Patent Publication Number: US-2012028742-A1

Title: Scent shooter

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional patent application No. 61/334879, filed May 14, 2010, which is herein incorporated by reference and is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional application number 13100853, filed May 4, 2011. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to hunting equipment, and more particularly, to a scent shooter. 
     One technique employed by hunters is to draw game out by dousing an area with chemicals that attract wildlife. For example, game can be lured into a particular area by using pheromones or other natural scents such as animal urine that the game can detect. 
     Some current methods of covering an area with these chemicals include manually pouring or spraying, however, these techniques can mean that a hunter physically traverses the same area so that the hunter&#39;s motion scares potential game away or may leave behind his own scent that the game can detect. Some other techniques include using breakable pellets that contain attractive scent as a lure. The pellets can be shot or launched toward an area so that the hunter may be an undetectable distance away, for example, approximately 240 ft. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for an apparatus that improves the release of scent from a pellet that can be discharged from a distance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a scentball comprises a rupture-resistant shell; and an animal-based scent disposed within the shell. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a scentball comprises a hardened shell; a permeable control release agent within the hardened shell; and a fluid scent disposed within the hardened shell. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a scent shooter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective side view of the scent shooter of  FIG. 1  with an exemplary embodiment of a vessel disposed over a handle chamber; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the scent shooter of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an isolated front view of the handle of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the handle of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the handle of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of another exemplary embodiment of a vessel; and 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of an exemplary scent pellet according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
     Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a scent shooter that can launch a projectile, for example, a pierced scent filled pellet, into an area distant from a user providing improved chances of a distant area being doused with an attractant for game. Additionally, exemplary embodiments of the present invention, control the timing of the piercing so as to control and mitigate spillage of the scent near the hunter. 
     Referring now to the Figures, an apparatus is shown that can pierce a scent filled pellet just prior to launch.  FIGS. 1-3  show a scent shooter  10  that includes a handle  20  and a vessel  50 . The scent shooter  10 , in some exemplary embodiments, may be a slingshot including the handle  20 , a pair of forks  40  coupled to the handle  20 , and a pair of elastic slings  60  attached to the forks  40 . The vessel  50  may be rigid and coupled to and between proximal ends  65  of the slings  60 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  7 , and  8 , an exploded view of the scent shooter  10  is shown and in particular, the vessel  50  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention carrying a scent filled pellet  99 . The vessel  50  may include an outer shell  51  and an internal compartment  54 . 
     The outer shell  51  may be a unitary rigid piece or may be two separate halves  51   a;    51   b  forming an elongated cup shape with an open front end  57  and a substantially enclosed back end  59 . The outer shell  51  may include indents or slots  52  (shown as respective indent halves  52   a  and  52   b ) along side walls  58 . A projection  53  (formed by interlocking elements  53   a  and  53   b ) may be disposed on the back enclosed end  59 . 
     The internal compartment  54  may be substantially semi-spherical and sized to carry the pellet  99  within its interior. An exterior surface of the internal compartment  54  may include a pair of rails  56  disposed on opposite sides of the internal compartment  54  exterior. The rails  56  may each support a depressible tab  55 . The tabs  55  may include a grip surface  67  that may include, for example, ridges. 
     A piercer  75 , for example, a tack, a pin, or a blade, may be mounted on the vessel  50 . The piercer  75  may be disposed to pierce the pellet  99  inside the internal compartment  54 . In one exemplary embodiment, the piercer  75  may be coupled through the outer shell  51  and through the internal compartment  54 . The piercer  75  may be spring loaded onto the vessel  50 . In one exemplary embodiment, a coiled spring  76  may be mounted onto the piercer  75  between an interior of the outer shell  51  and the exterior of the internal compartment  54 . 
     In operation, a user may insert the pellet  99  into the internal compartment  54 . The user may apply finger pressure to the tabs  55  when drawing the elastic slings  60  and vessel  50  back prior to launching the pellet  99 . One may appreciate that the tabs  55  mounted on the rails  56  may slide along the indents  52  of the outer shell  51 . The ridges on the grip surface  67  may aid the fingers of the user providing control during the draw and preventing slippage. As a user slides the tabs  55  rearward, the finger pressure applied to the pellet  99  simultaneously draws the internal compartment  54  and pellet  99  rearward within the outer shell  51 . Thus, in one exemplary use, as the user begins to encounter resistance from the slings  60 , the pellet  99  may be drawn rearward toward the piercer  75  and pierced just prior to launching. Once the pellet  99  is released, the coiled spring  76  may push the internal compartment  54  back into a default position within the outer shell  51 . 
     Referring back to  FIGS. 1-6 , the handle  20  may include features to provide ease of handling and ease of dispensing the scented pellets  99 . The handle  20  may include a curved rear surface  26  and a plurality of finger grips  24  on a front surface. The handle  20  may include an internal wall  29  defining a hollow chamber. The internal wall  29  may be large enough to fit scented pellets  99  so that the pellets  99  may move freely when stacked inside the handle  20 . A valve  30  assembly may be disposed at the top of the handle  20  over the internal wall  29 . The valve assembly  30  may include a spring loaded trigger  35 . The trigger  35  may be depressed to reveal and release the contents of the internal wall  29 . The handle  20  may also include a pair of lengthwise grooves  27  that may run from the top of the handle  20  down to the bottom and may accommodate fitted coupling of fork legs  28  to the handle  20 . 
     The scent shooter  10  may include a yoke  74  coupling the vessel  50  to the handle  20  by way of fasteners  79 . A pair of yoke locks  72  may be disposed between the yoke  74  and the vessel  50 . The pair of yoke locks  72  may be positioned between the tabs  55  and the underlying yoke  74  surface. 
     The yoke locks  72  may be configured to surround the front end  57  of the outer shell  51  and lock the outer shell  51  onto the yoke  74 . It may also be appreciated that the yoke locks  72  may be configured to provide a stop for the tabs  55  as the internal compartment may reset to its default position after a launch. The yoke  74  may also include a pair of loops  73  on distal ends of the yoke  74 . The elastic slings  60  may each be fastened to respective loops  73 . 
     While the foregoing was described within the context of employing a slingshot, it will be understood that features and elements of the foregoing disclosure may describe other projectile launchers. Additionally, while other projectile launchers may not have been illustrated, those skilled in the art may appreciate that some of the foregoing features may be employed alone within other projectile launcher types. For example, the vessels described may be employed on a cross-bow type launcher or a pneumatic gun. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a pellet  99  is shown in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The pellet  99  may also be referred to as a scentball. In one aspect, the scentball  99  may be configured to be launched and land in a target area without rupturing. In another aspect, the scentball  99  may be configured to land and disperse contents according to a controlled release. For sake of illustration, the scentball  99  is shown pierced with an opening P as provided in accordance with the aforementioned disclosure, however it will be understood that the scentball  99  is typically unpierced. 
     The scentball  99  may include a spherical shell  92  filled with a fluid  95 . The fluid  95  may be, for example, an animal-based scent such as animal urine or other animal lure scents or masks. The shell  92  may be made from a hardened material to promote maintaining the integrity of the scentball  99 . For example, the shell  92  may be made from extended baked [Jay, do you have an approximate baking time for your shells?] gelatin composite that resists water solubility and deformation. Alternatively, the shell  92  may be made from plastic. The shell  92  may be, for example, greater than 0.010 inches thick. In one exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the shell  92  may be approximately 0.020 inches to 0.030 inches. A control release agent  90  may be disposed within the shell  92  interior. The control release agent  90  may be configured to control a flow rate of the scent fluid  95  out of the opening P. The control release agent  90  may be disposed to occupy approximately 5%-90% of the interior volume of the shell  92 . The fluid  95  may be impregnated into the control release agent  90  or may be surrounded by the control release agent  90 . The control release agent  90  may be, for example, an absorbent material such as cotton. In one exemplary embodiment, the control release agent  90  may be heterogeneously disposed within the shell  92 . In another exemplary embodiment, the control release agent  90  may line an interior surface of the shell  92  configured as a permeable barrier. 
     In an exemplary use of the scentball  99 , as the scentball  99  is pierced and launched into an area, the hardened shell  92  may allow the scentball  99  to bounce and may protect the scentball  99  from rupturing or breaking upon impact. The release of the fluid  95  out of the opening P may be controlled according to the density and permeability of the control release agent  90  providing, in one example, for the fluid  95  to flow out in a time released manner through the opening P. The fluid passing out from the control release agent  90  may pass through the opening P as a fluid or evaporated gas. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.