Abstract:
A system for adjusting archery bows and arrows allows for easy adjustment thereof. The system allows an archery bow to be setup to provide for linear motion of the arrow in exiting the bow and provides for accurate shooting thereof. The system accommodates the natural shooting posture of the shooter. The system may also be used to verify the squareness and accuracy of arrow tips and inserts to ensure that arrow heads are attached squarely to the arrow. The system thus allows the accuracy of the arrow construction to be verified.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Related Applications 
         [0002]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/962,820, filed Jul. 31, 2007, which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety. 
         [0003]    2. The Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates to a system for adjusting archery bows and arrows. More specifically, the present invention relates to a level for adjusting bows and ensuring the accuracy of arrows. 
         [0005]    3. State of the Art 
         [0006]    Archery has become a common sport. Many persons use a bow and arrows for recreational target practice, hunting, etc. It is important that a person&#39;s bow and arrows are accurate and properly set up. Improperly set up or inaccurate bows and arrows result in inaccurate shooting. If a bow is not properly set up, the arrow will likely miss the intended target. 
         [0007]    Similarly, arrows should be properly constructed for accurate shooting. If the arrows are not properly constructed, the arrow may wobble or curve as it flies, most likely missing the intended target. Imbalance of am improperly aimed arrow head, for example, may prevent the arrow from flying straight. Many arrow heads used in hunting include blades which extend laterally from the arrow head. If the arrow head is not properly aligned, these blades may prevent the arrow from flying in a straight path. It will thus be appreciated that there is a need for a device which allows a person to correctly adjust a bow and to verify the correct geometry of an arrow to achieve accuracy in shooting the same. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for adjusting and verifying the accuracy of archery bows and arrows. 
         [0009]    According to one aspect of the invention, a bubble level is provided which is attached to the tip of an arrow. The level may be used to adjust a bow and properly set up the bow. According to another aspect of the invention, the level is removable from the arrow, and may be placed on the tip of different arrows to verify the accuracy of the arrow. 
         [0010]    These and other aspects of the present invention are realized in a system for adjusting archery bows and arrows as shown and described in the following figures and related description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Various embodiments of the present invention are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of an archery bow as known in the art; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows another side view of the bow of  FIG. 2  as known in the art; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a prior art system for adjusting the bow of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  show a level for adjusting a bow and arrow according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  show another level for adjusting a bow and arrow according to the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  shows the levels of  FIGS. 4A through 5B  in use. 
       
    
    
       [0018]    It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the invention in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not every embodiment need accomplish all advantages of the present invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The drawings and descriptions are exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims. 
         [0020]    Turning now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , side views of a compound bow  10  as is known in the art are shown. As compound bows and bows in general are well known in the art, features or structures not necessary for an understanding of the present invention will not be discussed herein. The bow  10  is used to shoot an arrow  14  for recreational target practice, hunting, etc. The bow  10  includes an arrow rest  18  which supports the arrow  14  and nock points  22  which position the nock  26  of the arrow  14  on the bow string  30 . 
         [0021]    Typically, the nock points  22  and arrow rest  18  are adjustable to control the position of the resting arrow  14 . It is desirable that the arrow  14  is square to the string  30 , and more desirable that the arrow  14  moves linearly back and forth as the arrow is drawn and released. Additionally, it would be desirable to be able to accurately set up a bow  10  for a persons shooting style, allowing the arrow  14  to travel linearly back and forth as the arrow is drawn and released even if the arrow is not perfectly perpendicular to the string  30 . If the arrow  14  pivots while being drawn or released, the accuracy of the shot is compromised. The position and alignment of the arrow  14  is adjusted according to a bow sight (not shown). Once the nock points  22  and arrow rest  18  have been properly adjusted, the bow  10  will shoot accurately and repeatedly (with accurately constructed arrows). It is, however, difficult to properly adjust the bow  10 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows a prior art device for adjusting the bow  10  for proper shooting. The device includes a first bubble level  34  which is clipped onto the arrow shaft  38  and a second bubble level  42  which is clipped onto the string  30 . The bubble levels  34 ,  42  are used to adjust the arrow rest  18  and nock points  22  to position the arrow perpendicular to the string  30 . While functional, the prior art device suffers from drawbacks. For example, the device requires a person to monitor two levels  34 ,  42  while moving and adjusting the nock points  22  and arrow rest  18 . It is difficult to monitor both levels. Additionally, the device does not accommodate the different shooting styles of different individuals. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4A  shows an adjusting level  46  according to the present invention. The level  46  includes a bubble level  50  attached to a stem  54 . The stem  54  is sized to be inserted into an arrow shaft  38 . Typically, arrows have a hollow shaft  38  with an insert ( 58  of  FIG. 5B ) that is pressed into or bonded into the front of the arrow shaft  38 . The insert  58  allows different arrow tips to be used with the arrow  14 . The stem  54  of the level  46  is similarly pressed or bonded into an arrow shaft  38  to create a setup arrow  14   b  for adjusting a bow  10 . The bubble level  50  is a cylindrical (axially symmetrical) level which functions with any side up, and is placed in axial alignment with the arrow shaft  38  as shown in  FIG. 4B . 
         [0024]    The resulting setup arrow  14   b  is a permanent arrow which may be used to adjust different bows. A sporting goods store may keep such an arrow at the store for use in adjusting customer&#39;s bows  10 . A hunter may keep such an arrow at home or in a vehicle for use in adjusting their bow  10 . While the setup arrow  14   b  is a dedicated arrow and can not be used for hunting, the alignment of the bubble level  50  and arrow shaft  38  is fixed and accurate and provides accuracy in adjusting a bow  10 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 5A  shows another adjusting level  46   b  according to the present invention. The adjusting level  46   b  includes a bubble level  50  and a threaded stem  62  which is sized and configured for threaded insertion into a conventional arrow insert  58  in place of an arrow head, as is shown in  FIG. 5B .  FIG. 5B  shows a partially cut-away view of an arrow shaft  38  and insert  58  to show how the stem  62  is threaded into the arrow  14  to create a setup arrow. The stem  62  may be made with different sizes of threads to accommodate different types of arrow inserts  58 . 
         [0026]    The adjusting level  46   b  shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  is advantageous as it is small and removably attached to the arrow  14 . The level  46   b  may thus be carried in a pocket and taken when hunting or shooting to ensure accuracy of the bow  10 . The level  46   b  is also advantageous as it allows a person to verify the proper construction of their arrows  14 . It will be appreciated that if the front of the arrow shaft  38  is not cut square, or if the insert  58  is not squarely attached to the shaft, the arrow head will not squarely attach to the arrow  14 . This will typically cause the arrow to wobble in flight and reduce the accuracy of the arrow. This effect is especially pronounced with broadhead arrows which have blades extending laterally from the arrow head. 
         [0027]    The adjusting level  46   b  allows a person to check the construction of the arrow  14 . The level  46   b  is threaded into the insert  58  and the arrow is rolled across a table or held level and rotated. Misalignment of the end of the shaft  38  or insert  58  will be manifest in movement of the bubble in the bubble level  50  and will be more easily observed than simply observing for movement of an arrow head while rotating the arrow. Thus, a person may check the accuracy of their arrows and determine if some arrows need to be rebuilt or discarded. 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  shows a setup arrow  14   b  according to the present invention being used to adjust a bow  10 . The setup arrow  14   b  may be a dedicated adjustment arrow having a level  46  permanently affixed to the tip, or may be a conventional arrow with a removable level  46   b  attached thereto. A person may watch the setup arrow  14   b , and the level  46 ,  46   b  in particular, to ensure that the arrow remains level as the arrow and bow string  30  are moved from a resting position as shown to a position with the arrow and string extended and ready to fire (as in  FIG. 2 ). The person may use the level  46  to verify that the arrow is level in both positions, and is thus traveling in a straight line and not changing trajectory throughout the motion. 
         [0029]    One advantage of the present invention is that position of the arrow  14   b  and the setup of the bow  10  may be corrected and properly adjusted even if the person holds the bow slightly up or slightly down when holding the bow. Accordingly, the system may accommodate a person&#39;s natural tendency to hold the bow aimed slightly up or down when intending to hold the bow level. The bow will thus shoot in a comfortable manner for the person while still allowing the bow to be adjusted so that the arrow travels back and forth in a linear trajectory. If the arrow  14   b  is set to be perfectly perpendicular to the bow  10  (level when the bow is perfectly perpendicular to the ground), as typically occurs with the prior art adjustment levels, the arrow may be naturally aimed up or down a little when the person intends to hold the bow level. In such a situation the person may shoot a little too high or too low because of the setup of the bow  10 . 
         [0030]    The present invention is thus advantageous as it allows a person to setup a bow  10  in a manner which accommodates the natural shooting position of the user. Additionally, the present invention requires fewer pieces and requires the person to monitor fewer levels that prior art devices, typically making the setup procedure quicker and easier to accomplish. The present invention also provides a portable setup level which may be used in the field to both set up bows and to check arrows for accuracy as well as use at home or in a shop to verify the accurate construction of arrows. 
         [0031]    There is thus disclosed an improved system for adjusting archery bows and arrows. It will be appreciated that numerous changes may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims.