U.S. patent application number 10/794969 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-08 for bow sight and sight cover assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to Copper John Corporation. Invention is credited to Coon, Alan B., Springer, Eric C..
Application Number | 20050193575 10/794969 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34912395 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050193575 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Springer, Eric C. ; et
al. |
September 8, 2005 |
Bow sight and sight cover assembly
Abstract
A bow sight of the type having a pin guard that surrounds the
sighting pins is fitted with a cover assembly. A protective cap can
be moved between a closed position to protect the sight pins, and
an open position in which the cap is out of the sight picture. The
cover assembly can have a base that fits onto the distal side of
the bow sight, with the cap being hinged to the cover on the riser
side of a circular aperture through the base. The bow sight may
have a built-in receptacle to attach the hinge of a cap. Also, the
cap may have a transparent window for sighting with the cap in the
closed position. The window may be clear, or may be an optical
filter or a lens. A spring can bias the cap to the open
position.
Inventors: |
Springer, Eric C.; (Auburn,
NY) ; Coon, Alan B.; (Baldwinsville, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BERNHARD P. MOLLDREM, JR.
224 HARRISON STREET
SUITE 200
SYRACUSE
NY
13202
US
|
Assignee: |
Copper John Corporation
|
Family ID: |
34912395 |
Appl. No.: |
10/794969 |
Filed: |
March 5, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
33/265 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41G 1/467 20130101;
F41A 35/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
033/265 |
International
Class: |
F41G 001/467 |
Claims
1. A bow sight and cover assembly in which the bow sight comprises
at least one sighting member; a mounting block supporting said
sighting member such that the sighting member is within a sight
picture when an archer is aiming at a target; means for mounting
the bow sight onto a bow riser; and a guard member at least
partially surrounding the sighting member around the sight picture,
and having a proximal side facing the archer and a distal side
facing the target; and in which the cover assembly comprises a
protective cap member covering the distal side of the guard member,
and pivot means mounting said cap member onto the bow sight at the
distal side of the guard member such tat the archer can swing the
cap member between a closed position in which the cover is held
against the guard member and an open position in which the cap
member remains on the bow sight but is displaced away from the
guard member and out of said sight picture.
2. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 1, wherein said guard
member is arcuate and forms at least a portion of a circle, and
said cap member is disk shaped.
3. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 1, wherein said cover
assembly includes a snap-on base that removably fits onto the
distal side only of said guard member, and said pivot means
includes a first hinge portion formed on said snap-on base and
second hinge portion formed on an edge of said cap member and
pivotally fitting said first hinge portion.
4. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 3, wherein said pivot
means includes a spring means biasing said cap member to one of
said open and closed positions.
5. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 4, wherein said spring
means biases the cap member to said open position.
6. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 4, wherein said spring
means has an over-the-center action and biases the cover from a
raid position to each of said open and closed positions.
7. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 1, wherein said pivot
means includes a hinge portion formed on the bow sight at the
distal side of said guard member and on a side thereof oriented
towards said riser, and a mating hinge portion formed on the cap
member.
8. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 1, wherein said cover
member has a transparent window permitting viewing of the sight
picture when the cover member is in its closed position.
9. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 8, wherein said
transparent window includes an optical filter to improve viewing of
the target within the sight picture.
10. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 9, wherein said
optical filter includes a polarizer.
11. The bow sight and cover assembly of claim 8, wherein said
transparent window includes a magnifying lens.
12. A bow sight through which an archer aims at a target situated
in a visual background, comprising: means for mounting the bow
sight on a bow riser; at least one sighting member; a mounting
block supporting said sighting member such that the sighting member
is within a sight picture when an archer is aiming at a target; a
guard member at least partially surrounding the sighting member
around the sight picture, and having a proximal side facing the
archer and a distal side facing the target; a receptacle formed
directly on the distal side of said guard member and adapted for
receiving a pivot fitting onto which a bow sight cap may be mounted
for pivoting action in which the cap may be moved between a closed
position in which the cap covers the distal side of the guard
member and an open position where the cap remains on the bow sight
but is displaced away from the guard member and out of said sight
picture.
13. A bow sight cover for covering a bow sight of the type in which
a sighting member is mounted on a mounting block, and is at least
partly surrounded by a guard member tat forms a viewing frame
around a sight picture for an archer aiming at a target, the guard
member having a proximal side facing the archer and a distal side
facing the target; the bow sight cover comprising a protective cap
member covering the distal side of the guard member, and pivot
means mounting said cap member onto the bow sight at the distal
side of the guard member such that the archer can swing the cap
member from a closed position in which the cover is held against
the guard member and an open position in which the cap member
remains on the bow sight but is displaced away from the guard
member and out of said sight picture.
14. A bow sight cover according to claim 13 wherein said guard
member is arcuate and forms at least a portion of a circle, and
said cap member is disk shaped.
15. A bow sight cover according to claim 14 wherein said cover
includes a snap-on base that removably fits onto the distal side of
said guard member, and said pivot means includes a first hinge
portion formed on said snap-on base and second hinge portion formed
on an edge of said cap member and pivotally fitting said first
hinge portion.
16. The bow sight of claim 12, wherein said receptacle is formed at
a side of the guard member that is disposed towards the bow
riser.
17. A bow sight cover according to claim 13 in which the pivot
means is disposed on the cap member and guard member on a side
thereof which is oriented towards the bow riser when the protective
cap member is in the closed position, such that the cap member
swings in the direction towards said bow riser to move into its
open position.
18. A bow sight cover according to claim 13 in which said pivot
means includes a pin defining a fore-and-aft axis about which said
cap member swings.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention is related to the field of archery bow
sights, and especially hunting sights such as pin sights, pendulum
sights, and other sights in which there is a sighting device
supported on a mount to assist the archer in aiming at a target. In
particular, this invention is directed to a cap or cover for the
archery bow sight that covers and protects the sighting device when
the bow is being carried or transported, but swings out of the way
so that it reveals the target and sight picture when the archer is
aiming at the target.
[0002] Archers employ hunting bow sights, such as a pin sight,
mounted on the bow riser and to assist the archer in aiming
properly at a target, so that the target is presented in a sight
picture against a background. These may be single-pin bow sights,
multiple pin bow sights, or other types of bow sights. Multiple-pin
bow sights are described in Springer U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,005, and
in Springer published application US 2003/0110648. These patent
documents are incorporated by reference into this
specification.
[0003] Many varieties pin bow sights have fiber optic elements
supported on the sight pins to provide a bright dot for the archer
at the end or head of the sight pin. The fiber optic elements in
most conventional pin sights are exposed at the distal or target
side, and may have one or more bends, e.g., at the eye or head of
the pin. Consequently, when the archer is carrying the bow,
especially through woods or brush, it is possible for a twig or
branch to enter the bow sight and damage or disturb one of the
fibers. In other types of bow sights, such as pendulum sights, the
sighting element itself may be somewhat delicate, and can be bent
or otherwise damaged by twigs or sticks. In some pin sights, the
pins themselves may be delicate.
[0004] In addition, many bow sights have pin guards or similar
guard members that surround the sighting device or devices to
protect them from the top, bottom and sides. However, these guard
members are open on the proximal and distal sides, i.e., on the
archer and target sides, so that the archer can view the target
when aiming. In many cases, the pin guard or sight device guard can
form a part of the sighting mechanism for the archer's sight
picture. The pin guard may frame the sight picture that contains
the target and the sight pin(s), and may assist the archer in
centering his or her aim on the target. Some pin guards are simply
a mechanism by which the pins are protected from being damaged and
they are not, strictly speaking, specifically designed to form a
proper sight picture. However, even in such cases, the pin or other
sighting mechanism is vulnerable to damage from twigs and branches,
as aforementioned. No means has been provided or suggested in the
past that would place a convenient protective mechanism, such as a
cap, on the pin sight or other bow sight, which can cover the
distal side of the sight when the bow is being carried or is not in
use, and which swings out of the way, without having to remove it
from the bow sight, when the archer is aiming at a target.
[0005] Prior bow sight covers have been proposed, for example, in
Altmann et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,898, McFarlin U.S. Pat. No.
5,749,352, Sloop U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,791, and Kelsoe U.S. design
Pat. No. D478,368. Existing bow sight protectors are removed from
the bow when the bow is to be used, and only cover the sight when
the bow is stored or carried. The cover arrangement described in
Altmann et al. is designed only to protect the bow sight from
falling precipitation, and involves a gravity system to swing the
sight cover away from a protective position, but does not involve a
cap that covers the distal side of a sight guard.
[0006] Various scope covers with swing-up caps have been proposed
for telescopic gun sights, that are positioned by means of a sleeve
that slips over one end of the scope barrel. However, to date, no
one has proposed adapting any of these scope covers for use on an
archery bow sight.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a
cap or cover for an archery bow sight that produces an advantage
over bow sights that are now available, and which overcomes the
drawbacks of the prior art.
[0008] It is another object to provide a cover for a bow sight that
is simple to install and use, and which can be placed into a closed
position to protect the pins or other sighting device(s), and which
can swing out to an open position when the archer is ready to aim
at a target, and where the cap or cover remains on the bow sight
but is positioned away from the sight picture when in the open
position.
[0009] A further object is to provide a cover assembly that can be
fitted onto the distal or target side of a bow sight, and which can
be moved by finger action between its closed and open
positions.
[0010] According to one of many possible exemplary embodiments of
the present invention, a bow sight is provided with a cover
assembly. The bow sight employs at least one sighting member, e.g.,
one or more sight pins; and a mounting block or similar member that
supports the sighting member such that the sighting member is
within a sight picture when an archer is aiming at a target. The
bow sight has a mount for mounting or affixing it onto the bow
riser. A pin guard or similar guard member at least partially
surrounding the sighting member and may define or frame the sight
picture. The pin guard or guard member has a proximal side facing
the archer and a distal side facing the target. The cover assembly
comprises a protective cap member covering the distal side of the
guard member, and pivot means mounting the cap member onto the bow
sight at the distal side of the guard member, such that the archer
can swing the cap member from a closed position in which the cover
is held against the guard member and an open position in which the
cap member remains on the bow sight but is out away from the guard
member and out of the archer's sight picture. This may employ a
receptacle or mount on the bow sight itself, which may form a part
of the hinge, with a mating part of the hinge being formed on the
cap member. In some embodiments, the pivot means can employ a base
that fits removably onto the distal side of the pin guard or other
guard member, with the cap member being pivotally, i.e., hingedly,
mounted onto the base. These cover assemblies may include a torsion
spring or other spring or resilient mechanism, preferably biasing
the cap member towards the open position, with a friction or
moderate interference fit holding the cap member in the closed
position against the base. Alternatively, the spring arrangement
can have an over-the-center action, which pulls the cap from a
middle or intermediate position towards each of the closed and open
positions.
[0011] In an illustrated embodiment, the bow sight has an arcuate
guard member that forms at least a portion of a circle, and the cap
member is disk shaped. However, many other embodiments are
possible. The cap member may be opaque, but this is not required,
and in some embodiments, the cap member may have a transparent
window that permits viewing the sight picture when the cover member
is in its closed position. This transparent window may favorably
include an optical filter to improve viewing of the target within
the sight picture. This optical filter may be a polarizer, or may
be a magnifying lens.
[0012] While many embodiments may involve a pin guard that forms an
integral portion of the archer's sight picture, other embodiments
of the bow sight cap of this invention may be employed with bow
sights that do not function in the same exact way. Also the pin
guard or other guard member need not be circular, and cover
assemblies of this invention may be employed on partly-circular pin
guards, e.g., D-shaped pin guards, or on non-circular pin guards
such as rectangular pin guards. The cap should close against the
sight guard sufficiently to provide protection to the sight pins
and fibers. The term "against" as used here does not necessary
require tight engagement.
[0013] In several illustrated embodiments, the hinge or pivot is on
the riser side of the bow sight, but in other possible embodiments
could instead be at the top or bottom of the pin guard, or on the
side away from the bow riser. In addition, the pivot could be on
the fore-and-aft axis, so that the cap swings down and away or out
and away from the target sight picture.
[0014] It is also possible to employ a cap or cover having a base
that fits onto a non-circular pin guard, such as a rectangular pin
guard, but has a circular aperture and circular cap, so as to
create a circular sight picture to assist the archer in sighting
the target.
[0015] These and other objects, features, and advantages of the
invention will become apparent from the ensuing detailed
description of selected preferred embodiments, which is to be read
in connection with the accompanying Drawing:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0016] FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective view of one exemplary
preferred embodiment of a bow sight and sight cover in accordance
with the present invention, with FIG. 1 showing assembly of the
sight cover onto the distal side of the bow sight.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of this embodiment showing the
cap member in an open position.
[0018] FIG. 4 is an assembly view of an alternative embodiment in
which mounts for the cap are formed directly on the bow sight.
[0019] FIG. 5 shows another embodiment in which the cap carries a
transparent window.
[0020] FIG. 6 shows yet another embodiment if which the cap pivots
on a horizontal, fore-and-aft axis.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] With reference to the Drawing Figures, initially to FIGS. 1
to 3 are views of one exemplary bow sight 10 of the type described
in U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,005. The bow sight 10 has a mounting plate
12 that attaches to a bow riser (not shown), and a multiple-track
frame member 14 that is adjustably mounted at one end of the plate
12. The frame member 14 has three vertical tracks, in which are
positioned a set of sighting pins 16, 16. Each of the pins 16 has a
base that is mounted in a respective one of the tracks of the frame
member 14, with an elongated neck projecting laterally. The necks
of some of the sight pins 16 are straight, and others have doglegs,
so that the heads or tips of the pins 16 are all aligned in a
vertical plane. The dogleg pins 16 in the rear track are offset
forward, and the dogleg pins in the forward track are offset
rearward, each into alignment with the straight pins in the middle
track. In the exemplary embodiment of the bow sight 10, the pin
heads are also aligned with a common vertical axis. This
configuration of the dogleg pins enables the pin heads to remain in
alignment even though the bow twists when the archer draws back the
bow string.
[0022] The pins 16 each have mounted on it an optical fiber that
carries light to the tip or head of the pin to assist the archer in
seeing the sight pin. This is described in U.S. Published
application US 2003/0110648. The fiber associated with each pin is
exposed on the distal side of the pin, and is subject to damage or
being pulled out from the associated pin if any foreign object
contacts the sighting pins. It can happen that brush or twigs can
contact the bow sight and can pull out or break one or more of
these optical fibers while the archer is carrying the bow through
the woods. The brush may also break the pins.
[0023] An annular pin guard 18 is mounted onto the frame member 14
and surrounds or encircles the sighting pins 16. In this case, the
pin guard is circular, but in other possible embodiments, the pin
guard could have a different shape, e.g., semicircular or D-shaped,
or rectangular. The pin guard 18 does serve to protect the pins
from above and below and from the sides, but because the outer or
distal side 20 of the pin guard 18 is open, it is still possible
for foreign objects to enter inside the perimeter of the pin guard
18 and disturb the optic fibers on the sighting pins.
[0024] As discussed in the aforesaid U.S. Published application US
2003/0110648, the pin guard 18 can form an integral part of the
sight picture that the archer sees when looking at a target through
the sight, and the pin guard 18 helps the archer center aim on the
target.
[0025] In this bow sight 10, a small level 21 is positioned to
assist the archer in holding the bow in an erect position when
aiming.
[0026] A sight cover assembly 30 is designed to snap on and fit
rather securely onto the distal side or target-facing side 20 of an
existing bow sight, e.g., bow sight 10. Here, there is a base 32
formed of a hard rubber or stiff but yielding plastic material, and
with a recess at its proximal side that matches the profile of the
frame member 14 and pin guard 18. The base 32 has a circular
opening 34 that aligns with the open center of the pin guard 18 and
with the annular sight picture that is framed by the pin guard 18.
An annular barrel 36 extends distally from the edge of the opening
34.
[0027] A closeable cap 40 is formed as a disk of hard plastic, with
a rim 42 that fits over a distal edge of the annular barrel 36 to
close off the distal side of the pin guard and protect the pins 16.
A hinge 44 affords a pivot for swinging movement of the cap 40 with
respect to the base 30 and pin guard 18. The hinge 44 is formed of
a hinge half 46 at an edge of the cap 40 and a mating hinge half on
the base 32 at the riser side of the opening 34. A torsion spring
is positioned at the hinge 44 so that the cap 40 is biased towards
its open position (FIG. 3) where the cap is held away from the
sight picture and towards the bow riser. The archer can close the
cap by moving it by hand to its closed position (FIG. 2), where the
rim 42 of the cap 40 fits snugly onto the barrel 36 of the base 30.
The cap is held down by an interference fit, but can be released
from the closed position by finger action.
[0028] The cap 40 is provided with radial protuberances or ears 50
at the periphery of the cap, and there are recesses 52 formed at
corresponding locations on the base 30, so that the cap 40 can be
pushed easily off its closed position so it can swing out to its
open position.
[0029] As an alternative to a simple torsion spring, a spring
member can be used that provides over-center action so that the cap
40 is biased away from a midway position towards each of its open
and closed positions. With this spring action, that the archer
needs only move the cap part way from either position, and it will
spring to the other.
[0030] A sight cover arrangement according to another embodiment is
illustrated in FIG. 4, where similar reference numbers identify
corresponding elements as shown in the first embodiment. In this
embodiment, the bow sight 10' has a receptacle structure 53, namely
a pivot hinge half, formed on the sight itself, that is, on the
distal side of the frame member 14. While not specifically shown
here, it would be equivalent to have receptacle structure mounted
on the distal side of the pin guard. The bow sight cap 40' here has
a corresponding hinge half 46, as in the first embodiment. The cap
40' is attached by aligning the hinge halves 53 and 46, and
inserting a pivot pin 54. A spring member 55 is shown here also,
which fits between the two pivot halves to bias the cap 40'
normally to its open position.
[0031] A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 5, in which the cover
assembly is similar to that of the first embodiment, except that a
cap 40" in this embodiment has an outer ring 56 with a transparent
central window 58, so that the archer can view the target even when
the cap 40" is in its closed position. The window may be clear
glass or plastic material, or may be colored so as to act as a
filter and enhance the view of the sight picture. The filter may
include polarizing material for dealing with glare or reflections.
The window may include a magnifying lens to improve the archer's
view of the target. The ring 56 may be provided with internal
threads, and the window 58 may be provided with matching male
threads, so that the window, i.e., filter, may be interchanged with
another for different lighting situations.
[0032] The cap 40" can normally be left in the closed position for
use, but can be swung out of the way in the event that there is
precipitation that may collect on the window.
[0033] Still another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 6, in which
the elements that are common with the other embodiments are
identified with the same reference numbers. In this embodiment, the
pivot pin 54 extends horizontally in the distal direction, to
define a fore-and-aft pivot axis. Here, the cap 40 pivots about
that horizontal axis, so as to swing down and away from a closed
position (shown in solid) to an open position (shown in ghost
line). A detent mechanism (not shown) can be used to hold the cap
40 in each of its open and closed positions.
[0034] While not shown here specifically, it would be within the
level of skill in this field to produce covers for pin guards that
are D-shaped or even rectangular in shape. In the case of
rectangular pin guards, it is possible to have a base for the cover
that has a round aperture, so that the archer can use the round
shape to assist in aiming at the target.
[0035] While the present invention has been described with
reference to several specific preferred embodiments, it should be
understood that the invention is not limited to those precise
embodiments. For example, the cover assembly is not limited to use
with pin sights, but may be used with other types of bow sights,
including telescopic sights. The cap is not limited to disk or
round shapes, but can be any suitable shape to match the profile of
the corresponding bow sight. Rather, many modifications and
variations would present themselves to persons skilled in the art
without departure from the scope and spirit of this invention, as
defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *