1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drop-away or a move-away arrow rest that moves between two different positions, a support position and a launch position, when a certain force is applied to move the arrow rest at a particular velocity. With the arrow rest of this invention, an archer can reposition, let down or draw down a bow without the arrow shaft falling away from its launch position in the arrow rest.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Many conventional drop-away arrow rests hold an arrow shaft in one position and move away from the arrow shaft when the arrow is launched from a bow. Some conventional drop-away arrow rests are moved into a launch position by drawing the bow into a launch or a shooting position. With such conventional arrow rests, as the bowstring is released, the arrow rest moves away or falls away from its supporting position.
One problem occurs when an archer lets down the bow or draws down the bow. Because many conventional drop-away arrow rests are mechanically connected to the bow string, when the bow string is drawn down or released without shooting the arrow, the arrow rest moves away from the arrow shaft and causes the arrow shaft to fall from its loaded position.
With conventional drop-away arrow rests, another problem occurs when the bow is moved out of a vertical or a shooting position, the arrow shaft can fall away from the arrow rest, which requires a reloading of the arrow shaft on the arrow rest.
With a drop-away arrow rest according to this invention, a shaft of an arrow or another projectile can be positioned and held with respect to an arrow holder so that when the archery bow or other shooting device is let down or repositioned, the arrow or other similar projectile does not fall down or away from the bow or other shooting device. When the shaft of an arrow is mounted in a loaded condition, the arrow holder can move between at least two support positions without moving further into a launch position.
Different forces applied to the arrow holder can cause the arrow holder to move at a velocity which is less than forces applied by a shooting velocity of the arrow shaft. Thus, the drop-away arrow rest of this invention can be used to allow an archer to draw down the bow or let down the bow, without the arrow shaft falling away from the arrow holder. The drop-away arrow rest of this invention can be designed to move further than or beyond any one or more of the support positions, into a launch position, by overcoming a support force which normally urges the arrow holder into one of the support positions. For example, the discharge acceleration or velocity of an arrow shot from a fired compound bow can be designed to overcome the support force normally urging the arrow rest into the support position and thus allow the arrow holder to move into the launch position. In certain embodiments of this invention, when in the launch position the arrow holder is moved away from the discharging arrow shaft and the associated fletching.
Different elements of this invention can be designed to provide an arrow rest that drops away from or moves away from a discharging arrow shaft, without using a cable attached to the bow string. Even without connecting the arrow rest to movement of the bow string, the arrow holder of this invention can be designed to move between two or more support positions at a relatively lower velocity, speed or acceleration that does not trigger or cause the arrow holder to move from one of the support positions to the launch position, away from the arrow shaft. At the same time, an arrow holder according to this invention can be designed to move away from any of the support positions into the launch position, away from the discharging arrow shaft, for example, when the arrow holder moves at a relatively higher acceleration, velocity or speed as compared to the relatively lower acceleration, velocity or speed resulting from bow movement or draw down.
An arrow holder according to this invention can have one or more support arms that hold or retain the shaft of an arrow or other projectile with respect to the arrow holder. In some embodiments of this invention, one or more bands, such as elastic bands, can be used alone or in combination with the support arms to retain or hold the shaft of an arrow or other projectile with respect to the arrow holder.
The drawings show different features of an archery arrow rest according to preferred embodiments of this invention, wherein:
As used throughout this specification and in the claims, the term arrow rest is intended to relate to and to be interchangeable with the terms drop-away arrow rest, move-away arrow rest, fall-away arrow rest and/or any other arrow rest or other similar device for resting or supporting a shaft of a projectile, such as an arrow and/or a crossbow bolt. Mizek et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,881 and Mizek, U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,338, the entire teachings of both of which are incorporated into this specification by reference, teach different technical features and functions of arrow rests that move away from an arrow shaft when the arrow shaft is discharged from an archery bow.
The scope of this invention is intended to include archery bows, crossbows, or any other device that launches or propels a projectile.
Many drop-away arrow rests are used to quickly or immediately move the arrow rest away from the arrow shaft and the corresponding fletching of the arrow. It is important for the arrow shaft and the arrow fletching to clear the arrow rest, to not interfere with the projectile path of the arrow or other projectile.
In many use situations, particularly when carrying an archery bow in the field, an arrow is loaded in the archery bow and the archer traverses through hunting terrain, searching for a target. Because the archery bow is moved into many different positions, including out of the vertical position or the shooting position, there is a tendency for the arrow shaft to fall away from its loaded condition with respect to the archery bow. By allowing arrow holder 30 of this invention to move between a plurality of support positions, one which is shown in
As shown in
In certain embodiments of this invention, arrow holder 30 is operable between any one of the support positions, such as the support position represented in
Any suitable force generating member can be used to normally urge arrow holder 30 into one of the support positions. The magnitude and direction of the force generated can be selected or designed to prevent arrow holder 30 from moving into the launch position under certain circumstances but still allow arrow holder 30 to move to the launch position under other circumstances.
In some embodiments of this invention, the support force can be greater than forces generated by letting down or drawing down the bow string, or repositioning or moving the archery bow out of the vertical or otherwise normal shooting position. The support force can be designed to be less than the magnitude and direction of a movement force which is transferred to arrow holder 30, for example when the bow string is released upon discharge. In certain embodiments of this invention, the movement force is designed to be greater than the support force so that when the movement force is transferred to arrow holder 30, arrow holder 30 moves from one of the support positions to the launch position.
In one embodiment of this invention as shown in
When arrow holder 30 is mounted on shaft 26, as shown in
As used throughout this specification and in the claims, the terms force, acceleration, velocity and speed are intended to be interchangeable with each other, and are intended to relate to the rate of relative movement between arrow holder 30 and housing 50, and thus between cam 55 and follower 46. When the rate of relative movement is relatively low, follower 46 reaches shoulder 56 of a ramp formed by cam 55 and then continues to move over gap 57 and makes contact with shoulder 53 which acts as stop 52. Because there is contact between follower 46 acting as lock 45 and shoulder 53 acting as stop 52, further relative movement of arrow holder 30 with respect to housing 50 is prevented, and arrow holder 30 cannot move into the launch position, such as shown in
When the force, acceleration, velocity or speed transferred to arrow holder 30 is great enough to transfer a movement force that can overcome the support force that normally urges arrow holder 30 into one of the support positions, then follower 46 moves along cam 55 fast enough so that follower 46 jumps over gap 57 and clears shoulder 53 acting as stop 52 and allows arrow holder 30 to move beyond the support position and into the launch position, such as shown in
All of the elements shown in
In some embodiments of this invention, such as shown in
In some embodiments of this invention, band 35 or band 36 extends about a continuous periphery of the arrow support portion of arrow holder 30, such as shown by the sectional lines in
Band 35 or band 36 can be constructed of any suitable material. In certain embodiments of this invention, the material is a relatively durable elastic material with a relatively high co-efficient of friction, so that shaft 23 discharging over or through arrow rest 20 contacts and through friction transfers forces to arrow holder 30, such as the movement force necessary to overcome the support force and move arrow rest 30 into the launch position.
As shown in
While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.