U.S. patent application number 12/069729 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-13 for blade opening arrowhead.
Invention is credited to Robert S. Mizek, Miroslav A. Simo, Gregory C. Smith.
Application Number | 20090203477 12/069729 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40939386 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090203477 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mizek; Robert S. ; et
al. |
August 13, 2009 |
Blade opening arrowhead
Abstract
A blade opening arrowhead having an actuator moveably mounted
with respect to a blade carrying body. The actuator can move each
blade between a closed position and an opened position. During
flight, the blade is in the closed position. Upon target
penetration, for example, the actuator moves the blade into the
opened position.
Inventors: |
Mizek; Robert S.; (Downers
Grove, IL) ; Simo; Miroslav A.; (Riverside, IL)
; Smith; Gregory C.; (Geneva, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Douglas H. Pauley;Pauley Petersen & Erickson
Suite 365, 2800 West Higgins Road
Hoffman Estates
IL
60169
US
|
Family ID: |
40939386 |
Appl. No.: |
12/069729 |
Filed: |
February 12, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/583 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B 6/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/583 |
International
Class: |
F42B 6/08 20060101
F42B006/08 |
Claims
1. A blade opening arrowhead, comprising: a blade carrying body, an
actuator movably mounted with respect to the blade carrying body, a
blade movably mounted with respect to the actuator and movably
mounted with respect to the blade carrying body, and a movement of
the actuator with respect to the blade carrying body pivoting the
blade about a pivot axis that is fixed with respect to the actuator
and moving the blade with respect to the blade carrying body.
2. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein the
actuator is slidably mounted with respect to the blade carrying
body.
3. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein the
blade carrying body has a channel and at least a portion of the
actuator is slidably mounted within the channel.
4. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein at least
a portion of the actuator extends outward and beyond an external
surface of the blade carrying body.
5. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein during
the movement of the actuator the pivot axis of the blade moves with
respect to the blade carrying body.
6. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein the
actuator has a plurality of actuation surfaces each extending
outward and beyond an outer surface of the blade carrying body, and
the actuation surfaces are equally spaced about a periphery of the
blade carrying body.
7. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein as the
blade opening arrowhead passes through a target material, at least
a portion of the actuator contacts the target material.
8. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein movement
of the actuator with respect to the blade carrying body moves the
blade between a closed position and an opened position.
9. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 8, wherein a bias
element releasably contacts and holds the blade in the closed
position.
10. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 9, wherein a force
generated by movement of the actuator overcomes a retaining force
of the bias element and allows the blade to move from the closed
position to the opened position.
11. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein the
body forms a slot, and a portion of the blade is mounted within the
slot.
12. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein the
blade has a back surface that slidingly contacts a contact portion
of the blade carrying body when the blade moves between the closed
position and the opened position.
13. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 12, wherein the
back surface is straight or curved.
14. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 12, wherein the
back surface and the contact portion form a line contact with
respect to each other.
15. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein a shaft
connects two body portions of the actuator.
16. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein a
cutting diameter of the arrowhead in the opened position is greater
than in the closed position.
17. A blade opening arrowhead according to claim 1, wherein a shaft
fixedly positioned with respect to the actuator or the blade
pivotally mounts the blade with respect to the actuator.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a blade opening arrowhead having
an actuator that can operate one or more movable blades, each
between a closed or in-flight position and an opened or cutting
position.
[0003] 2. Discussion of Related Art
[0004] Many conventional arrowheads have blades that remain in a
closed position during an arrow flight and then are opened upon
contact with a target. Some known arrowheads use a target material
to provide resistance and thus force open or move each blade from
the closed position to the opened position. For example, Mizek,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,676 teaches a blade opening arrowhead.
[0005] Many conventional arrowheads require relatively large
portions of the blade to stick out or extend beyond an outer
surface of a ferrule or a blade body, so that the blades open upon
impact rather than the blades not opening upon impact and passing
through the target in the closed position. In many arrowheads,
having relatively large portions of the blade exposed during flight
results in undesirable aerodynamic steering of the arrowhead.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is one object of this invention to provide an actuator
that moves a blade from a closed position to an opened
position.
[0007] It is another object of this invention to provide an
actuator that will open moveable blades upon contact or impact with
a target material.
[0008] An arrowhead, according to this invention, can be used to
move blades between a closed position and an opened position. In
some embodiments of this invention, the arrowhead has a blade
carrying body. An actuator is moveably mounted with respect to the
body. At least one blade, preferably two or more blades, each can
pivot about a pivot axis which is fixed with respect to the
actuator, even when the actuator moves with respect to the body and
causes a further movement of the blade with respect to the
body.
[0009] In some embodiments of this invention, when in a forward
position, the actuator moves each blade into the closed position,
and when in a rearward position, the actuator moves each blade into
the opened position. For example, the actuator can be any suitable
body or other structure that interferes with or contacts target
material upon and after impact of the arrowhead with the target
material.
[0010] In some embodiments according to this invention, the
actuator is slideably mounted within a channel of the blade
carrying body. At least a portion of the actuator interferes with
or contacts the target material and moves each blade from the
closed position to the opened position as the arrowhead impacts and
moves through the target material. The actuator moves the blade
from the closed position to the opened position upon impact, to
better cut the target material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The above and other features and objects of this invention
are better understood from the following detailed description is
taken in view of the drawings wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a transparent side view taken along a longitudinal
axis of a blade opening arrowhead, in a closed position, according
to one embodiment of this invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a side view of the blade opening arrowhead, as
shown in FIG. 1, but in an opened position;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a front view of the blade opening arrowhead, as
shown in FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the blade opening arrowhead, as
shown in FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a side view of a blade opening arrowhead, in a
closed position, according to another embodiment of this
invention;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a side view of the blade opening arrowhead, as
shown in FIG. 5, but in an opened position;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a front view of the blade opening arrowhead, as
shown in FIG. 5; and
[0019] FIG. 8 is a rear view of the blade opening arrowhead, as
shown in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] FIG. 1 shows arrowhead 20 in a closed position and FIG. 2
shows arrowhead 20 in an opened position, according to one
embodiment of this invention. As shown in FIG. 2, cutting diameter
22 is greater in the opened position than cutting diameter 22 in
the closed position, as shown in FIG. 1. A smaller cutting diameter
22 can result in better aerodynamic qualities and flight
characteristics for the arrow.
[0021] Increasing cutting diameter 22 by moving blade 40 from the
closed position to the opened position just before, after and/or
simultaneously with target impact and/or penetration can provide
arrowhead 20 with both relatively good in-flight characteristics
and relatively good cutting characteristics, particularly when each
blade 40 is opened to cutting diameter 22 as shown in FIG. 2.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows actuator 50 in a forward position. FIG. 2 shows
actuator 50 in a rearward position. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
forward and rearward directions are relative to a forward flight
direction of arrowhead 20, as indicated by direction 24 in FIGS. 1
and 2.
[0023] In certain embodiments of this invention, actuator 50 is
moveably mounted with respect to blade carrying body or body 30. As
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, actuator 50 comprises element 56 which is
slideably mounted within channel 32 of body 30.
[0024] In other embodiments according to this invention, actuator
50 can be connected and/or operated mechanically, magnetically,
electrically and/or in any other suitable manner to allow movement
of actuator 50 with respect to body 30 and/or blade 40.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, element 56 of actuator 50
mechanicaly acts as a slider element. Shaft 54 can be mounted
within channel 32, in certain embodiments of this invention. In
other embodiments, another portion of actuator 50 can be partially
or entirely mounted within channel 32 and/or another similar void
or structure.
[0026] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, at least a portion of actuator 50
extends beyond and outward from external surface 34 of body 30.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of at least a portion of
actuator 50 extending outward and away from external surface 34 of
body 30. Any other suitable structure can be used to form at least
a portion of actuator 50 that extends outward and away from
external surface 34.
[0027] As arrowhead 20 impacts a target or other similar structure
or body, the portion of actuator 50 that extends outward and away
from external surface 34 can be used to transfer impact forces into
actuator 50, for example to move actuator 50 from the position
shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2. Different
materials, shapes and/or dimensions of actuator 50 can be used to
more or less effectively transfer the impact forces through
actuator 50 and to blade 40.
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, actuation surfaces 52 of actuator
50 are equally spaced about a periphery of body 30. Two or more
actuators 50 can be equally spaced about the periphery of body
30.
[0029] As shown between FIGS. 1 and 2 and also between FIGS. 5 and
6, movement of actuator 50 with respect to body 30 results in
pivoting blade 30 about pivot axis 42 that is fixed with respect to
actuator 50, and also can result in transversely moving blade 40
with respect to body 30. By fixing the relative position of pivot
axis 42 with respect to actuator 50, movement of actuator 50 can
result in both a translational movement and a rotational movement
of blade 40 with respect to body 30.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, bias element 46 can releasably contact
and hold blade 40 in the closed position. Any suitable force
generated by movement of actuator 50 can be used to overcome a
retaining force of bias element 46, for example to allow blade 40
to move from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 to the opened
position shown in FIG. 2. Bias element 46 can comprise a spring
clip, a retainer, a spring and/or any other suitable spring orbias
element. For example, a suitable spring clip or retainer is taught
by Mizek, U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,676, the entire teachings of which
are incorporated into this specification by reference.
[0031] The embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2 shows back surface 44 of
blade 40 being relatively straight. The entire back edge or back
surface 44 of blade 40 can be partially or entirely straight,
curved and/or irregularly shaped. Different curves and/or irregular
shapes can be used to vary the movement of blade 40 in response to
linear, non-linear or other movement of actuator 50.
[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, back surface 44 of blade 40 forms
a line contact with contact portion 38 of body 30, for example when
blade 40 contacts body 30. To strengthen blade 40 against body 30,
particularly when in the opened position such as shown in FIG. 2,
back surface 44 of blade 40 can have a shape that corresponds to a
cutout, a shoulder or other structural support of body 30. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,676 teaches the back of a blade having
a suitable or corresponding shape.
[0033] The different components of this invention can be made from
any suitable strong and durable material, such as aluminum, plastic
and/or any composite material.
[0034] While in the foregoing specification this invention has been
described in relation to certain preferred embodiments, and many
details are set forth for purpose of illustration, it will be
apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is
susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the
details described in this specification and in the claims can be
varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of
this invention.
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