Abstract
A compact fishing tackle utility box is disclosed wherein a tubular
body of octagonal cross-section is provided. Along the interior circumference
of the tubular body, a partitioning network divides the interior space
of the tubular body into a plurality of compartments, including a
central cavity of rectangular cross-section, within which a plurality
of horizontal (rays are arranged in superposed fashion. The partitioning
network further includes a central divider placed substantially at
the midpoint between the two ends of the tube. Finally, two hinged
end plates are provided, one at each end of the tubular body, to provide
closures to the fishing tackle utility box, and a handle is attached
to the upper exterior surface of the tubular body.
Claims
1. A fishing tackle utility box comprising: a. a main tubular body
having an interior and exterior, and open at each end of said tubular
body; b. a center partition bisecting said main tubular body between
said ends and dividing the internal volume of said main tubular body
into two portions; c. a network of partitions arranged around the
interior circumference of said main tubular body, said network of
partitions dividing each of said portions of said main tubular body
into a plurality of compartments; d. a handle connected to one exterior
surface of said tube; e. two end plates, with each of said end plates
connected to and covering one of said ends of said main tubular body
by connecting hinge means and secured in place by closure means, with
each of said end plates further comprising a planar member having
a geometric shape identical to the cross-sectional shape of said main
tubular body.
2. The fishing tackle utility box of claim 1, wherein said cross-sectional
shape of said main tubular body is an octagon.
3. The fishing tackle utility box of claim 2, wherein said network
of partitions further defines a central cavity within each of said
portions of said main tubular body, and further comprising a plurality
of horizontal trays disposed in a superposed stacked relation within
said central cavity, wherein the end walls said trays close the
end opening of said central cavity when said plurality of horizontal
trays are inserted fully into said central cavity and wherein each
of said horizontal trays may be inserted into or withdrawn from
said central cavity.
4. The fishing tackle utility box of claim 2, wherein said closure
means further comprise a two-piece, hook-and-eye textile, with the
first piece of said textile permanently disposed on the exterior
of said main tubular body at the end of said main tubular body,
and with one end of the second piece of said textile permanently
disposed on the exterior surface of said end plate at a point corresponding
to the position of said first piece of said textile, wherein the
other end of said second piece of said textile overlapping said
first piece of said textile.
5. The fishing tackle utility box of claim 3, wherein said closure
means further comprise a two-piece, hook-and-eye textiles with the
first piece of said textile permanently disposed on the exterior
of said main tubular body at the end of said main tubular body,
and with one end of the second piece of said textile permanently
disposed on the exterior surface of said end plate at a point corresponding
to the position of said first piece of said textile, wherein the
other end of said second piece of said textile overlapping said
first piece of said textile.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not Applicable.
REFERENCE TO "MICROFICHE APPENDIX"
[0003] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present Invention is directed towards an apparatus for
segregating and storing items for selective presentment, and more
particularly directed to a compartmentalized utility box which is
still more particularly suited for the storage of fishing lure,
baits, and related items of fishing tackle.
[0005] Mankind's long engagement in the art of fishing has resulted
in a myriad assortment of lure, baits, weights, sinkers, floats,
hooks, and other associated equipment. Ancillary to the development
of this wide variety of equipment, many different apparatus have
been designed for its storage. Most prior systems concentrate on
providing compartmented storage for lures and baits such that they
may be individually stores and retrieved without a resulting entanglement
of various components. However, prior efforts at conventional tackle
boxes often lack proper arrangement of the fishing lure and components
to facilitate rapid selection of a particular component from the
box and fail to provide accommodation for a large variety of lures,
lines, hooks, and similar equipment. While entanglement of the various
lures has also been an inconvenience of conventional tackle boxes,
the excessive volume occupied by such boxes and the necessary excessive
space requirement for opening and closing such boxes have also been
serious shortcomings of prior efforts at creating efficient tackle
storage.
[0006] Additionally, many previously developed tackle boxes open
in such a manner as to make the box unstable, particularly when
more equipment is stored in the upper racks of such traditional
boxes. Also, traditional tackle boxes are generally designed to
expose all or a majority of the stored components when opened, thereby
exposing all of them to the risk of loss in the event of an accident.
These conventional designs further provide no buoyancy when dropped
into water, thereby allowing little chance of recovering the box
or its contents in the event of such an accident. Prior designs
which have attempted to remedy these problems have failed to adequately
address the needs of compactness and additionally have been complex
designs which are difficult to manufacture.
[0007] A number of prior designs for tackle storage boxes can be
found in the literature, including Morcom, U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,991;
Singer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,304; Morcom, U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,066;
Price at al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,641; Alsobrook et al., U.S. Pat.
No. 4,691,469; Lanius et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,474; Graves et
al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,412; Richards, U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,619;
Bunten, U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,730; Zimbardi et al., U.S. Pat. No.
5,054,669; Borawski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,645; Woolworth et al.,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,429; Plost, U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,698; Zaffina,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,892; Hodges, U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,943; Edgar,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,783; Lisch, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,206; Newberg,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,138; Prochnow, U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,061; Maraman,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,005; Suddeth, U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,820; McGuff
et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,170; Pizzolo et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,469;
Whiteacre, U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,158; Talbot, U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,787;
Yunger et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,337; Blackburn, U.S. Pat. No.
5,934,010; Raff, U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,272; and Moffett et al., U.S.
Pat. No. 6,134,825. Each of these prior designs defines an apparatus
that suffers from one or more of the foregoing problems; the designs
which allow for greater compartmentalization or a system for preventing
entanglement of lure are generally complex and bulky devices of
limited portability, and the designs which are more compact generally
have less functionality in terms of providing individual compartments
for lures and other equipment.
[0008] A need therefore exists for a compact tackle box capable
of accommodating a reasonably large number of fishing lures and
components which are readily accessible to the user. The box must
furthermore be designed in such a way as to provide segregation
of the stored components to eliminate the risk of entanglement while
needing a minimum of space to open. The box should be stable in
both its opened and closed position and should utilize a minimum
number of components to simplify manufacture, and should preferably
be designed in such a manner that the box is naturally somewhat
buoyant when placed in water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In accordance with the present invention, a compartmentalized
container includes a one-piece tube of octagonal cross-section having
an interior partitioning network of dividers which create a number
of compartments internal to the tube. The tube is open at either
end and is symmetrical both around the central axis of the tube
as well as about a plane passing through the midpoint of that axis.
Additionally, the tube's interior partitioning network is divided
into two halves by a center partition along the plane passing through
the midpoint of the central axis of the tube. The interior partitioning
network is arranged such that a plurality of compartments are provided
along the circumference of the tube, which compartments also define
a larger central compartment in which a plurality of horizontal
trays are disposed in a superposed stacked relation. Either end
of the tube is covered with a plate of identical cross section to
that of the tube. A handle is disposed on one exterior surface of
the tube, with the plates connected to the tube along the edge of
the surface opposite that on which the handle is disposed. The means
of connecting the plates to the tube may vary but allow the plate
to be rotated, thereby opening the resulting structure. Each plate
further has a raised lip on the side adjoining the end of the tube
such that when the plate is positioned in the closed position, the
resulting structure is sealed and watertight. Also, the bottom surface
of the tube includes feet for stabilizing the structure in the upright
position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is an oblique view of the invention in its fully
closed position.
[0011] FIG. 2 is an oblique view of the invention with the end
plates open and further showing the horizontal trays.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the long axis of the invention
showing the internal partitioning network, including the central
divider.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a sectional end view of the invention showing
the internal partitioning network.
[0014] FIG. 5 is an end view of the invention showing the pattern
of the internal partitioning network.
[0015] FIG. 6 is an oblique view of a horizontal tray as removed
from the central area of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 7 is an oblique view of the invention with ends open
and the horizontal trays removed.
CATALOG OF ELEMENTS
[0017] 10 Tackle utility box
[0018] 20 Main tube
[0019] 22 Handle
[0020] 30 End plates
[0021] 32 End plate connecting hinge
[0022] 34 End plate closure
[0023] 36 End plate spool hanger
[0024] 38 End plate sealing lip
[0025] 100 Interior partitioning network
[0026] 110 Central divider
[0027] 120 Horizontal trays
[0028] 130 Stabilizing feet
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0029] Referring to FIG. 1, a tackle utility box 10 is provided
which includes a main tube 20 and two end plates 30. Each of the
end plates 30 is connected to the main tube 20 by means of the end
plate connecting hinge 32. The end plates 30 are planar structures
having a geometric shape identical to the cross-section of the main
tube 20, preferably defining an octagonal shape. It will be understood
that the end plate connecting hinge 32 may comprise any of a variety
of hinge means ranging from a traditional leaf hinge to a simple
textile strip permanently affixed to the exterior of the main tube
20 and end plate 30 along the bottom edge of each. A handle 22 is
disposed on the top surface of the main tube 20. Also, on the bottom
surface of the main tube 20 are mounted stabilizing feet 130, which
are not pictured in the drawings but which will be understood by
those of ordinary skill in the art to be one of several different
methods of providing stabilizing, positive traction between the
bottom of the main tube 20 and whatever surface the apparatus is
resting upon. The end plates 30 are held in the closed position
by the end plate closures 34, which may comprise a variety of closure
means including traditional clasp-type closures but which, for simplicity
and ease of manufacture, will preferable comprise a two-piece textile
hook-and-eye closure, with one piece permanently affixed to the
top surface of the main tube 20. In the preferred embodiment, the
other piece of the closure has one end permanently affixed to the
end plate 30 such that, in the closed position, the other end overlaps
the first piece permanently affixed to the main tube 20. Such a
closure provides a simple, reliable, and easily operated means for
opening or securing the tackle utility box 10. FIG. 2 shows this
disposition of the end plate closures 34 and further show the end
plates 30 in their open positions, attached to the main tube 20
by the end plate connecting hinges 32. Although not shown in the
drawings, it will be readily understood by those in of ordinary
skill in the art that along the side of each of the end plates 30
facing the ends of the main tube 20, a raised end plate sealing
lip 38 exists which provides a watertight seal when the end plates
30 are in their closed positions.
[0030] FIG. 2 further offers a view of the interior partitioning
network 100, which includes a number of planar partitions running
parallel to the center axis of the main tube 20 arranged symmetrically
around the circumference of the main tube 20 and further defining
a central square cavity. The central square cavity contains a plurality
of identical horizontal trays 120 which are further divided into
a number of compartments. In the preferred embodiment, two identical
horizontal trays 120 are situated in superposed arrangement within
the central square cavity, in which the trays may slide freely.
Referring to FIG. 6, the horizontal trays 120 may be seen to be
relatively simple, open trays divided by partitions into a plurality
of compartments. FIG. 3 shows the interior partitioning network
100 in sectional detail, further showing the central divider 110
which is essentially a plate passing through a plane bisecting the
main tube 20 into two identical ends. FIG. 3 additionally demonstrates
that each end of the main tube 20 contains a pair of the identical
horizontal trays 120.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows the trays in their retracted position within
the central square cavity of one end of the main tube 20 and shows
further detail of the end plate 30 and end plate closure 34. On
the exterior surface of the end plate 30, FIG. 4 shows the placement
of an end plate spool hanger 36, which is a essentially a rod with
a short perpendicular bend at one end and attached to the center
of the end plate 30 at the other. The end plate spool hanger 36
may be used to securely hold a spool of fishing line or twine which
otherwise would not fit within a compartment in the interior of
the tackle utility box 10.
[0032] It will be understood that the main tube 20, handle 22,
and interior partitioning network 100 (with its central divider
110) are preferably formed as a single piece of molded plastic.
Formation as a single piece yields substantial structural rigidity
and strength, and furthermore results in an extraordinarily simple
manufacturing process, with the insertion of the horizontal trays
120 and attachment of the end plate hinges 32 and end plate closures
34 remaining as the only steps needed to complete construction of
the preferred embodiment. It is further readily apparent that by
this method, a structure is formed which has no possibility for
the contents of any given compartment to be communicated to any
other compartment. In the normal manner of use, only one end of
the tackle utility box 10 will be open at any given time; it is
therefore also readily apparent that the closed end(s) of structure
define(s) a closed air space which will provide buoyancy to the
overall apparatus in the event of an accidental immersion in water.
[0033] Although the present invention has been described with reference
to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible.
Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not
be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained
herein. |