Abstract:
An adaptable vane protector comprises a support member for holding a sheath and a mounting arrangement for removably attaching said support member and sheath to a bow. The sheath may enclose vanes of arrows for protecting said vanes from outside elements and for camouflaging the vanes while in a wilderness environment. The mounting arrangement and support member are adjustably attachable to a bow for accommodating different sizes of arrows, different shapes of bows, and different postures of various users, for example. The sheath may include a camouflage pattern thereon and may comprise internal frame members and bumpers for providing additional rigidity to the sheath and for protecting the sheath from wear and tear.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present disclosure claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 on the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/304,868, filed on Feb. 16, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to archery implements, and more particularly, to a covering for a vane or vanes of arrows stored in a quiver or elsewhere on a bow. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Archers use quivers to store a supply of arrows for a bow. The quiver is usually disposed on a bow or on the archer&#39;s person, and is in any case in plain sight in the course of the archer&#39;s movements, such as in a hunting area. 
         [0004]    Arrows comprise an arrowhead end, which end features a pointed tip and is the leading end when an archer releases an arrow from the bow toward a target. At the other end of the arrow is at least one vane or fetching, Due to performance requirements, a vane or fetching (hereinafter, “vane”) usually is comprised of lightweight, thin and otherwise fragile material, as the vane is configured to aid in the accuracy and aerodynamic behavior of a released arrow. 
         [0005]    In a hunting area, an archer will often need to pass through brush and conditions with heavy foliage that can interfere with the stored condition of arrows. For instance, an archer may need to pass in proximity to thorny vines that are capable of tearing through the vane material, and a vane and arrow may be rendered unusable due to such physical damage, 
         [0006]    A vane may also include a color or colors or a pattern, which color or pattern may differ from the colors of the environment and foliage of the hunting area, which difference in appearance may undesirably cause a vane to be visible to an archer&#39;s quarry. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, there exists a need for a protecting device for vanes of arrows that includes all of the advantages of the prior art, and overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. Further, there exists a need for a protecting device that prevents damage to arrow vanes and obscures the appearance of arrow vanes while the arrows are stored. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    In light of the disadvantages of the prior art, it is an object of the present disclosure to obviate those and other disadvantages from existing art and to provide an adaptable vane protector for archery and other disciplines that involve the use of arrows that prevents damage to arrow vanes and obscures the appearance of arrow vanes while the arrows are stored. 
         [0009]    It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide for a vane protector that may be adjustably and removably mounted, to a compound bow for example, which protector is lightweight and does not interfere with an archer&#39;s use of the bow. 
         [0010]    These together with other aspects of the present disclosure, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the disclosure, its operating advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The advantages and features of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an adaptable vane protector, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates another view of an adaptable vane protector as attached to an exemplary bow, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a sectional view of an adaptable vane protector, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  shows frame members and a support member of an adaptable vane protector, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a sheath of an adaptable vane protector, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    The best mode for carrying out the disclosure is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted in the accompanying figures. The preferred embodiment described herein detail for illustrative purposes are subject to many variations. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0018]    The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. 
         [0019]    The present disclosure provides an adaptable vane protector, for protecting the vanes of a plurality of archery arrows that are used by an archer as a reserve supply on a compound bow. The vane protector includes a fastener arrangement for fixedly mounting the protector on to the bow, and a sheath for receiving arrow vanes therein. The protector shields the vanes of the arrows, thereby protecting the vanes from harmful or abrasive contact with undesirable elements that may adversely affect flight of the arrows, when the arrows are projected using the compound bow. Furthermore, the vane protector is designed to provide natural concealment in a hunting environment, thereby permitting an archer to closely pursue a wild game without being noticed. 
         [0020]    The adaptable vane protector disclosed herein may be adjustably mounted on a compound bow by means of a mounting arrangement  10  configured thereon. An exemplary depiction of the mounting arrangement  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The mounting arrangement  10  enables the sheath  12  to be adjustably spaced from the compound bow, thereby minimizing the possibility of the vane sheath  12  from interfering with the normal operation of the compound bow  1 . The mounting arrangement  10  is elongate in shape, and it will be apparent that the mounting arrangement  10  will be configured to position the sheath  12  a predetermined distance away from the bow  1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the mounting arrangement  10  may comprise at least one bend therein to position the sheath  12  away from the bow  1 . 
         [0021]    The mounting arrangement  10  comprises a first end and a second end, and is configured to be attached to a compound bow  1  by means of a thread bolt  8  at said first end. The second end of the mounting arrangement  10  comprises a plurality of a pairs of apertures  17 -B spaced apart along the length thereof. The space between each pair of apertures  17 -B on the mounting arrangement  10  corresponds the space between adjacent apertures  17  of sheath support member  11 , which correspondence allows for securable attachment of the sheath support member  11  to the mounting arrangement  10 . Attachment of the support member  11  to the mounting arrangement  10  occurs by disposing a fastener (such as a screw or bolt) through each of the corresponding apertures of the support member  11  and mounting arrangement  10 . Shown in  FIG. 1 , the mounting arrangement  10  is attached to the support member  11  by aligning apertures  17 -B of the mounting arrangement  10  with apertures  17 -A of the support member  11 . 
         [0022]    To adjust positioning of the sheath  12  to accommodate various sizes of arrows, compound bows, and/or a user&#39;s posture or stance, the user may selectively attach the mounting arrangement  10  on different points of the support member  11  by fastening the mounting arrangement to different pairs of apertures  17  of the support member. The user may also move the sheath  12  closer to or further from a bow by selecting different pairs of apertures  17 -B of the mounting arrangement for fastening to the support member  11 . Accordingly, the present disclosure enables the archer to vary the distance between the hood portion of a bow  1  and the sheath  12 , thereby permitting accommodation of different lengths of arrows therebetween, and further permitting the archer to mount the protector comfortably on bows of a variety of sizes. 
         [0023]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the sheath  12  of the protector disclosed herein comprises a container with at least one open side (shown in  FIG. 1  as H, J, and K), through which open side at least a portion of arrows may protrude and/or may be inserted or removed. The sheath  12  may be cylindrical, cubical, or any other shape that may form an enclosed area for receiving the vanes of the arrows therewithin. The sheath  12  may be mounted such that the open side thereof may be disposed upwardly or downwardly, depending on the archer&#39;s preference for orienting the storage and carrying the arrows on his or her bow. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the sheath  12  will be of sufficient dimensions such that it may accommodate a plurality of arrows therewithin and enclose the entirety of the arrow vanes when the arrow vanes are disposed within the sheath  12 . The enclosure created by the sheath  12  will protect the vanes from a harsh environment in which an archer may find him- or herself, such as an area with heavy foliage or an area suffering from inclement weather. The sheath  12  will further obscure the coloring or patterns of the vanes from external view, such that the chance that game will be alerted to the presence of a hunter will be reduced. 
         [0024]    In an embodiment, the sheath  12  may include a second open side, which second open side is preferably disposed immediately adjacent to the first open side, which second open side may facilitate easier and quicker removal of an arrow from the protector. 
         [0025]    In yet another embodiment, the sheath  12  may include a third open side, which taken together with the first and second open sides, may configure a clamshell or “U” orientation (in the event of a cubical sheath), or a tube (in the event of a cylindrical sheath) for the sheath. In this embodiment, the sheath  12  may enclose a substantial a portion of a vane of an arrow, but will allow at least portion of the end of an arrow to protrude out of the sheath. Such an embodiment may reduce the instance of damaging the vane of an arrow when the vane is first received in or removed from the sheath  12 . 
         [0026]    Shown in  FIG. 1 , the sheath may further comprise at least one frame member  13 , which at least one frame member  13  may be removably attached to the support member  11 , or may alternately be contained within the sheath  12 . The frame member  13  may maintain a preferred shape of the sheath  12 , and may retain the sheath  12  in a selected position with respect to the mounting arrangement  10  and/or support member  11 . In an embodiment, the at least one frame member  13  is in the form of a U-shape, which U-shape will corresponds to, in an embodiment, the interior configuration of the sheath  12  such that the frame member  13  abuts and corresponds to the interior configuration of the sheath  21  throughout the length of the frame member  13 . 
         [0027]    Also shown in  FIG. 1 , a bumper  13 -A may be disposed on an exposed edge of the sheath  12 , in order to protect the sheath  12  from wear and tear and to provide additional support to and/or maintain the shape of the sheath  12 . The bumper  13 -A may also join a first frame member  13  to a second frame member  13  in order to increase the structural integrity of the sheath  12 . In such an embodiment, the bumper  13 -A may be provided with apertures  19  for accepting a fastener therein, which fastener may accordingly secure the bumper  13 -A to a plurality of support members  13  at terminal ends of said support members  13 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an adaptable vane protector is shown as attached to an exemplary bow  1 . The sheath  12  of the vane protector envelopes the vane end of a group of arrows  6  for protecting the vanes of the arrows from being disturbed or touched by outside elements. The bow  1  may comprise a rack  3  for maintaining a plurality of arrows in a parallel alignment, and a cap  2  for covering the tips of the arrows.  FIG. 2  further shows an exemplary configuration of the vane protector with respect to a bow  1 , wherein the mounting arrangement  10  extends away from the bow  1  and attaches to the support member  11  at an end of the mounting arrangement  10  that is distal to the bow  1 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of the sheath  12  attached to the support member  11 , with a frame member  13  and bumper  13 -A attached to the sheath  12 . In this embodiment, the sheath  12  may comprise apertures  10  for securing the sheath  12  to the support member  11  (wherein a fastener such as a braid, pin or screw may be inserted through the apertures  19  of the sheath  12  and apertures  17  of the support member  11 ). 
         [0030]      FIG. 3B  shows an alternate embodiment of the frame member  13 , wherein frame members  13  are incorporated onto the support member  11 . 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an embodiment of a sheath  12  of an adaptable vane protector is shown, wherein frame members  13  may be removably inserted into and received within said sheath  12 . Specifically, and in an embodiment, the sheath  12  may comprise pockets  33  at ends of the sheath, in which pockets a frame member  13  may be inserted and securely retained by way of fasteners disposed through corresponding apertures  19  in the frame members  13  and pockets  33 . The pockets  33  may be formed by stitching  32  a section of material onto the sheath  12 . 
         [0032]    The sheath of the adaptable vane protector disclosed herein may be made of lightweight resilient materials such as plastic or fiberglass, or any similar material that will provide sufficient structural rigidity to protect the vanes from contact with harmful objects in the archery environment. The protector may further be comprised of neutral or natural colors to reduce the prominence of the vane protector in an external environment. The protector may also be adorned with camouflage patterns. 
         [0033]    The adaptable vane protector of the present disclosure provides advantages in preventing damage to vanes of arrows, which maintains arrows in good condition for flight. Further, the protector is not constrained to fit on one particular size or shape of bow, such that an archer can use one protector with a variety of different bows. The mounting of the protector is also adjustable, by way of the bar member and upper and lower brackets, such that the protector can be configured to cover arrows of a variety of sizes. 
         [0034]    The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present disclosure and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.