US20250362119A1

US20250362119A1 - Mechanical broadhead arrowhead with force adjustment feature

Info

Publication number: US20250362119A1
Application number: US18/404,531
Authority: US
Inventors: Jeffrey L. Miller
Original assignee: Vantage Point Archery LLC
Current assignee: Vantage Point Archery LLC
Priority date: 2023-01-26
Filing date: 2024-01-04
Publication date: 2025-11-27

Abstract

A mechanical broadhead arrowhead for use with an arrow in archery. The arrowhead has a ferrule with a cylindrical threaded base and blades pivotally mounted to the ferrule. The arrowhead has a force adjustment member which is operable by a user to vary the force imparted on the blades to maintain the blades in a closed position during flight of the arrow.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of and priority to, under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e), U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/441,201, filed Jan. 26, 2023, entitled MECHANICAL BROADHEAD ARROWHEAD WITH FORCE ADJUSTMENT FEATURE, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD

The present disclosure is directed to arrows and archery, and more particularly, to mechanical broadhead arrowheads used in archery hunting.

BACKGROUND

It is desirable for arrowheads used in bowhunting to promote an efficient and humane kill of an animal by creating maximum penetration of the arrowhead into the animal with a large entry wound. It is also desirable to provide an arrow that travels in a substantially straight and predictable path to the intended target, so that a hunter may place his shot accurately. Having an accurate and precise flight path is key to improving a hunter's effectiveness.
Traditional arrowheads usually include several triangular blades which are arranged and secured around the forward pointed tip of the arrow. As the tip enters the intended target, the blades slice a region much greater than the diameter of the arrow shaft. A drawback of these broad flat blades is that they have a pronounced aerodynamic effect that can substantially affect the overall stability of the arrow in flight and reduce the hunter's precision.
Mechanical broadhead arrowheads were developed to address problems associated with traditional bladed broadheads. Mechanical broadheads may include deployable bladed or serrated appendages that remain closed to the body of the arrow shaft until impact with the target. This reduces the overall aerodynamic effect of large, bladed structures during flight. A variety of mechanisms such as annular retaining rings or bands that rely upon friction are used to hold the deployable appendages closed to the body of the arrow. When the arrowhead impacts the target, the retaining rings are pushed out of the way and the blades open. Upon deployment, such appendages provide greater cutting surfaces and create a large entry wound.
A problem with existing mechanical broadhead arrowhead designs is that the mechanism for preventing premature deployment of the bladed appendages is often imprecise and unreliable. If the bladed appendages open in mid-flight, the flight path of the arrow may become unpredictable, thus defeating the purpose of the mechanical design. Likewise, if the bladed appendages do not open upon impact, the entry wound will be too small causing excessive suffering to the animal. These issues are exasperated by the large selection of bows available to hunters, each with different string mechanisms and draw weights which will apply different levels of force to the arrow. Some mechanical broadhead arrowheads when used with a compound bow or crossbow may have their appendages open prematurely due to the high forces involved in compound bows. Similarly, the lower forces involved with longbow or recurve bows may not be sufficient to cause the bladed appendages to open upon impact.
What is needed is an improvement over the foregoing.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a mechanical broadhead arrowhead for use with an arrow in archery. The arrowhead has a ferrule with a cylindrical threaded base and blades pivotally mounted to the ferrule. The arrowhead has a force adjustment member which is operable by a user to vary the force imparted on the blades to maintain the blades in a closed position during flight of the arrow.
In one form thereof, the present disclosure provides an arrowhead for use with an arrow in archery, comprising: a ferrule including a body having a distal tip end and an internally threaded proximal end, the body including a slot; at least one blade having a pivot end pivotally mounted to the body and at least partially disposed within the slot, the blade further including a forward cutting edge and a rear edge, the pivot end including a first detent, wherein the blade is pivotable relative to the ferrule body between a closed position and an open position; and a retaining mechanism received within the proximal end of the ferrule body, comprising: a detent member; an externally threaded adjustment member having a proximal end threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body; and a biasing member disposed between the adjustment member and the detent member, the biasing member exerting a biasing force on the detent member and wherein an extent of threaded receipt of the adjustment member within the ferrule body is operable to vary a biasing force of the biasing member.
In a second form thereof, the present disclosure provides a method of configuring an arrowhead for flight, comprising: adjusting the extent of threaded insertion of a distal end of a threaded adjustment member into an internally threaded proximal end of a slotted ferrule body to vary a biasing force of a biasing member against at least one pivoting blade; and threading a proximal end of the threaded adjustment member into in internally threaded distal end of an arrow to attach the arrowhead to the arrow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above mentioned and other features of the disclosure, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded oblique view of an arrow assembly, including the broadhead arrowhead in the open position attachable to an arrow.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded side view of the broadhead arrowhead of FIG. 1 in the open position.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional side view of the broadhead arrowhead of FIG. 1 in the open position.

FIG. 4 shows an oblique view of the broadhead arrowhead of FIG. 1 in the closed position.

FIG. 5 shows an oblique view of the broadhead arrowhead of FIG. 1 in the open position.

FIG. 6 shows a side perspective view of the broadhead arrowhead of FIG. 1 in the open position.

The exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the disclosure, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1 , arrow assembly 10 is shown, including arrow 12 and arrowhead 14. Arrowhead 14, as described further below, is a mechanical broadhead arrowhead including at least one pivoting blade. Arrow 12 generally includes an elongate shaft 16 having a proximal end 18 with a nock 20 and a number of feather vanes 22, and a distal end 24 for receiving arrowhead 14 that includes in internally threaded bore 26 for attachment of the arrowhead 14, as described further below. Alternatively, arrow 12 may attach to arrowhead 14 via other structures, such as any of those contemplated in U.S. application Ser. No. 18/390,822, filed Dec. 20, 2023, entitled FIXED BLADE BROADHEAD WITH INTEGRAL FACET SHARPENING GUIDES, INCLUDING INSERTABLE ARROW SHAFT SUPPORT AND CENTRAL INTERIOR CAVITY, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Referring additionally to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 arrowhead 14 includes ferrule body 28 having a proximal end 32 and pointed distal end 34. The ferrule body 28 may be formed of a metallic material in a single piece casting, followed by machining, for example. The ferrule body 28 includes a longitudinal slot 30 shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 , which extends from the proximal end 32 of the ferrule toward the distal end 34, diverging into a pair of slots near distal end 34, and which may receive blades 36 and 38. Blades 36 and 38 are attached to the ferrule body 28 via pin 40 such that they may pivot relative to the ferrule body 28. Blades 36 and 38 each have a forward cutting edge 42, a rear edge 44, and a first detent 46 and a second detent 48 near the pivot end 50 which is nearer to ferrule 28 compared to the distal end 52 of blades 36 and 38.
Referring to FIG. 2 , the pivoting of blades 36 and 38 is facilitated by retaining mechanism 54 which includes an adjustment member in the form of an externally threaded set screw 56, a biasing member 58, and detent member 60. The biasing member 58 may be a coil spring, and the detent member 60 may be a ball bearing. The externally threaded set screw 56 includes a distal end 62 threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end 32 of the ferrule body 28, and a proximal end 64 which may be threadingly received into the internally threaded bore 26 of arrow 12. The biasing member 58 is disposed between externally threaded set screw 56 and the detent member 60 such that it may exert forces simultaneously on both the set screw 56 and the detent member 60.
FIG. 4 shows the arrowhead 14 in its closed position with blades 36 and 38 recessed into slots 30 of ferrule body 28. Referring to FIG. 2 second detent 48 will be engaged by detent member 60 when the arrowhead 14 is in its closed position. As discussed further below, the force exerted by detent member 60 upon second detent 48 may be sufficient to keep blades 36 and 38 closed to the ferrule body 28 until the arrowhead 14 impacts its intended target.
FIG. 5 shows the arrowhead 14 in its open position with blades 36 and 38 outside of slots 30 in ferrule body 28. Referring to FIG. 2 , first detent 46 will be engaged by detent member 60 when the arrowhead 14 is in its open position. As discussed further below, the force exerted by detent member 60 upon first detent 46 may be sufficient to keep blades 36 and 38 in the open position until a force is applied on the rear edge 44 of the blades 36 and 38 to push them into the closed position.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , the retaining mechanism 54 is capable of varying the force on the biasing member 58 by varying the degree to which the set screw 56 is threaded within the ferrule body 28. A user may adjust the degree to which the set screw 56 is threaded within the ferrule body 28 by manually rotating the set screw 56 to move the set screw 56 in a more desired proximal or more distal direction along the axis depicted by arrow 66.
The biasing member 58 exerts a greater biasing force on the detent member 60 when the set screw 56 is threadingly received within the threaded proximal end 32 of the ferrule body 28 to a greater extent; and the biasing member 58 exerts a lesser biasing force on the detent member 60 when the set screw 56 is threadingly received within the threaded proximal end 32 of the ferrule body 28 to a lesser extent.
When the biasing force exerted on the detent member 60 is lesser, the opening of blades 36 and 38 from the closed position depicted in FIG. 4 to the open position depicted in FIG. 5 requires a lesser force. This lesser force may be suitable for smaller bows which fire arrows at slower speeds and with less energy, or for targets that are closer in distance. When the biasing force exerted on the detent member 60 is greater, the opening of blades 36 and 38 from the closed position depicted in FIG. 4 to the open position depicted in FIG. 5 requires a greater force. This greater force may be suitable for larger bows such as compound bows or crossbows which fire arrows at higher speeds with greater energy, or for targets that are further away in distance.
Upon impacting the target, the blades 36 and 38 of the arrowhead 14 may experience a force which causes them to pivot around pin 40 and move to the open position. The force of the impact causes detent member 60 to be pushed out of detent 48 as blades 36 and 38 rotate out of slot 30. This rotation continues until detent member 60 is received within detent 46, upon which the blades 36 and 38 will be secured in the open position.
From the open position depicted in FIG. 5 , a user may apply a force to the rear edges 44 of blades 36 and 38 to push them into the closed position depicted in FIG. 4 where blades 36 and 38 are received by slot 30 of ferrule body 28. The force applied by the user causes detent member 60 to be pushed out of the detent 46 as the blades 36 and 38 rotate to the closed position. This rotation continues until the detent member 60 is received within the detent 48 and the blades 36 and 38 are received by slot 30, upon which the blades 36 and 38 will be secured in the closed position. This process may be performed after each use such that the arrowhead may be reused for other targets.
Advantageously, the adjustability of the present broadhead arrowhead allows a user to select the amount of force by which blades are held in their closed position during flight, promoting the adaptability of the broadhead arrowhead for use in a wide range of bows and crossbows, for example, as well as for use with a wide variety of targets at varying distances from the user.

ASPECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an arrowhead for use with an arrow in archery includes a ferrule having a ferrule body with a distal tip end and an internally threaded proximal end. The ferrule body includes a slot. At least one blade has a pivot end pivotally mounted to the ferrule body and at least partially disposed within the slot. The blade further includes a forward cutting edge and a rear edge, and the pivot end includes a first detent. The blade is pivotable relative to the ferrule body between a closed position and an open position. A retaining mechanism is received within the proximal end of the ferrule body, and the retaining mechanism includes: a detent member; an externally threaded adjustment member having a proximal end threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body; and a biasing member disposed between the adjustment member and the detent member, the biasing member exerting a biasing force on the detent member and wherein an extent of threaded receipt of the adjustment member within the ferrule body is operable to vary a biasing force of the biasing member.
According to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the first exemplary embodiment, wherein the biasing member exerts a greater biasing force on the detent member when the adjustment member is threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body to a greater extent, and the biasing member exerts a lesser biasing force on the detent member when the adjustment member is threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body to a lesser extent.
According to a third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the first exemplary embodiment, wherein the slot extends longitudinally along the ferrule body, and the at least one blade received within the slot.
According to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the first exemplary embodiment, wherein, in the closed position, the at least one blade is disposed closely adjacent the ferrule body with the forward cutting edge substantially received within the slot.
According to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the fourth exemplary embodiment, wherein the detent member is received within the first detent when the at least one blade is in the closed position.
According to a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the first exemplary embodiment, wherein, in the open position, the at least one blade is disposed at an angle outwardly of the ferrule body with the forward cutting edge exposed toward the distal tip end of the ferrule body.
According to a seventh exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the sixth exemplary embodiment, wherein the pivot end of the at least one blade includes a second detent, and wherein the detent member is received within the second detent when the at least one blade is in the open position.
According to an eighth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the first exemplary embodiment, in combination with an arrow having an elongated shaft with an internally threaded distal end into which a proximal end of the externally threaded adjustment member is threadingly received to attach the arrowhead to the arrow.
According to a ninth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the first exemplary embodiment, wherein the adjustment member is a set screw.
According to a tenth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the first exemplary embodiment, wherein the biasing member is a coil spring.
According to an eleventh exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the first exemplary embodiment, wherein the detent member is a ball bearing.
According to a twelfth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the first exemplary embodiment, further comprising a pair of blades including the at least one blade.
According to a thirteenth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the arrowhead of the twelfth exemplary embodiment, wherein the retaining mechanism limits a maximum deployment angle of the blades in a range of about 90 degrees to 180 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the ferrule.
According to a fourteenth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of configuring an arrowhead for flight includes: adjusting an extent of threaded insertion of a distal end of a threaded adjustment member into an internally threaded proximal end of a slotted ferrule body to vary a biasing force of a biasing member against at least one pivoting blade; and threading a proximal end of the threaded adjustment member into an internally threaded distal end of an arrow to attach the arrowhead to the arrow.
According to a fifteenth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of the fourteenth exemplary embodiment, wherein the ferrule body includes a longitudinally extending slot, the at least one pivoting blade received within the slot.
According to a sixteenth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of the fourteenth exemplary embodiment, further comprising manually moving the at least one pivoting blade to a closed position in which the at least one pivoting blade is received within the slot.
According to a seventeenth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of the fourteenth exemplary embodiment, wherein the at least one pivoting blade further includes a forward cutting edge and a rear edge, and a pivot end including a first detent, wherein the at least one pivoting blade is pivotable relative to the ferrule body between a closed position and an open position, and the arrowhead further comprises: a retaining mechanism received within the proximal end of the ferrule body, the retaining mechanism includes: a detent member; an externally threaded adjustment member having a proximal end threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body; and a biasing member disposed between the adjustment member and the detent member, the biasing member exerting a biasing force on the detent member and wherein an extent of threaded receipt of the adjustment member within the ferrule body is operable to vary a biasing force of the biasing member.
According to an eighteenth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the method of the seventeenth exemplary embodiment, wherein the biasing member exerts a greater biasing force on the detent member when the adjustment member is threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body to a greater extent; and the biasing member exerts a lesser biasing force on the detent member when the adjustment member is threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body to a lesser extent.
It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present disclosure. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An arrowhead for use with an arrow in archery, comprising:

a ferrule including a ferrule body having a distal tip end and an internally threaded proximal end, the ferrule body including a slot;

at least one blade having a pivot end pivotally mounted to the ferrule body and at least partially disposed within the slot, the blade further including a forward cutting edge and a rear edge, the pivot end including a first detent, wherein the blade is pivotable relative to the ferrule body between a closed position and an open position; and

a retaining mechanism received within the proximal end of the ferrule body, the retaining mechanism comprising:

a detent member;

an externally threaded adjustment member having a proximal end threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body; and

a biasing member disposed between the adjustment member and the detent member, the biasing member exerting a biasing force on the detent member and wherein an extent of threaded receipt of the adjustment member within the ferrule body is operable to vary a biasing force of the biasing member.

2. The arrowhead of claim 1, wherein:

the biasing member exerts a greater biasing force on the detent member when the adjustment member is threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body to a greater extent; and

the biasing member exerts a lesser biasing force on the detent member when the adjustment member is threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body to a lesser extent.

3. The arrowhead of claim 1, wherein the slot extends longitudinally along the ferrule body, the at least one blade received within the slot.

4. The arrowhead of claim 1, wherein, in the closed position, the at least one blade is disposed closely adjacent the ferrule body with the forward cutting edge substantially received within the slot.

5. The arrowhead of claim 4, wherein the detent member is received within the first detent when the at least one blade is in the closed position.

6. The arrowhead of claim 1, wherein, in the open position, the at least one blade is disposed at an angle outwardly of the ferrule body with the forward cutting edge exposed toward the distal tip end of the ferrule body.

7. The arrowhead of claim 6, wherein the pivot end of the at least one blade includes a second detent, and wherein the detent member is received within the second detent when the at least one blade is in the open position.

8. The arrowhead of claim 1, in combination with an arrow having an elongated shaft with an internally threaded distal end into which a proximal end of the externally threaded adjustment member is threadingly received to attach the arrowhead to the arrow.

9. The arrowhead of claim 1, wherein the adjustment member is a set screw.

10. The arrowhead of claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a coil spring.

11. The arrowhead of claim 1, wherein the detent member is a ball bearing.

12. The arrowhead of claim 1, further comprising a pair of blades including the at least one blade.

13. The arrowhead of claim 12, wherein the retaining mechanism limits a maximum deployment angle of the blades in a range of about 90 degrees to 180 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the ferrule.

14. A method of configuring an arrowhead for flight, comprising:

adjusting an extent of threaded insertion of a distal end of a threaded adjustment member into an internally threaded proximal end of a slotted ferrule body to vary a biasing force of a biasing member against at least one pivoting blade; and

threading a proximal end of the threaded adjustment member into an internally threaded distal end of an arrow to attach the arrowhead to the arrow.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the ferrule body includes a longitudinally extending slot, the at least one pivoting blade received within the slot.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising manually moving the at least one pivoting blade to a closed position in which the at least one pivoting blade is received within the slot.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one pivoting blade further includes a forward cutting edge and a rear edge, and a pivot end including a first detent, wherein the at least one pivoting blade is pivotable relative to the ferrule body between a closed position and an open position, and the arrowhead further comprises:

a detent member;

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the biasing member exerts a greater biasing force on the detent member when the adjustment member is threadingly received within the internally threaded proximal end of the ferrule body to a greater extent; and