Abstract:
The TREESTAND SEAT COVER is a weather and scent impermeable cover for the primary protection of the treestand seat. Its&#39; design is similar to a pillow case with an expanded opening end to allow for close fitting of the cover around the risers and other structural components of the treestand. The TREESTAND SEAT COVER is applied to the treestand using hook &amp; loop and elastic straps.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not applicable  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not Applicable  
         REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX  
         [0003]    Not Applicable  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    This invention relates to the field of hunting equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to treestands and treestand accessories. This invention is a cover for the seat and the user-occupied portion of a treestand.  
           [0005]    Hunters, naturalists, photographers, and other users of portable treestands use portable treestands to obtain heights above the animals they intend to observe, photograph, or hunt.  
           [0006]    Gaining height over animals gives the user of treestands the advantage of being less likely to be detected by the animals through the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION, Continued—-animals&#39; keen senses of sight and smell.  
           [0007]    Most climbing treestands are made of two parts or structures; a platform part, which a user stands upon after elevating himself to the desired height; and a seat structure, which supports a seat for the user.  
           [0008]    The platform structure and the seat structure are attached to the tree using a variety of adjustable supports, which wrap around the tree and connect to angled risers. Each structure has its own support wrap and its own risers. The risers of the platform structure and the risers of the seat structure usually intersect with the platform structure and the seat support structure at similar locations and angles.  
           [0009]    Because trees are usually bigger at their base, the treestand user starts his accent of the tree with both the seat structure and the platform structure at an incline. As the user moves higher, the structures level themselves when the diameter of the tree diminishes to a diameter equal to the previously set diameter of the treestand support strap.  
           [0010]    The treestand seats (which are supported by the seat structure) vary in size, style, method of attachment, and substance of material. Some are removable with minimal effort. Most treestand seats are positioned so the user has his back to the tree. Others are positioned so the user has to face the tree.  
           [0011]    Despite the portable nature of most treestands, users often prefer to leave their treestands in the woods or the area that they are observing. They prefer to leave them for many reasons, some of which are as follows.  
           [0012]    Animals are both elusive and repetitive in nature. A hunter or photographer may have to try for weeks to photograph or take his quarry.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION, Continued—-Or  
         [0013]    it may be that the treestand user has immediate success, but wants more success from the same location. And it may be that leaving a treestand in the area allows the treestand to “cool off”, i.e., wary game may need time to get used to the treestand. Whatever the reason for the treestand user to leave the treestand, there is a couple of problems to be addressed.  
           [0014]    Despite the fact that treestand is intended to be used outdoors, most treestand seats are made of materials which do not resist water. Treestand seats absorb precipitation, making them wet, soggy, and uncomfortable to the user. The colder and wetter the climate, the more uncomfortable the seat can become.  
           [0015]    Immediately after use, the treestand seat (whether it is wet or dry) is saturated with human scent. Leaving the human scent saturated seat in the field exposes the user to detection by animals after the user has departed the area. That scent can cling to the seat and treestand structure for hours.  
           [0016]    Exposure of the treestand to the elements weakens first, the seat material, then the structure itself. The seat will weaken to the point of being unsafe over time. Frequency of exposure, duration of exposure and the type of material will determine how fast the seat material breaks down.  
           [0017]    Protection of the treestand seat and the treestand structures and scent control can be accomplished with my invention of a protective cover that is made of materials impermeable to precipitation and sunlight.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0018]    The TREESTAND SEAT COVER is intended to protect the treestand structure and the treestand seat from the detrimental effects of  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION, Continued—-climatic exposure when the treestand is not in use. The TREESTAND SEAT COVER is also intended to contain human human scent on the treestand seat and treestand structure when not in use.  
         [0019]    Protection from the climatic elements will prolong the useful life of the treestand and the treestand seat. Protection from the climate will enable the user to have a dry seat to use upon arrival.  
           [0020]    Containment of human scent between uses is important to help the user&#39;s presence to be as undetectable as possible.  
           [0021]    Protection from the elements and scent control is attained by enveloping the user-occupied portion of the treestand (the part the user sits or stands on) in a weather impermeable cover, which is sealed with hook and loop and attached to the treestand with an elastic strap.  
           [0022]    The cover is sac-like in appearance with the opening end expanded in width to allow for clearance of the treestand risers.  
           [0023]    The opening end is closed with use of hook &amp; loop. Hook &amp; loop allows for a snug fit around risers and other structural portions of the treestand. Hook &amp; loop and the wide opening allow for fitting the cover on many different shape risers and other structures and allow for fitting risers and structures that vary in width and depth. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0024]    [0024]FIG. 1 (Page  12 ) is an external view of the subject invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 (Page  13 ) is a view of a typically constructed portable climbing treestand.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING, Continued— 
       [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 (Page  14 ) is a view of the top and bottom of the exterior of the invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 (Page  15 ) is a view of the top and bottom of the interior of the invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 (Page  16 ) is a view of the invention applied to a typical seat structure of a portable climbing treestand.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]    The invention of the TREESTAND COVER consists of the development of a weather impermeable and scent impermeable cover for treestand seats and treestand structures.  
         [0030]    The seat structure of most treestands are approximately 20 to 23½ inches wide. Some have open fronts and some have closed fronts, which means the main outside support bar may or may not encircle or enclose the user (see FIG. 2 on Page  13 ). Open fronts may be as short as 15 inches and closed fronts may exceed 30 inches. These measurements are taken from cross members closest to the tree to the outside end of the treestand (the front end).  
         [0031]    Most treestand support members range in size from ¾″ diameter to 1½″ diameter. Risers rise at different angles, are positioned at different widths and are at different depths.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, Continued—-  
       [0032]    To sum up, treestands are different in size, style, and structural member spacing. So what is important to know about the TREESTAND COVER is that the opening mouth of the cover is widened to accommodate the varied width and spacing of treestand members and risers. The hook &amp; loop combined with the flexibility and moldability of the fabric allows for fitting the fabric around most shapes and sizes of risers. The elasticity of the elastic strap will take back any remaining slack in the (closed) opening and hold it on the treestand through tension on the back cross members.  
         [0033]    The seat of the treestand, whether it is hard or soft, only needs to be moved forward (away from the tree) two inches to be fully enclosed and secured in the TREESTAND COVER. This will keep the seat and the user-occupied portion of the treestand out of the weather and the scent contained.  
         [0034]    On FIG. 3 (on Page  14 ), the two center holes of the top of the bottom of the TREESTAND COVER are aligned equidistant from their respective centers.The center holes are located 4 ¼inches from center on the opening edge of the cover. The outside holes in the top edge of the opening are located  17 ″ from center. The outside holes of bottom are located  18 ″ from center. Most treestands use approximately one-inch diameter outside structures. The bottom of the cover has to travel one inch further to go around the outside structure so the outside hole space is one inch further from center.  
         [0035]    Some outside members may be a little wider and some may be smaller, thus changing the exact hole alignment of the outside holes. That is acceptable because the end of the elastic strap hook is less than ⅛″ in  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, Continued—- diameter and the diameter of the holes are ¾″ each. Tension on the elastic strap will equalize unequal measurements above or outside of the outside holes by pulling them toward the center and rear of the treestand.  
       [0036]    On FIG. 3 (Page  14 ), there is 1½″ more material on the opening end of the top side of the cover. That 1½″ of extra material serves as a drip flap. Water will be carried beyond the opening where it will drip or run off onto the ground. It will also prevent water from being blown into the opening in storm-like conditions.  
         [0037]    On FIG. 4 (Page  15 ), the inside portion of the opening has ½″ of loop &amp; hook material attached between the holes. The hook &amp; loop allows the cover to be closed and fitted around the various structural member of the treestand.  
         [0038]    HOW TO USE THE INVENTION: With the treestand attached to the base of the tree in an inclined position, open the cover by pulling apart the hook and loop located inside the cover. The top side of the cover has the drip flap (See FIG. 3 on Page  14 ). With the top side facing the sky, pull the cover over the front edge of the seat structure or the platform structure and pull it down until it envelopes the treestand or until there is no more cover to pull. Line up the holes and seal the hook &amp; loop together with thumb and forefinger. Insert the elastic strap hooks through holes and around the cross members of the stand closest to the tree. The elastic strap will hold the cover taught and take up slack. Recheck hook &amp; loop before departing and make sure drip flap is pointing downward.  
         [0039]    When the cover is properly secured with the treestand at a suitable incline, the cover is impermeable to rain, sleet, snow, and sunlight. The  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, Continued—- TREESTAND COVER is made of nylon with a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) coating. However, there are other materials on the market today that claim to be weather resistant or water resistant or waterproof that are sufficiently applicable.  
       [0040]    Camouflage patterns are preferred, but are not necessary. DRAWINGS  
         [0041]    A total of five (5) drawings is attached for understanding of the subject matter sought to be patented.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 1 is an external view of the top side of the TREESTAND COVER with the open end of the pillowcase-like device shown as partially open. The interior of the opening reveals the location of the hook portion of hook and loop adhesive (commonly known as the brand name velcro). That hook portion is located on what I call the bottom interior of the TREESTAND COVER (See FIG. 4 on Page  14 )  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 1 shows the hook portion as a strip ¾″ wide on either side of four holes which are ¾″ in diameter each. The hook is the spotted strip in FIG. 1.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 4 (Page  14 ) shows the interior of the top and bottom of the TREESTAND COVER. FIG. 1 does not show the interior of the top, but the loop portion of the hook and loop adhesive is located on either side of the holes located on inside of the top (See FIG. 4 on Page  14 ).  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 1 (Page  12 ) shows 1½″ of the extra material of the top side of the TREESTAND COVER (See FIG. 3 on Page  13 ). That extra material is called the drip flap. The drip flap is on the top side of the TREESTAND COVER to guide water beyond the opening edge of the cover and to prevent blow back of water during high winds.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 2 (Page  13 ) is a typical portable climbing treestand that both DRAWINGS, Continued - the platform and the seat structures have outside members (E), angled risers (A), rear cross members (F), rear angled members (C), adjustable support (B), riser and outside member supports (D), and front cross member (G). The treestand is strapped to a tree in a user-ready position.  
         [0047]    To install the cover, the user would open the opening end of the cover which is similar to a sack or a pillowcase and guide the opening over the front of the treestand toward the rear of the stand until it reaches the rear cross member of the treestand. The seat of the treestand is then pushed inside the cover. After aligning the two middle holes in the bottom side with the two middle holes in the top, the hook and loop of each side is pressed together from the center or the middle holes toward the outside holes.  
         [0048]    As the user passes by or over structural members of the treestand, the hook and loop forms or fits to the contour of these structures.  
         [0049]    One end of an elastic cord is strapped through the matching middle holes of the top and bottom sides to the matching outside holes. One strap for one middle to outside hole and one strap for the other outside and middle holes (See FIG. 5 on Page  15 ). The straps are routed through the rear of the treestand. FIG. 5 shows the TREESTAND COVER enveloping the seat structure of a portable treestand.  
         [0050]    Hook and loop positioned along the inside edge of the opening makes the TREESTAND COVER adaptable to fit around different makes and models of treestands. The hook and loop gives a close fit to the diversely shaped structural members at the many different angles, distances and widths between members. The elastic strap eliminates DRAWINGS, Continued - slack in narrow treestands and holds the TREESTAND COVER to the treestand because the elastic strap is pulled around the rear of the treestand. FIG. 5 (Page  15 ) shows the elastic straps in front of the rear structures.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 5 (Page  15 ) illustrates how the elastic straps should extend from the outside holes to the middle holes. The straps should be more difficult to view from that front view.  
         [0052]    There are many materials on the market that meet or exceed water and vapor resistance. Nylon or polyester with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) coating is specifically sufficient to prevent the passage of moisture and vapor.