Archery alignment device and method of use

An archery bow alignment mechanism is disclosed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mechanism for improving the alignment of an archery bow.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Even an expert archer can sometimes introduce twist, skew, and camber into their sighting when they pull the bow string. Consequently, a method and apparatus for improving archery alignment is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for improving accuracy when using an archery bow, including a bracket, attachable to the body of an archery bow at a user-configurable location; a plurality of alignment pins located within said bracket at a user-configurable depth and height; and an alignment gauge, for positioning the depth of said pins in accordance with an offset of a string of the archery bow.

These and other objects of the invention will become readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention utilizes both alignment pins and an alignment gauge and is indented to assist an archer in shooting a bow effectively. The present invention achieves this by assisting an archer in avoiding skew or twist into their pullback and release motion while operating the bow.

FIG. 1shows a side view of the bracket104while attached to a bow. As shown inFIG. 1, to use the present invention, it is necessary to attach the bracket104containing the forward and rear alignment pins108fand108rto the center of the bow100. Most bows come equipped with threaded insertion points for attaching an arrowrest. The bracket104makes use of these standard insertion points, so that the present invention requires no alteration to the bow.

The bracket104is thus mounted between the arrowrest and the body of the bow100. As shown inFIGS. 8A-8D, the brackets104have a variety of holes and apertures for accommodating the differing surfaces and insertion points of a variety of bows.

After attaching the bracket104, it is necessary to insert the forward and rear alignment pins108fand108rat a specific depth into the bracket104. This depth corresponds to the offset of the bowstring112, as shown inFIGS. 2A-2Cand4. Once the alignment pins108f,108rare installed, it is necessary to check the protrusion or depth of those pins by using a gauge (not shown inFIGS. 1-4). Only after this process has been completed is it possible to take advantage of the improved accuracy of the present invention.

With every different bow, the strings all have an offset from the body of a bow, although the size of that offset varies. It is thus necessary for an archer to compensate for these offsets, and to be sure their shooting window is true and square. Using the present invention, an archer can make modifications to any bow that may occur from her twisting or torsion during pulling of the bowstring. The present invention thus assists the archer in providing feedback in keep the bow straight and properly aligned, and thus helps improve shooting accuracy.

Not all bows are the same or have the same characteristics. If the bow string has an offset, it can be helpful for to the archer to allow for this offset when aiming their bow. To accomplish this, the archer views the sight lines along the alignment pins108fand108r, which must protrude exactly the same distance from the bracket104. However, to be sure the alignment pins108fand108rare indeed both installed to the correct depth, it is necessary to use an alignment pin gauge.

The present invention comes with two alignment pin gauges, a small and a large. The smaller gauge500(FIG. 5) measures the protrusion of the alignment pins108fand108ras they are attached to the bracket104. Although the smaller gauge500is about the size of a typical ruler, a ruler would not be satisfactory to perform the measurements required. This is because the measurement lines on a ruler are transverse to the body of a bow. Instead, the smaller gauge500has lines that run its entire length, and are parallel with the body of a bow.

The larger gauge600,700(FIGS. 6,7) attaches not only to the alignment pins108fand108r, but also touches the bowstring112either while pulled back, or not. To use the larger gauge600,700, the archer must be assisted by another person. While the bow string112is pulled back by the archer, a second person attaches the larger gauge to the alignment pins108fand108rbut also the bow string112. The second person positioning the sliding block604to flatly abut against the body of the bow near the bow string while pulled back, and then determines the offset of the bowstring112while at the pulled back stage. The user can then adjust the depth of the alignment pins108fand108rto match this offset.

It is possible, however, to successfully operate the present invention without using the larger alignment gauges600,700. These act merely as a check, or means of ensuring the accuracy of the shorter alignment gauge500.

FIGS. 2A-2Cshow a front view of the bracket104and bow ofFIG. 1.FIGS. 2A-2Cassume that the pins108fand108rwithin the bow have been properly calibrated.

FIGS. 2A-2Cshow an example of a bow from the point of view of an archer, with bowstring112already pulled back and the archer attempting to sight on a target. InFIG. 2A, the bow is mis-aligned both from a right-left standpoint, but also from an up-down standpoint. The result will be an arrow that misses the target.FIGS. 2A and 2Balso show alignment problems that would be hard for an archer to notice unless they have the present invention installed.

The right-left error ofFIG. 2Awill be addressed first. Once the archer is aware of having introduced error or skew into their pullback of the bowstring112, that archer can re-align her bow to center their sighting. An example of this is shown inFIG. 2B, which shows how the alignment pins108fand108rare perfectly flush with, but do not extend past, the bowstring112.

However,FIG. 2Balso shows that the archer still has an up-down problem with their sighting. To address this, the archer can adjust her bow until the forward and rear alignment pins108fand108rare properly aligned. However, using the up-down adjustment of the present invention is secondary, as many archers vary the up-down positioning of their bow in order to allow for gravity and distance of the shot. In such a case, its possible that the archer will not want to evenly align the alignment pins108fand108r, but instead may wish to have some separation.

To further illustrate this,FIG. 3shows a front view of a first embodiment of the present invention, but also with an elevation adjustment bracket and pins attached. The present invention works in conjunction with and does not conflict with elevation adjustment mechanisms. An archer who is familiar with elevation adjustment pins will likely have less difficulty understanding the value and utility of the present invention. However, the present invention is useful whether elevation adjustment mechanisms are used or not. Thus,FIG. 4shows how the sight-lines of the elevation adjustment mechanisms do not interfere with or conflict with the alignment pins108fand108r.

FIG. 5shows a smaller alignment gauge500not attached to the bracket104. The numbers on the surface of the gauge500assist the archer in determining how deep to place the pins108fand108ron the bracket104. The pins108fand108rare laterally inserted into the bracket104, at a depth intended to fit flush with the offset of the bowstring112, as depicted inFIGS. 2 and 4. Depending on where the bracket104is located upon the bow100, it is necessary to push or pull the pins108fand108rto extrude at various distances from the bracket104. As stated, it is desired to match the pins108fand108rwith the offset of the bow string, as well as with each other. This is accomplished by using the numbers on the side of the gauge500,600,700.

FIG. 6shows a first embodiment of a longer gauge600which requires two people to operate. To operate the alignment gauge600inFIG. 6, it is necessary for a first user to pull the bow back, and then have a second person attach the gauge600to the bow, alignment pins108fand108r, and also the bow string112. This is because one way to determine the actual offset of a bowstring is by measuring that offset while the string is pulled back. The sliding block604assists the user in determining the offset of the bowstring112, and then adjusting the depth of the alignment pins108fand108rto that offset.

InFIG. 6there are also rotating rods608attached to the long alignment gauge600. These rods608have numbers so that a distance between the body and the offset of bowstring112can be visually determined and then remembered. This is because the user must set down the gauge600in order to then make adjustments to the pins108fand108r. The rods608are also on a swivel so that they can be moved out of the way when the gauge600is being used for other purposes.

FIG. 7shows an alternate embodiment of the long alignment gauge700. This embodiment also has a sliding block604, as well as a rounded dowel-like body, but uses only a single rotating rod708.

FIGS. 8A-8Dshows a variety of different types of brackets104that hold and support alignment pins.FIGS. 8A-8Dshows four different suggested embodiments of the bracket104of the present invention. However, the suggestions inFIG. 8A-8Dare for exemplary purposes only, so that the present invention should not be considered as limited exclusively thereto. Other types of styles and shapes are also contemplated within the scope of the invention. Separate brackets104are needed, due to the large variety of bows in existence. As stated, different bows each require different types of accommodations.

Where alignment pins are located within a bracket104is also important. The tilt and angle of the bow100creates the necessity of some flexibility of how a user can install the bracket104. The important thing is the effective straight horizontal arrangement of the alignment pins108fand108rbe achieved. How the archer achieves this straightness is left up to the installer of the bracket104. Thus, that explains the variety of possible holes in the brackets ofFIGS. 8A-8D. With a variety of possible holes, both for mounting as well as for pins, the installer is not constrained by the specific bracket104, and can achieve an effective horizontal alignment.

The archer can modify how he is holding and pulling the bow while sighting along the alignment pins108fand108r. The archer can turn the bow handle to be in more true and accurate alignment, so there is no skew, or twist, or camber in the way they are holding the bow.

Even experienced archers may hold a bow in a different way each time they shoot. Without the alignment pins of the present invention, even an experienced archer may not notice that they are introducing unwanted skew, twist, or camber into the way they hold the bow.

The alignment gauges, both smaller500and larger600,700, cannot be used on a bow that is not equipped with the brackets104of the present invention. This is because no pins108fand108rwould be available to give an indication of the skew or twist.

One way in determining the inaccuracy of to use of the bow is to measure the alignment while the bow is being held but the string is not being pulled back. Afterwards, a user can measure the alignment while the bow string is pulled back. This difference will help show the archers inaccuracies in their shooting forms that they introduce themselves.

The various aspects of the present invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein. It is anticipated that various changes may be made in the arrangement and operation of the system of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.