod from the cradle. This is advantageous for the bulk associated with the light source and any 20 associated power supply can be contained within the cradle such that it does not interfere with the normal operation of the fishing rod when the rod is lifting from the cradle.

In the context of the present specification, the term cradle is to include both cradles

( - 4 and rests used for supporting either completely or partially a fishing rod.

The cradle may additionally incorporate a switch to switch off the light source when the rod is removed.

In a further alternative arrangement, the light source may be incorporated into the handle of the fishing rod and may comprise a power supply in the form of a battery.

Alternatively, the power supply may be mounted in a cradle for a fishing rod. The cradle, advantageously, comprising a connector for connecting the power supply to the light 10 source, which connector is disconnected by the action of lifting the fishing rod from the cradle. This will automatically disconnect the light source and thus stop the drain on the power supply.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a fishing 15 rod comprising a bite indicating system as described above...DTD: In accordance with a third aspect, the present invention provides a fishing rod having an integral visual bite indicator system, the rod comprising a quiver tip, a light source located in the handle of the fishing rod, a light guide extending from the light source 20 to the quiver tip, wherein the quiver tip is at least partially transmissive to light and arranged to be illuminated by light from the light source received via the light guide.

- 5 Two embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which like numerals are used throughout, and of which: Figure I is a cross- sechon through a handle of a f shing rod in accordance with the lo 5 present invention incorporating a bite indicator system in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a complete fishing rod with the handle shown in Figure 1; Figures 3A, 3B and 3C illustrate the mid, butt and top sections respectively of the rod of Figure 2, when broken; 10 Figure 4 is an expanded view of connections between the sections of rod illustrated in Figure 2; and Figure 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a fishing rod bite indicator system in accordance with the present invention.

15 Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated a handle, indicated generally as 1, of fishing rod 2. The handle 1 is located on a carbon fibre hollow rod 3, which rod extends outward of the handle to connect to the next section of the rod 4.

The handle 1 comprises neoprene outer sleeve 5 over which are located butt rings 6 20 and 7 on which a reel is to be mounted. Extending within the carbon fibre hollow rod 3 is an optical fibre 8 retained in place by cork stoppers 9 and 10. These centrally locate the ends of the optical fibre.

- 6 The neoprene sleeve 5, which could alternatively be made from more traditional cork, extends beyond the end of the carbon fibre hollow rod 3 forming recess 11. A rubber end cap 12 arranged to engage via threaded portion 13 with a recess 14 in the end of the neoprene outer sleeve 5 closes the recess 11. The end cap itself comprising a recess 15 in 5 which is mounted a light source 16. The light source includes a bulb 17, battery 18 and switch 19. The bulb 17 is located adjacent the termination of the optical fibre 8. In an alternative arrangement, the carbon fibre rod may extend to the very bottom of the handle with the light source 16 mounted in the carbon fibre tube for protection.

10 Referring to Figure 2, the complete rod is shown, which in this case comprises three sections. A butt section 2, a mid section 4 and a top section 21, the rod illustrated is a three section rod but the invention is equally applicable to a rod having any number of sections.

With the exception of the top section, each section of rod comprises a carbon fibre 15 tube 3, although this could be of some other material, a length of fibre optic cable 8 maintained in position between the cork end stops 9 and 1 O. Each section also comprises rod rings 22 supporting a fishing line (not shown).

The top section, or quiver tip 3C, is deflected by the action of fishing line pulling on 20 top rod ring 23. This top section is formed of a substantially clear resin in which are embedded fluorescent particles. When the rod is assembled, each section abuts to the adjoining section as illustrated in Figure 4. The optical fibre 8 of each section, held in place by respective cork stoppers 9 and 10, in turn abuts the optical fibre in the adjacent section,

( - 7 forming a light guide from the light source 16 to the resin compound 24 of the quiver tip 21. In use, switch 19 at the bottom of the butt section is switched to an ON position, 5 causing bulb 17 to be illuminated and light transmitted through the light guide 8 to the quiver tip section 21. Fluorescent particles within the resin material 24 fluoresce and thus the quiver tip is illuminated.

The above describes an embodiment of a bite indicator system in accordance with 10 the present invention incorporated into a fishing rod at manufacture. However, where the invention is to be retrofitted to an existing fishing rod, where it is not desired or possible to modify the fishing rod, then the arrangement illustrated in Figure 5 may be adopted. Here a light source 24 is arranged to be mounted externally on the fishing rod, indicated generally as 25, which light source 24 includes a battery and similar components to those of the light 15 source 16 of Figure 1. The light source generates light which is transmitted along optical fibre 26 which is "whipped" to the fishing rod by any suitable means. The light guide 26 terminates in a section of rod 27 which may be formed separately from the optical fibre, for example this may be formed of a similar resin compound to that used to fomm the section of quiver tip of the previous embodiment. The section of rod 27 may alternatively be an 20 extension of the optical fibre 26, the properties of the optical fibre or coating of the fibre being such that in the section of rod 27 light is transmitted through the walls of the section such that the section of rod 27 appears illuminated when the light source is ON. In either alternative, the section 27 is relatively flexible and arranged to bend with the quiver tip of

the rod 25.

In embodiments described above, a complete system has been shown mounted on the fishing rod. However, in a further alternative arrangement, the invention may employ a 5 cradle 28 (or rest) for the fishing rod, which cradle 28 may include a battery pack 29 and connector 30. When the rod is placed in the cradle the connector 30 connects with a terminal 31 on the light source 24. In this embodiment, the light source does not comprise! an internal battery or switch but instead relies on the connection to the cradle. When the rod is lifted from the cradle the connection is broken. This avoids the need to mount the 10 relatively heavy battery on the fishing rod.

In accordance with a further alternative, the cradle could incorporate both a battery and a light source with the connection 30 being an optical fibre connection for transmitting the light to an appropriate connection 31 for transmission along optical fibre 26. In such an 15 arrangement a micro switch 32 may be employed to detect that the rod is in the cradle 28, the switch being arranged to connect the light source to the power supply only when the rod is in the cradle.

The above embodiments have been described by way of example only and many 20 variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, which variations are within the scope of the appended claims. In particular, it is foreseen that various different combinations of light source, light guide and visual bite indicator may be employed, for example integral or retrofit light sources may be employed with an integral optical fibre, or retrofit external

( - 9 - light source and a retrofit external light guide may be employed to convey light to a top feral section to which a spigot of an appropriate quiver tip in accordance with the invention is inserted.

Claims

- 10 CLAIMS

1. A fishing rod bite indicator system comprising a visual bite indicator arranged to be located substantially at the tip of a fishing rod where a bite may cause the indicator to be 5 deflected; a light source arranged to be located remote from the tip and the bite indicator; and a light guide for guiding light from the light source to the bite indicator.

2. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the light guide includes an optical fibre.

10

3. A system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the bite indicator comprises an at least partially optically transmissive flexible section of rod arranged to receive light from the light guide to illuminate the section of rod, the section of rod being arranged to be deflected by a bite.

15

4. A system as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the section of rod is formed from resin.

5. A system as claimed in Claim 3 or 4, wherein the section of rod comprises fluorescent material that fluoresces in response to light received from the light source via the light guide.

6. A system as claimed in Claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the section of rod is integral with at least part of a quiver tip of a fishing rod.

7. A system as claimed in Claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the section of rod is arranged to be attached to the quiver tip of a fishing rod.

8. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the light guide is arranged to 5 run coaxially through the centre of a fishing rod

9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the light source is arranged to be mounted on the handle of the fishing rod.

10 10. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the light source is arranged to be located remote of the fishing rod and connected to the light guide by a quick release connector.

11. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a fishing rod cradle, 1 S wherein the light source is located in the rod cradle including a quick release connector, which cormector is disconnected by the action of light the fishing rode from the cradle.

12. A system as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the cradle comprise a switch to switch OFF the light source when the rod is removed from the cradle.

13. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the light source is mounted in the handle of the fishing rod.

- 12

14. A system claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the light source comprises a power supply.

15. A system as claimed in Claim 9 or 13, further comprising a cradle for a fishing rod, 5 the cradle comprising a power supply for the light source.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the cradle comprises a connector for connecting the power supply to the light source, which connector is disconnected by the action of lifting the fishing rod from the cradle.

17. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 or 3 to 16, other than when dependent on Claim 2, wherein the fishing rod comprises a tubular construction and the light guide comprises the inner surface of the tube.

15

18. A fishing rod comprising a bite indicator system as claimed in any preceding claim.

19. A fishing rod having an integral visual bite indicator system, the rod comprising a quiver tip, a light source located in the handle of the fishing rod, a light guide extending from the light source to the quiver tip, wherein the quiver tip is at least partially 20 transmissive to light and arranged to be illuminated by light from the light source received via the light guide.

20. A quiver tip arranged to be illuminated by light received from a light guide.

- 13

21. A light source arranged to illuminate, via a light guide, a bite indicator located on a fishing rod.

5

22. A fishing rod substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to or as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

23. A fishing rod bite indicator system, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and/or as illustrated in, one or more of the accompanying drawings.