Games using tangible projectile – Projectile – per se; part thereof or accessory therefor – Arrow – dart – or shuttlecock; part thereof
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-04
2003-04-01
Ricci, John A. (Department: 3712)
Games using tangible projectile
Projectile, per se; part thereof or accessory therefor
Arrow, dart, or shuttlecock; part thereof
C473S584000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06540628
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an archery broadhead and more particularly to an improved broadhead having adjustable blade retention and replaceable blade elements.
2. Description of Related Art
Many types of arrows are known and available for shooting with an archer's bow. An archer's choice of a particular arrow depends on the intended activity or use for the arrow. For example, arrows used for competitive target shooting generally differ from those used for hunting.
The sport of archery includes activities ranging from target practice to game hunting, and the art of providing arrows suitable for each of these purposes has become highly developed. Many types of arrowheads have been designed to serve a particular purpose, each having specific operating characteristics. Thus, arrowheads specifically intended for hunting large, thick-skinned, heavy-boned game such as bear have been advanced as well as those with heads particularly suitable for hunting large, thinner-skinned, lighter-boned game such as deer. Arrowheads also have been developed for hunting fowl, particularly turkey, for hunting squirrels and other small game, and for bow fishing.
Arrows used for hunting typically comprise an arrow shaft and an arrowhead commonly referred to as a broadhead. The broadhead is mounted at a tip end of the arrow shaft opposite an arrow string engaging nock. Conventional broadheads typically comprise a central ferrule that mounts a plurality of broadhead blade elements, each blade element presenting an inclined, razor sharp edge. Broadheads are designed for the purpose of striking and piercing a target, such as a game animal, and consequently the blades are designed to inflict a wound exhibiting profuse bleeding.
Broadhead blade elements typically resemble triangularly shaped razor blades. Two or more blade elements are mounted in longitudinally extending slots formed in the broadhead ferrule. The blades can be fixedly secured in the ferrule slots by several means.
Broadheads are easily damaged during use. The blade elements, and particularly the razor sharp edge defined along portions of the blade element, are susceptible to damage due to missed shots or when the archer makes his shot but the broadhead strikes a large bone of a game animal. If a shot is missed the broadhead may strike rocks or other hard objects that break the blade element or cause severe nicks in the blades' sharpened edges. Even when the arrow hits its mark, the broadhead may hit a large bone causing the blade elements to break. This usually occurs when the broadhead hits the large bone obliquely and glances off the bone thereby imparting most of the impact energy along one blade element.
One consequence of broken blade elements is that the arrow cannot be used until the broadhead is repaired. This is so because a broadhead with broken and/or missing blade elements are statically and aerodynamically unbalanced. This unbalanced condition prevents a launched arrow from traveling the intended and predictable trajectory. Also, if the arrow with a damaged broadhead does hit its mark, the broadhead may not inflict the type or quality of wound that is humanely desired by bow hunters.
When such a broadhead is attached to the arrow shaft in non-releasable fashion, it is necessary for the archer to have a wide range of arrows, some for target shooting, some for hunting larger game and some for smaller game. Arrows having interchangeable heads were developed in an effort to reduce the number of arrow shafts which might be required, as in U.S. Pat. No. 2,289,284 to Chandler and U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,579 to Sprandel, but such approaches require replacement of the entire broadhead, and therefore have the drawback that a new complete broadhead must be manufactured for each intended use.
Arrowheads with interchangeable blades also have been developed in an effort to increase the versatility of the arrowhead. Systems typical of this general approach are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,758 to Richter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,479 to Sherwin, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,226 to Sorenson. Such systems generally employ a plurality of independent blades each of which can be fitted into a different one of a plurality of slots in the ferrule. Usually, the blades are then clamped by axially-acting clamp members which are separate from the arrowhead body, or the body itself may act as a clamp member.
U.S. Patent No. 3,741,542 to Karbo and U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,202 to Scott illustrate prior art arrowheads in which blade assemblies comprising two or more blades are releasably secured to the arrowhead body. Though such arrowheads represent a distinct improvement in the art, they have the deficiency that, when the blades are of substantial size, the clamping forces are applied to only a limited portion of the blade; therefore, the blade is likely to fracture or distort under the rigors of use. In other approaches, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,960 to Carroll, a blade structure is positioned over a central shaft and locked thereto, but such approaches have the deficiency that the entire blade structure is external and more easily deformed or loosened on impact. While these prior art proposals have achieved significant acceptance in the trade, there has been a continuing need for improvement, particularly in the ease of assembly of the arrowhead and its ability, once assembled, to withstand the rigors of actual use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,550 to Segovia discloses one means for fixedly securing blade elements in a broadhead. Segovia shows a broadhead comprising an arrowhead body or ferrule with longitudinally extending, radially oriented slots for accepting corresponding blade elements. Each blade element includes a central flange from which a sharpened blade extends. The blade flanges have acutely shaped projections at opposing ends. As shown in FIG. 1 of Segovia, one projection fits captively within a cooperating portion of the slot and the other projection is engaged by a cooperating washer, which, when compressed against the ferrule, fixedly secures the blade unit in the slot.
Another blade element securing means is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,330 to Kosbab. Kosbab shows, in FIG. 2 thereof, a modular broadhead having a central ferrule with blade engaging slots radially offset from the central axis of the ferrule in planes parallel to planes tangent to the peripheral surface of the ferrule. Each blade includes opposed acute angle projections that cooperate, at one end of the blade, with an annular groove formed in a tip that threaded engages the ferrule and, at the opposed end of the blade, with a ferrule collar. The engagement of the tip and ferrule collar with the acute angle projections secures the blade in captive engagement with the ferrule.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,294 to Sullivan et al. discloses an archery's broadhead having a longitudinally extending ferrule with a plurality of blade elements mounted by and extending from the ferrule. A securing flange extends from the blade body and extends through a ferrule slot into a ferrule cavity. An engaging bar is disposed in the ferrule cavity and engages portions of the securing flange of the blade element. Yet, the Sullivan et al. broadhead has several shortcomings.
As shown in FIGS. 5
a
-10 of Sullivan et al., the angular space between the outer surface of the engaging bar and the inner surface of the ferrule remains substantially empty upon broadhead assembly. While this configuration may provide a somewhat lighter broadhead, the broadhead assembly as a whole, including the blade elements and ferrule, provides suspect strength upon impact. Upon impact, the blade elements of a broadhead are exposed to significant longitudinal stresses along the length of the broadhead. The Sullivan et al. broadhead arrangement provides only a small surface area contact between the blade elements and the ferrule in a longitudinal configuration, detailing a second disadvantage to this broadhead. The securing flange
72
is truncated adjacent an arcuate side
Briggs and Morgan
Capes Nelson R.
Helget Gerald E.
Muzzy Products Corporation
Ricci John A.
LandOfFree
Broadhead arrowhead with adjustable blade retention does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Broadhead arrowhead with adjustable blade retention, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Broadhead arrowhead with adjustable blade retention will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3053093