US 11,737,438 B2Granted

Modular fishing rod system

AssigneeBates Fishing, Inc.

InventorsBuddy Hughes, Karl H. Beitzel

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A modular component fishing rod system that allows the end user to easily and securely change one or more of the handle portion and rod blank. The system includes a rod blank, rod sleeve assembly and a slide-on handle assembly. The rod sleeve assembly performs at least three functions including: 1) truing up the taper of the fishing rod blank to allow components of the handle assembly to be slid onto the rod blank from the butt end; 2) providing an indexing or key feature which registers with the handle assembly to maintain proper alignment between the handle assembly and rod blank; and 3) providing a method to attach the handle assembly to the rod sleeve. The handle assembly includes a corresponding female sleeve that mates with and preferably slides over the rod sleeve assembly and performs at least three functions including: 1) attaching a handle tube which includes a handle grip and reel seat to a the rod sleeve assembly; 2) matching indexing features; and 3) fixing the handle assembly to the rod sleeve assembly through one of a number of possible fastener assemblies.

A modular fishing rod system, comprising:

a rod blank having a length extending between a tip and a butt end thereof, and an outer surface;
a rod sleeve assembly comprising a tube having a rod sleeve bore defining an inner surface of the rod sleeve assembly tube, an outer surface, an upper end and a lower end, wherein the rod sleeve bore extends into the tube from at least the upper end,
a handle assembly comprising a tube having a handle assembly tube bore defining an inner surface of the handle assembly tube that extends between an upper end and a lower end of the handle assembly tube, and an outer surface having a reel seat,
a rod collar assembly having a rod collar bore defining an inner surface of the rod collar assembly, wherein the rod blank is extendable through the rod collar bore such that the rod blank extends into the rod sleeve bore and the rod blank outer surface is directly fixable to the inner surface of the rod collar assembly, the rod collar assembly having an outer surface mateable with and fixable to the inner surface of the upper end of the rod sleeve assembly tube, the rod collar assembly comprising a first segment and a second segment, each of the first segment and the second segment having edges extending along a length of each of the first segment and the second segment, wherein the first segment and the second segment being interlockable with each other around the rod blank by abutting the edges of the first segment with the edges of the second segment so as to define the rod collar bore therebetween, and
a handle collar assembly having a first collar directly connected to the lower end of the rod sleeve assembly tube, the first collar having a first fitting, and
a fastener assembly including a fitting connectable to the first fitting, and
wherein the rod sleeve assembly tube is insertable into the handle assembly tube bore and removably fixable to the handle assembly by connecting the fastener assembly fitting directly to the handle collar assembly first fitting.

4 more elements

Abstract

Claims19