WO1998052408A1

WO1998052408A1 - Odorous artificial fishing lure, cartridge and odorous compositions

Info

Publication number: WO1998052408A1
Application number: PCT/FR1998/000986
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pierre-Loïc DERAGNE
Original assignee: Deragne Pierre Loic
Priority date: 1997-05-16
Filing date: 1998-05-15
Publication date: 1998-11-26
Also published as: AU7773998A; EP0984680A1; FR2763214B1; JP2001525679A; FR2763214A1

Abstract

The invention concerns an artificial fishing lure imitating a swimming fish and comprising an attractively odorous device. The invention is characterised in that it comprises a lure body (1) provided with a bib (4) and at least means for fixing (2) at least one hook and means for being attached (3) to a line. The odorous device consists of a removable cartridge (6) comprising an odorous composition, and designed to ensure a constant and controlled release of the odorous substance without altering the lure movements, thereby preserving the efficacy of the lure; moreover the cartridge is re-usable.

Description

Odorous artificial fishing lure, odorous cartridge and composition

The present invention relates to the technical sector of artificial fishing lures, in particular for sport fishing, which imitate the swimming of fish.

Most techniques for catching fish use bait or lures. The type of lure or bait used depends on the fish you want to catch, and therefore the type of fishing.

The bait can be natural, such as worms, insects, or fish, shrimp, depending on the species sought. These baits are rather suitable for static fishing.

One can also use artificial lures which attract fish in particular by an effect of visual similarity and which are used for non-static fishing like fishing with casting or trolling, whether in fresh or salt water. Artificial lures can be classified into three groups.

First, there are the spoons, which attract the fish mainly by their visual appearance (colors, reflections, ...). Because of their spoon shape, that is to say more or less oval and curved, they necessarily rotate when they are moving in water, and therefore cause vibrations; but this movement in no way imitates the movement of a fish.

Second, there are soft lures, so called because of their soft plastic material. These lures are fixed on a hook already present on the line and cause vibrations, due to the movement caused by the pressure of the water on the flexible plastic during movement. These movements are anarchic, nor do they imitate the swimming of a fish. In addition, such lures are fragile (fish bites, ...) and are therefore not durable. They become ineffective after a few uses.

Finally, the most sophisticated and effective lures to date are the lifeguards. Such lures are rigid, colorful, and have a shape designed to reproduce in the water the swimming of prey fish, that is to say fish hunted by so-called carnivorous fish that one wishes to catch. These lures, which incorporate hooks and are attached directly to the line, are the most sought after for sport fishing such as trolling or casting, because of their effectiveness.

Artificial lures use two of the fish's senses, namely sight and hearing. The sight is of course stimulated by the appearance, the colors, the reflections, the general movement which most effectively imitates the swimming of the fish-prey; while hearing is stimulated by the vibrations in the water caused by the movements of the lure, which sometimes also contains a ball or other equivalent device.

We also looked at the smell of fish. Lures or baits are known which contain an attractive substance with an olfactory effect. The olfactory effect generally imitates or reproduces that of the olfactory substances emitted by living or dead prey, fish, fish waste, meat, shrimp or crustaceans etc. on which the coveted species feed.

Natural or synthetic products, such as primers, oils or attractants, can be used for static fishing (carp fishing, etc.).

Such odorous products are not suitable for non-static fishing. Numerous attempts, the subject of numerous patents, have been made to add to the artificial lures, in particular soft lures and swimming fish, an odorous dimension.

For this purpose, USP 4,731,247 will be cited, which itself cites

Carr et al. COMP. BIOCHEM. PHYSIOL Vol. 54 A pp. 161-166; 437-441 (1976) and Vol. 55 A pp. 153-157 (1976) and finally Vol. 58 A pp. 69-73

(1977) cf. column 6. According to this patent, the substance is incorporated into a polymer material and the assembly is designed for a gradual release of the substance. The impregnated polymer is directly shaped into a bait to be directly attached to the hook (col. 5 line 49 ff).

The patent USP 4,245,420 (Carr) is also known, the teaching of which is similar.

In these two cases, they are flexible lures, therefore fragile, which do not imitate the swimming of prey fish. In addition, the odor dispersion is irregular and limited in time. This last point is not a problem here since anyway the lure itself has a limited use in time because of its fragility. The intrinsic nature of the odorous substance lures prohibits any refilling when the odor has disappeared.

According to patent USP 4,826,691, an odorous attractive composition is formed which is applied in a gelatinous layer to the surface of the usual bait which can be a soft lure or a lifeguard. In addition to the odorous effect, this patent indicates that the resulting texture reproduces the natural texture of certain fish, col. 3 line 44 ff.

Patent USP 4,463,018 offers comparable teaching, cf. col 2 line 57 ff.

In this case, the substance covers the lure, resulting in delicate handling, and a relatively weak and decreasing olfactory effect since the substance is mainly released from the start of use. In addition, the visual qualities of the lure are greatly diminished, since the colors and reflections are masked by the substance.

Finally, patent USP 2,674,058 (1953) is known which describes the placing of the odorous product, preferably a liquid, in a cartridge. During installation, the cartridge is perforated and the liquid may exude out of the bait when traveling in the water. This patent does not address the problem of reproducing the movement of a live bait during the use of the lure. In addition, certain drawbacks linked to the use of odorous substance persist, in particular problem of handling the cartridge once pierced, non-reuse of the started cartridge, problem of the regular and constant release of the substance, direct contact between fisherman and substance fragrant.

This is also the case of the other aforementioned patents which describe lures which, at best, imitate the shape of a fish, but do not address the problem of their movement.

Thus, none of the artificial lures known so far has simultaneously the two qualities sought for optimal effectiveness, namely the imitation of the swimming of the fish-prey and the odorous dimension. They have either imitation properties of the shape, appearance and swimming of the prey, or odorous properties, which are however imperfect for sport fishing in particular because of their rapid decrease in time. In addition, the odorous characteristics are added to the detriment of the swimming properties: during the diffusion of the active product, the center of gravity of the lure changes and with it the movement of the lure, which movement becomes very quickly unrealistic and loses all effectiveness.

Indeed, the swimming properties are the result of a subtle mixture between a static behavior, that is to say the buoyancy of the lure (distribution of the masses, position center of gravity, etc.), and its behavior in movement , which depends on its profile or ergonomics, the position of the flap, the position of the pull point, etc. The combination of these various elements determines the characteristics of the lure's swimming. These characteristics must be preserved despite the presence of an odorous cartridge, as and when it is used. It is this problem which the invention solves.

The invention provides an artificial lure of a new generation, effectively combining, for the duration of the fishing, an effect imitating the movement of a live bait and a regular odorous effect. The invention therefore applies very particularly to sport fishing, such as trolling or casting, in fresh or salt water, for which specialists seek the most effective lures possible.

According to the invention, an artificial fishing lure is used, of the type imitating the swimming of a fish, and containing an odorous composition whose density is equal, or very substantially equal, to that of the water considered for the place of fishing, in such a way that when the water gradually replaces the odorous substance, the center of gravity of the lure is not, or not appreciably, altered and therefore that the movement of the lure is not, or not appreciably, modified.

In general, the invention therefore relates to an artificial fishing lure, of the type imitating the natural movement of the bait in the natural environment, characterized in that it comprises an odorous composition comprising an odorous agent or a mixture of agents odorants dispersible in water, and having a density equal to, or very substantially equal to, that of the water considered for the fishing site, and means for progressively releasing said agent or said odorants in water during fishing.

The invention also relates to the removable reusable cartridge through which the odorous composition is placed in the lure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an odorous composition much more concentrated in odorous agents than the substances currently used, and which moreover allows a controlled, regular and constant release over time.

Other characteristics of the invention will be better understood on reading the description which will follow and with reference to the appended figures, in which: - Figures 1 and 6 represent odorous artificial lures according to the invention, of different shapes , FIG. 2 represents a view in longitudinal section of an odorous artificial lure according to the invention,

FIG. 3 represents a view in longitudinal section of the lure of FIG. 1, without its cartridge, - FIG. 4 represents an odorous cartridge according to the invention, in longitudinal section,

- Figure 5 shows the cartridge of Figure 4, in cross section along the axis a-a.

Referring to Figure 1, the lure according to the invention comprises a body (1) affecting the shape and the colors of a fish usable as bait for the species considered. Due to its general shape and the presence of protrusions, in particular a flap (4), the lure obtained is capable of reproducing as faithfully as possible the natural movement or swimming of a living fish. The body (1) is made of any material known in this industry, such as a plastic material painted or colored in the mass, etc. preferably rigid so that it is solid.

It also comprises, according to usual practice, at least one fixing means (2) of at least one single or multiple hook (not shown), as well as a fixing means (3) to the line.

Figure 2 shows a lure according to the invention in longitudinal section. The body comprises a cavity (7) which has at the front at least one water inlet opening (10) through which the removable cartridge (6) is introduced which completes the body (1) to form the lure. This cavity has on the other side at least one opening (8) for water outlet, for example under the lure, that is to say at the level of the anus of a living fish. The lure is therefore crossed by a flow of water circulating as indicated by the arrows.

The front opening (10) is preferably located in the hollow of the flap (that is to say substantially at the level of the mouth of a fish), so as to take advantage of the funnel effect caused by said flap during movement and therefore to maximize the pressure of the water passing through the lure.

The means of attachment to the line (3) can be located at the head, below the cartridge. It can also be located above the cartridge inlet (Figure 1) or at the flap (Figure 6). When the means of attachment to the line (3) is located above the inlet of the cartridge, the means of attachment (5) of this cartridge to the lure has a hollowed out space in its front part, for example at the bar (5) (hence an asymmetry), in order to allow the insertion of the cartridge into the lure despite the presence of this means (3) (Cf. Figure 5).

In general, the position of the means for fixing the lure to the line (3) is chosen so as to obtain, in combination with the shape of the body of the lure (inter alia the shape of the flap) an appropriate stroke.

Preferably, the cavity (7) is wider than the cartridge over a part of its length, preferably at the slots (9) of the cartridge which will be described below. Thus, a space is created around the cartridge facilitating the flow of water and therefore the release of the odorous agent or agent (s).

In order to obtain a decoy describing an appropriate swim, that is to say reproducing the swim of a live fish, it is often necessary to provide flotation chambers (11), that is to say zones hollow in the body (1) of the lure, in order to obtain an appropriate weight distribution.

The cartridge (6) can have any section of any shape, for example square, rectangular, or even elliptical or circular. Figure 5 shows a cartridge of substantially rectangular section.

The cartridge itself is made of a material which is either permeable to water and to the odorous agent (s), for example microporous, semi-porous, porous, or a rigid material for example plastic, having perforations, for example slots (9), micro-perforations or other orifices, at its front end and over at least part and preferably its entire surface, so as to allow the flow of water to enter the lure at the opening (10), to pass through the cartridge (6) and to come out of the lure at the opening (8) loaded with the desired dose of the scenting agent or agents (s). Thus the lure will let escape behind him an odorous cloud whose attractive effect will be combined with the visual effect and vibrations caused elsewhere by the same lure.

Preferably, the cartridge will be perforated or possibly permeable at its front end and over at least part of its surface, while retaining a non-permeable or non-perforated area allowing manipulation by the fisherman without contact between fisherman and odorant (s). The two ends of the cartridge will be permeable or perforated, for example by providing braces or a mesh, in order to allow the maximum flow of water. Thus, the cartridge is as "ventilated" or open as possible, while allowing the odorant to be kept inside.

In a preferred embodiment, the cartridge (6) will be made of rigid plastic and will include an inlet opening and slots (9) along its length, allowing the flow of water, as can be seen in Figures 2 and 5.

The cartridge (6) is introduced into the cavity (7) of the lure, and is removably fixed by any suitable fixing means, for example by snap-fastening, or by means of a bar (5) fixed integrally to the body of the cartridge and coming to be inserted temporarily in an appropriate space of the body of the lure. The advantage of such a fixing means complementing the body of the cartridge is that the handling of the cartridge can also be done by means of this fixing means. Thus, the fisherman will no longer have any contact with the body of the cartridge, which can therefore be completely perforated or permeable without the need to keep a handling area. The cartridges shown in Figures 2 and 5 have two longitudinal slots (9), but one could consider more than 2 slots.

Whatever the lure, the cartridge is filled, according to the invention, with an odorous composition which comprises at least one dispersible odorous agent (s), for example soluble (s), in water and whose density is equal, or very substantially equal, to that of the water considered for the fishing location.

In a preferred embodiment, the cartridge will be translucent or transparent, so as to allow direct visual control of the state of wear of the odorous substance.

Preferably, the fragrance agent (s) are associated with a matrix (excipients, additives) which makes it possible to put them in a form acceptable for the intended use and to release them in water at a concentration determined.

The odorant composition itself can be liquid, in the form of a gel, or even pasty or solid. It is the solid form which is preferred, for various reasons explained below. Such solids are, for example, beads, microbeads, beads, granules, sticks, single stick filling the cartridge or, preferably, tablets.

An advantage of using a scent composition in solid form is that when the lure is taken out of the water, there is no flow, the drying is rapid, and the scent composition retains its properties for use. later before, during or after the short drying phase. A started cartridge is therefore reusable and its handling is easy.

Another advantage is that the release of the odorous agent or agents can be done by erosion, that is to say destruction of the matrix. The wear of the cartridge can therefore be viewed.

Finally, this form makes it possible to obtain concentrations of odorous agents much higher than in the state of the art. The scenting agent (s) used here are those present in the products commonly used in industry, such as for example amino acids, nucleotides, quaternary amines, guanidic compounds, and mixtures thereof.

Among the products used by fishermen, the most concentrated in odorants are fish powders. These powders contain amino acids, responsible for the olfactory attraction. However, even in this case, the amino acids represent only 7 to 10% by weight approximately of the odorous substance. It was therefore essential to obtain significantly higher concentrations of amino acids, and in general of odorant, in order to obtain a higher attractive effect over a longer duration.

The Applicant then turned to amino acids and other odorous agents as chemical molecules, and used the techniques of galenic pharmacy to shape the molecules at a higher concentration than that of the prior art, and for control their release over time.

In one embodiment, the fragrant composition according to the invention therefore comprises at least 20% by weight of amino acids, preferably at least 50% by weight, more preferably at least 70% by weight, and excipients and additives suitable for shaping the composition and regular and controlled distribution of amino acids.

Preferably, the composition will be shaped in the form of solids, preferably in the form of tablets.

Preferably, the dispersion or diffusion of the odorous agent or agent (s) in the water is therefore effected by erosion of the matrix by the flow of water, which releases regularly and in significant concentrations. and determined the odorant (s). It is therefore an "active" diffusion, that is to say a diffusion occurring when there is a flow of water passing through the lure. Thus, the matrix, comprising excipients and possibly additives, makes it possible to present the odorant (s) in the appropriate form and to control their release so that this release is constant for a given time.

The excipients and additives used in the composition according to the invention are those used in galenics. Those skilled in the art will be able to determine the appropriate excipients to obtain the desired olfactory effect.

The cartridge being removable and reusable, the same lure can therefore be used to successively contain several cartridges containing different odorous agents, each of which can be used entirely or partially. We can provide as many different scent cartridges as there are scent agents, or cartridges of variable density, all usable on the same body.

The lure retains its properties of imitation of the swimming of a living fish, since the odorous substance will present a density equal, or very substantially equal, to that of the water considered for the fishing place. Thus, during use, the space freed by erosion will fill with water, and the center of gravity of the lure will be little, or not, displaced. The lure will therefore retain all of its buoyancy and swimming properties.

The term "substantially equal" means that small variations are tolerated, since they do not affect the swimming of the lure.

In general, most of the fishing waters are fresh or slightly salty waters, and therefore have densities equal to or substantially equal to 1. When fishing in very salty waters, the odoriferous substance may be different and of appropriate density.

The invention also relates to cartridges as described above.

In particular, the invention relates to a removable and reusable cartridge (6) characterized in that it contains an odorous composition comprising an agent, or a mixture of agents, odorous, having an equal or very substantially equal density , to that of water considered for the fishing place and releasing the odorous agent (s) in the water in constant quantities for a given time. Said cartridge is either permeable or perforated (9), at its front end and on at least part of its surface.

This cartridge comprises a removable fixing means to the body of the lure into which it is inserted, for example snap-fastening, or by means of a bar (5) fixed integrally to the body of the cartridge and coming to be inserted from temporarily in an appropriate space of the lure body.

The odor composition is preferably solid, more preferably in the form of tablets. It comprises an agent or mixture of suitable odorant (s), such as for example amino acids, nucleotides, quaternary amines, guanidic compounds, and mixtures thereof. It further comprises a matrix (excipients, additives) allowing the shaping of the odorous agent (s) and its / their controlled release in contact with water, preferably by erosion.

Such a cartridge will be made of any suitable material, for example molded in plastic, one-piece or not.

Many variants will be immediately accessible to those skilled in the art, as are many particular embodiments. Thus, may vary the general shape of the lure, the size of the lure and that of the cartridge, the nature of the odorants, the number, the shape and the position of the perforations of the cartridge, the removable fixing means of the cartridge to the body of the lure, the position, the shape and the size of the openings in the body of the lure, etc. The invention covers these variants and modes.

Claims

1. - Artificial fishing lure, of the type imitating the natural movement of fish in the natural environment, characterized in that it comprises an odorous composition comprising an odorous agent or a mixture of odorous agents dispersible in water, and having a density equal to, or very substantially equal to, that of the water considered for the fishing site, and means for progressively releasing said agent or said odorous agents in the water during fishing.

2. - Lure according to claim 1, characterized in that the odorous agent or the mixture of odorous agents is chosen from the group comprising amino acids, nucleotides, quaternary amines, guanidic compounds and their mixtures.

3. - Lure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the odorant or the mixture of odorants consists respectively of an amino acid or a mixture of amino acids.

4. - Lure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said odorous composition is contained in a cartridge 6 either permeable to water or perforated, at its front end and on at least part of its surface.

5. - Lure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said cartridge 6 is removably housed by a temporary fixing means in a cavity 7 formed in the body 1 of said lure and comprising at least one opening 10 water inlet and at least one water outlet opening 8.

6. - Lure according to claim 5, characterized in that the means for temporarily fixing the cartridge in the body of the lure comprises a bar 5 which is inserted in an appropriate compartment of the body of the lure.

7. - Lure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it releases once immersed in water a constant amount for a given period of odorant (s).

8. - Lure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the odorous composition further comprises a matrix allowing the shaping of the odorous agent (s) and its / their controlled release at contact with water.

9. - Lure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the odorous composition is in solid form, preferably in the form of tablets.

10. - Cartridge for insertion into a lure according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it contains an odorous composition comprising an odorous agent or a mixture of odorous agents dispersible in water, and having a density equal to, or very substantially equal to, that of the water considered for the fishing location, and in that it is either permeable or perforated, at its front end and over at least part of its surface.

11. - Cartridge according to claim 10, characterized in that it is reusable once started, possibly after drying.

12. - Cartridge according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the odorous agent or the mixture of odorous agents is chosen from the group comprising amino acids, nucleotides, quaternary amines, guanidine compounds, and mixtures thereof .

13. - cartridge according to any one of claims 10 to

12, characterized in that the odorant or the mixture of odorants consists respectively of an amino acid or a mixture of amino acids.

14. - Cartridge according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the odorous composition also comprises a matrix allowing the shaping of the odorous agent (s) and its / their controlled release in contact with water.

15. - cartridge according to any one of claims 10 to

14, characterized in that it comprises a temporary fixing means to the body of the lure into which it is inserted, for example a bar 5.

16. - cartridge according to any one of claims 10 to

15, characterized in that the fragrant composition is in solid form, and preferably in the form of tablets

17. - Odorous composition for fishing, characterized in that it comprises an odorous agent or a mixture of odorous agents dispersible in water, and in that it has a density equal, or very substantially equal, to that water considered for the fishing place, and means for gradually releasing said agent or said odorant (s) in the water during fishing.

18. - Composition according to claim 17, characterized in that it is reusable once started, possibly after drying.

19. - odorous composition according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the odorous agent or the mixture of odorous agents is chosen from the group comprising amino acids, nucleotides, quaternary amines, guanidic compounds, and their mixtures.

20. - Odorous composition according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that it comprises at least 20% by weight of amino acids, and excipients and additives suitable for shaping the composition and regular and controlled diffusion of amino acids.

21. - Composition according to any one of claims 17 to 20, characterized in that it comprises at least 50% by weight of amino acids.

22. - Composition according to any one of claims 17 to 21, characterized in that it comprises at least 70% by weight of amino acids.

23. - Composition according to any one of claims 17 to 22, characterized in that it comprises excipients and additives suitable for shaping as a solid, and that it is in the form of a solid .

24. - Composition according to claim 17, characterized in that it comprises at least 70% by weight of amino acids and in that it is in the form of tablets.

25. - Composition according to claim 17, characterized in that it is in the form of a paste.