Line maintenance tool

Abstract

A method of removing line memory from a fishing line and maintaining the line carried by a fishing rod and reel using a cone having a slit which fishing line passes through under compressive tension while being wound onto a reel. The method involves releasing the line from the reel, by casting or walking the line out, holding the cone with its apex facing the reel in front of a rod ring, and its slit under the line, folding a maintenance cloth over the line and pulling the line and maintenance cloth down to the bottom of the slit. The cone apex is fit inside the rod ring ensuring the taper locks tight, compressing the line. The line is then wound through the cone and maintenance cloth under tension back onto the reel to extrude line memory from the line and maintain the line. The cone may be made from rubber, foam, polyurethane, nitrile, vinyl, silicon or neoprene. The cone may have a diameter of 20-30mm and a length of 70-120mm. The cone may have a taper angle of 20-60 degrees.

Description

A method and tool for removal of line memory from line and maintaining the line. This disclosure relates to a method for removal of line memory from fishing line and maintaining the line and a tool for use in the performance of the method. Background of the Disclosure Most anglers know fishing lines have a natural memory, particularly nylon monofilaments and fluorocarbon lines. Monofilament lines are produced by extruding a single-strand round line with a smooth surface and natural longitudinal memory. Line memory refers to the tendency of fishing line to retain its shape after being bent or twisted, and may also be caused by the line being stored on a reel spool for long periods and taking up the spool shape into line memory. During use fishing line is commonly used on fixed spool reels which are secured to the handle end of fishing rods, having a stationary spool on the side of which is a revolving metal bail arm that guides the line and winds it smoothly onto the spool as a handle is turned. Every coil of line that goes on to the spool via the metal bail arm receives a twist. Inevitably, during this process all fixed spool reels twist line. A reel spool is typically 50 mm in diameter, giving the line approximately one twist for every 150 mm of line. Since a reel spool usually contains 250 meters of line, a filled spool would have around 1600 twists added to line memory. Line twist memory may increase until the line becomes unmanageable spontaneously forming coils followed by kinks that may reduce line breaking strain by as much as 30 percent. In addition, line twist memory makes the line less flexible increasing friction reducing casting distance and may cause issues such as, snarl ups, tangles, impacted bait performance, and a lower catch rate. Frequent use in harsh environments can also have an impact on a line's braking strain, especially if line maintenance is neglected, early deterioration caused by UV exposure, embrittlement, grit, and water detritus, which is known to permeate a line surface and may lower line breaking strain by as much as a further 10 percent. Therefore, regular maintenance to remove line memory, restore longitudinal memory, and flexibility, as well as applying line dressing to protect the line surface, can help minimize the impact of friction and the environment on the line and preserve its usable life. Background Art In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the disclosure, research of prior art revealed several types of line twist remedial devices used with a fishing rod and reel. For example, a V-shaped line guide device fixed to the rod in front of the reel that line travelled through in order to keep the line straight and prevent twisting, as well as a helix grooved shaft device fixed in front of the reel that line travelled around in the opposite direction of the rotating reel in order to neutralise the twist. Other devices are also used to untwist the line; typically, these consist of a weighted spinning propeller attached to a twisted line that is cast and recovered normally, untwisting the line upon retrieval. Further research indicated that when retrieving line, anglers compress the line between their thumb and forefinger to tension and smooth it out and a cloth is frequently required to avoid friction burn. The above methods for managing line memory and maintenance can be unreliable and time consuming. Therefore, the present disclosure has been developed for the purpose of resolving the disadvantages of prior art inventions by providing a quick and reliable method of removing line memory from a fishing line and maintaining the line by use of a simple tool. Description of the Disclosure According to the present disclosure there is provided a method of removing line memory from a line and maintaining the line carried by a fishing rod and reel consisting of, a compression means comprising a cone having a slit which fishing line passes through under compressive tension while being wound onto a reel, including the steps of,(1) release the line from the reel, by casting or walking the line out,(2) hold the cone with its apex facing the reel in front of a rod ring, and its slit under the line, fold a maintenance cloth over the line and pull the line and maintenance cloth down to the bottom of the slit,(3) fit the cone apex first inside the rod ring ensuring the taper locks tight, compressing the line,(4) wind the line through the cone and maintenance cloth under tension onto the reel to extrude line memory from the line and maintain the line. Applicant's disclosure was to target a fishing lines natural memory by use of a tool for a compression means to restore a line's longitudinal memory, flexibility, and to maintain the line, without requiring additional fixtures on a fishing rod or removal of end tackle for the tool to be used, and further, eliminate the need for an angler to tension the line between thumb and forefinger. The compression means may consist of a cone formed from a foam rubber compressible material having a slit cut to its axis along its length to accept a line and a maintenance cloth, which fishing line passes through under tension while being retrieved onto a reel to extrude line memory from the line and maintain the line. The cone may be generally cylindrical; however, it may be any shape that allows it to be attached to a fishing rod. Such configurations may include any configuration that is multi-sided, curved, or a combination of multi-sided including, triangular, square, and rectangular, round, oval, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, and decagonal configurations and combinations thereof. Furthermore, the form of the cone slit may be generally straight; however, it may be any form that will accept a fishing line, such as, curved, angled, undulating, and multiple slits, and combinations thereof. The cone is sized to fit a general range of fishing rod and ring sizes and measures from, 20mm diameter x 30mm long up to 70mm diameter x 120mm long, and tapers ranging from, 20° to 60° included angles. Also, it was noted a small number of lightweight rods had very small rings and would require a larger utility ring fixed on the rod for the tool to be used. For cone slit features variation in line diameter was obtained for different fishing methods ranging from, light float and flyfishing lines of 0.12mm diameter 1.5kg BS (breaking strain) up to 2.0mm diameter 110kg BS for coarse, sea, and heavy game fishing. Therefore, cone slit features may consist of,(a) the cone slit depth sufficient to ensure maximum compression on a line inside the bottom of the slit, and,(b) the cone slit width to ensure the line's surface is in total contact inside the slit, and,(c) the cone slit length is to ensure an adequate length of the line is enclosed for generating optimum compressive tension on the line, and when in use, (a), (b),and (c) combine to extrude line memory from the line and maintain the line, or to extrude line memory from the line and for applying a line maintenance cloth separately. In general, the method of the present disclosure for line memory extrusion from a line and maintaining the line is accomplished by combining compression, tension, and friction, for removing line twist, restoring longitudinal memory and flexibility in the line, and maintaining the line when drawn through the cone and maintenance cloth. Line maintenance may be carried out using a small cloth infused with a line dressing to maintain the line and aid fishing methods or conditions, by folding a maintenance cloth over the line and use the line to pull the line and maintenance cloth into the cone slit and install into rod ring. The cone may be used with or without a line maintenance cloth. Most line dressings during line maintenance such as lubricants and conditioners are compatible; however some fishing methods use dressings that are incompatible, for example a line dressing for floating a line on the water for surface fishing or fly fishing is not suitable for a sinking line used for lure fishing or sub surface presentations. Therefore, a second slit may be included in the cone, cut to half axis in depth running out halfway along its length parallel to and at 90° from the axis slit, for applying a line maintenance cloth separately. Accordingly, the compression means may consist of a cone having a slit cut to its axis along its length to accept a line and a maintenance cloth for extruding line memory from the line and maintaining the line, or a cone having a slit cut to its axis along its length to accept a line for extruding line memory from the line and a second slit cut to half axis depth running out halfway along its length parallel to and at 90° from the axis slit for applying a line maintenance cloth separately. In the preferred embodiment of the disclosure, a cone having a slit cut to its axis along its length for extruding line memory from a line, and a second slit cut to half axis depth running out halfway along its length parallel to and at 90° from the axis slit, for applying a line maintenance cloth separately. The preferred cone material may be selected from, rubber, foam, polyurethane, nitrile, vinyl, silicon, neoprene, synthetic rubber, and combinations thereof. A cone may be used with any reel, particularly fixed spool, spinning, and spincast. And lines including, nylon monofilament, fluorocarbon, and copolymer, fly line, and braided. The cone may be used for spooling line and as a general line tensioner. It is contemplated that use of the disclosure compressed by hand on a line with aid of a fishing rod and reel is possible. And use of the disclosure compressed by hand on a line and pulled through manually without aid of a fishing rod and reel is possible. The use of the disclosure in this manner is within the scope of the disclosure. Detailed Description of Disclosure In order that the disclosure may be clearly understood it will now be described with reference to the accompanying Drawing 1 rev1. Figure 1, shows one form of a cone and its top view and front view according to the disclosure, and Figure 2, shows an alternative form of a cone and its top view and front view according to the disclosure. Figure 3, shows a perspective view of a fishing rod and reel with a cone and a maintenance cloth installed on the line according to the disclosure in use. A cone according to the disclosure, see Figure 1, consisting of a foam body 1, with a base diameter 6, having a slit cut to its axis 7, sufficient to ensure maximum compression on a line inside the bottom of the slit, and a slit width 5, 7 to ensure the line's surface is in total contact inside the slit, and the slit along its length 2, to ensure an adequate length of line is enclosed for generating optimum compression tension on the line, for extruding line memory from the line and maintaining the line, and the cone taper 3, fits inside a rod ring for applying compression on the line, and the cone apex,4 for correct orientation in use. An alternative form of a cone, see Figure 2, consisting of a foam body 10, with a base diameter 6, having a slit cut to its axis 7, sufficient to ensure maximum compression on a line inside the bottom of the slit, and the slit width 5, to ensure the line's surface is in total contact inside the slit, and the slit along its length 2, to ensure an adequate length of line is enclosed for generating optimum compression tension on the line, for extruding line memory from the line, and a second slit cut parallel to and at 90° from the axis slit to half axis depth 11, and the slit width 5, and the slit running out hallway along its length 12, for applying a line maintenance cloth separately, and the cone taper 3, fits inside a rod ring for applying compression on the line, and the cone apex 4, for correct orientation in use. In use, see Figure 3 and Figure 1, a fishing rod 20, fastened with a reel 21, release a line 23, by casting out or walking the line out, hold a cone 1, with its apex 4, facing the reel 21, in front of a rod ring 22, and a slit along its length 2, under the line 23, fold a maintenance cloth 24, over the line 23 and use the line to pull the line 23, and maintenance cloth 24, down the slit along its length 2, to the bottom of the slit cut to its axis 7, and fit the cone apex 4, first inside the rod ring 22, ensuring the cone taper 3, locks tight compressing the line 23, inside the cone and maintenance cloth 25, and shown close up 25CU, wind the line 23,through rod rings 29, 28, 27, 26, and 22, and the cone and maintenance cloth 25,under tension onto the reel 21, to extrude line memory from the line and maintain the line. The present disclosure provides a means for removing line memory from a fishing line and maintaining the line. However, it will be appreciated that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the disclosure, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention described.

Claims

25Claims1. A method of removing line memory from a line and maintaining the line carried by a fishing rod and reel consisting of, a compression means comprising5 a cone formed from a compressible material having a slit cut to its axis along its length which fishing line passes through under compressive tension while being wound onto a reel, including the steps of,(1) release the line from the reel, by casting or walking the line out,(2) hold the cone with its apex facing the reel in front of a rod ring, and its slit under the line,fold a maintenance cloth over the10 line and pull the line and maintenance cloth down to the bottom of the slit, (3) fit the cone apex first inside the rod ring ensuring the taper locks tight, compressing the line,(4) wind the line through the cone and maintenance cloth under tension onto the reel to extrude line memory from the line and maintain the line.15 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein, the compression meansconsist of the cone having a slit to accept a line and a maintenance cloth for extruding line memory from the line and maintaining the line, or a cone having a slit to accept a line for extruding line memory from the line and a second slit cut to half axis depth running out halfway along its length parallel to and at 90° from20 the axis slit, for applying a line maintenance cloth separately.

3. The method according to claims 1 or 2 wherein, the cone slit features consist of,(a) the cone slit depth sufficient to ensure maximum compression on a line inside the bottom of the slit, and,(b) the cone slit width to ensure the line's surface is in total contact inside the slit, and,(c) the cone slit length is to ensure25 an adequate length of the line is enclosed for generating optimum compressive tension on the line, and when in use, (a), (b),and (c) combine to extrude line10 04 25memory from the line and maintain the line, or to extrude line memory from the line and for applying a line maintenance cloth separately.

4. The method according to any of the proceeding claims wherein the5 cone is formed from a material selected from, rubber, foam, polyurethane, nitrile, vinyl, silicon, neoprene, synthetic rubber, and combinations thereof.

5. The method according to any of the proceeding claims wherein the cone size range from 20mm diameter x 30mm long up to 70mm diameter x 120mm long.10 6. The method according to any of the proceeding claims wherein the coneincluded taper angle ranges from 20 to 60 degrees.

7. A tool in the form of a cone as a compression means for use in the method of any of the claims 1 to 6 comprising a cone formed from a compressible material that fits inside a rod ring having a slit cut to its axis along 15 its length or a slit cut to half axis depth running out halfway along its length anda size range from 20 mm diameter x 30mm long up to 70mm diameter x 120mm long and a included taper angle range from 20 to 60 degrees, which fishing line passes through under compressive tension when wound onto a reel.

8. The tool according to claim 8 in which the cone is formed from a material 20 selected from, rubber, foam, polyurethane, nitrile, vinyl, silicon, neoprene,synthetic rubber, and combinations thereof.

9. The tool according to claim 8 in which the cone sizes range from 20 mm diameter x 30mm long up to 70mm diameter x 120mm long.

10. The tool according to claim 8 in which the cone included taper angle25 ranges from 20 to 60 degrees.

Images