Archery bow sight

Abstract

The invention encompasses archery bow sights that comprise at least one lens configured to eliminate parallax. In one aspect of the invention, the site includes at least one plus power ribbon accommodating lens supported by a support means. A reference means is forwardly mounted in front of the lens so as to be located along the archer's line of sight between the lens and a target when the archer is shooting the bow. The optical lens of the sight eliminates parallax so that the archer's eye does not need to realign his line of sight between an archery peep, the reference means, and the target when the archer changes elevation of the bow.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to archery bow sights, and more specifically to an archery bow sight that includes an optical lens for enhanced visual sighting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Archery bow sights are well known in the art and encompass a variety of types. However, a common problem among archery bow sights is the difficulty an archer has in visually aiming an archery bow. The archer must adjust the bow angle depending upon the distance the archer wishes to shoot. The greater the distance of the intended target from the archer, the more the archer must increase the angle at which he or she releases the arrow. A constant problem with known archery bow visual sights is that each time the archer adjusts the angle of the bow, the archer must also adjust his or her line of sight so that the archery bow sight, reference point, and target are all aligned. This is due to a phenomenon known as parallax.

Parallax is the apparent displacement, or the difference in apparent direction, of an object as seen from two different points not on a straight line with the object. Often, an object will appear to shift position when viewed from two different points not on a straight line with the object. Archery bow sights are generally configured with a series of reference means consisting of parallel pins that each signify a specific distance of the target from the archer, and an aperture, or “peep”, sight located on the drawstring. The archer lines up the peep, pin, and target in his line of sight in order to shoot the intended target. Thus, the archer is forced to align all three reference points prior to shooting the arrow. For targets that are farther away, a lower pin in the series of reference pins on the archery bow sight is used to aim the bow. The phenomenon of parallax causes the intended target to appear to shift when the archer adjusts his line of sight through the peep toward a different reference pin. Parallax forces the archer to view each designated pin through the same peep in order to change the angle of attack on the bow. Therefore, the archer may need to realign his or her line of sight, as well as adjust the angle of the bow, to realign the peep and reference pin with the target, thus aligning all three reference points and changing the angle of the bow and the distance to which the arrow travels.

A general goal of archery bow sights is to improve the accuracy of the aim of the archer so that he or she has a much better likelihood of striking the intended target.

Another general goal of archery bow sights is to improve the speed and distance at which an archer can shoot an arrow so that he or she may shoot at targets at greater distances from the archer.

In light of the above discussed goals, it would be desirable to develop an archery bow sight which allows for enhanced visual reference of the target.

It would also be desirable to develop an archery bow sight which allows for minimal archery bow adjustment while aiming at a target.

It would also be desirable to develop an archery bow sight which allows the archer to utilize the sight while maximizing his or her draw length which increases the speed and distance at which an arrow may travel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying documents.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an archery bow sight illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating a meniscus lens optical element.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an optical lens illustrating an element of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an optical lens illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an optical lens illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an optical lens illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a meniscus optical lens illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a plano-convex optical lens illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a biconvex optical lens illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a side view of an achromatic doublet optical lens illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of an archery bow with an aperture bow sight requiring an archer use three reference points when aiming an archery bow at a target.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating an archery bow sight of the present invention requiring an archer use only one reference point when aiming an archery bow at a target.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In describing the preferred embodiments, certain terminology will be utilized for the sake of clarity. Such terminology is intended to encompass the recited embodiment, as well as all technical equivalents, which operate in a similar manner for a similar purpose to achieve a similar result.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of an archery bow sight, hereinafter archery bow sight 8, with an optical element 9, in FIGS. 1 and 2 shown as optical lens 10 for enhanced visual sighting. Archery bow sight 8 comprises at least one plus (positive) power ribbon accommodating optical lens 10 and a support element 12 configured to support optical lens 10. Optical lens 10 in a preferred embodiment comprises an elongated ribbon-like shape, but may comprise a variety of shapes and configurations. Frame 11 is configured to accommodate optical lens 10 and support element 12, and frame 11 may be mountable on an archery bow. In one embodiment, optical lens 10 comprises a spherical lens including, but not limited to, a biconvex lens 44 or a meniscus lens 42. The lens is preferably a meniscus lens 42, however other lens types may be used. The meniscus lens 42 is preferred because the convex front surface 24 and concave back surface 26 of the meniscus lens 42 substantially reduce undesirable reflections. Further, optical lens 10 may be coated with an antireflective coating 58 to reduce reflection and chromatic aberration by increasing the critical angle of the light passing through optical lens 10.

Optical lens 10 comprises a plus power. The reciprocal (inverse) of the dioptric power, D, of a lens equals the focal length, in meters, of the lens. The focal length, f, of the lens will be f=1÷+(x)D, where x is the power of the lens. In various embodiments, optical lens 10 is typically a plus power of at least 0.5 dioptric power and no greater than 16 dioptric power, and preferably at a plus power of at least 1 dioptric power and preferably a plus power of no more than 5 dioptric power. In one embodiment, the optical lens 10 comprises an achromatic lens 48. Optical lens 10 may comprise an achromatic doublet 36 configured with two individual lenses 36a and 36b, including, but not limited to, a concave lens 36a and a convex lens 36b.

Optical lens 10 is located between the archery bow riser and the archery bow string. Reference means 20 is forwardly positioned from optical lens 10, forwardly being defined as the direction in which an archer would shoot an arrow. In one embodiment, reference means 20 comprises at least one pin 16. In alternate embodiments, reference means 20 comprises at least one conical pointer 38 configured to reflect indirect light hitting the conical pointer 38 at all angles. Because conical pointer 38 reflects indirect light at all angles, conical pointer 38 allows for a definitive aiming point at which to aim at a target.

FIGS. 3 through 6 illustrate various configurations and shapes of optical lens 10. In one embodiment, optical lens 10 is configured substantially vertical to the axis of the archery bow. In alternate embodiments, optical lens 10 is configured substantially horizontal to the axis of the archery bow. In further embodiments, optical lens 10 comprises a variety of shapes and orientations, including, but not limited to, a substantially vertical ribbon lens 28, a substantially horizontal ribbon lens 30, a substantially half-circular lens 32, or a half ribbon lens 34.

FIGS. 7 through 10 illustrate various optical lens elements 10 of alternate embodiments of bow sight 8. Optical lens 10 allows the archer to view the reference means 20 at varying heights. Parallel light rays contact optical lens 10 and then light rays converge at focal point 40 located at about reference means 20. This allows the archer to change the angle and height at which he or she is holding the archery bow, thereby changing the height at which he or she is looking through optical lens 10, without having to realign his or her line of sight because the focal point 40 at about reference means 20 remains constant.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of meniscus optical lens 42 in which parallel light rays contact meniscus optical lens 42 and converge at focal point 40. FIG. 8 is a side view of a plano-convex optical lens 50 illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention in which parallel light rays contacting plano-convex optical lens 50 converge at focal point 40. FIG. 9 is a side view of a biconvex optical lens 44 illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention in which parallel light rays contacting biconvex optical lens 44 converge at focal point 40. FIG. 10 is a side view of an achromatic doublet lens 48 illustrating another element of an embodiment of the present invention in which parallel light rays contacting achromatic doublet lens 48 converge at focal point 40.

As the archer places the image of the reference means 20 in line of sight of the target when viewed through optical lens 10, the archer may change the angle and elevation at which he or she is holding the bow without having to readjust his or her line of sight (as he or she would through an aperture sight) because the archer needs only to realign with the target the image of reference means 20 as viewed through optical lens 10. The optical lens 10 of sight 8 eliminates the effect of parallax so that the archer's eye 54 does not need to realign his line of sight between an archery peep 52, the reference means 20, and the target 56 when the archer changes elevation of the bow. Instead of three fixed reference points as illustrated in FIG. 11, the archer must only adjust one reference point, specifically reference means 20. The ability to adjust bow angle and elevation without requiring realignment of the archer's line of sight is a significant advantage in that it improves the accuracy, as well as the speed, at which the archer can place reference pin 16 on target 56 when aiming at target 56.

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a traditional aperture sight. Traditional aperture sights require an archer to align three reference points with the target 56, the three reference points comprising a peep 52, a reference means 20, and the archer's eye 54. FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, archery bow sight 8. Archery bow sight 8 requires an archer align only one reference point, specifically reference means 20, with target 56 prior to shooting an arrow.

Archery bow sight 8 is located between the archery bow riser and the archery bow string. Traditional aperture bow sights locate peep 52 on the archery bow string which requires the archer to keep the bow string in front of his or her eye. Archery bow sight 8 is not located on the bow string which allows the archer to pull the bow string past the archer's eye. This allows the archer to increase his or her draw length, which in turn increases the speed and distance at which an archer can shoot an arrow.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Other suitable fabrication, manufacturing, assembly, and test techniques known in the art can be applied in numerous specific modalities by one skilled in the art and in light of the description of the present invention described herein. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the knowledge of one skilled in the art and in light of the disclosures presented above.

Claims

1. An archery bow sight comprising:

A at least one optical element;

A support element configured to support said optical element; and

A at least one reference means for referencing a specific distance of the target from the bow, said reference means being forwardly positioned from said optical element at a distance about equal to one focal length from said optical element, forwardly being defined as the direction in which an archer would shoot an arrow.

2. The archery bow sight of claim 1, wherein said reference means comprises a at least one pin.

3. The archery bow sight of claim 1, wherein said reference point comprises a at least one conical pointer whereby said conical pointer reflects indirect light hitting said conical pointer at all angles allowing for a definitive aiming point.

4. The archery bow sight of claim 1, wherein said optical element comprises a single focal length optical lens having a focal length about equal to a distance between said lens and said reference means.

5. The archery bow sight of claim 4, wherein said optical lens comprises a at least one plus power ribbon accommodating optical lens.

6. The archery bow sight of claim 5, wherein said plus power ribbon accommodating lens comprises a spherical lens, said spherical lens including, but not limited to, a biconvex lens or a meniscus lens.

7. The archery bow sight of claim 5, wherein said plus power ribbon accommodating lens is configured substantially horizontal to the axis of the archery bow.

8. The archery bow sight of claim 5, wherein said plus power ribbon accommodating lens is configured substantially vertical to the axis of the archery bow.

9. The archery bow sight of claim 5, wherein said plus power ribbon accommodating lens is configured as about a half lens, whereby said half lens covers and magnifies about half of the area of said sight and whereby about half of the area of said sight is open to the archer's natural line of sight.

10. The archery bow sight of claim 5, wherein said plus power ribbon accommodating lens is configured as about a half ribbon lens, whereby said half ribbon lens covers a portion of said sight but does not extend completely across said sight.

11. The archery bow sight of claim 5, wherein said plus power ribbon accommodating lens further comprises an antireflective coating whereby the critical angle of the light passing through said antireflective coating is increased.

12. The archery bow sight of claim 5, wherein said plus power ribbon accommodating lens comprises a dioptric power of from plus 0.50 dioptric power to plus 16 dioptric power.

13. The archery bow sight of claim 5, wherein said plus power ribbon accommodating lens comprises an achromatic lens.

14. The archery bow sight of claim 13, wherein said plus power ribbon accommodating lens further comprises an achromatic doublet configured with two individual lenses.

15. The archery bow sight of claim 14, wherein said achromatic doublet further comprises a concave lens and a convex lens.

16. The archery bow sight of claim 14, wherein said achromatic doublet further comprises a plano convex lens.

17. An archery bow sight comprising:

A plus power optical lens having a single focal length;

A support element configured to support said plus power optical lens; and

A at least one reference means forwardly positioned from said plus power optical lens a distance about equal to the distance between said lens and said focal point, forwardly being defined as the direction in which an archer would shoot an arrow.

18. The archery bow sight of claim 17, wherein said plus power optical lens is a spherical lens, including, but not limited to, a biconvex lens or a meniscus lens.

19. The archery bow sight of claim 17, further comprising a frame configured to accommodate said optical element, said support means for said optical element, and said reference means, said frame configured for mounting on an archery bow.

20. A method of removing the effect of parallax from an archery bow sight comprising the acts of:

Viewing a reference pin through a plus power ribbon accommodating optical lens wherein said reference pin is located about a single focal length from said optical lens;

Aligning said reference pin as viewed through said plus power ribbon accommodating optical lens with a target; and

Aiming the archery bow at said target.