Cast control and drag mechanism

{
  "publication_number": "US12185705B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Cast control and drag mechanism",
  "abstract": "A fishing rod including a rod body, a free line cast control and drag mechanism operatively connected to a proximal end of the rod body, and a line operatively threaded through the free line cast control and drag mechanism and running through a hollow passageway of the rod body and out a distal end. A method of fishing with the fishing rod by casting the line out of the distal end of the rod body onto a body of water, detecting that a fish is on the line, and pulling the line through the proximal end of the rod body and through the free line cast control and drag mechanism.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A fishing rod comprising: a rod body; a free line cast control and drag mechanism operatively connected to a proximal end of said rod body; and a line operatively threaded through said free line cast control and drag mechanism and running through a hollow passageway of said rod body and out a distal end such that said line is capable of being manually pulled through said proximal end of said rod body with a hand of a user with direct contact between said user and said line, wherein said free line cast control and drag mechanism allows said user to manually apply and release pressure to said line by an arm of said user applying or releasing pressure on said free line cast control and drag mechanism by said arm of said user being in direct contact with said free line cast control and drag mechanism, said free line cast control and drag mechanism including a housing including a passageway extending from a proximal end to a distal end and a top outlet, a drag piece and a spring that prevents said drag piece from pushing into said line unless pressure is directly applied by said arm of said user onto a push button that pushes said line onto said drag piece, wherein said push button activates a pressure pin that contacts and pushes said line onto said drag piece, and said spring holding said pressure pin that prevents said pressure pin from contacting and pushing into said line until pressure is applied to said push button, wherein a longitudinal axis of said free line cast and control drag mechanism is aligned with a longitudinal axis of said rod body, and wherein said fishing rod is configured for fly fishing and does not include a reel.",
    "2. The fishing rod of claim 1, wherein said rod body is made of a material chosen from the group consisting of fiberglass and carbon fiber.",
    "3. The fishing rod of claim 1, wherein said housing is made of a material chosen from the group consisting of plastic and metal.",
    "4. The fishing rod of claim 1, wherein said housing is a cylindrical shape.",
    "5. The fishing rod of claim 1, wherein said passageway is connected to at least one rod receiving compartment for receiving a proximal end of said rod body.",
    "6. The fishing rod of claim 1, wherein said housing further includes a lock/unlock hole for disassembly of said free line cast control and drag mechanism.",
    "7. The fishing rod of claim 1, wherein a holding plate secures said pressure pin, said spring, and said drag piece inside said housing.",
    "8. The fishing rod of claim 1, further including a lock washer surrounding said push button for locking said push button and said pressure pin in place.",
    "9. The fishing rod of claim 1, further including a draining hole.",
    "10. The fishing rod of claim 1, further including an internal housing that secures said pressure pin and said spring.",
    "11. The fishing rod of claim 1, wherein said line further includes a floating line stopper at a proximal end that prevents said line from being pulled out through said distal end of said rod body.",
    "12. A fishing rod comprising a hollow rod body including a line extending therethrough and a free line cast control and drag mechanism that applies and releases pressure manually by an arm of a user as needed to said line to control movement of said line through said rod body by said arm of said user being in direct contact with said free line cast control and drag mechanism in order to extend said line from said rod body or draw said line back in wherein said line is capable of being manually pulled through a proximal end of said rod body with a hand of said user by direct contact between said user and said line, said free line cast control and drag mechanism including a drag piece and a spring that prevents said drag piece from pushing into said line unless pressure is directly applied by said arm of said user onto a push button that pushes said line onto said drag piece, wherein said push button activates a pressure pin that contacts and pushes said line onto said drag piece, and said spring holding said pressure pin that prevents said pressure pin from contacting and pushing into said line until pressure is applied to said push button, wherein a longitudinal axis of said free line cast and control drag mechanism is aligned with a longitudinal axis of said rod body, and wherein said fishing rod is configured for fly fishing and does not include a reel.",
    "13. A free line cast control and drag mechanism for use with a fishing rod having a rod body, comprising: a housing including a passageway extending from a proximal end to a distal end for receiving a fishing rod and line and a top outlet for receiving a push button mechanism for applying drag to said line within said passageway, wherein said free line cast control and drag mechanism allows a user to manually apply and release pressure to said line with an arm of said user by said arm of said user being in direct contact with said free line cast control and drag mechanism, wherein said line is capable of being manually pulled through said housing at a proximal end of said fishing rod with a hand of said user by direct contact between said user and said line, said free line cast control and drag mechanism including a drag piece and a spring that prevents said drag piece from pushing into said line unless pressure is directly applied by said arm of said user onto a push button that pushes said line onto said drag piece, said push button activating a pressure pin that contacts and pushes said line onto said drag piece, and said spring holding said pressure pin that prevents said pressure pin from contacting and pushing into said line until pressure is applied to said push button, said housing further including a lock/unlock hole for disassembly of said free line cast control and drag mechanism, a lock washer surrounding said push button for locking said push button and said pressure pin in place, a draining hole, and an internal housing that secures said pressure pin and said spring, and wherein a holding plate secures said pressure pin, said spring, and said drag piece inside said housing, wherein a longitudinal axis of said free line cast and control drag mechanism is aligned with a longitudinal axis of said rod body, and wherein said free line cast control and drag mechanism is configured for fly fishing and does not include a reel."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to fishing equipment and especially fly fishing rods. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods of casting short distances with a fishing rod.\n\nFly fishing is a popular sport wherein a fisherman uses an artificial fly to catch fish by casting the fly with a fly rod and fly line. The weight of the fly line carries the hook through the air, as opposed to a lure with other fishing methods.\n\nCurrently, during fly fishing, in order to cast a fly, a reel, rod, and fly line are required. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,770 to Creek discloses a fly rod and reel combination (10) which includes an elongated arcuate reel positioning member (16). Fly rod (11) is provided with a hollow butt end (13) and a hollow cylindrical extension (19) having a set of male threads (20) on its outside surface. Fly reel (28) is attached to a second end (25) of an elongated arcuate reel positioning member (16) which has a positioner extension member (18) attached to a second end. Positioner extension member (18) is sized and shaped to be frictionally received by cylindrical extension (19). A stop flange (22) is radially attached around the first rod attachment end (17) of the elongated arcuate reel positioning member (16) between it and positioner extension member (18). Flange (22) prevents the rod attachment end of the elongated arcuate reel positioning member (16) from entering into the hollow cylindrical extension (19) when positioner extension member (16) is engaged therein.",
  "cpc": [
    "A01K 87/005",
    "A01K 87/00",
    "A01K 87/002",
    "A01K 87/007",
    "F16B 2/065"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A01K 87/00",
    "F16B 2/06"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Florin Petroj"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-03-19",
  "publication_date": "2025-01-07",
  "grant_date": "2025-01-07",
  "priority_date": "2017-10-05",
  "application_number": "US-202016824562-A",
  "family_id": "65994745",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US3643367A",
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    "US5040323A",
    "US5170581A",
    "US5381619A",
    "US5575103A",
    "US20080193260A1",
    "US7461476B1",
    "US20090209171A1",
    "US20110209383A1",
    "US20150223438A1"
  ]
}