U.S. patent application number 11/695097 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-02 for helical arrow fletching.
Invention is credited to Steven Harsh.
Application Number | 20080242456 11/695097 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39795408 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080242456 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Harsh; Steven |
October 2, 2008 |
HELICAL ARROW FLETCHING
Abstract
An arrow fletching system has at least one vane or feather that
is helically shaped. The helical vane or feather makes a sharp
deviation of at least one-eighth, but no more than one-fourth (1/4)
of an inch from the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft. The
helical vane or feather improves the flight of the arrow by
reducing the amount of sound emitted during flight. Additionally,
the helical vane or feather causes a high rate of rotation of the
arrow during flight to increase the stability during flight,
thereby enabling increased accuracy and increasing the rate of
speed of the arrow. Also, the helical vane or feather provides an
improved surface and shape for the user to grasp, thereby enhancing
the overall effectiveness of the arrow.
Inventors: |
Harsh; Steven; (Trego,
MT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Richard Elliott Halsey
110 North Knollwood Drive
Wheaton
IL
60187
US
|
Family ID: |
39795408 |
Appl. No.: |
11/695097 |
Filed: |
April 2, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/586 ;
473/578 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B 10/26 20130101;
F42B 6/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/586 ;
473/578 |
International
Class: |
F42B 6/06 20060101
F42B006/06 |
Claims
1. A fletching for an archery arrow shaft comprising: a flexible
vane or feather having a generally tapered profile extending from a
narrow end to a wide end, and said vane or feather integrated with
a perimeter of, said archery arrow shaft, positioned flush with the
perimeter of the flexible vane or feather, wherein the flexible
vane or feather extends helical with a longitudinal axis of the
arrow shaft.
2. The arrow shaft of claim 1, wherein said flexible helical vane
or feather extends deviates at least one-eighth (1/8) but no more
than one-fourth (1/4) of an inch from the longitudinal axis of said
arrow shaft.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field Of The Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to an arrow fletching
system for an archery arrow shaft. More particularly, this
invention relates to an arrow fletching having at least one archery
vane or feather mounted to the sleeve in a right-to-left helical
configuration.
[0003] 2. Description Of The Related Art
[0004] Conventional arrows used for archery have vanes and feathers
mounted on an arrow shaft. The vanes or feathers stabilize the
archery arrow and rotate the arrow during flight. The vanes or
feathers are mounted directly to the shaft at an end portion of the
archery arrow.
[0005] The prior art arrow vane or feather configurations are
either right handed, left handed, or straight with respect to an
arrow shaft longitudinal axis. However, these configurations
provide less stabilization for an arrow during flight.
Additionally, these prior art arrow vanes are known to emit a
whistling sound during flight and scare away game.
[0006] There is an apparent need for an archery vane configuration
which, when the arrow is in flight, causes rotation of the arrow
shaft about the longitudinal axis at a high rate in order to impart
maximum stability to the arrow shaft. In this way, flight accuracy
of the arrow is enhanced for the entire flight.
[0007] There is an apparent need for an archery arrow fletching
system that includes at least one helically-shaped archery vane or
feather mounted and secured with respect to an archery arrow
longitudinal axis. There is also an apparent need for a fletching
system configured to reduce the sound produced by an archery arrow
during flight. Further, there is a need for a fletching system
configured to increase the stability of an archery arrow during
flight as the arrow speed increases.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A general object of this invention is to provide a helical
archery vane or feather mounted to an outer surface of an arrow
shaft.
[0009] Another object of this invention is to overcome one or more
of the problems described above.
[0010] The above and other objects of this invention can be
attained through a fletching system including helical archery vanes
that are pre-formed and then mounted to a longitudinal axis of the
arrow shaft. The archery vane or feather is aligned and mounted in
a helical configuration with respect to the arrow shaft
longitudinal axis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side view of an arrow shaft having helical
vanes.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a side view of the end portion of the arrow shaft
illustrating the helical shape of the vanes or feather.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a view in section of the end portion of the arrow
shaft, illustrating the extent of the deviation of the helical
vanes or feathers from the longitudinal axis of the arrow
shaft.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a top view of the arrow shaft illustrating the
feather or vane helical deviation from the center axis.
[0015] In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention that
is illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be
resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended
that the invention be limited to the specific term so selected, and
it is to be understood that each specific term includes all
technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to
accomplish a similar purpose.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] In the preferred embodiment of this invention, an arrow
fletching system 10 includes an arrow shaft 100, as shown in FIGS.
1 and 2. The arrow shaft 100 may comprise a metal, an alloy, a
plastic, graphite or a composite material, and any other suitable
material. The arrow shaft 100 has a generally tubular configuration
with an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter.
[0017] The fletching system 10 includes at least one archery vane
40 or feather mounted to an outer surface of a sleeve 20.
Preferably, the archery vane 40 or feather is adhesively mounted to
the outer surface. The archery vane 40 or feathers can be mounted
or attached to sleeve 20 using any suitable mounting or connecting
methods.
[0018] In the preferred embodiment of this invention, each archery
vane 40 or feathers is skewed or angled with respect to the
longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft 100. The archery vane 40 or
feather is mounted in an unparallel or offset configuration using a
jig. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the archery vane 40 or feather
is helical along the arrow shaft 100, extending radially outwardly
from the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft 100.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of vanes 30. Preferably, but
not necessarily, three or four vanes 40 or feathers are positioned
on or attached to the arrow shaft 100 in a circumferential relation
on the outer surface of arrow shaft 100. As illustrated in FIGS.
1-3, for preferred embodiment of this invention, three vanes 40 are
positioned equally about the circumference of the arrow shaft 100.
Each vane 40 is positioned 120 degrees from each of the two other
vanes 40. It is apparent to one skilled in the art that more or
less than three archery vanes 40 can be positioned about or on the
arrow shaft 100.
[0020] The vane 40 includes a generally tapered profile extending
from a leading, narrow end to a trailing, wide end. The vane 40
includes a defined profile as shown in FIG. 2 or can have any other
suitable defined profile 35 similar to a shape of any conventional
vane that provides acceptable aerodynamic flight
characteristics.
[0021] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the helical shape of each of the
vanes 40 is defined to have at least a one-eighth to one-fourth of
an inch deviation from the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft
100. Looking at FIG. 3, the arrow vane 40 is shown with the
measurement of at least one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch
deviation along the longitudinal axis of the vane 40 and arrow
shaft 100.
[0022] While certain preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that various
modifications may be adopted without departing from the spirit of
the invention or scope of the following claims.
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