Games using tangible projectile – Projectile – per se; part thereof or accessory therefor – Arrow – dart – or shuttlecock; part thereof
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-27
2001-04-24
Ricci, John A. (Department: 3712)
Games using tangible projectile
Projectile, per se; part thereof or accessory therefor
Arrow, dart, or shuttlecock; part thereof
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220978
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to arrow fletching, specifically to arrow fletching constructed of synthetic materials and particularly to arrow fletching fabricated from a man-made material that has the advantages of both synthetic fletching and fletching made from feathers.
In archery, whether hunting or shooting competitively, the archer needs to be able to rely on the steering and stability of the arrow during flight. Steering and stability provide accuracy and speed to the arrow and are created, to a great extent, by the fletching of the arrow. In the past, fletching was made from feathers and then later from various types of plastic and rubber compounds such as polyester, mylar and polyurethane.
Feathers are very light and, when used for fletching, help provide greater speed to an arrow than do the heavier plastic fletching. Such feather fletching equipped arrows, due to their lighter weight, are faster at greater distances and thereby more accurate farther down range. Feathers, however, do have some disadvantages. Feathers are very delicate and damage easily due to rough treatment or passing through or against an object. When damaged, feathers cannot be repaired, but rather must be completely replaced. Such replacement can be expensive, difficult and time consuming. Feathers are not weatherproof. Wet weather conditions can hamper the performance of, if not completely ruin, feather fletching on arrows. Arrows utilizing feather fletching perform well for competitive archers, since weather and obstacles down range are not a problem. However, in other archery applications feather fletching is not the best choice.
In bow hunting, for example, weather and obstacles must be taken into account when designing arrow fletching. Synthetic fletching helps address some of these problems. Many types of plastics have been used as arrow fletching and as a group eliminate some of the drawbacks of feathers. Plastic fletching is more durable, resilient and weatherproof than feathers. Plastics are better able to stand up to typical field conditions, such as rain, snow and brush obstacles, than are feathers. Plastic fletching does not deform as much as feather fletching when passing through or against an object, however, some deformation does still occur with plastic fletching which often cannot be repaired, thereby necessitating a replacement of fletching or arrow. Plastics are also less expensive and easier to work with than are feathers when used as fletching.
The major disadvantage of plastic fletching is its weight. Plastics are considerably heavier than feathers and, as such, when used as fletching add weight to the arrow. This extra weight makes the arrow slower, thereby reducing accuracy and the speed at which the arrow can stabilize itself after passing through an object or encountering a cross wind during flight. For a hunter, the speed and stabilizing time of the arrow often determine whether or not the hunt is successful.
As stated above, plastic fletching will deform somewhat when passing through objects. This is a common problem in hunting where there is often brush that must be shot near to or through. Fletching can also be damaged when the arrow strikes game. Plastic fletching is tougher than feathers but often still is permanently damaged or deformed during use to the point that the fletching or the entire arrow must be replaced. As with feather fletched arrows, such replacement can be expensive, inconvenient, difficult and time consuming.
For the foregoing reasons there is need for an arrow fletching that combines the lightweight, and thereby speed, of an arrow equipped with feather fletching and the durability, toughness and weatherproof qualities of plastic fletching, such arrow fletching being inexpensive, simple and easy to manufacture and repair and filling the needs of all types of archers.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an arrow fletching that is lightweight, durable, tough, weatherproof, inexpensive, simple and easy to manufacture and repair and that fulfills the needs of all types of archers. To obtain these objectives the arrow fletching is composed of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate foam otherwise known as EVA foam. The arrow fletching fabricated from EVA foam is able to be made in any desired profile and mounted to a shaft of an arrow in any desired configuration.
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate foam is commonly marketed as craft foam. EVA foam is easy to acquire and inexpensive. It is available at craft stores or many other stores where craft or children's products are sold. EVA foam is sold in thin sheets and is designed to be easily cut up into shapes and glued to itself or other objects, and in general is very easy to work with. EVA foam is lightweight, durable and waterproof. These factors and others make Ethylene Vinyl Acetate foam adaptable to, and a superior choice for, fabrication into arrow fletching.
EVA foam is considerably more lightweight than plastics such as polyester, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride or other artificial materials used in the past as arrow fletching. In fact, fletching made from EVA foam is comparable in weight to fletching made of natural feathers. This makes an arrow equipped with EVA foam fletching as light as a feather fletched arrow and therefore as fast. Not only are EVA foam fletched arrows as fast as feather fletched arrows, but they retain their speed longer and are faster farther down range than feather fletched arrows. And since lighter arrows stabilize faster than heavier arrows, EVA foam fletched arrows will stabilize as quickly as feather fletched arrows and quicker than arrows equipped with plastic or other artificial fletching. In short, arrows fitted with EVA foam fletching have the feather fletched arrow advantage of lighter weight, and thereby greater speed and quicker stabilization over heavier and slower plastic fletched arrows.
EVA foam is tough, durable and weatherproof. Such factors are important to archers when choosing equipment and are vital for dependable and long lasting arrow fletching. EVA foam is waterproof and remains pliable after being frozen and thereby lends itself well to being used as a weatherproof arrow fletching material. Arrow fletching constructed from EVA foam doesn't damage or tear easily due to normal or rough use. This toughness allows the EVA foam fletching to stand up longer to use and increases durability and extends the life of the arrow fletching. Permanent deformation doesn't occur to EVA foam fletched arrows after so equipped arrows pass through an object, but instead, the EVA foam fletching has a “memory” and will spring back to its original shape in most instances after bending, compression or tension. If the EVA foam fletching does not spring back, due to excessive stress, the fletching often can be rubbed or pressed back in the field to its original shape. In this manner EVA foam fletching is repairable without having to completely replace the fletching or entire arrow, thus saving time and expense.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the EVA foam fletching is not composed of one piece, but, instead, of a plurality of individual and separate fletchings. The EVA foam fletching is constructed from sheet material of EVA foam, as stated above, available, inexpensively, as craft foam at most stores. The sheet material is available in various thickness and colors giving the user a choice as to color and style of the EVA foam fletching. The individual fletchings are then laid out on, and cut from, the EVA foam sheet in any desired size, profile or number. Different types of archery require different shapes of fletching. All can be accommodated with EVA foam sheet. After removal from the EVA foam sheet the individual fletchings are then attached separately to the shaft of an arrow in any desired position or configuration. The EVA foam fletching is adhered to the arrow shaft using any of a number of adhesives such as glue, spray adhesive or tape. EVA foam sheet is very easy to work with. It cuts easily and many adhesives are compatible with it. Fletching mad
Connelly Michael C.
Ricci John A.
LandOfFree
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