MAGNETIC HOOD FOR A BOW-MOUNTED ARCHERY QUIVER

Abstract

A hood for a quiver for an archery bow comprises a housing and multiple magnets. The magnets are arranged in or on the housing to retain within the housing multiple arrowheads and to prevent substantial contact between (i) each retained arrowhead and (ii) an inner surface of the housing or another one of the multiple arrowheads magnetically within the housing by another one of the multiple magnets. The hood can further include a non-metallic insert sized and shaped to fit into the housing with the magnets arranged on one side of the insert so that an arrowhead received within the housing and magnetically retained by one of the magnets can rest against the other side. The insert can further include multiple sockets, each one positioned opposite a corresponding one of the magnets and arranged to receive a tip of a magnetically retained arrow.

Description

BACKGROUND

The field of the present invention relates to quivers for archery bows. In particular, a magnetic arrowhead housing for an archery quiver is disclosed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an archery quiver 100 mounted on a bow 10 typically comprises an arrowhead housing 110 (also referred to as the “quiver hood,” or simply “hood”) and a gripper 104. The gripper 104 typically comprises a row of pairs of flexible protrusions; an arrow shaft can be inserted between each pair; any suitably arranged gripper can be employed. The housing 110 and gripper 104 can be mounted independently on the riser 12 of bow 10, or they can be mounted on a bracket 102 that is in turn mounted on riser 102 of bow 10 (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). The exemplary bow 10 shown in the figures is a solo-cam compound bow comprising riser 12, limbs 14a/14b, and pulley assemblies 16a/16b; draw, power, and other cables have been omitted for clarity of illustration. The apparatus and methods disclosed herein can be implemented with any type of archery bow, including but not limited to simple, recurve, reflex, single-cam compound, dual-cam compound, hybrid-cam compound, and so on. Numerous details of the construction of the bow 10 can vary considerably while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims, and all such variations need not be enumerated herein.

One type of conventional arrowhead housing of a quiver includes an insert of polymeric foam material. The tips or heads of arrows held by the quiver are embedded into the foam. Such an arrangement has several disadvantages. The arrowheads are retained in the foam by friction and cut into the foam when inserted into the quiver hood. Repeated insertion into and removal from the foam can dull the blades of a broadhead arrowhead. The foam tends to retain moisture, dirt, or grit, which can hasten degradation of the blade edge by oxidation, corrosion, or abrasion. In addition, the noise made by pulling the blade from the foam can be heard by game animals, alerting them to a hunter's presence.

Another type of conventional arrowhead housing includes an interior or insert having a plurality of bores for receiving arrows with radially extending slots arranged around each bore for receiving the blades of a broadhead. Such inserts are less convenient to use, because the blades of the broadhead must be aligned with the slots to permit the broadhead to be inserted into the housing. Frictional engagement between the blades and slots can result in disadvantages similar to those described above. Lack of frictional engagement of the broadhead may allow it to rattle around in the housing and make unwanted noise, or to fall out of the housing (and the arrow out of the quiver).

Most broadheads are so-called “fixed” broadheads having blades substantially rigidly fixed to the arrowhead. Other types of broadheads have articulated blades that can be retracted into the head and are referred to as “mechanical” broadheads. The blades are retracted when the arrow is shot and during flight, and the mechanical broadhead is designed to deploy the blades upon impact. The retracted blade position results in truer arrow flight, while the deployed blades are more effective for bringing down a targeted game animal. Typically, only a small force or disturbance of the mechanical broadhead is required to deploy the blades.

The foam insert described above for the arrowhead housing is not suitable for use with mechanical broadheads, because the arrowhead typically could not be forced into the foam without triggering deployment of the blades. If an insert with bores and radial slots is used, there typically is not enough of the retracted blades remaining extending from the arrow shaft to engage the slots to secure the mechanical broadhead within the housing. As a result, the mechanical broadhead can fall out of the housing (and the arrow out of the quiver), or the movement can trigger unwanted deployment of the blades of the broadhead. With either type of hood insert, inadvertent blade deployment of a mechanical broadhead can allow the deployed blades to become stuck or entangled in the housing interior or insert, and requires returning the blades to their retracted positions before the arrow can be fired.

It is therefore desirable to provide an insert for a quiver hood that avoids or mitigates one or more of the disadvantages disclosed above.

SUMMARY

A hood for a quiver for an archery bow comprises a housing and multiple magnets. Each of the multiple magnets is arranged in or on the housing so as to retain magnetically within the housing one of multiple arrowheads and to prevent substantial contact between (i) the corresponding retained arrowhead and (ii) an inner surface of the housing or another one of the multiple arrowheads magnetically retained within the housing by another one of the multiple magnets. The hood can further include a non-metallic insert sized and shaped to fit into the housing with the multiple magnets arranged on one side of the insert so that an arrowhead received within the housing and magnetically retained by one of the multiple magnets can rest against the other side. The insert can further include multiple sockets, each one positioned opposite a corresponding one of the multiple magnets and arranged to receive a tip of a magnetically retained arrow.

Objects and advantages pertaining to archery quivers may become apparent upon referring to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings and disclosed in the following written description or appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary archery bow with a quiver, with and without arrows, respectively.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an exemplary quiver hood and an exemplary insert for the quiver hood.

FIGS. 4A-4D are front, bottom, top, and side views, respectively, of an exemplary insert for a quiver hood.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are cross sectional views of an exemplary quiver hood, with and without and arrow, respectively.

The embodiments shown in the Figures are exemplary, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 3, 4A-4B, and 5A-5B illustrate an exemplary quiver hood 110, comprising a housing 112, a non-metallic insert 116, and magnets 114. The non-metallic insert 116 is sized and shaped to fit into the arrowhead housing 112. Multiple magnets 114 are arranged on a first side of the insert 116. An arrowhead 22 received within the housing is retained magnetically against a second side of the insert 116 opposite one of the magnets 114 (as shown in FIG. 5B). An arrowhead 22 thus retained by one of the magnets 114 includes material susceptible to magnetic attraction, e.g., iron, steel, or other ferromagnetic materials. The multiple magnets 114 are arranged on the first side of the insert 116 so as to substantially prevent contact between (i) an arrowhead 22 magnetically retained against the second side of the insert 116 by one of the magnets 114 and (ii) the housing 112 or another arrowhead retained against the second side of the insert 116 by another one of the magnets 114. The insert 116 and magnets 114 are arranged so as to prevent contact between the retained arrowhead 22 and the corresponding magnet 114 (metal-to-metal contacts if magnets 114 are metal).

To achieve this result, the magnets 114 are spaced sufficiently far apart so that arrowheads 22 retained by adjacent magnets 114 are farther apart than the combined transverse extent of their respective blades. That spacing can be determined based on the blade width of a fixed broadhead, or can be determined based on the transverse extent of the blades of a mechanical broadhead in either their retracted or deployed positioned, as needed or desired. The distance between the magnets 114 and the sides of housing 112 can be similarly determined, so as to prevent substantial contact between retained arrowheads 22 and the sides of housing 112 (or equivalently, any portion of insert 116 interposed between the sides of housing 112 and the retained arrowhead 22). That spacing can reduce or prevent contact among the retained arrowheads 22, or between a retained arrowhead 22 and housing 112 or sidewalls of insert 116 (if present), thereby reducing or eliminating wear or damage to the arrowheads, noise from inserting or removing the arrowheads, or accidental deployment of the blades of a mechanical broadhead.

The magnets can be of any suitable type, including but not limited to ferrous or iron-based magnets, rare earth magnets, ceramic magnets, or others types of magnets. The magnets can be formed in any suitable, desirable, or convenient shape, including but not limited to a hollow or solid cylinder, a square or rectangular block, or other suitable, desirable, or convenient shape.

The number of magnets 114 is determined by the number of arrows 20 intended to be held by the quiver 100. Five arrows are shown in the exemplary embodiment of figures; typical quivers are designed to hold three to seven arrows; quivers designed to hold any desired number of arrows shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims.

The non-metallic insert 116 can be formed from a suitable resilient or deformable material, to reduce or eliminate wear or damage to the retained arrowheads 22. For example, resilient or deformable polymer material can be used to form insert 116, including but not limited to plastics, natural or synthetic rubbers, Teflon®, or other suitable polymers. Use of such materials can reduce damage, wear, noise, or accidental blade deployment associated with insertion of arrowheads 22 into the hood 110, or removal of arrowheads from the hood.

The insert 116 can be provided with sockets 122 formed on the second side of the insert 116 so as to receive the tips of the arrowheads 22 retained magnetically against the second side of the insert by the magnets 114. Each such socket 122 is formed on the second side of the insert 116 opposite a corresponding one of the magnets 114. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, the sockets 122 are shallow, conical or frusto-conical depressions formed on the second side of the insert 116. Any other suitably concave shape of the sockets 122 can be employed. The sockets 122 can serve as a mechanical or visual guide for inserting an arrowhead into the housing 112 at a position opposite one of the magnets 114 to be retained against the insert 116, or can serve to further restrain lateral movement of the arrowhead retained within the housing 112.

The insert 116 can include side walls extending from its second side so that the second side and sidewalls define an interior volume at least partly enclosing any retained arrowheads 22. The sidewalls can facilitate the fitting of the insert 116 into the housing 112 or its retention in the housing. The sidewalls can reduce or prevent direct contact between arrowheads 22 and the interior of the housing 112, thereby reducing or eliminating wear, damage, noise, or accidental blade deployment associated with insertion of arrowheads 22 into the hood 110 or removal of arrowheads from the hood. Sidewalls of the housing 112 or of insert 116 (if present) can include at least one additional magnet arranged in or on the sidewall. Those additional magnet(s) can be arranged to guide an arrowhead inserted into the housing toward one of the magnets 114.

The insert 116 can be provided with partitions that at least partly divide its interior volume into separate receptacles 120, each receptacle separating an arrowhead 22 retained therein from adjacent retained arrowheads. Each such receptacle 120 is formed on the second side of the insert 116 opposite a corresponding one of the magnets 114. Such separation of the arrowheads 22 can reduce or prevent wear, damage, noise, or accidental blade deployment arising from contact between the arrowheads 22 as they are inserted into or removed from the hood 110.

The magnets 114 can be arranged and secured in or on the housing 112 or to the first side of the insert 116 in any suitable way. For example, the magnets can be retained in place simply by being constrained between the insert 116 and an inner surface of the housing 112. In another example, the magnets 114 can be secured directly to the second side of the insert 116 (by adhesive, fasteners, or any other suitable means). In another example, the magnets 114 can be secured to the inner surface of housing 112; upon insertion of insert 116 (if present) into housing 112, the magnets 114 are suitably arranged on the second side of the insert 116. In either of those examples, receptacles 118 can be formed for receiving the magnets 114 and retaining them in their intended arrangement. Such receptacles 118 are shown formed on the second side of the insert 116 in the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. Receptacles 118 can instead be formed within housing 112 (not shown), or mating portions of each receptacle can be formed on both the insert 116 and on the housing 112 (not shown). However the receptacles 118 are arranged, the magnets 114 can be retained within them by friction (e.g., press fit), by adhesive, or simply by the presence of insert 116 and housing 112 constraining the magnets 114 to remain within their respective receptacles 118.

In another exemplary embodiment, the magnetic quiver hood 110 can comprise magnets 114 mounted directly in or on housing 112, without insert 116. In such an embodiment, the tips of the magnetically retained arrowheads 22 typically would be in direct contact with magnets 114.

It is intended that equivalents of the disclosed exemplary embodiments and methods shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims. It is intended that the disclosed exemplary embodiments and methods, and equivalents thereof, may be modified while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims.

For purposes of the present disclosure and appended claims, the conjunction “or” is to be construed inclusively (e.g., “a dog or a cat” would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or both”; e.g., “a dog, a cat, or a mouse” would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, or any two, or all three”), unless: (i) it is explicitly stated otherwise, e.g., by use of “either . . . or”, “only one of . . . ”, or similar language; or (ii) two or more of the listed alternatives are mutually exclusive within the particular context, in which case “or” would encompass only those combinations involving non-mutually-exclusive alternatives. For purposes of the present disclosure or appended claims, the words “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and variants thereof shall be construed as open ended terminology, with the same meaning as if the phrase “at least” were appended after each instance thereof.

Claims

1. A hood for a quiver for an archery bow, the hood comprising:

a housing arranged to be mounted on the archery bow and to receive arrowheads of multiple corresponding arrows held by the quiver; and

multiple magnets, each one of the multiple magnets being arranged in or on the housing so as to retain magnetically within the housing one of the multiple arrowheads and to prevent substantial contact between (i) the corresponding retained arrowhead and (ii) an inner surface of the housing or another one of the multiple arrowheads magnetically retained within the housing by another one of the multiple magnets.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a non-metallic insert sized and shaped to fit into the housing with the multiple magnets arranged on a first side of the insert so that an arrowhead received within the housing and magnetically retained by one of the multiple magnets can rest against a second side of the insert opposite the first side.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising multiple sockets formed on the second side of the insert, each one of the multiple sockets being arranged on the second side of the insert opposite a corresponding one of the multiple magnets so as to receive a tip of one of multiple corresponding arrowheads magnetically retained against the second side of the insert.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising multiple receptacles arranged on the second side of the insert and arranged so as to separate adjacent magnetically retained arrowheads from one another, each receptacle being arranged on the second side of the insert opposite a corresponding one of the multiple magnets.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising multiple receptacles arranged on the first side of the insert for receiving the multiple magnets.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the insert comprises a polymer material.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the insert comprises a resilient or deformable material.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the insert has at least three magnets and at most seven magnets.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising sidewalls of the insert extending from the second side so that the sidewalls and second side define an interior volume for partly enclosing the magnetically retained arrowheads.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising at least one additional magnet arranged in or on the sidewall arranged so as to guide an arrowhead inserted into the interior volume toward one of the multiple magnets arranged on the first side of the insert.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an arrow gripper arranged to be mounted on the archery bow and to grip the shafts of the multiple arrows when the corresponding arrowheads are received and magnetically retained in the housing by the magnets.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising an archery bow wherein the arrowhead housing and the gripper are mounted on the archery bow.

13. A method comprising:

forming and arranging a housing to be mounted on an archery bow and to receive arrowheads of multiple corresponding arrows held by a quiver for an archery bow; and

arranging multiple magnets in or on the housing, each one of the multiple magnets being arranged so as to retain magnetically within the housing one of the multiple arrowheads and to substantially prevent contact between (i) the corresponding retained arrowhead and (ii) an inner surface of the housing or another one of the multiple arrowheads magnetically retained within the housing by another one of the multiple magnets.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming a non-metallic insert sized and shaped to fit into the housing with the multiple magnets arranged on a first side of the insert so that an arrowhead received within the housing and magnetically retained by one of the multiple magnets can rest against a second side of the insert opposite the first side, and positioning the insert in the housing.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising forming multiple sockets on the second side of the insert, each one of the multiple sockets being arranged on the second side of the insert opposite a corresponding one of the multiple magnets so as to receive a tip of one of multiple corresponding arrowheads magnetically retained against the second side of the insert.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising arranging multiple receptacles on the second side of the insert so as to separate adjacent magnetically retained arrowheads from one another, each receptacle being arranged on the second side of the insert opposite a corresponding one of the multiple magnets.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising arranging multiple receptacles on the first side of the insert for receiving the multiple magnets, and inserting the magnets into the receptacles.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the insert comprises a polymer material.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the insert comprises a resilient or deformable material.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the insert has at least three magnets and at most seven magnets.

21. The method of claim 14 further comprising forming sidewalls of the insert extending from the second side so that the sidewalls and second side define an interior volume for partly enclosing the magnetically retained arrowheads.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising arranging at least one additional magnet in or on the sidewall so as to guide an arrowhead inserted into the interior volume toward one of the multiple magnets arranged on the second side of the insert.

23. The method of claim 13 further comprising arranging an arrow gripper to be mounted on the archery bow and to grip the shafts of the multiple arrows when the corresponding arrowheads are received and magnetically retained in the housing by the magnets.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising mounting the arrowhead housing and the gripper on an archery bow.