Non-consumable blade retention for blade-opening arrowheads

• US 6,287,224 B1
• Filed: 04/11/1997
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Victor Jay Liechty II (Victor Jay Liechty)
• Original Assignee: Victor Jay Liechty II (Victor Jay Liechty)
• Inventors: Liechty, Victor Jay II
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US08/834,478
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 473/578, 473/583, 473/584, 473/FOR.216, 473/FOR.221, 473/FOR.222
• US Class Current: 473/584
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/08 Arrow heads; Harpoon heads

Abstract

A blade-opening arrowhead with a plurality of removable blades, each pivotally connected at one opposing blade end to an arrowhead body by a hinge pin. An urging force produced from a bias element engages the edge of each blade to a holding element to securely hold the blades selectively adjacent to the arrowhead body when in a retracted position. When the arrowhead penetrates an object the blade edges are disengaged from the holding elements, and the blades freely rotate to an open position with the other opposing blade end of each blade rotating away from the arrowhead body. The urging force continually urges the cutting edges of the blades in a forward direction when the blades are in the open position, further slicing uncut or unpenetrated tissue.

Claims

1. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body;

(b) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end and an edge extending thereabout, said edge having a sharpened section for cutting;

(c) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body;

(d) a catch lip formed on said edge of said blade at said second end thereof; and

(e) a compressible spring mounted on said arrowhead body to bias against said edge of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position.

2. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 1, wherein said spring is biased against said catch lip when said blade is in said retracted position.

3. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 1, wherein said hinge means comprises:

(a) an aperture extending through said second end of said blade; and

(b) an annular hinge pin extending through said aperture.

4. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 1, wherein said catch lip is formed on said second end of said blade.

5. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 1, further comprising holding means, said holding means comprising, an annular ring biased against said compressible spring and biased against said edge of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position.

6. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body;

(b) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end and an edge extending thereabout;

(c) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and a open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body;

(d) a catch lip formed on said edge of said blade at said second end of said blade, said catch lip defining a notch positioned medial to said catch lip when said blade is in said retracted position; and

(e) a compressible annular spring mounted on said arrowhead body to bias against said catch lip and into said notch when said blade is in said retracted position.

7. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 6, further comprising an annular ring biased against said compressible spring and biased against said catch lip, said annular ring biased into said notch when said blade is in said retracted position.

8. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body;

(b) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end and an edge extending thereabout, said edge having a sharpened section for cutting;

(c) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body;

(d) a catch lip formed on said edge of said blade;

(e) a compressible spring mounted on said arrowhead body to bias against said edge of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position; and

(f) an annular ring biased against said compressible spring and biased against said edge of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position.

9. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 8, wherein said hinge means comprises:

(a) an aperture extending through said second end of said blade; and

(b) a hinge pin extending through said aperture.

10. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 9, wherein said hinge pin is annular and encircles a central longitudinal axis extending through said body.

11. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 8, further comprising a first notch and a spaced apart second notch each formed on said edge of said blade, said annular ring being biased within said first notch when said blade is in said retracted position and said annular ring being biased within said second notch when said blade is in said open position.

12. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body having a tip end and an opposing attachment end;

(b) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end, and an edge extending thereabout;

(c) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body;

(d) a catch lip formed on said edge of said blade at said first end thereof; and

(e) a compressible spring mounted at said tip end of said arrowhead body so as to exert a bias force against said catch lip at said first end of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position.

13. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 12, further comprising an annular ring positioned adjacent to said spring such that said spring biases said annular ring against said catch lip at said first end of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position.

14. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body having a tip end, an opposing attachment end, and a central longitudinal axis;

(b) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end, a sharpened inside edge and an opposing outside edge;

(c) a wing outwardly projecting from said outside edge of said blade at said first end thereof;

(d) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body, said hinge means being configured such that said first end of said blade is disposed adjacent to said tip end of said arrowhead body when in said retracted position;

(e) a catch lip formed on said blade at said first end thereof, said catch lip being configured to releasably engage said body when said blade is in said retracted position; and

(f) a compressible spring mounted on said arrowhead body so as to continually apply an urging force against said second end of said blade when said blade is rotated between said retracted and open positions.

15. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 14, wherein said blade rotates through an angle greater than 90°

when said blade moves between said retracted and said open positions.

16. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 14, further comprising a discrete annular ring disposed between said spring and said second end of said blade.

17. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 14, wherein said arrowhead body bounds an annular recess encircling said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body, said annular recess communicating with said second end of said blade and having a first end of said spring received therein.

18. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 17, further comprising a blade stop washer having an aperture extending therethrough, said blade stop washer being disposed such that a second end of said spring is biased thereagainst, said arrowhead body having a stem extending through the center of said spring and through said aperture of said blade stop washer.

19. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body having a central longitudinal axis;

(b) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end, and an edge extending thereabout;

(c) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body, said hinge means being displaced a distance from said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body so as to not intersect said longitudinal axis thereof; and

(d) bias means for producing a continuous urging force against said blade as said blade is repeatedly rotated between said retracted and open positions, said urging force being applied to said blade at a location spaced apart from said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

20. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 19, wherein said hinge means comprises:

(a) an aperture extending through said second end of said blade; and

(b) an annular hinge pin encircling said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body and extending through said aperture.

21. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 19, wherein said bias means comprises a compressible spring biased against said second end of said blade.

22. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 21, further comprising a notch formed on said edge of said blade at said second end thereof, said spring being received within said notch when said blade is in said retracted position.

23. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

(a) a notch formed on said edge of said blade at said second end thereof; and

(b) an annular ring encircling said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body, said annular ring being configured such that said spring biases said annular ring into said notch when said blade is in said retracted position.

24. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body having a central longitudinal axis;

(b) a blade having;

(i) a first end;

(ii) an opposing second end; and

(iii) an edge extending thereabout, said edge of said blade having a first notch formed at said second end of said blade;

(c) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body, said first end of said blade being freely disengaged from said arrowhead body when said blade is in said retracted position;

(d) an annular element encircling said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body; and

(e) bias means for producing an urging force in at least a direction substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis so as to engage said annular element against said edge of said blade and into said notch when said blade is in said retracted position.

25. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 24, wherein said annular element comprises an annular ring.

26. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 25, wherein said annular ring is comprised of a metal.

27. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 24, wherein said blade further comprises a second notch formed on said blade, said annular element being received within said second notch when said blade is in said open position.

28. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 24, wherein said hinge means comprises:

(a) an aperture extending through said second end of said blade; and

(b) a hinge pin mounted on said arrowhead body, said hinge pin extending through said aperture of said blade.

29. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 28, wherein the shortest distance between at least a section of said annular element and said central longitudinal axis is longer than the shortest distance between at least a section of said hinge pin and said central longitudinal axis when said hinge pin is mounted to said arrowhead body and said blade is in said retracted position.

30. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 24, wherein said hinge means comprises a set screw.

31. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 24 wherein said hinge means comprises:

(a) an annular recess encircling said arrowhead body around said longitudinal axis thereof;

(b) an annular hinge pin slidably received within said annular recess; and

(c) an aperture extending through said second end of said blade.

32. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 24, further comprising a wing projecting out from said first end of said blade.

33. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 24, further comprising a plurality of said blades.

34. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body having a central longitudinal axis;

(b) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end and an edge extending thereabout;

(c) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body, said first end of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position being freely disengaged from said arrowhead body;

(d) holding means for engaging said edge of said blade so that said blade is selectively held adjacent to said arrowhead body when said blade is in said retracted position;

(e) bias means for producing an urging force so as to engage said holding means against said edge of said blade at said second end thereof when said blade is in said retracted position so that said blade is held in said retracted position and enabled to freely rotate into said open position when the arrowhead penetrates an object, said bias means being deflected in at least a direction substantially parallel to said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body when producing said urging force, said urging force being applied to said blade at a location spaced apart from said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body; and

(f) a surface having at least a section thereof substantially not in parallel alignment to said longitudinal axis for limiting rearward movement of said bias means when said bias means is exerting said urging force against said second end of said blade so that said bias means is enabled to create a sufficient urging force to hold said blade in said retracted position and enabling said blade to freely rotate into said open position when the arrowhead penetrates an object.

35. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 34 further comprising a wing projecting outwardly from an outside edge of said blade at said first end thereof, said wing extending outward from said arrowhead body when said blade is in said retracted position.

36. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 34 wherein said bias means comprises said holding means.

37. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 34 wherein said holding means is an annular element.

38. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 34 wherein said hinge means is displaced a distance from said central longitudinal axis so as to not intersect said longitudinal axis thereof.

39. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body having a central longitudinal axis;

(b) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end and an edge extending thereabout;

(c) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body;

(d) bias means for producing an urging force so as to engage an annular ring against said edge of said blade at said second end thereof when said blade is in said retracted position so that said blade is held in said retracted position and enabled to freely rotate into said open position when the arrowhead penetrates an object, said bias means being deflected in at least a direction substantially parallel to said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body when producing said urging force; and

(e) a surface having at least a section thereof substantially not in parallel alignment to said longitudinal axis for limiting rearward movement of said bias means when said bias means is exerting said urging force against said second end of said blade, so that said bias means is enabled to create a sufficient urging force to hold said blade in said retracted position and enabling said blade to freely rotate into said open position when the arrowhead penetrates an object.

40. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 39 wherein said bias means comprises an annular element.

41. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 39 wherein said bias means further comprises holding means.

42. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 39 wherein when said blade is in said retracted position said first end of said blade is freely disengaged from said arrowhead body.

43. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 39 wherein when said blade is rotating from said retracted position toward said open position said first end of said blade rotates away from said arrowhead body in a rearward direction.

44. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 39 wherein the shortest distance between at least a section of said annular ring and said central longitudinal axis is longer than the shortest distance between at least a section of said hinge means and said central longitudinal axis when said hinge means is mounted to said arrowhead body and said blade is in said retracted position.

45. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 39 wherein said urging force is applied to said blade at a location spaced apart from said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

46. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body having a central longitudinal axis;

(b) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end and an edge extending thereabout;

(c) hinge means for pivotally connecting said second end of said blade to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body, said first end of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position being freely disengaged; and

(d) retaining means for producing an urging force against said edge of said blade at said second end thereof and for holding said blade selectively in said retracted position so that said blade is held in said retracted position and enabled to freely rotate into said open position when the arrowhead penetrates an object, said retraining means being deflected in at least a direction substantially parallel to said central longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body when producing said urging force.

47. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 46 wherein said retaining means comprises an annular element having at least a section thereof situated substantially below said second end of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position.

48. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 46 wherein said first end of said blade rotates away from said arrowhead body in a rearward direction when said blade is rotating from said retracted position toward said open position.

49. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in claim 46 wherein said retaining means comprises bias means and holding means.