U.S. patent application number 12/649578 was filed with the patent office on 2010-07-01 for arrow.
Invention is credited to Ermanno MALUCELLI.
Application Number | 20100167849 12/649578 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42285645 |
Filed Date | 2010-07-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100167849 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MALUCELLI; Ermanno |
July 1, 2010 |
ARROW
Abstract
An arrow (10) for use in hunting or sport archery, includes a
shaft (3) of variable materials, profiles and lengths; an
aerodynamically profiled head (4) of variable materials and shapes,
having blades or knives if designed for hunting use; a nock (1) for
connecting the arrow to the string of a bow; a fletching (20) for
stabilizing the flight of the arrow, which is composed of a
plurality of aerodynamically profiled thin vanes (2), equally
spaced over the outer profile of the arrow and defined by an
aerodynamically profiled surface (2B) and a transverse foot (2A).
Each vane is fitted into a corresponding slit or aperture (3A)
formed in the shaft (3) and its aerodynamically profiled surface
(2B) projects out of the slit (3A). Each vane so fitted is held in
position by its foot (2A) which is retained within the shaft while
abutting against the corresponding surface (3B).
Inventors: |
MALUCELLI; Ermanno; (Terenzo
(Parma), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
209 Madison Street, Suite 500
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
42285645 |
Appl. No.: |
12/649578 |
Filed: |
December 30, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/586 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B 5/1446 20130101;
F42B 6/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/586 |
International
Class: |
F42B 6/06 20060101
F42B006/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 31, 2008 |
IT |
PR2008A000089 |
Claims
1. An arrow (10) for use in hunting or sport archery, comprising a
shaft (3) of variable materials, profiles and lengths; a head (4)
of variable materials and shapes; a nock (1) for connecting the
arrow (10) to the string of a bow; a fletching (20) for stabilizing
the flight of the arrow (10), which is composed of a plurality of
thin aerodynamically profiled vanes (2), equally spaced over the
outer profile of the arrow (3) and defined by an aerodynamically
profiled surface (2B) and a transverse foot (2A), characterized in
that a. each vane (2) is fitted into a corresponding slit or
aperture (3A) formed in said shaft (3) and its aerodynamically
profiled surface (2B) projects out of said slit (3A); b. each vane
(2) so fitted is held in position by its foot (2A) which is
retained within the shaft (3) while abutting against the
corresponding surface (3B).
2. An arrow (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
assembly of vanes (2) is held in position against its corresponding
surface (3B) by means of a shank (9) which fits into the shaft (3),
and has a diameter (9A) at least corresponding to the inner cavity
defined by the internal diameter of the shaft (3) less the space
occupied by the thickness of the feet (2A).
3. An arrow (10) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said
shank (9) has a second diameter (9B) corresponding to the inner
cavity defined by the internal diameter of the shaft (3).
4. An arrow (10) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said
shank (9) extends from the nock (1).
5. An arrow (10) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said
shank (9) is a distinct element, separate from the nock (1).
6. An arrow (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said
slits (3A) are straight and extend along the axis of the shaft
(3).
7. An arrow (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said
slits (3A) are curvilinear and extend along the axis of the shaft
(3).
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention finds application in the field of
sport and/or hunting archery, and namely relates to a novel
arrangement for mounting the fletching to the arrow before
shooting. The term fletching is intended to designate the assembly
of elements (generally three), arranged in equally spaced positions
on the back of the arrow to stabilize its flight, and also known as
compensation vanes. With the present arrangement, these
compensating or stabilizing vanes may be easily removed and
replaced when damaged, or when a different arrow orientation is
desired.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The vanes that are currently used in the art are thin,
light, mainly made of synthetic material, and thus likely to be
damaged.
[0003] The fletching is formed by gluing, which means that each
vane is glued to the outer circumference of the nock, using special
jigs or adequate equipment to ensure maximum inclination accuracy
between one vane and the other.
[0004] Such accurate mounting process is carried out in a
laboratory and requires specially skilled operators. It is an
important operation, because the vane positions affect arrow flight
precision.
[0005] Furthermore, it may happen that certain vanes come off
during shooting.
[0006] Various attempts have been made heretofore to find mounting
methods other than gluing. One of these is disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 2,976,043, in which two orthogonal cuts are formed on the back
of the arrow body, so that four slots are obtained to receive the
fletching. Nevertheless, these cuts that extend to the rear end
cause the arrow body to be structurally weakened, particularly if
such body is made of aluminum or composite materials.
[0007] Other attempts have been focused on interchangeable
fletching units that can be mounted around the arrow shaft, as
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,307, or fixed on the rear end of
the arrow shaft, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,727.
[0008] These solutions suffer from a number of drawbacks; first,
the interchangeable units are bulky and heavy and may affect arrow
aerodynamics and balancing.
[0009] Also, all the vanes need to be replaced, even when only one
of them is damaged.
[0010] Finally, especially in the case disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
6,695,727, screw coupling to the nock (the arrow shaft) is
required, which leads to various drawbacks, such as: [0011]
Uncertain coaxiality between the interchangeable unit and the axis
of the nock, which gives no guarantee about perfect ballistic
orientation [0012] Impossibility to properly set the position of
the added unit relative to the shaft body, namely for the use of
arrows with crossbows [0013] Impossibility of forming threads in
carbon shafts, which cannot be threaded [0014] Impossibility of
forming threads in aluminum shafts because, although aluminum is
suitable for thread formation, these shafts are not of suitable
thickness therefor.
DISCLOSURE AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The object of the present invention is to provide a novel
arrow for use in hunting and sport archery, which has an improved
arrangement for mounting and/or replacement of the fletching,
eliminating the gluing step and its implications in favor of a
mechanical mounting arrangement, that ensures perfect performance
by anyone and everywhere (field replacement).
[0016] Namely, each vane is fitted into a corresponding slot or
aperture formed on the arrow shaft and projects therefrom; each
vane so inserted is held in position by its foot which is retained
within the shaft while abutting against the corresponding
surface.
[0017] This arrow allows easy mounting and field replacement during
hunting or sport use, and only requires replacement of the damaged
vanes, no thread forming being needed; coupling occurs on the
shaft, thereby allowing size reduction, controlled weight and arrow
balancing.
[0018] The following advantages are thus obtained: [0019] Perfect
axial and radial positioning because the slits on the shaft are
formed by numerical-control machines, [0020] Reduced turbulence
during the flight, because the vane foot remains within the shaft,
thereby increasing shooting accuracy and considerably delaying the
parabola effect thereby obtaining a straight shoot, [0021]
Considerable volume reduction for shipment, with shafts and vanes
being handles separately, because mounting may be performed by
anyone.
[0022] These objects and advantages are all achieved by the arrow
and arrangement for mounting the fletching according to this
invention, which is characterized by the content of the annexed
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0023] This and other features will be more apparent from the
following description of a few embodiments, which are shown by way
of example and without limitation in the accompanying drawings.
[0024] FIG. 1: a side view of the present arrow
[0025] FIG. 2: the cross section A-A of the arrow at the
fletching
[0026] FIG. 3: an enlarged view of the section of FIG. 2,
[0027] FIG. 4: a cross-sectional and exploded view of a detail of
the rear portion of the present arrow
[0028] FIG. 5: a perspective view of the fletching components with
the present mechanical mounting arrangement,
[0029] FIG. 6: a first step of the mechanical vane mounting
process
[0030] FIG. 7: a second step of the mechanical vane mounting
process.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] Particularly referring to the above FIGS. 1 to 7, numeral 10
generally designates an arrow for use in hunting or sport archery
according to the invention; it is generally composed of the
following parts: [0032] A shaft 3 (or rod) of variable materials,
profiles and lengths, generally of circular cross-section (cross
sections of FIGS. 2 and 3); [0033] An aerodynamically profiled head
4 (or cusp) of variable materials and shapes or, if designed for
hunting use, with blades or knives; [0034] A nock 1 (or rear end)
for connecting the arrow 10 to the string of the bow, [0035] A
fletching 20 on the rear of the shaft 3, for stabilizing the flight
of the arrow 10, which is composed of a plurality, of thin
aerodynamically profiled vanes 2 (or feathers), two to six
according to the use or the taste of the archer, equally spaced
over the outer profile of the arrow (3)
[0036] In modern sport and hunting arrows, the shafts are formed of
wood, aluminum, carbon and also aluminum/carbon.
[0037] Sport arrows are usually very light, to improve speed and
facilitate straight shots. They must have a high construction
accuracy to ensure constant linearity and weight.
[0038] The invention will be now described more in detail.
[0039] The rear of the shaft 3 will be formed with a series of
slits or apertures 3A, or slots of a size matching the thickness of
the vanes 2, for the latter to radially project out of the shaft
3.
[0040] Each vane 2 is composed of an aerodynamically profiled
surface 2B joined to a foot 2A transverse to the surface 2B.
[0041] The profiled surface 2B is the one with flight stabilizing
properties and may be radial to the shaft 3, and project out of the
corresponding slit 3A, whereas the foot 2A remains within the shaft
3 and prevents the vane 2 from fully coming out, allowing it to
abut against the corresponding inner surface 3B of the shaft 3,
also with the help of an end 9 that fits into the shaft 3, and has
a corresponding diameter to hold the vanes in adequate locked
positions 2.
[0042] Such end 9 has a first diameter 9A that matches at least the
inner cavity defined by the interior diameter of the shaft 3, less
the space occupied by the thickness of the corresponding feet
2A.
[0043] Also, the end 9 may have a second diameter 9B, corresponding
to the inner cavity defined by the interior diameter of the shaft
3.
[0044] The end 9 may extend from the nock 1 or be a distinct
element.
[0045] FIGS. 6 and 7 show two mounting steps; in the first step,
the vane 2 is introduced into the shaft 3 using a rod-like tool 7
(such as tweezers); in the second step, the profile 2B is picked
up, using the same tool 7, on the corresponding slot 3A.
[0046] While the slot 3A of the figures is straight and extends
along the axis of the shaft 3, it can also have a curvilinear
profile, as required by the arrangement of the corresponding vane
2.
* * * * *