Abstract:
This invention relates to a hunting seat having a plurality of apertures for receiving hunting shells and a substantially elongated aperture for carrying the seat. The seat has a support surface that is angled at a predetermined angle to cause a user to be situated in a comfortable and ready position. The seat is lightweight and includes a shoulder strap or other device for easy transportation to, for example, a deer stand, duck blind, or a camp.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a hunting seat and method and, more particularly, to a hunting seat that provides improved comfort, a storage compartment for accessories, and which provides openings adapted for receiving and storing shells or casings and for receiving a hand for gripping the hunting seat.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    During hunting, it is not uncommon for a hunter to position himself in one location and wait for game to appear. For example, during duck hunting, a hunter will position himself near a pond, lake, or other body of water and wait for one or more ducks to arrive. Oftentimes, the hunter will use a duck call to attract the ducks. Other types of hunting, such as deer, geese, turkey, and the like are performed such that the hunter is stationary so that the game is not frightened as they approach.  
           [0005]    Duck blinds, deer stands, and the like all facilitate keeping the hunter hidden during hunting. A reasonably comfortable chair at a deer stand, in a duck blind, or at a hunter&#39;s camp can be much appreciated by the hunter. However, a chair can be a substantial burden during hunting or when in route on foot to the stand, blind, or camp.  
           [0006]    Also, it would be convenient to have a hunter&#39;s ammunition stored at arm&#39;s length during hunting so that when game shows up, the hunter will be prepared and ready.  
           [0007]    There is, therefore, a need to provide a light-weight chair that is easy to transport and that facilitates providing storage for ammunition and accessories before, during and after a hunt.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a multipurpose chair having a substantial appeal for hunters and other outdoorsman.  
           [0009]    Another object of the invention is to provide a hunting seat molded to provide means for easily transporting the seat.  
           [0010]    Another object of the invention is to provide a seat having a plurality of openings or apertures for receiving and storing ammunition, such as a plurality of shotgun shells or casings.  
           [0011]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a seat having a removable storage compartment container, pouch or box (such as a tackle or ammo box) for receiving accessories.  
           [0012]    Still another object of the invention is to provide means for facilitating transporting the seat by providing a seat having a convenient handle grip and/or shoulder strap.  
           [0013]    In one aspect, this invention comprises a hunting seat comprising a seat support; a plurality of legs for supporting the seat support above the ground; and a plurality of receiving apertures for receiving at least one sporting item.  
           [0014]    In still another aspect, this invention comprises a hunting seat comprising a seat; a plurality of legs integrally molded into said seat such that said seat is angled a predetermined angle towards the ground; and a plurality of openings adapted to receive at least one of a gun shell, a hand, a gun, or a fishing pole.  
           [0015]    In still another aspect, this invention comprises a hunting method comprising the steps of providing a hunting seat comprising a seat support which lies in a plane defining an angle of between 5 and 35 degrees relative to the ground when the hunting seat is situated on the ground; and providing a plurality of circular openings in the seat support adapted to receive and support gun shells, a gun, or a fishing pole.  
           [0016]    These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seat in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is perspective view of the seat shown in FIG. 1, illustrating a storage compartment and shoulder strap attached thereto;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a user situated in a slightly inclined position when the seat is situated on a substantially level surface;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the seat situated in a manner that substantially accounts for a grade or slope of a surface on which the seat is situated;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the seat shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a right side view taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a front view of the seat shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a rear view of the seat shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a side view showing a plurality of seats and use of the stacking detents shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is a view showing a seat support having a plurality of legs hingeably attached to the seat support, with the legs shown in the open position;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 10, except the plurality of legs are shown in a closed or stored position; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12. is a fragmentary view showing a hinge in accordance with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0029]    Referring now to FIG. 1, a hunting seat  10  is shown. In the embodiment being described, the hunting seat  10  is an integral, one-piece construction molded from plastic, such as polypropylene, polyethylene or polymerization of the two. The hunting seat  10  comprises a seat support  12  having a first area  12   a , a second area  12   b , a front area  12   c , and rear area  12   d . The hunting seat  10  weighs less than about 3 pounds, which makes it easy to transport, as described later herein. In the embodiment being described, the height is about eight inches, the width is about 15 inches and the length is about 18 inches.  
         [0030]    As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4- 5 , the hunting seat  10  comprises a plurality of legs  14 ,  16 ,  18 , and  20  that are integrally molded with seat support  12 . Notice that the plurality of legs  14 - 20  comprise generally planer-shaped feet  14   a - 20   a  (FIG. 5), respectively, which facilitate preventing the hunting seat  10  from sinking in soggy, sandy, or wet conditions.  
         [0031]    Notice in FIG. 3 that the seat support  12  is tilted at a predetermined angle A relative to a plane defined by the feet  14   a - 20   a . In the embodiment being described, this angle A is between 5 degrees and 35 degrees. It has been found that this predetermined angle A facilitates biasing a users&#39; body in a forward or tilted angle B, as illustrated in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, when the rear area  12   d  is positioned downhill of the front area  12   c , the predetermined angle A facilitates compensating for a slope or grade of the ground. This causes the seat support  12  to be substantially horizontal. Although not shown, the legs  14 - 20  may be provided to be adjustable in length to permit the angle A and the height H (FIG. 1) to be adjusted as desired.  
         [0032]    As best illustrated in FIG. 5, the hunting seat  10  comprises a plurality of receiving apertures or openings  22  and  24  defined by a plurality of opening walls  12   e - 12   j  in the seat support  12 . Notice that the plurality of apertures or openings  22  and  24  are adapted to receive shells, such as 12-gauge shotgun shells  26  (FIG. 1). In this regard, the shells  26  each have a casing  26   a  and a head  26   b  having a flange  26   c . Each shell  26  is situated in an openings  22  until the flange  26   c  of head  26   b  engages a top surface, such as surface  12   b   1  in FIG. 1 of support  12 . Thus, the opening  22  permits a user to store a plurality of shells  26  in the opening  22 , while the user is seated during hunting. In the embodiment being described, the openings  22  are dimensioned or adapted to receive shotgun or rifle shells, such as the 12-gauge shotgun shells, but they could be adapted to receive other size casings (not shown) for rifles or other size shotgun shells (not shown).  
         [0033]    As illustrated in FIGS.  5 - 6 , each of the plurality of openings  22  may have an associated cylindrical housing, sleeve, posts, or support members  22   a , which are cylindrically or peripherally spaced to define a generally cylindrical and elongated aperture  39  for receiving casing  26   a . The support members  22   a  facilitate stabilizing and supporting the shells  26  when they are received in the openings  22 . The sleeves  22   a  may be dimensioned so that the shells  26  are snugly and removably press fit into the support members  22   a . This enables a user to carry the hunting seat  10  while the shells  26  are stored in the openings  22 .  
         [0034]    The plurality of openings  24  are dimensioned and adapted to receive a hunting item, such as a bow (not shown), gun or rifle  31  (FIG. 1), or even a fishing rod  33 . At least one of the openings  24  is generally oval and is dimensioned to receive a hand  41  (FIG. 3) of the user so that the user can conveniently grab and carry the hunting seat  10 .  
         [0035]    In the embodiment being described, notice that an equal number of openings  22  and  24  are situated on the first area  12   a  and the second area  12   b , but it should be appreciated that more or fewer openings  22  and  24  could be provided on either side. For example, the openings  22  and  24  may also be situated on a single side  12   a  or  12   b  or even on the front or rear side  12   c  or  12   d  as desired. Also, as mentioned earlier, the openings  22  for receiving the shells  26  could have different dimensions, so that a user can store shells of different sizes. Thus, for example, while the embodiment being described is shown as having openings  22  having a diameter of about 0.780 inch and one or more of the openings  22  could be molded such that its diameter is 0.410 inch, so that it receives, supports, and stores a 12-gauge and 410-gauge shotgun shells, respectively.  
         [0036]    The seat support  12  of hunting seat  10  also comprises a plurality of ventilating apertures  28  for providing ventilation to a user for comfort.  
         [0037]    As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the seat support  12  further comprises a plurality of accessory apertures  30  that provide means for securing a removable storage compartment  32 , such as a pouch, bag or box thereto. In this embodiment, the compartment or pouch  32  is shown comprising a strap  35  that is laced through at least one of the plurality of accessory apertures  30  in order to secure the pouch  32  to the hunting seat  10 .  
         [0038]    A carrying strap  34  (FIG. 2), such as a nylon strap, may also be laced through at least one of the accessory openings  30 . The strap  34  facilitates and enables a user to carry the hunting seat  10  on the user&#39;s shoulder, for example, to or from a deer stand, duck blind or camp. When the hunting seat  10  is used in a hunting environment, the compartment  32  may receive hunting supplies (such as ammunition and shells  26 ) animal calls (such as a duck call), gunpowder, food, beverages, or other accessories. Conveniently, these accessories are transported when the hunting seat  10  is being transported, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for a separate storage box or bag.  
         [0039]    As best illustrated in FIGS.  1 ,  5 - 9 , the plurality of legs  14 - 20  comprise stacking detents  14   b - 20   b , respectively. The plurality of stacking detents  14   b - 20   b  facilitate stacking and storing a plurality of hunting seats  10 ,  10   a , and  10   b , as illustrated in FIG. 9. This stacking, in turn, facilitates storing the hunting seats  10 - 10   b , transporting the hunting seats  10 - 10   b , and stacking the hunting seats  10 - 10   b . This is especially helpful when the seats are being displayed for sale in a retail store.  
         [0040]    Note that each of the plurality of legs  14 - 20  is generally U-shaped or L-shaped in cross section. This further facilitates stacking the chairs in the manner shown in FIG. 9. Notice that each of the plurality of legs  14   a - 20   a  defines a plurality of openings  14   c - 20   c  that face outwardly as viewed in the figures. This design also facilitates stacking the hunting seats  10 - 10   b  in the manner shown in FIG. 9.  
         [0041]    FIGS.  10 - 12  illustrate another embodiment of the invention with like parts having the same part number, except that a prime (“′”) mark has been added to the parts shown in FIGS.  10 - 12 . In this embodiment, the legs  14 ′- 20 ′ and seat support  12 ′ are separately molded. Each of the legs  14 ′- 20 ′ are each hingeably attached to the seat support  12 ′ so that they can be pivoted between an open position shown in FIG. 10 to a closed position shown in FIG. 11.  
         [0042]    As best illustrated in FIG. 12, an underside of seat support  12 ′ comprises a plurality of integrally molded resilient walls  23 ′ each comprising an inner side  23   a ′. For ease of illustration, FIG. 12 illustrates one of the legs  14 ′, but it should be understood that the design and operation of the other legs  16 ′- 20 ′ is similar. The wall  23 ′ is resilient and laterally flexible to permit the leg  14 ′ to be pivoted in the manner described herein. Notice that the wall  13 ′ of seat support  12 ′ comprises an inner surface  13   a ′. Each of the inner surface  13   a ′ and inner side  23   a ′ comprise a dimple  25 ′ which is received in an associated groove or opening  27 ′ to pivotally secure the leg  14 ′ to the seat support  12 ′. The leg  14 ′ is moveable between the extended support position shown in FIG. 10 to the closed position illustrated in FIG. 11.  
         [0043]    In order to facilitate retaining the leg  14 ′ in the open position or closed position, the leg  14 ′ comprises a raised rib  29 ′ which is received in either a first complementary-shaped receiving area  31 ′ when the leg  14 ′ is in the open position or a second complementary-shaped receiving area  33 ′ when the leg  14 ′ is in the closed position (FIG. 11).  
         [0044]    Advantageously, the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS.  10 - 12  permits the legs to be folded to make the seat easier to store, stack, and carry. The seat  10 ′ may even be used in this manner to provide, for example, a seat on a boat, thereby providing the advantages of a fishing rod and tackle holder as described herein.  
         [0045]    While the method herein described, and the form of apparatus for carrying this method into effect, constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise method and form of apparatus, and that changes may be made in either without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.