RETRACTABLE ANCHOR FOR A DECOY

Abstract

A retractable anchor assembly according to one disclosed non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure includes a spool base; a spool mounted for rotation around an axis and at least partially within the spool base; a line attached to the spool; a clock spring mounted to the spool base and the spool to rotationally bias the spool around the axis to automatically retract the line; a button that interfaces with the spool to selectively prevent rotation of the spool; and a spring along the axis to bias the button into engagement with the spool.

Claims

1. A decoy assembly, comprising: a decoy; and a retractable anchor assembly mounted to the decoy, the retractable anchor assembly comprising a spool rotatable about an axis to retract a line.

2. The decoy assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the decoy is representative of a duck.

3. The decoy assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the spool is spring loaded by a clock spring.

4. The decoy assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a button that interfaces with the spool.

5. The decoy assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the button comprises a polygonal surface that interfaces with a polygonal recess in the spool to selectively prevent rotation of the spool.

6. The decoy assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein the polygonal surface is a square.

7. The decoy assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the button is spring loaded along the axis.

8. The decoy assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the line is 5-6 feet in length.

9. The decoy assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising an anchor attached to the line.

10. The decoy assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a clip attached to the line.

11. A retractable anchor assembly, comprising: a spool base; a spool mounted for rotation around an axis and at least partially within the spool base; a line attached to the spool; a clock spring mounted to the spool base and the spool to rotationally bias the spool around the axis to automatically retract the line; a button that interfaces with the spool to selectively prevent rotation of the spool; and a spring along the axis to bias the button into engagement with the spool.

12. The retractable anchor assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the button comprises a polygonal surface that interfaces with a polygonal recess in the spool to selectively prevent rotation of the spool.

13. The retractable anchor assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein the polygonal surface is a square.

14. The retractable anchor assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the line is 5-6 feet in length.

15. The retractable anchor assembly as recited in claim 14, further comprising an anchor attached to the line.

16. The retractable anchor assembly as recited in claim 14, further comprising a clip attached to the line.

17. The retractable anchor assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the spool base is attachable to a decoy.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Various features will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the disclosed non-limiting embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a decoy assembly according to one disclosed non-limiting embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a decoy assembly according to another disclosed non-limiting embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a retractable anchor assembly for the decoy according to another disclosed non-limiting embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the retractable anchor assembly of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a decoy assembly 20 that includes a decoy 30 and a retractable anchor assembly 40 attached thereto. The decoy 30 may be used to attract water-fowl, which may take the form of ducks or geese. They may, however, have other forms suitable to the nature of the game to be attracted.

[0027] The retractable anchor assembly 40 may be attached to a bottom 32 of the decoy 30. The retractable anchor assembly 40 generally includes a spool assembly 42, a line 44, and an anchor 46. In one embodiment, the anchor 46 may be a weight such as a mushroom anchor. In another embodiment, the anchor 46 may be a clip 48 or other attachment to attach the line 44 to another line such as a main line (FIG. 2).

[0028] The spool assembly 42 may be affixed to the bottom 32 of the decoy 30 via screws, adhesive, etc. In one embodiment, the spool base 50 may be affixed to the decoy via a swivel, snap link, or other interface to connect to ballast of decoy 30. In another embodiment, the spool assembly 42 may be integrated into the body of the decoy 30.

[0029] With reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the spool assembly 42 generally includes a spool base 50, a spool 52 that is rotatable about an axis A, a spring 54, a spool lid 56, a retraction button 58 and a button spring 60 along axis A. The spool base 50, the spool 52, the spool lid 56, and the retraction button 58 may be additively manufactured, molded or otherwise formed. The additive manufacturing process fabricates or grows components using three-dimensional information, for example a three-dimensional computer model. The three-dimensional information is converted into a plurality of slices, each slice defining a cross section of the component for a predetermined height of the slice.

[0030] The spool base 50 is a rotationally fixed component and that which is fixed to the decoy 30. The spool base 50 may include apertures to permit water to escape and for the internals to be lubricated. The lid 56 is mounted to the spool base 50 to protect the spool 52, the line 44 and the spring 54.

[0031] The line 44 is mounted to the spool 52 and is coiled therearound for storage. The spool 52 is rotationally spring biased by the spring 54 to automatically retract the line 44 in response to pressing the retraction button 58. The spring 54 may be a clock spring or other such spring that is mounted to the spool base 50 and the spool 52 to store energy on a rotating axis in response to extension of the line 44 which rotates the spool 52. In one example, the spring 54 may provide enough force to retract a a 4-6 oz weight anchor.

[0032] The retraction button 58 is spring loaded by the button spring 60 along axis A so that the retraction button 58 operates to rotationally prevent the spool 52 from being rotated by the spring 54. The retraction button 58 may include a polygonal surface 62, for example, a square, that is engaged with a corresponding recess 64 in the spool 52. That is, the retraction button 58 is in spring biased engagement with the spool 52 under force of the button spring 60 along axis A to prevent rotation of the spool 52. The retraction button 58 may be rotationally fixed with respect to the spool base 50 by a mount 70 which may also be used to fix one end of the spring 54. Although a particular interface is disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, other such ratchet, pawls, cams, and engagement surfaces may be utilized to control rotation of the spool 52.

[0033] The spring 54 and the button spring 60 may be manufactured of a stainless steel and/or packed in a waterproof grease. That is, the spool base 50 may contain waterproof grease such that the spring 54, the button spring 60, the spool 52 and the retraction button 58 are essentially waterproofed.

[0034] In use, the retraction button 58 is pressed to disengage the polygonal surface 62 from the corresponding recess 64 so that the line 44 may be pulled out. The manual extension of the line 44 rotates the spool 52 to store rotational energy into the spring 54, i.e., coils the spring 54 tighter about axis A. Once the desired line length is achieved, the retraction button 58 is released and the polygonal surface 62 is engaged with a corresponding recess 64 in the spool 52 to prevent retraction of the line 44.

[0035] Upon depression of the retraction button 58 to overcome the button spring 60 along axis A, the polygonal surface 62 is disengaged from the corresponding recess 64 such that the spool 52 is rotated by the stored energy of the spring 54 to retract the line 44.

[0036] The retractable anchor assembly 40 facilities rapid deployment, repositioning, and collection of the decoys for transport without the heretofore problem of tangles in a decoy bag.

[0037] Although the different non-limiting embodiments have specific illustrated components, the embodiments of this invention are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from any of the non-limiting embodiments in combination with features or components from any of the other non-limiting embodiments.

[0038] The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within. Various non-limiting embodiments are disclosed herein, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that various modifications and variations in light of the above teachings will fall within the scope of the appended claims. It is therefore to be appreciated that within the scope of the appended claims, the disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described. For that reason the appended claims should be studied to determine true scope and content.