Patent Grant
7325319
Archers often aim at various targets that are at different distances from their location. A challenge therefore exists to account for these multiple distances and still hit the target successfully. In order to account for different distances, an archer must alter the angle at which the arrow leaves the bow. Bow sights were developed in order to assist archers in accomplishing this task more easily.
Conventional bow sights have a mounting bracket which attaches to the riser of the bow, a mounting arm which extends forwardly from the bracket and a sight ring which contains one or more sight pins. Other bow sights or “peep sights” attach to the bowstring. It is well known in the archery field to provide bows with sights to improve the accuracy of arrows shot from the bow. As stated above, the sights are often mounted on the riser of the bow. The flight path of an arrow is parabolic and conventional sights provide different aiming guides to account for the different distances between the target and the archer. This may be done by providing a plurality of pins in the sight. The pins are usually vertically spaced, with each pin acting as an aiming guide for a particular target distance.
One of the drawbacks of conventional bow-mounted sights is that the fact that the sight mechanism is attached to the bow riser or bowstring. This results in an increased weight of the bow. The increased weight affects the archer's ability to maintain the bow in the correct position while aiming the arrow. The presence of a bow-mounted sight on the bow riser may also obstruct an archer's clear view of the target.
What is needed is a sight for a bow that allows an archer to account for multiple distances when aiming at a target and yet does not obstruct the archer's view of the target or add significant weight to the archer's bow. A less costly targeting system is also desirable.
According to an embodiment, an arrow sight includes a coupling portion for attachment to an arrow. The arrow sight also includes a targeting portion attached to the coupling portion. The targeting portion includes an aiming guide used to assist an archer in aiming the arrow.
Examples of the invention are illustrated, without limitation, in the accompanying figures in which like numeral references refer to like elements and wherein:
For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles are shown by way of examples of systems and methods described. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the examples. It will be apparent however, to one of ordinary skill in the art, that the examples may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In other instances, well known methods and structures are not described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure understanding of the examples.
As used herein, the word “arrow” means a projectile launched from a device such as a bow, compound bow, or crossbow, without the aid of explosive or chemical means. Examples of arrows include, but are not limited to, archery arrows, hunting arrows and crossbow darts.
Referring now to the drawings,
As shown in
During flight and upon impact with the target the arrow sight 110 may slide back along the shaft 104 toward the fletching 106. The arrow sight 110 will slide along the path depicted by the markings 112 as shown in
The coupling portion 304 is designed to fit along the shaft 104 of an arrow 100 or between the shaft 204 and the head 202 of an arrow 200 as shown in
The coupling portion 304 is attached to the targeting portion 302. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the targeting portion 302 is perpendicular to the axis of an arrow shaft and oriented toward the top of the archer's field of vision. Other orientations of the targeting portion 302 are possible. For example, the targeting portion 302 maybe oriented at a more acute angle with respect to an arrow. Likewise, the targeting portion 302 may be oriented toward the left side, right side, bottom or other points along the archer's field of vision.
The aiming guides 306, 308 and 310 are used by the archer to gauge the distance to a target. The aiming guide 306 furthest from the coupling portion 304 is used for close distances, the middle aiming guide 308 for intermediate distances and the aiming guide 310 closest to the coupling portion 304 for far distances. Many variables affect the distance an arrow will fly. Examples of variables that will affect distance include wind conditions, bow type, bowstring tension and the size, shape, weight and configuration of the arrow. Testing of the arrow sight 304 has indicated that the aiming guide 306 furthest from the coupling portion 304 may be useful when aiming at targets relatively close. The second and third aiming guides 308 and 310 may be useful for targets progressively further away.
In one example, the aiming guides 306, 308 and 310 are circular and of differing size. This is done partly to insure that the first aiming guide 306 does not obscure the archer from seeing the second or third aiming guides 308, 310. If the first aiming guide 306 is smaller than the second 308 then the second aiming guide 308 may still be visible when the archer looks down the targeting member 302 toward the second aiming guide 308. Likewise, the second aiming guide 308 should not obscure the archer's view of the third aiming guide 310.
In another example, the first aiming guide 306 may be colored red, the second 308 maybe colored yellow and the third aiming guide 310 may be colored green. Any color combinations may be used. Additionally, different shapes or sizes may be used to differentiate one aiming guide from the others. For example, as seen in
In yet another example, the targeting portion 302 may be transparent except for the aiming guides 306, 308 and 310. As discussed above, the aiming guides 306, 308 and 310 may be discernable from one another on the basis of size, shape and color. A transparent targeting portion 302 may be useful in not obscure the archer's field of vision.
In yet another example, the targeting portion 302 may be constructed of a lightweight and/or flexible material. The coupling portion 304 may be flexible or rigid. The flexible nature of the targeting portion 302 allows for bending during flight. This may provide for a smoother arrow flight.
What has been described and illustrated herein are examples of the systems and methods described herein along with some of their variations. The terms, descriptions and figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of these examples, which are intended to be defined by the following claims and their equivalents, in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated.
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| 20070062052 A1 | Mar 2007 | US |
