Supports – Suspended supports – Hook type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-13
2003-05-13
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Suspended supports
Hook type
C124S023100, C248S304000, C248S690000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561477
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an archery accessory for use by archery enthusiasts and hunters in connection with hanging an archery bow, and specifically a compound bow. The archery bow hanger has particular utility in connection with providing the ability to hang the bow at anytime rather than placing it on the ground which brings it in contact with dirt, mud, grass, leaves, and sticks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
On the archery range and in hunting, the bow is not constantly in use. Bow hangers are desirable for allowing the archer free use of his hands and for providing a means for putting the bow aside without laying it against a tree where it can be damaged if it falls or placing it on the ground which brings the bow in contact with leaves, twigs, dirt, bark, and mud.
The use of bow hangers is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,893 to Robert B. Shaw, III discloses a bow hanger consisting of steel plate members and a hook that are attached on the upper bow limb. However, the Shaw '893 patent makes no provision for hanging the bow on a surface that will not accept a hook, and has the further drawbacks of adding weight to the upper limb of the bow which could potentially affect the balance of the bow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,792 to Anthony D. Pucillo discloses an archery bow and appurtenance that inhibits vibration, twisting, and splitting of the outer section of the bow limb and provides a means for supporting the bow by suspension. However, the Pucillo '792 patent fails to address a suspension means for surfaces that do not readily accept a hook, and, additionally, adds weight to the outer bow limb that could potentially change the balance of the bow.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,150 to Robert J. Fecko discloses a tree mounted archery bow holder that is useful in a hunting situation that involves a tree stand. However, the Fecko '150 patent does not address other times when an archer might want to hang his bow, such as at the archery range, in a hunting blind apart from a tree, and in his closet at home. Additionally, the Fecko '150 device must be manually mounted with screws at each location and does not provide the ease of hanging the bow over a limb, fence, cable, or similar surface with a hook device. Furthermore, the Fecko '150 device has the deficiency of not being a mobile device, making it necessary to uninstall and reinstall the device each time the archer changes location.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,080 to Philip M. Brocco discloses a bow hanger for an archery bow that is made of a hook attached to a Velcro® fastener. While the Brocco '080 patent provides a means for hanging the bow on a surface that accepts a hook, it does not provide a means for attaching to a surface that does not readily accept a hook. Additionally, the Brocco '080 device relies on a hook and loop fastener to support the bow while hanging, and such fasteners tend to attract lint, dirt, and other debris resulting in a loss of gripping power. The weight of a bow in addition to the debris build up could lead to the fastener coming apart and the bow being damaged in a fall. At the very least, the Brocco '080 device would need to be replaced if the gripping ability of the hook and loop fastener were compromised by debris.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,657 to Gary D. Foster and Curtis C. Foster discloses an archery bow holder that is attached to the floor of a tree stand to receive the bow. However, the Foster '657 patent does not provide for a means to support the bow for any other situation, such as on a tree limb, a fence, on the archery range, or in a closet. The Foster '657 device has the additional deficiency of not being a mobile device, making it necessary to uninstall and reinstall the device each time the archer changes location.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe an archery bow hanger that allows for the ease and mobility of hanging the bow on virtually any elevated horizontal or vertical surface. The Fecko '150 and Foster '657 patents make no provision for easily hanging a bow by a hook on any convenient horizontally elevated surface such as a fence, a tree limb, a cable, a closet pole, or the top of a wall. Additionally, the Fecko '150 and Foster '657 devices are more suitable for stationary positioning and must be uninstalled and reinstalled each time an archer changes location. While the Shaw '893, Pucillo '792, and Brocco '080 patents all provide a hook by which to hang a bow on a convenient surface, none of these devices makes provision for hanging the bow if a convenient horizontally elevated surface is not available, such as a tree with limbs that are too wide for the hook to fit over or are too high to reach. Furthermore, the Shaw '893 and Pucillo '792 devices are composed of metal pieces that are attached to the bow limbs, which could alter the balance of the bow. Finally, the Brocco '080 relies on a hook and loop fastener to hold the weight of the bow. Such fasteners typically collect any debris to which they are introduced which, in turn, decreases the integrity of the fastener, leading to potential damage to the bow in a fall.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved archery bow hanger that can be used for conveniently hanging a bow on a vertical or horizontal surface. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the archery bow hanger according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of hanging an archery bow to provide free use of the hands for other activities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of archery bow hangers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved archery bow hanger, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved archery bow hanger which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in an archery bow hanger which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises an archery bow hanger consisting of an L-shaped bracket which attaches to a bow at the quiver or sight mount, a hollow metal tube attached at one end to the bracket, and a hook attached to the opposite end of the tube. The hook is placed over any convenient surface, such as a tree limb, a fence, a cable, or a closet pole so that the bow is suspended.
A second embodiment of the present invention consists of the inclusion of a screw eye with the aforementioned archery bow hanger for the purpose of hanging the bow on a vertical surface which does not readily accept the hook, such as a tree with limbs that are out of reach or a wall where the top is too wide for the hook or out of the archer's reach.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
The invention may also include an angled portion of the L-shaped bracket which is adaptable for right-handed or left-handed archers, allowing the archer to notch arrows on the bow while it is suspended. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be rea
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