Abstract:
A bow support for holding an archery bow relative to a support structure is provided. The bow support includes a support structure mount for mounting the bow support to the support structure. The support structure when mounted to the support structure may be removed from the rest of the bow support.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to provisional application Ser. No. 61/408,165 filed Oct. 29, 2010, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a device for supporting an archery bow and more particularly to a bow holder for supporting a bow in a manner which allows quick access to the bow. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    While bow hunting, many hunters position themselves where game is likely to pass. While the hunter waits for the game to pass by, it is inconvenient for him to hold an archery bow at the ready. Instead, the hunter may need his hands free in order to perform animal calls or other tasks. 
         [0004]    Therefore, it is desirable for the hunter to either rest his bow on the ground or on a support. Various attempts at providing bow supports have been made. Yet problems remain. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Therefore, it is a primary object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide an improved bow holder. 
         [0006]    It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a bow holder with a hook from which a bow may hang, which allows the hunter to position the hook in a desired position. 
         [0007]    It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a bow holder which may be easily and conveniently attached and detached from a support structure such as a tree. 
         [0008]    One or more of these and/or other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow. No single embodiment need exhibit each or every one of these objects, features, or advantages. Different embodiments may achieve different objects, features, or advantages. 
         [0009]    According to one aspect of the present invention, a bow support for holding an archery bow relative to a support structure is provided. The bow support includes a support structure mount for mounting the bow support to the support structure, the support structure mount at a first end of the bow support. There is a hook at a second end of the bow support, the second end opposite the first end. There are also a plurality of arms between the support structure and the hook wherein a first of the plurality of arms is connected to the support structure mount and a last of the plurality of arms is connected to the hook and adjacent arms within the plurality of arms are pivotally connected together. 
         [0010]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a method to support a bow is provided. The method includes providing a bow support and mounting the bow support to a support structure using a support structure mount. 
         [0011]    According to one aspect of the present invention, a bow support for holding an archery bow relative to a support structure is provided. The bow support includes a support structure mount for mounting the bow support to the support structure. The bow support further includes a first arm operatively connected to the support structure mount, a second arm pivotally connected to the first arm, a third arm pivotally connected to the second arm, and a hook pivotally connected relative to the third arm. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a bow holder where a detachable mounting stud is used to attach the bow holder to a tree. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates the bow holder in a collapsed position without the anchor support which may be left in a tree. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates the anchor support and the process of inserting the anchor support into the rest of the bow holder. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates the bow holder in a collapsed position with the anchor support. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates the bow holder in an expanded position with the anchor support not attached. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  illustrates the bow holder in a collapsed position with the anchor support attached. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  illustrates an alternative tree mount for the bow holder. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  illustrates a bow holder which uses the alternative tree mount of  FIG. 7  and in a collapsed position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  illustrates the bow holder mounted to a tree using the alternative tree mount of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  illustrates the bow holder with the alternative tree mount of  FIG. 7  and in an expanded position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  illustrates another bow holder where a detachable mounting stud is used to attach the bow holder to a tree. 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  illustrates the bow holder of  FIG. 11  in a collapsed position without the anchor support which may be left in a tree. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  illustrates the bow holder in a collapsed position with the anchor support. 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  illustrates the bow holder in an expanded position with the anchor support not attached. 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  illustrates the bow holder in a collapsed position with the anchor support attached. 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  illustrates the bow holder in an expanded position while using the alternative tree mount. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 1  a tree  10  is shown along with a tree stand  12  operatively connected to the tree  10  such as a hunter may typically use. Two examples of support structure mounts in the form of anchor supports  14  are shown. Each anchor support  14  has a screw  16  at its tip so that the anchor may be secured to the tree  10 . Each anchor support  14  further includes an extension  18  between the screw  16  and a connecting member  20 . In one embodiment, the connecting member  20  connects to an arm  24  of the bow support  40  using a button  22 . This allows the anchor support  14  to be removably connected with the bow support  40  so that the anchor support  14  may be left in the tree when the hunter is gone. 
         [0029]    The bow support  40  further includes a first arm  24  pivotally connected at pivot  26  to a second arm  28 . The second arm  28  may be pivotally connected at pivot  30  to a third arm  32 . The third arm  32  may be pivotally connected at pivot point  34  to support member  36  from which a hook  38  extends. A bow may be held on hook  38 . Because the support member  36  is pivotally connected to the third arm  32 , the hunter is able to set the hook  38  so that it is perfectly parallel to the hunter so as to allow the hunter to keep the bow pointing directly at the hunter. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  illustrates the bow holder  40  in a collapsed position without the anchor support which may be left in a tree. Thus, once a hunter secures the anchor support to a tree, they may leave the anchor support at the tree and take the bow holder  40  with them. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  illustrates the anchor support and the process of inserting the anchor support into the rest of the bow holder. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a button  22  and buttonhole  25  configuration may be used to secure the anchor support  24  to the first arm  24  of the bow support  40 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  illustrates the bow holder in a collapsed position with the anchor support. 
         [0033]      FIG. 5  illustrates the bow holder in an expanded position with the anchor support not attached. Note that the hook  38  of  FIG. 5  is of a different shape then the hook of  FIG. 4 . The present invention contemplates different sizes and shapes for the hook  38 .  FIG. 6  illustrates the bow holder in a collapsed position with the anchor support attached. 
         [0034]      FIG. 7  illustrates an alternative support structure mount for the bow holder. In the alternative of  FIG. 7 , a tree mount  50  has a plurality of loop holes  54  and a support member  56  with an opening  52 . As shown in the system  60  of  FIG. 8 , a support rod  58  is inserted through the opening  52  into the support member  56  and may then be pressed downward and locked in place. Thus, the bow support may supported by the tree mount  50 .  FIG. 9  illustrates one example of how the tree mount  50  may be operatively connected to a tree  10  using a belt in the form of a strap, rope, or cable, which is inserted through belt loops  54 .  FIG. 10  illustrates the bow holder in an expanded configuration where it has not yet been inserted into the tree mount  50 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 11  through  FIG. 15  illustrates an alternative embodiment where the bow holder includes fewer arms. The bow holder  14  shown in  FIG. 11  through  FIG. 15  has the arm  24  of the bow support pivotally connected at pivot point  26  to arm  32 . Thus, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that a different number of arms may be used. 
         [0036]    Instead of the tree mount  50  as shown, the present invention contemplates various alternatives. For example, in the embodiment shown, the tree mount is fixedly connected to the first arm. The tree mount may be rotatably connected to the first arm instead. This may be achieved in various ways, such as by allowing the support rod to rotate freely or by providing teeth or grooves defining a series of positions, similarly a thumbscrew type configuration could be used to connect the tree mount with the first arm in a manner that allows for rotation. 
         [0037]    Although various embodiments, variations, options, and alternatives have been discussed, it is to be appreciated that the present invention contemplates differences in structure, materials, sizes, shapes, and geometries. Thus, the present invention is not to be limited to any preferred embodiment discussed herein.