Abstract:
An electronically lighted bow sight is provided which may be attached to conventional bows. The bow sight includes a main body having a circular passageway in which are located multiple sight pins. The main body may be adjusted vertically and horizontally. The ends of the sight pins are illuminated by an archer turning a knob at the top of the main body of the bow sight. A battery powered LED illuminates a plurality of fiber optic elements extending down to the ends of the sight pins. The fiber optic elements are different colors to help the archer distinguish the sight pins.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to the field of archery and more particularly to an archery bow sight having sight or aiming pins.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Archery bow sights utilizing a plurality of sight pins have been known in the art for many years. Typically, these sights utilize a bracket or other mounting structure for mounting the sight to a bow and a plurality of sight pins secured to structure such as a pin plate. The sight pins have aligned ends visible to the archer. The sight is mounted to the bow in a manner so that when the bow is drawn, the archer can look through a peep sight provided in the bow cable and align the tip or end of one of the sight pins attached to the sight with the target. For sights utilizing a plurality of sight pins having their tips vertically aligned, each individual sight pin is typically provided for aiming the bow at a target at a particular distance from the archer. For example, one pin may be positioned in the sight for aiming the bow at a target at fifty yards from the archer, while another pin may be positioned for a target that is a hundred yards from the archer.  
         [0003]     One difficulty with such archery bow sights is that the sight pins are commonly horizontally mounted in a manner shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,000,141; 6,508,005; and 5,231,765. Sight pins mounted in this horizontal manner may obstruct the view of the archer and therefore adversely affect his or her shooting accuracy.  
         [0004]     Another difficulty with known bow sights is that during low light conditions, such as early morning or late evening, the archer may have difficulty selecting the correct sight pin to use to aim at the target. Since many shots present themselves during these low light conditions, for hunters it is particularly important for the archer or hunter to be able to accurately identify the correct sight pin to use for the particular distance involved. Bow sights have been designed which utilize fiber optic elements illuminated by one or more light emitting diodes (“LEDs”). U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,604 discloses an archery bow sight system in which the archer pushes a button to select which fiber optic element to illuminate. One difficulty with such a complicated system is that the archer must push the button the correct number of times to illuminate the correct fiber optic element, a difficult thing to do with gloves in cold temperatures while sitting in a tree stand. Therefore, there is a need for an archery bow sight which utilizes multiple sight pins which are easily seen in low light conditions by the archer.  
         [0005]     Another drawback with known archery bow sights is that archery bow sights which are adjustable both vertically and horizontally have multiple parts which must be secured together. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,494,604 and 6,508,005 disclose such bow sights. Over time or with repeated use, one or more of these parts or pieces of the archery bow sight may become loose and therefore create vibration and/or noise when an archer takes a shot or releases an arrow. Therefore, there is a need for an archery bow sight which is rigid in construction, yet lightweight, which does not vibrate or make noise when the bow is used.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The invention of this application which accomplishes these and other objectives comprises a bow sight which enables an archer to easily and quickly illuminate sight pins of the bow sight for use in low light conditions. The bow sight has three principal components: a mounting bracket, an adjustment rod and a main body which cooperate to enable the main body of the bow sight to be adjusted horizontally or vertically. Additional components of the bow sight include sight pins which extend downwardly into a circular passageway through the main body of the bow sight and set screws which are used to fix the position of the sight pins. Fiber optic elements extend from the ends of the sight pins to a conduit in the main body of the bow sight. The fiber optic elements are illuminated by a light emitting diode (hereinafter “LED”) powered by one or more batteries.  
         [0007]     The mounting bracket of the bow sight is mounted to a bow in conventional fashion. The mounting bracket has a hole therethrough which is sized to receive the adjustment rod. A clamp is inherently formed in the mounting bracket so that one may fix the position of the adjustment rod relative to the mounting bracket by tightening a fastener in a bore in the mounting bracket.  
         [0008]     The adjustment rod extends between the mounting bracket and the main body of the sight. The adjustment rod has a dovetail receptacle formed in one end thereof which receives a dovetail projection of the main body of the bow sight. A clamp is inherently formed in the adjustment rod proximate the dovetail receptacle so that one may fix the position of the main body relative to the adjustment rod by tightening a fastener in a bore in the adjustment rod.  
         [0009]     The main body of the bow sight has a circular passageway therethrough which the archer looks through before firing an arrow. Additionally, the main body has a vertically oriented dovetail projection on one side of the main body which is slidable in the dovetail receptacle of the adjustment bar. A plurality of pin tracks extend downwardly from an upper surface of the main body into the circular passageway. In one preferred embodiment, four pin tracks arranged in a linear manner are formed in the main body. However, the main body may have any number of pin tracks in any desired configuration.  
         [0010]     A plurality of sight pins are secured in the sight pin tracks with fasteners. A plurality of fastener tracks communicate with the pin tracks. Set screws pass through the fastener tracks and may be tightened against the sight pins to secure the sight pins in place or fix their position. Any other type of mechanism for securing the sight pins in place may alternatively be used. Each of the sight pins has a lower pin head which comprises a circular hole. The sight pins are secured or fixed in position with the set screws such that the pin heads or lower ends of the sight pins are fixed at different vertical heights or staggered. This enables an archer to vertically adjust one sight pin and fix it in a position so when this pin head is located on a target a fixed distance away, the bow shoots accurately. Similarly, a different sight pin is fixed so that when its pin head is located on a target at another fixed distance, the bow shoots accurately. Depending on the relevant distances encountered by the archer, the distances for setting of the sight pins may be adjusted accordingly.  
         [0011]     Each of the sight pin heads may be illuminated by the archer by simply turning a knob on top of the bow sight of the present invention. The knob has a threaded portion which is received in a housing and covers the top of the housing. The housing is partially received in a battery receptacle in the main body of the bow sight. At least one battery and an LED below the battery are located in the housing.  
         [0012]     Activation of the LED causes illumination of a plurality of fiber optic elements. Each of the fiber optic elements has a first end which is secured to one of the pin heads of one of the sight pins. Similarly, each of the fiber optic elements has a second end which is located proximate the LED in a conduit in the main body of the bow sight. This conduit in the main body of the bow sight extends between the battery receptacle and the circular passageway of the main body. Each of the sight pins of the bow sight is equipped with a fiber optic element of a different color so that the archer may easily distinguish between sight pins, even in low light conditions.  
         [0013]     In order to illuminate the fiber optic elements to more easily see the pin heads of the sight pins an archer simply needs to rotate the knob on top of the main body of the bow sight. Rotation of this know establishes contact between the threaded stem of the knob, the battery or batteries in the battery receptacle and the LED, thereby activating the LED and illuminating all the fiber optic elements. Because the fiber optic elements are different colors, the archer may easily distinguish between sight pins and place the correct sight pin head on the target depending on the distance between the archer and the target. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     These objectives and features of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bow having a bow sight according to this invention secured to the bow;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a disassembled perspective view of a portion of the bow sight of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a partially disassembled perspective view of the bow sight of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a disassembled perspective view of the bow sight of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is an assembled perspective view of a portion of the bow sight of the present invention; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     Referring to the drawings and particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a bow sight  10  for use on a bow  12 . The bow  12  is not intended to form part of the present invention; the bow sight  10  of the present invention may be used on any bow.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the bow sight  10  of the present invention has three principal components: a mounting bracket  14 , an adjustment bar  16  and a main body  18 . As is conventional, the mounting bracket  14  is secured to the bow  10  with fasteners (not shown) which pass through openings  20  in the mounting bracket  14 .  
         [0023]     Each of these principal components, the mounting bracket  14 , adjustment bar  16  and main body  18  is preferably made of anodized aluminum, but may be made with any other suitable material.  
         [0024]     The mounting bracket  14  has a first or rear end  21  and a second or front end  22 . Similarly, the mounting bracket  14  has a front surface  23 , a rear surface  24 , a top surface  25 , a bottom surface  26  and a pair of side surfaces  27  which define the thickness T of the mounting bracket  14 . A circular hole  28  having a fixed diameter extends through the mounting bracket  14  proximate the front end  24 . A clamp  29  is integrally formed in the front end  24  of the mounting bracket  14  by a gap  30  in the material of the mounting bracket which defines an upper portion  32  and a lower portion  34  of the front end  24  of the mounting bracket  14 . A bore  36  extends through both the upper and lower portions  32 ,  34  of the front end  24  of the mounting bracket  14 . The bore  36  having a threaded interior (not shown) is sized and adapted to receive a threaded fastener  38 . Although one type of fastener is illustrated, any other fastener may be utilized in order draw the upper and lower portions  32 ,  34  of the front end  24  of the mounting bracket  14  together in order to secure the adjustment bar  16  in the hole  28  in the mounting bracket  14 . See  FIG. 3 .  
         [0025]     The adjustment bar  16  has pair of opposed end surfaces  40  which define the length L of the adjustment bar  16 . The adjustment bar  16  has generally cylindrical shape including an arcuate outer surface  42  and a flat  44  with gradations or markings  46  to enable one to easily mark the desired placement of the adjustment rod  16  relative to the mounting bracket  14 . The adjustment bar  16  is sized to fit through the hole  28  in the mounting bracket  14  and be fixedly secured therein upon tightening of the clamp  29  at the front end  24  of the mounting bracket  14 . The adjustment bar  16  has a first end  48  and a second end  50  in which is formed a dovetail receptacle  52 . At the second end  50  of the adjustment bar  16  is located a clamp  54  comprising two halves or portions  56 ,  58  located on opposite sides of the dovetail receptacle  52 , a bore  60  have a threaded interior (not shown) and extending through both portions  56 ,  58  of the clamp  54  and a threaded fastener  62  adapted to be received in the threaded interior of the bore  60 . Although one type of fastener is illustrated, any other fastener may be utilized in order draw the portions  56 ,  58  of the end  50  of the adjustment bar  16  together in order to secure the adjustment bar  16  to the main body  18  in a manner described below. See  FIG. 3 .  
         [0026]     In order to secure the adjustment bar  16  and mounting bracket  14  together one slides the adjustment bar  16  through the hole  28  in the mounting bracket  14  and horizontally adjusts the adjustment bar  16  to its desired position. Using the clamp  29  of the mounting bracket  14  one tightens the fastener  38  in the bore  36  of the mounting bracket  14  to squeeze the opposed portions  32 ,  34  of the mounting bracket  14  together around the adjustment bar  16 . See  FIG. 3 .  
         [0027]     The main body  18  of the bow sight  10  has a generally planar upper surface  64 , a front surface  66 , a rear surface  68 , a first side surface  70  and a second side surface  72 . A dovetail projection  74  extends outwardly from the side surface  70  of the main body  18  and is integrally formed therein. A plurality of markings  76  are located on the dovetail projection  74  to enable one to easily mark the desired placement of the adjustment rod  16  relative to the main body  18 .  
         [0028]     In order to secure the adjustment bar  16  and main body  18  together one slides the dovetail projection  74  inside the dovetail receptacle  52  of the adjustment bar  16  and vertically adjusts the main body  18  to its desired position. Using the clamp  54  of the adjustment bar  16  one tightens the fastener  62  in the bore  60  of the adjustment bar  16  to squeeze the opposed portions  56 ,  58  of the adjustment bar  16  together around the dovetail projection  74  of the main body  18 . See  FIG. 3 .  
         [0029]     In order to reduce the weight of the bow sight  10  generally and more particularly the weight of the main body  18 , recesses  78  are integrally formed in an upper portion  79  of the main body  18 . Although one configuration of recess is illustrated, the recesses may assume other configurations or be omitted entirely.  
         [0030]     The main body  18  has a lower circular portion  80  including a circular passageway  82  therethrough. The lower circular portion  80  includes arcuate rails  84 ,  86  and a connector rail  88 . In order to reduce the weight of the bow sight  10  generally and more particularly the weight of the main body  18 , slots  90  are integrally formed in the lower portion  80  of the main body  18 . Although one configuration of slot  82  is illustrated, the slots may assume other configurations or be omitted entirely.  
         [0031]     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 3, 4  and  6 , a plurality of aligned sight pin tracks  92  extend downwardly from the upper surface  64  of the main body  18  to the circular passageway  82  of the main body  18 . Although four sight pin tracks  92  are illustrated and described, the bow sight  10  of the present invention may have any number of sight pin tracks  92 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , each of the sight pin tracks  92  is sized and adapted to receive a sight pin  94 .  
         [0032]     Each of the sight pins  94  is preferably made of stainless steel, but may be made with any other suitable material. As best illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each of the sight pins  94  is identically configured having a generally cylindrical upper portion  96  and a linear lower portion  98 . The lower end of the linear lower portion  98  ends in a pin head comprising a circular hole  100  whose function will be described in more detail below. The upper portion  96  of each sight pin  94  has a flattened generally planar upper surface  102  and a flattened generally planar side surface  104 . The sight pins  94  are preferably oriented such that the side surfaces  104  of the sight pins  94  are facing the side surface  72  of the upper portion  80  of the main body  18  of the bow sight  10 . Although one configuration of sight pin is illustrated and described, the sight pin may assume any other configuration without departing from the spirit of this invention.  
         [0033]     As best illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a plurality of fastener tracks  106  extend inwardly from the side surface  72  of the upper portion  79  of the main body  18 . Each of these fastener tracks  106  extends into and communicates with one of the sight pin tracks  92 . Although four fastener tracks  106  are illustrated and described, the bow sight  10  of the present invention may have any number of fastener tracks  106 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , each of the fastener tracks  106  is sized and adapted to receive a fastener  108 . One type of fastener which may be utilized is a set screw as illustrated. However, other types of fasteners may be used in accordance with the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , each of the set screws  108  has a flattened end  110  which abuts the side surface  104  of one of the sight pins  94  to secure or fix the sight pin  94  in place. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the fastener tracks  106  are arranged in a diagonal manner; however they may be oriented in any desired manner such as for example aligned horizontally.  
         [0034]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3, 4  and  6 , the upper portion  79  of the main body  18  of the bow sight  10  has a threaded battery receptacle  112  therein. This battery receptacle  112  extends downwardly from the upper surface  64  of the main body  18 . A cap assembly  114  engages the threaded battery receptacle  112  of the main body  18  of the bow sight  10 .  
         [0035]     The cap assembly  114  comprises an upper knob or cap  116  having a threaded stem  117 , an O-ring  127 , batteries  128  inside a plastic sleeve  126 , an insulator sheet  125 , an LED  124  and a housing  118 . The housing  118  has an upper portion  121  and a lower threaded portion  120 . The threads  6  on the threaded lower threaded portion  120  engage the threads  122  inside the battery receptacle  112  in a known manner. As best illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the LED  124 , insulator sheet  125 , plastic sleeve  126  and batteries  128  are located in the housing  118 . The housing  118  has a threaded upper inside surface  7  which receives the threaded stem  117  of the upper knob  116 . The batteries  128  are located inside the plastic sleeve  126  in the housing  118  for noise prevention and/or reduction. In one embodiment, the batteries are 1.55 volts; however they may be any desired size or voltage. The insulator sheet  125  is preferably plastic such as mylar but may be any suitable material. The LED is preferably 3 millimeters in diameter but may be any size and/or configuration.  
         [0036]     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a conduit  130  integrally formed in the main body  18  of the bow sight  10  extends between the lower end of the battery receptacle  112  and the circular passageway  82  of the main body  18 . Fiber optic elements  132  extend between the conduit  130  and the pin heads or ends  100  of the sight pins  94 . More specifically, each fiber optic element  132  has a first end  134  located in the conduit  130  and a second beaded end  136  abutting the circular hole  100  formed in the lower end of each sight pin  94 . The bead  135  formed in the second end  136  of each fiber optic element  132  is of sufficient diameter or size so that it may not pass through the circular hole  100  formed in the lower end of each sight pin  94 . Although the drawings illustrate four fiber optic elements  132 , the present invention may utilize any number of fiber optic elements. Preferably, each fiber optic element  132  is a different color. However, they may be the same color if desired. The fiber optic elements  132  may be any desired diameter. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fiber optic elements  132  have a diameter of 0.03 inches. In another embodiment of the present invention, the fiber optic elements  132  have a diameter of 0.019 inches.  
         [0037]     To illuminate the fiber optic elements  132 , the archer simply rotates the upper knob  116  of the cap assembly  114 , thereby establishing contact between the cap  116 , the batteries  128  and the LED  124 . The insulator sheet  125  has an opening  5  therethrough which enable one of the leads of the LED  124  to contact the lowermost battery while the other lead of the LED  124  contacts the housing  118 . This action completes an electronic circuit which activates the LED  124  and causes the fiber optic elements  132  to illuminate. Illumination of the fiber optic elements  132  and particularly the second beaded ends  136  thereof, enables the archer to easily distinguish between sight pins  94 . Thus, with a slight rotation of the upper knob  116 , the archer may illuminate the pin heads  100  of the sight pins  94  in order to more easily pick the correct sight pin to place on the target.  
         [0038]     While I have described one embodiment of the present invention, persons skilled in the art will appreciate changes and modifications which may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention. Therefore, I do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the following claims.