Patent Application
20060207513
The invention relates generally to deer feed, and, more specifically, to deer feed spreaders.
Interpretation Considerations
This section describes the technical field in more detail, and discusses problems encountered in the technical field. This section does not describe prior art as defined for purposes of anticipation or obviousness under 35 U.S.C. section 102 or 35 U.S.C. section 103. Thus, nothing stated in the Problem Statement is to be construed as prior art.
Discussion
Deer feeders are used during hunting season to both build a healthier deer population, and to encourage a population to gather in a desired location. This is sometimes referred to as a game-management system. Deer feeders are typically stationary, often taking the appearance of a small, elevated grain silos or barrels. Although these deer feeders may provide a reliable and continuous supply of deer feed, the supply is very difficult to move. Accordingly, there is little spread in the feed.
In addition, there are a great many kinds of deer feed available that have different proportions of corn, soybeans, rice bran, nuts, pellets, peanut butter, and many other components. If a user employs a stationary feeder, then his ability to experiment with different feeds or to change feeds with the season is severely limited. Furthermore, the transport and disposal of prior art deer feeders is problematic. Accordingly, there is a need for a device that overcomes these shortcomings associated with the distribution of deer feed.
Various aspects of the invention, as well as an embodiment, are better understood by reference to the following detailed description. To better understand the invention, the detailed description should be read in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Interpretation Considerations
When reading this section (An Exemplary Embodiment of a Best Mode, which describes an exemplary embodiment of the best mode of the invention, hereinafter “exemplary embodiment”), one should keep in mind several points. First, the following exemplary embodiment is what the inventor believes to be the best mode for practicing the invention at the time this patent was filed. Thus, since one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize from the following exemplary embodiment that substantially equivalent structures or substantially equivalent acts may be used to achieve the same results in exactly the same way, or to achieve the same results in a not dissimilar way, the following exemplary embodiment should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to one embodiment.
Likewise, individual aspects (sometimes called species) of the invention are provided as examples, and, accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize from a following exemplary structure (or a following exemplary act) that a substantially equivalent structure or substantially equivalent act may be used to either achieve the same results in substantially the same way, or to achieve the same results in a not dissimilar way.
Accordingly, the discussion of a species (or a specific item) invokes the genus (the class of items) to which that species belongs as well as related species in that genus. Likewise, the recitation of a genus invokes the species known in the art. Furthermore, it is recognized that as technology develops, a number of additional alternatives to achieve an aspect of the invention may arise. Such advances are hereby incorporated within their respective genus, and should be recognized as being functionally equivalent or structurally equivalent to the aspect shown or described.
Second, the only essential aspects of the invention are identified by the claims. Thus, aspects of the invention, including elements, acts, functions, and relationships (shown or described) should not be interpreted as being essential unless they are explicitly described and identified as being essential. Third, a function or an act should be interpreted as incorporating all modes of doing that function or act, unless otherwise explicitly stated (for example, one recognizes that “tacking” may be done by nailing, stapling, gluing, hot gunning, riveting, etc., and so a use of the word tacking invokes stapling, gluing, etc., and all other modes of that word and similar words, such as “attaching”).
Fourth, unless explicitly stated otherwise, conjunctive words (such as “or”, “and”, “including”, or “comprising” for example) should be interpreted in the inclusive, not the exclusive, sense. Fifth, the words “means” and “step” are provided to facilitate the reader's understanding of the invention and do not mean “means” or “step” as defined in §112, paragraph 6 of 35 U.S.C., unless used as “means for—functioning—” or “step for—functioning—” in the Claims section. Sixth, the invention is also described in view of the Festo decisions, and, in that regard, the claims and the invention incorporate equivalents known, unknown, foreseeable, and unforeseeable. Seventh, the language and each word used in the invention should be given the ordinary interpretation of the language and the word, unless indicated otherwise.
Of course, the foregoing discussions and definitions are provided for clarification purposes and are not limiting. Words and phrases are to be given their ordinary plain meaning unless indicated otherwise.
Description of the Drawings
The invention provides advantages as a backpack adapted to function as a deer feeder. By storing and dispensing deer feed from a backpack, a user has significant control over the area being covered with deer feed, and also has control over the type or mixture of deer feed. In addition, the problem of a stationary deer feeder scaring deer is eliminated. Furthermore, transport of the present invention is easy, and there are no disposal issues. Of course, the teachings of the invention are applicable to many other arts, and the invention may be used to spread any feed, seed, fertilizer or other dry material.
Since deer feed is commonly available in fifty-pound sacks, the panels of the backpack 100 are preferably strong canvass or other machine-washable material. However, the panels may be made of fiberglass, mesh (that can hold a bag of feed), or other materials. In one embodiment, the panels comprise a camouflaged exterior. In yet another embodiment, the deer feed dispenser 100 is the only means of entry to or exit from the chamber 140. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the deer feed dispenser 190 is a zipper that is no longer than six inches in length.
The backpack 100 also includes a first horizontal reinforcement 184 and a second horizontal reinforcement 186 coupled to the back panel 130. Here, first ends 187, 188 of the shoulder straps 180, 182 are coupled to the fist horizontal reinforcement 184, and second ends 189, 191 of shoulder straps 180, 182 are coupled to the second reinforcement 186. Each of the shoulder straps 180, 182 are length-adjustable via buckles 193, 195 or other means known, foreseeable, or unforeseeable.
Additional advantages may be realized by incorporating additional features into the invention. For example,
The backpack 300 includes a secondary opening 330 for accepting deer feed. Accordingly, the backpack 300 opening 330 is openable and closable. In one embodiment, the backpack incorporates Velcro® by including soft-fuzzy loops 332 on a flap 331 and miniature plastic hooks 334 on a portion of a front panel 340 corresponding to the flap 331, and is operable in a well-known manner. Of course, many alternatives exist for enabling the opening to open and close, such as a zipper, or any other equivalent. In addition, it should be understood that although the opening is shown here in the top panel, the opening may also be located in any panel such that deer feed may be easily added to and maintained in the backpack 300.
An alternative dispenser 390 is illustrated in
Here, the bottom panel 360 of the chamber is an inclined plane that descends to the dispenser 390, such that the deer feeder dispenser 390 is disposed along a bottom portion of the inclined planed bottom panel 360. The feedbag punch 354 extends from the conduit 352 and into the interior a sufficient length to puncture a feedbag and allow feed to flow to the conduit. The feedbag punch 354 in one embodiment comprises a circular/triangular puncture portion, analogous to an oilcan punch and pour tool. Of course, many alternative equivalents are readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the invention, and all such equivalents known, foreseeable or unforeseeable are incorporated within the teachings of the invention.
Also shown in
Of course, it should be understood that the order of the acts of the algorithms discussed herein may be accomplished in different order depending on the preferences of those skilled in the art, and such acts may be accomplished as software. Furthermore, though the invention has been described with respect to a specific preferred embodiment, many variations and modifications (including equivalents) will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the present application. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims and their equivalents be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the prior art to include all such variations and modifications.
