Arrow detector

• US 6,266,006 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2000
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jocelyn Audet
• Original Assignee: Jocelyn Audet
• Inventors: Audet, Jocelyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US09/487,833
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 342/350, 324/326, 324/327, 324/329, 473/578
• US Class Current: 342/350
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

A metal detector for detecting missing arrows includes a housing having a fastener for mounting to an arrow shaft. The detector includes an antenna, a circuit connected to the antenna for detecting the proximity of metallic arrow parts to the antenna, and an indicator connected to the circuit for indicating that the circuit detects the proximity of the antenna to a metal arrow part. Preferably, the housing includes a generally planar paddle portion supporting the antenna and a generally planar handle portion, the portions being at different parallel planes. The fastener includes a recess in the handle portion for receiving the end of the arrow shaft and a threaded fastener for fastening to a threaded recess on the arrow shaft extending into the recess.

Claims

1. A metal detector for mounting to an arrow shaft having a shaft fastener for attachment to an arrow point, the metal detector comprising:

a housing;

a housing fastener on the housing for fastening to the shaft fastener; and

a detector supported by the housing, the detector including

an antenna,

a circuit connected to the antenna for detecting the proximity of metallic objects to the antenna, and

an indicator connected to the circuit for indicating that the circuit detects the proximity of the antenna to a metallic object.

2. The metal detector of claim 1, wherein the antenna is positioned on the housing opposite the shaft fastener so that a user of the metal detector may grasp the arrow shaft to direct the antenna at ground locations likely to contain the metallic object.

3. The metal detector of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a generally planar paddle portion supporting the antenna and a generally planar handle portion, the planes of the paddle and handle portions being different and generally parallel so a user may orient the antenna in a plane closer to ground locations than the handle.

4. The metal detector of claim 3, wherein the arrow shaft defines a generally cylindrical external surface at an end of the shaft with the end of the shaft defining a gene rally planar end surface normal to a cylindrical external surface, the cylindrical surface defining a shaft diameter, an d the s haft fastener comprises a threaded recess in the end surface of the arrow shaft for receiving a threaded fastener of an arrow point, the housing fastener comprising a recess in the handle portion of the housing sized greater than the shaft diameter for receiving the end of the shaft, and a threaded fastener designed for fastening to the threaded recess on the arrow shaft extending into the recess so that the arrow shaft may be fastened to the housing.

5. The metal detector of claim 4, wherein the recess in the handle portion includes a generally planar bottom surface arranged to abut the end surface of the arrow shaft to secure the arrow shaft to the housing.

6. The metal detector of claim 3, wherein the detector includes a power source and a switch for connecting the power source to the circuit, the switch including a switch operator supported by the handle portion.

7. The metal detector of claim 6, wherein the indicator is supported by the handle portion.

8. The metal detector of claim 7, wherein the indicator includes a light emitting diode.

9. The metal detector of claim 8, wherein the indicator further includes an audible indicator.

10. The metal detector of claim 3, wherein the indicator includes a light emitting diode.

11. The metal detector of claim 10, wherein the indicator further includes an audible indicator.

12. The metal detector of claim 1, wherein the arrow shaft defines a generally cylindrical external surface at an end of the shaft with the end of the shaft defining a generally planar end surface normal to a cylindrical external surface, the cylindrical surface defining a shaft diameter, and the shaft fastener comprises a threaded recess in the end surface of the arrow shaft for receiving a threaded fastener of an arrow point, housing fastener comprising a recess in the housing sized greater than the shaft diameter for receiving the end of the shaft, and a threaded fastener designed for fastening to the threaded recess on the arrow shaft extending into the recess so that the arrow shaft may be fastened to the housing.

13. The metal detector of claim 12, wherein the recess in the housing includes a generally planar bottom surface arranged to abut the end surface of the arrow shaft to secure the arrow shaft to the housing.

14. The metal detector of claim 12, wherein the indicator includes a light emitting diode.

15. The metal detector of claim 14, wherein the indicator further includes an audible indicator.

16. The metal detector of claim 12, wherein the detector includes a power source and a switch for connecting the power source to the circuit, the switch including a switch operator supported by the housing.

17. A method of locating a missing arrow comprising the steps of:

providing a metal detector for detecting metallic parts of missing arrows, the metal detector having a fastener arranged to fasten to a shaft fastener at an end of an arrow shaft, the shaft fastener also being arranged to fasten to an arrow point;

fastening the fastener cf the metal detector to the shaft fastener so that the metal detector extends from the end of the arrow shaft; and

operating the metal detector while the user grasps the arrow shaft and extends the arrow shaft to position the metal detector to locations likely to contain the missing arrow.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the metal detector includes an antenna opposite the fastener of the metal detector.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the metal detector includes an antenna, a generally planar paddle portion supporting the antenna, and a generally planar handle portion, the planes of the paddle and handle portions being different and generally parallel so the user may orient the antenna in a plane closer to ground locations than the handle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the fastener of the metal detector is on the handle portion of the metal detector.