Waterfowl Decoy Hub With Tether Guide and Collapsible Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waterfowl decoy deployment systems are difficult to deploy and retract, especially with a large number of decoys, due to entanglement of tethering lines and the need for mechanical operation, which complicates the recreational hunting process, especially in autumn and winter seasons.
Innovation Solution
A waterfowl decoy deployment system featuring a hub subsystem with a decoy tether guide subsystem that routes tethers from a hub cap to extendable and collapsible arms, using a spring-collet-collet nut assembly for biased arm suspension, eliminating the need for height indexing and reducing entanglement, and incorporating a unique slot system for synchronized motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large number of decoys are used to better attract waterfowl, then the effectiveness of attracting waterfowl is improved, but the time and effort needed to deploy and retract decoys increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamically extendable and collapsible arms that can transition between deployed and retracted states. These arms are connected to the hub subsystem and can be extended to deploy decoys or collapsed to retrieve them, enabling quick deployment and retrieval of large numbers of decoys without manual handling of each individual decoy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the decoy deployment function into multiple independent arms radiating from a central hub. Each arm can operate independently to deploy or retrieve decoys, allowing the system to handle large numbers of decoys efficiently by processing them in parallel through multiple segmented arms rather than as a single unit.
2Reliability
If a large number of decoys are deployed on a single system, then the attractiveness to waterfowl increases, but the tendency of tethering lines and decoys to become entangled increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a decoy tether guide subsystem as an intermediary component between the arms and the decoys. This subsystem includes guide devices that direct and control the path of tether lines as they extend from the hub through the arms to the decoys, preventing random tangling and ensuring organized line management during deployment and retrieval operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether guide subsystem adds a dimensional element to line management by incorporating vertical or multi-level guide structures. Tether lines pass through guide devices positioned at different heights or levels, creating a three-dimensional routing path that prevents lines from crossing and entangling with each other in the horizontal plane.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If arms at different heights are used to alleviate entanglement of tethering lines, then entanglement is reduced, but the amount of hardware within the hub increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hub cap serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural cover for the hub subsystem, provides mounting points for tether guide devices, and facilitates the routing of tether lines through integrated guide openings. By combining these functions into a single universal component, the design reduces the overall amount of separate hardware needed within the hub while still achieving effective line management.
Data Source
AI summary
A waterfowl decoy deployment system includes a hub subsystem. The hub subsystem includes a casing defining a plurality of apertures therein. The hub subsystem also includes a plurality of arm suspension mechanisms. Each aperture of is configured to receive one arm suspension mechanism. Each arm suspension mechanism includes a biasing device inserted into one aperture, a collet coupled to the biasing device, and a collet nut coupled to the collet. The hub subsystem also includes a plurality of arms extending radially outward from the casing. Each arm is coupled to one arm suspension mechanism. The waterfowl decoy deployment system also includes a plurality of waterfowl decoys. At least one waterfowl decoy is coupled to each arm.