Shafted projectiles having a head

• US 9,341,448 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KMA Concepts Limited
• Original Assignee: KMA Concepts Limited
• Inventors: Cummings, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RICCI, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US14/245,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20150285600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0282 with shapes other than balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0278 Projectiles A63F9/0208, A63F9/0247 and A63F9/0252 take precedence
• 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 12/42 of illuminating type, e.g. carrying flares
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/003 Darts
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/02 Arrows; Crossbow bolts; Harpoons for hand-held spring or air guns
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/06 Tail ends, e.g. nocks, fletching
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/14 Hand-operated tamping or loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]

Abstract

Mechanically attachable fletching (shown as double fletching 220, 222, 224, 226, 228) is disclosed herein for a projectile 100, 102, 104, 112, 118, 120, 126, having a shaft 200, 300 having an exterior surface. The mechanically attachable fletching includes at least one fin 230, 232, 234, 236, 238, a connection section 231, 233, 235, 237, 239 bordering the at least one fin, and at least one mechanical fastener 240, 241, 244, 244′ 250, 254, 254′, 262, 266, 272, 276, 280, 282, 290, 294 for attaching the fletching to the exterior surface of the shaft via the connection section. Also disclosed herein are methods for mechanically attaching fletching to the shaft of the projectile. Also disclosed herein are illuminated projectiles 102, 108, 110, 112, 116, 120, 122, 124, 126.

Claims

1. Mechanically attachable fletching for a projectile having a shaft having an exterior surface, said mechanically attachable fletching comprising:

(a) at least one fin;

(b) a connection section bordering said at least one fin;

(c) fletching connection structure associated with said connection section, said fletching connection structure being at least one aperture defined in said connection section; and

(d) at least one mechanical fastener for attaching said fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft via said connection section, said at least one mechanical fastener for attaching said fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft via said at least one aperture.

2. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 1, said at least one fin being two fins separated by said connection section.

3. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 1, said at least one mechanical fastener being at least one projecting prong fastener that interacts with at least one aperture of a mating apertured fastener.

4. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 1, said at least one mechanical fastener being at least one projecting split-prong fastener that interacts with at least one aperture of a mating apertured fastener, said at least one projecting split-prong fastener projecting outwardly from said shaft.

5. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 1, said shaft functioning as a light pipe such that light from an at least one source of illumination travels along said shaft and at least partially illuminates said shaft.

6. A method for mechanically attaching fletching to a shaft of a projectile, said shaft having a head end and a tail end, said shaft having an exterior surface, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) aligning at least one double fletching having a connection section such that fletching connection structure associated with said connection section is aligned with said tail end of said shaft;

(b) aligning at least one mechanical fastener with said connection section and said tail end of said shaft; and

(c) fastening said at least one mechanical fastener to attach said at least one double fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft via said fletching connection structure.

7. The method of claim 6,

(a) said step of aligning at least one mechanical fastener with said connection section and said tail end of said shaft further comprising the step of aligning at least one prong of said at least one mechanical fastener with at least one aperture of said connection section and said tail end of said shaft;

and

(b) said step of fastening said at least one mechanical fastener to attach said at least one double fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft further comprising the step of inserting at least one prong through said at least one aperture and fastening said at least one prong.

8. The method of claim 6,

(a) said step of aligning at least one mechanical fastener with said connection section and said tail end of said shaft further comprising the step of aligning at least one prong projecting from said tail end of said shaft with at least one aperture of said connection section;

and

(b) said step of fastening said at least one mechanical fastener to attach said at least one double fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft further comprising the step of inserting at least one prong through said at least one aperture and fastening said at least one prong.

9. The method of claim 6,

(a) said step of aligning at least one mechanical fastener with said connection section and said tail end of said shaft further comprising the step of aligning at least one prong projecting from said tail end of said shaft with at least one aperture of said connection section;

and

(b) said step of fastening said at least one mechanical fastener to attach said at least one double fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft further comprising the step of inserting at least one prong through said at least one aperture and fastening said at least one prong to a mating apertured fastener.

10. The method of claim 6,

(a) said step of aligning at least one mechanical fastener with said connection section and said tail end of said shaft further comprising the step of aligning at least one split-prong projecting from said tail end of said shaft with at least one aperture of said connection section;

and

(b) said step of fastening said at least one mechanical fastener to attach said at least one double fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft further comprising the step of inserting at least one split-prong through said at least one aperture and fastening said at least one split-prong.

11. The method of claim 6,

(a) said step of aligning at least one mechanical fastener with said connection section and said tail end of said shaft further comprising the step of aligning at least one split-prong projecting outwardly from said tail end of said shaft with at least one aperture of said connection section;

and

(b) said step of fastening said at least one mechanical fastener to attach said at least one double fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft further comprising the step of inserting at least one split-prong through said at least one aperture and fastening said at least one split-prong to a mating apertured fastener.

12. Mechanically attachable fletching for a projectile having a shaft having an exterior surface, said mechanically attachable fletching comprising:

(a) at least one fin;

(b) a connection section bordering said at least one fin;

(c) at least one projecting prong fastener and at least one apertured fastener for attaching said fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft via said connection section, said at least one projecting prong fastener having at least one prong projecting outwardly from said shaft, said at least one apertured fastener having at least one aperture; and

(d) said at least one projecting prong fastener configured to interact with a mating at least one apertured fastener.

13. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 12, said at least one fin being two fins separated by said connection section.

14. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 12, said at least one projecting prong fastener being at least one projecting split-prong fastener.

15. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 12, said shaft functioning as a light pipe such that light from an at least one source of illumination travels along said shaft and at least partially illuminates said shaft.

16. Mechanically attachable fletching for a projectile having a shaft having an exterior surface, said mechanically attachable fletching comprising:

(a) two fins;

(b) a connection section bordering said at least one fin, said two fins separated by said connection section;

(c) fletching connection structure associated with said connection section; and

(d) at least one mechanical fastener for attaching said fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft via said connection section, said at least one mechanical fastener for attaching said fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft via said fletching connection structure.

17. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 16, said shaft functioning as a light pipe such that light from an at least one source of illumination travels along said shaft and at least partially illuminates said shaft.

18. Mechanically attachable fletching for a projectile having a shaft having an exterior surface, said mechanically attachable fletching comprising:

(a) at least one fin;

(b) a connection section bordering said at least one fin;

(c) fletching connection structure associated with said connection section, said fletching connection structure being at least one aperture defined in said connection section; and

(d) at least one mechanical fastener for attaching said fletching to said exterior surface of said shaft via said connection section, said at least one mechanical fastener having at least one prong, said at least one prong being insertable through said at least one aperture.

19. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 18, said at least one fin being two fins separated by said connection section.

20. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 18, said at least one prong fastener being at least one split-prong fastener.

21. The mechanically attachable fletching of claim 18, said shaft functioning as a light pipe such that light from an at least one source of illumination travels along said shaft and at least partially illuminates said shaft.