Patent Abstract:
A line puller attached to the limb adjustment bolts used for adjusting tension on high-performance bows is provided. The line puller may be shaped to facilitate capture of the line around an enlarged projection having a flared flanged that coaxes the line into an overlap configuration to cinch the line on a narrow winding portion.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to bowfishing devices and, more particularly, to a bowfishing line puller suitable for use with a bowfishing bow. 
     The sport of bowfishing involves using specialized bows and arrows to shoot and retrieve fish. In bowfishing, one end of the bowfishing line is attached to a barbed arrow so that when the arrow is shot, the line pays out allowing the arrow and fish to be retrieved by reeling the line in. 
     A bowfishing bow may have a lower draw weight than a standard bow as well as a constant draw to allow quick shots at moving fish and to allow snap shooting, shooting at less than full draw. 
     Bowfishing line is normally of greater strength than standard fishing line and often made from braided nylon, Dacron, or Spectra. The line is stored in a canister or reel mounted on the bow. A greater strength of line allows retrieval of the arrows if they become embedded in the bottom of a river or lake. In such circumstances, it is often difficult to retrieve the line which is wet and can cut into the archer&#39;s hands. To address this problem, it is known to provide bows with “line pullers” mounted on the bow riser associated with the bow stabilizer or fishing reel mounting brackets. These line pullers provide a projecting rod having a flange on one end allowing the bowfishing line to be wrapped around the line puller and then the bow as grasped by the bow fisher to be pulled in to release the arrow. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a bow having a line puller attached to the limb adjustment bolts used for adjusting tension on high-performance bows. This attachment point advantageously positions the line puller(s) away from the normal mounting points on the bow riser to an outer edge of the bow riser to prevent interference between the line and other features of the bow including the reel, cable guide, stabilizer and bowstrings, and yet is available in a wide range of different bow designs. In addition, force on the line puller as so positioned tends to tip the bow within its natural plane rather than twisted out of plane and possibly into the archer. 
     The line puller further may be shaped to facilitate capture of the line around an enlarged projection having a notched flange that coaxes the line into an overlap configuration to cinch the line on a narrow winding portion. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention may provide a bowfishing bow assembly having a bow riser having upper and lower ends extending along an axis and each supporting threaded screw sockets; a top limb extending at a first angle to the axis of the bow riser and having a proximal end attached to the upper end of the bow riser at a pivot point positioned inward of the proximal end to provide a cantilevered portion, the cantilevered portion supporting a screw passage for receipt of a screw passing through the cantilevered end portion to be received by the threaded screw socket of the upper end of the bow riser; a bottom limb having a proximal end opposite a distal end tipped downward from the lower end of the bow riser and attached to the bow riser at a pivot point positioned inward of the proximal end with a cantilevered end supporting a screw passage extending along a bottom screw axis; a bowstring extending between the distal ends of the top limb and the bottom limb to be tensioned by flexure of the top and bottom limbs; and a line puller attached to the cantilevered end of at least one of the top limb and bottom limb by means of a screw passing through the line puller and at least one of the screw passages of the at least one of the top and bottom limbs, the line puller providing a winding shaft extending away from the cantilevered end along the line puller axis and terminating with a line retention flange. 
     It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to mount the line puller at an outer upper or lower edge of the bow frame away from bow riser components and attachments so that the bowfishing line does not tangle when being wound and pulled in. The positioning of the line puller also frees up bow riser attachment holes for other accessories. 
     The line puller axis may extend within a plane defined by the axis and extent of the top and bottom limbs. 
     It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to prevent the force on the line being pulled in from twisting the bow around the grip. 
     The line puller may provide an oversized hole receiving the screw so that the screw may rotate freely within the line puller for adjustment of tension on the bowstring. 
     It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to install the line puller at a natural point of attachment found on many conventional bowfishing bows and that does not interfere with normal tensioning of bow. 
     The retention flange provides a flare outwardly from the winding shaft as one moves away from the attachment between the line puller and the cantilevered end. The flare may extend for a majority of the length of the line puller along the line puller axis. 
     It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a large target for winding that nevertheless channels the line to the winding surface. 
     The retention flange may conform to a frustoconical projection having a narrow end attached to at least one of the top limb and bottom limb and a broad end extending distally from the narrow end. The broad end projects laterally from the line puller axis by an amount at least twice the lateral projection of the narrow end. 
     It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a catch area that converges downward toward the smaller winding surface. 
     The retention flange may be supported on a cylindrical winding shaft having a diameter equal to or less than a diameter of a cylindrical narrow end of the retention flange. The winding shaft may have a length less than 0.2 inches. The winding shaft may have a length accommodating less than four times the width of a bowfishing line. 
     It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a shorter and narrower wrap area requiring less length of line to be wrapped and to collect the line in an overlapping configuration on the winding shaft to lock the line. 
     The line puller may include notches extending circumferentially around the line puller axis. The notches may be equally spaced along the line puller axis. The notches may have a rectangular cross section. The notches may have a V-shaped cross section. The notches may have a depth of the notches is at least 0.1 inches. 
     It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention that the catch surface not retain the line but provide enough friction to catch the line during winding. 
     A distal end of the line puller may provide a countersink pocket holding a head of the screw flush therein. 
     It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to prevent accidental rotation of screw which is never really fully tightened because it&#39;s an adjustment screw. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention may provide a line puller for winding a bowfishing line having a cylindrical winding shalt extending along an axis; a retention flange providing a flare outwardly from the shaft with a broader base extending distally from the shaft opposite a narrower base connected to the cylindrical winding shaft; and an oversized hole extending along the axis adapted to receive a bolt so that the bolt may rotate freely within the line puller. 
     These particular objects and advantages may apply to only some embodiments falling within the claims and thus do not define the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a bowfishing bow of the present invention illustrating a bow frame having a longitudinally extending bow riser supporting a top limb and bottom limb extending upwardly and downwardly, respectively, therefrom and having a bowstring extended between distal ends of the top limb and bottom limb; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of a limb joint of  FIG. 1  for mounting the top limb or bottom limb to the bow riser and showing a frustoconical line puller extending along an axis consistent with a bore of the top limb or bottom limb and a limb socket of the bow riser; 
         FIG. 3 . is a top perspective view of the line puller of  FIG. 1  having an inner passage extending through a height of the line puller along the axis; 
         FIG. 4  is a side perspective view of the line puller of  FIG. 1  having a flared catch area supported on a cylindrical wrap area; 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  showing the flared catch area having circumferential V-grooves and the inner passage receiving a hexagonal head screw; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the line puller of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the line puller of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a bowfishing bow  10  suitable for use with the present invention may include a bow riser  12  extending longitudinally along an axis  14  and having top  16  and bottom  18  ends at a respective top and bottom of the bow riser  12 . 
     Extending rearwardly and upwardly from the top end  16  with respect to axis  14  is a top limb  20 . A proximal end  22  of the top limb  20  is connected to the bow riser  12  by a pivot structure which will be described in more detail below. Similarly, extending rearwardly from the bottom end  18  and tipped downward form the bottom end  18  is a bottom limb  26  extending along a downwardly tipped angle with respect to axis  14 . The bottom limb  26  is connected at a proximal end  28  to the bow riser  12  opposite a distal end  30  extending away from the bow riser  12 . 
     The top  16  and bottom  18  ends of the bow riser  12  may be attached to the top limb  20  and bottom limb  26 , respectively, at limb joints  56  securing the top limb  20  and bottom limb  26  to the bow riser  12  and allowing the curvature of the limbs to be adjusted to adjust the draw weight, as will be further explained below. 
     Extending substantially parallel to the bow riser  12  and strung between pulleys on the distal ends  24 ,  30  of the top limb  20  and bottom limb  26  is a bowstring  32  that is drawn back with an arrow to facilitate arrow flight. The pulleys may include a number of cams  58  having an eccentric, noncircular shape giving the user a mechanical advantage when shooting the arrow. In one embodiment, a dual cam system uses two rotatable cams  58  at the distal ends  24 ,  30  of the top limb  20  and bottom limb  26 . The cams  58  are connected or slaved to one another via cables  60  to allow the cams  58  to move in synchronicity with the drawing back of the arrow. The bowstring  32  is connected at outer ends of the cams  58  such that when the bowstring  32  is drawn back the cams  58  rotate and impart force to compress the limbs  20 ,  26 . As the cams  58  are rotated, the force required to hold the bow  10  reaches a peak and then decreases as the bow  10  reaches maximum extension, known as “let-off” allowing the user to maintain the drawn bow  10  and properly aim the arrow, as understood in the art. 
     In use, the bowfishing bow  10  is positioned such that the bow riser  12  is held away from the user and the bowstring  32  is positioned toward the user. 
     The bow riser  12  may carry a number of components permitting use of the bow  10  by a user. In one embodiment of the invention, the bow riser  12  may provide a grip  34  generally positioned below a midpoint between the top  16  and bottom  18  ends and along an inner face of the bow riser  12  receiving a palm of the user&#39;s hand with fingers gripped around the outer face of the bow riser  12  to hold the bow riser  12  upright along the axis  14 . The grip  34  provides a surface that receive the fingers and thumb in opposition to grasp around the axis  14  and resist sliding of the bow riser  12  along the axis  14  through the grasp. 
     Above the grip  34  is an arrow rest  36  providing an upper ledge extending laterally from the bow riser  12  for supporting the cylindrical arrow shaft and keeping the arrow steady as it is being drawn back by the user. 
     Above the arrow rest  36 , a reel mounting bracket  38  may attach a winding mechanism  40  to the bow riser  12 . The winding mechanism  40  communicates with a plastic bottle  42  holding the bowfishing line  44 . The bowfishing line  44  may be loosely bundled in the plastic bottle  42  with a first end of the bowfishing line  44  secured to the plastic bottle  42  such as received through an opening  46  at the bottom of the plastic bottle  42  and secured by a knot  48  unable to pass through the opening  46 . The free end of the bowfishing line  44  is fed through the winding mechanism  40  allowing the bowfishing line  44  to be retrieved by pulling a downwardly extending trigger  50  backward toward the bow riser  12  which pinches the line  44  between wheels within the winding mechanism  40  (not shown) that are turned by rotating a crank handle  52  which “winds” the bowfishing line  44  by pulling the bowfishing line  44  into the plastic bottle  42 . Free release of the bowfishing line  44  from the plastic bottle is permitted when the trigger  50  is not pressed. A bowfishing reel suitable for use in this purpose is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,383,516 and 6,634,350 owned by the present applicant and hereby incorporated by reference. 
     A trigger guard  53  may be attached to the end of the trigger  50 , for example having a cylindrical sleeve wrapped around the trigger  50 , and extending downwardly away from the trigger  50  before bending back toward the bow riser  12  to form a “J” shape extending below the winding mechanism  40  to prevent the excess bowfishing line  44  from entering or getting caught in the trigger  50  area. The bottom end of the trigger guard  53  may be inserted into one of the lower openings in the bow riser  12  to restrict the bottom end of the trigger guard  53  from movement. 
     A bow stabilizer rod  54  providing a rod extending from the bow riser  12  forward along the direction of arrow flight may be optionally screwed into a threaded accessory hole  55  located in the bow riser  12  extending in the direction of the bow stabilizer rod  54  and positioned below the grip  34  of the bow riser  12 . The bow stabilizer rod  54  provides additional weight to the front of the bow  10  stabilizing the bow  10 , absorbing vibration force, and reducing shock to the user&#39;s hand. 
     As described above, the reel mounting bracket  38  may be attached to the bow riser  12  above the grip  34  by screws. Alternatively, the winding mechanism  40  may be attached to the mounting point for the stabilizer rod  54  below the grip  34  when the stabilizer is not used. 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 2 , the top end  16  and bottom end  18  of the bow riser  12  each attach pivotally, at respective pivot point  62 , to respective limbs  20  and  26 . The pivot point  62  is displaced inward from the proximal ends  22 ,  28  of the respective limbs  20  and  26  so that the proximal ends  22 ,  28  of the respective limbs  20  and  26  extend as cantilevered portions  67 ,  69  forward from the pivot point  62  over a pocket  77  supporting a bolt socket  64 . The bolt socket  64  is a cylinder extending laterally through the lateral pocket  77  from a left to a right side of the bow riser  12  and provides a diametric threaded bore  79 . This bore  79  is accessible through a slot  65  opening toward the cantilevered portions  67  and  69  and intersecting with the lateral pocket  77 . 
     The bolt socket  64  is coupled to the cantilevered ends  67 ,  69  of the limbs  20 ,  26  via a limb bolt  66 . The cantilevered ends  67 ,  69  of the limb  20 ,  26  over the slot  65  each have a bore  70  extending along a “line puller” axis  68  that may receive limb bolt  66  therethrough with a head  81  of the limb bolt  66  positioned at the outside of the limbs  20 ,  26  and a shaft  73  of the limb bolt  66  passing through the bore  70  into the slot  65  to be received threadably into the threaded bore  79 . 
     The limb bolt  66  may be screwed into the bore  79  to pull the cantilevered ends  67 ,  69  of the limb  20 ,  26  to the bow riser  12  increasing the tension, and rotating the opposite distal end  24 ,  30  of the limb  20 ,  26  outward to raise the draw weight on the bowstring. The limb bolt  66  may be unscrewed to retract the limb bolt  66  from the bore  79  to separate the cantilevered ends  67 ,  69  of the limb  20 ,  26  from the bow riser  12 , and rotating the opposite distal end  24 ,  30  of the limb  20 ,  26  inward to lower the draw weight on the bow string. In this way limb bolt  66  may be screwed and unscrewed to adjust the “draw weight” or force necessary to bring the bow  10  to full draw. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 through 7 , extending along the axis  68  and attached to the bore  79  by the limb bolt  66  is a line puller  72  having a height of between 0.5 and 1 inch or approximately 0.7 inches along the “line puller” axis  68 . The line puller  72  has a base  74  mounted to the cantilevered ends  67 ,  69  of the limb  20 ,  26  and supporting a cylindrical wrap area  76  extending upward therefrom along the axis  68 . A top of the cylindrical wrap area  76  supports a frustoconical catch area  78 , or a projection generally conforming to a frustum of a cone or pyramid, defined by a smaller diameter base  80  extending from the cylindrical wrap area  76  and extending outward to a larger diameter base  82  defining an upper face of the line puller  72 . 
     The line puller  72  includes a bore  88  extending along the axis  68  and allowing the limb bolt  66  to extend therethrough. An aperture  90  accessible from the upper face of the line puller  72  may include a bushing  92  providing a sleeve  94  extending into the bore  88  with a counter-sunk hole  96  at an upper end of the sleeve  94  to allow the head  81  of the limb bolt  66  to sit flush with or below the upper face of the bushing  92 , or alternatively, above the upper face of the bushing  92  but below the upper opening of the aperture  90 , and to provide a bolt head  81  stop surface that prevents the limb bolt  66  from extending further through the bore  88  along axis  68 . Alternatively, the hole  96  may be counter-bored providing a flat bottomed hole that may be used with a socket-head screw cap. 
     The base  74  of the line puller  72  may provide a two tiered cylindrical bottom having a larger diameter portion  86  underneath a smaller portion  84  and separating the line puller  72  from the limb  20 ,  26  surface. The larger diameter portion  86  has a height of 0.1 to 0.2 inches or approximately 0.125 inches and a diameter of 1 to 1.5 inches or approximately 1.375 inches, and the smaller portion  84  has a height of 0.02-0.03 inches or approximately 0.025 inches and a diameter of 0.5 to 1 inches or approximately 0.7 inches. The larger diameter portion  86  has a diameter that generally corresponds with the diameter of the larger diameter base  82  of the frustoconical catch area  78 . A washer  83  may also be positioned between the line puller  72  and the limb  20 ,  26  surface having a diameter that generally corresponds with the diameter of the larger diameter portion  86  and preventing rotation of the line puller  72  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     The cylindrical wrap area  76  is centered on the smaller portion  84  and has a diameter less than the smaller portion  84 . The cylindrical wrap area  76  has a height of 0.1 to 0.2 or approximately 0.135 inches or carrying 2 to 6 diameters of bowfishing line  44  side-by-side within the wrap area  76 . The cylindrical wrap area  76  has a diameter of 0.5 to 1 inches or approximately 0.6 inches. 
     The frustoconical catch area  78  provides an exposed and enlarged outer catch surface  102  extending between the smaller diameter base  80  and larger diameter base  82  for receiving the bowfishing line  44 . The smaller diameter base  80  may have a diameter approximately less than or equal to one half the diameter of the larger diameter base  82 . The slope of the frustoconical catch area  78 , of approximately 40-60 degrees or approximately 55 degrees, encourages a looped bowfishing line  44  to slide downward toward the smaller diameter base  80  and onto the cylindrical wrap area  76  so that the bowfishing line  44  overlaps and cinches within the catch area  78 . The frustoconical catch area  78  has a height of 0.3 to 1 inches or approximately 0.4 inches providing sufficient length and area to catch the bowfishing line  44 . 
     In one embodiment, the outer catch surface  102  of the frustoconical catch area  78  may be grooved to facilitate gripping of the bowfishing line  44  being wound around the catch area  78 . The grooved outer surface may have circumferentially extending grooves  100  defined by a V-shape (see  FIG. 5 ) or rectangular shape when viewed in cross section. The grooves  100  may be spaced apart along the outer surface such that 2 to 4 grooves extend around the catch area  78 . The grooves  100  may have a depth of 0.1-0.2 inches or approximately 0.125 inches. 
     In one embodiment, the limb bolt  66  may be a countersunk hex head  71  screw having a smooth exterior shaft  73  with a threaded distal tip  75 . In use, the limb bolt  66  may extend into the bore  88  of the line puller  72  with a countersunk head of the bolt  66  contacting and restrained from further movement along the axis  68  by the counter-sunk hole  96  of the bushing  92  within the bore  88 . The limb bolt  66  may extend through the bore  88  of the line puller  72  and through the bore  70  of the cantilevered ends  67 ,  69  of the limbs  20 ,  26 . The threaded tip  75  of the limb bolt  66  may extend out of the bore  70  and into the threaded bore  79  of the bow riser  12  where it is screw tighten to adjust the tightness of the attachment of the limb  20 ,  26  with respect to the bow riser  12 . 
     In use, the line puller  72  may be installed on the bow  10  by aligning the bore  88  of the line puller  72  along the axis  68  of the bore  70  and bore  79  and inserting the limb bolt  66  through the bores  88 ,  70  and into the bore  79 . The limb bolt  66  is threaded into the bore  79  to a desired depth, thus fastening the line puller  72  to the bow  10 . 
     The user may retrieve a buried arrow by wrapping the bowfishing line  44  around the frustoconical catch area  78 , allowing the outer catch surface  102  to grip the bowfishing line  44 . As the user wraps the bowfishing line  44  around the frustoconical catch area  78 , the line  44  falls downward toward the cylindrical wrap area  76  to encircle the wrap area  76 . The bowfishing line  44  may be wrapped two or more times to overlap the line  44  within the wrap area  76  and cinch the line  44  from further sliding. 
     Once the bowfishing line  44  is cinched at the cylindrical wrap area  76 , the user may use the bow  10  to pull the line in to dislodge the arrow from the lake or river bottom without using his or her hands. The attachment of the line puller  72  at the upper or lower limb joints  56  avoids interference of the line  44  with other bow riser  12  components and/or accessories and allows the line puller  72  to be installed with the preexisting limb bolt  66  and bore  79 . Moreover, the positioning of the line puller  72  at the upper or lower ends of the bow  10  allows the user to use the weight and leverage of the bow  10  to yank the arrow out of the lake or river bottom and without twisting the bow  10  around the grip  34 . 
     Certain terminology is used herein for purposes of reference only, and thus is not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “above”, and “below” refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. Terms such as “front”, “back”, “rear”, “bottom” and “side”, describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component under discussion. Such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. Similarly, the terms “first”, “second” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. 
     When introducing elements or features of the present disclosure and the exemplary embodiments, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of such elements or features. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements or features other than those specifically noted. It is further to be understood that the method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed. 
     It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein and the claims should be understood to include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims. All of the publications described herein, including patents and non-patent publications, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5