WO2005032247A1

WO2005032247A1 - Wobbler with means for varying the length of the wobbler body.

Info

Publication number: WO2005032247A1
Application number: PCT/SE2004/001409
Authority: WO
Inventors: Krister Kumlin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-10-09
Filing date: 2004-10-04
Publication date: 2005-04-14
Anticipated expiration: 2006-04-09
Also published as: SE0302672D0; WO2005032247A8; SE0302672L; SE525956C2

Abstract

A wobbler (1) having one first structural member (2) and one second structural member (3), which are movably arranged to each other to form a wobbler body. By means of a relative movement of the structural members the length of the wobbler body is adjustable between a first extreme position, where the wobbler body has a predetermined first length, and a second extreme position, where the wobbler body has a predetermined second length that is at least 5% longer than the first length.

Description

Wobbler

The invention relates to a wobbler comprising at least one first structural member and at least one second structural member, which structural members are movably arranged to each other to form a wobbler body.

In this context "wobbler" refers to an artificial, fish-like, hook-equipped bait or lure used when angling using a fishing pole and a line, which bait more or less periodically swings from side to side when it is brought to travel through the water. Among anglers this swinging or oscillating movement is usually described as if the wobbler "wobbles". It is widely known among anglers that the characteristic of this oscillating movement is a factor that to a great extent effects the ability of the wobbler to attract fish to bite. Some fish species prefer a wobbler that oscillates with a relative high frequency, while other fish species prefer a lower frequency. Also, within one and the same fish species the preferred frequency can vary. For example, for a specific fishing situation when the water temperature is high a wobbler oscillating with a relative high frequency may be more effective than a wobbler oscillating with a lower frequency, while for other fishing situations when the water temperature is lower it may be the other way around.

Accordingly, in order to carry out fishing in an effective manner it is desirable for an angler to be able to vary the frequency by which the wobbler oscillates when it is travelling through the water. Since the frequency normally increases when the speed of the wobbler trough the water increases, one possible way of obtaining this is to adjust the speed of the wobbler such that required frequency is obtain. However, this leads to the disadvantage of the angler being directed to the speed corresponding to the chosen frequency, which speed is not necessarily optimal for that specific fishing situation. The angler changing to a wobbler of the same model but having a different size, which wobbler oscillates with required frequency at required speed, is another way of obtaining this since a short wobbler has a tendency to oscillate with a frequency that is higher than that of a long wobbler. However, to be able to handle different fishing situations this requires the angler to have a number of different wobblers at his disposal at the fishing site; one wobbler for each conceivable combination of speed and frequency, which number of wobblers are cumbersome to carry about and also represent a relatively large cost when purchased.

The object of the present invention is to achieve a wobbler by means of which a freely adjustable setting of the frequency of the wobbler is possible independently of the speed of the wobbler through the water.

The invention is characterized in that the length of the wobbler body is adjustable between a first extreme position, where the wobbler body has a predetermined first length, and a second extreme position, where the wobbler body has a predetermined second length that is at least 5% longer than the first length, by means of a relative movement of the structural members.

Accordingly, by means of a wobbler according to the invention, it is possible to freely adjust the setting of the frequency of the wobbler when it is brought to travel through the water at a predetermined speed by varying the length of the wobbler body. In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the figures.

Figures 1-3 show a first embodiment of a wobbler according to the invention.

Figure 4 and 5 show a sectional view of structural members of the wobbler according to Figures 1-3.

Figure 6 shows a sectional view of the wobbler according to Figure 2.

Figure 7 shows a sectional view of a second embodiment of a wobbler according to the invention.

Figure 8 and 9 show a sectional view of a third embodiment of a wobbler according to the invention.

Figure 10 and 11 show a sectional view of structural members of the wobbler according to Figure 8 and 9.

Figure 1-3 show a wobbler 1 that comprises an elongated first, front-end structural member 2 and an elongated second, rear-end structural member 3, said structural members 2 and 3 forming a wobbler body. The front-end structural member 2 comprises a fishhead-shaped front portion 4 and a substantially circularly cylindrical rear portion 5. At its front end, the front portion 4 exhibits an attachment member 6 for a line, and at its underside the front-end structural member 2 exhibits two attachment members 7 for triple hooks 8. The front portion 4 further exhibits a so-called "spoon" 9, i.e. a protruding and substantially flat or slightly cupped portion, which in a fashion which is known per se is arranged at the chin portion of the front portion 4 in order to generate the oscillating motion of the wobbler 1 when the wobbler 1 is brought to travel through the water. The rear-end structural member 3 comprises a substantially circularly cylindrical front portion 10, and a substantially cone-shaped rear portion 11. At its rear end the rear portion 11 exhibits an attachment member 12 for a triple hook 13.

According to the invention the structural members 2 and 3 are movably arranged to each other whereby the length of the wobbler body is freely adjustable between a first predetermined length l_± , and a second predetermined length 1₂ . Figure 1 shows the wobbler 1 being set into a first extreme position, in which the wobbler body has a first length l . When the wobbler 1 being set into the first position is brought to travel through the water, for example by retrieving it by means of a fishing reel or by means of so-called "trolling", i.e. towing it behind a boat, the wobbler 1 will oscillate with a first frequency fi, being a function of the speed of the wobbler through the water v. Figure 3 shows the wobbler 1 being set into a second extreme position, in which the wobbler body has a second length 1₂ that is longer than li- When the wobbler 1 being set into the second position is brought to travel through the water, the wobbler will oscillate with a frequency f^" ₂, which, at the same speed v, is lower than f_\ . Figure 2 shows the wobbler 1 being set into a position between the two extreme positions and, accordingly, a wobbler being set into this position will oscillate with a frequency, which, at the same speed v, is lower than f± but higher than ^~ ₂. Accordingly, for a predetermined speed v and within the frequency interval being defined by the extreme positions, i.e. f^"ι-f^" ₂, the wobbler 1 according to the invention enables a freely adjustable setting of the frequency with which the wobbler 1 oscillates when it is brought to travel through the water.

Trials have shown that the change of length between the two extreme positions should be at least 5% in order to obtain a change of frequency, which is effective in practical fishing. Preferably, however, the change of length should be at least 10% and advantageously even more. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1-3, 1 is about 10 centimetres and 1₂ is about 13 centimetres and, consequently, the change of length between the two extreme positions is about 30%.

In the following, the structural members 2and 3 will be described in greater detail with reference to Figure 4 and 5, which show sectional views of the front-end and rear-end structural members 2 and 3, respectively.

The circularly cylindrical rear portion 5 of the front-end structural member 2 comprises a circularly cylindrical axle portion 14, which has a circular cross-section and is arranged axially in the rear portion 5. The rear portion 5 also comprises a tubular tube portion 15, which is arranged concentrically with the axle portion 14. At their front end, both the axle portion 14 and the tube portion 15 are connected to the fishhead-like front portion 4 of the front-end structural member 2. The rear portion 5 also comprises a recess 16 between the axle portion 14 and the tube portion 15. In a radial direction, the recess 16 is delimited by an external shell surface 17 of the axle portion 14 and an internal surface 18 of the tube portion 15. The recess 16 extends substantially through the entire length of the rear portion 5 and is delimited, in a forward direction, by an annular bottom surface 19. In a rearward direction, the recess 16 is open and ends in an annular opening 20.

The rear-end structural member 3 is substantially rotationally symmetrical and comprises a recess 21, which has a circular cross-section and is arranged axially in the rear-end structural member 3. In a rearward direction, the recess 21 is delimited by a bottom surface 22. In a forward direction, the recess 21 is open and ends in a circular opening 23.

The external shell surface 17 of the axle portion 14 exhibits an external thread groove 24. The cylinder surface delimiting the recess 21 exhibits a corresponding, internal thread groove 25, which is arranged for interacting with the thread groove 24 of the axle portion 14. In order to form the finished wobbler body, the axle portion 14 of the first structural member 2 is inserted into the opening 23 of the second structural member 3, so that a threaded engagement is created between the thread grooves 24 and 25. This is illustrated in Figure 6, which shows a sectional view of the wobbler 1. Thereby, a portion of the recess 16 of the front-end structural member 2 defines a first, variable cavity 26 of the wobbler 1, and a portion of the recess 21 of the rear-end structural member 3 defines a second, variable cavity 27 of the wobbler 1. By manually rotating the rear-end structural member 3 relative the front-end structural member 2, whereby the volume of the cavities 26, 27 is altered, the angler can easily set the length that correspond to the desired frequency. In order prevent the rear-end structural member 3 from coming loose unintentionally from the front-end structural member 2, for example when a fish bites, the wobbler 1 preferably comprises a device (not shown) which ensures that a predetermined minimum threaded engagement is not fallen short of when fishing. Such a device could be an annular marking on the surface of the rear-end structural member 3, said marking becoming visible and alerting the angler when the rear-end structural member 3 is unscrewed to such an extent that the predetermined minimum threaded engagement is fallen short of.

The front-end and back-end structural members described above can advantageously be part of a wobbler system comprising further front-end and back-end structural members having different lengths. By combining different front-end and back-end structural members different combinations of said first predetermined length, lχ, and second predetermined length, 1₂ , can be obtained, which enables the angler to vary the frequency within a number of different frequency intervals. Preferably, front-end and back-end structural members having different colours is also part of the wobbler system, wherein a number of different colour combinations of the wobbler body can be obtained.

Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment of a wobbler 28 according to the invention. The wobbler 28 comprises a first, front-end structural member 29 and a second, rear-end structural member 30, which form a wobbler body. Like in the previously described first wobbler 1 the structural members 29 and 30 are movably attached to each other by means of a threaded coupling, whereby the length of the wobbler body is freely adjustable between a first predetermined length and a second predetermined length. The structural members 29 and 30 are substantially similar to the previously described structural members 2 and 3, whereby the structural members 29 and 30 define two cavities 31 and 32 as has been described previously. In this case the rear-end structural member 30 also comprises longitudinal ducts 33 and radial ducts 34. The radial ducts 34 run from the rear portion of the cavity 32 in a radial direction to the surface of the rear-end structural member 30. The longitudinal ducts 33 run in the longitudinal direction of the rear-end structural member 30 from the radial ducts 34 to front portion of the rear-end structural member 30, where the longitudinal ducts 33 end in the cavity 31. Independent of the length setting of the wobbler 28 and by means of the ducts 33 and 34 water can freely flow in and out of the cavities 31 and 32. Thereby, it is guaranteed that the displacement of the wobbler 28 remains unchanged at length alternations.

Figure 8-11 show a further embodiment of a wobbler 35 according to the invention. Also in this case the wobbler

35 comprises a first, front-end structural member 36 and a second, rear-end structural member 37 (see Figure 10 and 11), which together form a wobbler body. The structural members 36, 37 are substantially similar to those of the previously described wobbler 1, i.e. they are movably attached to each other by means of a threaded coupling, whereby the length of the wobbler body is freely adjustable between a first predetermined length and a second predetermined length. The structural members

36 and 37 define two cavities 38 and 39 as has been described previously. In this case the rear-end structural member 37 also comprises a sealing member 40 arranged to prevent water from entering the cavity 38 when wobbler 35 is used. The sealing member 40 comprises an external groove 41 running circumferentially around the front-end portion of the rear-end structural member 37, and a sealing ring 42 arranged in the groove 41. The sealing ring 42 is arranged to connect to the front-end structural member 36 in order to make the cavity 38 watertight .

By means of a rotary motion of the rear-end structural member 37 in relation to the front-end structural member 36, the wobbler 35 is adjustable between a first extreme position, shown in Figure 8, and a second extreme position, shown in Figure 9. In the first extreme position, the cavities 38, 39 have relatively small volumes and accordingly the wobbler 35 has a relatively small displacement, i.e. the weight of the water quantity being displaced when the wobbler is immersed in water is relatively small. In the second extreme position, the cavities 38, 39 have relatively large volumes and the wobbler 35 has a relatively large displacement. The buoyancy or floating capability of a wobbler is decided by the ratio between the weight of the wobbler and the displacement of the wobbler. Since the weight of the wobbler 35 is substantially constant at length alterations, the wobbler 35 has larger buoyancy in the first extreme position than in the second extreme position. Accordingly, by means of this embodiment the buoyancy of the wobbler 35 as well as the frequency of the wobbler 35 when it is brought to travel through the water can be set by the angler. By means of different selections of materials and dimensions, different buoyancy intervals can be obtained for the wobbler 35. For example, the wobbler 35 can be designed so that it is floating in its first extreme position and is sinking in its second extreme position. It will be understood that the buoyancy intervals also can be selected so that they are entirely within the floating or the sinking range. In the foregoing, the invention has been described in connection with wobblers having structural members being movably attached to each other by means of a threaded coupling. It will be understood, however, that the principle of the invention is equally applicable on other types attachments providing mobility between the structural members. It will also be understood that the wobbler according to the invention can be made of number of different materials or material combinations, for example different types of plastics, metal or wood, wherein different positive and/or negative buoyancy intervals can be obtained. It will also be understood that the above-mentioned cavities can be realized in other ways than the ones described above, for example the wobbler can comprise one, three or several cavities having variable volumes, which are enclosed by more than two structural members being movable in relation to each other. It will also be understood that said cavity can be filled with another gas than air, wherein the frequency and buoyancy characteristic of the wobbler can be varied. Alternatively, said cavity can be completely or partially fillable with a liquid, in which case the wobbler preferably also comprises a valve, through which the liquid can be drawn off or supplied to said cavity.

P1734SE TP1 041104

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A wobbler (1; 28; 35) comprising at least one first structural member (2; 29; 36) and at least one second structural member (3; 30; 37), which structural members

(2, 3; 29, 39; 36; 37) are movably arranged to each other to form a wobbler body, characterized in that by means of a relative movement of the structural members (2, 3; 29, 39; 36; 37) the length of the wobbler body is adjustable between a first extreme position, where the wobbler body has a predetermined first length, and a second extreme position, where the wobbler body has a predetermined second length that is at least 5% longer than the first length.

2. A wobbler (1; 28; 35) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one first structural member (2; 29; 36) and said at least one second structural member (3; 30; 37) enclose at least one cavity (26, 27; 31, 32; 38, 39) that have a volume which is variable by means of said relative movement.

3. A wobbler (35) according to claim 2, characterized in that said relative movement brings about a change of displacement of the wobbler (35) .

4. A wobbler (35) according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one cavity (38) is filled with gas and that the wobbler (35) comprises sealing members (40) in order to prevent water from penetrating into said at least one cavity (38).

5. A wobbler (1; 28; 35) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that said relative movement comprises a rotary motion of said at least one first structural member (2; 29; 36) in relation to said at least one second structural member (3; 30; 37) .

6. A wobbler (1; 28; 35) according to claim 5, characterized in that said at least one first structural member (2; 29; 36) is in a threaded engagement with said at least one second structural member (3; 30; 37).

P1734SE TP1 041104