Acceleration activated energizing device

• US 5,134,552 A
• Filed: 07/25/1991
• Issued: 07/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mueller and Smith
• Original Assignee: Progenics Corporation
• Inventors: Denen, Dennis J., Call, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hagarman, Sue
• Application Number:
  US07/735,854
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 362/203, 362/253, 362/109, 362/110, 362/205, 362/276, 362/802, 116/7, 273/416
• US Class Current: 362/203
• 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: 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 12/382 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: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A lighted nock is provided for an arrow which undergoes an initial acceleration when shot from a bow and thereupon reaches a zero acceleration during flight shortly in front of the bow. The nock is formed of transparent material within which is embedded a light emitting diode. An elongate cavity is positioned within the forward portion of the nock and within that cavity there is slidably located an elongate battery having a rod-shaped forward electrode and a rear face forming a second electrode. An energy storing spring is positioned within the cavity and a second cavity is positioned adjacent the first cavity. Within the second cavity there is located an electrical contact and between the two cavities is a position delimiter formed as an annular silicone ring. As the arrow is shot, the energy storage spring moves into compressive contact with the rearward face of the battery and is compressed to store energy sufficient, upon the arrow reaching zero acceleration, to cause the battery forward rod-shaped end to penetrate the position delimiter and close a circuit. Electrical contact between the second terminal of the diode and the battery is provided by an elongate spring of low spring rate positioned coaxially within the energy storage spring and maintaining continuous abutting contact with the rearward face or terminal of the battery.

Claims

1. Apparatus for energizing a device having electrical terminals, mounted with an implement having an axis and accelerable along said axis from an initial to zero accleration, comprising:

a body member having an internal first cavity therein disposed along said axis and extending from a rearward end to a forward end, and having an internal second cavity positioned adjacent said first cavity;

a battery of given mass positioned for freely slideable movement within said first cavity, having a first face defining a first electrode, and second face spaced from said first face and a rod-shaped second electrode of given diameter depending from said second face;

resilient contact means coupling said battery first electrode with one said device electrical terminal;

electrical contact means within said second cavity, contactable with said second electrode for effecting electrical communication between said battery second electrode with another said device electrical terminal; and

a position delimiter disposed intermediate said battery second electrode and said electrical contact means, penetrated by said rod-shaped second electrode upon slideable movement of said battery under predetermined force to provide circuit completing contact with said electrical contact means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including energy storage spring means located within said first cavity in alignment with said axis, having one end in abutting engagement with said first cavity rearward end and an opposite end movable into compressive engagement with said battery first face substantially during said acceleration and urging said battery second electrode to penetrate said position delimiter substantially commencing with said zero acceleration.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said resilient contact means comprises a coil spring located within said first cavity, having one end electrically cooled with one said device electrical terminal and having an opposite end extending into continuous abutting contact with said battery first face.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said position delimiter is an elastic annular component having a centrally disposed opening therein of predetermined diametric extent.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said diametric extent of said elastic annular component opening is less than said given diameter of said rod-shaped electrode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said electrical contact means comprises a generally U-shaped spring assembly having two spaced leg components transversely resiliently movable in frictional engagement with the surface of said battery rod-shaped second electrode.

7. A nock for an arrow having an arrow axis and experiencing an initial acceleration and subsequent zero acceleration when shot from a bow, comprising:

a body member having a light transmissive rearward portion engageable with said bow, and a forward portion insertable within said arrow and having a nock axis substantially alignable with said arrow axis;

a light emitting device mounted within said body member rearward portion and having first and second terminals;

a first cavity disposed within said body member forward portion, aligned with said mark axis and extending from a rearward end to a forward end;

a second cavity disposed within said body member forward portion adjacent said first cavity;

a battery located and freely slideably movable within said first cavity and having a rearward end and a first terminal extending to a forward face from which extends a rod-shaped second terminal of given diametric extent;

first contact means for electrically coupling said battery first terminal with said light emitting device first terminal while permitting said freely slideable movement;

second contact means within said second cavity, electrically coupled with said light emitting device second terminal for effecting select contact with said battery second terminal; and

a position delimiter positioned intermediate said first and second cavities, aligned with said rod-shaped terminal and said second contact means and forcibly penetrable by said rod-shaped terminal under the application of a predetermined force to said battery to effect electrical contact between said battery second terminal and said second contact means.

8. The nock of claim 7 including spring means located within said first cavity in abutting relationship with said first cavity rearward end for compressive abutting engagement with said battery rearward end during said arrow acceleration to effect a storage of energy sufficient, when released substantially upon attainment of said zero acceleration, to slideably move said battery to effect said position delimiter penetration by said rod-shaped second terminal.

9. The nock of claim 8 in which said spring means comprises a helical spring having a spring rate selected to effect said storage of energy.

10. The nock of claim 8 in which said spring means comprises a helical spring structure in electrical communication with said light emitting device first terminal and having a length selected to comprise said first contact means by maintaining electrical communication with said battery first terminal at said rearward end.

11. The nock of claim 10 in which said helical spring structure is configured having a first spring rate portion selected to effect said energy storage and a second spring rate portion of value less than said first spring rate comprising said first contact means.

12. The nock of claim 8 in which:

said spring means comprises a coil energy storage spring having a spring rate selected to effect said storage of energy; and

said first contact means comprises a coil contact spring of length sufficient to maintain continuous abutting and contact with said first battery terminal at said battery rearward end.

13. The nock of claim 12 in which said energy storage spring is aligned with said nock axis;

said contact spring is counterwound with respect to said energy storage spring and extends internally within said energy storage spring to said first cavity rearward end.

14. The nock of claim 12 further comprising an energy storage element of predetermined mass slideably located within said first cavity intermediate said energy storage spring and said contact spring.

15. The nock of claim 7 in which said position delimiter is of annular form, having an inwardly disposed opening of diametric extent less than the diametric extent of said battery rod-shaped second terminal end and selected to retain said battery rod-shaped second terminal within said first cavity until slideably moved under said predetermined force.

16. The nock of claim 15 in which said position delimiter is formed of an elastic material.

17. The nock of claim 15 in which said position delimiter is formed of silicon rubber.

18. The nock of claim 7 in which said second contact means comprises a bifurcate spring having two spaced leg components transversely movable in frictional engagement with the surface of said battery rod-shaped second terminal.

19. The nock for an arrow having an arrow axis aligned along a hollow shaft and experiencing an initial acceleration and subsequent zero acceleration when shot from a bow, comprising:

an elongate body member having a light transmissive rearward portion engageable with said bow, and forward portion insertable within said shaft and having a nock axis aligned with said arrow axis;

a light emitting diode mounted within said body member rearward portion and having first and second terminals;

a first elongate cavity disposed within said body member forward portion, symmetrically disposed about said nock axis and extending from a rearward end to a forward end;

a second cavity disposed within said body forward portion adjacent said first cavity;

a channel extending between said first and second cavities;

a battery, freely slideably movable within said first cavity and having a rearward end providing a first electrode and extending to a forward face from which extends a rod-shaped second electrode of given diametric extent;

a contact spring within said first cavity, having a predetermined spring rate, electrically coupled with said diode first terminal and extending into continuous, electrically communicating abutting contact with said battery rearward end;

electrical contact means electrically coupled with said diode second terminal positioned within said second cavity for effecting select circuit coupling contact with said battery second terminal;

a position delimiter located within said channel, aligned with said rod-shaped second electrode for penetration thereby under the application of a predetermined force to said battery to effect electrical contact with said electrical contact means; and

an energy storage spring located within said first cavity in abutting relationship with said first cavity rearward end and compressively abuttably engageable with said battery rearward end during said arrow acceleration to effect a storage of energy sufficient, when released substantially upon said arrow'"'"'s attainment of said zero acceleration, to slideably move said battery forwardly under said predetermined force.

20. The nock of claim 19 in which said position delimiter is an elastic annular component having a centrally disposed opening therein of predetermined diametric extent less than said second electrode given diametric extent.

21. The nock of claim 19 including a thin, flexible sheet spacer means coupled with sid body member forward portion for flexural engagement with the interior of said hollow shaft to effect the alignment of said nock axis with said arrow axis.

22. The nock of claim 21 in which said spacer means is formed as a rectangular sheet mountable over said body member forward portion.