Wide angle arrowhead

A wide angle arrowhead which is light weight, and which has minimal structure and surface area to decreased arrowhead weight, surface area and drag to increase performance of an arrow to which it is attached. A blade cutting edge of the wide angle arrowhead maintains an interior angle relationship to the centerline of an arrow shaft where such relationship can be fashioned to have one interior angular relationship within a specified angular range. Also, drag is minimized by the utilization of a thin ground blade cutting edge, an additional benefit of which is the decreasing of the cutting edge bluntness, thereby enhancing easy target penetration.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of archery, and more particularly, relates to an arrowhead having a wide angle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Archers have long sought out an arrow which would outperform other arrows. Performance of an arrow is influenced by weight, component surface area, surfaces having parasitic drag, stabilization techniques, structure and other such considerations. One area of constant consideration and change is the arrowhead which is located at the front portion of an arrow. Often, the structure of an arrowhead is such that complex surfaces and devices composing the arrowhead are included, thereby not only adding weight to the arrow but also diminishing aerodynamic qualities of the arrowhead due to a multiplicity of drag causing surfaces. Such drag causing surfaces can be cutouts which beneficially lighten the weight of the arrow but which unwittingly create drag far more detrimental to flight than the benefit to flight derived by weight reduction. Of course, increased drag and increased weight are detrimental to suitable flight characteristics of an arrow, especially with respect to distance. Increased drag may also be found in a high penetration minimum profile narrow angle arrowhead which is elongated and has a narrow angle of leading edge cutting surface with respect to the centerline of the arrow shaft due to the abundance of surface area. Such an elongated arrowhead may also be of such weight as to be detrimental to the length of flight and trajectory of the arrow.

The present invention provides an arrowhead of minimum surface area and drag and of minimum weight to benefit the flight characteristics of an arrow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The general purpose of the present invention is to provide an arrowhead, and more particularly, an arrowhead which is light weight and which has minimal structure and surface area.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a wide angle arrowhead including suitable structure for mounting of a plurality of blades to a mounting fixture and suitable structure for mounting of the wide angle arrowhead to the forward portion of an arrow. The mounting fixture is a one-piece construction and includes a chisel point and a rearward facing circular recess for capture of the forward portion of one or more cutting blades, a first shaft portion extending from the circular recess against which the base edge at the lower portion of each blade aligns, an annular and slotted beveled ring juxtaposing the first shaft portion, the slots of which accommodate the base edges at the lower portions of the arrow blades, a second and larger slotted shaft portion, the slots of which are extensions of the slots in the annular and slotted beveled ring and which also accommodate the base edges at the lower portions of the arrow blades and a threaded shaft portion extending from the larger slotted shaft portion which is utilized to mount the mounting fixture and arrow blades, i.e., the entire wide angle arrowhead, to the arrow shaft. Each blade includes a blade capture protrusion at the rearwardly located trailing edge which is captured by a mounting ferrule. The blades are formed to have minimum structure and reduced drag surfaces and to have a low ratio of blade cutting edge length to blade trailing edge length where the interior angle between the blade cutting edge of the blades is at a relatively wide angle with respect to the centerline or longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft. Where many common arrowhead blades have a relationship where the interior angle of the blade cutting edge to the arrow shaft centerline angle is in the range of 10° to slightly less than 45°, the present invention has a blade cutting edge to arrow shaft centerline interior wide angle which can range from an interior wide angle of 45° to an interior wide angle of 75°. Also, drag is minimized by the utilization of a thin ground leading blade cutting edge, an additional benefit of which is the decreasing of the cutting edge bluntness, thereby enhancing easy target penetration.

One significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a wide angle arrowhead having a wide blade cutting edge to arrow shaft centerline interior angle.

Another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is an arrowhead which contributes to and improves flight characteristics of an arrow.

Yet another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a wide angle arrowhead having minimal weight.

Still another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a wide angle arrowhead having minimal drag.

A further significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a wide angle arrowhead utilizing a wide and thin ground leading blade cutting edge for drag reduction.

A still further significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a wide angle arrowhead having a low blade cutting edge to blade trailing edge ratio.

Having mentioned various aspects and features of the present invention, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a wide angle arrowhead.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is an isometric view of a wide angle arrowhead10, the present invention, andFIG. 2is an exploded isometric view of the wide angle arrowhead10. For purposes of example and illustration, the wide angle arrowhead10includes three blades, although different numbers of blades could be incorporated. With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, the invention is now described starting generally at the forward portion of a mounting fixture12. The mounting fixture12, preferably a one-piece structure, forms the wide angle arrowhead10in part and accommodates other components comprising the instant invention. A chisel point14is located at the forward region of the mounting fixture12. An angled rearwardly facing circular recess16is located at the junction of the rearward facing portion of the chisel point14and a first shaft portion18which is smooth and uninterrupted. A beveled ring20, which is annular and which is slotted, is located adjacent to the first shaft portion18between the first shaft portion18and a second shaft portion22. A plurality of slots24a-24nextend continuously along and are recessed into the second shaft portion22and also extend continuously along and through the beveled ring20parallel to the centerline of the mounting fixture12. The mounting fixture12also includes a threaded shaft portion26extending in a rearward direction from the beveled ring20for accommodation by the forward region of an arrow shaft (not shown).

A plurality of blades28a-28nalign and secure in the slots24a-24n,respectively, which extend as previously described along the second shaft portion22and the beveled ring20. Each blade28a-28nhas a blade base edge30, a blade cutting edge32, a blade trailing edge34, a rearwardly located blade capture protrusion36which preferably is angled extending rearwardly from the junction of the blade trailing edge34and the blade base edge30, and a forwardly placed blade capture point38being the apex of the blade base edge30and the blade cutting edge32. The blade base edge30also aligns to the first shaft portion18and the blade capture point38aligns to and is captured by the inwardly beveled circular recess16at the rearwardly facing portion of the chisel point14. The rearwardly located blade capture protrusion36of each blade28a-28nextends into the slots24a-24nand bridges the junction between the slots24a-24nat the second shaft portion22and the rearward portion of the beveled ring20and is in intimate contact with a configured ferrule40, preferably having an interior bevel44(FIG. 4) complementary to the blade capture protrusion36. The ferrule40is forced against the blade capture protrusions36during attachment of an arrow shaft42, as shown in FIG.4.

FIG. 3is a front view of the wide angle arrowhead10illustrating the alignment of the blades about the centerline of the wide angle arrowhead10.

FIG. 4is a side view of the wide angle arrowhead10in use with and secured to an arrow shaft42(shown in phantom) where the threaded shaft portion26of the wide angle arrowhead10engages the interior of the arrow shaft42. Shown in particular is the capture of the blade28aby forced engagement of the blade28ainto intimate contact with the circular recess16of the chisel point14and with the interior bevel44of the ferrule40, such as described in relation toFIGS. 1 and 2. The capture of the blades28bthrough28nis accomplished in the same manner.

FIG. 5illustrates the wide angle arrowhead10and the angular relationship of the blade cutting edge32to the centerline48of the arrow shaft42. A wide angle46, which is an interior angle, is shown between the blade cutting edge32and the centerline48and is illustrated as a 50° angle for purposes of example and illustration, but can be an angle included in a range as shown and described later in detail. Also, a dashed line representing the forward region of the blade cutting edge32is extended therefrom for added visual reference with respect to visualization of the wide angle46formed between the blade cutting edge32and the centerline48of the arrow shaft42.

Additionally shown for comparison is a dashed outline of a narrow angle blade50and a dashed outline chisel point52in combination therewith and which could be attached to the arrow shaft42in a similar fashion superimposed over a wide angle blade28aand chisel point14illustrating the blade area difference of the configuration of a wide angle arrowhead10using blade28awith respect to a narrow angle blade50. The narrow angle blade, such as blade50, is a blade having an interior angle less than 45°, such as shown by interior angle54. As can be seen in the illustration, the total surface area of the narrow angle blade50is significantly more than the total surface area of the wide angle blade28a,whereby the extra surface creates extra drag where such drag is detrimental to efficient arrow flight. The use of wide angle blades, such as blade28a,having less surface area and less drag enhances and improves flight characteristics of an arrow. The extra physical weight of the narrow angle blade50is also detrimental to efficient arrow flight. The use of wide angle blades, such as blade28a,being of less weight than a narrow angle blade50, enhances and improves flight characteristics of an arrow. The use of the narrow angle blade50also requires that the length of the first shaft portion18be longer than that required when using wide angle blades, such as blade28a,and, accordingly, this is also detrimental to efficient arrow flight due to additional weight.

FIG. 6is a side view of a wide angle arrowhead10ashowing one angular limit end of the range of configurations of blades, where blades28a-28nhave been replaced by blades56a-56nhaving the same enumerated feature nomenclature but where the blade cutting edge32of the wide angle blade56aforms an interior wide angle58of 45°, a limit, between the blade cutting edge32and the centerline48of the arrow shaft42.

FIG. 7is a side view of a wide angle arrowhead10bshowing another angular limit end of the range of configurations of blades, where blades28a-28nhave been replaced by blades60a-60nhaving the same enumerated feature nomenclature but where the blade cutting edge32of the wide angle blade60aforms an interior wide angle62of 75°, a limit, between the blade cutting edge32and the centerline48of the arrow shaft42. As the interior wide angle increases, the length of the first shaft portion18may be decreased, thereby reducing weight further to increase arrow flight performance.FIGS. 6 and 7illustrate a range of limits between the interior wide angle58of 45° and the interior wide angle62of 75°, respectively.

Various modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the apparent scope thereof.