Bladder-molded fishing rod and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A fishing rod including a tubular body where the tubular body is folded over into a contact relationship with itself to define a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion. An internal support is formed integral to the tubular body and the internal support separates the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion. The fishing rod being manufactured using bladder-molding processes.

1 . A fishing rod comprising:
 at least one tubular body, the tubular body being folded over at least once into a contact relationship with itself to define at least a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion; and   at least one support formed integral with the tubular body, the support separating the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion.   
   
   
       2 . The fishing rod according to  claim 1 , wherein the support is formed by the contact relationship. 
   
   
       3 . The fishing rod according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body includes a handle portion, a rod portion, and a tip. 
   
   
       4 . The fishing rod according to  claim 3 , wherein the handle portion is substantially circular in cross-section. 
   
   
       5 . The fishing rod according to  claim 3 , wherein the rod portion is substantially elliptical in cross-section. 
   
   
       6 . The fishing rod according to  claim 5 , wherein the support extends perpendicular to the major axis of the rod portion. 
   
   
       7 . The fishing rod according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body is folded a second time to define a third hollow portion and a fourth hollow portion. 
   
   
       8 . The fishing rod according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one support comprises first and second supports, the first and second supports separating the hollow portions. 
   
   
       9 . The fishing rod according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second tubular body, the second tubular body being folded over at least once to contact itself to define at least a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion; and   at least one support formed integral with the tubular body, the support separating the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion.   
   
   
       10 . The fishing rod according to  claim 9 , further comprising means for joining the at least one tubular body to the second tubular body. 
   
   
       11 . The fishing rod according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body has a hexagonal cross-section. 
   
   
       12 . A fishing rod comprising:
 a tubular body formed by providing a bladder over a mandrel, wrapping a resin-impregnated material over the bladder to provide a wrapped resin-impregnated material, removing the mandrel from the wrapped resin-impregnated material, folding the wrapped resin-impregnated material onto itself at least once to form the tubular body having at least two separate bladder portions and at least one integrally formed support, and curing the tubular body in a mold.   
   
   
       13 . The fishing rod according to  claim 12 , wherein the tubular body includes a handle portion, a rod portion, and a solid tip. 
   
   
       14 . The fishing rod according to  claim 13 , wherein the handle portion is substantially circular in cross-section. 
   
   
       15 . The fishing rod according to  claim 13 , wherein the rod portion is substantially elliptical in cross-section. 
   
   
       16 . The fishing rod according to  claim 15 , wherein the support extends perpendicular to the major axis of the rod portion. 
   
   
       17 . A method of forming a fishing rod with at least one integrally formed support, the method comprising:
 providing a bladder over a mandrel;   wrapping a resin-impregnated material over the bladder to provide a wrapped resin-impregnated material;   removing the mandrel from the wrapped resin-impregnated material;   folding the wrapped resin-impregnated material onto itself at least once to form a tubular body, wherein folding the wrapped resin-impregnated material forms at least two separate bladder portions and the integrally formed support within the tubular body;   placing the tubular body into a mold; and   molding the tubular body to provide the fishing rod with the integrally formed support.   
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein each of the bladder portions includes an open end, the method includes sealing one of the open ends and attaching a nozzle to the other open end. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein molding the tubular body includes supplying compressed air to the nozzle to inflate both bladder portions. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein molding the tubular body includes heating the mold to cure the tubular body. 
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the mold includes a first and second mold portions and molding the tubular body includes compressing the first and second mold portions together 
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein molding the tubular body includes heating the mold to cure the tubular body.