Turret top blind
An improved tent type blind. The improvement is a turret positioned in the roof of the blind, the turret having a top and sides, the sides of the turret attached directly or indirectly to an opening in the roof of the blind, the sides of the turret being made of a transparent material to provide viewing from within the blind through the transparent material.
The instant invention relates to tent type blinds of the type for use by, for example, hunters, wildlife photographers, wildlife observers, bird watchers, policeman and soldiers. There are basically two well-known types of portable tent type blinds. The first is the spring wire “doghouse” blind. The second is the hub blind. The spring wire blind is easily portable and easy to setup but is not as structurally secure as the hub blind. The smaller hub and spring wire blinds offer a low profile design, are preferred by many users for their stealth and stability, but do not allow most occupants the ability to stand, which is a major concern for many hunters. Larger blinds, allow the user to stand and may have some increased “side wall viewing”, but because of their height, can be more difficult to erect and can be less stable in windy conditions. The larger hub blinds are as much as seven feet tall thereby allowing a person in the blind to stand. However, such tall blinds can be unstable in windy conditions. The blind of U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,436 provides a window and permits 360 degree viewing but only through a small window by rotating the blind. The chair and blind combination of U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,291 permits 180 degree viewing from a centrally covered roof structure that is open to the air on three sides. The blind of U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,744 permits 360 degree viewing from an open portion between the sides and top of the blind. However, the blind of the '744 patent does not fully conceal a person in the blind. As with any ground blind product, the users considerations may be price, size, shape, features and personal needs. It would be an advance in the art of tent type blinds if a blind were discovered that permitted 360 degree concealed viewing (hunting , photography, etc.) from a ergonomic standing position with a reduced side exposure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe instant invention is a tent blind for concealing a person within the blind, the blind comprising a roof and walls supported by a frame, the roof and walls comprising flexible sheet material, wherein the improvement comprises a turret positioned in the roof of the blind, the turret comprising a top and sides, the sides of the turret attached directly or indirectly to an aperture in the roof of the blind, the sides of the turret comprising a transparent material thereby providing viewing from within the blind through the transparent material.
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It should be understood that the instant invention is an improved blind. The improvement is the turret attached to the roof of the blind. The blind upon which the turret is placed can be any tent type blind of the prior art. As such the blind can have entrance ways, windows and floors as desired but such features are not essential to the instant invention. The essential feature of the instant invention is the turret. The turret not only provides a 360 degree view around the blind, the turret also permits a decrease in the side area of the blind. A turret that can be lowered as shown in
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A primary benefit of the turret blind of the instant invention is the sense of space and light provided to the user. Most blinds of the prior art have zippered or VELCRO operated windows that offer only limited viewing and are noisy to open and close. A blind of the prior art that is high enough to permit the user to stand is more difficult to conceal and more likely to be buffeted by wind. The turret top blind of the instant invention can have shorter sides, be easier to conceal and be more stable in wind. Other primary benefits of the turret blind of the instant invention are it's ergonomic physical advantages for the user. Obvious benefits for the back and neck associated with twisting and bending in poor posture seated positions. These motions are required in any typical ground blind and can be painful and harmful to the user. In addition, the economical ergonomic superior viewing from the stealthy location of a stationary turret while maintaining proper posture which allows a compact and stable profile for the blind, while offering greater comfort and function to the user. When desired, a weatherproof sleeve can be applied to the sides of the turret, the sleeve being made of a material to block weather intrusion into the blind, to block scent from escaping the blind and to prevent silhouetting. A highly preferred material for such a sleeve would be the same flexible sheet material used for the sides and roof the blind. Such a sleeve can be rolled up at the bottom or the top of the turret when not in use.
CONCLUSIONWhile the instant invention has been described above and claimed below according to its preferred embodiments, it can be modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the instant invention using the general principles disclosed herein. For example, the turret of the instant invention can comprise an inflatable support structure such as is used for inflatable beech toys. Further, the instant application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.
Claims
1. A tent blind for concealing a person within the blind, the blind comprising a roof and walls supported by a frame, the roof and walls comprising flexible sheet material, wherein the improvement comprises a turret positioned in the roof of the blind, the turret comprising a top and sides, the sides of the turret attached directly or indirectly to an aperture in the roof of the blind, the sides of the turret comprising a transparent material to provide viewing from within the blind through the transparent material.
2. The blind of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises spring-pole hoops.
3. The blind of claim 1, wherein the transparent material comprises a thinly woven fabric.
4. The blind of claim 2, wherein the transparent material comprises a thinly woven fabric.
5. The blind of claim 1, wherein the top and sides of the turret are made of a flexible sheet material supported by a plurality of hoops.
6. The blind of claim 5, wherein the turret has a bulbous shape and the hoops comprise spring poles.
7. The blind of claim 1, wherein the sides of the turret are made of the transparent material thereby providing 360 degree viewing from within the blind through the transparent material.
8. The blind of claim 2, wherein the sides of the turret are made of the transparent material thereby providing 360 degree viewing from within the blind through the transparent material.
9. The blind of claim 3, wherein the sides of the turret are made of the transparent material thereby providing 360 degree viewing from within the blind through the transparent material.
10. The blind of claim 4, wherein the sides of the turret are made of the transparent material thereby providing 360 degree viewing from within the blind through the transparent material.
11. The blind of claim 5, wherein the sides of the turret are made of the transparent material thereby providing 360 degree viewing from within the blind through the transparent material.
12. The blind of claim 6, wherein the sides of the turret are made of the transparent material thereby providing 360 degree viewing from within the blind through the transparent material.
13. The blind of claim 1, further comprising a weatherproof sleeve applied to the sides of the turret, the sleeve being made of a material to block weather intrusion into the blind, to block scent from escaping the blind and to prevent silhouetting.
14. The blind of claim 10, further comprising a weatherproof sleeve applied to the sides of the turret, the sleeve being made of a material to block weather intrusion into the blind, to block scent from escaping the blind and to prevent silhouetting.
15. The blind of claim 11, further comprising a weatherproof sleeve applied to the sides of the turret, the sleeve being made of a material to block weather intrusion into the blind, to block scent from escaping the blind and to prevent silhouetting.
16. The blind of claim 12, further comprising a weatherproof sleeve applied to the sides of the turret, the sleeve being made of a material to block weather intrusion into the blind, to block scent from escaping the blind and to prevent silhouetting.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 26, 2015
Publication Date: May 5, 2016
Inventor: Kelly Lewis Carmouche, SR. (Prairieville, LA)
Application Number: 14/756,889