Patent Publication Number: US-2015072812-A1

Title: Broadhead

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/363,284, filed Jan. 31, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/590,393, filed Nov. 5, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,105,187, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/810,285, filed Jun. 5, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,007,382. U.S. application Ser. No. 13/363,284 is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/374,549, filed Jan. 3, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/590,393, filed Nov. 5, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,105,187, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/810,285, filed Jun. 5, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,007,382. U.S. application Ser. No. 13/363,284 is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/374,340, filed Dec. 23, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,287,407 which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/590,393, filed Nov. 5, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,105,187, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/810,285, filed Jun. 5, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,007,382. All of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates broadly to an arrow broadhead with retracted cutting blades that pivot outwardly into an expanded position upon target contact and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an arrow broadhead having a cutting blade housing body with an elongated groove extending along a portion of a length of the housing body. The groove is used to receive a pair of pivot arms or a sliding arm attached to a pair of cutting blades. The cutting blades are received in opposite sides of the groove when the broadhead is in a retracted position during arrow flight. Upon target contact, the pivot arms or sliding arm pivot the cutting blades outwardly from the sides of the groove into an expanded position for maximum cutting and target penetration. 
     SUMMARY 
     In view of the foregoing, various embodiments provide a broadhead with a pair of cutting blades in a retracted position in a groove in a cutting blade housing body during arrow flight, hold the cutting blades in an expanded, locked position during target contact, and then allow the cutting blades to be folded forward for ease in release, when the broadhead is pulled outwardly from the target, making it a non-barbed broadhead design. 
     Other embodiments illustrate how an arrow broadhead housing can include an elongated groove and bore hole for receiving a sliding arm shaft or sliding arm plate with at least two attached cutting blades and a removable tip, that is separate from a sliding arm shaft as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,007,382, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,105,187 by the subject inventor. The separate, removable tip can be attached to a top portion of the housing body, thereby allowing the sliding arm shaft or sliding arm plate to be contained in the sliding arm housing. This feature allows the cutting blades to pivot forward for easy target removal and for making it a non-barbed broadhead design. 
     Still other embodiments relate to using the broadhead&#39;s forward inertia and holding the cutting blades in the groove in the cutting blade housing body to almost instantaneously upon target contact move the cutting blades into a fully expanded and locked position. The forward inertia of the arrow broadhead and the extension of the blades provide for an ultimate cutting and tissue damage to the intended target. This feature results in larger entry and exit holes in the target, better blood trails and higher game recovery. 
     The subject arrow broadhead includes a pair of pivot arms or sliding arm received in an elongated groove in a cutting blade housing body. The pivot arms or sliding arm are attached to one end of a pair of cutting blades. The cutting blades are folded into the groove during arrow flight. Upon target contact, the pivot arms or sliding arm pivot the cutting blades outwardly from opposite sides of the groove into an expanded position for increased cutting and penetration in the target. The sliding arm can be in a form of a sliding arm shaft or a sliding arm plate having different shapes and different combinations. 
     The various features of the embodiments disclosed herein will become apparent to those familiar with the use of arrow broadheads for hunting and target shooting when reviewing the following detailed description, showing novel construction, combination, and elements as described, and more particularly defined by the claims, it being understood that changes in the embodiments to the disclosed invention are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments for arrow broadheads in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of the arrow broadhead with a pair of cutting blades attached to opposite ends of a sliding pivot arm. The pivot arm is received inside a top portion of an elongated groove in the cutting blade housing body. The sliding pivot arm is used to pivot the cutting blades from a retracted position to an expanded position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 1A  is an enlarged view of a portion of a spring washer or magnetic washer mounted on the housing body for holding the cutting blades in a retracted position during arrow flight. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the arrow broadhead, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is another front view of the broadhead, as shown in  FIG. 1 , with the sliding pivot arm moved from the top portion of the groove downwardly to a bottom of the groove upon target contact. The sliding arm has now pivoted the cutting blades outwardly into an expanded position for maximum cutting and target penetration. 
         FIG. 4  is still another front view of the broadhead, as shown in  FIG. 1 , with the cutting blades pulled rearwardly and pointing forwardly for releasing the broadhead from the target and making the broadhead a non-barbed design. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of another embodiment of the arrow broadhead with pivot arms and cutting blades held in a folded, retracted position in the elongated groove along the length of a cutting blade housing body during arrow flight and prior to target contact. 
         FIG. 6  is another front view of the arrow broadhead, as shown in  FIG. 5 , with the cutting blades expanded outwardly from the groove by the pivot arms and into an unfolded, expanded position for maximum cutting and target penetration. 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate another embodiment of the arrow broadhead with a pair of pivot arms attached to a pair of cutting blades disposed next to opposite sides of the broadhead&#39;s housing body. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the arrow broadhead, shown in  FIG. 8 , with the cutting blades in an expanded and locked position upon target contact. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a front view of another embodiment of the arrow broadhead, similar to the broadhead shown in  FIG. 1 , but with a pair of cutting blades attached to opposite arms of a sliding arm plate. The sliding arm plate is received inside the top portion of the elongated groove in the cutting blade housing body. The sliding arm plate is used to pivot the cutting blades from a retracted position to an expanded position. 
         FIG. 11  is another front view of the broadhead, as shown in  FIG. 10 , with the sliding arm plate moved from the top portion of the groove downwardly to a bottom of the groove upon target contact. The sliding arm plate has now pivoted the cutting blades outwardly into an expanded position for maximum cutting and target penetration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     In  FIG. 1 , a front view of the subject arrow broadhead is shown, having general reference numeral  10 . The broadhead  10  is illustrated in flight, as indicated by arrow  12 , prior to contacting a target  14 . The broadhead  10  includes a cutting blade housing body  16  having a length disposed along a vertical center line Y-Y, shown in dashed lines. The housing body  16  includes a top portion  18 , a middle portion  20  and a bottom portion  22 . Extending downwardly from the bottom portion  22  is a threaded end  24  used for attaching the broadhead  10  to a hollow arrow shaft with insert. The arrow shaft and insert aren&#39;t shown in the drawings. 
     The housing body  16  is characterized by having an elongated groove  26  extending from the top portion  18  downwardly to the bottom portion  22  and ending in a groove bottom  28 . The groove bottom  28  is shown in dashed lines. 
     In this embodiment, the broadhead  10  includes a sliding arm shaft  36 . The shaft  36  helps provide alignment and is received in a shaft bore hole  38  in the housing body  16 . Also shown is a sliding arm extension  30 , having a first end  32  and a second end  34 . It should be noted that the sliding arm extension  30  can be various sizes and shapes. The sliding arm extension  30  is received through the groove  26  in the top portion  18  of the housing body  16 , with the first and second ends  32  and  34  extending outwardly from opposite sides of the housing body  16 . In this drawing, part of the top portion  18  has been cutaway to illustrate the sliding arm extension  30  received in the groove  26 . 
     Also shown in this drawing is the first end  32  of the sliding arm extension  30  attached to a first cutting blade  42  and the second end  34  of the sliding arm extension  30  attached to a second cutting blade  48  using a rivet  44 , a screw or similar fastener. Also, the cutting blades  42  and  48  can be attached directly to the sliding arm shaft  36 , thereby eliminating the first and second ends  32  and  34  of the sliding arm extension  30 . The cutting blades  42  and  48  are shown extending downwardly in a substantial vertical orientation. The groove  26  has sufficient width for receiving the sliding arm extension  30  and the attached offset cutting blades  42  and  48 . The cutting blades  42  and  48  include an outer beveled, cutting edge  50 , an inside edge  51 , and an inner cam surface  52 . A portion of the cam surface  52  engages opposite ends of the groove bottom  28 , shown in dashed lines. 
     While  FIGS. 1-3  illustrate the sliding arm shaft  36  with the sliding arm extension  30  received in the groove  26 , it should be mentioned that the upper portion of the cutting blades  42  and  48  can be attached directly to the top of the sliding arm shaft  36  in the groove  26 , thus eliminating the sliding arm extension  30 . This embodiment of the arrow broadhead  10 , without using the sliding arm extension  30 , will work in the same manner as described in these drawings. 
     The cutting blades  42  and  48  can be held in a retracted position during arrow flight using an “O” ring  54 , a rubber band and the like received in a “O” ring notch  56  in the outside or cutting edge  50  of the cutting blades  42  and  48 . Upon target contact, the “O” ring  54  is released from the notch  56 . Also, the notch  56 , with the “O” ring  54 , can be in the inside edge  51  of the blades. 
     Also, the “O” ring  54  can be received in another “O” ring notch  56  in the top portion  18  of the housing body  16  and held therein by an “O” ring hook  57  in the top of the cutting blades  42  and  48 . Upon target contact, the “O” ring  54  is released from the “O” ring hook  57  allowing the cutting blades  42  and  48  to move downwardly and into an expanded position. 
     Further and as another example, a pair of cam levers  58  can be attached to opposite side the middle portion  20  of the housing body  16 . The cam levers  58  include an “O” ring notch  56  for receiving an “O” ring  54 . The levers also include a blade hook  60 . The blade hook  60  is received in a blade notch  62  in the inside edge  51  of the blades  42  and  48 . It should be noted the blade hook  60  can be in front or behind the “O” ring  54 . When the broadhead  10  contacts the target  14 , the “O” ring  54  is stretched and then pulled back into the “O” ring notch  56  as the blade hook  60  rotates away from the blade notch  62 , thereby releasing the blades  42  and  48  to expand into an extended position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     In  FIG. 1A , still another example of a cutting blade retraction system is shown for holding the cutting blades  42  and  48  in a retracted position during arrow flight. In this example, a portion of the second cutting blade  48  is shown with a hook notch  62  in the inside edge  51  of the blade. A ring washer  70  with an upwardly extending ring  72  therearound is mounted on top of a spring washer  74  and a back washer  76 . The washers  70 ,  74  and  76  are mounted around the middle portion  20  of the housing body  16 . During arrow flight, the spring washer  74  biases a portion of the ring  72  in the downwardly extending notch  62 , thus holding the blade in a retracted position. Upon target contact, the spring washer  74  is compressed and the ring  72  releases the cutting blade to expand outwardly into a extended position. Also, it should be noted that this cutting blade retraction system can also be turned upside down with the ring washer  70  engaging an upwardly extending notch  62  in the cutting blade. Further, it should be noted that the ring washer  70  can also be magnetized for holding the cutting blades in a retracted position and without the use of the spring washer  74  and the back washer  76 . 
     From the above discussion of different types of cutting blades and sliding arms having retaining devices, it can be appreciated that other examples of lateral spring plungers, push-fit plungers, threaded ball plungers, ball plungers with coil spring mounted balls or buttons and ball spring blade retaining devices, metal and plastic “O” rings, different types of washer, combinations of “O” rings and washer, and similar retraction devices can be used equally well and attached to the housing body  16  for engaging and holding the cutting blades and the sliding arm in place during arrow flight and prior to target contact. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the broadhead  10  includes a removable, pointed blade tip  64  mounted in the top of the groove  26  in the top portion  18  of the housing body  16 . This feature of the blade tip  64  being removable allows the sliding arm to be received in the groove prior to attaching the blade tip. The blade tip  64  is secured to the top portion  18  using a threaded screw  66  or similar fastener. The blade tip  64  extends outwardly and upwardly from the housing body  16  and obviously first contacts the target  14  during arrow flight. The blade tip  64  can be wider than the width of the groove  26  for increased strength and received on blade recess edges  68  in the housing body  16 . This feature helps prevent the blade tip  64  from engaging and shearing the screw  66  upon hitting a hard surface in the target. While the blade tip  64  is shown in the drawings, it should be kept in mind various types of pointed ends will work equally well in the top of the broadhead  10  for maximum cutting and target penetration. Also, the blade tip  64  can be pressed fit, threaded or glued into the top portion  18  of the housing body  16 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , a side view of the arrow broadhead  10  is shown. In this drawing, part of the middle portion  22  of the housing body  16  has been cutaway to illustrate a ball spring blade retraction system for holding the blades  42  and  48  in a retracted position. In this example, a spring bore hole  78  is drilled in the side of the housing for receiving a ball  80 , a coil spring  82  and a threaded bore hole plug  84 . The ball  80  is received in a dimple  86  in the side of the first cutting blade  42  for holding the blade in a retracted position. On the opposite side of the middle portion  22  of the housing  16  is an identical blade retraction system used to hold the second cutting blade  48  in a retracted position. Upon target contact, the bias force of the spring  82  against the ball  80  received in the dimple  86  in the blade  42  is overcome and the cutting blades  42  and  48  move outwardly into an extended position. 
     Also shown in the drawing is a cutaway section in the top portion  18  of the housing body. In this sectional view, a sliding arm extension retraction system is shown for holding the sliding arm extension  30  in the top of the groove  26  and preventing the arm from sliding downwardly and extending the cutting blades outwardly prior to target contact. The sliding arm extension retraction system also includes a spring bore hole  78  drilled in the side of the housing for receiving a ball  80 , a coil spring  82  and a threaded bore hole plug  84 . The ball  80  is received in a dimple  86  in the side of the sliding arm extension  30  for holding the arm in place. Upon target contact, the bias force of the spring  82  against the dimple  86  in the sliding arm extension  30  is overcome. The sliding arm extension is then free to move downwardly in the groove  26  for extending the cutting blades  42  and  48  outwardly into an expanded position. 
     In  FIG. 3 , another front view of the arrow broadhead  10  is shown and upon target contact. In this drawing, the cutting blades  42  and  48  have been pivoted outwardly from the groove  26  by the sliding arm extension  30  and into an unfolded, expanded position for maximum cutting and target penetration. In this expanded position, an inside blade notch  77  is shown in the cutting blades  42  and  48  for receiving the blade hook  60  and holding the cutting blades in an extended and locked position. 
     In operation, when the blade tip  64  moves through the target  14 , the first and second ends  32  and  34  of the sliding arm extension  30  and a portion of the upper end of the cutting blades  42  and  48  also contact the target  36 . At the same time, the sliding arm extension  30  moves downwardly in the groove  26 , from the top portion  18  of the housing body  16  to the groove bottom  28 . As the sliding arm extension  30  moves downwardly in the groove  26 , the cam surface  52  engages and slides along opposite ends of the groove bottom  28 , thereby moving the cutting blades  42  and  48  into an expanded position for maximum target engagement. 
     In  FIG. 4 , another front view of the broadhead  10  is shown with the cutting blades  42  and  48  folded forward, as indicated by arrows  88 , for releasing the broadhead  10  from the target  14 . In this example and when the broadhead  10  is pulled rearwardly, as indicated by arrows  88 , the broadhead provides for a non-barbed design. 
     In  FIG. 5 , a front view of another embodiment of the arrow broadhead  10  is shown. This broadhead is similar to the broadhead shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and with a housing body  16 , top, middle and bottom portions  18 ,  20 ,  22 , a threaded end  24 , and the elongated groove  26  with a groove bottom  28  in the bottom portion  22  of the housing body  16 . 
     In this embodiment, the broadhead  10  includes a first pivot arm  90  and a second pivot arm  92 . The first pivot arm  90  includes a first end  94  received in the groove  26  and pinned therein using a threaded screw  96  or similar fastener attached to the housing body  16 . The second pivot arm  92  includes a first end  94  also received in the groove  26  and pinned to the threaded screw  96 . A second end  98  of the pivot arms  90  and  92  extends outwardly from opposite sides of the groove  26  and are attached to an end of a first cutting blade  102  and a second cutting blade  104  using a rivet  106 , screw, or similar fastener. The cutting blades include a beveled cutting edge  50 . The cutting blades  102  and  104  extend downwardly into the groove  26  crossing each other in an “X” shaped configuration. A second end  108  of the cutting blades  102  and  104  extend outwardly from the groove  26  with an inner edge  51  of the blades resting on the opposite ends of the groove bottom  28 . The second ends  108  of the cutting blades include an “O” ring notch  56  for receiving an “O” ring  54  or similar blade retainer to hold the blades in a retracted position during arrow flight. The pivot arms  90  and  92  can include elongated grooves  111  therein for sliding on a portion of the threaded screw  96  or an alignment pin attached to the housing body  16 . 
     In  FIG. 6 , another front view of the arrow broadhead  10 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , is shown and upon target contact. In this drawing, the cutting blades  102  and  104  have been pivoted outwardly from the groove  26  by the pivot arms  90  and  92 . 
     In operation, when the blade tip  64  moves through the target  14 , the second ends  98  of the pivot arms  90  and  92  contact the target  14 . At the same time, the pivot arms  90  and  92  move downwardly and pivot the attached cutting blades  102  and  104 , in a scissor-like fashion, moving the blades outwardly from the groove, into a fully expanded position for maximum target penetration. 
     In  FIGS. 7 and 8 , another embodiment of the arrow broadhead  10  is illustrated with the first and second pivot arms  90  and  92  received in the groove  26  in the housing body  16 . In this example, the first and second cutting blades  102  and  104  are received in a portion of the housing body, and disposed folded next to and extending downwardly along a length of the exterior of housing body. In  FIG. 8 , the top of the cutting blades  102  and  104  include an upper blade hook  110  and a lower blade hook  111 . Also attached to the housing body are a pair of cam pins  124 . 
     In  FIG. 9 , the broadhead  10 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , illustrates the first and second pivot arms  90  and  92  pivoted downwardly, when contacting the target. At this time, the inner cam surface of the first and second cutting blades  102 ,  104  ride against the cam pins  124 , moving and pivoting the cutting blades outwardly into an expanded position and the upper blade hook  110  engages and hooks over the cam pins  124  locking the blades into an extended and locked position for maximum cutting and target penetration. 
     In  FIG. 10 , a front view of still another embodiment of the arrow broadhead  10  is shown and similar to the broadhead, shown in  FIG. 1 , but having a sliding arm plate  114  received inside the groove  26  in the housing body  16 . A portion of the housing body  16  has been cutaway to illustrate the sliding arm plate  114  inside the groove  26  in the housing body  16 . In this example, the first cutting blade  42  is pivotally attached to a first plate arm extension  116  and the second cutting blade  48  is pivotally attached to a second plate arm extension  118 , using rivets  44 , or screws or similar fasteners. The plate arm extensions  116  and  118  extend outwardly from the sides of the sliding arm plate  114 . 
     For providing proper alignment of the sliding arm plate  114 , the plate includes an elongated plate groove  120 . A groove alignment pin  122  is attached to the housing body  16  and is received through a portion of the plate groove  120 . Also attached to opposite sides of the middle portion  20  of the housing body  16  are a pair of cam pins  124 . The pair of cam pins  124  are on the outer side edges of the sliding arm plate  114  and also work as an alignment device as the sliding arm plate  114  moves downwardly. The cam pins  124  are disposed next to a portion of the inner cam surface  52  of the cutting blades  42  and  48 . Also shown in this drawing is an alignment pin notch  125  in the cutting blades  42  and  48  that hook over the alignment pins  124 . The cutting blades  42  and  48  have a hook portion  62  where the “O” ring  54  holds the cutting blades in a retracted position during arrow flight. Further shown in this drawing is the “O” ring  54  held in the “O” ring notch  56  in the cutting blades  42  and  48  for holding the cutting blades in a retracted position. 
     In  FIG. 11 , another front view of the broadhead  10 , as viewed in  FIG. 10 , is shown with the sliding arm plate  114  moved from the top portion of the groove  16  downwardly to the bottom portion of the groove upon target contact by the first and second plate arm extensions  116  and  118  and the cutting blades  42  and  48 . The sliding arm plate  114  is held in alignment between the pair of cam pins  124  as the plate groove  120  slides past the groove alignment pin  122 . As the sliding arm plate  114  moves downwardly, the inner cam surface  52  of the cutting blades  42  and  48  ride against the cam pins  124  moving the cutting blades outwardly into an expanded position and inner blade notch  126  of the cutting blades  42  and  48  hook over the cam pins  124  locking the blades into an extend and locked position, for maximum cutting and target penetration. Also at this time and as the cutting blades  42  and  48  move outwardly, the “O” ring  54  is stretched and is released from the hook portion  62  on the cutting blades and pushed or moved from the upper “O” ring notch  56  downwardly into a lower “O” ring notch. 
     It should be mentioned that the various blade retention means shown in the drawings for holding the cutting blades in a retracted position during arrow flight can be used equally well for the other embodiments of the broadhead disclosed herein. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown, described and illustrated in detail with reference to various exemplary embodiments and modifications thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure.