Patents by Inventor Michael J. Shaffer

Michael J. Shaffer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11221198
    Abstract: A nock may be used with an associated arrow and an associated crossbow. The nock may include a connection surface designed to connect the nock to the associated arrow and string guide impressions that may be designed to receive a bowstring to fire the associated arrow from the associated bow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout, Dean Mook
  • Publication number: 20210123710
    Abstract: A nock may be used with an associated arrow and an associated crossbow. The nock may include a connection surface designed to connect the nock to the associated arrow and string guide impressions that may be designed to receive a bowstring to fire the associated arrow from the associated bow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc. d/b/a TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventors: Richard L. BEDNAR, Michael J. SHAFFER, Jacob A. HOUT, Dean MOOK
  • Patent number: 10907925
    Abstract: A crossbow in some embodiments may include two power cables and two power cable wheels. Each power cable may extend from a bowstring wheel, to a power cable wheel and then back to the bowstring wheel. A crossbow in some other embodiments may include four power cables and two power cable wheels. Each power cable may extend from a bowstring wheel, to a power cable wheel and then to a portion of the crossbow that does not move relative to the main beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Shaffer, Gary Smith, Jr., Keith Bartels, Jacob Hout, Phillip Bednar, Steven Bednar
  • Patent number: 10883781
    Abstract: Provided is a crossbow safety system comprising a crossbow, a pressure sensor, and an interlock. The crossbow has a bowstring operable between a cocked and an uncocked position, a foregrip adapted for being grasped by an associated hand of an associated user, and a trigger assembly adapted to selectably retain the bowstring in the cocked position. The pressure sensor is on or in the foregrip, and is adapted to detect a pressure signature from the foregrip being grasped by an associated hand of an associated user, the associated hand having fingers. The interlock is operationally engaged with the pressure sensor and the trigger assembly, and is adapted to lock the trigger assembly from releasing the bowstring if the pressure sensor does not detect a first pressure signature sufficiently similar to a predetermined pressure signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Bowers, Cassondra Faiella, Michael J. Shaffer, Richard L. Bednar
  • Patent number: 10883790
    Abstract: Provided is a crossbow safety system comprising a crossbow, optic fence, and interlock. The crossbow may have a bowstring operable between a cocked and an uncocked position, the cocked position and the uncocked position defining between them a bowstring plane, and a trigger assembly adapted to selectably retain the bowstring in the cocked position. The optic fence may be adapted to detect an obstruction in a safety plane coincident with the bowstring plane or offset below the bowstring plane by some offset distance. The optic fence may have an infrared emitter adapted to output IR radiation, and a photodiode adapted to sense the output IR radiation from the infrared emitter. The interlock may be operationally engaged with the optic fence and the trigger assembly. The interlock may be adapted to lock the trigger assembly from releasing the bowstring if the optic fence detects an obstruction in the safety plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Bowers, Cassondra Faiella, Michael J. Shaffer, Richard L. Bednar
  • Patent number: 10883806
    Abstract: An arrow nock may have at least two distinct string guide impressions each designed to receive a bowstring to fire an arrow from a bow. The nock may be operable when connected and aligned with the arrow to cause the bowstring to be received within at least one of the string guide impressions to fire the arrow. As it is received within the string guide impression, the bowstring may cause the arrow to rotate about its longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout, Dean Mook
  • Publication number: 20200158456
    Abstract: Provided is a crossbow safety system comprising a crossbow, a pressure sensor, and an interlock. The crossbow has a bowstring operable between a cocked and an uncocked position, a foregrip adapted for being grasped by an associated hand of an associated user, and a trigger assembly adapted to selectably retain the bowstring in the cocked position. The pressure sensor is on or in the foregrip, and is adapted to detect a pressure signature from the foregrip being grasped by an associated hand of an associated user, the associated hand having fingers. The interlock is operationally engaged with the pressure sensor and the trigger assembly, and is adapted to lock the trigger assembly from releasing the bowstring if the pressure sensor does not detect a first pressure signature sufficiently similar to a predetermined pressure signature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: DREW BOWERS, CASSONDRA FAIELLA, MICHAEL J. SHAFFER, RICHARD L. BEDNAR
  • Publication number: 20200124376
    Abstract: A crossbow in some embodiments may include two power cables and two power cable wheels. Each power cable may extend from a bowstring wheel, to a power cable wheel and then back to the bowstring wheel. A crossbow in some other embodiments may include four power cables and two power cable wheels. Each power cable may extend from a bowstring wheel, to a power cable wheel and then to a portion of the crossbow that does not move relative to the main beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc. d/b/a TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventors: Michael J. Shaffer, Gary Smith, JR., Keith Bartels, Jacob Hout, Phillip Bednar, Steven Bednar
  • Patent number: 10514226
    Abstract: A crossbow in some embodiments may include two power cables and two power cable wheels. Each power cable may extend from a bowstring wheel, to a power cable wheel and then back to the bowstring wheel. A crossbow in some other embodiments may include four power cables and two power cable wheels. Each power cable may extend from a bowstring wheel, to a power cable wheel and then to a portion of the crossbow that does not move relative to the main beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Shaffer, Gary Smith, Jr., Keith Bartels, Jacob A. Hout, Phillip Bednar, Steven Bednar
  • Publication number: 20190323806
    Abstract: An arrow nock may have at least two distinct string guide impressions each designed to receive a bowstring to fire an arrow from a bow. The nock may be operable when connected and aligned with the arrow to cause the bowstring to be received within at least one of the string guide impressions to fire the arrow. As it is received within the string guide impression, the bowstring may cause the arrow to rotate about its longitudinal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc. d/b/a TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout, Dean Mook
  • Publication number: 20190310048
    Abstract: Provided is a crossbow safety system comprising a crossbow, optic fence, and interlock. The crossbow may have a bowstring operable between a cocked and an uncocked position, the cocked position and the uncocked position defining between them a bowstring plane, and a trigger assembly adapted to selectably retain the bowstring in the cocked position. The optic fence may be adapted to detect an obstruction in a safety plane coincident with the bowstring plane or offset below the bowstring plane by some offset distance. The optic fence may have an infrared emitter adapted to output IR radiation, and a photodiode adapted to sense the output IR radiation from the infrared emitter. The interlock may be operationally engaged with the optic fence and the trigger assembly. The interlock may be adapted to lock the trigger assembly from releasing the bowstring if the optic fence detects an obstruction in the safety plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: DREW BOWERS, CASSONDRA FAIELLA, MICHAEL J. SHAFFER, RICHARD L. BEDNAR
  • Patent number: 10393484
    Abstract: An arrow nock may have at least two distinct string guides each designed to receive a bowstring to fire an arrow from a bow. When the nock is connected to and aligned with the arrow, each distinct string guide may be designed, when receiving the bowstring, to rotate the arrow about its longitudinal axis with respect to the bow into one of a limited number of alignment orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout, Dean Mook
  • Patent number: 10372501
    Abstract: Provisioning of computing resources for a workload in a networked computing environment. A method receives a set of provisioning requests in a computer data structure of a networked computing environment, wherein the provisioning requests relate to a workload request. The method further identifies a set of provisioning operations for computing resources in the networked computing environment to perform the provisioning requests. The method determines, for each provisioning operation of the provisioning operations, a respective provisioning time, the respective provisioning time being an amount of time for a particular computing resource to become prepared and equipped to perform a job. The determining the respective provisioning time for each provisioning operation provides a plurality of determined provisioning times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Shaffer, Kevin B. Smith, David R. Waddling
  • Patent number: 10330428
    Abstract: A bracket may be adjustable with respect to a bracket engagement device and serve as both a stirrup and a shooting rest for a crossbow. One or more biasing force generators may be used to bias the bracket into one of at least two relative positions with respect to the bracket engagement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Kindig, Michael J. Shaffer, Richard L. Bednar
  • Patent number: 10330426
    Abstract: Provided is a crossbow safety system comprising a crossbow, optic fence, and interlock. The crossbow may have a bowstring operable between a cocked and an uncocked position, the cocked position and the uncocked position defining between them a bowstring plane, and a trigger assembly adapted to selectably retain the bowstring in the cocked position. The optic fence may be adapted to detect an obstruction in a safety plane coincident with the bowstring plane or offset below the bowstring plane by some offset distance. The optic fence may have an infrared emitter adapted to output IR radiation, and a photodiode adapted to sense the output IR radiation from the infrared emitter. The interlock may be operationally engaged with the optic fence and the trigger assembly. The interlock may be adapted to lock the trigger assembly from releasing the bowstring if the optic fence detects an obstruction in the safety plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Bowers, Cassondra Faiella, Michael J. Shaffer, Richard L. Bednar
  • Patent number: 10317157
    Abstract: Provided is a crossbow safety system comprising a crossbow, a pressure sensor, and an interlock. The crossbow has a bowstring operable between a cocked and an uncocked position, a foregrip adapted for being grasped by an associated hand of an associated user, and a trigger assembly adapted to selectably retain the bowstring in the cocked position. The pressure sensor is on or in the foregrip, and is adapted to detect a pressure signature from the foregrip being grasped by an associated hand of an associated user, the associated hand having fingers. The interlock is operationally engaged with the pressure sensor and the trigger assembly, and is adapted to lock the trigger assembly from releasing the bowstring if the pressure sensor does not detect a first pressure signature sufficiently similar to a predetermined pressure signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Bowers, Cassondra Faiella, Michael J. Shaffer, Richard L. Bednar
  • Publication number: 20190063887
    Abstract: An arrow nock may have at least two distinct string guides each designed to receive a bowstring to fire an arrow from a bow. When the nock is connected to and aligned with the arrow, each distinct string guide may be designed, when receiving the bowstring, to rotate the arrow about its longitudinal axis with respect to the bow into one of a limited number of alignment orientations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, inc. d/b/a TarrPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventors: RICHARD L. BEDNAR, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout, Dean Mook
  • Patent number: D865103
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A Kindig, Michael J. Shaffer
  • Patent number: D865104
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Kindig, Michael J. Shaffer
  • Patent number: D884817
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Kindig, Michael J. Shaffer, Steven Bednar, Phillip Bednar