Abstract:
An apparatus is described that is operable between a raised and lowered position for lifting an object without pivot or rotational joints. The apparatus may include an arrow rest for use with an archery bow, wherein the arrow rest has arrow support members operable to form a v-shaped arrow supporting notch, wherein the support members slide in a non-pivotal, non-rotational manner to vary a depth of the v-shaped notch. The support members are oriented to slide between a raised and lowered position. The arrow rest is suitable for coupling to the bow in a manner so that as the bow string is drawn the support members raise the arrow into a shooting position, and when the bow string is released the support members slide away from the arrow to avoid contact between the arrow and support members. Further, the arrow rest is adjustable to accommodate various diameter arrow shafts and to adjust the lateral and vertical orientation of the arrow shaft relative to the riser.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       FEDERAL SPONSORSHIP 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0004]    This invention pertains generally to vertical lift mechanisms. More particularly, this invention is directed to an arrow rest for use with an archery bow, wherein the arrow rest raises an arrow in a non-pivotal, non-rotational manner. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0005]    Generally, improvements in archery equipment are intended to aid an archer&#39;s pursuit of a more accurate shot. Various accessories for the bow are available to, for example, increase bow stability, adjust arrow alignment and trajectory, and provide aiming aids for the archer. One such accessory, the arrow rest, typically suspends the arrow shaft above the bow riser shelf to eliminate arrow shaft and fletching contact with the riser. As the arrow propels from the bow the shaft of the arrow may flex depending upon the arrow spine and the amount of stored energy of the bow as the arrow is shot from the bow. Once the arrow disengages from the bow string the arrow begins to flex. This flexing of the arrow shaft may cause increased contact with the arrow rest. It has been observed that flight and trajectory of an arrow are affected if any portion of the arrow shaft or fletching contacts the arrow rest or riser of the bow. 
         [0006]    Some prior arrow rests attempt to minimize contact with the arrow shaft and fletching as the arrow disengages from the bow string by affectively suspending an arrow in mid air above the riser of a bow, when the arrow disengages from the string. Although it is desirable to eliminate contact with the rest when the arrow is propelled, prior to release, it is desirable that the arrow rest contain the arrow on the rest prior to launching the arrow. It is further desirable that the arrow rest support the arrow shaft in a repeatable, fixed alignment relative to the riser to allow for finite adjustment of an arrow shafts longitudinal and horizontal orientation over the riser. 
         [0007]    One common arrow rest that attempts to eliminate contact with the arrow during launching is referred to as a drop away or fall away rest. This type of rest typically provides one or more support arms that contact the underside of the arrow shaft. As the bow string is drawn to a shooting position, the support arms lift or rotate upward, lifting the arrow vertically from a resting position on the support arms. As the arrow is drawn to a shooting position, the arrow shaft has the ability to fall off the support arms of many prior drop away rests. Although various configurations of the support arms have been devised to reduce the likelihood that the arrow becomes misaligned when the arrow is lifted vertically, it may be difficult to keep the arrow balanced and aligned on these support arms when the bow is tilted from side to side or even upside down. Also, if the archer rests the bow on its side, for example, the arrow may slip off the support arms of these fall away rests. Attempts have been made to contain the arrow on the support arm, however these prior rests include an additional containment arm that adds to the complexity of the rest and increases the possibility of contact with the arrow during launch. 
         [0008]    Further, as an arrow disengages from the bow string, the support arm(s) of the drop or fall away rest typically either rotate down and away from contact with the arrow shaft or drop down vertically. As the support arm(s) move downward, the bow limbs return forcefully to a non-flexed state, thereby creating potential overall forward inertia and vertical vibration in the bow. This inertia and vertical vibration effectively reduces the clearance distance between the support arms of the drop away rest and the arrow shaft. Additionally, the support arms themselves may tend to bounce upwards, back into contact with the arrow shaft, and further reducing the arrow shaft clearance. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    Embodiments according to aspects of the invention include an arrow rest that aligns and supports an arrow shaft in the lowered position, while the arrow is raised, and in the raised position. The arrow rest includes at least two support members that actuate laterally relative to the arrow shaft. The support members each engage an underside of the arrow shaft prior to launching the arrow. The support members keep the arrow aligned on the rest even if the bow is tilted from side to side. When the arrow is propelled from the bow, the supports are biased laterally away from the arrow shaft to avoid contact with the shaft or fletching. Lateral rather than vertical actuation of the support members reduces the relative influence that resonating vibrations of the bow may have on the support members. 
         [0010]    The arrow rest includes an actuator assembly engaged to at least one of the support members to effectuate lateral sliding of the support members between a raised and lowered position. The support members may be coupled or linked together so that actuation of one support member affectively actuates the other support member. The rest may also include a biasing system that biases the support members toward either the raised or lowered position. 
         [0011]    Also described herein are various coupling arrangements of the arrow rest to the bow, to thereby synchronize the lateral movement of the support members with either the drawing or release of the bow string. In one particular coupling arrangement, when the bow string is drawn, the support members slide laterally to reduce the inner distance between tips of the support members. An arrow resting on the support members is affectively raised to a ready or shooting position as the bow string is drawn. The alignment and configuration of the support members inhibit the arrow from falling off the support members as the arrow is raised. Upon release of the bowstring, the support members are biased laterally away from the arrow, and the arrow propels past the support members without contacting the support members. 
         [0012]    In one particular embodiment, the invention is directed to an arrow rest comprising a first arrow support member, a second arrow support member, a base, and an actuator assembly engaged to the first support member. The actuator assembly operates to slide the first support member laterally between a raising and lowering position. A linkage between the first and second support members couple together the support members so that when an actuation force is applied to the first support member a similar actuation force is applied to the second support member but in an opposite direction. A bias system biases the first and second support members laterally toward the lowering position. Additionally, a support lock retains the first and second arrow support members in a fixed position. 
         [0013]    In another particular embodiment, the invention is directed to an arrow rest comprising spaced apart first and second supports, wherein each support engage an underside of an arrow shaft prior to launching the arrow. The first and second supports may form a notch in which the arrow shaft contacts the notch at two separate points. When an arrow is positioned within the arrow rest, the arrow shaft is elevated from a lowered position to a raised position when a distance separating a free end of each support is reduced. The rest includes a bias system that biases the first and second supports to the lowered position. The rest may also include a support lock that retains the first and second supports in a fixed, raised and loaded position. 
         [0014]    In another particular embodiment of the invention the support members are aligned relative to each other to form an arrow supporting notch. The support members are actuated and biased to slide the support members in a non-pivotal, non-rotational manner, thereby varying a depth of the notch. When the depth of the notch is varied, the arrow shaft resting in the bottom of the notch is raised or lowered. The support members align and contain an arrow shaft when the support members slide between a raised and lowered position. These and other particular embodiments of the invention are described in detail in the following detailed description. 
         [0015]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a portion of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to further explain the invention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred; however, it should be understood, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    In the various figures, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals throughout the figures identify substantially similar components. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a partial sectional rear perspective view of the arrow lift and rest system mounted to a bow riser in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a partial sectional front perspective view of the arrow rest system of the type shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a partial sectional alternate rear perspective view of the arrow rest system of the type shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a partial exploded perspective view of the arrow rest system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a partial sectional perspective view of the underside of the arrow rest system of the type shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the underside of the arrow rest system of the type shown in  FIG. 1  having the base cover plate removed; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is an end perspective view of an underside of the arrow rest system of the type shown in  FIG. 1  having the base cover plate removed and the support lock engaged to the support; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a rear bottom perspective view of an underside of the arrow rest system of the type shown in  FIG. 1  having the base cover plate removed and the support members in the raised position; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a partial sectional rear perspective view of the arrow rest system mounted to a bow riser in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and showing a portion of an arrow shaft in a lowered position; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a partial sectional rear perspective view of the arrow rest system mounted to a bow riser in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and showing a portion of an arrow shaft in a raised position; 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a partial sectional rear perspective view of the arrow rest system mounted to a bow riser in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and showing fletching of an arrow clearing the support members during launch; 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is a partial sectional rear perspective view of the arrow lift and rest system mounted to a bow riser in accordance with an embodiment of the invention showing a portion of an arrow shaft in a lowered position; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 13  is a partial sectional rear perspective view of the arrow lift and rest system mounted to a bow riser in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and showing a portion of an arrow shaft in a raised position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    The following description provides detail of various embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each of these embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not intended to be a limitation of the invention. Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. By way of example, those skilled in the art will recognize that features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, may be used in another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention also cover such modifications and variations that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
         [0031]    A user of the arrow rest  10  may use the arrow rest for recreational shooting, hunting, or competitive shooting alike. In many situations an archer may desire an arrow rest that allows the user to hold the bow in an orientation other than vertical, while at full draw, during the draw or at rest, without concern that the arrow will fall or roll off the arrow support. The arrow rest  10  of the present invention includes support members  20  and  50  that actuate laterally and contain the arrow  14  within the support members at full draw, during draw or at rest. Further, when the support members  20  and  50  are locked in place with support lock  150 , the bow may be held in any orientation, including upside down, and the arrow  14  will be contained between the support members. 
         [0032]    Further, an archer may seek to eliminate as much as possible vibrations that resonate vertically through the bow. Thus, an archer may desire support members  20  and  50  that quickly disengage laterally from the arrow shaft  14  rather than downwardly in a rotational or straight vertical drop. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that by varying the contour and steepness of the support angle  42  and  72  of corresponding support members  20  and  50 , a quicker lateral disengagement of the arrow shaft will occur as compared to rotational or straight vertical drop. 
         [0033]    Turning attention now to the Figures, embodiments of the lifting mechanism or arrow rest  10  of the present invention will now be described in more detail. With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , arrow rest  10  is shown attached to a sectioned away portion of a riser  12  of a bow. The arrow rest  10  generally includes a first support  20 , second support  50 , base  80 , vertical slide mount  110 , riser mount bracket  130 , actuation cord or linkage  140  and support lock  150 . The arrow rest  10  is attached to the riser  12  with riser mount screw  136 . A cord  140  is used to effectively actuate support members  20  and  50 . The support members  20  and  50  are biased open, in the lowered position, with corresponding bias springs  24  and  54 . The actuation and biasing of support members  20  and  50  is described in additional detail with reference to  FIGS. 6-8 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show greater detail of the components of the arrow rest  10 . First support  20  includes a base  26 , sides  30  of the base  26 , and a tip or end  38 . An aperture  28  extends through the base  26  and is adapted for receiving a first support guide pin  22 . The guide pin  22  extends through aperture  28  and engages with the base  80 . First support bias spring  24  surrounds a portion of guide pin  22  and is positioned between the base  26  of support member  20  and base  80 . A channel  36  extends through the base  26  and is adapted for receiving the cord or linkage  140 . A threaded aperture  34  extends through the base  26  and intersects channel  36 . Timing set screw  32  screws into threaded aperture and engages cord  140  extending through channel  36 . 
         [0035]    Second support  50  is a similar construction and includes a base  56 , sides  60  of the base  56 , and a tip or end  68 . An aperture  58  extends through the base  56  and is adapted for receiving a second support guide pin  52 . The guide pin  52  extends through aperture  58  and engages with the base  80 . Second support bias spring  54  surrounds a portion of guide pin  52  and is positioned between the base  56  of support member  50  and base  80 . A channel  66  extends through the base  56  and is adapted for receiving the cord or linkage  140 . The channel  66  at the outer end of support member  50  is counter bored so that an end of the cord may be knotted and the knot of the cord fits within the counter bore. An alternative embodiment not shown in the Figure, includes a threaded aperture  64  extending through the base  56  and intersecting channel  66 . An optional fixed end set screw  62  screws into threaded aperture  64  and engages cord  140  extending through channel  66  to thereby fix in place the end of the cord and to allow for an alternative mode of adjusting the length of the cord between the first and second support members  20  and  50 . 
         [0036]    Base or frame  80  includes a cover plate  82 , cover plate screws  84 , and roller or pin  100  (shown in  FIG. 6 ). Apertures  86  for guide pins  22  and  52  extend longitudinally through the base  80 . Guide pins  22  and  52  may be press fit into apertures  86  or may be fastened, glued, welded, or otherwise fixed within the aperture. Channels  88  extend through the base  80  from a top surface to the bottom surface of the base, forming a guide channel in which the base  26  and  56  of respective supports  20  and  50  may slide. Aperture  90  extends through a side of said base  80  into channel  88  and is adapted for receiving support lock  150 . An access hole  92  extends through base  80  into channel  88 . Support  20  may be actuated and slid within channel  88  so that the timing set screw  32  is accessible through hole  92 . An elongate clearance aperture  94  extends through base  80  and is adapted for receiving base mount screw  120 . An alignment channel  96  extends into the base  80  from the top surface and is adapted for receiving a flange extending from a bottom of the vertical slide mount  110 . The flange slides in alignment channel  96  and allows for controlled horizontal adjustment of the base relative to the vertical slide mount  110 . 
         [0037]    Vertical slide mount  110  includes vertical mount rail  114  and apertures  112  extending through a side of vertical slide mount  110 . Rail  114  is adapted to engage and slide within riser mount channel  132  formed within riser mount bracket  130 . Elongated vertical mount aperture  134  extends riser mount  130  and aligns with threaded vertical mount apertures  112 . Vertical slide mount  110  is fastened to base  80  with base mount screw  120  and fastened to riser mount bracket  130  with vertical mount screw  122 . Riser mount bracket  130  is engaged and fixed to riser  12  with riser mount screw  136 . 
         [0038]    Support lock  150  includes knob  152 , knob set screw  154 , knob bias spring  156 , lock base  158  and lock pin  160  (see  FIG. 7 ). Lock base  158  engages and is fixed within aperture  90  of base  80 . Knob  152  and lock pin  160  are biased by spring  156  between a locked position (shown in  FIG. 7 ) and disengaged position (shown in, for example,  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0039]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6-8  the path of cord  140  is shown extending around pin  100 , through base  26  of support  20 , through channels  88 , serpentine channel  98 , and into base  56  of support  50 . One end of cord  140  is fixed to support member  140 . The cord  140  is then routed through channel  66  of support base  56  and channel  88  corresponding with support  50  and then through serpentine channel  98 . Routing of the cord continues through channel  36  of support base  26  and through channel  88  of support  20 . The support  20  and  50  are squeezed together and the cord  140  held taught until timing set screw  32  is accessible through access hole  92 . The set screw  32  is tightened against cord  140  to thereby link and control the length of the cord  140  between support members  20  and  50  and to define the timing of the actuation between the support members. The free end of cord  140  may be attached with serving string to the buss cable (power cable or the secondary payout side of the string depending upon the particular bow) that moves down as the bow is drawn. The attachment point is below the horizontal plain of the arrow rest. The amount of slack in the cord  140  when attached to the buss cable, or secondary payout string, will depend upon the amount of travel in the buss cable or secondary payout string from rest to full draw. The amount of travel depends upon the particular bow, cams and amount of travel of the buss cable or string. When the bow is drawn, the cable moves downward, applying a pulling force to cord  140 , which results in a closing force applied to support members  20  and  50 . 
         [0040]    A bias spring  54  applies a biasing force to support  50  thereby biasing support  50  through channel  88  in a sliding fashion towards an open or lowered position. Since the length of cord  140  between support  20  and support  50  is fixed, a biasing force applied to support  50  also applies a biasing force to support  20  causing the support  20  to bias in a sliding fashion through channel  88  toward an open or lowered position. Alternatively, a second bias spring  24  may be utilized to apply a biasing force to support  20  to bias support  20  toward an open or lowered position. 
         [0041]    In an alternate embodiment, bias springs  24  and alternate bias spring  54  may be positioned on opposite ends of corresponding supports  20  and  50  to thereby bias the supports towards each other and in a closed or raised position. When the bias springs are positioned on opposite sides of the support members, the orientation of the support members on the guide pins is flipped. Thus the angled ramp  42  of support member  20  would face away from the riser and angled ramp  72  of support member  50  would face towards riser (the embodiments shown in the Figures show angled ramp  42  of support member  20  facing towards the riser and angled ramp  72  of support member  50  faces away from the riser). In this alternate embodiment, the closed or raised position is the at rest position. In this arrangement, free end of cord  140  is attached with server string to the buss cable (for example without limitation intended) that moves up as the bow is drawn. The cord  140  is attached without slack to the buss cable below the horizontal plane of the rest. When the bow is drawn, the cable moves up resulting in slack in the cord  140 . When the bow string is released from full draw, the cord tightens and a reverse flex of the limbs causes the buss cable to extend downward beyond the relaxed position of the cable. When the cable extends past the relaxed position, a force is applied to the cord that causes the support members to actuate open as the fletching passes through the support members. In this manner, applying a pulling force to cord  140 , results in an opening force applied to support members  20  and  50 . Although the preferred actuation assembly and bias system have been described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other actuators and biasing mechanisms of know suitable construction may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, without limitation the linkage of the actuator assembly may be replaced with a sheave or worm drive. 
         [0042]    Having described the constructional features of embodiments of the invention, attention is now directed to  FIGS. 9-11 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , a user may selectively place an arrow  14  between support members  20  and  50 .  FIG. 10  illustrates the position of support members  20  and  50  in the locked, closed or raised position. As the bow is released from full draw the support members bias towards an open or lowered position and the fletching or vane  146  of the arrow passes through the rest without contacting the support members  20  and  50 . 
         [0043]      FIGS. 12-13  demonstrates the raising and lowering position of arrow  14  with alternate constructed supports  20  and  50 . The alternate support  20  and  30  are tubular and may be made from known suitable construction. The support members may be covered with a moleskin or other composition to reduce the amount of sound created as the arrow slides over the ramp surfaces  42  and  72  as the bow is drawn.  FIG. 13  illustrates the position of alternate support members  20  and  50  in the locked, closed or raised position. 
         [0044]    These and various other aspects and features of the invention are described with the intent to be illustrative, and not restrictive. This invention has been described herein with detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. It is to be understood, however, that the invention can be carried out by specifically different constructions, and that various modifications, both as to the construction and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, in the appended claims, the transitional terms comprising and including are used in the open ended sense in that elements in addition to those enumerated may also be present. Other examples will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing this document.