APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR LASER BOW SIGHT ALIGNMENT

Abstract

A Compound bow adapter allowing a firearm bore-sight laser to be used for arrow and bow sight alignment. The adapter would allow the utilization of a firearm bore-sight laser for both firearms and compound bows.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/440,639, filed Dec. 30, 2016, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the alignment of bow sights and arrow rest, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for the alignment of bow sights and arrow rest utilizing lasers.

While alignment lasers for compound bows exist, these apparatus expensive and find limited use specific to compound bow technologies. Moreover, these apparatus limit the use of the sight and arrow rest alignment laser to the user's compound bow and may not be utilized with other weapons, such as firearms. Likewise, while laser sight alignment technologies are available to boresight a firearm, they do not permit utilization of the alignment laser on other hunting and sport shooting equipment, such as compound bows. Similarly, the boresight laser alignment devices for firearms are typically designed for to the specific caliber of the firearm.

As can be seen, there is a need for an apparatus and method for the cross utilization of a standard firearm bore-sight laser to be mounted and used in for the alignment of a compound bow sight and arrow rest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a boresight laser adapter for sighting a compound bow is disclosed. The boresight laser adapter includes a laser boresight carrier having an internal opening defined along a longitudinal length of the boresight carrier. The internal opening is dimensioned to receive a bore end of a laser boresight device for a firearm. A mounting shelf has a first end and a second end, with a slotted aperture defined through the mounting shelf at the first end. The slotted aperture is configured to receive a fastener to secure the mounting shelf to the bow. A shaft clamp is defined at the second end of the mounting shelf. A shaft is configured to rotatably couple the laser boresight carrier to the mounting shelf. The shaft has a free end adapted to be received in the shaft clamp and a head at an opposite end of the shaft. A bearing shelf is operatively coupled to the laser boresight carrier. The bearing shelf has a laterally disposed shelf aperture dimensioned to receive the shaft and retain the head between the bearing shelf and the laser boresight carrier.

In some embodiments, the internal opening of the laser boresight carrier is dimensioned to correspond to a selected caliber of a firearm. In other embodiments, a bearing is interposed between the head and the bearing shelf. A detent assembly may be received within a detent aperture defined in the bearing shelf and intersecting the shelf aperture. The detent assembly is configured to adjustably bias a detent pin for frictional engagement against the shaft. The detent pin is adjustable to retain the boresight carrier and the laser boresight device at a selected angle of rotation. Preferably, the bearing carrier is rotatable throughout a 360 degree vertical plane about the shaft. The adapter may also include a laser boresight device received within the internal opening.

Other aspects of the invention include a method of sighting a bow. The method includes attaching a laser boresight adapter to the compound bow. The laser boresight adapter includes a laser boresight carrier with an internal opening defined along a longitudinal length of the boresight carrier, with the internal opening dimensioned to receive a bore end of a laser boresight device. A mounting shelf has a first end and a second end with a slotted aperture defined through the mounting shelf at the first end and a shaft clamp defined at the second end. The slotted aperture receives a fastener to secure the mounting shelf to the compound bow. A shaft is configured to rotatably couple the laser boresight carrier to the mounting shelf. The shaft has a free end adapted to be received in the shaft clamp and a head at an opposite end of the shaft. A bearing shelf is operatively coupled to the laser boresight carrier and has a laterally disposed shelf aperture that is dimensioned to receive the shaft and retain the head between the bearing shelf and the laser boresight carrier. The method includes inserting a laser boresight device in the internal opening of the carrier.

Next, the laser boresight carrier is rotated to orient a beam of the laser boresight device towards a desired point along a bowstring. The beam may be adjusted so that it is centered on the bow string by lateral adjustment of the shaft within the shaft clamp.

Next, a notch of an arrow is placed at the desired point along the bow string and a shaft of the arrow is placed on an arrow rest of the bow. The laser boresight carrier is then rotated to orient the beam along the shaft of the arrow. If necessary, the arrow rest is laterally adjusted to center the beam along the shaft.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the adapter mount in use applied to a bow.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the adapter mount.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the adapter mount.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the adapter mount.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide an accessory mount that permits the user to mount and use a standard firearm bore-sight laser as an arrow rest and sight alignment laser on a compound bow. The laser mount adapter 10 of the present invention mounts to the bow 12 using one or more standard mounting holes 21 existing either on the bow 12 itself or to a sight mounted to the bow 12. The laser 26 may be held in the mount 10 using a clamp 14 designed to receive for a particular laser 26 to ensure proper alignment with the long axis of the bow 12.

As seen in reference to FIG. 1, the laser boresight adapter 10 according to aspects of the present invention is shown mounted to a compound bow 12. In further reference to FIGS. 2-4, the adapter 10 includes a laser boresight carrier 14 configured to receive a laser boresight device 26. The boresight carrier 14 is coupled to a mounting shelf 16 via a shaft 22 and a bearing shelf 24. The shaft 22 and its associated connections to the mounting bracket 16 and bearing shelf 24 provide for adjustment and alignment of the laser boresight carrier 14 and laser boresight device 26 carried therein, for sighting of the bow 12.

The boresight carrier 14 has a cylindrical internal opening 15 extending along a longitudinal axis of the laser boresight carrier 14 that is dimensioned to receive a back end of the laser boresight device 26. Typically, the back end of the laser boresight device 26 will have a diameter corresponding to the caliber of a firearm for which the laser boresight device 26 is designed to facilitate sighting of the firearm. The internal opening 15 of the laser boresight carrier 14 may be dimensioned to correspond to a selected caliber for which the laser boresight 26 is intended to be used. Accordingly, the laser bore sight carrier 14 may be formed as a substitutable element of the adapter 10 in order to configure the adapter 10 to carry a specific caliber laser boresight device 26 or a laser boresight device 26 from a specific manufacturer. The internal opening 15 of laser boresight carrier 14 may be made of a resilient material to permit the laser boresight device 26 to be removably retained within the boresight carrier 14 without disturbing any sighting adjustments provided by the adapter 10.

A bearing shelf 24 is configured to be attached to the laser boresight carrier 14. A shelf aperture 25 extends laterally through the bearing shelf 24 to receive and retain a head 32 of the shaft 22. The bearing shelf 24 and shaft 22 may include a bearing 30 within the bearing shelf 24 that allows the boresight carrier 14 to be smoothly rotate 360 degrees in a vertical plane with the shaft 22 extending substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the boresight carrier 14. As best seen in reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the bearing shelf 24 may be configured with a detent assembly 34 to selectively control the freedom of rotation of the shaft 22 about the horizontal axis. The detent assembly 34 includes a detent pin retaining screw 36, a detent pin spring 38, and a detent pin 40 that is received within a detent aperture 35. The detent aperture 35 intersects the shelf aperture 25. The detent assembly is adjustable to bias the detent pin 40 against the shaft 22 so that the boresight carrier 14 and laser boresight device 26 are retained at a selected angle rotation during sight alignment of the bow 12.

The mounting shelf 16 is configured for attachment to the bow 12 via a fastener 20 that is received in the slotted aperture 18 which extends from a first end of the mounting shelf 16 and along a major length of the mounting shelf 16. The slotted aperture 18 provides for fore and aft adjustment of the adapter 10 to the bow 12.

A shaft clamp is defined at a second end of the mounting shelf 16 includes a shaft aperture 17, a slot 19 extending radially to the second end of the mounting shelf 17 and a clamp bore 29 intersecting the slot 19. The shaft aperture 17 is dimensioned to receive a free end of the shaft 22. A clamp fastener 23 may be tightened within the clamp bore 29 to secure the shaft 22 to the mounting shelf 16. The shaft clamp provides for lateral and vertical alignment of the laser boresight carrier 14 with the bow 12. The bearing shelf 24, shaft 22, and mounting shelf 16 may be made of metal or suitable solid materials.

In use, the adapter 10 of the present invention provides for the mounting of the firearm bore-sight laser 26 allowing it to be adjusted left and right on the horizontal axis as well as 360 degree of rotation about the vertical axis. The adapter 10 is readily mounted to a compound bow 12. The adapter 10 allows the user to adjust the boresight laser device 10 so that the laser beam hits the compound bow's string at a desired point along the vertical length of the string.

Once the adapter 10 is mounted to the compound bow 12 the laser 26 should be adjusted left or right using the shaft clamp 25 until the laser beam is centered with the bow string on the vertical axis. Once this is accomplished an arrow is attached to the bow string and placed on the arrow rest the same way it would be attached for shooting. Next the laser 26 should be rotated about the vertical axis and oriented along the length of the arrow all the way to the arrow head. If at any point the laser beam is not centered on the arrow shaft, then the arrow rest would need to be adjusted left or right to re-center the laser. This procedure allows for proper alignment of the arrow with the bowstring. When utilizing the adapter 10 of the present invention with a bow sight, then the same concept could be used to aligning the bow sight left or right with the bow string.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A boresight laser adapter for sighting a compound bow, comprising:

a laser boresight carrier having an internal opening defined along a longitudinal length of the boresight carrier, the internal opening dimensioned to receive a bore end of a laser boresight device of a firearm;

a mounting shelf having a first end and a second end with a slotted aperture defined through the mounting shelf at the first end and a shaft clamp defined at the second end, the slotted aperture configured to receive a fastener to secure the mounting shelf to the compound bow;

a shaft configured to rotatably couple the laser boresight carrier to the mounting shelf, the shaft having a free end adapted to be received in the shaft clamp and a head at an opposite end of the shaft;

a bearing shelf operatively coupled to the laser boresight carrier, the bearing shelf having a laterally disposed shelf aperture dimensioned to receive the shaft and retain the head between the bearing shelf and the laser boresight carrier.

2. The boresight laser adapter of claim 1, wherein the internal opening of the laser boresight carrier is dimensioned to correspond to a selected caliber of a firearm.

3. The boresight laser adapter of claim 1, further comprising;

a bearing interposed between the head and the bearing shelf.

4. The boresight laser adapter of claim 3, further comprising:

a detent assembly received within a detent aperture defined in the bearing shelf and intersecting the shelf aperture, the detent assembly configured to adjustably bias a detent pin for frictional engagement against the shaft.

5. The boresight laser adapter of claim 4, wherein the detent pin is adjustable to retain the boresight carrier and the laser boresight device at a selected angle of rotation.

6. The boresight laser adapter of claim 1, wherein the bearing carrier is rotatable throughout a 360 degree vertical plane about the shaft.

7. The boresight laser adapter of claim 1, further comprising:

a laser boresight device received within the internal opening.

8. A method of sighting a bow, comprising:

attaching a laser boresight adapter to the compound bow, the laser boresight adapter comprising; a laser boresight carrier with an internal opening defined along a longitudinal length of the boresight carrier, the internal opening dimensioned to receive a bore end of a laser boresight device; a mounting shelf having a first end and a second end with a slotted aperture defined through the mounting shelf at the first end and a shaft clamp defined at the second end, wherein the slotted aperture receives a fastener to secure the mounting shelf to the compound bow; a shaft configured to rotatably couple the laser boresight carrier to the mounting shelf, the shaft having a free end adapted to be received in the shaft clamp and a head at an opposite end of the shaft; a bearing shelf operatively coupled to the laser boresight carrier, the bearing shelf having a laterally disposed shelf aperture dimensioned to receive the shaft and retain the head between the bearing shelf and the laser boresight carrier;

inserting a laser boresight device in the internal opening.

9. The method of claim 8; further comprising:

rotating the laser boresight carrier to orient a beam of the laser boresight device towards a desired point along a bowstring.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adjusting the beam so that it is centered on the bow string by lateral adjustment of the shaft within the shaft clamp.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising.

placing a notch of an arrow at the desired point along the bow string;

placing a shaft of the arrow on an arrow rest of the bow;

rotating the laser boresight carrier to orient the beam along the shaft of the arrow.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

adjusting the arrow rest laterally to center the beam along the length of the shaft.