Patent Application
20220125039
This document relates generally to the field of waterfowl hunting and, more particularly, to a new and improved full body and floating decoy with a novel stake system.
Currently duck hunters use several types of decoys to attract ducks into the desired hunting area. These include (a) floating duck decoys in swimming and feeding positions that move in the wind and bob on the water to provide life-like motion and (b) dry field decoys that sit on stakes that are pushed into the ground or form a stand base on top of the ground.
This document relates to a new and improved all-purpose duck decoy having a full body and a configurable stake allowing the duck decoy to be selectively deployed as (a) a floating decoy, (b) a staked decoy in shallow water or (c) a staked dry decoy on land depending upon the particular desires of the user. For the first time, one duck decoy meets all of the possible needs of the hunter as dictated by different hunting spots and the unique environmental conditions of those spots. The added versatility of use and display characteristic of the new and improved duck decoy is a significant benefit to the hunter and represents an advancement in the duck decoy art.
In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a new and improved duck decoy is provided. That duck decoy comprises a decoy body and a support stake carried by the decoy body. The support stake is selectively configurable into a swimming configuration or a standing configuration so that the duck decoy may be deployed floating on the water, standing in shallow water or standing on dry land.
In one or more of the many possible embodiments of the duck decoy, the support stake includes two sections. The first section may be engaged in a first receiver of the decoy body so that the stake is carried by the decoy body in any of its various deployment configurations. In one or more embodiments, the decoy body also carries a second receiver adapted to receive and hold the second section of the support stake when the support stake is in the swimming configuration. More particularly, the first receiver may be provided within the decoy body while the second receiver may extends outside or project from the decoy body.
The duck decoy may include a connector adapted to secure the first section to the second section when the support stake is in the standing configuration. That connector may include (a) a male portion carried on one of the first section and the second section and (b) a cooperating female portion carried on the other of the first section and the second section. The male portion plugs into the female portion in order to complete the connection.
The connector may also include a retainer adapted to hold the first and second sections of the support stake together when in either the swimming configuration or the standing configuration. The retainer may comprise an elastic cord having a first end connected to the male portion and a second end connected to the female portion.
In one or more of the many possible embodiments of the duck decoy, the decoy body includes a front, a rear, opposed sides and a flat bottom. The front, the rear and the opposed sides may curve inward adjacent the flat bottom. That flat bottom may be keel-free.
A bracket may be provided on the flat bottom and an anchor system may be attached to that bracket. That anchor system may include a pendulum weight, a connector adapted to connect the pendulum weight to the duck decoy, an anchor weight and a decoy cord connected between the pendulum weight and the anchor weight. Further, a swivel may be connected between the pendulum weight and the decoy cord to prevent the decoy cord from twisting and knotting as the duck decoy moves and turns on the water in response to changing wind conditions.
In accordance with yet another aspect, a duck decoy comprises a keel-free decoy body and a support stake carried by the decoy body. The support stake may be selectively configurable into a swimming configuration or a standing configuration. That decoy body may be a full decoy body having a front, a rear, opposed sides and a flat bottom. The front, the rear and the opposed sides may curve inward adjacent the flat bottom. The inwardly curved surfaces of the front, sides and rear of the decoy body are apparent above the water line when the duck decoy is deployed to float on the water thereby giving the decoy a more life-like shape and quality.
The duck decoy may also include an anchor system having a pendulum weight, a connector adapted to connect the pendulum weight to the duck decoy, an anchor weight, a decoy cord connected between the pendulum weight and the anchor weight and a swivel connected between the pendulum weight and the decoy cord. In this way, the floating duck decoy may be constrained to a selected area of the pond or other body of water.
In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the duck decoy. As it should be realized, the duck decoy is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the duck decoy as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the patent specification, illustrate several aspects of the duck decoy and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the anchor system and self-righting, keel-free duck decoy, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
Reference is now made to
In the illustrated embodiment, the duck decoy 12 is keel-free: that is, there is no weighted keel on the flat bottom 22. See
A support stake 32 is carried by the decoy body 12. The support stake 32 is best illustrated in
A connector 38, carried on the two sections 34,36, is adapted to releasably secure the first section 34 to the second section 36. As illustrated in
When the support stake 32 is in the standing configuration, the two sections 34 and 36 are connected together: that is, the male portion 40 is plugged into and received in the female portion 42 to hold the stake sections together in alignment (see
If one later wishes to deploy the duck decoy 10 floating on the water, the stake 32 is pulled from the ground G and the stake 32 is then pulled apart at the connector 38: that is, the two sections 34, 36 are disconnected.
As best shown in
As shown in
As more fully explained in copending U.S. patent application serial no. 2364S/001US, also filed on Oct. 28, 2021, (the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference), the pendulum weight 60 is connected to the bracket 28 at the bottom 22 of the decoy body and swings in an arc across the decoy body thereby providing a self-righting action to the decoy 10 as it floats on the water. In the absence of a weighted keel, it should be appreciated that drag is reduced and the duck decoy 10 moves more quickly and freely on the water W in response to changing wind conditions. This provides a more life-like appearance better suited to attract ducks to the area.
The anchor weight 64 rests on the bottom B of the body of water W to hold the duck decoy 10 in the area encompassed by the length of the decoy cord 66. The swivel 68, connected between the pendulum weight 60 and the decoy cord 66 ensures that the decoy cord is not twisted and knotted as a result of the turning movement of the duck decoy 12 in response to changes in wind direction.
Each of the following terms: “includes”, “including”, “has”, “having”, “comprises”, and “comprising”, and, their linguistic/grammatical variants, derivatives, or/and conjugates, as used herein, means “including, but not limited to”, and is to be taken as specifying the stated component(s), feature(s), characteristic(s), parameter(s), integer(s), or step(s), and does not preclude addition of one or more additional component(s), feature(s), characteristic(s), parameter(s), integer(s), step(s), or groups thereof.
Terms of approximation, such as the terms about, substantially, approximately, etc., as used herein, refers to ±10% of the stated numerical value. Use of the terms concentric, parallel or perpendicular are meant to mean approximately meeting this condition, unless otherwise specified.
It is to be fully understood that certain aspects, characteristics, and features, of the duck decoy, which are, for clarity, illustratively described and presented in the context or format of a plurality of separate embodiments, may also be illustratively described and presented in any suitable combination or sub-combination in the context or format of a single embodiment. Conversely, various aspects, characteristics, and features, of the duck decoy which are illustratively described and presented in combination or sub-combination in the context or format of a single embodiment may also be illustratively described and presented in the context or format of a plurality of separate embodiments.
Although the duck decoy of this disclosure has been illustratively described and presented by way of specific exemplary embodiments, and examples thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, or/and variations, thereof, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that all such alternatives, modifications, or/and variations, fall within the spirit of, and are encompassed by, the broad scope of the appended claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/106,605, filed on Oct. 28, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63106605 | Oct 2020 | US |
