Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Fishing – Rod
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-29
2003-12-30
Rowan, Kurt (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Fishing
Rod
Reexamination Certificate
active
06668481
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to protective cases and covers for various articles and equipment, and more specifically to a rigid, hard shell case for protecting a fishing rod and reel in its assembled state. The present rod and reel case encloses both the rod and reel with the reel installed upon the rod, thereby precluding any requirement for disassembly of the rod and reel assembly before storage in the case. A shorter second embodiment provides for storage of a disassembled rod, but with the reel still remaining installed upon the rod.
2. Description of Related Art
The sport of fishing has enjoyed increasing popularity with increasing leisure time available to many. While many persons fish for food, others enjoy the sport and challenge, returning their catches to the water after the catch. While the ultimate purpose of the hobby may vary among different anglers, it is universally true that well cared for tackle is critical for best performance.
However, the environment in which fishing tackle is used, is generally hard on equipment. Obviously, fishing equipment is subject to water and moisture, but there are other factors which affect the equipment as well. Fishing equipment is generally placed or stored in the bottom of a boat, pickup truck bed, or other low point in a vehicle, where dirt, dust, and other contaminants generally reside. Yet, many fishing tackle components are relatively delicate, or at least have certain delicate components, which require at least a certain amount of care and attention. Fishing reels are an obvious example of such delicate equipment, but even certain fishing rods, with their closely mating threaded assemblies and reel attachments, are subject to damage by dirt and moisture contamination.
While most fishing rod and reel assemblies are constructed to permit disassembly, this disassembly is often tedious and time consuming. For the angler who fishes frequently, such assembly and disassembly of his or her equipment eats up valuable time which could otherwise be spent directly on fishing. The frequent assembly and disassembly of the various components of the fishing tackle, also increases wear and tear on the tackle, leading to further problems and need for repair. Accordingly, many anglers find it desirable to keep their fishing equipment in an assembled state, but an assembled rod and reel present a relatively fragile assembly, which is prone to damage if left exposed in the bottom of a boat, pickup truck, or similar relatively harsh environment.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a rigid, hard protective case for the storage and protection of an assembled fishing rod and reel. The present protective case may be configured to hold an assembled rod therein, with its reel remaining attached to the rod, or may be provided in a shorter length for the storage of a “broken down” rod, in which the rod has been disassembled into two or more shorter lengths. In either embodiment, the reel remains attached to the rod, thereby greatly reducing the time otherwise required for rethreading the fishing line through the rod ferrules and other tedious tasks normally required when a fishing reel is separated from its rod.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,482 issued on Nov. 15, 1955 to Ben G. Martin, titled “Rod And Reel Protector,” describes a cover for a fishing rod and reel assembly. The Martin protector is not a rigid case, but is merely a flexible cover formed of a pliable, flexible material such as fabric, leather, or a flexible plastic sheet material of some sort. As such, the Martin protector cannot provide protection to the equipment from impact and/or other physical damage, as can the present rigid, hard shell rod and reel case. As the Martin cover is not formed of rigid materials, it does not include many of the features of the present rigid case, such as telescoping components, a hinged reel cover, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,141 issued on Feb. 23, 1988 to Charlie J. McBride et al., titled “Fishing Rod And Reel Carrying Case,” describes a reel cover formed of a pliable, flexible material (fabric, plastic, leather, etc.). As such, the device does not actually comprise a case, as it does not provide any rigid protective shell for the equipment stored therein. Moreover, the McBride et al. cover does not cover any significant portion of the fishing rod, but is relatively short and covers only the butt or handle portion of the rod and its attached reel. The remainder of the rod extends outwardly beyond the opening in the pouch or cover. In contrast, the present fishing rod and reel case provides rigid protection for the entire assembled rod and reel contained therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,743 issued on Apr. 9, 1991 to Richard P. Ramsay, titled “Telescopic Carrying Case,” describes a rigid, elongate case for the carriage of relatively thin, elongate articles such as skis, ski poles and fishing rods. It would appear that if the Ramsay case is sufficiently long for the carriage of skis therein, that it would also suffice for the carriage of assembled fishing rods therein as well. However, Ramsay does not provide any wider area in his case, for the enclosure of a fishing reel therein for the reel to remain attached to the rod. Rather, the reel would have to be removed from the rod in order to place the rod into the Ramsay case, which still leaves the problem of storage for the reel after time has been taken to remove the fishing line from the rod. The present invention obviates these problems, by providing room for the rod and its attached reel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,590 issued on Aug. 30, 1994 to Allen Hepworth et al., titled “Carrying Case For Fly Fishing Rod And Reel,” describes a case formed of a rigid plastic shell with an end opening. None of the components telescope or slide longitudinally relative to one another, as in the assembly of the rod carrying portion of the present rod and reel case. The present case may be adapted for the carriage of a fly fishing rod and reel assembly, or other assembly where the reel is located relatively close to the butt end of the rod. However, the present case is more particularly adapted for the carriage of other types of rod and reel assemblies, where the reel is most often secured to the rod at some distance from the butt toward the tip of the rod. The present rod and reel case provides for this by means of its various telescoping and sliding components, and the “clamshell” arrangement of its reel closure around the rod portion of the case, with the rod portion of the case extending in each direction therebeyond.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,641 issued on May 14, 1996 to David A. D'Alessandro, titled “Tangle-Avoiding, Quick-Use, Fishing Pole Sheath,” describes a pole cover that extends only from the tip of the pole to the forward end of the reel, where it secures to the reel by means of an elastic strap. The D'Alessandro cover is formed of a pliable, flexible material (fabric, vinyl plastic, etc.), rather than being formed of a rigid material, as in the case of the present rod and reel cover. The D'Alessandro cover is more closely related to the cover of the Marten '482 U.S. patent, discussed further above, than to the present rod and reel case.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,885 issued on Sep. 28, 1999 to Michael L. Zirbes, titled “Fishing Reel Cover,” describes a cover formed of a flexible, pliable material (fabric, vinyl, leather, etc.) for covering only the reel installed on a fishing rod. While Zirbes describes his reel cover as being of “clamshell” configuration, the relatively soft and pliable nature of the materials used cannot provide the rigid closure conventionally considered to be a part of a “clamshell” structure, as provided by the present invention with its laterally opening clamshell reel cover. Moreover, Zirbes does not disclose any form of cover for the rest of the fishing rod assembly, whereas th
Litman Richard C.
Rowan Kurt
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