Abstract:
The decoy structure is formed of a central upper spine and lateral ribs, with a support rod resiliently attached to the approximate midpoint of the spine. The lower end of the support rod has a weighted base. A removable flexible cover is patterned to resemble the object game, and is open at the bottom. This allows the ribs to be curled inwardly toward one another with their distal ends and lower portions of the cover overlapping to reduce the structure diameter for compact storage. The support rod swings rearwardly through the open bottom of the structure, allowing the decoy to be stored in a small diameter tube. The decoy is quickly deployed by withdrawing it from its tube and tossing it to the desired location. The weighted base deploys downwardly, with aerodynamic drag holding the body above the base as it lands to orient the decoy properly in the field.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/064978, filed Apr. 7, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to hunting paraphernalia, and more particularly to a decoy structure having a spine and a series of lateral ribs formed of wire or other thin, resilient material and having a lightweight cover removably installed thereon. A weighted base is also provided. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Decoys have long been used in hunting to attract game. Most such decoys are formed of solid and relatively dense material, or at least have a relatively hard and dense shell. Most such decoys must be placed specifically by the hunter; they are sufficiently massive that they cannot be tossed more than several feet to a location beyond that of the concealed hunter. This is even more true of decoys having special bases, spikes, etc., which must be driven or implanted into the ground. Obviously, such decoys cannot be tossed into position at all. This is particularly critical when a hunter is in a blind, and wishes to distance himself from his prey to avoid their detecting his scent or hearing some slight sound he might produce. In addition to the above consideration, most such heavier decoys have sufficient upper mass that they will generally tip over if tossed randomly into the field. This is true even of flotation type decoys (ducks and geese, etc.). Such flotation decoys will generally promptly right themselves when tossed into the water, but will often remain tipped over on dry land if they end up in such a tipped position when tossed. 
         [0006]    The present inventor is aware of a number of decoys having one or more stakes depending therefrom. The stake is driven into the ground to deploy the decoy. This is particularly common with turkey decoys, since such a stake or stakes position(s) the body of the decoy as if it were standing, a posture that is common to feeding land birds. However, this has the disadvantage of requiring the hunter to move to the area where the animals are expected to congregate and spend some time setting up the decoys, thus likely providing some evidence of his prior presence. 
         [0007]    Still other decoys have been developed with a weighted base and single support rod extending upwardly therefrom to support the decoy body. In the case of inflatable decoys, the hunter must spend the time to blow up the decoy, generally by mouth when in the field. Other decoys have molded shells, which means that they cannot be compressed for compact storage. None of these decoys can be quickly and easily deployed when a hunter using a game call hears an answering call, and knows he must deploy his decoys quickly. This is particularly true of turkey hunting, but is often true in other types of hunting as well. 
         [0008]    Thus, a decoy structure solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The decoy structure has an upper central spine with a series of curved ribs extending laterally therefrom. The structure is open at the bottom, i.e., the ends of the left and right side ribs do not connect to one another across the lower portion of the structure. A support rod is resiliently attached to the approximate midpoint of the spine, and extends downwardly through the open bottom to a portable weighted base (sandbag, rigid base having a compound convex bottom curvature, etc.) when the decoy is deployed. A fabric cover having a pattern representing the object animal is removably attached to the ribs of the structure, e.g., by internal sleeves or pockets sewn into the cover, mating hook and loop fasteners, light adhesive, etc. Additional laterally disposed stringers may be included with the structure, if so desired. The spine, ribs, and lateral stringers may be formed of stiff but resilient wire having a springback property to return to the desired body shape after being released from compression. Alternatively, certain stiff but resilient plastics (e.g., nylon, etc.) may be used in lieu of metal wire. The resilience of the ribs allows them to have relatively rigid attachments to the spine. Alternatively, a flexible attachment such as a spring or the like, may be used to attach each rib to the spine. 
         [0010]    The decoy may be compressed by squeezing the ribs to curl toward one another, thus reducing the diameter of the structure and allowing it to be inserted in a storage tube. The support rod and its weighted base are swung rearwardly through the open bottom side of the frame due to the spring attachment of the upper end of the support rod to the spine. When the decoy is to be deployed, the hunter need only withdraw it from its storage tube and toss it into the desired area. The resilient frame will promptly spring to its full size, expanding the cover to resemble a real animal. The spring attachment of the support rod to the spine causes the support rod to extend beneath the decoy frame. The weighted base carries the decoy structure to the general intended landing spot, with the relative mass of the base traveling downwardly ahead of and beneath the drag of the lightweight frame and cover as the decoy nears the surface. The result is that the decoy ends up in an upright posture with the weighted base supporting the decoy thereabove. 
         [0011]    These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a left side perspective view of a turkey decoy incorporating the decoy structure according to the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front and left side perspective of a decoy structure according to the present invention, the cover being removed to show the internal components. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the interior of the decoy structure, showing a series of sleeves or pockets for attaching the cover to the frame. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of the interior of the decoy structure, showing a series of hook and loop fasteners for attaching the cover to the frame. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a mid-section front elevation view of the frame of the decoy structure, showing the curling together of the ribs to reduce the outer diameter for compact storage. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the compressed decoy structure being inserted into a small diameter storage tube. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective detail view of a portion of an alternative embodiment of a spine and rib assembly for a decoy structure according to the present invention, wherein the ribs are attached to the spine with springs. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    The present invention relates to various embodiments of a decoy structure that is configured to provide a lightweight and easily portable device that can be quickly deployed in the field with minimal preparation and effort.  FIG. 1  of the drawings provides a left side perspective view of an exemplary decoy structure according to the present invention, comprising a turkey decoy  10 . It will be understood that innumerable other representations of game animals may be formed using the general structural elements of the present decoy structure. The turkey decoy  10  is but one example of such a structure. 
         [0021]    The turkey decoy  10  has a frame  12  (best shown in  FIG. 2 ) formed of a plurality of thin, flexible, elongate elements comprising an elongate spine  14  having permanently attached (e.g., welded, bonded, etc.) ribs  16  substantially normal thereto. (The thicknesses of these elements may be exaggerated in the drawings for clarity.) The ribs  16  extend laterally to each side of the spine  14  and curve downwardly and continue to curve inwardly with their distal tips facing one another, in the manner of the anatomical rib cage of most vertebrate animals. The facing distal ends of each of the corresponding ribs  16  are spaced apart from one another, defining an open bottom area  18  for the decoy, as shown by the frame structure  12  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . These spine and rib elements  14  and  16  may be formed of metal wire, e.g., tungsten or spring steel. These materials provide excellent springback when bent or deflected short of their elastic limits. Alternatively, certain plastics (e.g., nylon) may have similar properties and may be used in lieu of metal. 
         [0022]    A thin, flexible cover  18  (e.g., nylon or other fabric material) is removably secured over the frame  12 , generally as shown in  FIG. 1 . The cover  18  includes a print or pattern to resemble the desired game animal, or other pattern or configuration in accordance with the configuration of the structure and the representation desired. Obviously, the shape of the cover  18  will be adjusted as necessary, in accordance with the structure  12  to which the cover is to be applied. The cover  18  is also open along its lower portion, and preferably extends to about the same point on each side as the distal ends of the ribs  16 , or slightly beyond. 
         [0023]    A single support rod  20  supports the frame  12  and overlying cover  18 . The support rod  20  also comprises a thin, elongate, flexible length of material (tungsten, spring steel, certain plastics, etc.), as in the spine  14  and rib  16  components described further above. The upper end  22  of the support rod is resiliently attached to the approximate midpoint of the spine  14  by a spring  24 . The spring may have a conical configuration, as shown in the drawings, with the small end of the cone attached to the upper end  22  of the support rod  20  and the larger diameter end screwed or threaded onto the general midpoint of the spine  14 . Other spring configurations may be used. This resilient attachment of the support rod  20  to the spine  14  allows the support rod to swing rearwardly and upwardly through the open bottom portion of the frame  12  for compact storage of the decoy structure  10 . 
         [0024]    The opposite bottom end  26  of the support rod  20  is permanently installed in a weighted base, e.g., the “sandbag” or “beanbag” type base  28   a,  as shown in  FIG. 1 , or alternatively the solid base  28   b  shown in  FIG. 2 . The weighted base  28   a  of  FIG. 1  has a flaccid cover  30  formed of a flexible sheet material (fabric, vinyl, etc.), loosely filled with innumerable small particles  32  (e.g., sand, gravel, etc.), in the manner of the conventional “sandbag” or “beanbag.” However, the lower end  26  of the support rod  20  includes a series of lateral stabilizer wires or elements  34  extending outwardly therefrom, as shown in  FIG. 1 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , these elements comprise a pair of wide loops, foreshortened in the left side perspective view of  FIG. 1 . The loop configuration precludes the relatively sharp end of a single wire element poking through the shell or cover  30  of the base  28 a. Other stabilizer configurations may be provided as desired. The stabilizer wires or elements  34  tend to spread horizontally when the base contacts the surface after being tossed or dropped, thereby assuring that the support rod  20  will be oriented generally vertically. 
         [0025]    Alternatively, the base may be formed as a solid and rigid unit, as in the weighted base  28   b  of  FIG. 2 . The base  28   b  includes a lower portion  36  having a compound convex curvature (e.g., hemispherical, parabolic, etc.) and a flat top, with the body of the base  28   b  formed as a solid mass of reasonably heavy material (e.g., dense plastic, aluminum, or perhaps iron or steel). Alternatively, the base  28   b  may be formed of a relatively lightweight wood, plastic, or the like, with a core of heavy material (lead, etc.) into which the lower end  26  of the support rod  20  is installed. The convex curvature of the weighted base assures that the base  28   b  will tend to rock itself upright as the center of gravity of the base  28   b  seeks its lowest level upon impact with the surface, thereby orienting the support rod  20  generally vertically. 
         [0026]    The cover  18  (or other variants thereof) is removably secured to the frame  12  using any of a number of various means.  FIG. 3  illustrates one such cover attachment system, in which the cover  18   a  includes a series of long, narrow rib pockets or sleeves  38  attached (sewn, etc.) to the inner surface of the cover. The pockets or sleeves  38  correspond in number to the number of ribs  16  of the structure and extend from near the lower or bottom edge  40   a  of the cover  18   a,  i.e., to accept the distal ends of the ribs  16 , and extend upwardly and outwardly some distance along the inner surface of the cover. 
         [0027]    The sleeves or pockets  38  may be formed similarly to the sleeves sewn into the headliner of an automobile, through which a series of wire bows pass to hold the headliner in place. However, the pockets or sleeves  38  are not continuous across the entire width of the cover  18   a,  as the cover cannot be installed in a continuous lateral installation from one side to the other due to the intervening spine  14 , and optional secondary stringers  42   a,    42   b  that may be installed, if so desired, to provide additional rigidity for the deployed structure. Portions of the right side stringer  42   b  are shown in FIGS.  3  and  4 , with the complete stringers being shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . These stringers  42   a,    42   b  are installed generally parallel to the spine  14  and serve to hold the ribs  16  normal to the spine. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  illustrates another alternative cover attachment system, in which the cover  18   b  is removably secured over the underlying frame  12  by a series of hook and loop fasteners  44 . One end of each of the fasteners  44  may be permanently secured (sewn, etc.) to the cover  18   b,  with the fasteners extending across the corresponding ribs and the opposite end removably attaching to a mating patch or spot of hook and loop material  46  sewn or otherwise permanently attached to the inner surface of the cover  18   b.  Other attachment means may be used, e.g., a light adhesive, such as rubber cement, to allow the cover  18   b  to be removed as necessary for cleaning, repair or replacement, etc. 
         [0029]    The decoy structure  10 , including its cover installed therein, may be compressed significantly to allow it to be stored in a relatively small diameter tube or the like.  FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate this storage procedure. In  FIG. 5 , all of the ribs  16  are shown in their expanded state, i.e., as they would appear when the decoy structure is deployed, in solid lines. The cover  18  and support rod  20  are not shown in  FIG. 5 , for clarity in the drawing Fig. As the ribs  16  are formed of resilient material, they may be compressed inwardly and curled toward one another to reduce the diameter of the structure for storage. In  FIG. 5 , the ribs  16  are shown in a somewhat compressed configuration as ribs  16   a  in broken lines, with the diameter of the structure being reduced accordingly. It will be seen that the diameter may be reduced further, depending upon the flexibility and resilience of the ribs  16  and the amount of pressure applied to coil or curve the ribs toward one another. 
         [0030]    Once the diameter of the decoy structure  10  has been reduced as described above, the structure is of sufficiently small diameter to fit into a relatively small diameter storage tube  48 , generally as shown in  FIG. 6 . It will be seen in  FIG. 6  that one of the lower or outer edges  40  of the cover  18  overlaps the other, as the corresponding ribs have been curved inwardly to overlap one another as shown in  FIG. 5 . The compacted or collapsed decoy  10  with its smaller external diameter may then be inserted into the storage tube  48  for transport or storage. The support rod  20  has been folded rearwardly to align generally with the remainder of the structure, thus positioning the weighted base  28   a  or  28   b  rearwardly of the balance of the structure. The weighted base, either the flaccid base  28   a  or rigid base  28   b,  may serve as the closure for the tube  48 , or a separate cap (not shown) may be provided. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of a portion of an alternative spine and rib assembly, wherein each of the ribs is resiliently secured to the spine by a coil spring. The spine  50  includes a series of short stubs or spurs  52  extending laterally therefrom with each of the stubs  52  having spring retention means thereon, e.g., generally conical spring retainers  54  or barbs or other structure that may be gripped by one end of the spring. Each of the ribs  56  includes corresponding spring retention means  58 , e.g., conical retainers, barbs, or the like, extending from the spine attachment end thereof. A coil spring  60  is threaded onto or forced over the spring retainer(s)  54  of each of the stubs or spurs  52 , and the spring retainers  58  of the ribs  56  are threaded or forced into the opposite ends of the coil springs  60  to secure the ribs  56  resiliently to the spine  50 . This resilient attachment of spines to rib by means of the springs  60  allows the spines to be formed of a somewhat stiffer material than used in other embodiments, if so desired. 
         [0032]    When the hunter has reached the desired hunting site, he or she may conceal himself or herself in a blind or other suitable structure as desired and use a game call or other means to attract game. When the hunter senses that the game has responded to the call, the decoys  10  of the present invention may be quickly and easily deployed by removing them from their storage tubes  48  and tossing them into the desired area. The decoys expand rapidly due to the resilient nature of their frames, with the ribs  16  (or  56 , in the embodiment of  FIG. 7 ) expanding to fill out the overlying cover  18 . The support rod  20  extends downwardly beneath the frame, generally normal to the spine  14 , due to the resilient attachment of the rod to the spine. The weight of the weighted base  28   a  or  28   b  tends to carry in front of the body portion of the decoy as it is tossed through the air due to the aerodynamic drag and light weight of the body portion with its cover, thus causing the base  28   a  or  28   b  to impact first and assuring that the decoy will alight and remain in an upright position. The light weight of the frame  12 , the surface area of the cover  18 , and the resilience of the structure, particularly the support rod  20 , allow the decoy to rock slightly in the wind to mimic natural movement of the game animal. The solid base with its compound convex lower surface provides additional mobility for the decoy. When the hunter decides to move to a different site or terminate hunting for the day, the decoy  10  is easily rolled or curled to fit into the storage tube  48  for transport and storage, as described further above. 
         [0033]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.