Patent ID: 12219952

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description provides detail of various embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each of these embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the invention and not intended to be an undue limitation of the invention. Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. By way of example, those skilled in the art will recognize that features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention also cover such modifications and variations that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

The apparatus for interconnecting the body portion and extremity portion of a decoy of the present invention generally includes an interconnecting base and an interconnecting receptacle. The interlock of the present invention is particularly well suited for interconnecting the head or feet of a waterfowl decoy to the body of the decoy. The base and receptacle cooperate together to create interlocks that are drawn together with sufficient force to allow a user to carry the decoy by the head without having the head fall off the body. Decoys may be manufactured utilizing the interconnect of the present invention. However, the interconnect of the present invention may also be used advantageously to retrofit existing decoys with a simple to use and efficient system. The interlock may further include rims extending from the base and receptacle that may be contoured to match the contour of existing decoy bodies or extremities.

Turning attention now to the Figures, embodiments of the apparatus10for interconnecting the body and extremity of a decoy in accordance with the present invention will now be described in more detail. Decoys having an interconnect10of the present invention that interconnect the head and body of a waterfowl decoy are generally shown inFIGS.1-4. Those familiar with the art will appreciate that the head and body styles vary significantly between decoys that float on the water (floaters) and decoys that are spread out on land (field decoys). By way of example, floater decoys often have the head aligned further back on the body to simulate a resting or sleeping waterfowl. In contrast, the field decoy will often have the head stretched out or extending downward to simulate natural behavior of waterfowl in a field.FIG.1illustrates a field decoy body20having an interconnect or interlock10that interlocks the body20with interconnecting feet22and an interconnecting head24. Similarly,FIG.2shows a floater decoy having a body portion30interconnected with interlock10to the head34.

FIG.4shows a retrofit decoy head40having rim42adhered to the head40and having protrusion44extending from rim42. The protrusion44includes a tapered sidewall and is sized to snuggly fit within the receptacle52of the decoy body50. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the interconnect10of the present invention may include a rim that is sized and shaped to match the many shapes and styles of heads40and bodies50to allow sufficient adherence of the interconnect10to the head or body.

FIGS.5-8show generally an exemplary interlock102having contoured rims. The interlock102includes a first interconnect110having a receptacle130. The first interconnect110has a rim112extending outwardly from the receptacle130. The rim112has top114and bottom116sides that include respectively contoured surfaces126and128. The receptacle130includes a tapered sidewall118that terminates at bottom120. The bottom has a cavity122formed within the bottom which is sized to receive a magnet124. The magnets utilized with the present invention are preferably neodymium magnets having an estimated pull force between 15-30 lbs. The magnets are preferably disc-shaped having sizes ranging between 1-1.5 inch diameter and a thickness between 0.10-0.375 inches thick. Of course, other magnets having different shapes and sizes may be utilized without departing from the scope of the invention. The magnetic field or flux lines of magnet124preferably align with the rim112. Similarly, the interlock102has a second interconnect140having a protrusion148that mates with receptacle130of the first interconnect110. The second interconnect140has a rim142extending outwardly from the protrusion148. The rim142has top144and bottom146sides that include respectively contoured surfaces158and160. The protrusion148includes a tapered sidewall150that terminates at bottom152. The bottom152has a cavity154formed within the bottom which is sized to receive a magnet162. The outer bottom portion152of the protrusion150may be rounded or chamfered156such that insertion into the receptacle130is facilitated. The first and second interlocks110and140may be thermo molded, printed, rotary molded, blow molded or formed with other known techniques having the magnet of each interconnect enclosed or encompassed with each enclosed corresponding cavity.

With reference toFIGS.9-15, an exemplary interlock202of an embodiment of the invention is illustrated having parallel rims. The interlock202includes a first interconnect210having a receptacle226. The first interconnect210has a rim212extending outwardly from the receptacle226. The rim212has top214and bottom216sides that include respectively flat or parallel surfaces. The receptacle226includes an opening234and tapered sidewall218that terminates at bottom220. The bottom has a cavity222formed within the bottom which is sized to receive a magnet224. Similarly, the interlock202has a second interconnect240having a protrusion248that mates with receptacle226of the first interconnect210. The second interconnect240has a rim242extending outwardly from the protrusion248. The rim242has top244and bottom246sides that extend outward and are parallel. The protrusion248includes a tapered sidewall250that terminates at bottom252. The bottom252has a cavity254formed within the bottom which is sized to receive a magnet258. The outer bottom portion252of the protrusion248may be rounded or chamfered256such that insertion into the receptacle226is facilitated. The first and second interlocks210and240may be formed or segmented in corresponding first segments228and260, middle segments230and262and outer or top segments232and264. The tapered sidewall may have a draft angle of between 1-10 degrees, however, a 3 degree draft has been found to be well suited with the invention.

The multidimensional tapered surface together with the magnet attraction between the magnets of the mating interconnects provide a sufficient binding so that the head does not disengage from the decoy body when the head is used to carry the decoy. However, at the same time, a pulling force on the directly outward so that the tapered sidewalls do not engage each other results in a quick and easy way to remove the head from the body. Of course, one of the magnets may be replaced with a material that is attracted to the opposing magnet, however using two magnets has been found desirable.

As shown inFIGS.16-19another alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated.FIGS.16-19shows generally an exemplary interlock302that utilizes o-rings or gaskets rather than magnets to provide a restricting force between the first and second interconnects310and340. The interlock302includes a first interconnect310having a receptacle330. The first interconnect310has a rim312extending outwardly from the receptacle330. The rim312has top314and bottom316sides that include respectively flat or parallel surfaces. The receptacle330includes an opening332and tapered sidewall318that terminates at bottom320. Similarly, the interlock302has a second interconnect340having a protrusion348that mates with receptacle330of the first interconnect310. The second interconnect340has a rim342extending outwardly from the protrusion348. The rim342has top344and bottom346sides that extend outward and are parallel. The protrusion348includes a tapered sidewall350that terminates at bottom352. The tapered sidewall350includes annular grooves358and360that are adapted for receiving an o-ring or gasket. The outer bottom portion352of the protrusion348may be rounded or chamfered354such that insertion into the receptacle330is facilitated. The first interconnect310includes an aperture or hole326extending through the bottom320to allow air to escape as the first interconnect310is press fit into the second interconnect340.

These and various other aspects and features of the invention are described with the intent to be illustrative, and not restrictive. This invention has been described herein with detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. It is to be understood, however, that the invention can be carried out by specifically different constructions, and that various modifications, both as to the construction and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, in the appended claims, the transitional terms comprising and including are used in the open ended sense in that elements in addition to those enumerated may also be present. Other examples will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing this document.