Wind Direction Indicator

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention is directed to a portable, hand held device for generating smoke which will serve to indicate the wind direction in an outdoor location.

[0003] 2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] While hunting is it extremely important to position oneself downwind of the game being hunted. This is because the game normally has a highly acute sense of smell and would therefore detect the presence of a human should the human be in a position upwind of the game. Various attempts to provide an indication of the wind direction have not been fully successful. For example, U.S. Pat. No 4,423,626 discloses a squeeze bottle containing a powder for generating a cloud of powder. The problem with this design is that it is very difficult to control the proper cloud dispersion for properly checking wind direction. Also, the movement required to shake the container to dispense the talc powder can spook game. The talc powder being a solid, also does not carry well. For example in the mountains where you have thermal updrafts and downdrafts, the talcum powder being a solid will fall, whereas smoke will rise and fall with the drafts. U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,645 discloses a smoke generator that is attached to a rifle. This is difficult to manipulate in the field since the cap must be screwed and unscrewed each time it is desired to generate smoke. Also it lacks a positive air flow generator so that the production of smoke and its release to the atmosphere is not positively assisted.

[0005] Consequently there is a need for a reliable and easy to manipulate smoke generator for use in hunting and other activities.

[0006] These and other needs in the art are addressed in one embodiment by a smoke generator that includes a smoke generator such as a cartomizer for example positioned within a hand held housing. A finger actuated air pump is positioned on an outside surface of the housing as is a finger actuated switch. A battery is positioned within the housing to provide electrical power for a heating element within the cartomizer.

[0007] The components are arranged such that the user can operate the device with one hand. A thumb of the user's hand can depress the switch to provide power for heating the smoke producing liquid within the cartomizer.

[0008] At the same time the user can actuate the air pump with a trigger finger to provide a positive flow of air to the cartomizer. The air flow forces the smoke to the ambient through an outlet.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, an embodiment of the invention 10 includes a generally rectangular housing having a top 6, a bottom 5, sides 3, 4 and an inclined portion 7 of the housing.

[0013] An air pump 11 similar to a priming pump for small engines is secured to side 4. A cutout or window section 16 is provided on a front panel 8 of the housing and a compass 17 may be secured to the front panel. Additionally a LED light 14 may be mounted on inclined portion 7 of the housing and connected to switch 13.

[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates the interior arrangement of the smoke direction indicator. A battery 28 is suitably mounted within the housing in a known matter and includes position and negative terminals 31 and 32 respectively which are connected to a heating element 24 via switch 13 and wires 26, 27.

[0015] A pocket 31 is positioned within and fixed to housing 12 for supporting a smoke generator 32 which may take the form of a cartomizer such as those used in electronic cigarettes, for example. Any well-known smoke generator may be used. The housing includes a rear wall 18.

[0016] An embodiment of the smoke generator includes a housing 21 having a central air passageway 23 and a fibrous mass 22 which is impregnated with a smoke generating liquid, for example a mixture of water and a glycol compound. A masking material may also be added to the mixture for masking human scent and may include natural odors such as pine or cedar.

[0017] Housing 21 may be threaded such as at 17 for retention within pocket 32 which would have complementary threads at its bottom. Smoke generator also includes a heating element 24 positioned within the fibrous mass 22. Heating coil 24 includes positive and negative terminals 41, 42 which are connected to battery 28 via a known battery connector as is known in the art.

[0018] Air passageway 23 extends through housing 21 at its lower end and is connected to a conduit 19 which is connected to air pump 11. A hunter may operate pump 11 with a trigger finger to cause air flow through passageway 23 which will entrain smoke being generated by the smoke generator.

[0019] In use, a hunter may hold the housing 12 in one hand such that the thumb of the user may be used to close switch 13 while at the same time the hunter can operate air pump 11 with a trigger finger. Thus as smoke is generated within the smoke generator by heating of the liquid, air will be forced through passageway 23 by pump 11 and will entrain the smoke formed within the smoke generator.

[0020] It should be noted that while the above description of the invention is in terms of a wind direction indicator for hunters, the device could be used to detect leaks in fluid pressure systems such as air conditioning systems, or for aiding golfers in determining the wind direction prior to striking the golf ball.

[0021] Furthermore, although the smoke generator has been illustrated in the drawings is being positioned within the housing, in an attentive embodiment the smoke generator 32 may be threaded in a connector located in the top portion 6 of the housing.