# US 2017/0280693 A1 · Methods and systems for maintaining a constant depth > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0280693 A1 - Document ID: US20170280693A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/344,586 - Filed: 2016-11-07 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-05 - Inventors: Jeremy Adam Lehl; Michael Bryan Ross Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170280693A1 ## CPC - A01K 85/16: with other than flat, or substantially flat, undulating bodies, e.g. plugs - A01K 97/00: Accessories for angling (fish stringers A01K65/00; landing-nets or landing-spoons for fishing A01K77/00) - B63G 8/18: by hydrofoils - B63G 8/24: Automatic depth adjustment; Safety equipment for increasing buoyancy, e.g. detachable ballast, floating bodies - G01V 1/3826: {dynamic steering, e.g. by paravanes or birds} - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract Operating at constant depth, various embodiments are provided equipped with automatic depth-control mechanisms in dynamic devices such as lures and carriers that acquire and maintain a constant target depth when pulled through a medium such as water. The depth-control mechanism incorporates a mechanical pressure measurement of depth using a bladder with changing dimensionality and mechanical coupling to a variable angle dive plane. The measured pressure is compared with the target depth pressure causing the dive plane angle to adjust and converge to an adjustable target depth with forward motion due to retrieval or trolling. The dive plane extension is optionally a variable angle lip or bill protruding from the front of the lure or a pectoral fin-like configuration. Multi-purpose carriers are provided that can perform various underwater sensing and measuring tasks. Included are systems and methods for using a lure or platform equipped with a depth-controlling device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automatic depth-control fishing lure comprising: an automatic depth-control mechanism comprising: a bladder configured to vary size in at least one direction based on water pressure; a fixed termination of the bladder at a proximal location attached to a housing; a variable termination of the bladder at a distal location attached to an inner lever arm in the at least one direction of the bladder size change due to water pressure; a dive plane member extending essentially orthogonal to the inner lever arm with a pivot point rotatively attached to the housing establishing a dive plane angle; a set of at least one elongated depth-control member extending the dive plane member externally away from the housing for effecting depth-control; the automatic depth-control mechanism wherein the configuration of the bladder, inner lever arm pivoting around the pivot point establishing the dive plane angle, and the at least one elongated depth-control member extending the dive plane member externally away from the housing interact to provide depth-control for an object wherein the preponderance of the mechanism is housed as it is pulled through water; and the automatic depth-control mechanism wherein the depth-control is provided by acquiring a target depth and maintaining the target depth as a result of the dive plane angle of the mechanism increasing when the lure is too shallow and decreasing the dive plane angle when the lure is too deep in the water as compared with the target depth. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fishing lure of claim 1, wherein the elongated depth-control member is any of a lip, bill, pectoral fin, pectoral fins, flap, or flaps angled at the dive angle as part of the automatic depth-control mechanism. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fishing lure of claim 1, wherein the housing is made of any of ABS, Nylon, Acetel, Acrylic, polycarbonate, polypropylene, or glass filled thermoplastic. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fishing lure of claim 1, further comprising a reinforced bladder wherein the bladder size changes due to pressure are directed to a single longitudinal direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fishing lure of claim 1 further comprising any one of reinforced, diaphragm, spherical, Bourdon, plunger/piston, v-shaped, helical spring, living hinge, leaf spring or bellows bladder mechanism. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fishing lure of claim 1 further comprising a variable target depth-control setting mechanism. In this configuration the fixed termination of the bladder at the proximal location reverts to an adjustable termination as set by the variable target depth-control setting mechanism. ### Claim 7 A constant depth carrier comprising: an automatic depth-control mechanism comprising: a bladder configured to vary size in at least one direction based on water pressure; a fixed termination of the bladder at a proximal location attached to a housing; a variable termination of the bladder at a distal location attached to an inner lever arm in the at least one direction of the bladder size change due to water pressure; a dive plane member extending essentially orthogonal to the inner lever arm with a pivot point rotatively attached to the housing establishing a dive plane angle; a set of at least one elongated depth-control member extending the dive plane member externally away from the housing for effecting depth-control; the automatic depth-control mechanism wherein the configuration of the bladder, inner lever arm pivoting around the pivot point establishing the dive plane angle, and the at least one elongated depth-control member extending the dive plane member externally away from the housing interact to provide depth-control for an object wherein the preponderance of the mechanism is housed as it is pulled through water; the automatic depth-control mechanism wherein the depth-control is provided by acquiring a target depth and maintaining the target depth as a result of the dive plane angle of the mechanism increasing when the carrier is too shallow and decreasing the dive plane angle when the lure is too deep in the water as compared with the target depth; and the carrier further comprising one or more payload chambers to mount one or more payloads. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The carrier of claim 7, wherein the elongated depth-control member is any of lip, bill, pectoral fin, pectoral fins, wing, wings, elevators, flap, or flaps angled at the dive angle as part of the automatic depth-control mechanism. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The carrier of claim 7, wherein the at least one payload chambers provide a mounting facility for at least one sensing device for underwater operations while being pulled by a line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The at least one sensing device of claim 9 includes any of photography, pH measurements, radiation monitoring, sound monitoring, temperature mapping, pollution mapping, or sea floor mapping. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The carrier of claim 7, further comprising a reinforced bladder wherein the bladder size changes due to pressure are directed to a single longitudinal direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The carrier of claim 7, further comprising any one of reinforced, diaphragm, spherical, Bourdon, plunger/piston, v-shaped, helical spring, living hinge, leaf spring or bellows bladder mechanism. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The carrier of claim 7 further comprising a variable target depth-control setting mechanism. In this configuration the fixed termination of the bladder at the proximal location reverts to an adjustable termination as set by the variable target depth-control setting mechanism. ### Claim 14 An automatic depth-control system for acquiring and maintaining a target depth, comprising: a pulling source with a line for pulling an automatic depth-control device; the line for pulling the automatic depth-control device between the pulling source and a line termination eyelet at a forward location of the automatic depth-control device housing; the automatic depth-control device housing an automatic depth-control mechanism; the depth-control mechanism controlling a dive plane according to an angle determined by a bladder mechanism and communicated rotatively through a dive plane member to an elongated depth-control member essentially external to the device body; the dive angle as communicated to the elongated depth-control member provides depth-control varies based on pressure applied to the bladder mechanism as compared to a pressure associated with a target depth; and the target depth is achieved and maintained during pulling motion with the dive plane angle increasing when the depth is less than the target depth and the dive plane angle decreasing when the depth is greater than the target depth. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The automatic depth-control system of claim 14, further comprising a variable target depth-control setting mechanism. In this configuration the fixed termination of the bladder at the proximal location reverts to an adjustable termination as set by the variable target depth-control setting mechanism. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The automatic depth-control system of claim 15, wherein the automated depth-control device is a fishing lure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The automatic depth-control system of claim 15, wherein the automated depth-control device is a multi-purpose carrier. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The multi-purpose carrier of claim 17, wherein at least one payload chamber is provided as a mounting facility for at least one sensing device for underwater operations while being pulled by a line. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The at least one sensing device of claim 18, mounted wherein the at least one sensing device being mounted is any of photography, pH measurements, radiation monitoring, sound monitoring, temperature mapping, pollution mapping, or sea floor mapping per payload chamber. ### Claim 20 A method of making an automatic depth-control device comprising: designing a body based on intended use including body size, body shape, fixed attachment locations, and any user mountable chambers for payloads; sizing an automatic depth-control mechanism for mounting inside the depth-control device based on required depths, the mass and shape of the body, and the shape, size, and mass of the fixed attachments and any mounted payloads; assembling the automatic depth-control mechanism to the interior of the body; assembling a variable target depth-control setting mechanism mechanism to the interior of the body; assembling the partially assembled body sections to form a single enclosed body assembling the fixed attachments to the exterior of the body comprising a line termination eyelet; and setting a target depth of the lure with a target depth adjustment dial.