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US-20260127984-A1 - ARTIFICIAL MODEL FOR SIMULATING GRALLOCHING OR GUTTING GAME ANIMALS

US20260127984A1US 20260127984 A1US20260127984 A1US 20260127984A1US-20260127984-A1

Abstract

An animal model having an abdominal cavity that is sealed via a simulated incision. The simulated incision may be secured in a closed position using a zipper, buttons, magnets, or hook and loop fasteners. Internal organs are removably received in the abdominal cavity. These organs are retained in anatomically correct positions via accurate placement in the abdominal cavity. The secured simulated incision enables the user to open the animal model in the necessary sequences and positions associated with properly gralloching or gutting the animal. The individual organs can be removed from the cavity in the proper sequence and position to assist with the education of the user. The organs can be reinserted and the simulated incision secured so that the process can be repeated as necessary to promote hunting and fishing education and conservation practices.

Inventors

  • Jerome Otto Schorr, III
  • Anitra Kareen Schorr

Assignees

  • Jerome Otto Schorr, III
  • Anitra Kareen Schorr

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251107

Claims (19)

  1. 1 . An animal model with internal organs and a securable simulated incision comprising: a body portion comprising a model of a game animal body from among the group of a deer, moose, elk, bear, big cat, wild pig, turkey, squirrel, fish, and crab; a hollow abdominal cavity in said body portion; a plurality of internal organs removably received in said abdominal cavity; a simulated incision for selectively closing said abdominal cavity; and fastening means for securing said simulated incision in a closed position.
  2. 2 . The animal model with internal organs and a securable simulated incision of claim 1 , wherein said body portion and plurality of internal organs are further comprised of imprinted indicia on said surfaces of said model and organs indicating an ideal order and locations to proceed when simulating gutting said animal.
  3. 3 . The animal model with internal organs and a securable simulated incision of claim 1 , further comprising a simulated gutting knife for selectively opening said simulated incision.
  4. 4 . The animal model with internal organs and a securable simulated incision of claim 1 , wherein said body portion and organs are made of rubber.
  5. 5 . A non-human anatomical model for gralloching training, comprising: a body portion configured externally in the shape of a non-human animal and having a hollow internal cavity configured to simulate a non-human animal's abdominal cavity, said hollow internal cavity being externally accessible along a selectively openable and closable slit configured as a simulated midline incision lengthwise along said animal's abdominal cavity; and a plurality of inserts each configured externally in the shape of a non-human animal's internal organ, each dimensioned to fit through said slit, and all of said plurality of inserts collectively dimensioned to nest within said hollow internal cavity and simulate said animal's internal organs in said abdominal cavity.
  6. 6 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 5 , wherein said non-human animal is any one from among a group of crustacean, fish and mammal.
  7. 7 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 5 , wherein said body comprises a unitary solid molded body.
  8. 8 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 5 , wherein said body comprises an outer shell.
  9. 9 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 5 , wherein said non-human animal is a non-human mammal and said selectively openable and closable slit is configured as a simulated midline incision lengthwise along said mammal's abdominal cavity.
  10. 10 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 5 , wherein said body comprises a fastener for securing said slit in a closed position.
  11. 11 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 10 , wherein said fastener comprises a zipper.
  12. 12 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 10 , wherein said fastener comprises a hook-and-loop fastener.
  13. 13 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 10 , wherein each of said plurality of inserts includes a hook-and-loop fastener.
  14. 14 . A non-human mammalian anatomical model for gralloching training, comprising: a body portion configured externally in the shape of a non-human mammal and having a hollow internal cavity configured to simulate a non-human mammal's abdominal cavity, said hollow internal cavity being externally accessible along a selectively openable and closable slit configured as a simulated midline incision lengthwise along said mammal's abdominal cavity; and a plurality of inserts each configured externally in the shape of a non-human mammal internal organ, each dimensioned to fit through said slit, and all of said plurality of inserts collectively dimensioned to nest within said hollow internal cavity and simulate said mammal's internal organs in said abdominal cavity.
  15. 15 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 14 , wherein said body comprises a unitary solid molded body.
  16. 16 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 14 , wherein said body comprises an outer shell.
  17. 17 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 14 , wherein said selectively openable and closable slit is configured as a simulated midline incision lengthwise along said mammal's abdominal cavity.
  18. 18 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 17 , wherein said body comprises a fastener for securing said slit in a closed position.
  19. 19 . The non-human anatomical model for gralloching training according to claim 17 , wherein said fastener comprises one of a zipper or a hook-and-loop fastener.

Description

PRIORITY TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/717,287 filed 7 Nov. 2024. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention During the training of students or hunting and fishing practitioners, hands-on preparation of the carcass following the harvesting of the animal is essential to obtain and preserve meat and to instill good sportsmanship and conservation practices. The standard for such training has been the use of recently killed animals in the field, which is often in less-than-ideal conditions. Also, the risks associated with the use of fresh cadavers including risks relating to the exposure to biohazards, for example, diseases transmitted by parasites and bacteria, present a disadvantage of using fresh animal carcasses for training purposes. In addition, the harvesting of the animal via gunshot, arrow, or other hunting implement may introduce damaging changes to the mechanical properties of the target anatomy that limit how effective they are as a teaching tool. The present invention relates in general to a physical model for teaching someone how to field dress or gut a game animal, such as deer, moose, elk, bear, big cat, wild pig, turkey, squirrel, fish, crab, etc. Prior art addresses various tools that are useful for field dressing game animals. However, difficulty has been found in addressing proper simulation of the use of these tools without the development of models that represent the animals themselves. 2. Description of the Background Various types of anatomically constructed models for educational purposes are known in the prior art. The conventional use of these models is to illustrate various internal organs and structural components of humans and other animals for medical instruction. A typical example of such a model is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 11,528,241, which issued to Christopher Sakezles and David Danielson on Aug. 16, 2022. This patent discloses an educational model for training veterinarian students on a simulated canine with various internal organs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,285, which issued to Stephan W. Summerville on Apr. 18, 1989, discloses a stuffed toy animal with a cavity covered by a dorsal access flap and stuffed with removable internal organs located in their approximately anatomically correct positions, the access flap being secured by a zipper or by hook and loop fasteners. U.S. Pat. No. 10,885,813, which issued to Todd J. Krummenacher, et al on Jan. 1, 2021, discloses a human body model for temporary hemorrhage control training and simulation. Various methods and apparatus that assist with field dressing and gutting game animals are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,504,261, which issued to Joseph Wayne Collins on Nov. 29, 2016, discloses an apparatus that is useful for removing internal organs from a game animal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,479, which issued to Michael L. Hajek on Oct. 31, 1995, discloses a wild game dressing tool that offers an easy way to split an animal's pelvic bone. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,236, which issued to James P. Capps on Mar. 3, 1966, discloses a game knife that is especially designed to perform the inherently complicated operations required for properly dressing game animals including fish, birds, crab, small game, and the large four-legged animals such as deer, moose and elk. While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices provide an artificial animal model having an abdominal cavity filled with organs that are representative of those associated specifically with gralloching or gutting and closed by a zippered or hook and loop opening that simulates the accurate opening that should be created solely for the unique purpose of entering the animal to remove its organs. The prior art provides wide openings to the interior of the devices with the goal of most beneficially viewing the internal components, but none of the openings are access points that are representative of the specific cuts that are ideal for removing the organs without unwanted damage to both the organs and the animal during the gralloching or gutting process. Thus, it would be greatly advantageous to provide such an anatomically correct model that can be practiced on by those in a safe environment instead of in the random unpredictable conditions often encountered while procuring said animals in the wild and to promote good conservation practices via education. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of animal models now present in the prior art, the present invention provides improved anatomically correct artificial game animal models. It is another object of the present invention to provide simulated incision locations that can be closed and opened in relation to the process of gralloching or gutting game animals. Another object of the present invention is to provide a model with a