Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Fishing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-02
2003-09-16
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Fishing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06618978
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable to this application.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable to this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for clearing ice chips from ice fishing holes and more specifically it relates to an ice fishing slush remover for the quick, efficient and orderly capture, removal and discharge of ice and snow debris from an ice fishing hole.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for clearing ice chips from ice fishing holes have been in use for years. Typically, an individual ice fishing uses some type of ice auger to drill a hole in the ice. Obviously, as the hole is drilled the resulting ice chips and snow, if any is present, collects in the space left by the auger. In addition, over time the ice fishing hole will began to freeze over creating new ice chips and slush. Often an ice skimmer is used to ladle out the ice and snow from the ice fishing hole. Ice skimmers are normally nothing more than a concave-shaped strainer on the end of a long pole.
Using an ice skimmer can be a time-consuming and laborious process. The ice skimmer is placed into the hole repeatedly and the ice chips and snow that are removed are drawn out and poured onto the surrounding surface. The process often results in water and ice chips being spilled on the user and can make the area surrounding the hole wet with piles of ice chips and slush. The problem of discarding ice chips and slush while using an ice skimmer becomes even more acute when the user is working in an ice house or other protective structure. Normally an individual attempts to keep the area inside an ice house or protective structure relatively dry.
Examples of patented devices which may be related to the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,757 to Malak; U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,188 to Roberts; U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,787 to Kinne; U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,850 to Gubash; U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,538 to Hendricks et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,767 to Traut; U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,156 to Marhula; U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,939 to Gonska et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,253 to Gangi et al.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for the quick, efficient and orderly capture, removal and discharge of ice and snow debris from an ice fishing hole. Prior art systems consistently use variations of the skimmer on the end of a pole. These systems are limited by the volume of material that the skimmer can hold. This limiting factor therefore requires repeatedly dipping the skimmer into the fishing hole. In addition, prior art systems do not resolve the problem of maintaining the area surrounding the fishing hole relatively dry and free of snow and ice debris. Those systems which attempt to remove a greater volume of ice chips are limited in their methods of discharging the collected snow and debris.
In these respects, the ice fishing slush remover according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of quick, efficient and orderly capture, removal and discharge of ice and snow debris from an ice fishing hole.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of devices for clearing ice chips from ice fishing holes now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new ice fishing slush remover construction wherein the same can be utilized for quick, efficient and orderly capture, removal and discharge of ice and snow debris from an ice fishing hole.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new ice fishing slush remover that has many of the advantages of the devices for clearing ice chips from ice fishing.holes mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new ice fishing slush remover which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art devices for clearing ice chips from ice fishing holes, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a hollow cylinder with a pair of semi-circular perforated plates pivotally attached to the lower portion of the cylinder. A pair of rods run through the cylinder and are attached to the pair of semi-circular plates. The ends of the rods opposite the semi-circular plates are connected to the handle. A frame attached to the upper portion of the cylinder keeps the rods in proper alignment with the semicircular plates and the handle. This design allows for the user to open and close the plates manually, and to be able to capture and discharge slush from one end of the cylinder.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an ice fishing slush remover that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide an ice fishing slush remover for the quick, efficient and orderly capture, removal and discharge of ice and snow debris from an ice fishing hole.
Another object is to provide an ice fishing slush remover that is easy to use.
An additional object is to provide an ice fishing slush remover that allows for the ice and snow debris to be transported away from the fishing location.
A further object is to provide an ice fishing slush remover that removes the ice and snow debris in one step.
Another object is to provide an ice fishing slush remover that has an ergonomic design.
A further object is to provide an ice fishing slush remover that permits the ice and snow debris to be captured and discharged from the same end.
An additional object is to provide an ice fishing slush remover that water can drain from to minimize the weight when transporting the ice and snow debris.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1003410 (1911-09-01), Arnesen
patent: 2021874 (1935-11-01), Taylor
patent: 2799146 (1957-07-01), Meagher
patent: 2813631 (1957-11-01), Odman
patent: 2838196 (1958-06-01), Chapman
patent: 3059451 (1962-10-01), Anderson
patent: 3289850 (1966-12-01), Gubash
patent: 3722940 (1973-03-01), Misjak
patent: 3747253 (1973-07-01), Gangi et al.
patent: 3857787 (1974-12-01), Kinne
patent: 4718188 (1988-01-01), Roberts
patent: 4769939 (1988-09-01), Gonska et al.
patent: 4866872 (1989-09-01), Guilbault et al.
patent: 4978156 (1990-12-01), Marhula
patent: 5024757 (1991-06-01), Malak
patent: 5072538 (1991-12-01), Hendricks et al.
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