Patent Publication Number: US-6904688-B1

Title: Sight protective cover system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to covers for protecting target sights. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cover to protect a target sight of an archery bow. 
   It is know to have target sights mounted to an archery bow. The target sight is usually a sight surrounded by a open circular body. The circular body is usually attached to a mount which connects the circular body to the archery bow. There are protective covers on the market which attach to the circular body to protect the fragile components of the sight. Most of these protective covers thread into the circular body. The problem with the current protective covers is that the threads of the protective cover and circular body are fine. Archers remove and reinstalled the protective cover on many occasions and it is very easy to strip or cross-thread the fine threads. What is needed is a system which allows removal and reinstallation of the protective cover with out the use of threads. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a system which allows removal and reinstallation of a protective cover on a target sight with out the use of threads. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   A sight protective cover system adapted for a target sight including a protective cover. The protective cover being a body having at least two L-shaped slots. Also, including a mounting section which has a protective cover insert extending outward from the mounting section and away from the target sight, where the protective cover insert is sized to fit inside the body of the protective cover. There are at least two studs extending from the protective cover insert to interact with the at least two L-shaped slots to lock the mounting section and the protective cover together. There is a spring member between the mounting section and the protective cover to provide tension between the at least two studs and the at least two L-shaped slots to aid in locking the mounting section and the protective cover together. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sight protective cover system according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view of a sight protective cover system according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective exploded view of a sight protective cover system according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective exploded view of a sight protective cover system according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective assembly view of a sight protective cover system according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective assembly view of a sight protective cover system according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective assembly view of a sight protective cover system according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention is a sight protective cover system.  FIG. 1  shows a target sight  10  attached to an archery bow  12  with the sight protective cover system  14 . A protective cover  16  is shown attached to the target sight  10  in FIG.  1 .  FIGS. 2-4  show three configurations of the sight protective cover system  14 . All configurations include at least one rubber gasket  18 , a protective cover  16 , and mounting section  20 . The protective cover  16  is shown as an open cylinder shape body  22  having a front and rear. The open shape of the body  22  does not have to be a cylinder. The body  22  of the protective cover  16  includes an exterior surface  24  and interior surface  26 . A stop  28  is formed inside the protective cover  16  along the interior surface  26 . The body  22  includes two L-shaped slots  30  opposing each other. The mounting section  20  includes a circular flat face  32  and a protective cover insert  34  extending outward from the circular flat face  32 . The protective cover insert  34  includes two studs  36  extending outward from the protective cover insert  34 . 
     FIGS. 2 and 3  show the mounting section  20  formed as an integral part of the target sight  10 .  FIG. 4  shows the mounting section  20  as a separate component which mounts to the target sight  10 .  FIG. 4  shows the mounting section  20  having a threaded male end  38  and the target slight  10  with a threaded female end  40 . The fine threaded male end  38  is an attachment configuration of the mounting section  20 , whereby the threaded male end  38  is just an example of different possible attachment configurations. The mounting section  20  is attached to the target sight  10  by threading the threaded male end  38  of the mounting section  20  into the threaded female end  40  of the target sight  10 . The mating of the target sight  10  and the mounting section  20  can be done by any known means, whereby  FIG. 4  is just an example of a threaded configuration. This makes the sight protective cover system  14  versatile. The separate mounting section  20  of  FIG. 4  can be used with existing target sights that have the ability to have the mounting section  20  attached to the target sight  10  by creating the appropriate attachment configuration on the mounting section  20  which matches the attachment configuration of the target sight  10 .  FIG. 2  shows three rubber gaskets  18  between the mounting section  20  and the protective cover  16 .  FIG. 3  shows two rubber gaskets  18  and a protective lens  42  between the mounting section  20  and the protective cover  16 . 
   The following is the assembly and use of the sight protective cover system  14 .  FIG. 5  shows the protective cover  16  aligned for insertion of the protective cover insert  34  of the mounting section  20  into the protective cover  16 . Note, the L-shaped slot  30  is aligned to receive the stud  36  of the mounting section  20 .  FIG. 6  shows the protective cover insert  34  of the mounting section  20  inserted into the protective cover  20 , such that stud  36  is near the change of direction of the L-shaped slot  30 .  FIG. 7  shows the position of the stud  36  in the L-shaped slot  30 , after the protective cover  16  has been twisted clockwise to lock the protective cover  16  and mounting section  20  together. The rubber gaskets  18  act as a spring member and require the protective cover  16  be pressed against the mounting section  20  in order to twist and lock the protective cover  16  in place. Once the protective cover  16  is twisted, there is a natural tension between the L-shaped slots  30  and studs  36  which locks the protective cover  16  in place. One gasket  18  can be used, but multiple gaskets  18  improve the flexibility of the gaskets  18  acting as the spring member. There can be other materials or device used in place of the rubber gaskets  18 , as long as the replacement provides a similar spring action. In all configurations of the sight protective cover system  14 , the protective cover  16  acts as a hood to protect the workings of the target sight  10 . In the case of  FIG. 3 , there is the additional protection of the lens  42 . 
   While different embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to the embodiments could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements are illustrative only and are not limiting as to the scope of the invention that is to be given the full breadth of any and all equivalents thereof.