Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Fishing – Rod
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-14
2003-11-11
Rowan, Kurt (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Fishing
Rod
C042S094000, C248S533000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06643973
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to article holders and, more particularly, to modular article holders which can be especially adapted for supporting a variety of articles, either by a horizontally oriented support, such as a boat railing or a dock railing, or by the ground.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Of most special interest for the modular article holder apparatus of the invention are devices for supporting fishing rods, long guns, and bows.
Fishing is an activity that often takes a large amount of patience. A person may use a fishing rod a relatively long time before a fish bites at a hook at the end of a line. Because of the time involved, a person may become bored waiting for a fish to bite. To relieve a person of considerable boredom and inactivity for considerable periods of time, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to devices which support a fishing rod, with a hook and line in the water, so that it need not be held by a person. However, when a fish does bite, the fishing rod can easily be grasped by the person, and the person can reel in the fish.
Fishing rod holders come it two basic types: those supported by the ground; and those supported by an above-ground horizontally oriented support, such as a boat railing or a dock railing. Although the present invention relates to fishing rod holders supported by an above-ground, horizontally oriented support, such as a boat railing or a dock railing, those supported by the ground are briefly discussed in relation to desirable features for any fishing rod holder.
One problem associated with a number of conventional ground-supported fishing rod holders relates to the fact that the fishing rod handle are supported in such a way that a longitudinally directed pull along the longitudinal axis of the fishing rod itself tends to pull the fishing rod out from the fishing rod holder. In this respect, for any fishing rod holder, it would be desirable if the fishing rod holder prevents a fishing rod from being pulled out from the fishing rod holder by a longitudinally directed pull along the longitudinal axis of the fishing rod itself.
Another problem associated with a number of conventional ground-supported fishing rod holders relates to a tendency to dislodge the fishing rod from the fishing rod holder when a side to side force is exerted on the fishing rod. This can occur when a hooked fish swims from side to side in the water. In this respect, it would be desirable if a fishing rod holder reduces a tendency for the fishing rod to be dislodged from the fishing rod holder when a side to side force is exerted on the fishing rod.
Yet another problem associated with a number of conventional ground-supported fishing rod holders relates to the ability of a person to quickly remove the fishing rod from the fishing rod holder when a fish strikes at the hook. Moreover, the trajectory of removing the fishing rod from the fishing rod holder should be conducive to retaining the fish on the hook. Such features are not present in some conventional fishing rod holders. In this respect, it would be desirable if a fishing rod holder permitted a person to quickly remove a fishing rod from the fishing rod holder along a trajectory that is conducive to retaining the hooked fish on the hook.
Now turning to fishing rod holders supported by an above-ground, horizontally oriented support, such as a boat, railing or a dock railing, U.S. Pat. No. D397,405, of the present inventor herein, discloses such a fishing rod holder. In this respect, U.S. Pat. No. D397,405 is herein incorporated by, reference. In fact, the features of the fishing rod holder in U.S. Pat. No. D397,405 permit it to be used as a ground-supported fishing rod holder as well. The two spikes which extend downward, can be inserted into the ground. In addition, the V-shaped portion of the fishing rod holder in U.S. Pat. No. D397,405 permits a fishing rod to be retained in the crotch of the V-shaped rod support. As a result, if a fishing rod is.pulled longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of the fishing rod, the handle of the fishing rod is retained by the V-shaped rod support and is blocked from being pulled longitudinally out from the fishing rod holder. Moreover, the V-shaped rod support prevents a fishing rod from being moved side to side when a hooked fish swims from side to side in the water. Also, the fishing rod holder in U.S. Pat. No. D397,405 permits a person to quickly remove a fishing rod from the fishing rod holder along a trajectory that is conducive to retaining the hooked fish on the hook. That is, the desirable trajectory of pulling the fishing rod upward and backward from the fishing rod can be easily accomplished by the fishing rod holder in U.S. Pat. No. D397,405.
Now, by the present invention herein, a fishing rod holder is provided that retains all of the benefits of the fishing rod holder of U.S. Pat. No. D397,405, and, in addition, provides additional features and benefits. It is noted that a portion of the fishing rod holder which is used to secure the fishing rod holder to an above-ground, horizontally oriented support, such as a boat railing or a dock railing, is not with respect to the width of the railing upon which the holder rests. Given the fact that the widths of different boat railings and dock railings vary, it would be desirable if a fishing rod holder were provided that is adjustable to fit a variety of widths of railings.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. D397,405 does not specifically provide a structure which receives and supports a handle of a fishing rod and the reel of the fishing-rod. So that a fishing rod holder can be effectively used to support a fishing rod and be left unattended, it would be desirable if a fishing rod holder included structures with receive and support and handle and reel of a fishing rod.
Just as with fishing rods, it may be desirable if long guns and bows are at-the-ready, even when they are not in actual use. To avoid the need to carry a long gun or a bow at all times, it would be desirable if a long gun support were provided and if a bow support were provided that would enable a person to have the long gun or the bow supported at-the-ready without the person actually holding the respective long gun or bow.
Moreover, without the need for having three completely different fishing rod, long gun, and bow supports, it would be desirable if a modular article holder were provided which provides modular interchangeability for holding a fishing rod, a long gun and a bow support.
There are times when a person may desire to support a fishing rod, a long gun, or a bow either on a railing or on the ground. In this respect, it would be desirable if a modular article holder apparatus were provided which has alternate support capabilities for either on a railing or on the ground.
As alluded to above, when an article is at-the-ready on an article support, it would be desirable to be able to quickly remove the article from the support, without restrictions imposed by the article support, so that the article can be operated by a person very quickly.
Another feature is especially desirable when a modular article holder apparatus provides support for a long gun. Since long guns are often heavy, and since aiming a long gun is often difficult unless partially support by a stable support, it would be desirable if a modular article holder apparatus were provided which permits a person, especially a person who has difficulty in stabilizing a long gun, e.g. a child, to stabilize the long gun with the support as the person aims and shoots the supported long gun.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use article supports, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a modular article holder apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) prevents a fishing rod from being pulled out from the fishing rod holder by a longitudinally directed pull along the longitudinal axis of the fi
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