Patent Publication Number: US-6669585-B2

Title: Hunting arrow

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally directed to a hunting arrow concept. More particularly the arrow is designed to enhance the wound created in an animal that is hit with the arrow result in a quicker and more humane death for the animal. When hunting an animal with a bow and arrow, it is important to create a wound with the arrow that quickly and humanely kills the animal. If the animal is not killed quickly, it can suffer more than is necessary. In addition, the animal may move from the area where it was initially shot with the arrow and make it more difficult for the hunter to complete the kill. If the animal is able to move a significant distance, the hunter may lose track of the animal and not be able to use the animal as a source of food. The arrow of the present invention is designed to enhance the bleeding at the wound created by the arrow to assist in accomplishing a quick and human death for the animal. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an arrow having a hollow cylindrical shaft having a first end and a second end. An insert is positioned in the first end of the hollow shaft. The insert has an increased diameter section that defines a shoulder. A threaded connection extends from one side of the increased diameter section. An engagement section extends from the increased diameter section in a direction opposite to the threaded connection. The engagement section is configured to engage the interior surface of the hollow shaft to removably secure the insert to the hollow shaft. A hunting type of arrowhead is secured to the threaded connection and arrowhead extends from the hollow shaft. At least one opening extends through the insert to place the interior of the hollow shaft in communication with the atmosphere. The at least one opening provides a means whereby bodily fluids from an animal shot with the arrow can escape from the wound created by the arrow so that the animal is killed in a quicker and more humane manner. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the arrow of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of another configuration for the arrow of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a partial side elevation view of a feature of the arrow of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the feature of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the feature of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a partial side elevation view of a feature of the arrow of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 is a partial top view of the feature of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 8 is an end view of the feature of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of a nock used in the arrow of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 10 is a partial side elevation view of a feature of the arrow of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 11 is a top view of the feature of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 12 is an end view of the feature of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 13 is a partial side elevation view of a feature of the arrow of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 14 is an end view of the feature of FIG.  13 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
     The present invention is generally directed to a hunting arrow concept. More particularly the arrow is designed to enhance the wound created in an animal that is hit with the arrow resulting in a quicker and more humane death for the animal. The features of the arrow of the present invention will be more fully understood by referring to the attached drawings in connection with the following description. 
     The arrow  1  of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1-9 has a hollow shaft  5  having a first end  7 , and a second end  9  and an interior chamber  11 . An insert  15  is positioned on the first end  7  of the hollow shaft  5 . The insert  15  has an increased diameter section  17  that defines a shoulder  19 . The end  23  of the increased diameter section  17  has a threaded aperture  25  that is disposed to threadingly receive an arrowhead  27 . The arrowhead  27  is usually a hunting type of arrowhead that is effective in hunting game. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3-5, an engagement section  31  extends from the increased diameter section  17  in a direction opposite to the threaded aperture  25 . The engagement section  31  has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the increased diameter section  17 . The engagement section  31  is configured to be insertable into the interior chamber  11  of the hollow shaft  5 . The engagement section  31  engages the interior of the hollow shaft to secure the insert  15  to the first end  7  of the shaft  5 . Usually an interference type of fit is provided between the engagement section  31  and the interior chamber of the hollow shaft. However, adhesives can also be used to secure the engagement section  31  to the hollow shaft. A reduced diameter section  33  extends from the engagement section  31  in a direction away from the increased diameter section  17  and into the interior chamber  11  of the hollow shaft  5 . When the insert  15  is positioned on the hollow shaft  5 , the shoulder  19  created by the increased diameter section  17  acts as a stop that engages the end of the hollow shaft and indicates that the insert  15  is properly positioned with respect to the hollow shaft. 
     An opening  37  is provided in the insert  15  to place the interior chamber of the shaft  5  in communication with the atmosphere. The opening  37  can be at least on groove  41  that extends along increased diameter section  17 , the engagement section  31  and the reduced diameter section  33 . The groove  41  extends past the shoulder  19  formed by the increased diameter section  17  and provides a passageway that places the interior chamber  11  of the shaft  5  in fluid communication with the atmosphere. It is usually preferable to have at least two grooves  41  positioned in the inert  15  and grooves are usually spaced equidistant apart on the insert. The opening  37  as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 can also be at least one passageway  47  that extends through the insert  15 . The passageway can be an aperture  49  that is positioned in the increased diameter section  31  and connects with a bore  51  that extends substantially through the engagement section  31  and the reduced diameter section  33 . The aperture  49  and bore  51  form the passageway  47  that places the interior chamber  11  of the shaft  5  in fluid communication with the atmosphere. It is usually preferable to have more than one aperture  49  positioned in the increased diameter section and in communication with the bore  51 . Usually the apertures  49  are spaced equidistant apart on the increased diameter section. 
     A tube  55  can be positioned in communication with the reduced diameter section  33  of the insert  15 . As shown in FIG. 1, the tube  55  is positioned over the outer diameter of the reduced diameter section  33 . As shown in FIG. 2, the tube  55  is positioned in the bore  51  that extends through the reduced diameter section  33 . The tube  55  extends from the reduced diameter section  33  into the interior chamber  11  of the hollow shaft  5 . The tube  55  has a length that is from about % to about % of the length of the shaft  5 . The tube  55  has a diameter that is just slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the hollow shaft  5 . The tube  55  is in fluid communication with the atmosphere through the opening  37  provided in insert  15 . The tube  55  is normally made of plastic or other flexible material. 
     As shown in FIGS. 6-9, a nock insert  61  is positioned in the second end  9  hollow shaft  5 . The nock insert has a shoulder section  65  that has a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shaft  5 . A first section  67  extends from one end of the shoulder section  65  and is designed to extend into the interior chamber  11  of the shaft  5 . The first section  67  acts to secure the nock insert  61  to the shaft  5 . Usually an interference fit is provided between the first section  67  and the interior chamber  11  of the shaft  5 . However, adhesives can also be utilized to secure the nock insert  61  to the shaft  5 . The shoulder section  65  acts as a stop that engages the second end  9  of the shaft  5  and indicates that nock insert  61  is properly positioned with respect to the hollow shaft. A second section  69  extends from the other end of the shoulder section  65  in a direction opposite from the first section  67 . The second section  69  is disposed so that a nock  75  as shown in FIG. 9 can be secured to the second section. 
     An opening  77  is provided in the nock insert  61  to place the interior chamber  11  of the shaft  5  in communication with the atmosphere. The opening  77  can be at least one groove  79  that extends along the shoulder section  65  and the first section  67  and provides a passageway that places the interior chamber  11  of the shaft  5  in fluid communication with the atmosphere. The groove  79  is substantially similar in shape and function as the previously described groove  41  in the insert  15  and more than one groove  79  can be positioned in the nock insert  61 . The opening  77  as shown in FIGS. 10-12 can also be at least one passageway  83  that extends through the nock insert  61 . The passageway can be an aperture  85  that is positioned in the shoulder section  65  and connects with a bore  87  that extends substantially through the first section  67 . The aperture  85  and bore  87  form the passageway  83  that places the interior chamber  11  of the shaft  5  in fluid communication with the atmosphere. More than one aperture  85  can be positioned in the shoulder section and in communication wit the bore  87 . The aperture  85  and bore  87  are substantially similar in shape and function with the previously described aperture  49  and bore  51  in the insert  15 . 
     In hunting use, the arrow  1  of the present invention is shot at an animal by a bow or crossbow. The strings of the bow or crossbow engage the nock  75  so that the arrow can be propelled by the bow or crossbow. The arrowhead  27  is designed to penetrate the animal and cause sufficient damage to kill the animal. However, the arrow  1  does not always strike the animal in a location that results in damage significant enough for the animal to die quickly and humanely. Frequently, the animal will be capable of significant movement after being struck by the arrow  1  and this makes it more difficult for the hunter to quickly complete the kill of the animal. In some instances the wound created by the arrowhead  27  seals up around the shaft  5  of the arrow  1  and prolongs the time before the animal dies. Hunters want to complete the killing of the animal as quickly as possible to reduce suffering for the animal. 
     The arrow  1  of the present invention provides an opening  37  adjacent the arrowhead  27  and an opening  77  adjacent the nock  75  that allows bodily fluids such as blood to flow into and through the shaft  5  to increase the odds that the animal will be killed as quickly as possible by the arrow. Since one end of the arrow  1  usually extends from the animal, the bodily fluids can pass through shaft  5  of the arrow and assist in quickly and more humanely killing the animal. If the shaft  5  of the arrow  1  is broken off after entering the animal, the tube  55  that is connected to the reduced diameter section  33  of the insert provides a passageway for the bodily fluid of the animal to flow from the wound to accelerate the death of the animal. The tube  55  is formed of a flexible material so that the tube does not break if the shaft  5  of the arrow is broken. The tube  55  is designed to have a length so that the tube will extend from the animal if the arrow  1  is broken. Accordingly, the arrow of the present invention provides a means to enhance the effectiveness of a hunting arrow to quickly and humanely kill an animal. 
     The above detailed description of the present invention is given for explanatory purposes. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the whole of the foregoing description is to be construed in an illustrative and not a limitative sense, the scope of the invention being defined solely by the appended claims.