MOTION DECOY WITH BIAXIAL WING BEAT

• US 20130239454A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cabelas LLC (Bass Pro Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Evolution Decoys, LLC
• Inventors: Szechenyi, Keith Dominick, Szechenyi, Dominick Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,258,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 43/3
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 31/06 Decoys
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 21/44 for conveying or interconverting oscillating or reciprocating motions

Abstract

A motion decoy having a body and wings in the form of a waterfowl provides a realistic biaxial wing beat motion. The wing beat motion simultaneously includes a flapping action and a rotation action. The flapping action can sweep through an obtuse angle, while at the same time the rotating action that changes the angle of incidence of the wings at different angular positions. The compound biaxial wing beat motion better replicates the motion of live waterfowl, especially during the “lighting” phase of flight.

Claims

1. A waterfowl motion decoy, comprising:

a hollow body shaped in the form of a waterfowl;

at least one wing member shaped in the form of a waterfowl wing;

an actuator mounted within the body having a drive shaft rotatable about a drive axis;

a swivel joint pivotally coupled to the body so as to pivot about a pivot axis disposed at an angle to the drive axis; and

a linkage assembly coupled to the drive shaft and the wing member;

wherein rotation of the drive shaft about the drive axis simultaneously causes the linkage assembly to pivot the swivel joint about the pivot axis and rotate the wing member about a rotation axis that pivots about the pivot axis along with the swivel joint.

2. The decoy of claim 1, wherein the linkage assembly includes a first part that extends along the rotation axis and rotates with the wing member.

3. The decoy of claim 2, wherein the linkage assembly includes a second part that extends along an axis that intersects the rotation axis and pivots about the rotation axis along with rotation of the first part.

4. The decoy of claim 3, wherein the swivel joint includes a bore and an end opening disposed about the rotation axis through which the first part extends, and wherein the swivel joint includes a facial opening about an axis intersecting the rotation axis through which the second part extends.

5. The decoy of claim 4, further including stop members disposed within the facial opening between which the second part pivots.

6. The decoy of claim 3, wherein first and second parts are legs of an angle member.

7. The decoy of claim 1, further including a travel limiter fixedly mounted with respect to the body and wherein the swivel joint includes a cam surface which rides along the stop member as the swivel joint pivots about the pivot axis.

8. The decoy of claim 1, wherein the linkage assembly includes:

a crank arm connected to the drive shaft and providing a pivot post at a free end which revolves about the drive axis;

an angle member having a first leg and a second leg, the first leg extending along and rotatable about the rotation axis, the second leg extending at an angle to the rotation axis; and

a coupler having a first opening at a first end that extends about the pivot post and a second opening at a second end that extends about the second leg of the angle member, wherein the first and second openings of the coupler lie in planes at an angle to one another.

9. The decoy of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a motor and gear arrangement that rotates the drive shaft about the drive axis.

10. The decoy of claim 1, further including:

a second wing member in the form or a waterfowl wing;

a second swivel joint pivotally coupled to the body so as to pivot about a second pivot axis in parallel with the pivot axis; and

a second linkage assembly coupled to the drive shaft and the second wing member;

wherein rotation of the drive shaft about the drive axis simultaneously causes the second linkage assembly to pivot the second swivel joint about the second pivot axis and rotate the second wing member about a second rotation axis that pivots about the second pivot axis along with the second swivel joint.

11. The decoy of claim 10, wherein the wing members pivot and rotate substantially in unison.

12. The decoy of claim 11, further including a stretch chord coupled to the wings to resist at least one of pivoting about the pivot axes and rotation about the rotation axes during at least a portion of a revolution of the drive shaft.

13. The decoy of claim 1, wherein the swivel joint and wing pivot about the pivot axis through an angle of greater than 90 degrees.

14. The decoy of claim 13, wherein the pivot angle is about 130 degrees.

15. The decoy of claim 1, wherein the wing member rotates about the rotation axis through a rotation angle of greater than 45 degrees.

16. The decoy of claim 15, wherein the rotation angle is about 90 degrees.

17. A waterfowl motion decoy, comprising:

a hollow body shaped in the form of a waterfowl;

a pair of wing members shaped in the form of waterfowl wings;

an actuator mounted within the body having a drive shaft rotatable about a drive axis;

a pair of swivel joints pivotally coupled to the body so as to pivot about parallel pivot axes disposed at an angle to the drive axis; and

a pair of linkage assemblies each coupled to the drive shaft and one of the wing members;

wherein rotation of the drive shaft about the drive axis simultaneously causes the linkage assemblies to pivot the swivel joints about the corresponding pivot axis and rotate the wing members about rotation axes that pivot about the corresponding pivot axis along with the associated swivel joint.

18. A actuation mechanism for a motion decoy having a hollow body and at least one wing shaped in the form of a waterfowl, the mechanism comprising:

an actuator mountable within the body having a drive shaft rotatable about a drive axis;

a swivel joint pivotally mountable to the body so as to pivot about a pivot axis disposed at an angle to the drive axis; and

a linkage assembly connectable to the wing member and including;

a crank arm connected to the drive shaft and providing a pivot post at a free end which revolves about the drive axis;

an angle member having a first leg and a second leg, the first leg extending along and rotatable about a rotation axis that pivots about the pivot axis along with the swivel joint, the second leg extending at an angle to the rotation axis; and

a coupler having a first opening at a first end that extends about the pivot post and a second opening at a second end that extends about the second leg of the angle member, wherein the first and second openings of the coupler lie in planes at an angle to one another;

wherein rotation of the drive shaft about the drive axis simultaneously causes the linkage assembly to pivot the swivel joint about the pivot axis and rotate the angle member about the rotation axis.

19. The decoy mechanism of claim 18, wherein the swivel joint includes a bore and an end opening disposed about the rotation axis through which the first part extends, and wherein the swivel joint includes a facial opening about an axis intersecting the rotation axis through which the second part extends.

20. The decoy mechanism of claim 18, further including:

a second swivel joint pivotally mountable to the body so as to pivot about a second pivot axis in parallel with the pivot axis; and

a second linkage assembly connectable to a second wing member and including;

a second crank arm connected to the drive shaft and providing a second pivot post at a free end which revolves about the drive axis;

a second angle member having a first leg and a second leg, the first leg extending along and rotatable about a second rotation axis that pivots about the second pivot axis along with the second swivel joint, the second leg extending at an angle to the second rotation axis; and

a second coupler having a first opening at a first end that extends about the second pivot post and a second opening at a second end that extends about the second leg of the second dangle member, wherein the first and second openings of the second coupler lie in planes at an angle to one another;

wherein rotation of the drive shaft about the drive axis simultaneously causes the second linkage assembly to pivot the second swivel joint about the second pivot axis and rotate the second angle member about the second rotation axis.