GB2457246A - Water soluble tubing for angling - Google Patents

Abstract

Water soluble tubing 114 for angling. The tubing comprises water soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH). The tubing can be used as part of a rigging system to help keep the fishing line rigid or to stop the line getting tangled on casting. After casting the tubing dissolves away.

Description

DISPOSABLE PRODUCTS

This invention relates to items of disposable equipment intended particularly, but not exclusively, for use in fishing.

Background of the Invention

The extrusion of plastic tubing is well-known technology. Typically, a molten thermoplastic material is extruded from an annular orifice or die to form a continuous tubular extrudate that is water-quenched in a tank under vacuum to rapidly solidify the extrudate and maintain the concentricity of the tubing. After solidification, the tubing is cut into lengths or wound onto reels for later use. Water sprays and open water baths are also conventionally used to cool and solidify extruded plastic tubing.

Plastic tubing typically range with bore sizes from 0.2mm ID up to 200mm and meet the demands of practically any application. Manufactured to fine tolerances the smallest plastic tubing manufactured is most commonly used as electrical sleeving, whilst midrange sizes are generally used to carry fluids and powders within the food processing and pharmaceutical industries.

Plastic tubes are commonly produced by an extrusion process in which dry polymeric raw materials are passed to an extruder, which employs one or more screw type devices, which knead and compress the raw material. Heat is applied in the extruder, and the combination of heat and pressure turn the dry raw material into a molten plastic. At the discharge end of the extruder, the molten plastic is forced through a die, more specifically between an outer die portion and a central die insert.

As the hot plastic tubing exits the die it is passed into a vacuum calibration box which is maintained at reduced pressure and filled with a cooling fluid, typically water. Within the vacuum calibration box is a sizing sleeve or collar, possibly in the form of a series of "wafers," which is smaller in diameter than the tubing exiting the die. Because an axial force is applied to the hot tubing as it exits the die, the tubing is reduced in diameter and thickness before it enters the vacuum calibration box.

The center of the extruded tubing is maintained at atmospheric pressure, while the exterior is subjected to a reduced pressure in the vacuum calibration box. The pressure within the tubing thus tends to expand the tubing against the sizing collar and the result is tubing of a fairly uniform outer diameter.

Tubing made from various materials i.e. silicone, rubber, nylon, PVC, and tungsten is used in fishing and is usually known as tubing', rig tubing' or anti-tangle rig tubing.' The main aim of rig tubing is to stop tangles occurring during the cast of a fishing rod when modem soft braided hook links would tangle around the main line.

The main line is threaded through the center of the rig tube and then the tubing is typically attached to a silicone or rubber sleeve which is near or attached to the fishing weight. The length of tubing is longer than the hook link being fished with so that the hook link, when folding back during the cast, cannot come into contact with the thin fishing line and tangle around it.

Whilst fishing for general freshwater species especially Carp, rig tubing is a virtual necessity for standard fishing practices. Typically tubing for fishing has an internal bore diameter from 0.5mm up to 1mm and an outside diameter of up to 3mm.

Many manufacturers go to great lengths to keep the tubing as small as possible and to camouflage it with colour typically dark green or brown so that it is as unobtrusive as possible to the fish.

There is also various tubing that has been manufactured with heavier materials such as tungsten included in the material of the tubing to help the tubing sink and be hopefully less conspicuous to the fish. Tubing by the very nature of it's use in fishing has air trapped in it and subsequently has a very strong tendency to loop up off of the bottom once it has been cast out to the desired fishing spot. Even when the angler tries to get the tubing to settle on the bottom by sinking the main line through which it passes, it is virtually impossible, as bottom debris i.e. weed, stones, natural undulating topography etc. all conspire to thwart this process. For this reason many manufacturers have produced various types of tubing with either denser material incorporated in their makeup or have made the actual tubing from a denser material than silicone etc. There still remains a problem even with these new heavier versions; typically the bottom of the lake, stream, river bed or other body of water, where an angler is likely to fish, is a natural evolving environment and is neither perfectly flat or without natural detritus, stones etc. These naturally form very uneven strata and even the densest tubing would be unable to squash a stone, twig or weed flat and so is still left looping over the obstacle with potentially profound fish spooking effects.

The whole reason for manufacturers going to such lengths is to conceal tubing from fish so they are not alerted to possible danger of the baited hook in close proximity to the baits. This is also very evident with manufacturers moving away from the standard black tubing. Now, virtually all tubing sold for fishing is in a camouflage colour of some sort i.e. brown, dark green etc. Over the years, as fish, especially Carp are being fished, more and more have come to learn by association of potential hazardous objects. As technology has moved forward virtually all rig items have been made thinner, less shiny, more camouflaged and with better coatings, all in the aid of trying to keep one step ahead of the fish.

Rig tubing is also used for many and various applications at the baited end of the main line. For example it can be used for securing hairs to the back of hooks and safely increasing the length and shape of hooks so that they can get a better hooking arrangement etc. It can readily be seen whilst the use of rig tubing especially for anti-tangle purposes is a necessity with modem tackle and tactics it has the major disadvantages that whilst every other piece of tackle is getting thinner, stronger and less obtrusive the physical size of the tubing with the main line threaded through it can only be disguised so far. Also during fishing, rigs are very often snagged and lost in the water meaning that the rig tubing is left to litter the underwater environment and degrade and pollute it.

Thus there remains a need for an anti-tangle tube which is environmentally friendly, which does not spook fish and can readily be used for many applications.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides tubing that is particularly, but not exclusively, useful in a fishing context.

In a first aspect, the invention provides a tube formed from a water soluble grade of polyvinyl alcohol.

The term "tube or tubing relates to an extruded continuous tubular item." The present invention is based upon the recognition that rig tubing is highly beneficial if not a basic necessity for many modern day fishing situations, in particular to stop the line tangling but also many other applications. It is envisaged therefore that by using a tube made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), it will provide the same benefits as current plastic rig tubing but also have the benefits of being environmentally friendly, will dissolve so there is nothing to spook the fish, will have flexibility to be used in many different situations, as the size of the tubing does not need to be limited, and the uses do not need to be limited for fear of spooking fish.

The polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) used to form the tubing of the invention will be of a grade that is capable of being subjected to thermal processing methods such as injection moulding or extruding. Accordingly, the polyvinyl alcohol will be one that has thermoplastic properties and does not undergo significant degradation at the thermal processing stages. Thermally processable grades of PVOH may contain a plasticizer, for example an internal plasticizer. Thermally processable grades of PVOI-1 may also contain quantities (preferably minor quantities) of other monomers copolymerised PVOH monomers or may contain other polymers blended with the PVOH. The terms "polyvinyl alcohol" and "PVOH" as used herein include such materials provided that they meet the water solubility requirements defined. The PVOH may also contain additives such as plasticizers and stabilisers, and inert fillers in order to provide desired properties.

Examples of thermally processable PVOH are disclosed in US patents number 5,137,969, 3,365,413, 3,997,489, 4,469,837, 4,672,087, ItalIan patent numbers 1.140.254 and 1.275.860, and European patent EP 0 122 337.

The PVOH can be a hot water or cold water soluble grade, the dissolution properties being selected according to the intended use of the tubing.

In one preferred embodiment, the tubing is formed from a cold water soluble grade of PVOH and, in this form, is particularly suited for use in fishing, or for use in medical (e.g. where a temporary tube is required to hold open a vein etc) horticulture or agriculture (e.g. for slowly dispensing feeds, fertilizers etc).

Particular examples of commercially available water soluble thermally processable polyvinyl alcohols (e.g. cold-water soluble PVOH) are the Mowiflex PVOH products available from Kuraray America, Inc. PVOFIIPVB, 600 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10022.

The term "cold water soluble" as used herein means that the polyvinyl alcohol is capable of dissolving when placed in water of room temperature and below (e.g. 25 °C and below).

The tubing of the invention is useful in situations where current rig tubing would be used for anti-tangle properties but the PVOH tubing would dissolve, thus leaving no tubing to spook the fish.

Accordingly, in another aspect, the invention provides a way of covering the point and part of the shank of the hook during a cast and whilst settling the baited hook and rig items on the bottom in the desired fishing position without the point of the hook being blunted by coming into contact with stones, gravel etc. and also preventing the hook from becoming fouled on detritus such as weed resulting in difficulty of acquiring a hook hold due to the hook being impeded from entering the fishes mouth. The tubing of the invention will dissolve after a short amount of time then leaving the hook free to cleanly hook the fish.

The tubing of the invention is also useful for covering the soft and flexible hook link material, giving it even more anti-tangle properties and also having the added advantage of keeping the whole hook link straight and extended away from the fishing weight after being cast and landing on the lake bed. Currently the hook link material and bait follows the trajectory of the fishing weight down to the lake bed where it lands next to or on the fishing weight in a coiled heap therefore adding to a fish's suspicion of the object and the bait.

The term lake bed' is herein referred to the fishing area of any lake, stream or other body of water where an angler is likely to fish.

It is apparent and envisaged that there are many applications for the PVOH tubing and the few mentioned methods are just examples and by now way limit the invention to these only.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic sectional elevation through an arrangement of fishing tackle including tubing according to one aspect of the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic sectional elevation through an arrangement of fishing tackle including tubing according to one aspect of the invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic sectional elevation through an arrangement of fishing tackle including tubing according to one aspect of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Thus far, the tubing is of conventional form and works in a conventional manner.

However, known tubing is typically made from a tough durable plastics material such as silicon. The tubing of the present invention, by contrast, is formed from a cold water-soluble grade of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), for example a PVOH grade of the type available from Kuraray America, Inc. PVOH/PVB, 600 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10022 under the trade name Mowiflex.

Tubing of the invention that is made from a cold water soluble grade of PVOH is of particular use in the sport of fishing and examples of such use are shown in Figures 1,2 and 3.

Figure 1 shows in schematic form a hook, bait and weight assembly at the end of a fishing line. The assembly comprises a hook 102 linked by a short length of line 104 (the "hook link") to a swivel 106, one end of which is shown. The other end of the swivel is hidden inside a connector 108 of a type having a clip 110 for the attachment of a pendant weight 112. Inserted into the other end of the connector 108 is a length of PVOH tubing 114, which serves to prevent tangling of the line.

A length of line 116 is attached to the hidden end of the swivel 106 and runs through the PVOH tubing 114, the line 116 being attached either directly or via a further linkage, to the spool at the rod-end of the line (not shown). The length of the hook link, 104 needs to be shorter than the length of tubing 114 in order that while casting the arrangement, that the hook link 104, hook 102, bait attachment material 122 and bait 120 do not tangle around the main line when folded back during the cast. At present the length of tubing of plastic types used in fishing is kept to an absolute minimum for fear that it will spook the fish and consequently restricts the length of the hook link.

The eye 118 of the hook 102 has a length of fine thread ("hair") 122, to which is attached a bait 120 of hook-bait. The bait 120 can be of the type commonly known as a "boilie" or could also be a pellet. A boilie may be made from a ground cereal base mixed with an egg binder and flavouring agents and fish attractants as required forming a paste which is then shaped and boiled so that it hardens in the desired shape.

In use, the fishing line carrying the tackle arrangement shown in Figure 1 is cast out to the desired location in a lake or other body of water. The weighted end of the fishing line will sink to the bottom and, after a short period of immersion in the water, the PVOH tubing 114 will disintegrate uncovering the line on the lake bed, vastly reducing the visibility of the tackle and thus not alerting the fish.

On some occasions, where the line is immersed for only a short period before removal from the water, a small amount of undissolved residue of the tubing may remain. However, because it will have been softened by immersion in the water, any such residue can easily be removed manually and discarded whereupon it will degrade over time.

The tubing of the invention offers a quick and simple anti-tangle method for the end tackle of the type shown in Figure 1. By using the tubing formed from PVOH, rather than more durable non-water-soluble polymers such as polyamides (e.g. "nylon"), the problems of the obtrusive nature of the plastic tubing, and the potential problem of the litter and pollution caused by lost and discarded, used and broken tubing is avoided.

Figure 2 shows in schematic form a hook, bait and weight assembly at the end of a fishing line as in figure 1 with the exception that the PVOH tubing 114 has been used on the hook link 104 rather than the main line 116. The benefit from this method is that you do not need tubing along the main line 116 but you have still stopped the hook link 104 from tangling on the main line 116 during casting because it is enclosed in the PVOH tubing 114. The PVOH tubing 114 will also ensure that the hook link 104 will stay straight and rigid during the cast and whilst settling on the lake bed. This method is obviously impossible to facilitate with normal plastic tubing as the soft flexible hook link 104 could not work if it was permanently restricted and therefore would not be able to be sucked into a fish's mouth so that the hook 102 could take hold.

Again the PVOH tubing 114 will disintegrate uncovering the hook link 104 on the lake bed leaving it soft and flexible to facilitate hooking the fish and will also vastly reduce the visibility of the tackle and thus not alert the fish. At present the hook link 104, follows the trajectory of the fishing weight to the lake bed, and then coils upon top of and around the swivel 106, coimector 108 and the fishing weight 112 thus leaving the hook 102 and the bait 120 positioned on or very close to them. The fish have learned through association that anything positioned near the fishing weight 112, connector 108 and swivel 106 is potentially hazardous and will then either leave or treat with great caution the baits that are in close proximity to those items. The major benefit of using the tubing 114 is that the hook link 104 can be straightened and therefore position the hook 102 and the hook bait 120 at its furthest point away from the swivel 106, connector 108 and the fishing weight 112 alleviating greatly the fishes fears.

Figure 3 shows in schematic form a hook 102 and hook link 104 assembly at the end of a fishing line (not shown) as in figure 1 with the exception that the PVOH tubing 114 has been used on the hook 102 to mask the hook and stop the point being blunted on objects in the fishing area i.e. stones or gravel on the lake bed.

The PVOH tubing 114 will disintegrate uncovering the hook 102 on the lake bed leaving it available to hook the fish. The hook 102 will also be prevented, by the tubing, from snagging on any weed or detritus such as leaves, twigs etc. which would render the hook completely useless when settling on the lakebed or fishing area.

The tackle arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 are just one of many possible arrangements making use of the soluble tubing of the invention. Numerous alternatives to the arrangement shown will be apparent to the skilled angler.

The tubing of the invention has been illustrated by reference to its use in fishing, but it is envisaged that it will have other uses, for example medical fields (e.g. where a temporary tube is required to hold open a vein etc) and horticulture or agriculture (e.g. for slowly dispensing feeds, fertilizers etc). It may be advantageous to form the tubing from a hot water soluble grade of PVOI-1 for other uses.

The tubing of the invention can be prepared by standard extrusion techniques using methods similar to those used to produce conventional tubing with the exception that the actual tubing needs to be air cooled rather than water-cooled after extrusion.

This can be achieved by passing the tubing through a cooled-air box or by having the haul off such a distance that it naturally cools after extrusion from the die.

Equivalents It will readily be apparent that numerous modifications and alterations may be made to the specific embodiments of the invention described above without departing from the principles underlying the invention. All such modifications and alterations are intended to be embraced by this application.

Claims (6)

1. UCLAIMSI. Tubing formed from a cold or hot water soluble grade of polyvinyl alcohol (pvoh).
2. 2. Tubing according to claim I which comprises an extruded continuous tubular item whether oval, cylindrical, square or similar.
3. 3. An item of fishing equipment enclosed in tubing formed from a cold water-soluble grade of polyvinyl alcohol as defined in claim 1 or claim 2.
4. 4. A method of protecting fishing equipment using tubing formed from a cold water soluble grade of polyvinyl alcohol as defined in claim 1 or claim 2.
5. 5. A method of providing fishing equipment with anti-tangle properties using tubing formed from a cold water soluble grade of polyvinyl alcohol as defined in claim 1 or claim 2.
6. 6. A method of providing fishing equipment with a means of being kept rigid and elongated during casting and on the lake bed using tubing formed from a cold water soluble grade of polyvinyl alcohol as defined in claim I or claim 2.