Abstract:
A support apparatus for a smoking animal lure comprises a tubular body that surrounds and shields the smoking animal lure, a support structure to hold the smoking animal lure in the tubular body, and a structure to attach a cord to suspend the support apparatus. This apparatus allows for the retrieval and replacement of the smoking animal lure with minimal unwanted movement and noise.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 62/197,134, filed Jul. 27, 2015 by William James Holeva, one of the present inventors. 
     
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
       [0003]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND-PRIOR ART 
       [0004]    The following is a tabulation of known prior art that presently appears relevant: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 US Patents 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Patent Number 
                 Kind Code 
                 Issue Date 
                 Patentee 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 5555665 
                 A 
                 Sep. 17, 1996 
                 Fore, John C. 
               
               
                 5618548 
                 A 
                 Apr. 8, 1997 
                 Dawson, Richard A. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 US Patent Applications 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Publication Number 
                 Kind Code 
                 Pub. Date 
                 Applicant 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 US20040234567 
                 A1 
                 Nov. 25, 2004 
                 Dawson, Richard A. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       Nonpatent Literature Documents 
       [0005]    Tink&#39;s “Smoke Stack” (Item No. W6110) product documentation, http://www.tinks.com/shop/products/smoke-stack_w6110.aspx 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    This invention relates to scented game lures used in hunting. More specifically, the invention relates to devices employed to support smoking game lures. 
         [0007]    Game hunters often create and disperse a scent in a specific area to attract the game that they are hunting and to cover their own scent. One of the methods for creating these scents is the use of smoking animal lure sticks, similar to incense. An example of these smoking animal lures may be found in U.S. Pat. No, 5,618,548. An example is also currently marketed under the trade name “Tink&#39;s Smoke Sticks.” 
         [0008]    These smoking animal lures are intended to be inserted into the ground around the area being hunted. Accessories have been developed to protect the smoking animal lure from becoming extinguished or compromised by natural elements. Examples of these shielding devices may also be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,548. Another example may be found in US Patent Application Number 20040234567. These devices sit on the ground around the smoking animal lure, which is partially inserted into the ground. These devices shield the smoking animal lure from wind and rain while still allowing enough airflow to support the combustion of the smoking animal lure. 
         [0009]    Inserting the smoking animal lure into the ground has several disadvantages. The smoking animal lures have a limited burn life. Typically the smoking animal lures will burn completely in a couple of hours, well before the hunter is ready to retire. Replacement of smoking animal lures currently requires the hunter to physically go to the smoking animal lure and replace it. As the hunter is typically in a stand or a tree, replacement of the smoking animal lure requires climbing down from the perch, walking to the lure, and climbing back into the stand or tree once the smoking animal lure has been replaced. This creates highly undesirable noise and movement that is likely to scare game away from the area. Lengthening the burn time of the smoking animal lure requires increasing the size of the smoking animal lure, making it expensive, difficult to transport, and susceptible to breakage during transit. 
         [0010]    Inserting the smoking animal lure into the ground also presents safety hazards. The combustion of the smoking animal lure can create fires in dry grass or leaves adjacent to the smoking animal lure. Wind can upset current shields, increasing the likelihood of either extinguishing the smoking animal lure or setting fire in adjacent grass. Finally, the repeated climbing into and out of the stand or tree increases the chances of falls and resulting injury. 
         [0011]    For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a cost effective device will protect a smoking animal lure from being extinguished by the elements and allow the hunter to replace the smoking animal lure quickly and safely with minimal movement and noise. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0012]    In accordance with the present invention, a support apparatus for a smoking animal lure comprises a tubular body that surrounds and shields the smoking animal lure, a support structure to hold the smoking animal lure in the tubular body, and a structure for attaching a cord to suspend the support apparatus. This apparatus allows a user to safely hang the smoking animal lure by the cord from a stand or tree and quickly retrieve and replace the smoking animal lure with minimal movement and noise. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows the entire support apparatus assembled. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view to show the section view orientation in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a section view of the assembled support apparatus. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a detailed view of the lure support detached from the tubular body. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  shows the lure support with the smoking animal lure installed therein. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  shows the assembled support apparatus with the cord attached. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0019]      1  Tubular Body 
         [0020]      2  Lid 
         [0021]      3  Fastening Point 
         [0022]      5  Lure Support 
         [0023]      6  Cord 
         [0024]      7  Smoking Animal Lure 
         [0025]      8  Hole (to support lure) 
         [0026]      9  Screw Threads (in the tubular body) 
         [0027]      10  Screw Threads (in the lure support) 
         [0028]      11  Intake Vents 
         [0029]      12  Exhaust Vents 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    One embodiment of the support apparatus for smoking animal lures is shown in the attached figures.  FIG. 5  shows the smoking animal lure  7  inserted into the lure support  5 . The smoking animal lure  7  is not claimed but is shown in the drawings for reference. It is mentioned here because it is discussed throughout this detailed description. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  shows an external view of the assembled support apparatus. The support apparatus comprises a tubular body  1  that surrounds the smoking animal lure  7 . In this embodiment, the tubular body  1  is a round tube of synthetic material, such as PVC or nylon. PVC pipe has been used to fabricate initial embodiments. The tubular body  1  measures approximately 1 to 2 inches in diameter with a wall thickness of less than about 0.3 inch. While a flame retardant material is preferred, many rigid materials may be used, including many metals, plastics, and composites. The typical height of the tubular body  1  is about 12 inches to allow a 10-inch long smoking animal lure  7  to easily fit inside. Other diameters, wall thicknesses, and heights of tubular body  1  may be used provided that the structure remains rigid and the interior of the tubular body  1  allows adequate airflow to support combustion of the smoking animal lure  7 . While the preferred embodiment is cylindrical, the tubular body  1  may also be a variety of shapes, including elliptical or polygonal. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show a section view of the support apparatus to provide a clear depiction of how the parts are assembled. A lid  2  is attached to the top of the tubular body  1 . In the preferred embodiment, the lid  2  is manufactured of the same material as the tubular body  1  and is glued to the tubular body  1  to form single rigid component. As such, the lid  2  is sized such that the internal surface of the lid  2  fits closely over the top of the tubular body  1 . The lid  2  provides a shield that protects the smoking animal lure  7  from rain and other debris. Other methods may be used to attach the lid  2  to the tubular body  1 , including rivets, screws, or concentric screw threads. The lid  2  may also be formed as part of the tubular body  1 . 
         [0033]    The support apparatus also includes a fastening point  3 .  FIG. 6  shows the complete assembly with a cord  6  fastened to the fastening point  3  of the support apparatus. The cord  6  is not claimed but shown in the drawing for reference. The cord  6  may be any cordage material including twine, string, rope, and wire. In the preferred embodiment, the fastening point  3  is an eyelet formed as part of the lid  2  and comprised of the same material. The preferred embodiment of the eyelet has a toroidal shape with an internal diameter of about 0.3 to 1 inch. Other potential embodiments of the fastening point  3  may include a formed hook or a fastener attached to the lid  2 . 
         [0034]    The support apparatus also includes a lure support  5 . In the preferred embodiment, the lure support  5  comprises a cylindrical structure attached to the bottom of the tubular body  1 .  FIG. 4  provides a detailed view of the lure support  5  detached from the tubular body  1 . At the center of the lure support  5  is a hole  8  into which the smoking animal lure  7  may be set.  FIG. 5  shows the smoking animal lure  7  inserted into the hole  8 . The hole  8  is approximately 0.13 inch in diameter and approximately 1.3 to 1.8 inches deep. The hole  8  holds the smoking animal lure  7  in an upright position in the interior of the tubular body  1 . In the preferred embodiment, the tubular body has internal screw threads  9  in the lower portion of the interior thereof. The lure support  5  has screw threads  8  along its exterior vertical surface that engage the screw threads  9  of the tubular body. This engagement attaches the lure support  5  to the tubular body  1 . 
         [0035]    To support combustion of the smoking animal lure  7 , the support apparatus further comprises holes in the lower and upper portions of the device to support intake of air and exhaust of combustion gases respectively. In the preferred embodiment, the intake vents  11  comprise  4  holes measuring approximately 0.6 to 0.9 inch in diameter in the lower portion of the tubular body  1  and the exhaust vents  12  comprise four holes measuring approximately 0.3 to 0.6 inch in the upper portion of the tubular body  1 . The quantity and shape of these openings may be varied to support optimal rate of combustion of the smoking animal lure  7  inside. 
         [0036]    To use the preferred embodiment described, the user attaches a string or other type of cord  6  to the eyelet by threading the string through the hole in the eyelet and tying a knot. The user then detaches the lure support  5  from the tubular body  1  by rotating the lure support  5  relative to the tubular body  1  and thus unscrewing it therefrom. The user removes any debris left by previous smoking animal lures from the hole  8  in the center of the lure support  5 . The user inserts a new smoking animal lure  7  into the hole  8  in the center of the lure support  5 , holding the lure support  5  so that the smoking animal lure  7  is oriented vertically above the lure support  5 . The user lights the smoking animal lure  7 . The user then places the tubular body  1  over the smoking animal lure  7  and screws the lure support  5  back into the tubular body  1 , maintaining the upright position of the apparatus. Air will enter the intake vents  11  and combustion gases will exhaust through the exhaust vents  12  to maintain combustion of the smoking animal lure  7 . Once the lure support  5  is securely reattached to the tubular body  1 , the user holds the string and releases the support apparatus so that the support apparatus hangs from the string. The user then pays out the string, lowering the support apparatus containing the smoking animal lure  7  to the desired height below the elevated stand or tree branch. The user may then tie the string to the stand or a branch to maintain the height of the support apparatus. The orientation of the smoking animal lure  7  in the lure support  5  will prevent the lure from falling against the interior of the tubular body  1 . When the smoking animal lure  7  has completely burned and thus extinguished, the user may pull the string to retrieve the support apparatus and repeat the procedure. This may be done without leaving the stand or tree and with minimal unnecessary movement. 
         [0037]    Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, the lure support  5  may be attached to the tubular body  1  with a friction fit or hasps or a pliable member that fits into a detent when attached. The fastening point  3  may be a hole in the lid  2  or a hook or a cleat or a keyring or other structure to which the cord  6  may be securely attached. Metal, plastic, or composites may be used to fabricate the lid, lure support  5 , and tubular body  1 . Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.