COLOR CHANGING LIGHTED NOCK FOR ARROW SHAFTS

• US 20170045343A1
• Filed: 08/12/2016
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nockout Outdoors LLC
• Original Assignee: Clean-Shot Archery Incorporated
• Inventors: BAY, Larry R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,897,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/023 by selectively switching fixed light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/008 Leisure, hobby or sport articles, e.g. toys, games or first-aid kits; Hand tools; Toolboxes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/382 emitting an electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser beam or infrared emission
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/06 Tail ends, e.g. nocks, fletching
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An LED of a lighted nock sequentially advances through multiple different emitted colors by exposing the nock to a magnetic field. The nock is placed in the activated or lit state. Then a magnet is brought within range of a magnetic sensor included in the electronic circuit of the nock assembly. The change in the magnetic field causes the electronic circuit to advance the emitted LED light to the next color in a sequence of multiple colors. Repeated removal and re-application of the magnetic field while the LED remains lit advances the LED color repeatedly through the available colors until the user reaches their desired color. Then the LED is deactivated or turned off. Then when the LED is re-lit, it will still be in the last color chosen, and will remain there until the color is advanced again.

Claims

1. A color changing lighted nock for arrow shafts, comprising:

a nock assembly; and

an electronic circuit disposed within the nock assembly, the electronic circuit comprising;

a red/green/blue (RGB) light emitting diode (LED);

a first flip-flop coupled to the RGB LED; and

a magnetic sensor coupled to the first flip-flop.

2. The color changing lighted nock of claim 1, further comprising a second flip-flop coupled to the RGB LED and to the first flip-flop.

3. The color changing lighted nock of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of transistors electrically disposed between the first flip-flop and the RGB LED.

4. The color changing lighted nock of claim 1, further comprising:

a second flip-flop coupled to the RGB LED and to the first flip-flop;

a first transistor electrically disposed between the first flip-flop and the RGB LED;

a second transistor electrically disposed between the first flip-flop and the RGB LED; and

a third transistor electrically disposed between the second flip-flop and the RGB LED.

5. The color changing lighted nock of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to sequentially advance to a next one of a plurality of different colors upon the application of a magnetic field to the magnetic sensor.

6. The color changing lighted nock of claim 5, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to set the LED to not illuminate upon the application of a magnetic field to the magnetic sensor.

7. The color changing lighted nock of claim 5, wherein the plurality of different colors includes green, red, yellow and blue.

8. The color changing lighted nock of claim 1, wherein the nock assembly comprises a nock end slidably disposed partially within a nock housing;

and wherein an activation gap is defined between the nock end and the nock housing, the LED being illuminated when the activation gap is closed and not illuminated when the activation gap is open.

9. A color changing lighted nock kit for arrow shafts, the kit comprising:

a plastic shell;

a color changing lighted nock according to claim 1 disposed within the plastic shell, wherein the color changing lighted nock includes a shaft insertion portion having a first diameter dimension;

a first adaptor disposed in the plastic shell, the first adaptor including an internal opening having an internal diameter conforming to the first diameter dimension of the shaft insertion portion of the color changing lighted nock, and the first adaptor having a first adaptor outside diameter that is larger than the first end outside diameter dimension of the shaft insertion portion of the color changing lighted nock; and

a second adaptor disposed in the plastic shell, the second adaptor including an internal opening having an internal diameter conforming to the first diameter dimension of the shaft insertion portion of the color changing lighted nock, and the second adaptor having a second adaptor outside diameter larger than the first adaptor outside diameter.

10. The color changing lighted nock kit for arrow shafts, wherein the color changing lighted nock includes a nock body, the nock body including an index structure that prevents relative rotation of the nock body with respect to the arrow shaft while allowing the nock body to move towards the arrow shaft along a longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft to illuminate the RGB LED.

11. A method of changing color of a sporting equipment, the method comprising:

activating an LED assembly disposed within the sporting equipment, the LED assembly including a magnetic sensor;

applying a magnetic field to the sporting equipment; and

sequentially advancing to a next one of a plurality of different colors upon the application of a magnetic field to the magnetic sensor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of activating the LED assembly comprises closing an activation gap defined between a nock housing and a nock end of a nock for arrow shafts.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of sequentially advancing to a next one of a plurality of different colors comprises advancing the clock setting in a flip-flop circuit component upon the application of the magnetic field to the magnetic sensor.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the sporting equipment is a lighted nock for arrow shafts.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising sequentially advancing to a non-illuminate condition upon the application of a magnetic field to the magnetic sensor.

16. An electronic circuit for changing color of an LED assembly, the electronic circuit comprising:

an LED;

a first flip-flop coupled to the LED;

a magnetic sensor coupled to the first flip-flop; and

a second flip-flop coupled to the first flip-flop and to the LED.

17. The electronic circuit of claim 16, wherein the LED is an RGB LED.

18. The electronic circuit of claim 16, further comprising:

a first transistor electrically disposed between the first flip-flop and the LED;

a second transistor electrically disposed between the first flip-flop and the LED; and

a third transistor electrically disposed between the second flip-flop and the LED.

19. The electronic circuit of claim 16, wherein the first flip-flop and the second flip-flop are disposed on a circuit board.

20. The electronic circuit of claim 16, wherein each of the first flip-flop and the second flip-flop are dual positive-edge-triggered D-Type flip-flops.