Technical Field
The invention relates generally to accessories for archery bows. More specifically, the invention is directed to a stabilizer assembly for an archery bow that includes a quick connect/disconnect at one or both ends of the stabilizer rod in order to provide easy connection and disconnection of the stabilizer assembly before and after use of the bow. Moreover, the connector for the stabilizer assembly of the present invention is formed from a material that will aid in dampening vibrations during use of the archery bow.
Background Art
Archery bows consist generally of a riser having a pair of ends. Each one of the ends of the riser is connected to a flexible arm. Each one of the flexible includes a generally outwardly extending split limb. A cam is rotatably mounted between the split limbs and a bowstring is strung around each one of the cams to complete the archery bow assembly.
Modern archery bows, when used, create vibration from the tension in the bow, which is transferred from the bow riser to the hand of the individual operating the bow. The transfer of the vibrations from the bow to the individual's hand has a detrimental effect on the accuracy of the individual aiming the bow and may potentially result in an inaccurate shot. The amplitude of the vibration in the bow can be affected by the design of the bow itself as well as the relative expertise of the individual operating the bow.
Many accessories have been designed for archery bows to aid in reducing vibration and to balance the bow in order to increase accuracy. These accessories are generally referred to as bow stabilizers. Bow stabilizers that attach directly to the bow riser are generally well known in the art. As archery bows have become more modern and sophisticated, the bow stabilizers have also become more complex. For example, bow stabilizer assemblies that include active mechanical type quick connect/disconnect devices have recently been introduced. These types of mechanisms include buttons that are depressed or mechanisms that are rotated to connect or disconnect the stabilizer from the bow riser. However, these active mechanical-type connectors are subject to wear and tear and they are susceptible to becoming jammed so that the connector fails to operate as intended. Moreover, these types of connectors, because they are complicated, are costly to manufacture.
Therefore, a need exists for a bow stabilizer assembly that overcomes the problems associated with prior art bow stabilizers and that provides a bow stabilizer assembly that is easily interchangeable, easy to connect and disconnect from the bow riser and also is simple in design in order to reduce manufacturing costs. The bow stabilizer assembly of the present invention achieves these goals by providing a stabilizer assembly for an archery bow that includes a connecter that is easily connected and disconnected from the bow riser. Moreover, the bow stabilizer assembly of the present invention is simple in design so that the costs of manufacture are generally reduced. In addition, the bow stabilizer assembly of the present invention provides for easy interchangeability of the weights of the bow stabilizer so that they can be changed without having to disassemble the entire bow stabilizer assembly.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a stabilizer assembly for an archery bow that that is easily interchangeable.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a stabilizer assembly for an archery bow that is easy to connect and disconnect from the bow riser.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a stabilizer assembly for an archery bow that is simple in design and reduces manufacturing costs.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a stabilizer assembly which enables easy interchangeability of the weights of the bow stabilizer.
These objectives and others are obtained by a stabilizer assembly for an archery bow comprising: at least one connector, each of the at least one connectors including a connector body formed of a pliable material, the connector body having a first end opening and a second end opening and a fastener disposed and secured within the second end opening, the fastener being capable of removably attaching the at least one connector to an archery bow or a weight; a pair of socket fittings, a first one of the pair of socket fittings being frictionally connected to the first end opening of the at least one connector; and a tube having a proximal and a distal end, the first one of the pair of socket fittings being partially disposed through and frictionally connected to the proximal end, and a second one of the pair of socket fittings being partially disposed through and frictionally connected to the distal end.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention, illustrative of the best mode in which Applicant has contemplated applying the principles of the invention, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings, and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the claims.
Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
A first exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assembly of the present invention is shown at reference numeral 10 in
In order to better understand the structure of bow stabilizer assembly 10, each of the components of the bow stabilizer assembly will be described in detail below.
Turning now to
Turning now to
A tube 14 formed from carbon or other similar material includes a generally tubular shape and including a proximal end 44 and a distal end 46. Proximal end 44 includes an opening 50 and distal end 46 includes an opening 48.
A weight 20 is formed from metal or other heavy material, is generally cylindrically shaped and is formed with a central opening 70 extending along the length of the weight.
Having now described the components of first exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assembly 10 of the present invention, the assembly of the bow stabilizer will now be described in detail below.
Proximal quick connector 12 is attached to the bow riser (not shown). More specifically, hex bolt 24 of quick connector 12 is threadably engaged within an opening formed in the bow riser (not shown). A hexagonal wrench is inserted through keyed opening 36 of connector body 22 in order to tighten hex bolt 24 into the opening in the bow riser (not shown).
Ribbed portion 42 of a first socket fitting 16 is disposed within proximal end opening 50 of tube 14. Because the diameter of ribbed portion 42 is only slightly smaller than the diameter of opening 50, the disposal of the ribbed portion into the proximal end opening results in a mated connection of the first socket fitting 16 into tube 14.
Likewise, ribbed portion 42 of a second socket fitting 16 is disposed within distal end opening 48 of tube 14. Because the diameter of ribbed portion 42 is only slightly smaller than the diameter of opening 50, the disposal of the ribbed portion into the distal end opening results in a mated connection of the second socket fitting 16 into tube 14.
Proximal end 44 of tube 14, which is mated with socket fitting 16, is connected to proximal quick connector 12. More specifically, keyed portion 40 of socket fitting 16 has a slightly larger diameter than keyed opening 36 of proximal quick connector 12. However, because proximal quick connector body 22 is formed from rubber or other sufficiently pliable material, insertion of keyed portion 40 of socket fitting 16 into keyed opening 40 of proximal quick connector 12 results in a friction fit of the socket fitting into the keyed opening. As a result, tube 14 is easily inserted into proximal quick connector 12 and subsequently easily removed from the proximal quick connector.
Distal end 46 of tube 14, which is mated with socket fitting 16, is connected to distal quick connector 18. More specifically, keyed portion 40 of socket fitting 16 has a slightly larger diameter than keyed portion opening 36 of distal quick connector 18. However, because distal quick connector body 22 is formed from rubber or other sufficiently pliable material, insertion of keyed portion 40 of socket fitting 16 into keyed opening 40 of distal quick connector 18 results in a friction fit of the socket fitting into the keyed opening. As a result, tube 14 is easily inserted into distal quick connector 18 and subsequently easily removed from the distal quick connector.
Weight 20, is and fastened onto distal end quick connector 18 to complete the assembly of bow stabilizer assembly 10 of the present invention. More specifically, the threaded end of hex bolt 24 of quick connector 18 is disposed through central opening 70 of weight 20.
Turning now to
Second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer 110 generally includes proximal quick connector 12, tube 14, pair of socket fittings 16 and a weight 120. The structure and assembly of proximal quick connector 12, tube 14 and pair of socket fittings 16 is identical to the structure and assembly of first exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assembly 10 shown and described above. Instead of having a distal quick connector 18, second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assembly 110 includes a weight 120 that is formed at one end with keyed opening (not shown) surrounded by rubber or other sufficiently pliable material, that corresponds to keyed portion 40 of socket fitting 16. In this manner, tube 14 is connected to weight 130 by inserting keyed portion 40 of socket fitting 16 into the keyed opening formed in weight 130. Because keyed portion 40 of socket fitting 16 has a slightly larger diameter than the keyed opening of weight 130, insertion of the keyed portion of the socket fitting into the keyed opening of the weight results in a friction fit of the socket fitting into the keyed opening. As a result, tube 14 is easily inserted into weight 130 and subsequently easily removed from the weight.
First and second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assemblies 10,110 of the present invention overcome the problems associated with prior art bow stabilizers and provide a bow stabilizer assembly that is easily interchangeable, easy to connect and disconnect from the bow riser and also is simple in design in order to reduce manufacturing costs. First and second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assemblies 10,110 of the present invention achieve these goals by providing a stabilizer assembly for an archery bow that includes a connecter that is easily connected and disconnected from the bow riser. Moreover, first and second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assemblies 10,110 of the present invention are simple in design so that the costs of manufacture are generally reduced. In addition, first and second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assemblies 10,110 of the present invention provide for easy interchangeability of the weights of the bow stabilizer so that they can be changed without having to disassemble the entire bow stabilizer assembly. Moreover, because first and second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assemblies 10,110 of the present invention utilize a quick connector that is formed form rubber or other similarly pliable material, the friction fit connection of tube 14 provides additional dampening of tension forces from the bow riser during operation of the bow.
It is contemplated that first and second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assemblies 10,110 of the present invention could be formed with keyed portions and keyed openings of almost any corresponding shape or size, without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is further contemplated that first and second exemplary embodiment quick connect 14 and socket fitting 16 of the present invention could be utilized to connect bow quivers, bow sights or other bow accessories to the bow riser without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is also contemplated that first and second exemplary embodiment quick connect 14 and socket fitting 16 of the present invention could be utilized on cameras, trail cameras and tripod mount cameras, without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is even further contemplated that first and second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assemblies 10,110 of the present invention could be utilized on cameras, trail cameras, and tripod mount cameras without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is also contemplated that first and second exemplary embodiment bow stabilizer assemblies 10,110 of the present invention could be located at any position on the bow riser, extending forwardly, rearwardly or in a sideways direction, without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is also contemplated that more than one socket fitting 16 could be utilized with a single quick connect 14 having more than one keyed opening to prevent rotation and vice versa, without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention.
Accordingly, the bow stabilizer assembly of the present invention is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient structure which achieves all the enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior art bow stabilizers, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. It shall be understood that this illustration is by way of example and not by way of limitation, as the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. Potential modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this disclosure, and it is understood that the invention includes all such modifications and alterations and equivalents thereof.
Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the bow stabilizer of the present invention is constructed, arranged and used, the characteristics of the construction and arrangement, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations are set forth in the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/233,729, filed Sep. 28, 2015.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62233729 | Sep 2015 | US |