Game call having offset skirt
View Patent ↗A game call includes a holder molded from an elastomeric material that is configured to retain to a resting shape. A body portion of the holder includes a slot formed in an inward-facing surface of the body that extends around a cutout positioned at a front side of the body. The slot formed in the body portion is designed to receive and retain a reed insert that includes a diaphragm configured to extend across the cutout when the reed insert is received in the holder. The holder is designed such that a centerline of an outer skirt is located below a centerline of the body portion such that more than 50% of the thickness of the body portion is above the centerline of the skirt. The offset of the skirt modifies the airflow over the diaphragm.
1 . A one-piece holder for a game call, the game call including reed insert with a diaphragm supported by a frame, the holder comprising:
a body portion molded from an elastomeric material configured to retain to a resting shape, the body portion having a thickness and further including an inward-facing surface that extends around a cutout positioned at a front side of the body;
a slot formed in the inward-facing surface, the slot being defined by a top wall and a bottom wall equally spaced from a centerline of the body portion and spaced from each other to define a thickness of the body portion, the slot being dimensioned to receive the frame of the reed insert so that the diaphragm spans across the cutout; and
a skirt joined to the body portion and extending from the body portion in a direction away from the cutout, wherein a centerline of the skirt is offset from the centerline of the body portion towards the bottom wall.
2 . The holder of claim 1 wherein the centerline of the body portion is located at a center of the thickness of the body portion and the centerline of the skirt is positioned such that at least 75% of the thickness is above the centerline of the skirt and at most 25% of the thickness is below the centerline of the skirt.
3 . The holder of claim 1 wherein the centerline of the body portion is located at a center of the thickness of the body portion and the centerline of the skirt is positioned such that at least 51% of the thickness is above the centerline of the skirt and at most 49% of the thickness is below the centerline of the skirt.
4 . The holder of claim 1 wherein the centerline of the body portion is located at a center of the thickness of the body portion and the centerline of the skirt is positioned such that at least 90% of the thickness is above the centerline of the skirt and at most 10% of the thickness is below the centerline of the skirt.
5 . The holder of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is a plastisol or a rubber elastomer.
6 . The holder of claim 5 , wherein the elastomeric material is suitable for inclusion in an oral cavity of a user.
7 . The holder of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of engagement members protruding from a top surface of the skirt.
8 . A game call comprising:
a holder with a body portion molded from an elastomeric material configured to retain to a resting shape, the body portion having a thickness and further including an inward-facing surface that extends around a cutout positioned at a front side of the body;
a reed insert including a diaphragm stretched across a frame, the reed insert configured to extend across the cutout when the reed insert is received in the holder;
a slot formed in the inward-facing surface of the body portion, the slot being defined by a top wall and a bottom wall equally spaced from a centerline of the body portion and spaced from each other to define a thickness of the body portion, the slot being dimensioned to receive the frame of the reed insert so that the diaphragm spans across the cutout; and
a skirt joined to the body portion and extending from the body portion in a direction away from the cutout, wherein a centerline of the skirt is offset from the centerline of the body portion towards the bottom wall.
9 . The game call of claim 8 wherein the centerline of the body portion is located at a center of the thickness of the body portion and the centerline of the skirt is positioned such that at least 75% of the thickness is above the centerline of the skirt and at most 25% of the thickness is below the centerline of the skirt.
10 . The game call of claim 8 wherein the centerline of the body portion is located at a center of the thickness of the body portion and the centerline of the skirt is positioned such that at least 51% of the thickness is above the centerline of the skirt and at most 49% of the thickness is below the centerline of the skirt.
11 . The game call of claim 8 wherein the centerline of the body portion is located at a center of the thickness of the body portion and the centerline of the skirt is positioned such that at least 90% of the thickness is above the centerline of the skirt and at most 10% of the thickness is below the centerline of the skirt.
12 . The game call of claim 8 , wherein the elastomeric material is a plastisol or a rubber elastomer.
13 . The game call of claim 12 , wherein the elastomeric material is suitable for inclusion in an oral cavity of a user.
14 . The holder of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of engagement members protruding from a top surface of the skirt.
15 . A one-piece holder for a game call, the game call including reed insert with a diaphragm supported by a frame, the holder comprising:
a body portion molded from an elastomeric material configured to retain to a resting shape, the body portion including an inward-facing surface that extends around a cutout positioned at a front side of the body;
a slot formed in the inward-facing surface the slot being defined by a top wall and a bottom wall equally spaced from a centerline of the body portion and spaced from each other to define a thickness of the body portion, the slot being dimensioned to receive the frame of the reed insert so that the diaphragm spans across the cutout; and
a skirt joined to the body portion and extending from the body portion in a direction away from the cutout, wherein a centerline of the skirt is offset from the centerline of the body portion toward the bottom wall, the skirt including a top surface and a plurality of engagement members protruding from the top surface.
16 . The holder of claim 15 wherein the plurality of engagement members are spaced over the entire top surface of the skirt.
17 . The holder of claim 15 wherein the plurality of engagement members are configured to increase engagement with a mouth of a user during use of the holder.