ARCHERY BOW CASE

Abstract

A bow case used to store at least one archery bow. The bow case includes a body with a bottom and a side, at least one leg for supporting the body in a raised position, and a mounting bracket for connecting the leg to the body. The mounting bracket contacts both a bottom and a side of the body. A bow case that includes a body with an internal cavity and the cavity is externally accessible while the body remains closed. A bow case that includes a body with at least one leg for supporting the body in a raised position and a mounting bracket which connects the leg to the body. The mounting bracket includes a socket, which receives the leg, and supports that are attached between the socket and the mounting bracket.

Description

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to a storage case and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly to a case, with removable legs and a storage cavity, for storing and transporting archery equipment.

Various storage cases exist to hold and protect archery equipment when transporting to and from hunting or archery competition sites. However, because many archers carry additional items, such as arrowheads, knives, bowstring, various tools, etc., additional storage containers or bags are often necessary. These additional items can be burdensome for the archer to carry when traveling to and from these sites. This difficulty becomes greater when the sites are located in remote areas.

Some storage cases include internal compartments that allow the archer to better organize additional items into one carrying case. However, if any of these items are needed, the carrying case must be opened to retrieve them. This usually requires placing the case on the ground, kneeling down beside the case, and then opening the case to retrieve the needed item. In some hunting situations, the ground will be muddy, which makes it more difficult to keep the equipment clean.

There is another problem with setting a bow down when making adjustments to the equipment or retrieving arrows from a target after a practice round. An archer will usually lay the bow on top of a closed case or back inside an open case to make adjustments or retrieve arrows. This is more difficult when the case is lying on the ground.

Yet another problem exists when accessing items stored in an internal compartment of the case. When packing for a trip, the hunter may pack the case underneath several other items required for the journey. Unfortunately, it is often necessary to retrieve various tools, such as a knife or adjustment tool, from the compartment after the packing is complete. This requires the case to be fully unpacked from under the other items before the case can be opened to access the internal compartment.

Therefore, it may be seen that improvements are needed in the art of storage cases for archery equipment. These improvements may be useful in applications other than archery storage cases.

SUMMARY

In the present specification, a portable bow case is provided which brings improvements to the art of storage cases for archery equipment. One example is described below in which a bow case includes a leg that holds the case in a raised position. Another example is described below in which a bow case includes a cavity for storing tools or legs. Yet another example is described below in which a bow case includes a mounting bracket that contains supports for increased rigidity.

In one aspect, a bow case includes a body with a bottom and a side, and at least one leg. The leg supports the body in a raised position. A mounting bracket connects the leg to the body, and simultaneously contacts both the bottom and the side of the body.

In another aspect, a bow case includes an internal cavity that is externally accessible while the body remains closed.

In yet another aspect, a bow case includes a bow case body with at least one leg that supports the body in a raised position. A mounting bracket connects the leg to the body and includes a socket for receiving the leg into the bracket. The mounting bracket has at least one support attached between the socket and a surface of the mounting bracket. The support provides increased rigidity to the socket. The mounting bracket also has at least one support attached between a flange and a base of the mounting bracket. The support provides increased rigidity to the mounting bracket.

These and other features, advantages and benefits will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the detailed description of representative examples below and the accompanying drawings, in which similar elements are indicated in the various figures using the same reference numbers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bow case embodying principles of the present disclosure with the top open and an archery bow stored inside.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the bow case.

FIG. 3 is a perspective bottom view of the bow case.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged scale partial cross-sectional view of a mounting bracket for the bow case mounted to an exterior of the bow case taken along line 4A-4A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4B is another configuration of an enlarged scale partial cross-sectional view of a mounting bracket for the bow case mounted to an interior of the bow case taken along line 4A-4A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a single-leg mounting bracket.

FIG. 6 is a perspective top view of a storage cavity, in the bow case.

FIG. 7 is a perspective top view of the bow case with a lid to the storage cavity closed.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a four-leg support bracket.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a two-leg support bracket.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bow case with the top open.

FIG. 11 is another configuration of the bow case with the top open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention described herein may be utilized in various orientations and in various configurations, without departing from the principles of the present invention. The embodiments are described merely as examples of useful applications of the principles of the invention, which is not limited to any specific details of these embodiments.

Representatively illustrated in FIG. 1 is a bow case 10, which embodies principles of this disclosure. The bow case allows an archer to organize and use archery equipment more efficiently. FIG. 1 shows at least one archery bow 11 being stored internally in the bow case.

Various activities, such as hunting, practicing, archery competitions, etc., can sometimes occur during harsh conditions, such as rain, mud, snow, etc. During these activities or others, such as packing for a trip or loading/unloading equipment at home or a remote site, the archer needs efficient access to the equipment.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the bow case 10 includes a bow case body 12 and at least one leg 14 for supporting the body in a raised position. The preferred embodiment includes four legs, as illustrated in FIG. 2, but any number of legs can be used. For example, a single leg 14 can be connected to the bow case body 12 with attachment to a center 48 (see FIG. 3) of a bottom 30 of the body.

A single-leg embodiment would be required to support the full weight of the body 12 plus additional moments, and therefore, a larger leg may be preferred. These moments would result from forces applied to the body away from an attachment point of the leg to the body.

When multiple legs 14 are used to support the body 12, the legs are preferably attached around the perimeter of a bottom edge of the body and spaced apart to provide the optimum stability for that particular configuration of legs. It can be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any number of legs, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc., can be used to support the bow case body without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

The bow case 10 is designed to facilitate mobility and improved access to equipment, which is desired when transporting archery equipment to and from remote sites. These remote sites can be in the archer's backyard at home, across town, in a different state, a different country, etc. It is preferred, when transporting the archery equipment, to store all of the archery equipment within a single carrying case for convenience and organization, as well as for protecting the equipment during travel. Upon arrival at a remote site, the bow case 10 may be deployed as shown in FIG. 2 to assist the archer in performing any required archery activities.

The legs 14 in FIG. 2 are detached from the body 12 and stored in a storage compartment in the body for transport. The legs are preferably collapsible so that storage space, required for transport, can be minimized. However, it is not required that the legs be collapsible. For example, each leg may be a one-piece construction of any desired length to support the bow case body 12. In another configuration, the leg 14 may include multiple leg segments, which are assembled together to provide a desired leg length. Thus, it will be appreciated that various configurations of the leg are possible without departing from the principles of the present disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 4A, each leg 14 may be removably attached to the bottom 30 of the bow case body 12 by utilizing a mounting bracket 16. The mounting bracket is preferably attached to the bow case body 12 with screws 34, but the mounting bracket may also be attached using glue or VELCRO or any other suitable attachment means. FIG. 4A shows the mounting bracket 16 attached to an exterior of the bow case body 12. In another configuration, FIG. 4B shows the mounting bracket attached in an interior of the bow case body. In yet another configuration, the mounting bracket 16 may be integrally formed with the bow case body 12 when the body is manufactured, thus reducing the number of assembly steps required to produce the bow case 10. Therefore, it will be appreciated that various means can be used to incorporate the mounting bracket 16 in the bow case body 12 without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the bracket 16 may be recessed toward an interior 26 of the body 12 and mounted flush with an exterior wall 28 of the body to minimize any exterior protrusions. Exterior protrusions interfere with baggage handling systems, such as at airports, and generally make handling an item more difficult. Therefore, the mounting bracket 16 is preferably recessed into the body 12, adjacent to the exterior wall 28, to assist in handling ease. However, it is not required that the mounting bracket be recessed into the body and adjacent to the exterior wall. The mounting bracket 16 may be mounted directly to the exterior wall 28 and not recessed into the body. As stated above, the mounting bracket may also be integrally formed with the body 12 when the body is manufactured and therefore the bracket would be a continuation of the exterior wall 28 and the body 12. It will be appreciated that there are various ways that the bracket 16 can be provided as a feature of the bow case body 12 without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

Each mounting bracket 16 may include a base 18, a flange 20, supports 21, 23, 24, and a socket 22 for removably attaching the leg 14 to the bow case body 12. The mounting brackets are preferably mounted around the perimeter of the bow case body, and attached to the bottom 30 and at least one side 32 of the body. However, when a single leg 14 is used to support the body, then another configuration of the mounting bracket 16, as shown in FIG. 5, would be mounted in the center 48 (FIG. 3) of the bottom 30 of the body. In this configuration, the mounting bracket 16 does not contact the side 32 of the body. A support 21 is relatively perpendicular to the base 18, which provides rigidity to the mounting bracket 16. It will be appreciated that multiple supports may be used to strengthen the bracket 16 instead of a single support, as shown in FIG. 5.

Again referring back to FIG. 4A, the socket 22 is attached to the base 18 and extends from the base 18 toward the interior 26 of the bow case body 12. At least one support 24 is attached between the surface 54 of the base of the mounting bracket 16 and the socket 22. This provides increased rigidity of the socket and support for the leg 14 when the leg is inserted into the socket. The support 24 and the socket 22 may be attached to the surface 54 in various ways, such as welding, gluing, using screws, etc.

At least one support 23 is attached between the surface 54 and the flange 20. This provides increased rigidity of the mounting bracket. The support 23 may also be attached in various ways, such as welding, gluing, using screws, etc.

In another configuration, the mounting bracket 16 may be formed through processes such as plastic injection molding or metal casting. These processes form a single piece product, which may have the base 18, flange 20, socket 22, and supports 21, 23, 24 features of the bracket 16 already included in a single piece construction. If the bracket 16 is integrally formed with the bow case body 12, no attachment means would be required. Therefore, it will be appreciated that various means can be used to provide the supports 21, 23, 24, socket 22, base 18, and flange 20 features of mounting bracket 16 without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

Material used to manufacture the mounting bracket 16 may include metals, plastics, etc. Plastic may be preferred to minimize the weight of the bow case 10, but metal may be preferred to maximize the rigidity of the mounting bracket.

The socket 22 may be attached to the base 18 in such a way as to cause the leg 14, once installed in the socket 22, to extend relatively perpendicular to the bottom 30. This is preferred when a single leg 14 is used to support the body 12. However, when multiple legs are used, socket 22 is preferably attached, or formed, to the base 18 slightly tilted towards the center 48 of the body, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. This results in a perimeter, defined by the bottoms 36 of the legs, being larger than a perimeter defined by the tops 38 of the legs.

The socket 22 receives the leg 14 for supporting bow case 10 in a raised position off the ground, or a floor, or any surface on which the archer desires to place the bow case 10. The socket may be cylindrically shaped as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, but the socket is not required to be cylindrically shaped. The socket may be rectangular, square, oval, star shaped, or any other shape that accepts a similarly shaped leg 14 into the socket 22. When inserted into the socket, the leg may be kept in the socket by gravitational forces acting on the weight of the body 12. However, it is preferred that the leg 14 be positively held in the socket by an interference fit between the leg and the socket. In this example, the leg includes a slight taper at the top end 38. When end 38 is inserted into the socket 22, the end travels into the socket until friction force on an outside wall of the end 38 and an inside wall of the socket 22 acts to positively retain the end in the socket.

The friction may retain the end 38 in the socket until the archer needs to pack up the archery equipment for transport. The end may then be removed from the socket 22 by applying enough force to dislodge the end from the socket. However, it is not necesssary that the end 38 be retained in the socket 22 of bracket 16 by friction. In another configuration, the end 38 and socket 22 may have mating threads and the end may be screwed into the socket. Therefore, it will be appreciated that various means can be used to attach the end 38 to the socket 22 without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

To prepare the bow case 10 for transport, the archer detaches any leg 14 used to support the bow case body 12, collects any archery tools needed for the upcoming archery activity, collects the archery bow, and stores these items in the bow case 10. Storage areas in the interior 26 of the bow case body may be used to store the archery bow, some archery tools, and the legs (assuming a multi-leg example). However, it is preferred for the legs and the archery tools to be stored in an externally accessible storage cavity 50.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the storage cavity 50 of the bow case 10 provides storage for archery tools 56 and at least one leg 14. In this example, the cavity 50 provides storage for four legs and at least one archery tool, but it is not necessary that the storage cavity 50 store four legs. The cavity 50 may store any number of legs as desired, in keeping with the storage requirements of the various examples of the bow case 10.

The storage cavity 50 is preferably mounted in the center 46 (refer to FIG. 7) of the top 44 of the bow case body 12 and recessed into the bow case body 12. The storage cavity 50 may include a lid 52 used to secure the contents of cavity 50 for transport. However, a lid 52 is not required to secure the contents in the cavity 50. Many other securing means may be used, such as VELCRO, nylon straps, elastic straps, slotted foam pads, etc., without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

The storage cavity 50 may be externally accessible while the bow case body 12 remains closed. This permits the archer to retrieve tools more easily. This is beneficial when the bow case 10 is loaded in a vehicle, for example, with other items in preparation for transport or during transport. With external access to the storage cavity 50, the archer may not have to unload as many items as would be required if the archer had to retrieve items from inside the case. Bow cases having only internal storage compartments require opening the bow case in order to retrieve items from the compartments.

With the bow case 10 in a raised position, the archer may need a tool, which is stored in the bow case, for adjusting an archery bow. If the archer has placed an archery bow or tool or even a drink on the top of bow case, these items would have to be removed to access internal storage compartments. To alleviate this problem, external access to contents of the storage cavity 50 is provided. This permits the archer to retrieve stored items from the cavity without opening the bow case body 12.

Storage cavity 50 may include separate storage areas. For example, legs 14 may be stored in one area 58 and the archery tools may be stored in another area 60. Area 58 may contain several types of retainers for securing the legs 14 in the storage cavity. For example, a four-leg bracket 70, shown in FIG. 8, may be used to secure up to four legs in the storage area 58. A pair of four-leg brackets may be used to secure the legs. Each bracket 70 may be spaced apart and attached within the storage area. The spacing of brackets 70 depends on the length of the legs 14 being secured. The legs may be snapped into retention features 71 of the brackets 70.

In another configuration, a two-leg bracket 72, shown in FIG. 9, may be used to secure the legs in the storage area 58. One pair of brackets 72 may secure two legs. Each bracket of the pair would be spaced apart and attached within the storage area 58. The spacing of brackets 72 would depend on the length of the legs 14 being secured. The legs may be snapped into retention features 73 of the brackets 72.

Multiple pairs of either brackets 70 or 72 may be used to secure a desired number of legs 14. In a preferred example of the bow case 10, four legs are used to support the bow case body 12 in a raised position; therefore, a single pair of brackets 70 or two pairs of brackets 72 may be used to secure the legs in the storage area 58.

It will be appreciated that brackets 70 can be used together with brackets 72. It will also be appreciated that neither of these brackets are required to secure the legs in the storage area 58. Many other securing means may be used, such as VELCRO, nylon straps, elastic straps, slotted foam pads, etc., without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

Regarding the manufacture of the storage cavity 50, it will be appreciated that the cavity can be manufactured separately and attached to the bow case body 12 by suitable means, such as screws, glue, welding, etc. This allows different versions of the storage cavity to be substituted in the assembly process without requiring significant modifications to the manufacturing process. However, the storage cavity can also be manufactured with the bow case body in a single manufacturing process such as plastic thermal forming or molding or other processes well known in the art. Therefore, it is not necessary that the storage cavity 50 be manufactured separately from the bow case body. It will be appreciated that there are many ways to manufacture the bow case body 12 with a storage cavity 50 without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

Archery tools 56 may be similarly secured in the storage area 60 using VELCRO, nylon straps, elastic straps, slotted foam pads, etc. The archery tools may also be secured in area 60 by the lid 52. It will be appreciated that many securing means may be used without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the bow case 10 may also include internal storage compartments, in addition to the storage cavity 50. These internal storage compartments provide the archer with more options when preparing for and traveling to an archery event. For example, it may be desirable to store the legs 14 in internal storage areas 74 or 76 instead of in the cavity 50. In the preferred example of bow case 10, four legs 14 are used to support the bow case body 12 in a raised position. These four legs may be stored internally in storage areas 74 or 76 with similar securing means to those described above for securing the legs in the storage area 58. The positions of areas 74 and 76, shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, are only examples of where these areas may be located. These positions are not requirements for the bow case 10 as other positions may be used without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

It will now be fully appreciated that the above disclosure provides several advancements to the art of storage cases for archery equipment. In examples described above, a bow case 10 is supplied with a mounting bracket 16, which attaches a leg 14 to a body 12. In addition, examples described above provide an externally accessible storage cavity 50 for the bow case 10.

The above disclosure provides to the art a bow case 10 for storing at least one archery bow. The bow case 10 may include a bow case body 12 that may include a bottom 30 and a side 32, and at least one leg 14, where the leg may support the body in a raised position. The case 10 may also include a mounting bracket 16, which connects the leg to the body, with the mounting bracket simultaneously contacting both the bottom 30 and the side 32 of the body.

The mounting bracket 16 may include supports 23 attached between a flange 20 and a base 18 of the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket may also include a socket 22 that receives a leg 14, and a support 24 may be attached between the socket 22 and a surface 54 of the mounting bracket 16. The socket 22 may be tapered and the leg 14 may be collapsible to a reduced length.

The bow case 10 may also include a cavity 50 adjacent a top 44 of the body 12. A leg 14, and at least one archery tool 56, may be stored in the cavity. The contents of the cavity may be externally accessible while the body remains closed.

Additionally, a leg 14, and at least one archery tool 56, may be stored in an interior 26 of the body 12.

Also provided by the above disclosure is a bow case 10 that may store at least one archery bow. The bow case 10 may include an internal cavity 50 that is externally accessible while a body 12 remains closed. At least one archery tool 56 and at least one leg 14 may be stored in the cavity.

The bow case 10 may also include at least one leg 14 that supports the body 12 in a raised position and the leg 14 may be collapsible to a reduced length for storage.

The bow case 10 may also include a mounting bracket 16, which connects a leg 14 to a body 12, with the mounting bracket simultaneously contacting both a bottom 30 and a side 32 of the body. The mounting bracket may include a socket 22, which receives the leg, and at least one support 24 may be attached between the socket and a surface 54 of the mounting bracket 16. Additionally, the socket 22 may be tapered.

The above disclosure also provides a bow case 10 that may store at least one archery bow. The bow case 10 may include a bow case body 12 with at least one leg 14, where the leg may support the body in a raised position.

A mounting bracket 16, which may connect the leg 14 to the body 12, includes a socket 22 to receive the leg. The mounting bracket may include at least one support 24 attached between the socket and a surface 54 of the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket may also include a support 23 attached between a flange 20 and a base 18.

It is to be understood that the various examples described above may be utilized in various orientations, such as inclined, inverted, horizontal, vertical, etc., and in various configurations, without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. The embodiments illustrated in the drawings are depicted and described merely as examples of useful applications of the principles of the disclosure, which are not limited to any specific details of these embodiments.

In the above description of the representative examples of the disclosure, directional terms, such as “bottom,” “top,” “side,” etc., are used for convenience in referring to the accompanying drawings. However, the principles of this disclosure are not limited to any of these specific details.

Of course, a person skilled in the art would, upon a careful consideration of the above description of representative embodiments, readily appreciate that many modifications, additions, substitutions, deletions, and other changes may be made to these specific embodiments, and such changes are within the scope of the principles of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as being given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A bow case for storing at least one archery bow, the bow case comprising:

a bow case body including a bottom and a side;

at least one leg which supports the body in a raised position; and

a mounting bracket which connects the leg to the body, the mounting bracket simultaneously contacting both the bottom and the side of the body.

2. The bow case of claim 1, wherein at least one support is attached between a flange and a base of the mounting bracket.

3. The bow case of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket includes a socket which receives the leg therein.

4. The bow case of claim 3, wherein at least one support is attached between the socket and a surface of the mounting bracket.

5. The bow case of claim 3, wherein the socket is tapered.

6. The bow case of claim 1, wherein the leg is collapsible to a reduced length.

7. The bow case of claim 1, further comprising a cavity adjacent a top of the body.

8. The bow case of claim 7, wherein the leg is stored in the cavity.

9. The bow case of claim 7, wherein at least one archery tool is stored in the cavity.

10. The bow case of claim 7, wherein contents stored in the cavity are externally accessible while the body remains closed.

11. The bow case of claim 1, wherein the leg and at least one archery tool are stored in an interior of the body.

12. A bow case for storing at least one archery bow, the bow case comprising:

a bow case body including an internal cavity; and

the cavity is externally accessible while the body remains closed.

13. The bow case of claim 12, wherein at least one archery tool is stored in the cavity.

14. The bow case of claim 12, wherein at least one leg is stored in the cavity.

15. The bow case of claim 12, wherein at least one leg supports the body in a raised position.

16. The bow case of claim 15, wherein the leg is collapsible to a reduced length.

17. The bow case of claim 12, further comprising a mounting bracket which connects a leg to the body,

the mounting bracket simultaneously contacting both a bottom and a side of the body.

18. The bow case of claim 17, wherein the mounting bracket includes a socket, which receives the leg therein; and at least one support is attached between the socket and a surface of the mounting bracket.

19. The bow case of claim 18, wherein the socket is tapered.

20. A bow case for storing at least one archery bow, the bow case comprising:

a bow case body with at least one leg which supports the body in a raised position, and

a mounting bracket which connects the leg to the body; and

the mounting bracket includes a socket which receives the leg therein; and

at least one support attached between the socket and a surface of the mounting bracket.

21. The bow case of claim 20, wherein at least one support is attached between a flange and a base of the mounting bracket.

22. The bow case of claim 20, wherein the leg is collapsible to a reduced length.

23. The bow case of claim 20, wherein the socket is tapered.

24. The bow case of claim 20, further comprising a cavity adjacent a top of the body, wherein contents stored in the cavity are externally accessible while the body remains closed.