IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,207,636
Granted Patent B2
US 12,207,636 · App. 18/366,106 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Line management tool

Inventors: Hal Hardinge (Tigard, OR); Keith Langenwalter (Portland, OR); Charlie Hartzell (Portland, OR); Seth Jaramus (Portland, OR)
Assignee: FISKARS BRANDS, INC.
A01K91/04B25B7/02B25B7/08B25B7/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,207,636
App. No.
18/366,106
Granted
Jan 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fishing tool includes a main body and a cutting assembly coupled to the main body. The cutting assembly includes a top jaw, a bottom jaw rotatable relative to the top jaw, and a scissor assembly including a top blade and a bottom blade rotatable relative to the top blade. The top blade and the bottom blade are removably coupled to the top jaw and the bottom jaw.

Claims (40)

1. A fishing tool comprising:

a main body; and

a cutting assembly coupled to the main body, comprising:

a top jaw;

a bottom jaw rotatable relative to the top jaw; and

a scissor assembly, comprising:

a top blade; and

a bottom blade rotatable relative to the top blade;

wherein the top blade and the bottom blade are removably coupled to the top jaw and the bottom jaw, and

wherein the bottom jaw includes a bottom opening formed through the bottom jaw and a bottom slot extending away from the bottom opening;

wherein the top jaw includes a top opening formed through the top jaw and a top slot extending away from the top opening, wherein the top jaw is movable relative to the bottom jaw between an open clamping position and a closed clamping position configured to hold a fish hook in place between the top jaw and the bottom jaw,

wherein, in the closed clamping position, the top opening is aligned with the bottom opening to allow a fishing line to be threaded through an eyelet of the fish hook held between a top clamping surface and a bottom clamping surface; and

wherein the top slot is aligned with the bottom slot so that the fishing line threaded through the eyelet of the fish hook is removable through the top slot and the bottom slot.

2. The fishing tool of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member configured to apply a biasing force to bias the top jaw toward the open clamping position.

3. The fishing tool of claim 1 , wherein the top blade includes a top blade projection positioned within a top jaw recess to inhibit relative movement between the top blade and the top jaw.

4. The fishing tool of claim 1 , further comprising a lock coupled to the bottom jaw, wherein the scissor assembly is selectively movable between an open scissor position and a closed scissor position, with a partially closed scissor position located between the open scissor position and the closed scissor position, wherein the lock is selectively movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and wherein in the locked position, the lock prevents the scissor assembly from moving from the partially closed scissor position to the open scissor position.

5. The fishing tool of claim 1 , wherein the top jaw includes a centering protrusion and the bottom jaw defines a centering recess that receives the centering protrusion when the top jaw is in the closed clamping position.

6. The fishing tool of claim 5 , wherein the top opening extends though the centering protrusion and the bottom opening extends through the centering recess.

7. The fishing tool of claim 1 , further comprising a clip including a clip aperture and a clip fastener positioned within the clip aperture and a bottom jaw aperture in the bottom jaw to secure the clip to the bottom jaw.

8. The fishing tool of claim 7 , wherein the clip fastener is configured to be threaded into the bottom jaw aperture.

9. A fishing tool comprising:

a main body; and

a clamping assembly coupled to the main body, comprising:

a bottom jaw including a bottom opening formed through the bottom jaw and a bottom slot extending away from the bottom opening; and

a top jaw including a top opening formed through the top jaw and a top slot extending away from the top opening, wherein the top jaw is rotatably coupled to the bottom jaw and movable relative to the bottom jaw between an open clamping position and a closed clamping position configured to hold a fish hook in place between the top jaw and the bottom jaw,

wherein, in the closed clamping position, the top opening is aligned with the bottom opening to allow a fishing line to be threaded through an eyelet of the fish hook held between a top clamping surface and a bottom clamping surface; and

wherein the top slot is aligned with the bottom slot so that the fishing line threaded through the eyelet of the fish hook is removable through the top slot and the bottom slot.

10. The fishing tool of claim 9 , wherein the top jaw includes a centering protrusion and the bottom jaw defines a centering recess that receives the centering protrusion when the top jaw is in the closed clamping position.

11. The fishing tool of claim 10 , wherein the top opening extends though the centering protrusion and the bottom opening extends through the centering recess.

12. The fishing tool of claim 11 , wherein the top jaw includes a top exterior surface, wherein the bottom jaw includes a bottom exterior surface, wherein the top opening is wider near the top exterior surface and narrower near the top clamping surface, and wherein the bottom opening is wider near the bottom exterior surface and narrower near the bottom clamping surface.

13. The fishing tool of claim 12 , further comprising a biasing member configured to apply a biasing force to bias the top jaw toward the open clamping position.

14. The fishing tool of claim 9 , further comprising:

a scissor assembly, comprising:

a top blade; and

a bottom blade rotatable relative to the top blade;

wherein the top blade and the bottom blade are removably coupled to the top jaw and the bottom jaw.

15. The fishing tool of claim 14 , further comprising a lock coupled to the bottom jaw, wherein the scissor assembly is selectively movable between an open scissor position and a closed scissor position, with a partially closed scissor position located between the open scissor position and the closed scissor position, wherein the lock is selectively movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and wherein in the locked position, the lock prevents the scissor assembly from moving from the partially closed scissor position to the open scissor position.

16. The fishing tool of claim 14 , wherein the top blade includes a top blade projection positioned within a top jaw recess to inhibit relative movement between the top blade and the top jaw.

17. The fishing tool of claim 14 , further comprising a clip including a clip aperture and a clip fastener positioned within the clip aperture and a bottom jaw aperture in the bottom jaw to secure the clip to the bottom jaw.

18. The fishing tool of claim 17 , wherein the clip fastener is configured to be threaded into the bottom jaw aperture.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2026
From: FISKARS BRANDS, INC.
To: GERBER OUTDOOR, LLC
Reel/Frame 075918/0509 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2023
From: HARDINGE, HAL; LANGENWALTER, KEITH; HARTZELL, CHARLIE; JARAMUS, SETH
To: FISKARS BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 064508/0676 →
Continuity (3)
Division 16481163
Provisional Application 62455372 · Feb 6, 2017
Related Publication 20230371487A1 · Nov 23, 2023
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Cited By (1)
US 12,594,613