Gunnel gimbal
View Patent ↗A fishing rod holder device (a gunnel gimbal) that is configured to allow for the free pivotal and/or rotational movement of a fishing rod while in use. In one embodiment, the gunnel gimbal includes a rod holder, an upper rotational plate, a lower rotational plate, and a mounting arm. The rod holder is pivotably coupled to the upper rotational plate, between two upright plates. The upper rotational plate is rotationally coupled to the lower rotational plate, and the lower rotational plate is fixedly coupled to the mounting arm. The mounting arm is configured to engage with a mounting structure, such as a built-in fishing rod tube within a gunnel of a boat. A pivotal location of the rod holder and a rotational position of the upper rotational plate are fixable by use of detent pins.
1 . A fishing rod holder device, the fishing rod holder device comprising:
a rod holder, the rod holder being configured to pivot about a pivotal axis, the rod holder including an elongate body having a tubular shape and including:
a first end, the first end having at least one pivotal axis aperture and a fixing element having an aperture; and
a second end opposite the first end, the second end being a free end;
a rod holder assembly, the rod holder being pivotably coupled to the rod holder assembly, the rod holder assembly including:
an upper rotational plate, the upper rotational plate including a planar base portion, a first upright plate extending upward from the base portion, and a second upright plate extending upward from the base portion, the first upright plate and the second upright plate being at least substantially parallel to each other, each of the first upright plate and the second upright plate having a plurality of pivot fixing point apertures, the base portion including a first rotation fixing point aperture; and
a lower rotational plate, the upper rotational plate being coupled to the lower rotational plate and being movable relative to the lower rotational plate about a rotational axis, the rotational axis extending through a center point of each of the upper rotational plate and the lower rotational plate, the lower rotational plate including a plurality of second rotation fixing point apertures;
a mounting arm, the mounting arm being fixedly coupled to the lower rotational plate; and
a pivot point fixing detent pin, the rod holder being secured at a pivotal position of the rod holder about the pivotal axis when the pivot fixing detent pin is positioned within the aperture of the fixing element, one of the plurality of fixing point apertures of the first upright plate, and one of the plurality of pivot fixing point apertures of the second upright plate.
2 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate body has a tubular shape and the second end of the elongate body has an opening, the elongate body including
a chamber extending between the first end and the second end, the opening of the second end being in communication with the chamber.
3 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 1 , wherein the base portion lies in a first plane and each of the first upright plate and the second upright plate extend in a plane that is at least substantially orthogonal to the base portion.
4 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 1 , wherein the upper rotational plate includes:
a first coupling aperture at a center point of the base portion,
the first rotation fixing point aperture being radially offset from the center point.
5 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 4 , wherein the lower rotational plate includes:
a second coupling aperture at a center point of the lower rotational plate,
the first rotation fixing point aperture being configured to be aligned with any of the plurality of second rotation fixing point apertures depending on a rotational position of the upper rotational plate relative to the lower rotational plate.
6 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 5 , wherein the lower rotational plate has a circular shape, the plurality of second rotation fixing point apertures being arranged around in a circle proximate an edge of the lower rotational plate.
7 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 5 , further comprising a rotation fixing detent pin, the upper rotational plate being rotatable about a rotational axis, wherein the rod holder and the upper rotational plate are secured at a rotational position about the rotational axis when the rotation fixing detent pin is positioned within the first rotation fixing point aperture of the upper rotational plate and one of the plurality of second rotation fixing point apertures of the lower rotational plate.
8 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 1 , wherein the upper rotational plate and the lower rotational plate are coupled together by a bolt extending through a center point of each of the upper rotational plate and the lower rotational plate.
9 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 1 , wherein the mounting arm includes a first portion having a first longitudinal axis and a second portion having a second longitudinal axis, the second longitudinal axis being different than the first longitudinal axis.
10 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 9 , wherein the second longitudinal axis is oriented at an angle to the first longitudinal axis, the angle being approximately 150°.
11 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 10 , wherein the first portion is fixedly connected to the lower rotational plate, such that the upper rotational plate is rotatable relative to the lower rotational plate and the mounting arm.
12 . The fishing rod holder device of claim 9 , wherein:
the second longitudinal axis is oriented at an angle to the first longitudinal axis, the angle being between approximately 110° and approximately 160°.
13 . A fishing rod holder device, the fishing rod holder device comprising:
a rod holder, the rod holder being configured to pivot about a pivotal axis, the rod holder including an elongate body that includes:
a first end having at least one pivotal axis aperture and a fixing element having an aperture; and
a second end opposite the first end, the second end being a free end;
a rod holder assembly, the rod holder being pivotably coupled to the rod holder assembly, the rod holder assembly including:
an upper rotational plate, the upper rotational plate including a planar base portion, a first upright plate extending upward from the base portion, and a second upright plate extending upward from the base portion, the first upright plate and the second upright plate being parallel to each other, each of the first upright plate and the second upright plate having a plurality of pivot fixing point apertures, the rod holder being pivotably coupled between the first upright plate and the second upright plate via a first detent pin extending through the at least one pivotal axis aperture of the elongate body, the base portion including a first rotation fixing point aperture; and
a lower rotational plate, the upper rotational plate being coupled to the lower rotational plate and being movable relative to the lower rotational plate about a rotational axis, the rotational axis extending through a center point of each of the upper rotational plate and the lower rotational plate, the lower rotational plate including a plurality of second rotation fixing point apertures; and
a mounting arm, the mounting arm being fixedly coupled to the lower rotational plate,
the rod holder being secured at a pivotal position about the pivotal axis via a second detent pin extending through one of the plurality of pivot fixing point apertures of the first upright plate, the aperture of the fixing element, and one of the plurality of pivot fixing point apertures of the second upright plate; and
the rod holder and the upper rotational plate are secured at a rotational position about the rotational axis via a third detent pin extending through the first rotation fixing point aperture of the upper rotational plate and one of the plurality of second rotation fixing point apertures of the lower rotational plate.
14 . A fishing rod holder device, the fishing rod holder device comprising:
a rod holder, the rod holder being configured to pivot about a pivotal axis, the rod holder including an elongate body, the elongate body including:
a first end, the first end having at least one pivotal axis aperture and a fixing element having an aperture; and
a second end opposite the first end, the second end being a free end;
a rod holder assembly, the rod holder being pivotably coupled to the rod holder assembly, the rod holder assembly including:
an upper rotational plate, the upper rotational plate including a planar base portion, a first upright plate extending upward from the base portion, and a second upright plate extending upward from the base portion, the first upright plate and the second upright plate being parallel to each other, each of the first upright plate and the second upright plate having a plurality of pivot fixing point apertures, the base portion including a first rotation fixing point aperture, the upper rotational plate further including a first coupling aperture at a center point of the base portion, the first rotation fixing point aperture being radially offset from the center point; and
a lower rotational plate, the upper rotational plate being rotationally coupled to the lower rotational plate and being movable relative to the lower rotational plate about a rotational axis, the rotational axis extending through a center point of each of the upper rotational plate and the lower rotational plate, the lower rotational plate including a plurality of second rotation fixing point apertures, the lower rotational plate further including a second coupling aperture at a center point of the lower rotational plate, the first rotation fixing point aperture being configured to be aligned with any of the plurality of second rotation fixing point apertures depending on a rotational position of the upper rotational plate relative to the lower rotational plate, the lower rotational plate having a circular shape, the plurality of second rotation fixing point apertures being arranged in a circle proximate an edge of the lower rotational plate; and
a mounting arm, the mounting arm being fixedly coupled to the lower rotational plate.