BROADHEAD ARROW ADAPTER

Abstract

An Archery Manufacturers & Merchants Organization (AMO) standards-based, arrow assembly, weight-and-length enhancer for archers and/or bowhunters is disclosed, which provides a fully compatible, standards-based way to increase the length and/or weight of the front of the arrow assembly by simply unscrewing the existing arrowhead from the insert of the arrow and screwing this enhancer between the two components. By having internal threads on the device located directly within the outer shank area of the enhancer, the strength is increased due to a decrease in leverage, and the overall length of the assembly is kept to a minimum.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/015,300, filed on Dec. 20, 2007. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to an arrow weight-and-length booster and, more specifically, it relates to an Archery Manufacturers & Merchants Organization (AMO) standards-based, arrow-assembly, weight-and-length enhancer for archers and/or bowhunters, which provides a fully compatible, standards-based way to increase the length and/or weight of the front of the arrow assembly by simply unscrewing the existing arrowhead from the insert of the arrow and screwing this booster insert between the two components. By having internal threads on the device located directly within the outer shank area of the insert, the strength is increased due to a decrease in leverage, and the overall length of the assembly is kept to a minimum.

BACKGROUND

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

It can be appreciated that arrow weight-and-length altering techniques have been in use for years. Typically these are comprised of specialized, as well as proprietary, assemblies and/or components to alter length and/or weight as seen in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,696, issued to Troncoso; U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,554, issued to Sherwin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,133, issued to Cartwright; U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,146, issued to Schaar; U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,180, issued to Fingerson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,520, issued to Fingerson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,534, issued to Saunders; U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,534, issued to Rangel; U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,542, issued to Saunders; U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,199, issued to Adams; U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,421, issued to Adams; U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,725, issued to Schaar; U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,280, issued to Kuhn; U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,385, issued to Cole; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,932,728, 7,004,859, 7,077,770, and 7,115,055, issued to Palomaki.

The main problem with conventional arrow weight-and-length boosters is they do not provide a standards-based—screw directly in-between the existing insert and the arrowhead—means of adding weight or length to the front of an arrow shaft fitted with a standard AMO specification insert. AMO defined these standards in 1986 (now part of the ATA (Archery Trade Association)).

A further disadvantage with conventional arrow weight-and-length boosters is they do not provide a standards based—screw directly in-between the existing insert and the arrowhead—means of transitioning different diameters of arrowheads, broadheads, and target tip base diameters to match varying arrow shaft diameters via a tapering design, which would not only increase downrange kinetic energy, but also reduce parasitic aerodynamic drag.

A further problem with conventional arrow weight-and-length boosters is they cannot be stacked on top of one another as well as they require special proprietary non-standard attachments and/or internal inserts that may or may not require special arrow assemblies and/or disassembly of standard arrows to add weight and/or length.

While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not suitable for giving the archer and/or the bowhunter a fully compatible standards-based way to increase the length and/or the weight of the front of their arrow assembly by simply unscrewing their existing arrowhead from the arrow's insert and screwing the device of the present disclosure between the two. By having the internal threads of the device located directly within the outer shank area of the insert, the strength is increased due to a decrease in leverage, and the overall length of the assembly is kept to a minimum.

In these respects, the AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer according to the present disclosure substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art and, in doing so, provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of giving the archer and/or the bowhunter a fully compatible standards-based way to increase the length and/or the weight of the front of their arrow assemblies.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known prior art regarding arrow weight-and-length boosters, the present disclosure provides a new AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight and/or length enhancer construction wherein the same can be utilized for giving the archer and/or the bowhunter a fully compatible standards-based way to increase the length and/or the weight of the front of their arrow assembly by simply unscrewing their existing arrowhead from the arrow's insert and screwing the enhancer of the present disclosure between the two. By having the internal threads of the device located directly within the outer shank area of the insert, the strength is increased due to a decrease in leverage, and the overall length of the assembly is kept to a minimum.

The general purpose of the enhancer of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer that has many of the advantages of the arrow weight-and-length boosters mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art arrow weight-and-length boosters, either alone or in any combination thereof.

To attain this, the enhancer of the present disclosure generally comprises a single, one-piece machined part. A cylindrical or tapered cylindrical element has a shank cavity followed by internal 8-32 threads on one end and external 8-32 threads on the other. The outer surface may or may not have radial grooves cut into it.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the enhancer of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the enhancer of the present disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

A primary object of the enhancer of the present disclosure is to provide an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.

Another object of the enhancer of the present disclosure is to provide an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer for giving the archer and/or the bowhunter a fully compatible standards-based way to increase the length and/or the weight of the front of their arrow assembly by simply unscrewing their existing arrowhead from the arrow's insert and screwing the enhancer of the present disclosure between the two. By having the internal threads of the device located directly within the outer shank area of the insert, the strength is increased due to a decrease in leverage, and the overall length of the assembly is kept to a minimum.

Another object of the enhancer of the present disclosure is to provide an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer that adds a precise amount of weight when being screwed into an AMO standard compliant insert with an arrow assembly without having to modify the existing arrow assembly.

Another object of the enhancer of the present disclosure is to provide an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer that adds a precise amount of length when being screwed into an AMO standard compliant insert with an arrow assembly without having to modify the existing arrow assembly.

Another object of the enhancer of the present disclosure is to provide an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer that aids in arrow penetration due to the kinetic energy of adding weight to the completed assembly regardless if the arrow is tipped with a hunting broadhead or a target field tip.

Another object of the enhancer of the present disclosure is to provide an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer that aids in repeatable arrow flight accuracy due to the added length and forwards added weight of the completed assembly regardless if the arrow is tipped with a hunting broadhead or a target field tip.

Another object of the enhancer of the present disclosure is to provide an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer that can be indefinitely stacked one after the other to allow more than one to be added to the arrow assembly to increase weight and/or length as desired or required by the hunter and/or target archer.

Another object of the enhancer of the present disclosure is to provide an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer that creates a smooth aerodynamic transition and taper from a hunting broadhead or target field point to the arrow shaft that may be larger or smaller in diameter than the hunting broadhead or target field tip normally mounted to it.

Another object of the enhancer of the present disclosure is to provide an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer that can be made in a variety of materials to alter its weight-to-existing-length characteristics without altering its shape.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present disclosure will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a primary embodiment of the enhancer of the present disclosure looking front to rear;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the primary embodiment of the enhancer of the present disclosure looking rear to front;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the enhancer showing the internal threads within the piloting shank area;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the enhancer of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the enhancer of the present disclosure showing a non-linear, or tapered, outside diameter design; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the enhancer of the present disclosure assembled to an arrow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate an AMO standards-based arrow assembly weight-and-length enhancer, shown generally as reference numeral 10, which compromises a single one-piece machined element. Both the primary embodiment, having a cylindrical profile illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, and the alternative embodiment, having a tapered or non-linear profile shown in FIG. 5, comprise a shank cavity 12 having internal 8-32 threads 14 on a first end 16 and external 8-32 threads 18 on the opposing end 20. The outer surface 22 may optionally have grooves 24 cut or formed into it.

In the preferred embodiment, enhancer 10 of the present disclosure is a one-piece, type-3, anodized aluminum alloy that is fully machined from round stock and has a weight of 25 grains in both the straight and the tapered embodiments. Enhancer 10 comprises at least eleven external 8-32 threads 18 at the rear end 20, followed by a nominal locking shank 26. Directly within this shank area 26 is cavity 12, having internal 8-32 threads 14. Forward of the shank 26 is the extended insert portion 28. In enhancer 10, the outside diameter of the insert portion 28 may vary in outside diameter from either straight as illustrated in FIG. 3 to a tapered shape as illustrated in FIG. 5. The outside diameter of extended insert portion 28 optionally has one or more radial grooves 24 cut into it to facilitate weight control as well as to create an aerodynamic boundary layer.

Within the inside diameter of extended insert portion 28 is a smooth and centered bore 30 with a short, chamfered lead-in bevel 32. Please note, variations in materials used may alter the mass, and therefore the final weight of the invention. Variations in tapers and/or outside surface dimensions may facilitate proper transitions of differing arrow shafts as well as arrowheads and broadheads. Variations in total length may be employed depending on the need required by the consumer. Concave or convex dimples and other aerodynamic surface features may replace external grooves 24 currently illustrated in the present embodiments. Additionally, variations in surface hardening, anodizing processes, colors, as well as all surface treatment procedures, are intended to remain within the scope of the present disclosure.

As previously stated, enhancer 10 of the present disclosure is formed from a single, one-piece component and may be manufactured from metal, polymers, and/or composites. It may be cast, partially machined, injection-molded from metal, or a combination therein. The length, as well as other dimensions, may be altered significantly to greatly alter the mass of the arrow to be attached to. Variations in size and surface taper angles, as well as compound curves in said tapers, may alternatively be incorporated.

A bowhunter or an archer using an arrowhead or broadhead 40 screwed into an arrow 42 with a standard threaded insert 44 would simply thread enhancer 10 between the two as illustrated in FIG. 6. The preferred embodiment would give the user the ability to increase the weight and the length of the arrowhead portion by twenty-five grains and nearly one-half of an inch. Adding weight to a hunting broadhead increases downrange kinetic energy and consequently aids in better penetration to facilitate a quicker and more humane harvest. Enhancer 10 is asexually symmetrical so it can be stacked one after another in conjunction to achieve whatever length and/or weight increase the archer or the bowhunter desires. Enhancer 10 may also be used to help recycle arrows which are too short and/or too light to be used by archers and bowhunters that require longer and heavier arrows. Enhancer 10 can also be used to alter the FOC (front of center) weight of arrows to facilitate whatever flight characteristics the user requires.

As to further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present disclosure, the same should be apparent from the above description and accompanying drawings. With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, manner of operation, assembly, and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction, dimensions, and operation shown and described and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An enhancer for an arrow, the enhancer comprising:

a generally cylindrical first end defining an external thread;

a generally cylindrical second end defining an internal cavity; and

a shank extending between said external thread of said generally cylindrical first end and said generally cylindrical second end, said internal cavity extending into said shank.

2. The enhancer according to claim 1, wherein said internal cavity comprises an internal thread disposed within said shank.

3. The enhancer according to claim 2, wherein a diameter of said shank is less than a diameter of said generally cylindrical second end.

4. The enhancer according to claim 3, wherein said generally cylindrical end comprises a non-circular cylindrical end.

5. The enhancer according to claim 3, wherein said generally cylindrical end comprises a circular cylindrical end.

6. The enhancer according to claim 3, wherein said generally cylindrical second end defines at least one groove extending into said generally cylindrical second end.

7. The enhancer according to claim 1, wherein said internal cavity comprises an internal thread disposed within said shank and a centered bore extending through said generally cylindrical second end from said internal thread.

8. The enhancer according to claim 7, wherein said internal cavity comprises an internal thread disposed within said shank.

9. The enhancer according to claim 8, wherein a diameter of said shank is less than a diameter of said generally cylindrical second end.

10. The enhancer according to claim 9, wherein said generally cylindrical end comprises a non-circular cylindrical end.

11. The enhancer according to claim 9, wherein said generally cylindrical end comprises a circular cylindrical end.

12. The enhancer according to claim 9, wherein said generally cylindrical second end defines at least one groove extending into said generally cylindrical second end.

13. The enhancer according to claim 1, wherein said generally cylindrical end comprises a non-circular cylindrical end.

14. The enhancer according to claim 13, wherein a diameter of said shank is less than a diameter of said generally cylindrical second end.

15. The enhancer according to claim 13, wherein said internal cavity comprises an internal thread disposed within said shank.

16. The enhancer according to claim 1, wherein said generally cylindrical end comprises a circular cylindrical end.

17. The enhancer according to claim 16, wherein a diameter of said shank is less than a diameter of said generally cylindrical second end.

18. The enhancer according to claim 16, wherein said internal cavity comprises an internal thread disposed within said shank.

19. The enhancer according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of said shank is less than a diameter of said generally cylindrical second end.

20. The enhancer according to claim 1, wherein said enhancer is in combination with said arrow and said external thread engages an internal thread defined by said arrow and said arrow comprises an arrowhead engaging said internal cavity of said generally cylindrical second end of said enhancer.