Ferrule with irregular skin surface for an archery broadhead

• US 5,871,410 A
• Filed: 12/12/1997
• Issued: 02/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: New Archery Products, LLC (BRS Outdoor Sports Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: New Archery Products Corporation (BRS Outdoor Sports Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Mizek, Robert S., Simo, Miroslav A., Harwath, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US08/989,562
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 473/578, 473/582, 473/583, 473/216, 473/219, 473/221
• US Class Current: 473/583
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/08 Arrow heads; Harpoon heads

Abstract

An archery broadhead having a ferrule body with longitudinal grooves that accept a plurality of fixed and/or pivotal blades. At least a port ion of the ferrule body has a multiplicity of irregularities that form an irregular skin surface having a surface roughness. The irregularities enhance aerodynamic flight characteristics of the broadhead and also reduce frictional drag as the broadhead penetrates a target. The irregularities can be formed by a directional, non-directional or multi-directional set of repeating dimples, grooves, lands, stippling and/or any other suitable structure that forms a pattern, uniform or non-uniform.

Claims

1. In an archery broadhead having a ferrule body with a plurality of generally longitudinal grooves that each accept a blade, the improvement comprising:

at least a portion of a segment of the ferrule body between the blade-accepting grooves having a plurality of irregularities forming an irregular skin surface.

2. In an archery broadhead according to claim 1 wherein said portion of said segment extends diverges in a longitudinal direction from a leading portion to a trailing portion of the archery broadhead.

3. In an archery broadhead according to claim 1 wherein said at least a portion of said segment has a multiplicity of said irregularities.

4. In an archery broadhead according to claim 3 wherein said irregularities each comprise a dimple.

5. In an archery broadhead according to claim 4 wherein each dimple is formed by a raised surface.

6. In an archery broadhead according to claim 4 wherein each dimple is formed by an indented surface.

7. In an archery broadhead according to claim 1 wherein said irregularities comprise a plurality of adjacent lands and grooves.

8. In an archery broadhead according to claim 7 wherein said lands and said grooves are generally linear.

9. In an archery broadhead according to claim 8 wherein said lands and said grooves are positioned generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ferrule.

10. In an archery broadhead according to claim 7 wherein said lands and said grooves crisscross each other.

11. In an archery broadhead according to claim 7 wherein said lands each have a flat apex.

12. In an archery broadhead according to claim 7 wherein said lands each have a rounded apex.

13. In an archery broadhead according to claim 7 wherein said lands each have a pointed apex.

14. In an archery broadhead according to claim 7 wherein a ratio of spacing between two adjacent grooves of said grooves to a depth of said grooves is about 4:

1.

15. In an archery broadhead according to claim 1 wherein along a cross section taken between the blade-accepting grooves and in a normal direction which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ferrule, said irregular skin surface generally follows an arc segment of a circle.

16. In an archery broadhead according to claim 1 wherein along a cross section taken between the blade-accepting grooves and in a normal direction which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ferrule, said irregular skin surface generally follows a path which differs from an arc segment of a circle.

17. In an archery broadhead according to claim 1 wherein the irregularities have a roughness height rating greater than about 250 micro inches.

18. In an archery broadhead according to claim 1 wherein the irregularities are arranged in a uniform pattern.

19. In an archery broadhead according to claim 1 wherein the irregularities are arranged in a non-uniform pattern.

20. In an archery broadhead having a ferrule body with a plurality of generally longitudinal grooves that each accept a blade, wherein a skin surface of the ferrule body would otherwise have a first surface area corresponding to a smooth surface, the improvement comprising:

at least a portion of a segment of the ferrule body between the blade-accepting grooves having a roughened surface relative to the smooth surface wherein a second surface area of said roughened surface is greater than the first surface area.

21. In an archery broadhead according to claim 20 wherein said second surface area is in a range of about 5% to about 40% greater than the first surface area.

22. In an archery broadhead according to claim 20 wherein along a cross section taken between the blade-accepting grooves and in a normal direction which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ferrule, said irregular skin surface generally follows an arc segment of a circle.

23. In an archery broadhead according to claim 20 wherein along a cross section taken between the blade-accepting grooves and in a normal direction which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ferrule, said irregular skin surface generally follows a path which differs from an arc segment of a circle.

24. In an archery broadhead having a ferrule body with a plurality of generally longitudinal grooves that each accept a blade and the ferrule body having at least one scalloped section between the blades, the improvement comprising:

a skin surface of the at least one scalloped section having a roughness height rating in a range from about 150 micro inches to about 4000 micro inches.

25. In an archery broadhead according to claim 24 wherein along a cross section taken between the blade-accepting grooves and in a normal direction which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ferrule, said irregular skin surface generally follows an arc segment of a circle.

26. In an archery broadhead according to claim 24 wherein along a cross section taken between the blade-accepting grooves and in a normal direction which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the ferrule, said irregular skin surface generally follows a path which differs from an arc segment of a circle.