Archery broadhead tip and field tip

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/862,648, filed Jun. 7, 2004, entitled “HELICAL BROADHEAD”.

[0002] The present invention relates to an archery broadhead tip or field tip, and more particularly, to a broadhead tip or field tip with a sloping surface, trough or ramp which imparts spin to the arrow in flight to increase accuracy, penetration and hemorrhaging of the target animal.

[0003] A bow hunter's goal at all times is to accurately place a shot in a killing zone of a big game animal with maximum penetration to establish excessive hemorrhaging and ultimately result in a quick kill and successful animal retrieval thereby avoiding excessive tracking efforts, prolonged pain and suffering to be experience by the animal.

[0004] To achieve the hunter's goal, the archery industry has provided faster shooting and more powerful bows with increased percentage of “let off” allowing the hunter to hold the drawn bow longer while aiming. However, with faster and more powerful bows comes problems associated with the accuracy of arrow placement. One aspect to assist in arrow accuracy and stabilization has been the use of offset arrow feather fletching which brings a spin to the arrow to stabilize the arrow during flight and to increase its accuracy.

[0005] Broadheads at the tip end of the arrow cut into the target animal to establish hemorrhaging as they pass through vital organs. These known conventional broadhead blades seriously impede the rotation of the arrow and may in fact cause the arrow to wobble and deflect offline.

[0006] Expandable broadheads have been developed which maintain a narrow, low profile during flight. The expandable broadheads are effective if the hunter makes an ideal shot, including a successful projected shot angle to avoid bones. Bones cause the arrow to deflect and many times break the blade or divert the blade away from intended vital organs. Also, once the expanded broadhead has stopped, the blades tend to fold back to a non-cutting position, at which point the arrow is easily removed by the animal's mouth, running motion, or trail brush. This eliminates further organ damage and prolonged recovery of the wounded animal.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,161 discloses an arrowhead having a plurality of cutting blades with spiral edges to collectively define a generally circular cutting envelope when the arrowhead rotates in flight. However, because the spiral blades have only the leading end locked down to the arrowhead, they appear to be fragile and may easily break upon impact with the target. This is because they lack appropriate strengthening connections between the forward and rearward blade components and are completely mounted within a single slot within the ferrule.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,518 is similar to the '161 helical blade design, but less drastic. The individual blades have a rearwardly located slight airfoil shape which may slightly assist in rotating the blade but offer little assistance in penetration.

[0009] There is a need for a broadhead with helical blades that impart spin to the arrow in flight but have improved strength and mounting characteristics that provide increased penetration into the target animal which results in massive tissue destruction and hemorrhaging without breakage caused by hitting bone structures.

[0010] A broadhead tip or field tip for an archery arrow that is chiseled or troughed forming a sloping surface and a cutting edge.

[0011] A principal object and advantage of the present invention is that it provides for maximum penetration with a target drawing force to create excessive hemorrhaging caused by the broadhead cutting blades causing a more efficient mortal wound.

[0012] Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a quick kill, successful retrieval, avoiding prolonged pain and suffering, and permits the avoidance of the long tracking process.

[0013] Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it provides accurate flight pattern caused by aggressive rotating of the broadhead due to the rifling design thereof.

[0014] Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the tip is self-penetrating and drawing inwardly which will avoid bone deflection and actually will draw the arrow through the target animal.

[0015] Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it provides for minimal friction with continuous cutting through the spiraling drawing energy action of the tip.

[0016] Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the tip spiraling or auger rotation effect reduces broadhead energy loss typical with known arrow shaft friction and torque.

[0017] Another object and advantage of the present invention is the improved accuracy in that the tip assists the fletching to encourage shaft rotation.

[0018] Another object and advantage of the present invention is that its aerodynamic flight imparted to an arrow due rotation and rifling effects of the tip encourages precision, accuracy of the arrow placement, optimum velocity and penetration.

[0019] Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it allows the archer to reduce the bow draw pulling poundage due to increased arrow velocity, accuracy and penetration.

[0020] Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the broadhead tip assists in rotation or spiraling along with penetration by its auger rotating design.

[0021] Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it reduces windage and elevational errors during flight.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the helical broadhead of the present design mounted on the end of an arrow broken away;

[0023] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the helical broadhead;

[0024] FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the broadhead partially broken away, mounted on an arrow with a chiseled trocar or tip;

[0025] FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a chiseled broadhead tip or field tip for an arrow;

[0026] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the tip of FIG. 4;

[0027] FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of a chiseled broadhead tip or a field tip for an arrow;

[0028] FIG. 7 is another elevational view of the tip of FIG. 6; and

[0029] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the tip of FIG. 6.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the broadhead 100 of the present invention generally may be appreciated mounted on arrow 90 by way of threaded insert 92. Broadhead 100 generally includes a tip 105 mounted on the ferrule 102 having blade mounting slots 109 in which is secured the blade assemblies 114 held in place by retention collar 112.

[0031] More specifically, broadhead 100 includes a longitudinal axis 101 running the length thereof. A body or ferrule 102 has a tip end 103 with a threaded longitudinal aperture 104 shown in FIG. 3. A broadhead trocar, point or tip 105 is secured into the threaded aperture 104 by way of the threaded shank boss or shaft 106 threaded into the longitudinal threaded aperture 104 at the tip end 103. Alternatively, the boss 106 may pass through ferrule 102 and thread into insert 92.

[0032] At the arrow end 107 of the ferrule 102 is located a threaded mounting stub 108. Blade mounting slots 109 are suitably located longitudinally and generally parallel with the axis 101 along the length of the ferrule 102. A slot pocket or forward slot portion 110 is located in the tip end 103 and a retention collar 112 is suitably located to close the rear portion of the slots 109.

[0033] Spiraling blade assemblies 114 may be seen in FIGS. 1 through 3. Each blade assembly 112 includes an elongate spiraling cutting edge 115 beginning at first or forward blade portion 120 whereat mounting tang 121 is located. From this first portion of 120 the blade assembly 114 spirals about the axes 101 and 142 to a second middle or intermediate helical portion 122. From there, the blade assembly 114 continues to spiral about the axes to a third rear portion 124 whereat a mounting tang 126 is located. Extending from the forward portion 120 to the third or rear portion 124 is located a bridge or cross-connection 128 which adds strength and stability to the blade assemblies 114.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a slightly modified broadhead 100A with many similar components of the broadhead 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2. This embodiment includes a hollow ferrule sleeve 130 that slideably rotates on ferrule 102A. Slip washers 134 are slid over the ferrule body 102A at the tip end 103 and arrow end 107 which hold tangs 121 and 126 of the blade assemblies 114. By this arrangement, the blade assemblies 114 and ferrule sleeve 130 are permitted to freely rotate which may be desirable. A number of arrangements allowing free rotation of an arrowhead with respect to an arrow shaft are known in the art, particularly as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,257,809; 4,175,749; and 4,534,568, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0035] A second broadhead tip embodiment 140 assists in broadhead 100A rotation about axis 142. The broadhead tip or trocar 140 has a generally smooth cut out portion 144 from left to right downwardly to create a slope 146 and a pulling edge 148. By this arrangement, air foil sloping surface 146 assists in rotation of the broadhead 100A along with the arrow 90 in the same rotational fashion as blade assemblies 114 as shown in arrow A about axis 142. The pulling or cutting edge 148 pulls the tip 140 forward through the animal and through bone as it rotates at great speed, again, assisting the blade assemblies 114.

[0036] FIGS. 4 and 5 show an archery field tip 150 similarly cut to the broadhead tip 140. Field tip 150 rotates about axis 152 and has a cut out portion 154 creating a slope 156 and suitably a pulling or cutting edge 158, all of which assist in rotation of the field tip 150 and arrow about axis 152, as shown with arrow B.

[0037] FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 show a second embodiment of an archery field tip 160. Field tip 160 rotates about axis 162 and has a cut-out portion 164 creating an air foil ramp or slope 166 and suitably a pulling or cutting edge 168a, both of which assist in rotation of the field tip 160 and arrow about axis 162 as shown with arrow C. The cut-out portion 164 forms a definable trough 170 having the pulling or cutting edge 168a as a leading edge and air foil ramp 172 as a trailing edge. Trough 170, cutting edge 168a and ramp edge 172 all assist in rotation of the field tip 160 and arrow about axis 162.

[0038] Field tip 160 may further comprise a second trough 174, second ramp edge 176, a second air foil ramp 177 and second pulling edge 168b, all suitably symmetric with the first trough 170, first ramp edge 172, first air foil ramp 166 and first cutting edge 168a, and all assist in rotation of the field tip 160 and arrow. Furthermore, the cutting edges 168a and 168b assist in pulling the tip 160 forward through the target. It is contemplated herein that the cutout portions 144, 154, 164, 166, 170, 174, 177 may be many-fold and symmetrical about the various tips 140, 150 and 160.

[0039] The operation of broadhead 100 may now be appreciated. For assembly, the forward tang 121 of plate assembly 114 is inserted into slot pocket 110. The rear tang 126 of the blade assembly 114 is mounted in an adjacent but not aligned rear blade mounting slot 109. Two other blades are similarly assembled after which a retention collar 112 is secured over the rear tangs 126. It will be appreciated that the bridging cross-connection 128 adds strength to the blade assemblies 114 as the bridge rests on top of the ferrule or body 102. Next the broadhead is inserted into the threaded insert 92 of the arrow 90 and broadhead 100 is ready for use.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a slight variation wherein the ferrule sleeve 130 with the captured front and rear tangs 121 and 126 of the blade assemblies 114 are caught and held by slip washers 134 after which the threaded mounting stub 108 of the ferrule 102A may be mounted into the threaded insert 92. Thereafter the broadhead 100A is ready for use.

[0041] FIGS. 4 and 5 show detail of the broadhead tip 140 of FIG. 3 or the field tip 150 which has similar rotating and cutting characteristics as broadheads 100 and 100A. Specifically, after the field tip 150 is mounted onto an arrow 90 by threading into the threaded insert 92, the field tip 150 and arrow 90 may be shot. As the air rushes over the sloping air foil surface 156 of the field tip 150, the tip 150 and arrow rotate about axis 152 as shown by way of arrow B. Optionally, the pulling edge 158 may be used where desirable to pull the field tip 150 into the target.

[0042] FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show the detail of another embodiment 160 of broadhead tip 140 of FIG. 3 or a variation of field tip 150 of FIGS. 4 and 5 which has similar rotating and cutting characteristics. Specifically, tip 160 could be slightly reduced and modified to replace tip 140 in combination with a broadhead 100 or 100A. Alternatively, tip 160 could be appropriately enlarged and weighted to be a field tip as is well known.

[0043] The broadhead or field tip 160 during flight catched the oncoming air typically at 250 to 320 feet per second. This on rushing air hits air foil ramps 166 and 177 as the air is held there by sharp ramp edges 172 and 176 causing rotation of the tip 160 and arrow 90. Upon target impact, pulling or cutting edges 168a and 168b cut and pull the tip 160 and arrow 90 into the target.

[0044] The present invention in the above specification and referenced figures are for illustrative purposes only. The true scope of the present invention may be learned from the following claims as the specification is for illustrative purposes only.