Reinforced Arrow Insert

Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of the present disclosure.

The present embodiments generally relate to arrows and arrow heads. More specifically, but without limitation, present embodiments relate to reinforcing structures for arrows and arrow heads.

Archery hunting is a popular sport that requires a number of skills and talents that are honed and developed through years of target practice and actual hunting. Arrow heads have long been used for target archery and hunting when mounted on arrows and fired from a variety of bow designs. An ongoing challenge is how to improve the ease of attachment of the arrow head upon the end of an arrow while maintaining alignment and without negatively impacting the overall strength of the assembled unit. Further, there is a need to transfer energy through the arrow head even when the arrow hits the target at an angle and energy may not be transferred as efficiently.

In addition, the energy and lethality of the arrow is immediately diminished upon striking bone. Thus, the arrow must cut or break bone to reach the animal's vitals, and this results in the game animal being wounded but not quickly killed. The game animal often evades tracking and location by the hunter and dies in the undergrowth without ever being found. Therefore, it is desirable to design an attachment for an arrow head which can withstand dynamic forces associated with a strike of bone or other hard material which cause strong radial and lateral forces on an arrow and more specifically can damage the attachment point of the arrow head and shaft, or cause a blow-out of an arrow shaft side wall. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide an arrow that is sufficiently strong that it may be used multiple times prior to breaking or experiencing damage.

The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.

The present application discloses one or more of the features recited in the appended claims and/or the following features which alone or in any combination, may comprise patentable subject matter.

Present embodiments relate to an insert for smaller diameter arrow shafts, for which additional reinforcement support is desirable. The embodiments provide a sleeve which abuts an end of an arrow shaft, and comprises a countersink to receive a complementary protrusion of an insert therein. A stem extending from the body member passes through the sleeve and into a hollow area of the arrow shaft. With the protrusion seated in the countersink of the sleeve, force from the arrow head impact is better supported and the assembled arrow is less likely to blowout a sidewall of the arrow shaft.

According to some embodiments, an insert for securing a shaft of an arrow to a cutting tip, comprises a body member extending between a distal end and a proximal end; a stem extending from the distal end of the body member and formed integrally with the body member, the stem including a protrusion having an annular shape and extending about a first end of the stem; and, a sleeve including a countersink, the countersink being configured to engage the protrusion of the stem, such that, when the sleeve is disposed about the stem and positioned adjacent to the distal end of, and abutting, the body member, the sleeve is coaxial with the stem. The sleeve is sized to receive an arrow shaft at an end of the sleeve opposite from the body member and further wherein an arrow head is capable of being secured to the proximal end of the body member.

In some embodiments, a sleeve length of the sleeve is less than a stem length of the stem.

In some embodiments, the insert may further comprise a cavity extending at least partially within the body member, the cavity including an upper cavity portion and a lower cavity portion.

In some embodiments, the arrow head may be received by the lower cavity portion to secure the arrow head to the body member.

In some embodiments, the protrusion may extend from a surface of the body member that is opposite the cavity.

In some embodiments, the countersink may receive the protrusion.

In some embodiments, the protrusion and the countersink may define corresponding shapes which engage one another so that the body member is abutting the sleeve.

In some embodiments, the sleeve may comprise an internal wall which separates the countersink from the arrow shaft.

In some embodiments, the internal wall may have a through hole, allowing passage of the stem through the internal wall into the arrow shaft.

In some embodiments, the internal wall may engage an end face of the arrow shaft on one side.

In some embodiments, the internal wall may be engaged by the protrusion on a side opposite the arrow shaft.

In some embodiments, the protrusion may be captured between the body member and the sleeve, within the countersink.

In some embodiments, the protrusion and the countersink may have one or more surfaces for bonding with an adhesive.

In some embodiments, the sleeve may have a first inner diameter, a second inner diameter and a third inner diameter.

In some embodiments, the stem may have one of a smooth outer surface, a plurality of notches, or being rotatable relative to the body member.

These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. All of the above outlined features are to be understood as exemplary only and many more features and objectives of the various embodiments may be gleaned from the disclosure herein. Therefore, no limiting interpretation of this summary is to be understood without further reading of the entire specification, claims and drawings, included herewith. A more extensive presentation of features, details, utilities, and advantages of the present invention is provided in the following written description of various embodiments of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and defined in the appended claims.

It is to be understood that the arrow insert is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The described embodiments are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in some embodiments” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Embodiments of reinforcing arrow inserts will now be described in additional detail herein. The following will now describe these reinforcing sleeves in more detail with reference to the drawings and where like numbers refer to like structures.

Referring now to, the embodiments disclosed herein relate to reinforcing inserts for securing a shaft of an arrow to an arrow head. The arrow may comprise a sleeve which engages an arrow shaft, an insert which engages the sleeve, and an arrow head which is received by a body member of the insert. The body member extending between a distal end and a proximal end and a stem extending from the distal end of the body member and formed integrally with the body member. A protrusion extends from the body member about a first end of the stem in a circumferential direction. The insert further includes the sleeve having a countersink, with the countersink being configured to engage the protrusion of the stem, such that, when the sleeve is disposed about the stem and positioned adjacent the distal end of the body member, the sleeve is coaxial with the stem. The arrow head is secured to the proximal end of the body member, and in some embodiments the arrow head and the sleeve may be configured to rotate independently of the body member.

As should be appreciated, arrows used in archery, especially for hunting and competitive shooting, require high standards of structural integrity and performance under a variety of environmental conditions and upon impact with diverse targets. Traditional arrow designs commonly feature a rigid attachment between the arrow shaft and the cutting tip. This attachment is often facilitated through simple inserts that provide a direct but fixed connection between these components.

However, these conventional designs have several drawbacks. Firstly, the fixed connection can transmit impact forces directly from the broadhead to the shaft, which can lead to premature failure of the arrow, especially when striking hard or angled surfaces. Additionally, for non-rotating arrow heads, the lack of rotation can limit the arrow's penetrating ability, as the broadhead can bind or catch against the target material, providing large forces on the arrow shaft.

Moreover, traditional inserts do not typically address the need for easy maintenance and replacement. These inserts may be permanently fixed to the shaft and require specialized tools or procedures for replacement or repair, which are not always feasible in outdoor settings.

The disclosed insert assembly comprises a reinforcement sleeve having a countersink and an insert having a protrusion, wherein the combination strengthens the connection point between the shaft and the arrow head. This connection disperses the forces generated upon impact more evenly across the assembly, thereby reducing the likelihood of structural failure at this critical juncture when hitting hard materials or making contact at an angle. Furthermore, by reinforcing the insert and shaft connection with a sleeve, the disclosed reinforcement sleeve provides improved resistance to the bending and breaking forces that typically occur when an arrow hits a target. This makes the arrow more reliable and durable, particularly suitable for hunting large game where impacts with bone or tough tissue are likely.

While primarily used for reinforcement, it should be further appreciated that the interaction between the sleeve and the stem also contributes to maintaining rotational stability of the broadhead or field point during flight. This stability ensures that the arrow maintains its aerodynamic properties and flies true to its intended path, enhancing accuracy.

In the embodiments discussed, the inserts are extending from the arrow shaft. The inserts are at least partially external, as opposed to solely internal inserts. This is desirable at least in part because fully internal inserts are completely inside the arrow shaft, but they are inherently weaker, and a portion of the shaft may have no protection. On the contrary, the external insert of the instant description, or full out insert, provides structure outside the arrow shaft. The external inserts may be used with arrows having smaller diameter shafts (micro arrows), therefore position the mechanical structure on the outside of the shaft for improved support. For 0.204″ diameter arrow shafts, it may be possible to drill into the body material so that at least some portion of the threaded end of the arrow head may be positioned inside arrow shaft (“half-out”).

In the embodiments described herein, the reinforcing sleeve may also allow for easy assembly and disassembly, which is beneficial for field maintenance and repairs. Archers can replace or repair parts of the arrow quickly without needing specialized tools or returning to a shop, thus providing versatility and adaptability in various shooting conditions. With the ability to easily replace or repair components, the overall lifespan of the arrow is also extended. This not only makes the arrow more cost-effective over time but also ensures that performance is not compromised by wear and tear on specific parts of the arrow assembly.

Referring now to, a plan view of an arrowand a reinforcing insert assembly, is depicted. The arrowcomprises an arrow shaftand comprises a forward endand a rearward end. The rearward endof the arrow shaftmay comprise a fletching end which engages a string of a bow or cross-bow, in order to propel the arrow. Extending between the forward and rearward ends,of the arrowis the arrow shaft. The arrow shaft, in some embodiments, may be circular in cross section and may be hollow. Some embodiments provide that the arrow shaftmay be formed of carbon fiber and may have a hollow interior. In some embodiments, the arrow shaftmay be of an outer diameter of various sizes and according to some embodiments may be of a 0.165″ or a 0.204″ inner diameter. Additionally, however, other sizes may be utilized within the scope of the present teaching.

At the forward endof the arrow, the arrow assemblyincludes an assembly of a sleeveand an insert, to which an arrow headmay be connected. The arrow headmay comprise, without limitation, a broadhead as depicted, generally used for hunting, or a field point () which may generally be used for practice. Either of these, or other similar structures are generally referred to as arrow heads.

Referring now to, an insertfor the arrowis illustrated. As depicted in, the insertmay include a body, or body member,that is, in some embodiments, generally cylindrical in shape and extending between a distal endand a proximal end. The body membermay further define an interior cavitythat extends at least partially within the body member. In the depicted embodiment, the cavityextends from the distal endand toward the proximal end. Further, the cavitymay comprise an upper cavity portionand a lower cavity portion. In these embodiments, the cavitymay be configured to receive a broadhead, a fieldpoint, or other arrow head, of the arrow. The cavitymay comprise one or more diameters, for example wherein one of the diameters, for example upper cavity, may provide a seat for a shank of the arrow headand wherein a second diameter, for example lower cavity, may comprise a threaded area for receipt of a threaded end of the arrow head(). The shank is the portion of the arrow head between the threaded portion provided for attachment to the arrow shaft and the shoulder, where the arrow head becomes larger in diameter than the arrow shaft. The body membermay be longer to either receive a shoulder of an arrow head, or to abut a shoulder of the arrow head.

Referring still to, the insertmay further include a stemthat extends from the distal endof the body member. In some embodiments, the stemmay be cylindrical having a circular cross-section. In these embodiments, the stemmay be integrally formed with distal endof the body member, or may be otherwise fixedly attached to the body member. In some other embodiments, the stemmay be rotatable relative to the body member. The stemhas a diameter that is smaller than that of the body memberand may be sized for insertion into a hollow area of the arrow shaft. Thus, while the diameter and length of the stemmay vary, the diameter may be related to the inner diameter of the arrow shaft. Further, as will be described the length of the stemmay be dependent on the type of material used and therefore the overall weight of the insert. While the embodiments ofprovide a cylindrical body, the body may also be tapered in whole or in part, as shown in exaggerated fashion in.

The stemmay be formed as a cylinder shape as depicted of smooth exterior surface. In some other embodiments, the stemmay alternatively, or additionally, have portions which are notched to be cut. The notches may provide that sections of the stemmay be cut and removed, in order to provide weight adjustment. Still further, in some embodiments, the stemmay be rotatably connected to the body, such that the bodymay rotate relative to the stem, allowing rotation of the arrow head, as shown in.

As further depicted in, the stemmay further include a protrusionthat extends about a first endof the stem(e.g., the end of the stemin contact with and extending from the distal endof the body member) in a circumferential direction. In these embodiments the protrusionmay be sized and/or shaped to engage a portion of the sleeveof the insert, as will be described in additional detail herein. For example, if the protrusionis circular, a countersinkof the sleevemay likewise be circular. However, other shapes may be utilized. For example, rather than an annular shape, the protrusionmay be triangular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, octagonal, or polygon shape. The protrusionprovides added strength for the connection between the bodyand the stem, added strength between the connection of the protrusionand the sleeve, and optionally allows for adhesive to be applied between the protrusionand the countersink.

Referring now to, the insertengages the sleeve, which may be configured to be disposed about the stem. The sleeveis formed by a wallhaving a circular cross section and defining a cylindrical shape. In some embodiments, the sleevemay be cylindrical or in some other embodiments the outer surface may be tapered in whole or in part. In these embodiments, the sleeve, and the wall, may extend between a first sleeve endand a second sleeve endopposite the first sleeve end, and a countersinkmay be formed in the first sleeve endand extend at least partially towards the second sleeve end. An internal wallmay be formed within the sleeve. The sleevecomprises a hollow portioncentrally in the sleeveand in communication with the countersink. The internal wallmay separate the hollow portionand the countersink. A through hole may be formed through the internal wallfor the communication between the countersinkand the hollow portion. The through hole allows passage of the stemtherethrough. The sleeveinner diameter may be sized to correspond to a desired outer diameter of a selected arrow shaft, so as to receive the arrow shafttherein. In these embodiments, when the sleeveis disposed about the stem, the countersinkmay engage the protrusionof the stemto provide reinforcement and support for the arrow headand/or arrow shaftcoupled to the insert. The sleevemay be positioned over the exterior of an arrow shaft, and the stemextending through the sleeveand into the hollow portionof the arrow shaft. Stated otherwise, the inner diameter of the sleeveis sized to receive the stemand also receive the arrow shaft, all of which may be co-axially arranged for reinforcement of the arrow headupon impact. This limits damage of the wall of the arrow shaftupon impact.

The insertmay be formed of various materials and the components may all be of the same or differing materials. Such high strength materials may include but are not limited to aluminum alloy, titanium, steel (stainless) or carbon composite. Further since weight range for the insertis important, the components may have mixed materials wherein the sleeveis one material, the bodyand stemare of a second, for example. This provides for some level of weight adjustment.

As may be gleaned from, the sleevemay have three different diameters. For example, the first endhas the countersinkwhich is of a first diameter, where the countersinkis circular, although other shapes may be utilized. The second endmay comprise a second diameter wherein the second diameter is an inner diameter wherein the arrow shaftmay be located. The second diameter corresponds to the outer diameter of the arrow shaft. The second diameter may be slightly oversized to accept the arrow shaft diameters selected. The third diameter may comprise the through hollow portionthrough the internal wallof the sleeve. The hollow portionmay be sized to allow passage of the stemand because the stemis positioned in the inner diameter of the arrow shaft, has a relationship with the arrow shaft inner diameter—for example 0.165″ or 0.204″.

For example, as illustrated in, the protrusionon the stemmay be formed as a raised, circular ridge or boss that encircles the stemnear first endof the stem. In these embodiments, the countersinkmay have a countersink depth and a countersink diameter that are configured to fit snugly around the protrusion, thereby ensuring a tight and secure connection when assembled. An adhesive, for example hot melt or 2 part epoxy, may also be used to connect the protrusionand the countersink.

The sleevecomprises the internal wall. The internal walldefines a floor of the countersinkon the upper side and a ceiling for the arrow shaft on the underside. The upper side of the internal walldefines a place wherein the protrusion is received. The protrusionmay therefore be bonded with adhesive along the side(s) and the surface that engages the internal wallat the countersink. The underside of the internal walllikewise forms a limiting boundary for the arrow shaft, so that when the sleeveengages this internal wall, the arrow shaft is fully seated for bonding and, upon impact with a target, the sleeve cannot move relative to the arrow shaft.

As described hereinabove, when the sleeveis disposed over the stem, the engagement of the countersinkand the protrusionlocks the sleeveonto the stemin a way that it can withstand axial and radial forces. Furthermore, the interaction between the countersinkand the protrusionincreases a contact area between the sleeveand the stem. It should be appreciated that a larger contact area may allow for the stresses acting on the arrow to be more evenly distributed across the insert, or distributed across a larger area, thereby reducing the likelihood of mechanical failure at the insert, or blowout in the sidewall of the arrow shaft.

Referring still to, the engagement between the protrusionand the countersinkmay also help absorb and dissipate the energy from impacts (e.g., impact generated when an arrow hits a target). This absorption reduces the shock and evenly transfers energy through the arrow shaft, thereby protecting the shaftand enhancing the overall durability of the arrow head. It should be further appreciated that the engagement between the protrusionand the countersinksimilarly prevents the sleevefrom sliding along the arrow shaftduring arrow launch and impact.

Referring now to, the body member, the stem, and the sleeveare assembled in the depicted side section view. A lower end of the body memberis abutting the upper end of the sleeve. In this way, the protrusionis received in the countersinkof the sleeve. An adhesive may be used to bind the protrusionwithin the countersink. Additionally, the stemis shown extending downwardly through the sleeve. As the sleeveis shorter than the stem, the stem extends from a second endof the sleeve. In this way, the end of the stemmay be inserted in the hollow portionof the arrow shaft. This locates the insertand the sleevemay be pressed or glued on to the arrow shaftso that these components are in alignment.

In this assembled manner, the bottom of the body memberis in contact with the top edge of the sleeve. This contact surface is used to transmit force between the body memberand the sleeve. Additionally, the surface area for transmission of force, also moves through the protrusionand countersinkin an aligned manner.