Abstract:
An arrow rest that contains the arrow shaft before, during, and after the shot. To give the archer a precise, accurate shot, pull-away support fingers 120 degrees apart move in a self centering radial motion towards the center of the arrow shaft when the archer draws the bow to full draw and simultaneously pull away from the arrow shaft in a simultaneous radial motion to give complete clearance to the arrow shaft and its vanes or fletching once released from full draw.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/022,543, filed Jan. 22, 2008, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention is an accessory for an arrow to rest in with an archery bow that is held vertically or horizontally. The rest has radial self centering moving support fingers that move in together and support the arrow shaft in a complete 360 degrees circumference. The support fingers move in simultaneously when the bow is drawn to completely support the shaft&#39;s diameter. The rest rapidly pulls away from the arrow when the arrow is released so that the fletching does not contact the rest. Once the arrow is loaded it cannot fall out the bottom, left, or night sides. Once the bow is drawn back, the arrow is fully contained or confined within the rest because the support fingers completely contact the arrow 360 degrees with zero contact to the arrow and fletching and/or vanes on the arrow&#39;s release. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The archery sport, whether hunting, bow fishing, or competitive archery, has many accessories to give the archer and his or her equipment an improved level of accuracy when shooting the bow. Arrow rests are needed to raise the arrow off the riser to give the arrow clearance above the arrow riser shelf and hand grip area to enable the fletching, vanes or numerous types of arrow points to pass over the shelf without contact or interference when the arrow is pulled back in the draw cycle of the bow string and then released. The arrow rest also forces the arrow to move in a straight linear motion from the knock point of the arrow to the release point or center of the arrow rest. 
         [0004]    There are many designs for arrow rests on the market called drop away rests. Their function is as follows: once the arrow is drawn back, the arrow lifts off the arrow shelf and once the archer releases the arrow from full draw, the rest drops out of the way in a pivoting rotation or vertical dropping motion to get out of the way of the fletching or vanes if the rest reacts fast enough. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,044,832; 5,415,154; 4,865,007: 4,803,971; and 7,311,099 are herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0005]    To insure improvements of the current arrow rests that are on the market today there are many changes needed. Three of the problems that the current designs face are: the ability to contain the arrow to enable the archer to shoot at numerous angles; to be actuated fast enough to clear the arrow&#39;s vanes and fletching once the arrow is released; and third, once the rest drops out of the way it can bounce back into the flight path of the arrow when the archer releases the arrow due to recoil and or spring back in the apparatus itself. The present invention solves these problems. 
         [0006]    First, most of the current drop-away arrow rests do not fully contain the arrow, but only support the arrow against the force of gravity. Thus, if the archer needs to move the bow to a position other than vertical, the arrow may drop off the rest, causing potential injury to the archer if the arrow is inadvertently released. 
         [0007]    Second, many of the current rests do not actively release from the arrow, but depend on the force of gravity to allow the rest to passively drop away from the arrow upon firing. These rests may not be able to move away from the arrow fast enough to allow the fletching to clear the arrow rest. 
         [0008]    Third, many of the current arrow rests require other accessories, such as a cable guard, for operation and cannot be used without these additional accessories. An example is the arrow rest described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,832. 
         [0009]    Fourth, some of the rests bias the arrow support toward the arrow, depending on the relative movement of the bow limb, cable or string upon release to jerk the arrow support out of the path of the arrow, and then depend upon the restoring force of the spring to return the arrow support to a position where an arrow can again be loaded. An example is the arrow rest described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,971. Such arrow rests are unnecessarily complex and may cause the arrow rest to rebound into the path of the arrow. 
         [0010]    There is a need for a pull-away arrow rest that completely supports an arrow around the perimeter of the arrow shaft when the bow is fully drawn and retracts rapidly and completely away from the path of the arrow shaft and vanes in a self-centering, radial motion. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    An arrow rest that contains the arrow shaft before, during, and after the shot. To give the archer a precise, accurate shot, pull-away support fingers 120 degrees apart move in a self centering radial motion towards the center of the arrow shaft when the archer draws the bow to full draw and simultaneously pull away from the arrow shaft in a simultaneous radial motion to give complete clearance to the arrow shaft and its vanes or fletching once released from full draw. 
         [0012]    A principle object and advantage of the arrow rest of the present invention is that the support fingers will not bounce or spring back into the flight of the arrow shaft, vanes or fletching due to recoil or spring from the apparatus itself. 
         [0013]    Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is to enable the archer to shoot the bow from a vertical 90 degree, horizontal minus 90 degree or horizontal plus 90 degree position, the horizontal positions being achieved with the self centering radial motion of the support fingers moving in simultaneously to support the entire shaft&#39;s radius. 
         [0014]    Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is that the self centering radial moving support fingers are actuated using the linear motion of the bow string or cable connected to the rest with the use of a rope, string, elastic string, cable, or rigid arm that will not slip and is tied or anchored to the string or cable with a knot, clamp, wrap or weaved method to ensure no slipping can occur once mounted to the string or cable. 
         [0015]    Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is that the support fingers surround the arrow shaft 120 degrees apart with all support fingers moving in a self centering radial linear motion. This motion lifts the arrow and captures the arrow fully to ensure a straight line from the knock point to the center of the arrow rest. Once the arrow is released, the connection device or string moves back towards the actuator or pull arm to release the rest to the relaxed position. This motion releases the support fingers simultaneously in a complete radial linear motion to allow the arrow&#39;s shaft, vanes, or fletching to pass thru the rest without contact. 
         [0016]    Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the arrow rest incorporates vertical up and down, horizontal left and right, forward, and backward adjustment mounts that mount the rest to the bow riser with the use of fasteners. 
         [0017]    Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it also has fine adjustment mechanisms to limit the open diameter and closed diameter to accommodate different diameter arrow shafts. 
         [0018]    Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the actuator arm has the ability to be loosened to adjust the rotation of the arm, thus adjusting the timing of the string or cable to the rest movement. 
         [0019]    Another object and advantage of the present invention is a biasing means to move the rest expediently to the relaxed position from the actuated position. The biasing means is preferably a spring. This spring can be a coiled torsion spring, a linear extension spring, or a compression spring. The spring can be affixed to the internal rotating drive cam, installed around the drive gear shaft, or connected to the rotating actuator arm to drive the support fingers from the actuated position to the relaxed position. 
         [0020]    Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it uses a rotating cam method to move the support fingers in towards the arrow shaft in a self centering radial linear motion. 
         [0021]    Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it uses drive pins mounted within the support fingers that follow rotation geometry of the internal cam to move to the actuated position and to the relaxed position. 
         [0022]    Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it uses a rack and pinion method to drive the cam in a clockwise and counter clockwise rotation to drive the support fingers from the relaxed position to the actuated position and from the actuated position to the relaxed position. 
         [0023]    Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it may include vibration and sound deadening devices to ensure quite and vibration free operation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of an archery bow with the present invention mounted thereon with an arrow at full draw position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a detail of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the arrow rest of the present invention with some internal structure shown in phantom. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the rotating portion of the arrow rest of the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the rotating portion of the present invention, with the arrow rest in the relaxed position, supporting an arrow thereon. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5A  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but shows the arrow rest in the fully extended position (full draw), supporting an arrow around 360 degrees. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the arrow rest in the relaxed position, with some structure cut away to show internal structure. 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a cross-section taken at approximately the lines  7  of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but shows a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 5A , but shows a third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0034]      FIG. 1  illustrates an archery bow with the arrow rest  10  of the present invention attached thereto. 
         [0035]    A compound bow  10  has a riser or frame  20  and a bow string  30 . The riser  20  includes a lower portion  22  with a limb, an upper portion  24  with a limb, and a handle portion  25  with a grip (not shown) connected to and supporting the lower portion  22  and the upper portion  24 . The handle portion  25  has a front surface  32  and an opposite real surface  34 . During shooting with the bow, the front surface  32  is positioned facing the target and the back surface  34  is facing the archer. A ledge or shelf  35  is present above the handle portion  25 . 
         [0036]    The compound bow  10  has a pulley or cam  42  at the end of the lower portion  22  and a pulley or cam  44  at the end of the upper portion  24 . The bowstring  30  extends between the cam  42  and the cam  44 . The cams  42 ,  44  provide a mechanical advantage to the archer when drawing the bowstring  30 . 
         [0037]    The bowstring  30  includes at least two sections  40   a ,  40   b  extending between the cams  42 ,  44 . Bowstring section  40   a  is the section on which an arrow is nocked. On some bows, bowstring section  40   b  is a cable. Mounted on the riser  20  above shelf  35  of the bow  10  is an arrow rest  100 , which supports an arrow  50  while the archer is preparing to shoot. 
         [0038]    While not necessary for the present invention, some compound bows  10  also have a cable guide  52  and a cable slide  54 . As will be further described, the arrow rest  100  of the present invention operates either with or without the cable guide  52  and cable slide  54 . 
         [0039]    As generally illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the arrow rest  100  of the present invention comprises a round, circular or cylindrical support housing or case  110 , with extendable and retractable support fingers  120  moving radially inwards and outwards from the support housing toward the arrow  50 . Any number of support fingers  120  may be used, provided the support fingers cooperate to surround the arrow  50  around its circumference. Most preferably, three support fingers  120  are employed spaced 120 degrees apart. The term “fingers” does not necessarily limit the shape of the elements  120 . 
         [0040]    Again as generally illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the arrow rest  100  of the present invention further comprises a gear housing  130  adjacent to and preferably attached to the support housing  110 . The gear housing  130  encloses and protects the gear mechanism  140 , further described below, that actuates the movement of the support fingers  120 . An actuator lever or arm  185  extends outwardly from the gear housing  130  and engages the gear mechanism  140 . 
         [0041]    Still examining  FIG. 2 , the arrow rest  100  of the present invention further comprises an actuator link  160  attached at one end  162  to the actuator lever or arm  185  and at an opposite end  164  to the bow string  30  or cable  40   b . The actuator link  160  may be a rope, string, elastic string, cable, or rigid arm. The actuator link  160  could be rigidly connected to the cable slide  54 . 
         [0042]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , the arrow rest  100  of the present invention further comprises a mounting bracket  171  attached to the riser  20  of the bow, suitably by fasteners, screws or bolts (not shown). An adjustment portion  172  of bracket  171  allows the arrow rest  100  to be moved toward and away from the bow string  30 . A second adjustment portion  174  allows the arrow rest  100  to be vertically moved toward either the lower arm  22  or the upper arm  24 . A third adjustment portion  176  allows the arrow rest  100  to be moved laterally in a substantially horizontal plane relative to the handle portion  25 , that is, toward or away from the cable guide  52  (if present). 
         [0043]    Still referring to  FIG. 3 , which shows an exploded perspective view of the arrow rest  100 , additional details may be appreciated. The gear mechanism  140  that actuates the movement of the support fingers  120  is shown in phantom as a pinion, gear or toothed wheel  152 . Attached to the pinion, gear or toothed wheel  152  is a driving shaft  162 . A spring  170  appropriately surrounds the driving shaft  162  and is anchored to gear and rotatable connector  165  rotatably mounted on shaft  162 ; The actuator arm  185  captures the connector  165  and is suitably anchored to shaft  162  by fasteners such as set screws  182 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 4  illustrates additional details of the arrow rest  100  of the present invention. The support housing  110  further preferably comprises a hollow circular base  112  and a cover  114 . The cover  114  is attached to the base  112  suitably by fasteners (not shown) engaging apertures  115 ,  116  in the base  112  and cover  114 , respectively. The cover  114  and base  112  also further comprise arrow-receiving slots or gaps  118  and  117 . A central opening  119  is surrounded by support housing  110 . 
         [0045]    Still examining  FIG. 4 , additional details of the operating mechanism may be appreciated. Support fingers  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c  (or a different number of support fingers) move radially within the base  112  toward a central axis  113  of the base  112  within central opening  119 . To facilitate this motion, inwardly-directed projections  122  guide the support fingers  120   a ,  120   b ,  120   c , preferably by slots, guides, or channels  124  therein (also in  FIG. 7 ). One of the support fingers  120  (here finger  120   b ), may further preferably comprise a saddle  126  which supports the arrow  50  from falling away from fingers  120   a ,  120   b  and  120   c  when the bow  10  and arrow  50  are at rest (best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 5A ). 
         [0046]    Turning to  FIG. 5 , the internal structure of the support housing  110  may be further appreciated. The support fingers  120  further comprise pins  180  which are slidingly engaged in cam slots  190  in slide plate  195  rotatably fitted within the base  112  of the support housing  110  suitably lubricated with grease. It will be appreciated that as the pins  180  slide along in the cam slots  190 , the pins are simultaneously forced within channels  124  inwardly and outwardly, toward and away from the central axis  113 , because of the cam-shaped curvature of the slots  190 , at the same time carrying the support fingers  120  with them. As further explained below, the pins  180  are moved within the slots  190  by rotation of the slide plate  195 . 
         [0047]    Rotation of the slide plate  195 , as shown by the arrow in  FIG. 5A , may be accomplished in any suitable way. In the preferred embodiment, cut-outs or rack  200  in the slide plate  195  receive teeth of the pinion gear  152 , which is shown in phantom in  FIGS. 5 and 5A . As the gear or toothed wheel  152  is turned by actuator arm  185 , its teeth engage the cut-outs or rack  200 , which in turn causes the slide plate  195  to rotate within the base  112 . The spring  170  biases the plate  195  so that the pins  180  are held within the slots  190  at the position shown in  FIG. 5  so that the support fingers  120  are retracted away from the central axis  113 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . When the plate  195  is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow in  FIG. 5A , the slots  190  move along the pins  180 , forcing the support fingers inwardly toward the central axis  113 , as shown by the inwardly directed arrows.  FIGS. 6 and 7  show additional structural details. The actuator link or string  160  is connected to the actuator arm or lever  185  in any appropriate manner, but suitably through one of the appropriate actuator arm apertures  187 . Rack  200  and pinion gear  152  are clearly visible here also. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate two different embodiments of fine adjustment or limiter mechanisms to adjust the operation of the arrow rest  100  for different diameter arrows  50 . In  FIG. 8 , a set screw  205  may be provided to engage the support finger  120   b  which has the saddle  172  in order to adjust the height of the arrow  50  in the relaxed position of the rest. This adjustment will lessen the chance of arrow  50  falling off saddle  126  in the rest position. Set screw  210  may be provided to limit the rotation of the plate  195 , which in turn will limit the inward travel of the support fingers  120 .  FIG. 9  illustrates a second embodiment in which one or more of the support fingers  120  has a notch or groove  215 . An arm  220  engages this notch or groove  215 . The position of the arm  220  within the notch or groove  215  may be adjusted by a thumb screw  225 , adjusting the limit of travel of the support fingers  120  inwardly and outwardly. 
         [0049]    Operation of the arrow rest of the present invention will now be described. 
         [0050]    When the archer desires to shoot an arrow  50 , the archer fits the arrow into the rest through the arrow receiving slot  117 ,  118 , as shown by the downwardly pointing dashed arrow in  FIG. 5 . The arrow  50  then rests upon the saddle  126  or bottom support finger  1206 . As the archer draws back the bowstring  40  to full draw as shown in  FIG. 1 , movement of the cable  40   b  causes the actuator link  160  to pull on the actuator arm  185 . This in turn causes movement of the pinion gear or toothed wheel  152 . Movement of the gear  152  against the rack  200  in the rotating slide plate  195  causes the guide pins  180  to move along the guide cam slots  190 . As the guide pins  180  move along the guide cam slots  190  to the position shown in  FIG. 5A , the support fingers  120  are simultaneously forced inward toward the central axis  113 , encompassing, trapping, holding and containing the arrow  40  about 360 degrees of the circumference of the arrow shaft. Once the bowstring has been drawn back to full draw, the orientation of the bow can be changed from vertical to horizontal without any risk of the arrow falling out of the rest. 
         [0051]    When the archer releases the bowstring  40 , the actuator link  160  loses its tension against the actuator arm  185 . The spring  170  then causes the gear  152  to rapidly rotate the rotating slide plate  195  in the opposite direction, causing the guide pins  180  to move back along the guide cam slots  190  and outwardly from the arrow. The support fingers  120  then filly retract, allowing passage of the arrow shaft and fletching without interference. The spring  170  prevents any recoil in the mechanism from causing the support fingers to rebound into the path of the arrow. 
         [0052]    Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law and regulations. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. 
         [0053]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.