Mechanical broadhead with expandable blades

• US 7,713,151 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ramcat, LLC
• Original Assignee: Brett Fulton
• Inventors: Fulton, Brett
• Primary Examiner(s): RICCI, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US11/650,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20070161438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 473/583
• US Class Current: 473/583
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/08 Arrow heads; Harpoon heads

Abstract

A mechanical broadhead for attachment to an arrow having a broadhead body including a plurality of blade windows formed therein, a geometrically angled retractable blade attached within each of the blade windows, retaining springs for retaining the blades in a retracted position during flight, a front body slidably mounted onto the broadhead body, and a front tip secured to the front body. Upon contact with a target, the front tip and front body slide rearwardly into an end of the geometrically angled blades, thus pushing each of the blades through the blade windows into a deployed position. The blades of the broadhead are reset by inserting a sharp point underneath an end portion of the retaining springs and applying a slight twisting motion allowing the blades to retract back into the broadhead body into a loaded position.

Claims

1. A mechanical broadhead for attachment to an arrow, said broadhead comprising:

(a) a broadhead body having a first end capable of attachment to an end of an arrow, a second end including a frontal post extending therefrom and a body portion including a plurality of blade windows formed therein;

(b) a retractable blade attached within each of said plurality of blade windows, each of said blades having a geometrically angled shape and an aperture at a front end thereof for attachment within each of said plurality of blade windows;

(c) a retaining spring which generates a force for retaining each of said blades in a retracted position within each of said blade windows of said broadhead body;

(d) a front body having a frontal end and a rearward end, said rearward end slidably mounted onto said frontal post of said broadhead body extending from said broadhead body, said front body including at least one aperture extending through a sidewall portion thereof;

(e) connecting members for entering through said at least one aperture of said front body and said apertures of each of said blades for slidably securing said front body to said broadhead body and for pivotally securing each of said blades within said broadhead body; and

(f) a front tip secured to said forward end of said front body,

wherein such that upon contact with a target, said front tip and said front body slide rearwardly into the front end of said geometrically angled blades, thus pushing each of said blades against the force of the retaining spring and through said blade windows into a deployed position and wherein each of said retaining springs snaps into place to hold each of said blades in said deployed position.

2. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front tip comprises a sharp chisel point having at least two sides containing a shaft portion that is secured to said front body.

3. The broadhead as set forth in claim 2 wherein said chisel point is formed from one of stainless steel and titanium.

4. The broadhead as set forth in claim 2 wherein said chisel point includes balled out portions forming a shelf behind the point to increase the front end load of the broadhead upon contact with said target and allow for a deeper penetration of the broadhead into the target.

5. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front tip comprises a two-sided razor containing a shaft portion that is secured to said front body and wherein said razor is enclosed within a sacrificial plastic sleeve wherein said plastic sleeve breaks off upon contact with said target.

6. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blade windows accommodate blade deployment and said windows have a size and shape such that when said front tip is in a loaded position and the blades are detracted, said blades are completely contained within the broadhead body.

7. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1, wherein said broadhead body includes pairs of retaining spring holes and said retaining springs mount into the broadhead body by the respective retaining spring holes, one rearward and one forward, each of said retaining springs including an approximate 90 degree angle bend having a slight arcuate offset at its end on the rear of the spring thus creating a downward force on the front of the spring that is contacting the side of the cutting blade through the forward hole, wherein the pressure produced by the spring creates a resistance factor that will hold the blade snugly within the broadhead body to prevent said blades from deploying on shot inertia and, upon contact, adequate shot pressure on the front tip will allow the blades to slide out from under said retaining springs and said retaining springs will snap in behind the blades thus locking them open.

8. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said geometrically angled shape of said blades comprises an end, adjacent to said aperture and attachment location, having an upwardly angled shape to create a leverage point on the end of the blade such that upon contact of said front body with said end forces the blade out of the body into the deployed position, wherein the blade movement is such that it minimizes drag and resistance on impact and allows deeper penetration.

9. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blades have a cuffing surface on the outside and inside edges of the blade such that the outside edge of the blade will cut on forward entry into the target and the inside edge of the blade will create a back cut upon removal of the blade from the target.

10. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of blade windows comprises three windows having an associated blade secured therein by said connecting member.

11. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front body has a triangular shape and wherein said blade windows and blades are in alignment with the apexes of said triangular shape of said front body and wherein said broadhead body is sculpted to minimize weight.

12. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sidewall apertures in said front body are elongated in shape to permit sliding movement of said front body with respect to said broadhead body.

13. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first end of said broadhead body is threaded for removable attachment onto the end of an arrow shaft.

14. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein said deployed blades may be retracted to load the broadhead by the application of a twisting force beneath a forward end of said retaining springs.

15. The broadhead as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first end of the broadhead body is removably attached to the end of the arrow and the front tip is removably secured to the forward end of the front body.

16. A mechanical broadhead for attachment to an arrow, said broadhead comprising:

(a) a broadhead body having a first end for attachment to an end of an arrow, a second end including a frontal post extending therefrom and a body portion including a plurality of blade windows formed therein;

(b) a retractable blade attached within each of said plurality of blade windows;

(c) a retaining spring for retaining each of said blades in a retracted position within each of said blade windows of said broadhead body;

(d) a front body slidably mounted onto said frontal post extending from said broadhead body;

(e) connecting members for securing said front body to said broadhead body and for securing each of said blades within said broadhead body; and

(f) a front tip secured to said front body, such that upon contact with a target, said front tip and said front body slide rearwardly into an end of said blades, thus pushing each of said blades through said blade windows into a deployed position,

wherein said front tip comprises a sharp chisel point having at least two sides containing a shaft portion that is secured to said front body and wherein said chisel point includes balled out portions forming a shelf behind the point to increase the front end load of the broadhead upon contact with the target.

17. The broadhead as set forth in claim 16 wherein said blade windows accommodate blade deployment and said windows have a size and shape such that where said front tips is in a loaded position and the blades are detracted, said blades are completely contained within the broadhead body.

18. The broadhead as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of said retaining springs are mounted to said broadhead body through a forward and rearward retaining spring hole and said retaining springs are configured to lock said blades in position after deployment.

19. A mechanical broadhead for attachment to an arrow, said broadhead comprising:

(a) a broadhead body having a first end for attachment to an end of an arrow, a second end including a frontal post extending therefrom and a body portion including a plurality of blade windows formed therein;

(b) a retractable blade attached within each of said plurality of blade windows;

(c) a retaining spring for retaining each of said blades in a retracted position within each of said blade windows of said broadhead body and wherein once deployed, the blades may be retracted to load the broadhead by the application of a twisting force beneath a forward end of said retaining springs;

(d) a front body slidably mounted onto said frontal post extending from said broadhead body;

(e) connecting members for securing said front body to said broadhead body and for securing each of said blades within said broadhead body; and

(f) a front tip secured to said front body, such that upon contact with a target, said front tip and said front body slide rearwardly into an end of said blades, thus pushing each of said blades through said blade windows into a deployed position.

20. The broadhead as set forth in claim 19 wherein said front tip comprises a sharp chisel point having at least two sides containing a shaft position that is secured to said front body and wherein said chisel point includes balled out portions forming a shelf behind the point to increase the front end load of the broadhead upon contact within the target.

21. The broadhead as set forth in claim 19 wherein said blades have a cutting surface on the outside and inside edges of the blade such that the outside edge of the blade will cut on forward entry into the target and the inside edge of the blade will create a back cut upon removal of the blade from the target.

22. A mechanical broadhead for attachment to an arrow, said broadhead comprising:

(a) a broadhead body having a first end for attachment to an end of an arrow, a second end including a frontal post extending therefrom and a body portion including a plurality of blade windows formed therein;

(b) a retractable blade attached within each of said plurality of blade windows;

(c) a retaining spring for retaining each of said blades in a retracted position within each of said blade windows of said broadhead body;

(d) a front body slidably mounted onto said frontal post extending from said broadhead body;

(e) connecting members for securing said front body to said broadhead body and for securing each of said blades within said broadhead body; and

(f) a front tip secured to said front body, such that upon contact with a target, said front tip and said front body slide rearwardly into an end of said blades, thus pushing each of said blades through said blade windows into a deployed position,

wherein each of said retaining springs are mounted to said broadhead body through a forward and rearward retaining spring hole and said retaining springs are configured to lock said blades in position after deployment.