Lighted fish landing net

• US 20050091905A1
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Norsemen Outdoors, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Norsemen Outdoors, Inc.
• Inventors: Larson, Robert A., Larson, Matt L.
• Application Number:
  US10/699,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091905A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 43/17.5
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 75/02 Illuminating devices for nets
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 77/00 Landing-nets for fishing; Landing-spoons for fishing

Abstract

A light adapted to be used with a fish landing net includes an LED illuminator, a base member structured to hold the LED, and a switch for connecting or disconnecting a circuit to the LED, where the base member is attachable to the fish landing net. A net light may have a switch disposed locally to the illuminator. The net may be collapsible. A net frame member may have a reflective tape or reflective coating surface opposed to the illuminator. The net may have reflective surfaces containing fluorescent pigment, optical filtering, in a pattern that replicates a fish-friendly environment, and/or in a pattern having a two-dimensional or three-dimensional spatial arrangement. A method includes adjusting or setting a light emission for avoiding scaring-away of fish. A method may include changing brightness of the illuminator. A method may include providing a positionable illuminator for changing a direction of the illumination pattern.

Claims

1. A light adapted to be used with a fish landing net comprising:

at least one light emitting diode (LED);

a base member structured to hold the LED; and

a switch for connecting or disconnecting a circuit to the LED,

wherein the base member is attachable to the fish landing net.

2. The light of claim 1 wherein the switch comprises a rotatable member mounted on the base member, the connecting or disconnecting a circuit to the LED being effected by a rotating of the rotatable member.

3. The light of claim 2 wherein the rotatable member is a transparent cover.

4. The light of claim 2 wherein the circuit comprises a battery, a voltage from the battery being connected or disconnected to the LED by a rotation of the rotatable member.

5. The light of claim 2 wherein the base member includes a first contact and the rotatable member includes a second contact, the first and second contacts being engaged with one another in a connecting position of the rotatable member and being disengaged with one another in a disconnecting position of the rotatable member.

6. The light of claim 2 wherein the base housing has a light-emitting end with an annular groove, and wherein the rotatable member has an annular ridge structured to fit within the annular groove.

7. The light of claim 1 wherein, for a fish landing net having a handle, the base member is formed to be fitted inside an end of the handle.

8. The light of claim 1 wherein, for a fish landing net having a handle, the base member is formed to be fitted around an end of the handle.

9. The light of claim 1 wherein, for a fish landing net having a frame for securing a web, the base member is formed to be attachable to the frame.

10. The light of claim 1 further comprising a lens disposed in a distal end of the base housing, wherein the base housing includes at least one battery contact on an inner surface of the base housing, the at least one light-emitting diode (LED) being disposed in the base housing and positioned for emitting light through the lens.

11. The light of claim 9 wherein the lens is formed to direct the emitting light.

12. The light of claim 1 further comprising a battery.

13. The light of claim 12 wherein the battery is disc-shaped.

14. The light of claim 1 wherein a brightness of the LED is set to a level of non-disturbance of a fish.

15. The light of claim 1 wherein the switch has a plurality of switch positions for switching the light to a corresponding plurality of brightness levels, the light further comprising an illumination level control member structured to change brightness of the light according to the switch positions.

16. The light of claim 1 structured to provide a watertight seal for an interior portion of the base housing.

17. The light of claim 1 wherein the at least one LED comprises a disc-shaped cartridge.

18. The light of claim 1 wherein the switch is disposed locally to the base member.

19. A light adapted to be used with a fish landing net comprising:

at least one light emitting diode (LED);

means for holding the LED; and

means for switching a connection to the LED on or off.

20. Fish landing apparatus comprising:

a net structure for landing fish and having an electric-powered illuminator; and

a switch disposed locally to the illuminator.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the net structure includes a handle member and the illuminator is inserted in a distal end of the handle member.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the net structure includes a handle member and the illuminator is adapted to fit around a distal end of the handle member.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the net structure includes a frame for holding a web, and the illuminator is adapted to be attachable to the frame.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the net structure comprises at least one frame member having a surface opposed to the illuminator and having disposed on the surface at least one of reflective tape and reflective coating.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the at least one of reflective tape and reflective coating contains fluorescent pigment.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising an optical filter for filtering light emitted by an excitation of the fluorescent pigment.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the at least one of reflective tape and reflective coating contains pigment replicating a fish-friendly environment.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the at least one of reflective tape and reflective coating contains a pigment in a pattern that replicates a fish-friendly environment.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the pattern has a spatial arrangement comprising one of two-dimensional and three-dimensional.

30. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the illuminator comprises a light beam shaper for focusing a light beam emitted from the illuminator on the at least one of reflective tape and reflective coating.

31. Fish landing apparatus comprising:

a collapsible net for landing fish, the collapsible net including a handle member; and

an electric-powered illuminator disposed in a distal end of the handle member.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the collapsible net comprises two hinged frame members.

33. A method facilitating the landing of fish comprising:

providing apparatus that includes a net structure for landing fish and having an electric-powered illuminator, and a switch disposed locally to the illuminator; and

changing a level of illumination of the illuminator from a first brightness level to a second brightness level.

34. A method facilitating the landing of fish comprising:

providing apparatus that includes a net structure for landing fish and having an electric-powered illuminator, and a switch disposed locally to the illuminator; and

adjusting a light emission of the apparatus for avoiding scaring-away of fish.

35. A method facilitating the landing of fish comprising:

providing apparatus that includes a net structure for landing fish and having an electric-powered illuminator, and a switch disposed locally to the illuminator; and

setting a light emission of the apparatus for avoiding scaring-away of a particular type of fish.

36. A method facilitating the landing of fish comprising:

providing apparatus that includes a net structure for landing fish and having an electric-powered illuminator operable to emit light in a pattern, the illuminator being positionable for changing a direction of the pattern.