Patent Publication Number: US-2012028536-A1

Title: Game call mouth positioner and tone tuner

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION (35 U.S.C. §119(e)) 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from provisional patent Application No. 61/397,245, filed Jun. 7, 2010. The 61/397,245 Application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to game calls and, more specifically, to a device to help position a user&#39;s lips more correctly and to tune more precisely the tone of a game call. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Game calls utilizing reeds to produce a call are well known in the art. Attempts have been made provide adjustment to adjust the pitch and tone of the sound produced by the reed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,860 to Cook (“Cook”), discloses a “Game Call with Fine, Precise Adjustable Tone”. See Cook, Title. The game call ( 10 ) comprises a hollow tubular body ( 14 ), a subassembly made up of a tone board ( 18 ), a wedge ( 22 ), and a reed ( 26 ) held between the tone board and the wedge. A mouth piece ( 28 ) fits over the subassembly to facilitate operating the game call. To adjust the call&#39;s tone, the tone board ( 18 ) and the wedge ( 22 ) have complimentary serrations ( 50  and  78 , respectively). The serrations allow the wedge to be adjusted forward or backward over the tone board, thereby changing the amount of the reed that is clamped between the tone board and the wedge which, in turn, adjusts the tone and pitch produced. However, the Cook device requires that the reed assembly be disassembled in order to adjust the placement of the wedge over the reed and tone board. Moreover, users like to adjust their game calls by manipulating the reed with their mouths, but Cook&#39;s device can only fix the amount of reed that is free and, therefore, decreases the user&#39;s ability to use the mouth and lips to adjust the call. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,127 to Colyer (“Colyer”), employs a tapered latex tube or sleeve over a hole in a closed end call. The sleeve operates as “an elastic, cylindrical reed member” which covers at least some of the hole. Air blown into the intake of the call exits the port and causes the sleeve to vibrate. By adjusting the position of the reed member sleeve over the port, the sound of the call can be changed. Colyer&#39;s sleeve is not designed to work in conjunction with a reed call. Moreover, the sleeve fits snugly over the call&#39;s hard, cylindrical body, so the tone or pitch of the call cannot be adjusted while the call is being operated. Colyer&#39;s call does not provide any assistance to the user in finding the right place to hold the call in the mouth. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     What is needed is a game call that can change the tone and pitch of a call in a simple and flexible way. Also needed is a game call that assists the user in finding the correct place over which to place the user&#39;s mouth and lips to produce the best call. 
     The present invention discloses a game call device that helps position a user&#39;s mouth and select the call tone desired. An elastomeric cap with a reed aperture fits snugly over a reed assembly. The cap helps the user find the right position for the mouth and lips. The rubber cap helps the user to press down on the reed and reed assembly to change the pressure on the reed and the space created by the cap&#39;s cavity. Tone holes in the cap allow the user to close the holes with the user&#39;s fingers or mouth and further adjust the tone and pitch of the call. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side, cut-away view of the preferred embodiment of the game call of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a three-quarter, exploded view of the reed assembly and tone tuner cap of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the cap of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a three-quarter, perspective view of the tone tuner cap of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  provides a cut-away view of the preferred embodiment of game call device of the present invention. The game call  10  used here for illustration has a reed holder assembly  11  fittingly inserted into a call horn  13 . A user blows into the reed assembly  11  and air passes by the reed  12  and through the reed assembly air passage  16 . Passing air causes the reed  12  to vibrate and create a call. The air passes through the horn  13  and exits through the horn opening  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the reed assembly  11  comprises a lower reed support structure  21  through which the reed assembly air passage  16  runs axially. A reed  12  is held on the lower structure  21  and an upper reed clamp piece  22  sandwiches the reed  12  between the lower  21  and upper  22  parts of the reed assembly  11 . As noted above, the reed assembly  11  is then fittingly inserted into a call horn  13 , which holds the reed assembly  11  together. 
     To adjust the pitch and tone of the game call produced by the reed  12 , an elastomeric cap  15  is placed over the reed assembly  11 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , the cap  15  has a rear opening  19 , which forms a lip. Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the rear opening lip  19  of the rubber cap  15  is sized to slip over and fit snugly around the annular rear ledge  23  of the game call horn  13 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the front end of the cap  15  has a reed aperture  18 . When the cap  15  is placed over the reed assembly  11  and rear ledge  23  of the horn  13 , the cap&#39;s reed aperture  18  is stretched around the reed assembly  11  and the reed  12 . The user places his or her mouth over the front of the rubber cap  15 , leaving the tone holes  17  exposed. In this way, the cap  15  helps the user adjust where to place his or her mouth in relation to the reed  12  and reed assembly  11 . The user then blows over the reed  12  and through the reed air passage  16  as well as through the cap aperture  18 . Game call users have difficulty controlling a vibrating reed with their lips. The elastomeric material of the cap  15  allows the user increased control over the amount of pressure that can be exerted on the reed  12 , which in turn allows greater control over the pitch and tone generated. By pressing down on the rubber cap  15 , the user can squash the cap  15  over portions of the reed  12 , thereby providing more tone control than can be achieved by lips alone. The cavity created between the cap  15  and the reed assembly  11  can be decreased by the user&#39;s lips, thereby providing additional tone control. 
     The rubber tone tuning cap  15  also has one or more tone holes  17  that can be opened or closed by a user&#39;s mouth or fingers, providing additional control over the pitch and tone of the call produced. Placing fingers over the holes  17  while blowing will change the pitch to a deeper sound and decrease volume. Leaving the tone holes  17  open raises the pitch and increases volume. 
     The cap  15  is made of rubber or some other similarly elastic material that can stretch and deform under the pressure of a user&#39;s mouth. 
     The drawings and description set forth here represent only some embodiments of the invention. After considering these, skilled persons will understand that there are many ways to make a game call according to the principles disclosed. The inventor contemplates that the use of alternative structures, materials, or manufacturing techniques, which result in a game call according to the principles disclosed, will be within the scope of the invention. 
     I claim: