Biased move-away arrow rest

An arrow rest rotatably having an arrow support movably mounted with respect to an archery bow. The arrow support can be simultaneously urged in one direction away from an arrow shaft during launch of the arrow shaft, and another portion of the arrow support can be urged in a second direction, toward the arrow shaft. The arrow rest of this invention can be used to accommodate or overcome a spined or bent arrow shaft, such as during initial launch of an arrow from an archery bow.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a move-away or drop-away arrow rest that has an arrow support normally biased away from an arrow shaft mounted in a launch or loaded position, with a portion of the arrow support normally biased towards the arrow shaft when in the launch or loaded position.

2. Discussion of Related Art

When shooting or discharging an arrow from an archery bow, some conventional arrow rests move away or drop away from an arrow shaft when the corresponding arrow is shot or discharged from the archery bow. Different conventional arrow rests move away or are forced away from the arrow shaft by gravitational forces or bias forces. U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,856 teaches a move-away arrow rest that drops vertically away from an arrow shaft.

Some conventional arrow rests that use a bias force to move the arrow rest away from the arrow shaft contact the arrow shaft when in the loaded position. Because many conventional arrow rests maintain contact between the arrow rest and the arrow shaft during launch for enough time to stabilize the flight path of a launched arrow, in some cases, the initial discharge forces acting upon the arrow shaft cause the arrow shaft to bend in a longitudinal direction, such as in a spined or arched manner. There is an apparent need for an arrow rest that compensates for those initial discharge forces and the resulting spined, arched or bent condition of the arrow shaft. Compensating for the arrow shaft deformation that occurs during initial discharge forces can improve flight characteristics of the arrow, particularly through the arrow discharge phase and during arrow flight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of this invention to provide an arrow rest that can move away or drop away from an arrow shaft upon discharge of an arrow from an archery bow.

It is another object of this invention to provide an arrow rest that is normally biased toward the arrow shaft and that is also normally biased away from the arrow shaft.

The above and other objects of this invention are accomplished with a move-away, drop-away or fall-away arrow rest that can accommodate a spined or bent arrow shaft upon initial discharge of the arrow from the archery bow.

In certain embodiments of this invention, at least one element or component of an arrow rest is movably mounted with respect to the archery bow. The arrow rest can be rotatably mounted, slidably mounted or movably mounted in any other manner that allows the arrow rest or arrow support to move away from and/or form non-contact with the arrow shaft upon discharge of the arrow.

In some embodiments of this invention, an arrow support is biased or urged in a first direction away from the arrow shaft, before and/or during launch of the arrow shaft, and at least a portion of the arrow support is biased or urged in a second direction toward the arrow shaft. With the bias forces or their force components acting in two different or opposite directions, the portion of the arrow support can move away from the arrow shaft in order to compensate for, reduce or avoid a bent or spined arrow shaft, a condition that often occurs upon the transfer of discharge forces from a bow string to the arrow shaft.

The portion of the support arm that is normally biased toward the loaded arrow shaft can be added to or combined with other conventional move-away, drop-away and/or fall-away arrow rests. A coil spring, leaf spring or any other suitable bias member or element can be used to produce or accomplish the first bias force and/or the second bias force. In certain embodiments according to this invention, the first bias force and the second bias force may have different magnitudes and/or directions, which can be selected as a function of the desired result and/or different factors that can affect the arrow shaft during discharge from an archery bow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Conventional arrow rests can move away from an arrow shaft during discharge of an arrow from an archery bow. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,634,349 and 6,782,881, the entire teachings of which are incorporated into this specification by reference to each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,634,349 and 6,782,881, teach conventional move-away arrow rests.

As used throughout this specification and in the claims, the terms move-away, fall-away and drop-away are intended to relate to and describe an arrow rest that moves away from or forms non-contact with an arrow shaft when discharged from an archery bow, and the terms are intended to be interchangeable with each other and with other similar terms.

FIG. 1shows a schematic view of arrow rest25with arrow shaft22in a launch or loaded position, according to certain embodiments of this invention. As shown inFIG. 1, arrow rest25has arrow support30that is movably mounted with respect to archery bow20. As shown inFIG. 1, arrow rest25is rotatably or pivotally mounted with respect to archery bow20. Arrow rest25can be moveably mounted to rotate, pivot, slide or move in any other suitable manner, in a linear and/or a non-linear direction, with respect to archery bow20, in order to move arrow support30away from and/or establish non-contact with arrow shaft22, such as upon discharge of arrow shaft22from archery bow20, particularly in direction24as indicated inFIGS. 1 and 10.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,856, the entire teachings of which are incorporated into this specification by reference, discloses a vertical drop arrow rest having an arrow support arm that drops in a straight, non-pivotal and non-rotational path. The arrow rest has an arrow support arm that lifts the arrow from a first, relaxed, position to a second, actuated position when an archer draws the bow string. Upon release of the bow string, the arrow support arm drops, with vertical non-rotational and non-pivotal movement, in a straight line, to return to a relaxed state or position. U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,856 is an example of a conventional move-away arrow rest that can be improved with the arrow support of this invention, for example that is normally biased or urged in a first direction away from the arrow shaft during launch of the arrow shaft while at least a portion of the arrow support is urged in a second direction toward the loaded arrow shaft.

FIGS. 1-8show arrow support30comprising portion31and portion32. In certain embodiments of this invention, portion31is normally biased or forced away from arrow shaft22, such as in a direction indicated by arrow A inFIG. 1.FIG. 1schematically shows portion32normally biased or forced in a direction toward loaded arrow shaft22, the direction of which is indicated by arrow B inFIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 and 2schematically show arrow support30comprising portion32pivotally linked with respect to portion31. However, in other embodiments of this invention, arrow support30may be one piece, with or without different composite components. Arrow support30can comprise any structural arrangement of one or more elements that allow biasing in a first direction, such as shown by arrow A, while portion32is biased in a second direction, such as the direction shown by arrow B. In some embodiments of this invention, when arrow support30is biased or urged in a first direction away from loaded arrow shaft22, at least a portion of arrow support30, such as portion32shown inFIG. 1, is biased or urged in a second direction toward arrow shaft22.

FIG. 2shows bias element35normally biasing, forcing or urging portion32toward arrow shaft22when arrow shaft22is in a loaded position. Bias element35may comprise spring36and/or any other suitable spring or bias member that normally exerts a force against and/or causes movement of portion32of arrow support30.

Some conventional arrow rests are biased in a direction away from a loaded arrow shaft, such as the direction shown by arrow A inFIG. 1, and the bias force can be accomplished in many different ways which are known to those skilled in the art of move-away arrow rests. The resultant bias force in the direction of arrow A can have one or more force components that oppose the magnitude and/or direction of one or more force components corresponding to a resultant bias force acting in the direction of arrow B as shown inFIG. 1. Depending upon the intended use, the two different resultant bias forces or force components can have the same and/or different magnitudes and/or directions.

FIGS. 3 and 4show arrow support30comprising base33which is moveably mounted with respect to archery bow20. As shown inFIGS. 3-8, base33is rotatably and slidably mounted with respect to shaft35. Any other suitable mechanical connection can be used to movably mount base33, arrow rest25and/or arrow support30with respect to each other and/or archery bow20. In some embodiments of this invention, portion32of arrow support30is movably mounted with respect to base33.

As shown inFIG. 8, arrow support30is detachably mounted to, from or with respect to base33, such as with a screwed connection or any other suitable mechanical connection that provides a detachable mounting. Arrow support30can also be secured to or integrated with base33and/or shaft34.

FIGS. 3-5show arrow support30having a fork shaped portion or section that supports arrow shaft22. Arrow support30can have any other suitable shape and/or dimension that provides support for arrow shaft22.

FIG. 9shows arrow rest22comprising link27, which can be connected, secured and/or attached to or with respect to bus cable21of archery bow20. Link27may comprise a cable, a cord, a line, a rod and/or any other flexible and/or rigid element. Link27can function in a manner similar to or the same as described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,881. As bow string23is drawn back, link27can be used to move or draw arrow support30in a direction toward arrow shaft22. A mechanical stop and/or an interference element can be used to limit or stop movement of arrow support30in the direction toward and/or in the direction away from loaded arrow shaft22.

In certain embodiments of this invention, arrow support30can be drawn toward arrow shaft22with enough force to overcome the normally biased force moving portion31away from arrow shaft22. Portion31can be drawn up to any suitable mechanical stop or interference element, such as stop38shown inFIG. 1, that limits or stops further movement of portion31with respect to arrow shaft22. Portion32can then be movably mounted and normally urged in a direction toward arrow shaft22. When arrow shaft22is discharged from archery bow20, with arrow rest25of this invention, portion32of arrow support30can be moved in a direction away from arrow shaft22by the discharge force overcoming the bias force that normally urges portion32toward arrow shaft22. Stop39, as shown inFIG. 1, or any other suitable mechanical stop or interference element can be used to limit movement of portion31, portion32and/or arrow support30away from arrow shaft22.

The combination of portion31and portion32of arrow support30can accommodate and/or prevent arrow shaft22from splined or bent deformation during initial discharge forces transferred upon release of bow string23. Arrow rest25of this invention can act as a flexible or non-rigid member to accommodate or better steer and/or stabilize the flight path of a launched arrow.

The different elements of this invention can be manufactured from any suitable metal and/or non-metal material, and can also include any unitary or composite structure.