APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC ARCHERY DEVICES

• US 20110172039A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Full Flight Technology, Llc
• Original Assignee: Full Flight Technology, Llc
• Inventors: Vcelak, Jan, Donahoe, Robert V., Avis, Jason Evan, Sabin, Paul Chandler
• Granted Patent: US 8,449,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/385 Arrow or dart carrying a radio transmitter for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/08 Arrow heads; Harpoon heads

Abstract

According to one aspect, an apparatus is configured to couple to an arrow-mounted electronic device where the apparatus includes a housing, a receptacle included in the housing and at least one electrical contact configured to couple to a contact included in the arrow-mounted electronic device. According to one embodiment, the receptacle is configured to receive at least a portion of the arrow-mounted electronic device, the at least one electrical contact includes a spring-bias in a first direction and the spring bias is opposed with the arrow-mounted electronic device inserted within the receptacle.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to couple to an arrow-mounted electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a receptacle included in the housing and configured to receive at least a portion of the arrow-mounted electronic device; and

at least one electrical contact configured to couple to a contact included in the arrow-mounted electronic device, the at least one electrical contact having a spring-bias in a first direction,

wherein the spring-bias is opposed with the arrow-mounted electronic device inserted within the receptacle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least the portion of the arrow-mounted electronic device is inserted within the receptacle in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive the at least the portion of the arrow-mounted electronic device after the electronic device is removed from an arrow.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first direction is radially inward relative to a central longitudinal axis of the arrow-mounted electronic device when the electronic device is received by the receptacle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical contact includes a first electrical contact,

wherein the contact included in the arrow-mounted electronic device includes a first device-contact, and

wherein the apparatus includes a second electrical contact configured to couple to a second device-contact included in the arrow-mounted electronic device.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first device contact is located about a radially exterior surface of the arrow-mounted device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is located to provide a first distance from an exterior wall of the housing to a mouth of the receptacle, and

wherein the first distance is greater than or equal to a second distance determined as a distance at which an end of the arrow-mounted electronic device projects from the mouth of the receptacle when the arrow-mounted electronic device is fully-received by the receptacle.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface housed by the housing.

6. (canceled)

10. A method of making an electrical connection to an arrow-mounted electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving at least a portion of the arrow-mounted electronic device within a housing by inserting the at least the portion of the arrow-mounted electronic device in a first direction within the housing; and

biasing at least one electrical contact included in the housing in a second direction to couple to a contact included in the arrow-mounted electronic device in a sliding engagement when the at least a portion of the arrow-mounted electronic device is received within the housing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising removing the arrow-mounted electronic device from the arrow prior to the act of receiving.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising locating a receptacle in the housing to receive the at least the portion of the arrow-mounted electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the receptacle includes a mouth, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a first distance from an exterior wall of the housing to the mouth of the receptacle as measured in a direction parallel to the second direction; and

locating the mouth of the receptacle such that the first distance is greater than or equal to a second distance determined as a distance at which an end of the arrow-mounted electronic device projects from the mouth of the receptacle when the arrow-mounted electronic device is fully-received within the receptacle.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising spring-biasing the at least one electrical contact such that the second direction is radially inward relative to a central longitudinal axis of the arrow-mounted electronic device when the electronic device is received by the housing.

16. An arrowtip comprising:

a body including a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of a circuit board;

a shaft attached to a proximate end of the body; and

a cap configured as a distal end of the arrowtip and for removable attachment with the body.

17. The arrowtip of claim 16, wherein at least one wall of the cavity includes a slot configured to receive an edge of the circuit board.

18. The arrowtip of claim 17, wherein the slot includes a plurality of walls,

wherein the circuit board includes a contact, and

wherein the contact is located on the circuit board to make an electrical connection between the circuit board and the body via at least one of the plurality of walls with the circuit board installed in the body.

31. The arrowtip of claim 16, wherein each of the body and the cap are electrically conductive.

32. The arrowtip of claim 16, wherein the cap and the body are configured such that the cap is rotated into engagement with the body to attach the cap to the body to fully assemble the arrowtip.

33. The arrowtip of claim 32, wherein the arrowtip is configured such that, with the cap remaining attached to the body, an electrical circuit is disconnected when the cap is rotated in a direction that increases an overall axial length of the electronic device.

19-30. -30. (canceled)

34-46. -46. (canceled)