Abstract:
A sighting system for a shooting device, such as an archery bow or a firearm. includes front and rear sights. The front sight includes a front sight frame that defines a front sight window therein. A rear sight includes a rear sight frame that defines a rear sight window therein. A rear face of the front sight frame, the face oriented toward the rear sight, includes an indicium, such as a luminous ring, formed thereon. The rear sight frame is of a size such that the luminous ring is at least partially obstructed in a first manner by the rear sight frame when the shooting device is properly aimed at a target and is at least partially obstructed in a second manner when improperly aimed.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a sighting system for weapons such as archery bows and firearms, used in hunting or target shooting. More specifically, this invention is concerned with a sighting system that assists in eliminating weapon torque during the aiming/alignment process. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Technology 
         [0004]    It has long been recognized that weapons, such as archery bows and firearms, are difficult to shoot with consistent accuracy without the aid of optics, such as scopes. Many factors can contribute to the inaccuracy of a shot. Such factors include, without limitation the distance to the target, the size of the target, the speed of the projectile, the weight of the projectile, the wind and visibility conditions, as well as the attitude and torque of the weapon itself. Since the distance to the target and the projectile speed both effect the amount of drop the projectile will experience, some consider the attitude or vertical orientation of the weapon to be the most significant factor influencing accuracy. 
         [0005]    In comparison to other projectiles, an arrow projected from a bow exhibits a relatively low speed, approximately 175 to 300 feet per second. While compound bows and overdraw systems have increased the speed of the arrow and therefore lessened the amount of vertical drop, the affects of gravity still must be taken into account regardless of the length of the shot. This is typically done by changing the attitude of the bow and “holding above” the target when aiming the bow. 
         [0006]    While instinct shooters rely on experience and familiarity with their equipment to compensate for accuracy influencing factors, most archers prefer to use a bow sight mounted to the riser of the bow. The typical bow sight is mounted to the riser so as to locate one or more sight pins forward of the riser, with the ends of the pins located on the same side as the arrow rest. Thus, the sight pins are generally positioned above the rest. The sight pins are vertically spaced from one another and are individually set by the archer, through trial and error, so that each pin corresponds with a predetermined shooting distance to the target. For example, one sight pin may be set for a fifteen yard shot, a second for a twenty-five yard shot and a third pin for a thirty-five yard shot. When set in this manner, the sight pin corresponding with the distance to the target is then aligned with the target during the shot. 
         [0007]    One draw back of the above mentioned type of sight is that the pins only provide a single sighting point for the aiming of the bow. This therefore requires that the bow be held in the same position, relative to the archer for the sight to be accurate. If the bow is held slightly higher or lower relative to the archer, then inaccuracy will be introduced into the sighting process. As a result, a variety of “secondary sights”, have been developed. Secondary sights typically provide the archer with a secondary aiming reference. This secondary aiming reference is used in conjunction with the previously mentioned front sight and therefore allows the bow to be more consistently held in the same position relative to the archer. 
         [0008]    Perhaps the most common secondary sight is a “peep sight” mounted to the bow string. During use, once the bow string is drawn to full draw, the archer looks through the peep sight and then aligns the appropriate sight pin on the target. By forcing the archer to look through the peep sight, the bow is held at a more consistent position relative to the archer. While a peep sight system may be considered better than a mere front sight, these systems also have their disadvantages and drawbacks. One significant drawback is that the small aperture of the peep sight significantly limits the amount of light available for viewing the sight pin and the target. This diminished visibility is compounded by the fact that often, the best hunting times occur during the marginal light conditions of dawn and dusk. 
         [0009]    Another type of secondary sight is a rear sight to be used in combination with the front sight. One such rear sight is disclosed in the present inventor&#39;s own U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,724, which is herein incorporated by reference. This patent discloses a rear sight ring that is positioned rearward of the riser, between the riser and the bow string itself. In aligning a bow equipped with such a sight, the sighting elements of the rear sight are always centered on the same pin of the front sight, for example the thirty-five yard pin. This properly orients the bow. While maintaining this alignment between the rear sighting elements and the particular front pin, the appropriate distance pin is then located on the target. 
         [0010]    Torque or horizontal orientation is also a significant, but often overlooked, factor influencing accuracy in shooting a weapon. If the weapon is not consistently held in the same horizontal orientation, the projectile will be directed left or right of the target. With an archery bow for example, the riser and bow string are independent elements from one another. It is therefore possible to hold the riser and the bow string differently, relative to one another, during subsequent shoots. For example, when the riser is held in the archer&#39;s hand, if the riser is rotated about a vertical axis about the archer&#39;s hand (i.e. through the grip of the riser), then a sight located in the front of the riser will move in one direction, while a fixed point to the rear of the riser will rotate in the opposite direction. Thus, at full draw the bow string can be held in a consistent position relative to the archer, but the riser may be rotated via the archer&#39;s hand about a vertical axis. When held in this manner, it is still possible to align the peep sight with the front sight in the presence of this torque, and the arrow will be projected off line from the target, toward the right or the right depending on which directed the riser is rotated. Since the riser and bow string are independent of each other, the archery bow may be improperly aimed with a peep sight in this instance. 
         [0011]    In view of the above limitations and drawbacks, it is seen that there exists a need for an improved sight that can be used to more accurately aim a weapon at the target, without overly complicating the shooting process and without compromising the vision of the shooter during lowlight situations. 
         [0012]    In overcoming the drawbacks and limitations of the know technology, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sight that can aid a shooter in shooting consistency and accuracy with a weapon, such as a firearm, archery bow or other weapon. 
         [0013]    Thus, in one aspect the present invention provides a sighting apparatus that allows the shooter to aim the weapon with a consistent attitude. In another aspect, the present invention provides a sighting apparatus that allows the shooter with neutral torque. 
         [0014]    In yet another aspect, the present invention provides sighting apparatus that lends itself to use during lowlight conditions. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0015]    In satisfying the above need, as well as overcoming the enumerated drawbacks and other limitations of the related art, the present invention provides a sighting system for a weapon that includes dual sights, a front sight and a rear sight. When properly aligned and the weapon is not experiencing torque, the rear sight obstructs an indicium provided on the front sight. If the weapon is being subjected to torque, then the indicium on the front sight will be visible to the shooter and correction in aiming can be made. 
         [0016]    The front and rear sights are supported on a mount that configured so as to be mounted to an archery bow, a firearm or other weapon. While the front sight is supported toward a distal end of the mount, the rear sight is supported toward the opposing or proximal end of the mount. 
         [0017]    The front sight also includes a front sight frame or ring that defines a front sighting area. Within the front sighting area, at least one sight pin extends generally from the front sight ring toward a center area of the front sighting area. The front sight ring also includes a face oriented toward the proximal end of the mount. At least a portion of this face has an indicium provided thereon, which is visibly different from the remainder if the front sight ring. 
         [0018]    The rear sight includes a rear sight ring or frame and, similarly to the front ring, defines a rear sighting area therein. When a shooter utilizes the sighting system of the present invention, the sight pin of the front sight is viewable through the rear sighting area. The rear sight ring is also of a size such that the indicium on the face of the front sight ring is obstructed by the rear sight ring when the weapon is properly aligned at a target and not being subjected to torque or other misalignment issue. 
         [0019]    In another aspect, the indicium of the sighting system is formed of a photoluminescent material, preferably either a phosphorescent or florescent material. In a further aspect, the indicium of the sighting system may be formed of a fiber optic material. 
         [0020]    In yet another aspect of the invention, the front and rear sight rings of the sighting system are of the same general shape, preferably having at least a portion that is ring-like. In still another aspect of the invention, the sighting areas defined front and rear sight ring generally annular. 
         [0021]    In another aspect, the sighting system of the invention is provides front and rear sight rings that have outer diameters of the same size. The radial thicknesses of the sight rings may either be the same or one may be greater than the other. 
         [0022]    In yet another aspect of the invention, the rear sight ring is optionally provided with at least one sighting element that generally defines an open area; the open area being generally in the center of the rear sight area. 
         [0023]    Further aspect, objects, features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art after a review of the following description, with reference to the drawings and claims that are appended to and form a part of this specification. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a sighting system, embodying the principles of the present invention, mounted to the riser of an archery bow; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevational view of the sighting system of  FIG. 1  when the archery bow is in alignment toward a target; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevational view of the sighting system of  FIG. 1  when the archery bow is out of alignment, in particular showing left bow torque. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    Referring now to the drawings, a sighting system embodying the principles of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1  and generally designated at  10 . While the sighting system  10  is illustrated as being mounted to the riser of an archery bow, it will be appreciated that the present invention is intended for use with other weapons or devices that require aiming. Such other weapons include, without limitation, firearms. However and for the sake of clarity and brevity, the following description will be limited to describing the sighting system  10  in connection with an archery bow. Unless specifically defined as such therein, the appended claims are not intended to be restricted to any particular type of weapon. 
         [0028]    A typical bow  12  includes the riser  14  from which extend a pair of limbs (not shown). If the bow is a compound bow, one or both of the limbs  16  includes a wheel or pulley mounted at its end. A bow string (not shown), extending between the limbs  16  and around the pulley, is provided with nocks that allow for an arrow (not shown) to be squarely located on the bow string relative to an arrow rest  18  attached to or formed with the riser  14 . 
         [0029]    It is noted that the rearward and forward directions referred to in the following description are for reference purposes only and are to be determined relative to the shooting direction of the particular weapon to which the sighting system  10  is utilized. For example, in an archery bow application of the invention, the forward direction is the direction in which an arrow would be projected from the bow. The rearward direction would accordingly be toward the archer. 
         [0030]    The illustrated bow  12  of the figures is a right handed bow. Obviously, the present invention could be utilized in a left hand configuration. In such a configuration, left and right designations in the description would merely be reversed. 
         [0031]    When configured for mounting to an archery bow  12 , a sighting system  10  embodying the principles of the present invention will typically be mounted to the riser  14  on a side opposite of the arrow rest  18 . The sighting system  10  principally includes a front sight  20 , a rear sight  22 , and a mount  24  located therebetween. The mount  24 , which may be in the form of a common mounting plate, is secured to the riser  14  by screws or other fasteners  26 . To provide adjustability in the mounting of the sighting system  10 , the mount  24  may be provided with one or more slots  28 . The slots  28  thus enable the mount  24  to be variably positioned forward, rearward, upward and downward relative to the riser  14 . A clamp bar  30  may be used in conjunction with the screws  26  so as to clamp the mount  24  between the clamping bar  30  and the riser  14 . 
         [0032]    As will become apparent from the following discussion, the front and rear sights  20 ,  22  may be formed as separate structures that are individually mounted and adjusted relative to the riser  14 , each with its own mount  24 . The mount  24  can be provided with additional features that will enable other shooting accessories to be mounted to it. 
         [0033]    The front sight  20  is attached to a forward or distal end of the mount  24  such that the front sight  20  is located in a position forward of the riser  14 . Generally, the front sight  20  mounts at an angle that is approximately 90° relative to the plane of the mount  24 . As would be typical for a right handed bow  12 , the front sight  20  extends from the mount  24  to the left. By being offset from the mount  24  in this manner, the front sight  20  is located to left of the riser  14  generally above the arrow rest  18 . The front sight  20  may be attached to the mounting bracket  24  by any mechanism known in the industry, including without limitation, a threaded shaft and nut combination. Additionally, the front sight  20  may be axially adjustable and/or vertically adjustable relative to the mount  24 . Since the various means for adjustable attaching a front sight to a mount  24  are well known in the industry, the specific details of such a mounting structure need not be discussed herein and are omitted in the interest of brevity. 
         [0034]    The front sight  20  includes a front sight frame or ring  32 . Generally centrally defined in the front ring  32  is an opening or aperture  34 , which is hereinafter referred to as the “sight window  34 ”. The front sight ring  32  may be formed of various materials and manufactured by various methods. Such materials include, without limitation, metals and plastics. Such manufacturing methods include, without limitation, machining, stamping and molding. 
         [0035]    Multiple sight pins  36 , three in the illustrated embodiment, extend from the ring  32  inwardly into the sight window  34 . The sight pins  36  are mounted to the ring  32  as is well known in the industry, which may be an adjustable (which is preferred) or a fixed mounting. The sight pins  36  themselves may be formed from a variety of materials. One current practice is to construct the sight pins  36  from strands  38  of fiber optic material. In one possible construction, the strands  38  extend, in an exposed manner, about the periphery of the ring  32  before terminating in the sight pins  36  located within the sight window  34 . The strands  38  are provided about the exterior of the frame  32  in an exposed manner to allow the strands  38  to collect light and thereby illuminate the tips  40  of the sight pins  36 . Additional aspects and details of sight pins  36  as utilized in the art are well known and therefore need not be further described herein. 
         [0036]    The front sight  20  may also be provided with a level  42 , which is shown as being mounted to the sight ring  32  in a lowermost portion of the sight window  34 . The level  42  is a common bubble-type level that includes an air bubble  44  retained within a liquid filled glass tube  45 . When the level  42  is held in a horizontal position, the bubble  44  comes to rest between two spaced apart indicia or lines  46  provided on the glass tube  45 . By using the level  42 , the shooter can determine if the sighting system  10  is tilted out of horizontal, to either the left or the right. 
         [0037]    An additional feature of the present invention is that a portion of the rearward face  48  of the sight ring  32  of the front sight  20  is luminesced. In particular, a luminous ring  50  is provided on the rear face  48  immediately adjacent to and, preferably completely circumscribed the sight window  34 . While illustrated as completely circumscribing the sight window  34 , it will be appreciated that the luminous ring  50  can be provided so as to be located about only a portion of the opening defining the sight window  34 . In one embodiment, the luminous ring  50  is formed from a luminescent material. In this instance, the luminescent material may be any of the well known varieties of such materials. As such, the luminescent material may be a photoluminescent material, being either a phosphorescence or florescence type of material. Alternatively, the luminescent material may be an electroluminescent material, a chemoluminescent material (including bioluminescent materials) and others. In an alternative embodiment, the luminous ring  50  may be formed from a fiber optic material. In a further alternative embodiment, the luminous ring  50  may be a light pipe, a lighted ring, or a series or an array of light sources illuminated by any of the above means or via an electrical source, such as a battery or photovoltaic cell. Obviously, any other means which would provide for or illuminate the luminous ring  50  could alternatively be employed. 
         [0038]    The rear sight  22  is mounted to the rearward or proximal end of the mount  24 . The rear sight  22  may be mounted in a fixed position (as illustrated) via a single mounting boss  52  within an appropriately sized aperture defined in the boss  52 . Alternatively, the rear sight  22  may be adjustably mounted in an arcuate or straight slot  54  provided in the rearward end of the mount  24 . While various means can be used to mount the rear sight ring  22 , one such means is illustrated and includes a threaded shaft  56  extended through the mounting boss  52  and engaged by a wing nut  58 . A locking nut  60  is provided on the threaded shaft  56  such that the mounting boss  52  is clamped between the locking nut  60  and the wing nut  58 . As one skilled in the art will appreciate, other mounting mechanisms could readily be used. 
         [0039]    Relative to an archery bow  12 , the rear sight  22  is positioned in a location between the riser  14  and the relaxed position of the bow string. Like the front sight  20 , the rear sight  22  is positioned laterally away from the mount  24  and towards the same side of the riser  14  as the front sight  20 . In the right-handed bow  12  of the figures, the rear sight  22  is located to the left of the riser  14 , generally above the arrow rest  18 . 
         [0040]    The rear sight  22  includes a rear sight ring  62  attached to the inboard end of the threaded shaft  56 . The ring  62  may be mounted by various means to the shaft  56  including being threadably engaged with the shaft, adhesively retained with the shaft, integrally molded onto the shaft or unitarily formed with the shaft. As shown, the ring  62  is unitarily formed with a boss  64  within which the shaft  56  is received. 
         [0041]    Adjacent to the boss  64 , the ring  62  is provided with an annular shape, within which an aperture or rear sight window  66  is defined. When aiming the sighting system  10 , the sight pins  26  of the front sight  20  are viewed through this rear sight window  66 . Optionally located within the rear sight window  66  are one or more sighting elements  68 . The sighting elements  68  extend generally towards the center of the rear sight window  66  and, preferably, extend less than completely across the diameter of the rear sight window  66  so as to define an open area  70  generally in the center of the rear sight window  66 . The sighting elements  68  may be provided in a variety of different forms and may be referred to by a variety of nomenclature. As such, the sighting elements  68  may be in the form of straight elements, tapered elements, line-like elements and may even terminated in a centered circular ring or other structure. Thus, the sighting elements may be referred to as sight elements, sight pins, crosshairs or a variety of other names. As illustrated, the sighting elements  68  are provided so as to diagonally extend into the sight window  66 . As will be readily appreciated, these elements  68  could alternatively extend vertically or/and horizontally into the sight window  66 . 
         [0042]    In using an archery bow  12  with a properly set up and sighted-in sighting system  10  of the present invention, the archer raises the bow  12  and draws the bow string to full draw. In aiming such an equipped bow  12 , the archer locates a predetermined one of the sight pins  36 , such as the shortest distance sight pin or uppermost sight pin, so that the distal end or tip  40  of the sight pin  36  is generally centered within window  66  of the rear sight  22 . If provided with the sighting elements  68 , this centered area is may be easily found and determined. While maintaining the tip  40  of the predetermined sight pin  36  within the open area  70 , the distance to the target is determined and the tip  40  of the appropriate distance sight pin  36 , which may or may not be the same as the previously referred to sight pin  36 , is located on the target. In doing this, the bubble  44  of the level  42  should be maintained between the level lines  46  to ensure that the bow  12  is not tilted toward the left or toward the right. 
         [0043]    Since both the front and rear sights  20 ,  22  are mounted in fixed positions (forward and aft) relative to the rise, and are therefore not independent of the riser during the aiming process, the present system  10  enables a quick determination by the shooter as to whether or not torque (rotation of the bow about a vertical axis) has been introduced into the aiming process. In enabling this, the sighting system  10  of the present invention is provided with various structures, including the luminous ring  50 . 
         [0044]    In particular, at least a portion of the outer periphery of the front and rear sight rings  32 ,  62  are provided with the same general shape. As illustrated, the sight rings  32 ,  62  are round, but they could be provided with a rectangular or other shape. The sight rings  32 ,  62  are dimensioned such that, when the sighting system  10  is properly aligned without torque, the rear ring  62  occludes and prevent viewing of at least the luminous ring  50  of the front ring  32 . In other words, the luminous ring  50  on the rear face  48  of the front sight ring  32 , which is provided immediately about the sight window  34 , is completely obscured by the ring  62  of the rear sight  22 . Optionally, the entire front sight ring  32  may be occluded from view. 
         [0045]    To achieve this, the rear ring  62  preferably has an outer dimension or diameter and a radial thickness that is about same as the outer dimension or diameter and radial thickness of the front ring  32 . While preferably of about the same dimensions, these dimensions do not have to be the same. For example, the diameter or dimensions of the rear sight window  66  may be smaller than the diameter or dimensions of the front sight window  34 . The particular application and the distance between the front and rear sights  20 ,  22 , as well as the distance from the rear sight to the eye of the shooter, will dictate the required dimensions needed to achieve the obscuring of the luminous ring  50  by the rear sight ring  62 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 2  generally illustrates the proper orientation of the rear sight  22  relative to the front sight  20  of an archery bow  12  properly aimed with the sighting system  10  embodying the principles of the present invention. As illustrated, the bow  12  is aimed with no or neutral torque, and the luminous ring  50  is obscured from the view of the archer by the rear sight ring  62 . 
         [0047]    If the bow  12  is subjected to torque by the archer, then the ring  62  of the rear sight  22  will be misaligned with the ring  32  of the front sight  20  and will not completely obstruct the luminous ring  50  of the front sight  20 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , when the bow  12  is subjected to torque, portions of the luminous ring  50  and front sight ring  32  become visible to the archer. In the drawing of  FIG. 3 , the bow  12  is shown as being subjected to left torque and a portion of the luminous ring  50 , as well as a portion of the frame  32 , is visible to the right interior and left exterior of the rear sight window  66  and ring  62 , respectively. 
         [0048]    In the illustrated embodiment, the luminous ring  50  is provided with a radial dimension that is less than the full radial thickness of the front sight ring  32  about the sight window  34 . This is readily seen in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the radial width of the of the luminous ring  50  may be equal to the radial thickness of the front sight ring  32  and can extend on the rear face  48  from the edge of the rear sight window  34  to the outer edge of the front sight ring  32 . 
         [0049]    Torque is not typically an issued when shooting a firearm. However, when applied to a firearm, the dual rings of the present invention provide positive feedback to ensure that the shooter&#39;s eye is located in the proper position relative to the scope. 
         [0050]    Scopes are designed to be used with the eye of the shooter at a proper relief distance. If the shooter&#39;s eye is too close, too far away, to the left, to the right, too high or too low, it can affect the outcome of the shot or result in injury to the shooter. (If the shooter&#39;s eye is positioned too close to the scope, kick from the firearm during firing can cause the scope to move rearward and strike the forehead of the shooter.) 
         [0051]    The most rearward portion of the scope defines a ring within which the rear lens of the scope is recessed, thereby forming a protective hood about the rear lens. With the present invention, this rear portion of the scope defines the front ring of the sighting system and would include a luminous ring. With the present invention, a rear ring (which could be an integral part of the scope or separately mounted to the firearm) is located a distance rearward of the rear portion of the scope. When aiming the firearm, this rear ring would aid in the correct eye relief and coordinate the shooter&#39;s eye with the center of the scope (proper eye relief) when taking aim. As with the archery bow embodiment, if the shooter&#39;s eye was improperly aligned with the scope, the luminous ring on the rear portion of the scope would be visible to the shooter. If the shooter&#39;s eye was properly aligned with the scope, the luminous ring on the rear portion of the scope would not be visible to the shooter. Rather, the rear ring would obstruct the luminous ring on the rear portion of the scope. 
         [0052]    As a person skilled in the art will readily appreciate, the above description is meant as an illustration of implementation of the principles this invention. This description is not intended to limit the scope or application of this invention in that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change, without departing from spirit of this invention, as defined in the following claims.