Patent ID: 8602926

Claim:
A composite arrow vane for mounting to a projectile, the composite arrow vane comprising: a base for mounting on the surface of the projectile; and a vane fin including a contour defined by a bottom-edge, a rear-edge and a front-edge, and having a length L and a Height H with a ratio of L to H being approximately 12 to 1, wherein: the bottom-edge has a front point and a back point and is substantially linear between these points and is adjoined to the base; the rear-edge degrades along a first curve with an associated first radius from an upper point to a lower point, the lower point corresponds to the back point of the bottom-edge; and the front-edge has an upper point and a lower point, the upper point of the front-edge corresponds to the upper point of the back-edge, and degrades from the upper point of the front-edge toward the lower point of the front edge which corresponds with the front point of the bottom-edge; wherein the front-edge degrades towards the front point of the bottom-edge along a second curve with an associated second radius to a transition point and then arcs concave to the bottom-edge downwardly from the transition point along a third curve having an associated third radius to the front point of the bottom-edge; wherein the third radius of the front-edge is less than the second radius of the front-edge; wherein the base and vane fin comprise a composite material of a polymer matrix and a plurality of structural elements.