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EP-4734760-A2 - FISHING LURES

EP4734760A2EP 4734760 A2EP4734760 A2EP 4734760A2EP-4734760-A2

Abstract

The specific requirement of trapping scallops means that, for fishing lures using light as an attractant, it is more efficient for most of the light from the lure to be cast horizontally, with little to no light being wasted vertically (either up or down). Using cheap, mass-produced LED lights would conventionally involve arranging a plurality of such lights in a horizontal ring; however, the use of a large number of such LEDs increases the cost of the device, as well as the power required from a power source, thereby decreasing the operating time of the lure. The present invention provides a fishing lure in which a diverging optical arrangement 44, 45 disperses light from a single LED 43 over a greater range of angles 35. In this way, light from a conventional light source disposed above a point on the seabed may be directed further from the point on the seabed. In addition, flux from the conventional light source is not wasted by directing it to the point on the seabed, where it is not needed to attract scallops.

Inventors

  • KIBEL, BEN
  • KIBEL, PETE
  • THOMAS, DAVID
  • SHARP, NICHOLAS

Assignees

  • Fishtek Marine Ltd

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240628

Claims (14)

  1. A fishing lure, comprising: a light source configured to emit light over a first range of angles symmetrically about an emission axis, wherein the first range of angles extends between a first emission angle that is coaxial with the emission axis and a second emission angle that is at least 10 degrees from the emission axis; and a diverging optical arrangement comprising a convex mirror having an axis of symmetry coaxial with the emission axis, the convex mirror arranged such that all light emitted by the light source over the first range of angles is incident upon the convex mirror, the convex mirror configured such that all light emitted by the light source over the first range of angles and incident upon the convex mirror is dispersed by the diverging optical arrangement over a second range of angles greater than or equal to the first range of angles, wherein the second range of angles extends between a first dispersed angle that is at least 1.5 degrees from the emission axis and a second dispersed angle that is at least 90 degrees from the emission axis.
  2. The fishing lure of claim 1, wherein the diverging optical arrangement comprises a primary lens comprising: a primary incident light surface arranged to collect light emitted from the light source over the first range of angles and transmit the collected light into the primary lens; the convex mirror, wherein the convex mirror comprises an internal reflection surface configured to reflect the transmitted light; and a primary transmitted light surface arranged to emit the reflected light from the primary lens.
  3. The fishing lure of claim 2, wherein the primary lens comprises a diverging lens.
  4. The fishing lure of any preceding claim, wherein the diverging optical arrangement comprises a secondary lens comprising: a secondary incident light surface arranged to collect light from the convex mirror and transmit the collected light into the secondary lens; and a secondary refracted light surface arranged to emit the transmitted light from the secondary lens.
  5. The fishing lure of claim 4, wherein the secondary lens comprises a diverging lens.
  6. A method of catching scallops, the method comprising the steps of: providing a fishing lure according to any preceding claim; disposing the fishing lure over a trap, with the emission axis directed vertically downward; and activating the light source.
  7. A fishing lure, comprising: a waterproof housing; a light source disposed within the waterproof housing; a power source disposed within the waterproof housing and connectable to the light source; and a capacitive switch disposed within the waterproof housing, the capacitive switch configured to selectively connect the power source to the light source, the capacitive switch configured to determine when the fishing lure is submerged in water.
  8. The fishing lure of claim 7, wherein the capacitive switch comprises a microcontroller and a capacitive sensor connected to the microcontroller, the capacitive sensor comprising a flex PCB arranged to wrap around an interior of the waterproof housing.
  9. A method of activating a fishing lure, the method comprising the steps of: providing the fishing lure of any one of claim 7 or claim 8; and submerging the fishing lure in water so as to activate the capacitive switch to connect the power source to the light source.
  10. A fishing lure comprising: a light source disposed on a printed circuit board; a power source for supplying power to the light source; at least one wire for forming an electrical connection with the power source, the at least one wire disposed on the printed circuit board; a microcontroller disposed on the printed circuit board, the microcontroller configured to selectively connect the at least one wire to the light source; a component case comprising: a first component mount comprising a recess for receiving the printed circuit board therein, and at least one channel for receiving the at least one wire therein; and a second component mount, securable to the first component mount, the second component mount configured to clamp the printed circuit board in the recess, and configured to clamp the at least one wire in the at least one channel, when secured to the first component mount; wherein the component case is configured to removably receive the power source therein, when the second component mount is secured to the first component mount, such that the power source is in electrical connection with the at least one wire; and a waterproof housing configured to removably receive the component case therein.
  11. A method of assembling the fishing lure of claim 10, the method comprising the steps of: providing a printed circuit board; disposing a microcontroller on the printed circuit board; disposing a light source on the printed circuit board; providing a component case comprising: a first component mount comprising a recess and at least one channel; and a second component mount; disposing the printed circuit board in the recess; disposing at least one wire in the at least one channel; disposing the at least one wire on the printed circuit board; securing the second component mount to the first component mount to clamp the printed circuit board in the recess, and to clamp the at least one wire in the at least one channel; removably receiving a power source into the component case, after the second component mount is secured to the first component mount, such that the power source is in electrical connection with the at least one wire; and removably receiving the component case into a waterproof housing, after the power source is within the component case.
  12. A composite mould for part of a waterproof housing of a fishing lure, the composite mould comprising: an end mould configured to form a closed end of a part of a waterproof housing, the end mould configured such that the part of the waterproof housing so-formed is removable from an open end of the end mould by linear movement along a first axis in a first direction; a collar mould configured to form an abutment surface of the part of the waterproof housing, the collar mould arrangeable adjacent to the open end of the end mould such that in use the abutment surface faces the first direction, the collar mould configured such that the part of the waterproof housing so-formed is removable from the collar mould by linear movement along the first axis in a second direction opposite the first direction; and first and second annular recess moulds arrangeable adjacent to the collar mould opposing the open end of the end mould and configured to form at least one annular recess in the part of the waterproof housing, the at least one annular recess arranged symmetrically about the first axis and axially spaced from the abutment surface; wherein the first annular recess mould is configured such that the part of the waterproof housing so-formed is removable from the first annular recess mould by linear movement along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis in a third direction, and the second annular recess mould is configured such that the part of the waterproof housing so-formed is removable from the second annular recess mould by linear movement along the second axis in a fourth direction opposite the third direction.
  13. The composite mould for part of a waterproof housing of a fishing lure according to claim 12, wherein the first and second annular recess moulds are configured to form an external screw thread in the part of the waterproof housing, the screw thread arranged symmetrically about the first axis and axially spaced from the at least one annular recess.
  14. A method of forming a part of a waterproof housing of a fishing lure, the method comprising the steps of: providing the composite mould of claim 12 or claim 13; arranging the collar mould adjacent to the open end of the end mould; arranging the first and second annular recess moulds adjacent to the collar mould opposing the open end of the end mould; forming a part of a waterproof housing within the composite mould; removing the part of the waterproof housing so-formed from the open end of the end mould by linear movement of the end mould along the first axis in the second direction; removing the part of the waterproof housing so-formed from the first annular recess mould by linear movement of the first annular recess mould along the second axis in the fourth direction; removing the part of the waterproof housing so-formed from the second annular recess mould by linear movement of the second annular recess mould along the second axis in the third direction; and after removing the part of the waterproof housing from the first and second annular recess moulds, removing the part of the waterproof housing from the collar mould by linear movement of the part of the waterproof housing along the first axis in the second direction.

Description

FISHING LURES The present invention relates generally to fishing lures and methods of constructing and activating such fishing lures, and finds particular, although not exclusive, utility in catching scallops. Fishing lures using light as an attractant are well-known. For many such lures, efficiency is not a relevant consideration, as they are merely used for a short time and so can be recharged between uses, and/or there is no limit on their size and so can include arbitrarily large power sources. However, other types of lures are disposed below water for long periods, and/or are required to be as small as possible (e.g. so as to be buoyant), and so manufacturers must ensure that no power is wasted. In addition, due to their deployment in hostile environments, damage and/or loss are very real considerations, and so such lures must be cheap to manufacture so that replacement is not too costly. It has recently been discovered that scallops are attracted to light, and so an artificial light may be used to attract scallops into traps. However, the specific requirements for a light used for attracting scallops differs from those for attracting other fish, due to the manner in which scallops move and feed. Generally, scallops reside on the seabed, but they are able to move swiftly but erratically by squirting a jet of water produced by clapping their shells together. Accordingly, between jets, the scallop drops back toward the seabed. Thus, scallops do not tend to swim particularly far above the seabed. Any light used as an attractant can be located above a scallop trap, such that the scallops swim toward it but then, when immediately below it, stop swimming and fall into the trap. Such lights need not cast their lights upwards, as scallops do not tend to rise far off the seabed. Even in cases in which they do rise, they soon descend to the seabed again. Accordingly, to be most efficient, all light from the lure should be case horizontally or downward. In addition, as scallops within the trap need not be attracted any more, it is actually more efficient for most of the light from the lure to be cast horizontally, with little to no light being wasted vertically (either up or down). Cheap, mass-produced, off-the-shelf LED lights tend to project their light forward, to within 15 degrees (or sometimes within 30 degrees) of an illumination axis. Using such LED lights to achieve the stated aim would conventionally involve arranging a plurality of such lights in a horizontal ring, each with their illumination axis pointing radially outward (and optionally slightly downward). However, the use of a large number of such LEDs increases the cost of the device, as well as the power required from a power source, thereby decreasing the operating time of the lure. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fishing lure, comprising: a light source configured to emit light over a first range of angles symmetrically about an emission axis, wherein the first range of angles extends between a first emission angle that is coaxial with the emission axis and a second emission angle that is at least 10 degrees from the emission axis; and a diverging optical arrangement comprising a convex mirror having an axis of symmetry coaxial with the emission axis, the convex mirror arranged such that all light emitted by the light source over the first range of angles is incident upon the convex mirror, the convex mirror configured such that all light emitted by the light source over the first range of angles and incident upon the convex mirror is dispersed by the diverging optical arrangement over a second range of angles greater than or equal to the first range of angles, wherein the second range of angles extends between a first dispersed angle that is at least 1.5 degrees from the emission axis and a second dispersed angle that is at least 90 degrees from the emission axis. In this way, light from a conventional light source disposed above a point on the seabed may be directed further from the point on the seabed. In addition, flux from the conventional light source is not wasted by directing it to the point on the seabed, where it is not needed to attract scallops. The first range of angles may comprise up to 10 degrees, in particular up to 15 degrees, more particularly up to 30 degrees, for example up to 45 degrees. The first range of angles may comprise at most 45 degrees, in particular at most 30 degrees, more particularly at most 15 degrees, for example at most 10 degrees. A limit on the range of angles may be defined as being where intensity of light emitted at that angle is less than 50% the intensity emitted at an angle where the intensity emitted is a maximum. The first emission angle being coaxial with the emission axis may involve the emission and/or the range of angles being symmetrically disposed about the emission axis. The second emission angle may be at least 15 degrees from the emis