SCENT BAG

Abstract

A scent bag including an outer shell having first and second open ends. The first and second open ends includes a closure device capable of selectively and independently closing the first and second ends. An inner bag is made from a mesh material and has a first open end and a second closed end. The first open end is attached at points along its periphery to the shell adjacent the first end of the outer shell, and the second closed end of the bag is attached to the outer shell along adjacent the second end of the outer shell at a plurality of points.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to hunting. More specifically, the invention relates to a bag for applying scent to an article of clothing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the United States, hunting is a popular sport. About 14 million people a year buy hunting licenses in the U.S. Adding to that people who own lifetime licenses and youth hunters under 17 who do not need to buy licenses in many states, there are close to 19 million hunters in the U.S. each year. Adding further, those who don't hunt each year but still consider themselves active hunters, the total number of hunters is closer to 24 million.

For hunting some types of animals, such as deer, it is desirable to disguise the hunter's natural scent in order to prevent the animal from detecting the presence of the hunter. Although the scent of detergents and the scent of the human body is typically undetectable by humans, particularly at long distances, these types of scents are readily detectable by some wild animals from very long distances depending upon wind speed and direction. Many different disguising scents are available and can be applied directly to the hunter's clothing. In order to maximize the effectiveness of the disguising scent when applied to clothing, it is best to apply the scent evenly across the entire item of clothing. In this manner, the scent of the hunter can be most effectively disguised.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, as defined by the claims, relates to a scent bag comprising an outer shell having first and second open ends. The first and second open ends comprise a closure device capable of selectively and independently closing the first and second ends. An inner bag is made from a mesh material and has a first open end and a second closed end. The first open end of the inner bag is attached at points along its periphery to the outer shell adjacent the first end of the outer shell, and the second closed end of the inner bag is attached to the outer shell generally adjacent the second end of the outer shell at a plurality of points.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of scent bag according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a scent bag according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of scent bag according to an embodiment of the present invention having one end thereof closed; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of scent bag according to an embodiment of the present invention having both ends thereof closed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

The present invention comprises a scent bag for evenly applying a scent to an item of clothing for masking the scent of the human body or other scents, such as the scent of detergent, commonly associated with human clothing. It desirable to apply the scent evenly to the surface of the clothing rather than applying large amounts of the scent to isolated locations on the clothing.

In that regard and referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is a provided a scent bag 10 in accordance with the present invention. The scent bag 10 comprises a first outer shell 12 that is open at opposing first and second ends 14 and 16. In the preferred embodiment, the first outer shell 12 comprises a single layer of material that is looped to form an open-ended cylinder (see FIG. 2) and sewn together at a seam 18. However, the outer shell 12 may comprise any type of material, such as a sheet polymer material, and may be formed from a single, unsewn and continuous sheet of material without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The outer shell 12 is doubled over and sewn to itself at the first and second ends 14 and 16 in order to form channels 20 and 22 at each respective end 14, 16. The channels 20 and 22 each house a string 24 or rope that is looped through the respective channel 20 or 22 and exit through an opening in each respective channel 20 or 22. Each string 24 is also threaded through a binder or clamp 26 for clamping onto the string 24 and to hold the binder or clamp 26 in a particular position on the string 24. When both ends of the string 24 are pulled from one of the channels 20 or 22, an end 14 or 16 of outer shell 12 is cinched closed as shown in FIG. 3. When both strings 24 are pulled, both ends 14, 16 of the outer shell are cinched as in FIG. 4. Moving the clamp 26 along each string to the portion of the string 24 exiting the channel and applying the clamp 26 will maintain the end 14 or 16 of the outer shell 12 in the cinched position. The strings 24 may be substituted with other closure devices, such as zippers, buttons, snaps, etc. without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Within the outer shell 12 is an inner bag 28. The inner bag 28 is preferably made from a mesh material. A first end 30 of the inner bag 28 is open and is attached generally adjacent to the first end 14 of the outer shell 12 along the entire perimeter 31 of the opening of the inner bag 28. In this manner, if one were to insert an item into the first end 14 of the outer shell 12, it would be inserted within the inner bag 28. The inner bag 28 has a second, closed end 32 opposite the first end 30 that prevents any items from passing through the inner bag 28.

Attached to the second end 32 of the inner bag 28 are loops 34. Attached to the interior of the outer shell 12 near the second end 16 are buttons 36. The loops 34 are preferably removably attached to the buttons 36 to hold the inner bag 28 in a generally fixed position with respect to the outer shell 12. Alternatively, the loops 34 could be replaced with lengths of material that are sewn to the inner bag or the outer shell or the inner bag could be directly sewn to the outer shell at two or more locations.

The scent bag 10 is used by first placing an item of clothing to which a scent is to be applied within the inner bag 28 through the first end 14 of the outer shell 12. The string 24 associated with the first end 14 is then cinched to close the first end 14 of the outer shell 12. Next, an item having the scent applied thereto is placed in the second end 16 of the outer shell 12. The string 24 associated with the second end 16 of the outer shell 12 is then cinched shut. The scent bag 10 is then manipulated to cause the item having the scent applied thereto to move about the bag to contact various locations of the clothing through the holes of the mesh inner bag 28 while maintaining containment of the clothing apart from the scented item. The scent bag 10 may be manipulated manually or may be inserted within a common household clothes dryer in a no-heat mode. In this manner, scent is applied to substantially the entire surface of the item of clothing.

The above examples show that the invention, as defined by the claims, has far ranging application and should not be limited merely to the embodiments shown and described in detail. Instead the invention should be limited only to the explicit words of the claims, and the claims should not be arbitrarily limited to embodiments shown in the specification. The scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims, and the Examiner should examine the claims on that basis.

Claims

1. A scent bag comprising:

an outer shell having first and second open ends, the first and second open ends comprising a closure device capable of selectively and independently closing the first and second ends; and

an inner bag disposed within the outer shell and made from a mesh material, the inner bag having a first open end and a second closed end, the first open end attached at points along its periphery to an interior of the outer shell adjacent the first end of the outer shell, the second closed end of the bag attached to the interior of the outer shell along adjacent the second end of the outer shell at a plurality of points.

2. The scent bag of claim 1 wherein the second closed end of the bag attached to the interior of the outer shell along adjacent the second end of the outer shell at a plurality of points by further comprising a plurality of loops attached to the inner bag and a corresponding plurality of buttons attached to an interior of the outer shell, the loops being removably attachable to the buttons.

3. The scent bag of claim 1 wherein the closure devices each comprise a channel disposed adjacent to the first and second ends having a string therein, both ends of the string exiting the channel at an opening in the channel, the string being used to cinch the respective openings closed and maintain the openings in the closed position.

4. The scent bag of claim 3 further comprising a clamp associated with each string for clamping along a length of the string to maintain the respective ends of the outer shell in the closed position.

5. The scent bag of claim 1 wherein the closure devices are zippers.

6. A scent bag comprising:

an outer shell having first and second open ends, the first and second open ends comprising a closure device capable of selectively and independently closing the first and second ends; and

an inner bag disposed within the outer shell and made from a mesh material, the inner bag having a first open end and a second closed end, the first open end attached at points along its periphery to the outer shell generally adjacent the first end of the outer shell; and

means for attaching the second closed end of the inner bag to the outer shell at a plurality of points.

7. The scent bag of claim 6 wherein the means for attaching comprises a plurality of loops attached to the inner bag and a corresponding plurality of buttons attached to an interior of the outer shell, the loops being removably attachable to the buttons.

8. The scent bag of claim 6 wherein the closure devices each comprise a channel disposed adjacent to the first and second ends having a string therein, both ends of the string exiting the channel at an opening in the channel, the string being used to cinch the respective openings closed and maintain the openings in the closed position.

9. The scent bag of claim 8 further comprising a clamp associated with each string for clamping along a length of the string to maintain the respective ends of the outer shell in the closed position.

10. The scent bag of claim 6 wherein the closure devices are zippers.

11. A scent bag comprising:

an outer shell having first and second open ends, the first and second open ends comprising a channel disposed adjacent to the first and second ends having a string therein, both ends of the string exiting the channel at an opening in the channel, the string being used to cinch the respective first and second openings closed and maintain the openings in the closed position.

an inner bag disposed within the outer shell and made from a mesh material, the inner bag having a first open end and a second closed end, the first open end of the inner bag attached at points along its periphery to the outer shell adjacent the first end of the outer shell; and

a plurality of loops attached to the inner bag and a corresponding plurality of buttons attached to an interior of the outer shell, the loops being removably attachable to the buttons.

12. The scent bag of claim 11 further comprising a clamp associated with each string for clamping along a length of the string to maintain the respective ends of the outer shell in the closed position.