Patent Application
20160169613
The present invention regards a novel archery peep sight designed to secure to a stranded bowstring of an archery bow.
Current peep sights used on archery bows are commonly a simple disk, having a central aperture, with angled grooves on the exterior thereof for installation on the bowstring. Design variations among peep sights currently available include material and aperture size. In use, when installed on the bowstring, the aperture of the peep is aligned with the front sight on the bow and the target to allow proper alignment of the arrow and the target. Therefore, the alignment capabilities of currently available peep sights is limited to the size of the aperture; the present invention provides a more accurate alignment of the peep sight with the bow sight and the target by incorporating a finite reference point within the aperture opening.
The peep sight of the present invention is a disk, having a central aperture, first and second ends, and interior and exterior circumferential surfaces. The disk further has angular grooves extending along its exterior circumferential surface, from and through the first and second ends, at an angle about the central axes of the disk. The angular grooves are sized and have a curved shape to receive and retain the bowstring. In some embodiments the disk has a uniform circumferential groove in its circumferential surface.
The disk further has a rectangular post along its cylindrical axis, extending from the interior surface of the disk to about its cylindrical axis. The post may extend along the depth of the disk, from the first end to the second end, or may be positioned at or near one end, or at or near the longitudinal axis of the disk.
The disk of the present invention is integrated into the stranded bowstring by separating a portion of the string into two string groups, and placing one string grouping into one angular groove, and the second string grouping into the opposing angular groove, preferably so that the rectangular post extends up from the interior surface of the disk. The bowstring is secured above and below the separated portion, so that it remains unified at all other portions of the bowstring, and the portion that is separated is sufficiently short to accommodate and securely hold the peep sight.
In use, when the peep sight is secured on the bowstring, the bowstring and arrow are pulled back and the user can look through the peep sight and align the rectangular post of the peep sight with the front bow sight and the intended target; a steady release of the arrow from the bow should result in accurate trajectory thereof towards the target.
As shown in the Figures, the peep sight of the present invention is a hollow disk 1, made preferably from a lightweight material, such as aluminum or plastic. In some embodiments the disk is manufactured from thermoplastic carbonates such as polycarbonates or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic; in other embodiments the disk is made from nylon synthetic polymer plastic, or a nylon with glass blend, for example a nylon with a 14% glass mixture. The disk is defined by a depth D, a cylindrical axis L1, a longitudinal axis L2, circumferential exterior S1 and interior S2 surfaces, and first and second ends E1 and E2. The depth D of the disk is between 5 and 6 mm; in some embodiments it is between 5.5 and 5.6 mm; in some embodiments it is about 5.56 mm. In some embodiments of the present invention the disk has a first radius R1 (from the cylindrical axis to the interior circumferential surface S1) between about 4.5 mm and 4.7 mm, and a second radius R2 (from the cylindrical axis to the exterior circumferential surface S2) between about 7.25 mm and 7.75 mm, with the disk having a thickness T between about 2.8 mm to 2.9 mm. The edges of the ends of the disk may be slightly rounded.
The disk 1 has a pair angular of grooves AG on opposing sides of the disk, extending along its circumferential surface, from its first end E1 to its second end E2, with the axis of said angular groove G1 being at an angle α of about 38 degrees from the cylindrical axis L1, about the latitudinal axis L2 of the disk 1. The angular grooves AG are sized to receive and retain the bowstring, having a depth of between about 1.3 mm and 1.4 mm. The angular grooves may be rounded at their interior and exterior edges.
In some embodiments the disk has a uniform circumferential groove CG about its circumference, defining a first disk portion D1 and a second disk portion D2. The first disk portion D1 and the second disk portion D2 may have equal dimensions. In some embodiments the groove CG has a width of about 1.85 mm to about 1.86 mm, and a depth of between 1 mm and 1.1 mm. The angular grooves, having a depth greater than the circumferential groove, will extend through the surface of the circumferential grooves so that when the string is inserted into the angular grooves, the circumferential groove does not interfere with the string. The groove CG and the interior circumferential edges of disk portions D1 and D2 may be slightly rounded.
The disk 1 has a rectangular post P extending from the interior surface of the disk S2 to about its cylindrical axis L1. In some embodiments the disk extends from the first end E1 to the second end E2 of the disk. Preferably the post has a width of 2.35 mm to 2.45 mm.
Preferably, the ends E1 and E2 of the disk have an anti-glare (rough) surface to reflect light and assist in handling the disk.
The peep sight of the present invention may be molded as a single unit, with or without additional machining; alternatively, the components of the peep sight may be molded as one or more units, and secured together.
The peep sight of the present invention is integrated into the stranded bowstring by separating a portion of the string into two approximately equal string groups, and placing each string grouping into respective angular grooves AG, preferably with the post in the upward position (positioned so that the post extends upward from the disk). The bowstring is secured above and below the separated portion by bow serving string, so that it remains unified at all other portions of the bowstring, and the portion that is separated is as short as possible to accommodate and securely hold the peep sight.
In use, when the peep sight is secured within the bowstring, the bowstring is pulled back and the user can look through the peep sight and align the rectangular post with the front bow sight and the intended target; a steady release of the arrow from the bow should result in accurate trajectory thereof towards the target.
Embodiments of the present invention, including preferred embodiments, have been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms and steps disclosed. The embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and the practical application thereof, and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
