U.S. patent application number 12/930479 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-12 for archery bow stabilizer.
Invention is credited to Jerry Alan Greenhoe.
Application Number | 20120174904 12/930479 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46454284 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120174904 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Greenhoe; Jerry Alan |
July 12, 2012 |
Archery bow stabilizer
Abstract
A stabilizer for a compound archery bow comprising a rigid
paddle-shaped member conforming to the archer's forearm, said
member being secured to the bow by means of a forward-extending
support beam which is attached to the bow handgrip by the insertion
and tightening of a forward-extending threaded stabilizer means.
The paddle-shaped member is adjustable relative to the support beam
and to the bow handgrip by pinch-clamp means.
Inventors: |
Greenhoe; Jerry Alan;
(Sheridan, MI) |
Family ID: |
46454284 |
Appl. No.: |
12/930479 |
Filed: |
January 10, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
124/89 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B 5/1426
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
124/89 |
International
Class: |
F41B 5/14 20060101
F41B005/14 |
Claims
1. In an archery bow having having a handgrip, a forward-extending
stabilizer, and threaded means for attaching said stabilizer to
said handgrip, the improvement comprising a paddle-shaped forearm
rest conforming to an archer's bow-holding forearm, a support beam
holding the forearm rest, and attachment means engageable with said
threaded means for securing said support beam and forearm rest to
said bow handgrip as a unit with said stabilizer.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said forearm rest extends
upward from said support beam to contact and partially wrap around
an archer's forearm when said bow is held by said archer in a drawn
position.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 having a first pinch-clamp means for
adjustably engaging and securing said forearm rest to said support
beam, and second pinch-clamp means for adjustably engaging and
securing said support beam to said handgrip.
4. In combination with an archery bow having a handgrip and a
forward-facing threaded socket for attaching a screw-in
forward-extending stabilizer mass, the improvement comprising a
paddle-shaped forearm rest conforming to the shape of an archer's
forearm, a support beam connecting said forearm rest with said
handgrip, and attachment means for affixing said support beam to
said handgrip upon the attachment of said stabilizer mass.
5. The improvement of claim 4 including first pinch-clamp means for
adjustably engaging and securing said forearm rest to said support
beam, and second pinch-clamp means for adjustably engaging and
securing said support beam to said attachment means for affixing
said support beam to said handgrip upon the attachment of said
stabilizer mass.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention pertains to the art of archery, and more
particularly to a means of bracing and stabilizing a compound bow
during the draw, hold, and release of an arrow.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Modern compound archery bows employ systems of levers,
pulleys and cams to enhance the velocity and accuracy of an arrow,
while easing the static pull of the bowstring when in the fully
drawn position. Typical modern compound bows are illustrated in
Kudlacek U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,066 and Martin, et al. U.S. Pat. No.
5,803,070.
[0003] Accessories have been developed to enhance the accuracy of
compound bows, particularly forward-extending mass stabilizers,
which add weight and balance to the bow and also absorb vibration,
which allows the archer to keep and hold a more steady aim on his
target. Such a mass stabilizer is illustrated in Martin, et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,070, FIG. 1. This type of mass stabilizer is
typically mounted on or above the handgrip of the bow, generally by
being threaded into a suitable forward-facing threaded socket in
the handgrip, out of the arrow's line of flight.
THE PRIOR ART
[0004] Others have approached the problem of dealing with the
problem of wander and shake during draw, hold and release of a
compound archery bow in different ways.
[0005] Bryant US 2005/0072414 A1 discloses a splint-type brace
which the archer attaches to his forearm. The underside of the
brace has a ball-and-socket clamp attached to a crutch-like support
shaft propped against the archer's hip. The brace is not physically
attached to the bow in any way.
[0006] Muhich U.S. Pat. No. 7,152,595 B1 discloses an adjustable
prop or brace which is attached to the bow itself, extending in a
rearward direction and terminating in a broadened crutch-like
support resting against the chest of the archer. Its length is
adjustable to accommodate holding the bow either above or below a
plane defined by the archer's outstretched arm, but performing the
adjustment requires the archer to release his draw and then re-draw
after the support is adjusted to the correct length. The value of
maintaing supportive contact with the archer's forearm is neither
disclosed or suggested.
[0007] Howell, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,707 B1 discloses a
splint-like forearm brace and guard which releasably attaches to
the bow itself. The archer wears a strapped-on arm protector which,
when the archer is ready to draw, is engaged with a suitable
fitting attached to the bow, either by means of a sliding
stud-and-slot attachment, or by a tube which slides over a
cooperating horizontal rod.
[0008] Torgerson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,000 discloses a
rudimentary L-shaped wrist brace which engages the archer's
bow-holding wrist, but employs no stabilizing contact with the
archer's forearm.
[0009] Vest U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,867 discloses an adjustable prop
anchored to the archer's waist which the user swings upwardly into
place with one hand while holding the bow outstretched with the
other. The prop has a U-shaped arm or wrist rest which supports the
archer's outstretched arm during the draw, hold and release phases
of the shot. The prop is entirely separate from the bow itself, and
will fall out of place if the archer lifts his outstretched
bow-holding arm.
[0010] Williams U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,177 discloses a padded brace
that loops completely around the archer's bow-holding hand, making
it difficult to raise and lower the bow from a resting to a
shooting position and back again.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Even with the advantages offered by the lessened full-draw
pull force of the compound bow, and by the stabilizing effect of a
forward-facing stabilizer mass, many archers with insufficient
forearm strength find it difficult to hold a bow steadily in a
fully drawn position for very long. They find that the stress of
holding a draw for more than a few seconds causes their aim to
wander or shake to the detriment of accuracy and consistency in
hitting a targets.
[0012] The compound bow has the characteristic of a draw force
which varies from high to low as the string is brought back to
contact the archer's cheek, in contrast to a conventional longbow,
where the transition is reversed. This permits the archer to hold
the string in a fully drawn position for a longer time without
fatigue. This feature is important while hunting, for example, when
the archer may be hidden in a stand or blind and must draw his bow
at the first sign of game, but must thereafter hold the string in
the drawn position for a considerable time, remaining motionless
until the game moves into range.
[0013] However, after holding the string at full draw for a minute
or more, even with the lower pull force of the compound bow, an
archer's arm may tire, and his aim may begin to become unsteady.
Even a physically fit archer may experience this problem, and a
less strong individual--such as a woman, youth, or senior
archer--may soon be unable to hold his or her arrow on target at
all.
[0014] It is therefore a principal object of the invention to
provide an apparatus for providing support and steadiness to the
bow and arrow of an archer while holding a bowstring in the full
draw position.
[0015] It is a related object of the invention to provide such an
apparatus which attaches to a conventional compound bow by
utilizing the threaded stabilizer socket commonly provided in the
handgrip of modern compound bows.
[0016] A further object is to provide such an apparatus which is
easily adjustable with common hand tools to accommodate a variety
of archers and their clothing.
[0017] A further object is to provide such an apparatus which can
be inexpensively manufactured from injection-molded plastic with a
minimum of machining or other manufacturing steps, and which
combines the desirable attributes of strength, stiffness and light
weight.
[0018] These and other objects of the invention will become
apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the
invention.
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] In the drawings:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stabilizer in use by an
archer, with the partial view of the archer and bow in phantom
lines;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the opposite side of the
stabilizer of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a top view of the stabilizer;
[0023] FIG. 4 is an end view of the stabilizer;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the stabilizer;
[0025] FIG. 6 is an end view of the stabilizer opposite that of
FIG. 4;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the stabilizer; and
[0027] FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the stabilizer opposite that
of FIG. 5.
A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an archer (phantom
lines) holding the handgrip 10 of a compound bow 11 (also phantom
lines) with his left hand and forearm 12. The bow 10 is shown in a
drawn position, ready to release an arrow 13. Ideally, the archer's
left arm is straightened with the forearm 12 extended and wrist
turned slightly to the left, substantially locking the his arm,
forearm and wrist into a rigid unit. The arrow 13 is show with its
nock engaged by the bowstring, ready for release.
[0029] The stabilizer of the present invention comprises a
paddle-shaped forearm rest 13 shaped to confirm to firmly engage
and contact with the archer's forearm 12 to provide stability while
the bowstring is in a drawn position. The forearm rest 13 may be
made integral with the support beam 15, but in the illustrated
preferred embodiment is adjustably attached to the support beam 15
by a first pinch-clamp means 16. The forearm rest and support beam
are preferably made of injection-molded thermoplastic.
[0030] At its forward end, the support beam 15 engages a second
pinch-clamp attachment means 17 in which is provided a mounting
hole 18 through which the threaded end of a screw-in
forward-extending mass stabilizer (not shown) is inserted. The
stabilizer's screw threads then engage cooperating threaded
attachment means in the bow handgrip 10 in the conventional manner,
thereby firmly securing the attachment means 17, support beam 15
and forearm rest to the bow 11.
[0031] According to the invention, the device is quickly and easily
attached to the bow 11 by simply unscrewing the mass stabilizer,
placing the attachment means 17 in line with the hole 18 in
threaded attachment means in the bow handgrip 10, and re-attaching
the mass stabilizer by screwing it back into place. The forearm
rest is thus secured in position where it can engage and steady the
archer's forearm as the bow is drawn.
[0032] Adjustments to suit the needs and preferences of the archer
are easily made by loosening and then tightening the pinch-clamp
attachments 16 and 17 in the desired location, using conventional
tools such as a screwdriver or hex-headed wrench.
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