BLOWGUN HAVING TETHERED PROJECTILES

Abstract

A blowgun system provides a unique and improved method of fishing and hunting. The system can comprise a blowgun having a reel device and tethered projectiles, such as darts, to facilitate retrieval of the projectile and the target (e.g., fish, land animals, etc.) during use.

Description

PRIORITY

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/715,708, filed Aug. 7, 2018, which is incorporated fully herein by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to blowguns and, more particularly, to a blowgun system having a tethered projectile adapted to facilitate hunting, fishing, and other sports and hobbies.

BACKGROUND

Conventional blowgun devices include a long tube for shooting light projectiles, such as darts. The projectile is placed inside the tube, with a force created by a user's exhalation to pneumatically propel the projectile. While blowguns have evolved and can be used in sports and hunting, such as fishing, there are inherent drawbacks. Namely, once the user shoots the projectile dart at an animal, such as a fish, the animal can escape or move and, resultingly, take the dart with it. For example, if a fish is shot and moves further below the surface of the water, or traverses away from the user in the water, it is unlikely the user will be able to retrieve the fish or the dart. This is also the case when using a blowgun to target land animals—e.g., they can run away from the user, with the imbedded dart, if they are not immediately immobilized by the shot.

Accordingly, there is a need for new and improved systems and methods to solve the innate issues around using a blowgun for hunting or fishing.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a blowgun system including a proximal mouthpiece portion, a distal expelling portion, one or more intermediate hollow tube portions, a handle portion, a reel device, and a projectile quiver adapted to hold a plurality of projectiles—e.g., barbed darts. A line tethers the projectiles to the reel device to facilitate retrieval of the projectile and the target (e.g., animals) during use. A user can blow into the mouthpiece such that the air pressure through the hollow tubes forces the projectile from the expelling end. Because the dart is tethered upon leaving the blowgun and penetrating the target (e.g., fish, land animal, birds, reptiles, etc.), the user can simply operate the reel device to pull the target back toward the blowgun and user.

The above summary is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment, claimed embodiment or implementation of the invention. The detailed technology and preferred embodiments implemented for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention. It is understood that the features mentioned hereinbefore and those to be commented on hereinafter may be used not only in the specified combinations, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a blowgun system having a reel device, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows tetherable projectile darts for use with a blowgun system, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 3-5 show a blowgun system having a reel device, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a blowgun system having a reel device in use, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a partial view of a blowgun system having a projectile dart attached to a reel device via a tether line, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a closeup view of a quiver assembly, and tethered projectile dart, for a blowgun system, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring generally to FIGS. 1-8, a blowgun system and method are provided. The blowgun system 100 can include a proximal mouthpiece portion 102, a distal expelling portion 108, one or more intermediate hollow tube portions 104, 106, a handle portion 110, a reel device 114, and a projectile quiver assembly 116. Further, one or more eyes 115 (e.g., fishing rod eyes) can be included anywhere with or along the blowgun to guide and contain the tether line 130 along the blowgun. The handle portion 110 can include a pistol grip style handle (e.g., FIG. 1), a wrap, an exterior tubular grip section (e.g., FIG. 7), external texturing on one of the tube portions 104, 106, and the like. In certain embodiments, the hollow tube portions are telescoping to provide for selective adjustment of the overall length of the blowgun.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, various embodiments of the blowgun system 100 are envisioned for the present invention. FIG. 1 depicts the one or more intermediate hollow tube portions 104, 106 joined with a coupling element 112 to allow for various tube lengths. The reel device 114 can be attached or otherwise provided proximate the mouthpiece portion 102, or anywhere else along the length of the blowgun's hollow tubes, including proximate the distal expelling portion 108. The various components of the system 100 can be constructed of polymers, woods, composites, metals, and the like.

FIG. 2 further details exemplary projectile darts 120 for use with the system 100. The darts 120 can include a cone or stopper end 122, an intermediate shaft 124, and a barbed head or tip 126. Further, an anchor element 128 is provided with the dart 120 to facilitate selective attachment to the reel device 114 via a tether line 130. Various tethered dart 120 designs and features can be included with the present invention, including alternative ends 122, shafts 124, tips 126, anchor elements 128, and the like, without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. In various embodiments, the tether line 130 includes one or more fishing lines (e.g., “SpiderWire®”). For illustrative purposes only, the reel device 114 depicted herein is a closed face fishing reel. The reel device 114 can include any of the myriad of fishing or like reels or retrieval mechanisms known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In various embodiments, a reel device 114 is not included and, instead, the dart 120 is tethered to the blowgun without a reel device (e.g., cane pole).

In use, as shown in FIGS. 6-8, the tethered projectile dart 120 is loaded (e.g., end 122 first) and sealed into the expelling end 108, with the dart being tethered to the reel device 114 via the tether line. The user positions their mouth into fluid communication with the hollow tubes 104, 106 at the mouthpiece 102. The user then blows into the mouthpiece 102 such that the air pressure through the hollow tubes forces the dart 120 from the expelling end 108 at a high velocity. Because the dart 120 is tethered upon leaving the blowgun and penetrating the target (e.g., fish, land animals, birds, reptiles, etc.), the user can simply operate the reel device 114 to pull the target back toward the blowgun and user. As such, because the target is snared it can be reeled in and is much less likely to get away. This is extremely beneficial when using the system 100 for fishing or hunting. The barb of the projectile secures within target (via the line to the blowgun) so that the user can retrieve it after the shot.

Specifically referring to FIGS. 7-8, the projectile quiver assembly 116 can include a disc or similar attachment mechanism 118, and a plurality of retention sleeves or slots 119a, adapted to hold or store a plurality of projectiles 120—such as the barbed darts. The slots 119a and other structures of the quiver can be constructed of various resilient polymers, or metals and other acceptable materials. The quiver assembly 116 can further include a dart receiving pad or element 119b, with the barbed tips 126 of the retained darts 120 abutting against, or partially deforming or penetrating into, the element 119b to secure the darts within the assembly 116 during transportation and use.

Components and portions of the blowgun of the present invention can be constructed of various polymers, woods, composites, and metals, and can take on various sizes, shapes, and dimensional constructs. Further, accessories such as lasers, scopes or sights, and the like can be included with embodiments of the system 100 as well.

Other known devices to secure a fishing reel or like elements to a blowgun, or devices that can be adapted or used to connect string, wire, braided line, or monofilament lines to a blowgun, or a blowgun projectile, can be employed as well without deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

While embodiments of the blowgun system 100 have been described and depicted for use with a mouthpiece and air forced through the tubes by a user, aspects of the present invention are also envisioned for implementation with a blowgun including a compressed or forced air source to expel the projectiles. Such embodiments can include the projectiles, reel, and tethering benefits and features of the present invention.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and equivalent arrangements can be made thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, such scope to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products. Moreover, features, components, elements, or aspects of various example embodiments may be mixed and matched (even if such combination is not explicitly described herein) without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A blowgun system, comprising:

a hollow blowgun device having a mouthpiece portion and an expelling portion; and

a reel device coupled to the hollow blowgun device, the real device including a retractable tether line.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a quiver assembly.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the quiver assembly includes one or more attachment mechanisms configured to receive one or more projectiles.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the hollow blowgun device is configured to receive at least one projectile at the expelling portion.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one projectile is a projectile dart.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a one or more projectile darts.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more projectile darts include a shaft member and a barbed end.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more projectile darts include an anchoring element configured to secure with the retractable tether line.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the hollow blowgun device includes one or more eye guide elements configured to guide the retractable tether line.

10. The system of claim 1, further including an extending handle portion.

11. A blowgun system, comprising:

a blowgun device having one or more hollow tubular portions, a mouthpiece portion, and an expelling portion;

a reel device coupled to the blowgun device, the reel device including a retractable tether line; and

one or more projectile darts receivable within the expelling portion and couplable with the retractable tether line.

12. The system of claim 11, further including a quiver assembly.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the quiver assembly includes one or more attachment mechanisms configured to receive the one or more projectile darts.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more projectile darts include a shaft member and a barbed end.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more projectile darts include an anchoring element couplable with the retractable tether line.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the blowgun device includes one or more eye guide elements configured to guide the retractable tether line along the one or more hollow tubular elements.

17. The system of claim 11, further including a handle portion.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the handle portion is extendable transverse from the one or more hollow tubular portions.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the reel device is a closed face fishing reel.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more hollow tubular portions includes at least two operatively joined hollow tubular portions.