Independent blade retention for blade-opening arrowheads

• US 20010006916A1
• Filed: 01/06/2001
• Published: 07/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Victor Jay Liechty II (Victor Jay Liechty)
• Original Assignee: Victor Jay Liechty II (Victor Jay Liechty)
• Inventors: Liechty, Victor Jay II
• Granted Patent: US 6,755,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/583
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/08 Arrow heads; Harpoon heads

Abstract

Blade-opening arrowheads having pivotal blades, wherein each blade is hingedly connected at one blade end to an arrowhead body by a hinge pin. Each blade freely rotates in a plane from a retracted in-flight position to an open position when penetrating an object where the other opposing blade end rotates away from the arrowhead body such that the sharp cutting edges of the blades are exposed at a full cutting diameter when the blades are in the open position. When in the retracted position a blade is securely held selectively adjacent to the arrowhead body by frictional engagement from methods independent of, or not dependent upon, the use of an element or elements in addition to that individual cutting blade, its hinge pin and its blade slot.

Claims

1. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body;

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

(c) a blade receiving slot substantially longitudinally recessed within said arrowhead body, said receiving slot being partially bounded by a sidewall;

(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; and

(e) retention means for independently retaining said blade selectively in said retracted position so that said blade is independently securely held adjacent to said arrowhead body when in said retracted position and said blade freely rotates into said open position when the arrowhead penetrates an object.

2. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said retention means comprises rigid, non-flexible bias means for caming said blade within said receiving slot when said blade is in said retracted position, thereby said blade being securely held by frictional engagement selectively within said receiving slot.

3. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 2

, wherein said rigid, non-flexible bias means comprises said sidewall.

4. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 3

, wherein at least a portion of said sidewall is not flat.

5. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said receiving slot comprises a pair of opposing sidewalls with an opening extending therebetween, said opening being wider toward the forward end of said slot than toward the rearward end.

6. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said receiving slot comprises a pair of opposing sidewalls with an opening extending therebetween, said opening for at least a portion of said receiving slot being narrower than the thickness of said blade when said blade is not retracted therebetween, said sidewalls of said receiving slot being resilient.

7. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an arrowhead body;

(b) a blade receiving slot substantially longitudinally recessed within said arrowhead body, said receiving slot being partially bounded by a sidewall;

(c) a hinge pin mounted to said arrowhead body, said hinge pin being oriented non-perpendicular to said sidewall of said receiving slot; and

(d) a blade having a free first end and an opposing second end with an aperture extending therethrough, said aperture having said hinge pin extending therethrough to enable said blade to rotate between;

(i) a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body; and

(ii) an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body.

8. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 7

, wherein said hinge pin is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

9. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 7

, wherein said blade is oriented in a plane parrallel to the longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body when in said open position.

10. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 9

, wherein said receiving slot sidewall is not in radial alignment with the longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

12. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 8

, wherein said receiving slot is non-radially aligned with said longitudinal axis and said plane in which said blade rotates is substantially radially aligned with said axis.

13. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 8

, wherein when said blade is in said retracted position said blade is diagonally disposed within said slot.

11. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

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

(b) a blade receiving slot substantially longitudinally recessed within said arrowhead body, said receiving slot being partially bounded by an elongate sidewall; and

(c) a blade having a first end, and an opposing second end, said second end of said blade being hingedly connected to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate in a plane between;

(i) a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said arrowhead body; and

(ii) an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body, said plane in which said blade rotates being substantially non-parallel to at least a portion of said sidewall.

14. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

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

(b) a blade receiving slot substantially longitudinally recessed within said arrowhead body, said receiving slot being partially bounded by a sidewall; and

(c) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end, and a face extending therebetween, said second end of said blade being hingedly connected to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate in a plane between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned adjacent to said sidewall and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body, said face of said blade when said blade is in said retracted position biasly engaging against at least a portion of said sidewall, thereby securely holding said blade by frictional engagement selectively within said receiving slot.

15. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 14

, wherein said plane in which said blade rotates is parallel to a plane intersecting said sidewall of said receiving slot.

16. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 14

, wherein said sidewall of said receiving slot is parallel to said longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

17. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 14

, wherein said plane in which said blade rotates is parallel to said longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

18. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 14

, wherein said slot is radially aligned with said longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

19. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 14

, wherein said slot is non-radially aligned with said longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

20. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 14

, wherein said plane in which said blade rotates is non-parallel to said longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

21. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 14

, wherein said plane in which said blade rotates is non-radially aligned with said longitudinal axis of said arrowhead body.

22. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

(a) an elongated arrowhead body having an exterior surface and a longitudinal axis;

(b) a blade receiving slot substantially longitudinally recessed within said exterior surface of said arrowhead body, said receiving slot being partially bounded by a sidewall that extends to a corner at said exterior surface;

(c) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end, and a face extending therebetween, said second end of said blade being hingedly connected to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate in a plane between a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned within said blade receiving slot and an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body, said blade being diagonally disposed within said slot so that an inside angle is formed between said face of said blade and said sidewall of said slot when said blade is in said retracted position; and

(d) engagement means interacting with said corner of said receiving slot for securely holding said blade selectively within said receiving slot.

23. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 22

, wherein said engagement means comprises a rigid, non-flexible knob projecting from said face of said blade, said knob being positioned to bias against said corner when said blade is in said retracted position.

24. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 22

, wherein said engagement means comprises a recess formed in said face of said blade, said recess being positioned to receive said corner when said blade is in said retracted position.

25. A blade-opening arrowhead comprising:

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

(b) a blade receiving slot substantially longitudinally recessed within said arrowhead body, said receiving slot being partially bounded by a sidewall;

(c) a blade having a first end, an opposing second end, and a face extending therebetween, said second end of said blade being hingedly connected to said arrowhead body to enable said blade to rotate in a plane between;

(i) a retracted position wherein said blade is positioned within said blade receiving slot; and

(ii) an open position wherein said first end of said blade is rotated away from said arrowhead body; and

(d) rigid, non-flexible bias means for caming said blade within said receiving slot when said blade is in said retracted position, so that said blade is securely held by frictional engagement selectively within said receiving slot.

26. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 25

, wherein said bias means comprises a substantially flat portion of said sidewall.

27. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 26

, wherein said sidewall is non-parallely orientated to said plane said blade rotates in.

28. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 25

, wherein said receiving slot comprises a pair of partially bounding opposing sidewalls with an opening extending therebetween, said opening being wider toward the forward end of said slot than toward the rearward end.

29. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 28

, wherein said bias means comprises a rigid, nor-flexible knob extending from said blade, said knob urging against said sidewall of said receiving slot when said blade is in said retracted position.

30. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 29

, wherein a recess is formed in one of said sidewalls, said recess being positioned to receive said knob therein when said blade is in said retracted position.

31. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 29

, wherein said bias means comprises a rigid, non flexible knob extending from said sidewall of said receiving slot, said knob urging against said blade when said blade is in said retracted position.

32. A blade-opening arrowhead as recited in

claim 31

, wherein a recess is formed in said face of said blade, said recess being positioned to receive said knob therein when said blade is in said retracted position.