High impact strength lighted nock assembly

• US 10,203,186 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2017
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ravin Crossbows LLC (The Kattegat Trust Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ravin Crossbows LLC (The Kattegat Trust Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yehle, Craig, Hunt, Fred, Pulkrabek, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Niconovich, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US15/631,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20180231359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 473570, 473578
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/362 Arrows or darts F42B12/38 takes precedence, having means for implantation, e.g. hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54; arrows or darts in general F42B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/38 of tracer type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/382 emitting an electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser beam or infrared emission
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/385 Arrow or dart carrying a radio transmitter for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/42 of illuminating type, e.g. carrying flares
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/04 Archery arrows F42B6/08, F41B5/06, F42B12/362 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/06 Tail ends, e.g. nocks, fletching

Abstract

A high impact strength lighted nock assembly for an arrow that is activated when the arrow is fired with a bowstring. The lighted nock assembly includes a nock molded from a high impact strength, transparent polymeric material containing at least 10% by weight reinforcing fibers. The nock includes a head configured to engage with the bowstring and a shank configured to couple with a rear end of the arrow. The shank includes a recess extending in a distal end of the shank toward the head. A light assembly including a light emitting device is located in the recess in the shank that is electrically coupled to a battery. A switch is electrically coupled to the light emitting device and the battery that is triggered when the arrow is fired to activate the light emitting device.

Claims

1. A high impact strength lighted nock assembly for an arrow that is activated when the arrow is fired with a bowstring, the lighted nock assembly comprising:

a nock molded from a transparent, high impact strength polymeric material containing at least 10% by weight reinforcing material, the nock comprising a head configured to engage with the bowstring and a shank configured to couple with a bushing extending into a rear end of the arrow, the shank comprising a recess extending in a distal end of the shank toward the head;

a light assembly comprising a light emitting device located in the recess in the shank that is electrically coupled to a battery, wherein the light emitting device is in a deactivated state before the arrow is fired and an activated state after the arrow is fired; and

a battery stop attached to the battery at a location offset from the nock and releasable coupled within a center opening of the bushing to resist longitudinal translation of the battery relative to the bushing, wherein the nock translates within the center opening between an activated configuration that activates the light emitting device and a deactivated configuration that deactivates the light emitting device without removing the light assembly from the bushing.

2. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein the polymeric material comprises one of polycarbonate, polyurethane, polyetherimide, nylon, polyetheretherketone, polyetherketone, thermoplastic polyimide, or combinations thereof.

3. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing material comprise about 20% by weight glass fibers or filamentous glass.

4. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing material comprises an average aspect ratio of at least about 5:

1.

5. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing material comprises an average aspect ratio of at least about 10:

1.

6. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein the polymeric material comprises a tensile strength of greater than about 10,000 pounds per square inch (psi) as determined by ASTM D638.

7. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein the polymeric material comprises a flexural strength of greater than about 20,000 psi as determined by ASTM D790.

8. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein the polymeric material comprises a flexural modulus of greater than 0.50×

10⁶ psi as determined by ASTM D790.

9. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein a portion of the light emitted by the light emitting device is transmitted through the nock and a portion of the light is scattered by the reinforcing material.

10. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein the polymeric material comprises a light transmittance of at least 75%.

11. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 comprising a bushing interposed between the nock and the arrow, wherein the battery is at least partially located in a center opening in the bushing.

12. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 wherein the light assembly is normally biased to a deactivated configuration.

13. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 comprising a gap between the head of the nock and the rear of the arrow before the arrow is fired, wherein displacement of the head of the nock toward the rear of the arrow after the arrow is fired biases the light assembly to an activated configuration.

14. The lighted nock assembly of claim 13 wherein the light assembly automatically returns to the deactivated configuration when the gap between the head of the nock and the rear of the arrow is reestablished.

15. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 comprising a switch electrically coupling to the light emitting device to the battery that is triggered when the arrow is fired to convert the light emitting device from the deactivated state to the activated state.

16. The lighted nock assembly of claim 1 comprising a switch electrically coupling to the light emitting device to the battery, wherein the switch comprises at least one accelerometer that is triggered when the arrow is fired to convert the light emitting device from the deactivated state to the activated state.

17. The lighted nock assembly of claim 16 wherein the switch comprises at least two accelerometers acting along orthogonal axes.

18. A high impact strength lighted nock assembly for an arrow that is activated when the arrow is fired with a bowstring, the lighted nock assembly comprising:

a nock molded from a high impact strength, transparent polymeric material containing about 20% by weight reinforcing material, wherein the polymeric material comprises a tensile strength of greater than about 10,000 pounds per square inch (psi) as determined by ASTM D638 and a flexural strength of greater than about 20,000 psi as determined by ASTM D790, the nock comprising a head configured to engage with the bowstring and a shank configured to couple with a bushing extending into a rear end of the arrow, the shank comprising a recess extending from a distal end of the shank toward the head;

a light assembly comprising a light emitting device located in the recess in the shank that is electrically coupled to a battery, wherein the light emitting device is in a deactivated state before the arrow is fired and an activated state after the arrow is fired; and

a battery stop attached to the battery at a location offset from the nock and releasably coupled within a center opening of the bushing to resist longitudinal translation of the battery relative to the bushing, wherein the nock translates within the center opening between an activated configuration that activates the light emitting device and a deactivated configuration that deactivates the light emitting device without removing the light assembly from the bushing.

19. A high impact strength lighted nock assembly for an arrow that is activated when the arrow is fired with a bowstring, the lighted nock assembly comprising:

a nock molded from a transparent, high impact strength polymeric material containing at least 10% by weight reinforcing material, the nock comprising a head configured to engage with the bowstring, a shank configured to couple with a bushing extending into a rear end of the arrow, the shank extending in a distal end of the arrow toward the head; and

a light assembly comprising a light emitting device that is electrically coupled to a battery, wherein the light emitting device is in a deactivated state before the arrow is fired and an activated state after the arrow is fired; and

a battery stop attached to the battery at a location offset from the nock and releasably coupled within a center opening of the bushing to resist longitudinal translation of the battery relative to the bushing, wherein the nock translates within the center opening between an activated configuration that activates the light emitting device and a deactivated configuration that deactivates the light emitting device without removing the light assembly from the bushing.