Fiber optic sight pin
A sight pin for use with a bow sight includes an elongate segment of fiber optic material used to form a sighting indicia at one of its terminal ends. The other end of the fiber optic member is wound upon a spool to increase the exposed surface area of the fiber optic material to increase light absorption and thus the brightness of the sight indicia.
This document claims priority to and incorporates by reference all of the subject matter included in the provisional patent application filed on Dec. 24, 2003, and having Ser. No. 60/532,655.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to sights for archery bows employing fiber optic elements and, more specifically, to sight pin constructions which provide increased stability to the fiber optic element and which provide illuminated sight capabilities in environments where ambient light is reduced or absent.
2. Description of the Art
Archery bow sights utilizing a plurality of sight pins have been known in the art for many years. Typically, these sights use a bracket or other mounting structure for mounting the sight to a bow. The sight is commonly comprised of a pin plate, a pin guard, and a plurality of sight pins which are secured to the pin plate and extend into a sight window formed by the pin guard. The sight is mounted to a bow in a manner so that when the bow string is drawn, the archer can look through a peep sight provided in the bow string and align the tip of a pin attached to the sight with a target. For sights utilizing a plurality of sight pins having their tips vertically aligned, each individual sight pin is typically provided for aiming the bow at a target at a particular distance from the archer. For example, one pin may be positioned in the sight for aiming the bow at a target 50 yards from the archer while another pin may be positioned for a target that is at 100 yards distance.
It is also known in the art to construct sight pins with a light-gathering fiber optic element to enable use of the sighting device in low light environments. Various configurations of sight pins using fiber optic members have been proposed.
It is also well-known in the art that despite the light-gathering capabilities of fiber optic elements which render sighting devices more useful in low-light conditions (e.g., dusk), there is a point at which the ambient light is so low that the fiber optic element is no longer capable of gathering sufficient light to provide any illumination. While others in the art have disclosed the use of electronic means for providing a light source to the fiber optic elements of the sighting device, the use of such devices add weight to the device, may fail electrically and may be vulnerable to damage by contact with bushes or the like.
It has also been proposed to provide a self illuminating substance such as tritium at one end of a fiber optic element in order to illuminate the opposite end. Because of the surface area of the ends of such fiber optic elements, the amount of light provided in such a small surface area is relatively low.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a relatively large amount of fiber for each sight pin to provide increased light gathering capabilities by increasing the exposed surface area of the fiber.
It would also be advantageous in the art to provide a non-electrical source of light that can illuminate the fiber optic element of the sight pin to provide sufficient illumination to the fiber optic element to enhance the usefulness of the device in very low or no ambient light conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with the present invention, a sight pin for use with a bow sight includes an elongate segment of fiber optic material used to form a sighting indicia at one of its terminal ends. The other end of the fiber optic member is wound upon a spool to increase the exposed surface area of the fiber optic material to increase light absorption and thus the brightness of the sight indicia.
The sight pin includes an elongate pin arm defining a sight point at a first end and configured for attachment to a bow sight proximate a second end. A fiber optic member has a first terminal end adjacent the sight point of the sight pin for providing a sight indicia. A spool in the form of a cylindrical member is positioned proximate the second end of the sight pin. The fiber optic member is wound upon the spool with a plurality of windings so as to maximize the amount of fiber optic material that is exposed to ambient light.
In one embodiment the spool is coupled directly to the sight pin itself so that the sight pin can be adapted to an existing bow sight for use therewith.
In another embodiment the spool is coupled to the bow sight and the fiber optic member from the sight pin is wound upon the spool.
In another embodiment, more than one fiber optic member from more than one sight pin is wound upon a single spool.
In still another embodiment, a plurality of sight pins with spools integrally formed therewith are configured to be used together on a single bow sight.
In yet another embodiment, each spool is provided with a luminescent material, such as glow-in-the-dark material, that is wrapped around the spool. The fiber optic member is then wound over the luminescent material. By charging the luminescent material for a period of time with a light source, the fiber optic member will remain illuminated for a period of time while the luminescent material radiates light.
Thus, a non-electric light source is provided along a length of the fiber optic member in order to brighten the fiber optic element as a result of the light being emitted from the non-electric light source.
The non-electric light source is a material which naturally emits light, such as a radioactive or chemically activated material commonly used in such devices as illuminated watches and “glow-in-the-dark” signage. In addition, zinc sulfide and copper mixed phosphorescent pigments and powder materials can be incorporated into many materials such as plastics. Such luminescent plastic materials may be formed by mixing luminescent pigment powder with transparent plastic resin. The luminescent plastic can then be formed into the desired shape or applied to the product by casting, molding, extruding, dipping and/or coating. The luminescent pigment is compatible with acrylics, polyester, epoxy, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene and polyethylene polymers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The slot 24 is provided with a recessed portion 25 that circumscribes an elongate channel that extends through the pin plate 14. As will be described in more detail, the sight pin 20 engages with this recessed portion 25 to prevent rotation of the pin 20 relative to the pin plate, essentially mating together in a male/female or tongue and groove relationship. The channel allow for passage of the shaft of an elongate fastener therethrough. The sight pins 20, 21 and 22 extend transversely from the pin plate 14 into the sight window 18. The sighting device 10 is attached to a first bracket 28 by securing members 30, such as threaded bolts. The first bracket 28 may be adjustably connected to a second bracket 29 by additional securing members. The second bracket 29 may then be coupled or directly attached to the riser of a bow as is known in the art.
In use, the archer typically aligns a peep sight positioned on or secured within a bowstring with one of the sight pins 20, 21 or 22. Each of the sight pins 20, 21 and 22 is positioned and adjusted to correspond to a given distance (e.g., 50 yards, 100 yards, 150 yards, etc.) from the bow. The sight pins 20, 21 and 22 allow the archer to better position the aim of the arrow to compensate for target distance and trajectory. Sight pins 20, 21 and 22 relevant to the present invention are those which employ fiber optic members 34, 35 and 36, respectively, to provide an illuminated point or sight tip at the terminal end of each fiber optic member 34, 35 and 36. While the sight pins 21 and 22 are generally of a traditional configuration, the sight pin 20 includes a substantially longer length of fiber optic material that is wound upon a cylindrical member 38 to form a spool of wound fiber optic material. The width of the spool 38 may be varied to accept more or less fiber optic material thereon. By winding the fiber optic material 34 onto the spool 38, an increased amount of fiber optic material is employed for the sight pin 20, as compared to sight pins 21 and 22. This increased length of the fiber optic member 34 increases the exposed surface area of the fiber optic member 34 to increase the light gathering ability of the fiber optic member 34 to, in turn, increase the illumination of the sight tip. Moreover, by coupling the spool 38 to the individual sight pin 20, the sight pin 20 can be adapted to virtually any existing bow sight regardless of configuration. That is, the sight pin 20 of the present invention could be easily adapted to virtually any existing bow sight without requiring modification to the design or configuration of the bow sight.
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While the present invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it is contemplated that upon review of the present invention, those of skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and combinations may be made to the present embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the claims. It should be specifically noted that reference to the term “spool” in the specification and claims is not intended to include only a cylindrical structure, but any structure upon which the fiber optic member can be wound. The principles of the present invention may be adapted to any type of sight pin including those illustrated as well as sight pins used on pendulum type sights and the like. The claims provided herein are intended to cover such modifications and combinations and all equivalents thereof. Reference herein to specific details of the illustrated embodiments is by way of example and not by way of limitation.
Claims
1. A sight pin for attachment to a bow sight, comprising:
- a spool;
- a pin arm integrally formed with said spool and depending outwardly therefrom; and
- a length of fiber optic material having a first end for forming a sight indicia coupled to said pin arm and at least a portion of said length being wound upon said spool, said spool, said pin arm and said length of fiber optic material forming a sight pin configured for attachment to a bow sight.
2. The sight pin of claim 1, wherein said pin arm and said spool are integrally formed.
3. The sight pin of claim 1, further including a glow-in-the-dark material interposed between said fiber optic material and said spool.
4. The sight pin of claim 1, wherein said pin arm has an arch shape.
5. The sight pin of claim 1, further including an engagement portion integrally formed with said spool configured for engaging with a sight body to prevent rotation of said spool relative to said pin body.
6. The sight pin of claim 1, wherein said spool includes a hollow recess for decreasing the weight of said spool.
7. The sight pin of claim 1, wherein said length of fiber optic material forms a plurality of windings upon said spool.
8. The sight pin of claim 7, further comprising an opaque cap for covering at least a portion of said plurality of windings.
9. A bow sight, comprising:
- a sight body comprising a pin plate; and
- a plurality of sight pins attached to said pin plate, at least one of said plurality of sight pins comprising a spool, a pin arm depending from said spool, and a length of fiber optic material having a first end for forming a sight indicia coupled to said pin arm and at least a portion of said length being wound upon said spool.
10. The sight of claim 9, wherein said pin arm and said spool are integrally formed.
11. The sight pin of claim 10, further including a glow-in-the-dark material interposed between said fiber optic material and said spool.
12. The sight of claim 9, wherein said pin arm has an arch shape.
13. The sight of claim 9, further including an engagement portion integrally formed with said spool configured for engaging with a sight body to prevent rotation of said spool relative to said pin body.
14. The sight of claim 10, wherein said spool includes a hollow recess for decreasing the weight of said spool.
15. The sight of claim 11, wherein said length of fiber optic material forms a plurality of windings upon said spool.
16. The sight of claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of sight pins includes a spool for winding said length of fiber optic material thereon.
17. The sight of claim 9, wherein said length of fiber optic material of each of said plurality of sight pins is wound upon said spool.
18. The sight of claim 9, wherein said spool is coupled to said sight body.
19. The sight pin of claim 15, further comprising an opaque cap for covering at least a portion of said plurality of windings.
20. A sight pin, comprising:
- a spool;
- a pin arm depending from and extending away from said spool; and
- a length of fiber optic material having a first end for forming a sight indicia coupled to said pin arm and at least a portion of said length being wound upon said spool.
21. The sight pin of claim 20, wherein said pin arm and said spool are integrally formed.
22. The sight pin of claim 20, further including a glow-in-the-dark material interposed between said fiber optic material and said spool.
23. The sight pin of claim 20, wherein said pin arm has an arch shape.
24. The sight pin of claim 20, further including an engagement portion integrally formed with said spool configured for engaging with a sight body to prevent rotation of said spool relative to said pin body.
25. The sight pin of claim 20, wherein said spool includes a hollow recess for decreasing the weight of said spool.
26. The sight pin of claim 20, wherein said length of fiber optic material forms a plurality of windings upon said spool.
27. The sight pin of claim 26, further comprising an opaque cap for covering at least a portion of said plurality of windings.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 23, 2004
Publication Date: Jun 30, 2005
Inventor: Abbas Afshari (Pocatello, ID)
Application Number: 10/831,438