Patent Publication Number: US-8123636-B1

Title: Hunting arrow with phosphorescent indicator

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in a notarized Official Record of Invention on Aug. 14, 2007, that is on file at the offices of Montgomery Patent and Design, LLC, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a hunting arrow with an indicator device and, more particularly, to said arrow comprising a plurality of vanes coated with a phosphorescent paint which will self-luminescence in the form of visible light to aid in their location and retrieval, particularly during times of low levels of light. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When a bow hunter strikes his game, he is often faced with subsequent tracking of the animal as it can live for several hours after being hit, depending upon the accuracy of the hunter&#39;s shot. When this occurs, several things could happen. The game could run so far and so fast that the hunter never catches up to it or the wounded animal could be attacked by other wild animals, ruining the meat. Also, instances have been known to occur where other hunters come upon the wounded game and claim it as their own. The occurrence of these situations is quite frequent when dealing with bow-hunting situations. The difficulty experienced in producing an accurate shot with a bow increases the likelihood that it will not produce an instant kill, thus making necessary the aforementioned tracking. Furthermore, these problems are compounded in the situation where the hunter is hunting at dusk, dawn or in cloudy/foggy situations where visibility is limited. As arrows are becoming increasingly expensive, loss of an arrow can be a very costly proposition. Accordingly, the need has developed for a means by which bow hunters can track their arrows in a quick and accurate manner during night time or diminished light hours. The development of the invention herein fulfills this need. 
     The present invention is a hunting arrow comprising a cylindrical shaft, an arrow head, a nock, and a plurality of vanes provided with a phosphorescent indicator thereon which provides a means for locating and retrieving the hunting arrow. The phosphorescent indicator comprises a phosphorescent paint that is coated thereon the plurality of vanes, or alternately can be located on the nock, to aid in their location and retrieval during low levels of light. The phosphorescent paint will self-luminescence, thereby making the arrow easier to find during the day as well. As a result, whether tracking stricken game or looking for a lost arrow, the use of the present invention ensures that the hunter can quickly locate it and minimize the risk of loss. 
     Several attempts have been made in the past to provide arrows that can be found easier. U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,930, issued in the name of Carissimi, describes a light assembly for an archer&#39;s arrow comprising a lamp and a battery assembly with a switch. However, unlike the present invention, the Carissimi arrow does not have a phosphorescent indicator located thereon a plurality of vanes and/or a nock of an arrow. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,792, issued in the name of Hardison, discloses an archer&#39;s arrow having a chemical light source for locating the arrow after flight. However, unlike the present invention, the Hardison arrow uses a chemical light stick that is inserted into a cavity in a transparent plastic arrow nock to help locate the arrow. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,499, issued in the name of Jones, discloses an apparatus for illuminating an archer&#39;s arrow that provides a nock adapted to receive a bowstring in a drawn position wherein a light source is disposed within the nock. However, unlike the present invention, the Jones arrow comprises a light source that is a chemical light stick only found in the nock. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,211,011, issued in the name of Sutherland, discloses an arrow having a nock with a chemical light source that allows an archer to find and retrieve the arrow easier. However, unlike the present invention, the Sutherland arrow uses a chemical light stick inserted into an end of the arrow as the light source. 
     None of the prior art particularly describes a hunting arrow with an indicator device comprising a plurality of vanes coated with a phosphorescent paint which will self-luminescence at night and give off radiation in the form of visible light to aid in their location and retrieval that the instant invention possesses. Accordingly, there exists a need for an arrow by which bow hunters can track their arrows in a quick and accurate manner during night time or diminished light hours that operates without the disadvantages as described above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, it has been observed that there is need for a hunting arrow with an indicator device comprising a plurality of vanes coated with a phosphorescent paint which will self-luminescence during low levels of light in the form of visible light to aid in their location and retrieval. 
     To achieve the above objectives, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hunting arrow with indicator device comprising a cylindrical shaft comprising a front end and a rear end opposite the front end, an arrow head located on the front end of the shaft, a nock located on the rear end of the shaft, and a plurality of vanes located around a circumference of the shaft between the nock and the arrow head wherein the device has an phosphorescent indicator thereon which provides a means for locating and retrieving the device. 
     A further object of the present invention is having the phosphorescent indicator located on the plurality of vanes of the device. 
     Another object of the present invention is having the phosphorescent indicator comprise a phosphorescent paint that is coated thereon the plurality of vanes of the device. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is having the phosphorescent paint on the plurality of vanes give an emission of light thereby glowing in an area having low levels of light. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is having the phosphorescent indicator located on the nock of the device. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is having the phosphorescent indicator comprise a phosphorescent paint that is coated thereon the nock of the device. 
     Yet still another object of the present invention is having the phosphorescent paint on the nock give an emission of light thereby glowing in an area having low levels of light. 
     Still another object of the present invention is having the plurality of vanes located around the circumference of the shaft between the nock and the arrow head at a location immediately before the nock at the rear end of the shaft. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is having the shaft made of aluminum, carbon fiber reinforced plastic, wood, bamboo, or a similar material. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is having the arrow head be a bodkin point, a blunt, a judo point, a broadhead, a field tip, a target point, or a similar material. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is having the arrow head made of metal or a similar hard material. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is having the nock made of wood, plastic, or a similar material. 
     Yet still another object of the present invention is having an alternate hunting arrow with indicator device comprising a cylindrical shaft comprising a front end and a rear end opposite the front end, an arrow head located on the front end of the shaft, a nock located on the rear end of the shaft comprising a phosphorescent paint coated thereon, and a plurality of vanes located around a circumference of the shaft between the nock and the arrow head comprising the phosphorescent paint coated thereon wherein the phosphorescent paint coated thereon the plurality of vanes and the nock provides a means for locating and retrieving the device. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is providing a method for using a hunting arrow with indicator device to locate and retrieve the device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a hunting arrow with phosphorescent indicator  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a hunting arrow with phosphorescent indicator  10 , according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  hunting arrow with phosphorescent indicator 
               20  arrow 
               21  shaft 
               22  arrow head 
               23  nock 
               24  vanes 
               26  phosphorescent paint 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIG. 1 , and in terms of its alternate embodiment, herein depicted within  FIG. 2 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention, and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     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 items. 
     The present invention describes a device and method for a hunting arrow with phosphorescent indicator (herein described as the “device”)  10 , which provides a means for locating and retrieving hunting arrows  20 , particularly during times of limited visibility. The vanes  24  of the arrow  20  are coated with a phosphorescent paint  26 , which will self-luminescence at night and give off radiation in the form of visible light. Additionally, the phosphorescent nature of the paint makes finding the arrow  20  easier during the day. 
     The device  10 , by means of providing self-luminescence, will make it easier for the hunter to track wounded game thereby preventing needless suffering and minimizing the possibility of another hunter claiming the game, or of an animal attacking the game and ruining the meat. The device  10  also provides a means of quickly locating lost arrows  20  that were shot at targets or game and might be stuck in trees, bushes or lying on the ground. As arrows  20  have become more expensive, this can represent a considerable cost savings. The phosphorescent paint  26  can also be applied if various colors that can be selected based on the environment that the device  10  will be used within. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a side view of the device  10 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The device  10  comprises an arrow  20 , a shaft  21 , an arrow head  22 , a nock  23 , and a plurality of vanes  24  coated with a phosphorescent paint  26 . 
     The arrow  20  comprises a conventional arrow with all of the expected features such as a cylindrical shaft  21 , an arrow head  22 , a nock  23 , and a plurality of vanes  24 . The shaft  21  is comprised of aluminum, carbon fiber reinforced plastic, wood, bamboo or the like. The arrow head  22  can be any of a variety of conventional types such as, but not limited to: bodkin points, blunts, judo points, broadheads, field tips, target points or the like, and are commonly made of metal or other hard material. The arrow head  22  is located on the front distal end of the shaft  21 . The nock  23  is commonly fabricated from wood, plastic, or the like, and is located on the rear distal end of the shaft  21  opposite the arrow head  22 . The plurality of vanes  24  are commonly fabricated from materials such as, but not limited to: feathers, plastic or the like. The vanes  24  are located around the circumference on the shaft  21  near the rear distal end just ahead of the nock  23 . The phosphorescent paint  26  is a type of paint that gives a persistent emission of light following exposure to and removal of incident radiation thereby glowing in the dark. All of the components of the device  10  are readily available commercial items. 
     The phosphorescent paint  26  is what makes the device  10  unique. The vanes  24  are envisioned to be coated with the phosphorescent paint  26 . The phosphorescent paint  26  will self-luminescence at night and give off radiation in the form of visible light (glow-in-the-dark) thereby providing a means for the hunter to find the arrows  20  in low light or dark conditions. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a side view of the device  10 , according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The alternate embodiment of the device  10  comprises an arrow  20  similar in nature to the preferred embodiment except that the phosphorescent paint  26  would be applied to the plurality of vanes  24  and to the nock  23 . 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the device  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The method of utilizing the device  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: acquiring the arrows  20 ; applying the phosphorescent paint  26  thereto the vanes  24  and/or the nock  23 , if necessary; exposing the vanes  24  and/or the nock  23  to sunlight or some other light source while hunting or target practicing; shooting the arrows  20  towards the target or game; tracking target or game in the normal fashion; finding the arrows  20  and target or game, particularly during times of limited visibility, by looking for the luminescing phosphorescent paint  26  thereon the plurality of vanes  24  and/or said nock  23 . 
     An alternative embodiment of the present invention  10  comprises an arrow  20  similar in nature to the preferred embodiment except that the phosphorescent paint  26  would be applied to the plurality vanes  24  and to the nock  23 . The method of utilizing the alternate embodiment of the device  10  is identical to that of the preferred embodiment, with the enhancement of the additional luminescence of the phosphorescent paint  26  thereon the nock  23  of the arrow  20 . 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.