Fish harvesting head with arm retraction system

A fish harvesting head is disclosed having one or more barb arms protruding from barb receiving slots in a harvesting body and having an arm retraction system configured to withdraw the barb arms toward the harvesting body for removal of the fish harvesting head from a body. The arm retraction system is configured to allow the barb arms to move between a shooting barb position and a fish retaining barb position. The arm retraction system may also be activated to retain the barb arms against the harvesting body of the fish harvesting head in a fish harvesting head release position, which enables the fish harvesting head to be easily pulled back through a body, such as a fish, after it has been shot. The barb arms may be held in the fish harvesting head release position while all components, including a pierce tip, remain attached to the fish harvesting head.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed generally to fish harvesting systems, and more particularly to tips such as arrowheads usable for bowfishing and spearfishing tips.

BACKGROUND

Bowfishing equipment has been used throughout the years to successfully harvest fish of all varieties. Typically, an arrow used for bowfishing includes an arrowhead with a barb for keeping the fish attached to the arrow once shot. One such example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,637. The '637 patent discloses a bowfishing arrowhead formed from a tip with a rotatable barb. The rotatable barb is confined in a hole in the arrowhead and is not removable. The bowfishing head of the '637 patent also includes a threaded tip. The tip may be placed into position to prevent rotation of the barb. It is often time consuming to remove the tip to release the fish from an arrow shaft or spear shaft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A fish harvesting head is disclosed having one or more barb arms protruding from barb receiving slots in a harvesting body and having an arm retraction system configured to withdraw the barb arms toward the harvesting body for removal of the fish harvesting head from a body, which may be, but is not limited to being, a fish, alligator, or the like, is disclosed. The arm retraction system is configured to allow the barb arms to move between a shooting barb position and a fish retaining barb position. The arm retraction system may also be activated to retain the barb arms partially within the harvesting body of the fish harvesting head in a fish harvesting head release position, which enables the fish harvesting head to be easily pulled back through a body, such as a fish, after it has been shot. The barb arms may be held in the fish harvesting head release position while all components, including a distal pierce tip, remain attached to the fish harvesting head, thereby reducing, if not eliminating, the likelihood of losing the tip or other components of the fish harvesting head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown inFIGS. 1-19, a fish harvesting head10is disclosed having one or more barb arms12protruding from barb receiving slots14in a harvesting body16and having an arm retraction system18configured to withdraw the barb arms12toward the harvesting body16for removal of the fish harvesting head10from a body is disclosed. The arm retraction system18may be configured to allow the barb arms12to move between a shooting barb position20, as shown inFIGS. 4-6, and a fish retaining barb position22, as shown inFIGS. 7-9. The arm retraction system18may also be activated to retain the barb arms12partially within the harvesting body16of the fish harvesting head10in a fish harvesting head release position24, as shown in FIGS.10and11, which enables the fish harvesting head10to be easily pulled back through a body, such as a fish, after it has been shot. The barb arms12may be held in the fish harvesting head release position while all components, including a distal pierce tip26, remain attached to the fish harvesting head10, thereby reducing, if not eliminating, the likelihood of losing the tip26or other components of the fish harvesting head10.

In at least one embodiment, the fish harvesting head10may include a harvesting body16having a forward portion28and a rear portion30, wherein the rear portion30includes a rear connection device32for attachment to a shaft33. The shaft33may be, but is not limited to being, an arrow shaft, a spearfishing shaft or a harpoon shaft. The rear portion30may include a releasable connection system for releasably connecting the rear portion fish harvesting head10to a shaft33. The releasably connection system may be any appropriate system, such as, but not limited to, threads.

The fish harvesting head10may also include one or more barb receiving slots14positioned in the forward portion28of the harvesting body16. In other embodiments, one or more barb receiving slots14may extend into the rear portion30. The barb receiving slot14may extend along the harvesting body16and may include an opening34in an outer surface36of the harvesting body16through which a portion of a barb arm12protrudes. The barb receiving slot14may have a width that is larger than a width of the barb arm12. In at least one embodiment, the barb receiving slot14may be scalloped on either side, or both sides of the barb arm12. Such configuration enables the barb arm12to be pushed into the fish harvesting head release position24where the barb arm12is withdrawn to the harvesting body16even if there is debris, tissue or the like in the barb receiving slot14. As the barb arm12is withdrawn into the barb receiving slot14, the debris and tissue are forced from the barb receiving slot14into the scalloped areas on each side of the barb receiving slot14. The curved surfaces forming the barb receiving slot14do not retain debris and tissue, but allow the debris and tissue to be pushed out of the barb receiving slot14.

The fish harvesting head10may include one or more barb arms12protruding from at least one barb receiving slot14, and in at least one embodiment, protruding from each barb receiving slot14. The barb arm12may have one or more inner ends38, as shown inFIG. 16, attached to the harvesting body16in the barb receiving slot14, as shown inFIG. 1, via at least one connector40extending from a first receiver42in a first side44of the barb receiving slot14, through an orifice46in the barb arm12, and into a second receiver48in a second side50of the barb receiving slot14. The barb arm12may pivot between a shooting barb position20, as shown inFIG. 4-6, where the barb arms12may be between about 5 degrees and 20 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis50of the harvesting body16and a fish retaining barb position22, as shown inFIGS. 7-9, that may be generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis50of the harvesting body16.

The barb arms12may have any appropriate configuration enabling the arms12from moving between the shooting barb position20to the fish retaining barb position22. In at least one embodiment, the barb arm12may have an inner section52with the orifice46usable to attach the barb arm to the harvesting body16and an outer section54extending outwardly from a distal end of the inner section52. The inner section52and outer section54may have longitudinal axes56,58, respectively, that are nonparallel. In at least one embodiment, the longitudinal axis58of the outer section54may be offset between about two degrees and about twenty degrees. The barb arms12may be separated by about 120 degrees about the longitudinal axis50of the harvesting body16.

The fish harvesting head10may include one or more arm retraction systems18configured to withdraw the barb arm12toward the harvesting body16for removal of the fish harvesting head10from a body. In at least one embodiment, the arm retraction system18may be configured to withdraw the barb arm12at least partially into the harvesting body16for removal of the fish harvesting head10from a body. The arm retraction system18may be configured to withdraw at least one half of the barb arm12in retained within the barb receiving slot14. In another embodiment, the arm retraction system18may be configured to withdraw a distal tip of the barb arm60within 0.05 inch of the outer surface of the harvesting body16. In certain embodiments, the arm retraction system18may be configured to withdraw a distal tip60of the barb arm12at least partially within the barb receiving slot14.

The arm retraction system18may also include a barb position control shaft62positioned within a cavity63in the harvesting body16, as shown inFIGS. 6, 9 and 11, a barb engaging device64in communication with the barb position control shaft62, as shown inFIGS. 6, 9 and 11, a deployable edge region66of the barb arm12and a withdrawal edge region68of the barb arm12, as shown inFIG. 16, wherein the barb engaging device64contacts the withdrawal edge68of the barb arm12to withdraw the barb arm12toward the harvesting body16. The barb engaging device64may contact the withdrawal edge68of the barb arm12to withdraw the barb arm12toward the harvesting body16via axial movement of the barb engaging device64against the withdrawal edge68of the barb arm12.

The fish harvesting head10may include one or more distal piercing tips26releasably attached to a distal end70of the harvesting body16. The distal piercing tip26may prevent rotation of the barb arms12forward beyond a generally orthogonal position relative to the longitudinal axis50of the harvesting body16. The barb position control shaft62may extend proximally from the distal piercing tip26such that axial movement of the distal piercing tip26moves the barb position control shaft62and barb engaging device64. The fish harvesting head10may include a releasable connection device72, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, for removably securing the distal piercing tip to the harvesting body16. In one embodiment, the releasable connection device72for removably securing the distal piercing tip26to the harvesting body16comprises at least one thread configured to threadably secure the distal piercing tip26to the harvesting body16and configured to enable axial movement of the barb position control shaft62. The distal pierce tip26may include a shaft receiving chamber76, as shown inFIGS. 16 and 18, for receiving a portion of the barb position control shaft62to attach the barb position control shaft62to the distal pierce tip26. The barb position control shaft62may be attached to the distal pierce tip26in any appropriate means, such as, but not limited to, a slotted spring pin, a roll pin or a weldment.

The fish harvesting head10may include one or more tip retainers74, as shown inFIG. 3, positioned for preventing the distal pierce tip26from being unintentionally released from the harvesting body16. In at least one embodiment, the tip retainer74may be, but is not limited to being, a piece of surgical tubing. The tip retainer74may be placed over the barb position control shaft62such that the tip retainer74is between the harvesting body16and the distal pierce tip26to prevent the distal pierce tip26from becoming loose, such as by vibrating loose.

When a barb arm12is positioned in a full retracted position, the fish harvesting head release position24, with the barb arm12withdrawn towards the harvesting body16, the deployable edge66of the barb arm12may be positioned closer to a longitudinal axis50of the harvesting body16than the withdrawal edge68of the barb arm12. The withdrawal edge68of the barb arm12may be recessed into the harvesting body16further than the deployable edge66of the barb arm12. The barb engaging device64may be attached to the barb position control shaft62such that the barb engaging device64includes a barb78configured to contact at least a portion of the withdrawal edge68of the barb arm12. The barb engaging device64may be attached to the barb position control shaft62such that the barb engaging device64includes a barb78that is sized to mesh with a barb80at the withdrawal edge68of the barb arm12. The barb78of the barb engaging device64may extend around the barb position control shaft62. As shown inFIGS. 1-3 and 7, the barb arm12may include a plurality of barb arms12, each positioned within a barb receiving slot12and each barb80including a withdrawal edge68configured to mate with the barb78of the barb engaging device64on the barb position control shaft62.

The fish harvesting head10may be placed into an assembly/disassembly position86, as shown inFIGS. 12 and 13, in which the barb position control shaft62together with the barb engaging device64attached to an end of the barb position control shaft62may be inserted into the harvesting body16and past the location at which the barb arms12are attached to the barb position control shaft62. The barb arms12may include an arm retraction assembly region88configured to enable the barb engaging device64attached to an end of the barb position control shaft62to be inserted into the harvesting body16and past the location at which the barb arms12are attached to the barb position control shaft62. In at least one embodiment, as shown inFIG. 16, the arm retraction assembly region88may be formed from a linear edge positioned radially inward of the orifice46in the barb arm12. The barb position control shaft62together with the barb engaging device64attached to an end of the barb position control shaft62may be removed from the harvesting body16and past the location at which the barb arms12are attached to the barb position control shaft62by placing each of the barb arms12in an assembly/disassembly position86, as shown inFIGS. 12 and 13, which places the linear edge of the arm retraction assembly region88generally parallel with the longitudinal axis50of the harvesting body16.

The fish harvesting head10may be placed into a backup withdrawal position90, as shown inFIG. 14, such that the fish harvesting head10may be removed from a body, such as a fish, alligator, target, or other material or tissue in situations where the barb arms12cannot be placed in the fish harvesting head release position24. As shown inFIG. 14, the distal pierce tip26may be removed from the harvesting body16, thereby enabling the barb arms12to be rotated past an orthogonal position to form an obtuse angle with the longitudinal axis50of the harvesting body16. Such obtuse angle of the barb arms12enables the fish harvesting head10to be removed from a body.