Abstract:
A canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand. A bracket removably attaches to a tree with straps, and one or more supports extend upwards from the bracket to a roof, around whose outer edges a blind may removably hang. The roof folds for storage and transportation, and the bracket is composed of two bracket end plates joined by at least one bracket vertical member. The bracket may be easily assembled and disassembled for storage or transportation. Bolts or quick-remove pins attach the support(s) to the bracket and the roof. The canopy is designed for use with an existing tree stand mounted below the roof. When installed above an existing tree stand, the canopy protects the tree stand occupants from weather, and the blind hides the occupants from view.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to hunting tree stands, and in particular to a canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     Tree-mounted hunting stands are used pervasively in hunting deer and other game in forested areas. A platform which may include a seat is attached to a tree at an elevation sufficient to provide good visibility and line of fire. 
     One problem associated with platform-type tree stands is the lack of a roof to protect the occupant(s) from inclement weather such as rain, snow, hail, etc. Another problem is the lack of a blind surrounding the tree stand to provide a visual barrier to hide the hunter(s) occupying the tree stand from the game being hunted. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a tree stand canopy which provides a roof over an existing tree stand platform, and which also provides a secure means to mount a blind to the canopy to hide the stand&#39;s occupant(s). 
     Existing Designs. 
     A number of designs have been proposed to shelter hunters in hunting stands from the elements. U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,190 was granted Brown, Jr. et al. for a tree stand system which incorporated a roof attached to a stand. While this design provided a roof, no independent attachment means was taught to attach the roof to a tree. Thus, this design suffered from the disadvantages of inability to retrofit the roof into existing hunting tree stands, as well as no ability to break down the roof structure for ease of transportation and storage. In addition, no provision was taught to attach a blind to the roof. Finally, the roof was fabric, which over time was susceptible to sun rot damage due to ultraviolet rays from the sun. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,571 was granted to Smith for a blind assembly. While the &#39;571 blind was independently mountable to a tree, it provided no roof to protect its occupant&#39;s from inclement weather such as rain, hail, snow, etc. 
     U.S. patent publication No. 2003/0000769 by Pyle, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,014,238 and 5,862,827 to Gonzalez and Howze respectively, disclosed powered, roofed towers. While these inventions provided a roof over the stand occupant(s), they were complex and cumbersome, and required a power source to extend. In addition, these designs were not useable with existing hunting tree stands, and were costly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand which is useable with an existing hunting tree stand. Design features allowing this object to be accomplished include a bracket attached to a tree with at least one strap, at least one support attached to the bracket, and a roof attached to the support(s). Advantages associated with the accomplishment of this object include the flexibility to mount the canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand over an existing tree stand, shelter from the elements, and convenience. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand which provides a secure means of attaching a blind to the roof. Design features allowing this object to be accomplished include a track having a track void communicating with the track exterior through a track mouth attached around a roof, and a blind rope sized to slidably fit in the track void attached to a blind. Benefits associated with the accomplishment of this object include a strong, secure removable connection between the blind and the roof, and attendant reduction of the chance that the blind will blow off of the roof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand which provides a strong roof. Design features allowing this object to be accomplished include roof panels made of rigid material such as metal, fiber glass, synthetic, or wood, firmly attached to roof beams. Benefits associated with the accomplishment of this object include structural strength and longevity of the roof structure, in part due to resistance against ultraviolet sun rot damage experienced by fabric or canvas roofs. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide a canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand which breaks down into a compact size for storage and shipping. Design features enabling the accomplishment of this object include a folding or disassembleable roof, support(s) which are easily detached from the roof and removable from the bracket, and a bracket having end plates removably attached to at least one bracket vertical member. Advantages associated with the realization of this object include reduced size for storage and/or shipping, and attendant cost savings. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand which provides convenient storage for important items to occupants in a location ready for immediate use. Design features enabling the accomplishment of this object include roof hook(s) attached to respective support horizontal members from which items may be suspended. Advantages associated with the realization of this object include providing convenient storage, within ready reach, for items of importance to canopy occupants, such as hunting bows, arrow quivers, binoculars, cameras, bird calls, etc. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand which is inexpensive to produce. Design features allowing this object to be achieved include the use of components made of readily available materials, and off-the-shelf components. Benefits associated with reaching this objective include reduced cost, and hence increased availability. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention, together with the other objects, features, aspects and advantages thereof will be more clearly understood from the following in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       Seven sheets of drawings are provided. Sheet one contains  FIG. 1 . Sheet two contains  FIG. 2 . Sheet three contains  FIG. 3 . Sheet four contains  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Sheet five contains  FIG. 6 . Sheet six contains  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Sheet seven contains  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 1  is a right quarter side isometric view of a canopy having two supports mounted to a bracket, and a roof attached to the supports. 
         FIG. 2  is a right quarter side isometric view a canopy with removable blind for hunting tree stand mounted to a tree with straps, and located over an existing hunting tree stand. 
         FIG. 3  is a right quarter side isometric exploded view of a bracket, two supports, and a roof halfway folded. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of a pair of supports mounted to a bracket. 
         FIG. 5  is a right quarter side isometric cross-sectional view of a blind mounted to a track by means of a blind rope attached to the blind. 
         FIG. 6  is a left quarter side isometric view of a bracket vertical member about to be attached to a bracket end plate. 
         FIG. 7  is a right quarter side exploded isometric view of a roof having two roof panels about to be attached to an “H” channel. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of an “H” channel. 
         FIG. 9  is a right quarter side isometric view of an alternate embodiment canopy having two supports mounted to a bracket, and a roof hook attached to each support. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  is a right quarter side isometric view of canopy  2  having two supports  20  mounted to bracket  40 , and roof  4  attached to supports  20 .  FIG. 2  is a right quarter side isometric view canopy  2  mounted to tree  64  with straps  60 , over an existing hunting tree stand  66 .  FIG. 3  is a right quarter side isometric exploded view of a canopy  2  having two supports  20  about to be mounted to bracket  40 , and roof  4  about to be attached to supports  20 , with roof  4  halfway folded. 
     Referring to these figures, roof  4  comprises at least one roof beam  12  mounted to an underside of roof panel  6 .  FIG. 1  illustrates two different roof beam  12  embodiments: “L” channel and “U” channel. While it is intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure that roof  4  be any plan view shape, in the preferred embodiment the plan view shape of roof  4  was rectangular, having roof front edge  14  farthest from bracket  40  and roof rear edge  16  closest to bracket  40 . Roof panel  6  was separated into rear roof panel  30  and front roof panel  32 , which were hingeadly attached by means of roof hinge  8 . 
     Each roof beam  12  was separated into rear roof beam  34  attached to the underside of rear roof panel  30 , and front roof beam  36  attached to the underside of front roof panel  32 . The hinged attachment between front roof panel  32  and rear roof panel  30  permits roof  4  to be folded as indicated by arrow  68   FIG. 3  for storage or transportation. One or more roof hooks  10  may be attached to roof  4  from which to conveniently hang a bow, arrows, binoculars, a camera, or any other appropriate item. 
     In the preferred embodiment, roof panel  6  was made of rigid material, in interest of strength and sun rot resistance, such as metal, fiber glass, synthetic, wood, or other appropriate material. 
     Support  20  is made up of support vertical leg  22  attached at a substantially right angle to support horizontal leg  24 . Support  20  may incorporate support brace  27  extending from support vertical leg  22  to support horizontal leg  24 , for re-enforcement and strength purposes. Roof  4  incorporates a roof beam  12  corresponding to each support  20 . Each support  20  is attached to a roof beam  12  along its support horizontal leg  24  with support horizontal leg fastener(s)  26 . In the preferred embodiment, support horizontal leg fastener(s)  26  were bolts or pins. 
     Bracket  40  is made up of a lower bracket end plate  44  attached to an upper bracket end plate  44  by at least one bracket vertical member  42 . Referring now also to  FIG. 5 , each bracket vertical member  42  has a bracket vertical member void  43  sized and shaped to slidably admit a corresponding support vertical leg  22 . In the preferred embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes of bracket vertical member void  43  and support vertical leg  22  were rectangular or square. 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 4 , a top view of a pair of supports  20  mounted to bracket  40 , bracket end plate  44  has a bracket end plate arm  48  attached at each end of bracket end plate spine  46  at bracket end plate arm angle  52 . In the preferred embodiment bracket end plate  44  was substantially planar, and bracket end plate arm angle  52  was 150 degrees±20 degrees. 
     Described differently, when seen in plan view as in  FIG. 4 , bracket end plate spine  46  and bracket end plate arms  48  formed a segmented arc of a circle, bracket end plate arc  53 , embracing bracket tree recess  54 . In the preferred embodiment, bracket end plate arc  53  was 55 degrees±20 degrees. 
     While  FIGS. 1-4  depict canopy  2  as having two supports  20  and associated roof beams  12 , it is intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure that any number of supports  20  and associated roof beams  12  be used, including one of each, two of each, or more. 
     As mentioned previously, a bracket end plate  44  is attached at each end of bracket vertical member  42 .  FIG. 6  is a left quarter side isometric view of a bracket vertical member  42  about to be attached to a bracket end plate  44 . Referring now also to this figure, bracket vertical member  42  contains bracket vertical member void  43  shaped and sized to slidably admit the lower part of bracket vertical member  42 . 
     Bracket vertical member  42  may be rigidly attached to bracket end plate  44  by means of bracket vertical member tab fastener  51  extending through bracket vertical member tab bore  49  in bracket vertical member tab  45 , and into bracket end plate  44 . A bracket vertical member tab  45  is rigidly attached at each end of bracket vertical member  42  at substantially a right angle. 
     At least one bracket end plate aperture  47 , sized and shaped to slidably admit an end of a corresponding bracket vertical member  42 , is disposed in bracket end plate  44 . In the preferred embodiment, a cross-sectional shape of bracket vertical member  42 , and a plan view shape of bracket end plate aperture  47 , were both rectangular. 
     Thus, in order to attach bracket vertical member  42  to bracket end plate  44 , an end of bracket vertical member  42  is inserted into a corresponding bracket end plate aperture  47 , a bracket vertical member tab fastener  51  is inserted through a corresponding bracket vertical member tab bore  49  in a corresponding bracket vertical member tab  45 , and attached to bracket end plate  44 . In the preferred embodiment, bracket vertical member tab fastener  51  was a bolt, screw or pin. 
     Canopy  2  is assembled by first assembling bracket  40  as described above: a bracket end plate  44  is rigidly attached at each end of bracket vertical member(s)  42 . In the preferred embodiment, canopy  2  incorporated two bracket vertical members  42 . Next, the lower end of a support vertical leg  22  is inserted into each bracket vertical member void  43  as indicated by arrows  90  in  FIG. 3 , and optionally fixed in place with a support vertical leg fastener  23 , as may be observed in  FIG. 3 . In the preferred embodiment support vertical leg fastener  23  was a pin or bolt. 
     After the lower part of each support vertical leg  22  has been inserted into a respective bracket vertical member void  43 , roof  4  is unfolded opposite the sense of arrow  68  in  FIG. 3  into a substantially planar shape. Roof  4  is emplaced on support horizontal legs  24  with its roof beams adjacent respective horizontal legs  24 , as indicated by arrows  92  in  FIG. 3 . Each roof beam  12  is then attached to a respective support horizontal leg using support horizontal leg fastener(s)  26 , as indicated by arrows  94  in  FIG. 3 . In the preferred embodiment support horizontal leg fastener  26  was a pin or bolt. 
     Canopy  2  is now ready to be attached to a tree  64  as depicted in  FIG. 2 . Each bracket end plate arm  48  contains one or more bracket end plate bore  50 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Strap  60  has a strap hook  62  at each end. Each strap hook  62  is sized and shaped to engage with a bracket end plate bore  50 . In the preferred embodiment, strap  60  was a ratchet-type strap, whose ratchet mechanism could be used to tighten strap  60  around tree  64 . 
     Canopy  2  is attached to tree  64  by passing each strap  60  around tree  64  at an appropriate height up tree  64 , positioning canopy  2  so that tree  64  is disposed within bracket tree recesses  54 , engaging each strap hook  62  with a respective bracket end plate bore  50 , and then tightening each strap  60  around tree  64 . Canopy  2  may optionally be positioned over an existing tree stand  66 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 . Bracket  40  may optionally be attached to tree  64  with straps  60  before inserting support vertical leg(s)  20  into respective bracket vertical member void(s)  43  and attaching roof  4  to support(s)  20 . 
     Canopy  2  may also incorporate blind  80  hung from the outside edges of roof  4 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . In the preferred embodiment, blind  80  was hung from roof  4  using track  82 , as depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 5  is a right quarter side isometric cross-sectional view of blind  80  mounted to track  82  by means of blind rope  88  attached to an upper edge of blind  80 . Track  82  incorporates track void  86  sized and shaped to slidably admit blind rope  88 . Track void  86  communicates with the exterior through track mouth  84 . A width of track mouth  84  is narrower than the major cross-sectional dimension of blind rope  88 , but sized wide enough to slidably admit blind  80 . Track  82  and blind rope  88  are off-the-shelf, commonly available items used in recreational vehicle awnings, sail boat Bimini canopy attachments, tents, etc. While blind  80  is depicted in  FIG. 2  as netting for clarity, it is intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure that blind  80  be any appropriate blind material, including but not limited to commercially available camouflage material such as fabric cut into leaf or other vegetation shapes, loosely attached strips of fabric, etc. 
     Supports  20  are attached to bracket  40  at support horizontal leg angle  25  relative to bracket end plate spine  46 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . In the preferred embodiment, support horizontal leg angle  25  was 70 degrees±20 degrees. Consequently, roof beam(s)  12  were disposed at roof beam angle  18  relative to roof rear edge  16 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . In the preferred embodiment, roof beam angle  18  was 70 degrees±20 degrees. 
       FIG. 7  is a right quarter side exploded isometric view of a roof  4  having two roof panels  6  about to be joined at “H” channel  100 .  FIG. 8  is a side view of an “H” channel  100 . “H” channel  100  is made up of “H” channel end plates  104  attached along opposite longitudinal edges of “H” channel spine  102 . “H” channel spine  102  and “H” channel end plates  104  define a pair of oppositely-facing “H” channel recesses  106 . Each “H” channel recess  106  is sized to admit an edge of a respective roof panel  6 , because “H” channel spine height  103  is equal to or greater than roof panel thickness  7 . 
     Roof panels  6  are assembled into “H” channel  100  by simply inserting an edge of a roof panel  6  into a respective “H” channel recess  106  as indicated arrows  112  in  FIG. 7 , and attaching the assembled roof  4  to one or more support horizontal legs  24  as explained above. 
     “H” channel filaments  108  may be disposed on “H” channel end plate  104  sides bordering “H” channel recess  106 , to render the attachment between roof panels  6  and “H” channel  100  watertight and protect individuals sheltered below from weather such as rain, snow, sleet, etc. 
       FIG. 9  is a right quarter side isometric view of an alternate embodiment canopy  2  having two supports  20  mounted to bracket  40 , and a roof hook  10  attached to each support horizontal leg  24 . This embodiment canopy  2  does not incorporate a roof  4 , and serves the important function of providing one or more roof hooks  10  conveniently located from which to suspend essential user implements such as bows, arrows, binoculars, camera, etc. Use of the embodiment canopy  2  depicted in  FIG. 9  would be appropriate in situations where no roof  4  is desired to be installed on supports  20 , such as when upward visibility is desired, when sun shade is not required, when it&#39;s not raining, when increased ventilation is desired, etc. 
     As may be observed in  FIG. 9 , roof hook  10  is made up of hook  9  attached to one end of roof hook shaft  11 . An end of roof hook shaft  11  opposite hook  9  is attached to support horizontal leg  24 . in the preferred embodiment, hook  11  was substantially semi-circular, and roof hook shaft  11  was substantially linear. Although the roof hooks  10  depicted in the drawings show a substantially semi-circular hook  9  attached to a substantially linear roof hook shaft  11 , it is intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure that roof hook  10  be any appropriately shaped hook. 
     In the preferred embodiment, bracket  40 , support  20 , roof panel  6 , roof beam  12 , and roof hook  10  were made of metal, synthetic, nylon, plastic, wood, or any other appropriate material. Support vertical leg fastener  23 , support horizontal leg fastener  26 , strap  60 , strap hook  62 , blind  80 , track  82  and blind rope  88  were commercially available items. “H” channel  100  was commercially available “H” channel made of metal, synthetic, or other appropriate material, and “H” channel filaments  108  were commercially available weather-stripping. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated herein, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the appending claims. 
     DRAWING ITEM INDEX 
     
         
           2  canopy 
           4  roof 
           6  roof panel 
           7  roof panel thickness 
           8  roof hinge 
           9  hook 
           10  roof hook 
           11  roof hook shaft 
           12  roof beam 
           14  roof front edge 
           16  roof rear edge 
           18  roof beam angle 
           20  support 
           22  support vertical leg 
           23  support vertical leg fastener 
           24  support horizontal leg 
           25  support horizontal leg angle 
           26  support horizontal leg fastener 
           27  support brace 
           30  rear roof panel 
           32  front roof panel 
           34  rear roof beam 
           36  front roof beam 
           40  bracket 
           42  bracket vertical member 
           43  bracket vertical member void 
           44  bracket end plate 
           45  bracket vertical member tab 
           46  bracket end plate spine 
           47  bracket end plate aperture 
           48  bracket end plate arm 
           49  bracket vertical member tab bore 
           50  bracket end plate bore 
           51  bracket vertical member tab fastener 
           52  bracket end plate arm angle 
           53  bracket end plate arc 
           54  bracket tree recess 
           60  strap 
           62  strap hook 
           64  tree 
           66  existing tree stand 
           68  arrow 
           80  blind 
           82  track 
           84  track mouth 
           86  track void 
           88  blind rope 
           90  arrow 
           92  arrow 
           94  arrow 
           100  “H” channel 
           102  “H” channel spine 
           103  “H” channel spine height 
           104  “H” channel end plate 
           106  “H” channel recess 
           108  “H” channel filaments 
           112  arrow