SCENT SHOOTER

Abstract

A scent shooter apparatus and scent filled pellet is disclosed. The scent shooter may include a projectile launcher. A vessel may be coupled to the projectile launcher and configured to hold a pellet and release the pellet during operation of the apparatus. The apparatus may include a piercer mounted on the vessel. The piercer may be disposed to pierce the pellet during operation of the apparatus. The scent filled pellet may include a hardened shell. A control release agent may be disposed inside the pellet to control release of the scent.

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'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 51a; 51b 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 52a and 52b) along side walls 58. A projection 53 (formed by interlocking elements 53a and 53b) 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.

Claims

1. A scentball, comprising:

a rupture-resistant shell; and

an animal-based scent disposed within the shell.

2. The scentball of claim 1 further comprising a control release agent disposed within the shell.

3. The scentball of claim 2 wherein the control release agent is cotton.

4. The scentball of claim 2 wherein the control release agent.lines an interior surface of the shell.

5. The scentball of claim 1 wherein the shell is hardened.

6. The scentball of claim 1 wherein the shell is greater than 0.010 inches thick.

7. A scentball, comprising:

a hardened shell;

a permeable control release agent within the hardened shell; and

a fluid scent disposed within the hardened shell.

8. The scentball of claim 8 wherein the fluid scent is impregnated into the control release agent.

9. The scentball of claim 8 wherein the hardened shell is configured to resist deformation upon impact of the scentball.