DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Although those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize many alternative embodiments, especially in light of the illustrations provided herein, this detailed description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.

[0022] Referring now to FIGS. 1 - 4 , the lure 10 of this first preferred embodiment is shown to generally comprise a body 11 with a removable head 27 . The body 11 generally comprises a hull 12 , which includes a bulkhead 13 and a chamber wall 22 . The hull 12 of the body 11 preferably comprises two halves that are secured together to form the hull 12 using any suitable means, such as friction or an adhesive. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize many techniques to form the hull 12 . The body 11 , in this first embodiment, is shaped to resemble a small bait-type fish. Nevertheless, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the body 11 may comprise any shape and particularly any shape similar to fish foodstuff, such as frogs, grasshoppers and certain other insects, worms, and the like. Consequently, the lure 10 resembles typical fish foodstuff to capitalize on fishes' sense of sight. As will be better understood further herein, the lure 10 resembles typical fish foodstuff without sacrificing the other fish attraction aspects of vibration detection, hearing, and smell.

[0023] As shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the bulkhead 13 and the chamber wall 22 define a chamber 24 that removably receives a cartridge 18 therein. The chamber wall 22 includes protrusions 22 A and 22 B that frictionally engage the cartridge 18 to aid in preventing movement of the cartridge 18 about the chamber 24 . The cartridge 18 provides a housing for a vibration producing assembly 14 , which generally comprises an electric motor 15 and a battery 19 . The cartridge 18 defines a compartment 20 that receives the motor 15 therein. The compartment includes bulkheads 20 A and B that secure the motor 15 within the cartridge 18 . Likewise, the cartridge 18 defines a chamber 25 that receives the battery 19 , which is secured therein by the removable head 27 . The vibration producing assembly 14 further comprises a terminal 23 A connected to the motor 15 , which serves as the positive input, and a return line 23 B connected to the motor 15 and terminating in terminal 23 C. As will be better understood further herein, the vibration producing assembly 14 is particularly adapted to take advantage of a fish's sense of vibration detection.

[0024] The electric motor 15 comprises a shaft 16 having an eccentric weight 17 attached thereto. The eccentric weight 17 preferably attaches to the shaft 16 off the central axis of the lure 10 . Thus, as the motor 15 rotates the eccentric weight 17 via the shaft 16 , the eccentric weight 17 causes the lure 10 to wobble or vibrate, thereby resulting in the lure 10 imparting vibrations into the surrounding water that are detectable by fish. Consequently, the lure 10 capitalizes on fishes' sense of vibration detection in an improved manner in that the lure 10 produces detectable vibrations without the necessity of the lure 10 being pulled through the water, thereby drawing fish to the exact location of the lure.

[0025] As shown particularly in FIGS. 1 - 4 , the removable head 27 in this first preferred embodiment defines a cavity 42 and includes a curved surface 40 . The curved surface 40 of the removable head 27 permits the lure 10 to perform dives when it is desirable to pull the lure 10 through the water before returning to a normal floating level. Particularly, water flowing over the curved surface 40 drives the lure 10 downward followed by the lure 10 returning to a normal floating level, thereby providing the lure 10 with motion that simulates certain live fish foodstuff. The removable head 27 , in this first embodiment, is shaped to resemble a head of a small bait-type fish. Nevertheless, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the removable head 27 may comprise any head shaped similar to fish foodstuff, such as frogs, grasshoppers and certain other insects, worms, and the like.

[0026] The removable head 27 further includes threads 43 that engage threads 28 of the hull 12 to permit removable attachment of the removable head 27 to the body 11 as well as an O-ring 44 that prevents water leakage into the chamber 25 . Eye-hooks 41 A and B attach to the nose and the upper portion of the removable head 27 , respectively, using any suitable means, such as integral formation therewith during a molding process, to allow securing of the lure 10 to a fishing line.

[0027] The removable head 27 still further includes a contact plate 45 attached at its rear using any suitable means, such as integral formation therewith during a molding process for the removable head 27 . The contact plate 45 forms a terminal for the vibration producing assembly 14 . The contact plate 45 further maintains the battery 19 engaged with the terminal 23 A when the removable head 27 is completely engaged with the body 11 . As such, the positive terminal 21 A of the battery 19 engages the terminal 23 A, and the contact plate 45 engages the negative terminal 21 B. In addition, the contact plate 45 engages the terminal 23 C of the return line 23 B. Accordingly, a complete circuit is formed that allows the battery 19 to provide power to the electric motor 15 . As long as the removable head 27 is secured to the body 11 , the electric motor 15 operates to impart vibrations into the surrounding water that are detectable by fish. Although this first embodiment discloses a removable head 27 , those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the lure 10 may include a removable tail section that operates in place of the removable head 27 .

[0028] The inclusion of the cartridge 18 in the lure 10 provides the advantage of allowing replacement of the motor 15 . Damage to a fishing lure motor ruins the lure and results in the necessity of a costly replacement of the entire lure. However, in the event of damage to the motor 15 , the cartridge 18 is removed and replaced with a new one, thus allowing continued use of the body 11 and the removable head 27 . Furthermore, a single cartridge 18 may service multiple lures, thus eliminating the necessity of purchasing multiple more expensive lures.

[0029] As also shown in FIG. 2 , the body 11 includes a compartment 31 having a noise making device therein, which according to this first preferred embodiment, is a bell 30 . Those of ordinary skill in the art, however, will recognize many substantially equivalent embodiments for the noise making device. It should be noted, however, that the bell embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is preferred for its light weight and propensity to make noise as a consequence of the vibrations imparted to the lure 10 through the rotation of the eccentric weight 17 . Consequently, the lure 10 capitalizes on fishes' sense of hearing in an improved manner in that the lure 10 produces detectable sounds without the necessity of the lure 10 being pulled through the water, thereby drawing fish to the exact location of the lure 10 .

[0030] Finally, as particularly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the lure 10 of this first embodiment also comprises a unique attractant delivery system 32 . The attractant delivery system 32 generally comprises a length of tubing 33 attached to the body 11 and configured to resemble the dorsal fin of a small bait-type fish. Nevertheless, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the tubing 33 may comprise any shape and particularly any shape related to a body part of fish foodstuff, such as frogs, grasshoppers and certain other insects, worms, and the like. The tubing 33 is attached to the body 11 using any suitable means, such as integral formation therewith during a molding process for the body 11 .

[0031] The tubing 33 includes an aperture 34 positioned towards its front and an outlet 35 therefrom positioned at the rear of the tubing 33 . Fish attractant is delivered into the tubing 33 at the aperture 34 using a bottle including a tube sized to fit within the aperture 34 . The fish attractant remains within the tubing 33 and does not readily exit the outlet 35 due to capillary action within the tubing 33 . However, upon engagement of the motor 15 and the rotation of the eccentric weight 17 , the vibrations imparted to the lure 10 overcome the capillary action within the tubing 33 , thereby facilitating a controlled release of the fish attractant into the surrounding water. Consequently, the lure 10 capitalizes on fishes' sense of smell in an improved manner in that the lure 10 releases fish attractant without the necessity of the lure 10 being pulled through the water, thereby drawing fish to the exact location of the lure 10 . Although not critical for successful use of the lure 10 , it has been found that the use of a red colored attractant contributes to the success of the lure 10 by giving the appearance of wounded fish foodstuff.

[0032] As particularly shown in FIG. 5, a lure 100 of the second preferred embodiment is identical to and includes each feature of the lure 10 of the first preferred embodiment, except a removable head 50 has been substituted for the removable head 27 . The removable head 50 is identical to and includes each feature of the removable head 27 , except the curved surface 40 of the removable head 27 has been eliminated. As such, the removable head 50 does not facilitate diving of the lure 100 when it is desirable to pull the lure 10 through the water. Water flows evenly around the removable head 50 , resulting in the lure 100 traveling straight at a desired floating level, thereby providing the lure 100 with motion that simulates certain live fish foodstuff. The removable head 50 , in this second embodiment, is shaped to resemble a head of a small bait-type fish. Nevertheless, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the removable head 50 may comprise any head shaped similar to fish foodstuff, such as frogs, grasshoppers and certain other insects, worms, and the like. Although this second embodiment discloses a removable head 50 , those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the lure 10 may include a removable tail section that operates in place of the removable head 27 .

[0033] The weight of lures 10 and 100 is of extreme importance in their designs. Particularly, the lures 10 and 100 must float at or very near the surface of surrounding water to be effective in attracting fish. Consequently, the lures 10 and 100 are constructed from light weight materials, and, more importantly, the motor 15 must be sufficiently small and light weight that it allows the lures 10 and 100 to float at or very near the surface of surrounding water. Furthermore, the motor 15 must draw minimal current from the battery 19 , which conserves the charge on the battery 19 and prevents the battery 19 from adding weight to lures 10 and 100 that would prevent the lures 10 and 100 from floating at or very near the surface of surrounding water.

[0034] It should be understood that the weight of the lures 10 and 100 may be adjusted by manipulating the weight of the removable heads 27 and 50 through filling of their respective cavities with additional material. As such, the lure 10 may be constructed to float at the surface of the surrounding water, just below the surface of the surrounding water, or even deeper depending upon the type of fish desired for attraction. Furthermore, as previously described, the removable head 27 is designed to permit diving of the lure 10 when it is desirable to pull the lure 10 through the surrounding water before returning to float at or very near the surface of the surrounding water. Alternatively, the removable head 50 is designed to maintain lure 10 floating at or very near the surface of the surrounding water when it is desirable to pull the lure 10 through the surrounding water.

[0035] While the foregoing description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize the many variations, alterations, modifications, substitutions and the like as are readily possible, especially in light of this description, the accompanying drawings and claims drawn thereto. For example, various eyehooks 36 and treble hooks 37 may be provided according to the size and type of fish to be attracted by the lure 10 . In any case, because the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, the foregoing detailed description should not be construed as a limitation of the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.