REINFORCED ARROW INSERT

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of the present disclosure.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present embodiments generally relate to arrows and arrow heads. More specifically, but without limitation, present embodiments relate to reinforcing structures for arrows and arrow heads.

2. Description of the Related Art

Archery hunting is a popular sport that requires a number of skills and talents that are honed and developed through years of target practice and actual hunting. Arrow heads have long been used for target archery and hunting when mounted on arrows and fired from a variety of bow designs. An ongoing challenge is how to improve the ease of attachment of the arrow head upon the end of an arrow while maintaining alignment and without negatively impacting the overall strength of the assembled unit. Further, there is a need to transfer energy through the arrow head even when the arrow hits the target at an angle and energy may not be transferred as efficiently.

In addition, the energy and lethality of the arrow is immediately diminished upon striking bone. Thus, the arrow must cut or break bone to reach the animal's vitals, and this results in the game animal being wounded but not quickly killed. The game animal often evades tracking and location by the hunter and dies in the undergrowth without ever being found. Therefore, it is desirable to design an attachment for an arrow head which can withstand dynamic forces associated with a strike of bone or other hard material which cause strong radial and lateral forces on an arrow and more specifically can damage the attachment point of the arrow head and shaft, or cause a blow-out of an arrow shaft side wall. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide an arrow that is sufficiently strong that it may be used multiple times prior to breaking or experiencing damage.

The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.

SUMMARY

The present application discloses one or more of the features recited in the appended claims and/or the following features which alone or in any combination, may comprise patentable subject matter.

Present embodiments relate to an insert for smaller diameter arrow shafts, for which additional reinforcement support is desirable. The embodiments provide a sleeve which abuts an end of an arrow shaft, and comprises a countersink to receive a complementary protrusion of an insert therein. A stem extending from the body member passes through the sleeve and into a hollow area of the arrow shaft. With the protrusion seated in the countersink of the sleeve, force from the arrow head impact is better supported and the assembled arrow is less likely to blowout a sidewall of the arrow shaft.

According to some embodiments, an insert for securing a shaft of an arrow to a cutting tip, comprises a body member extending between a distal end and a proximal end; a stem extending from the distal end of the body member and formed integrally with the body member, the stem including a protrusion having an annular shape and extending about a first end of the stem; and, a sleeve including a countersink, the countersink being configured to engage the protrusion of the stem, such that, when the sleeve is disposed about the stem and positioned adjacent to the distal end of, and abutting, the body member, the sleeve is coaxial with the stem. The sleeve is sized to receive an arrow shaft at an end of the sleeve opposite from the body member and further wherein an arrow head is capable of being secured to the proximal end of the body member.

In some embodiments, a sleeve length of the sleeve is less than a stem length of the stem.

In some embodiments, the insert may further comprise a cavity extending at least partially within the body member, the cavity including an upper cavity portion and a lower cavity portion.

In some embodiments, the arrow head may be received by the lower cavity portion to secure the arrow head to the body member.

In some embodiments, the protrusion may extend from a surface of the body member that is opposite the cavity.

In some embodiments, the countersink may receive the protrusion.

In some embodiments, the protrusion and the countersink may define corresponding shapes which engage one another so that the body member is abutting the sleeve.

In some embodiments, the sleeve may comprise an internal wall which separates the countersink from the arrow shaft.

In some embodiments, the internal wall may have a through hole, allowing passage of the stem through the internal wall into the arrow shaft.

In some embodiments, the internal wall may engage an end face of the arrow shaft on one side.

In some embodiments, the internal wall may be engaged by the protrusion on a side opposite the arrow shaft.

In some embodiments, the protrusion may be captured between the body member and the sleeve, within the countersink.

In some embodiments, the protrusion and the countersink may have one or more surfaces for bonding with an adhesive.

In some embodiments, the sleeve may have a first inner diameter, a second inner diameter and a third inner diameter.

In some embodiments, the stem may have one of a smooth outer surface, a plurality of notches, or being rotatable relative to the body member.

These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. All of the above outlined features are to be understood as exemplary only and many more features and objectives of the various embodiments may be gleaned from the disclosure herein. Therefore, no limiting interpretation of this summary is to be understood without further reading of the entire specification, claims and drawings, included herewith. A more extensive presentation of features, details, utilities, and advantages of the present invention is provided in the following written description of various embodiments of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and defined in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts an assembled view of an arrow assembly, according to one or more embodiments shown herein;

FIG. 2A depicts a front view of a body member an insert for securing a shaft of an arrow to a cutting tip, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 2B depicts a front view of a sleeve of the insert of FIG. 2A, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 3 depicts a section view of the sleeve of FIG. 2B disposed about the body member of FIG. 2A to form an insert, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 4 depicts a partially exploded view of an arrow assembly utilizing the insert of FIG. 2, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; and,

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the reinforced arrow insert and the arrow shaft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood that the arrow insert is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The described embodiments are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in some embodiments” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Embodiments of reinforcing arrow inserts will now be described in additional detail herein. The following will now describe these reinforcing sleeves in more detail with reference to the drawings and where like numbers refer to like structures.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, the embodiments disclosed herein relate to reinforcing inserts for securing a shaft of an arrow to an arrow head. The arrow may comprise a sleeve which engages an arrow shaft, an insert which engages the sleeve, and an arrow head which is received by a body member of the insert. The body member extending between a distal end and a proximal end and a stem extending from the distal end of the body member and formed integrally with the body member. A protrusion extends from the body member about a first end of the stem in a circumferential direction. The insert further includes the sleeve having a countersink, with the countersink being configured to engage the protrusion of the stem, such that, when the sleeve is disposed about the stem and positioned adjacent the distal end of the body member, the sleeve is coaxial with the stem. The arrow head is secured to the proximal end of the body member, and in some embodiments the arrow head and the sleeve may be configured to rotate independently of the body member.

As should be appreciated, arrows used in archery, especially for hunting and competitive shooting, require high standards of structural integrity and performance under a variety of environmental conditions and upon impact with diverse targets. Traditional arrow designs commonly feature a rigid attachment between the arrow shaft and the cutting tip. This attachment is often facilitated through simple inserts that provide a direct but fixed connection between these components.

However, these conventional designs have several drawbacks. Firstly, the fixed connection can transmit impact forces directly from the broadhead to the shaft, which can lead to premature failure of the arrow, especially when striking hard or angled surfaces. Additionally, for non-rotating arrow heads, the lack of rotation can limit the arrow's penetrating ability, as the broadhead can bind or catch against the target material, providing large forces on the arrow shaft.

Moreover, traditional inserts do not typically address the need for easy maintenance and replacement. These inserts may be permanently fixed to the shaft and require specialized tools or procedures for replacement or repair, which are not always feasible in outdoor settings.

The disclosed insert assembly comprises a reinforcement sleeve having a countersink and an insert having a protrusion, wherein the combination strengthens the connection point between the shaft and the arrow head. This connection disperses the forces generated upon impact more evenly across the assembly, thereby reducing the likelihood of structural failure at this critical juncture when hitting hard materials or making contact at an angle. Furthermore, by reinforcing the insert and shaft connection with a sleeve, the disclosed reinforcement sleeve provides improved resistance to the bending and breaking forces that typically occur when an arrow hits a target. This makes the arrow more reliable and durable, particularly suitable for hunting large game where impacts with bone or tough tissue are likely.

While primarily used for reinforcement, it should be further appreciated that the interaction between the sleeve and the stem also contributes to maintaining rotational stability of the broadhead or field point during flight. This stability ensures that the arrow maintains its aerodynamic properties and flies true to its intended path, enhancing accuracy.

In the embodiments discussed, the inserts are extending from the arrow shaft. The inserts are at least partially external, as opposed to solely internal inserts. This is desirable at least in part because fully internal inserts are completely inside the arrow shaft, but they are inherently weaker, and a portion of the shaft may have no protection. On the contrary, the external insert of the instant description, or full out insert, provides structure outside the arrow shaft. The external inserts may be used with arrows having smaller diameter shafts (micro arrows), therefore position the mechanical structure on the outside of the shaft for improved support. For 0.204″ diameter arrow shafts, it may be possible to drill into the body material so that at least some portion of the threaded end of the arrow head may be positioned inside arrow shaft (“half-out”).

In the embodiments described herein, the reinforcing sleeve may also allow for easy assembly and disassembly, which is beneficial for field maintenance and repairs. Archers can replace or repair parts of the arrow quickly without needing specialized tools or returning to a shop, thus providing versatility and adaptability in various shooting conditions. With the ability to easily replace or repair components, the overall lifespan of the arrow is also extended. This not only makes the arrow more cost-effective over time but also ensures that performance is not compromised by wear and tear on specific parts of the arrow assembly.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a plan view of an arrow 10 and a reinforcing insert assembly 20, is depicted. The arrow 10 comprises an arrow shaft 30 and comprises a forward end 40 and a rearward end 50. The rearward end 50 of the arrow shaft 30 may comprise a fletching end which engages a string of a bow or cross-bow, in order to propel the arrow 10. Extending between the forward and rearward ends 40, 50 of the arrow 10 is the arrow shaft 30. The arrow shaft 30, in some embodiments, may be circular in cross section and may be hollow. Some embodiments provide that the arrow shaft 30 may be formed of carbon fiber and may have a hollow interior. In some embodiments, the arrow shaft 30 may be of an outer diameter of various sizes and according to some embodiments may be of a 0.165″ or a 0.204″ inner diameter. Additionally, however, other sizes may be utilized within the scope of the present teaching.

At the forward end 40 of the arrow 10, the arrow assembly 20 includes an assembly of a sleeve 60 and an insert 100, to which an arrow head 70 may be connected. The arrow head 70 may comprise, without limitation, a broadhead as depicted, generally used for hunting, or a field point (FIG. 5) which may generally be used for practice. Either of these, or other similar structures are generally referred to as arrow heads.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, an insert 100 for the arrow 10 is illustrated. As depicted in FIG. 2A, the insert 100 may include a body, or body member, 120 that is, in some embodiments, generally cylindrical in shape and extending between a distal end 120a and a proximal end 120b. The body member 120 may further define an interior cavity 140 that extends at least partially within the body member 120. In the depicted embodiment, the cavity 140 extends from the distal end 120a and toward the proximal end 120b. Further, the cavity 140 may comprise an upper cavity portion 140a and a lower cavity portion 140b. In these embodiments, the cavity 140 may be configured to receive a broadhead, a fieldpoint, or other arrow head, of the arrow 10. The cavity 140 may comprise one or more diameters, for example wherein one of the diameters, for example upper cavity 140a, may provide a seat for a shank of the arrow head 70 and wherein a second diameter, for example lower cavity 140b, may comprise a threaded area for receipt of a threaded end of the arrow head 70 (FIG. 3). The shank is the portion of the arrow head between the threaded portion provided for attachment to the arrow shaft and the shoulder, where the arrow head becomes larger in diameter than the arrow shaft. The body member 120 may be longer to either receive a shoulder of an arrow head, or to abut a shoulder of the arrow head.

Referring still to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the insert 100 may further include a stem 160 that extends from the distal end 120a of the body member 120. In some embodiments, the stem 160 may be cylindrical having a circular cross-section. In these embodiments, the stem 160 may be integrally formed with distal end 120a of the body member 120, or may be otherwise fixedly attached to the body member 120. In some other embodiments, the stem 160 may be rotatable relative to the body member 120. The stem 160 has a diameter that is smaller than that of the body member 120 and may be sized for insertion into a hollow area of the arrow shaft 30. Thus, while the diameter and length of the stem 160 may vary, the diameter may be related to the inner diameter of the arrow shaft 30. Further, as will be described the length of the stem 160 may be dependent on the type of material used and therefore the overall weight of the insert 100. While the embodiments of FIGS. 2A-3 provide a cylindrical body 120, the body may also be tapered in whole or in part, as shown in exaggerated fashion in FIG. 4.

The stem 160 may be formed as a cylinder shape as depicted of smooth exterior surface. In some other embodiments, the stem 160 may alternatively, or additionally, have portions which are notched to be cut. The notches may provide that sections of the stem 160 may be cut and removed, in order to provide weight adjustment. Still further, in some embodiments, the stem 160 may be rotatably connected to the body 120, such that the body 120 may rotate relative to the stem 160, allowing rotation of the arrow head 70, as shown in FIG. 5.

As further depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the stem 160 may further include a protrusion 180 that extends about a first end 160a of the stem 160 (e.g., the end of the stem 160 in contact with and extending from the distal end 120a of the body member 120) in a circumferential direction. In these embodiments the protrusion 180 may be sized and/or shaped to engage a portion of the sleeve 60 of the insert 100, as will be described in additional detail herein. For example, if the protrusion 180 is circular, a countersink 122 of the sleeve 60 may likewise be circular. However, other shapes may be utilized. For example, rather than an annular shape, the protrusion 180 may be triangular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, octagonal, or polygon shape. The protrusion 180 provides added strength for the connection between the body 120 and the stem 160, added strength between the connection of the protrusion 180 and the sleeve 60, and optionally allows for adhesive to be applied between the protrusion 180 and the countersink 122.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, the insert 100 engages the sleeve 60, which may be configured to be disposed about the stem 160. The sleeve 60 is formed by a wall 124 having a circular cross section and defining a cylindrical shape. In some embodiments, the sleeve 60 may be cylindrical or in some other embodiments the outer surface may be tapered in whole or in part. In these embodiments, the sleeve 60, and the wall 124, may extend between a first sleeve end 60a and a second sleeve end 60b opposite the first sleeve end 60a, and a countersink 122 may be formed in the first sleeve end 60a and extend at least partially towards the second sleeve end 60b. An internal wall 125 may be formed within the sleeve 60. The sleeve 60 comprises a hollow portion 126 centrally in the sleeve 60 and in communication with the countersink 122. The internal wall 125 may separate the hollow portion 126 and the countersink 122. A through hole may be formed through the internal wall 125 for the communication between the countersink 122 and the hollow portion 126. The through hole allows passage of the stem 160 therethrough. The sleeve 60 inner diameter may be sized to correspond to a desired outer diameter of a selected arrow shaft, so as to receive the arrow shaft 30 therein. In these embodiments, when the sleeve 60 is disposed about the stem 160, the countersink 122 may engage the protrusion 180 of the stem 160 to provide reinforcement and support for the arrow head 70 and/or arrow shaft 30 coupled to the insert 100. The sleeve 60 may be positioned over the exterior of an arrow shaft 30, and the stem 160 extending through the sleeve 60 and into the hollow portion 126 of the arrow shaft 30. Stated otherwise, the inner diameter of the sleeve 60 is sized to receive the stem 160 and also receive the arrow shaft 30, all of which may be co-axially arranged for reinforcement of the arrow head 70 upon impact. This limits damage of the wall of the arrow shaft 30 upon impact.

The insert 100 may be formed of various materials and the components may all be of the same or differing materials. Such high strength materials may include but are not limited to aluminum alloy, titanium, steel (stainless) or carbon composite. Further since weight range for the insert 100 is important, the components may have mixed materials wherein the sleeve 60 is one material, the body 120 and stem 160 are of a second, for example. This provides for some level of weight adjustment.

As may be gleaned from FIG. 2B, the sleeve 60 may have three different diameters. For example, the first end 60a has the countersink 122 which is of a first diameter, where the countersink 122 is circular, although other shapes may be utilized. The second end 60b may comprise a second diameter wherein the second diameter is an inner diameter wherein the arrow shaft 30 may be located. The second diameter corresponds to the outer diameter of the arrow shaft 30. The second diameter may be slightly oversized to accept the arrow shaft diameters selected. The third diameter may comprise the through hollow portion 126 through the internal wall 125 of the sleeve 60. The hollow portion 126 may be sized to allow passage of the stem 160 and because the stem 160 is positioned in the inner diameter of the arrow shaft 30, has a relationship with the arrow shaft inner diameter—for example 0.165″ or 0.204″.

For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the protrusion 180 on the stem 160 may be formed as a raised, circular ridge or boss that encircles the stem 160 near first end 160a of the stem 160. In these embodiments, the countersink 122 may have a countersink depth and a countersink diameter that are configured to fit snugly around the protrusion 180, thereby ensuring a tight and secure connection when assembled. An adhesive, for example hot melt or 2 part epoxy, may also be used to connect the protrusion 180 and the countersink 122.

The sleeve 60 comprises the internal wall 125. The internal wall 125 defines a floor of the countersink 122 on the upper side and a ceiling for the arrow shaft on the underside. The upper side of the internal wall 125 defines a place wherein the protrusion is received. The protrusion 180 may therefore be bonded with adhesive along the side(s) and the surface that engages the internal wall 125 at the countersink 122. The underside of the internal wall 125 likewise forms a limiting boundary for the arrow shaft 30, so that when the sleeve 60 engages this internal wall, the arrow shaft is fully seated for bonding and, upon impact with a target, the sleeve cannot move relative to the arrow shaft.

As described hereinabove, when the sleeve 60 is disposed over the stem 160, the engagement of the countersink 122 and the protrusion 180 locks the sleeve 60 onto the stem 160 in a way that it can withstand axial and radial forces. Furthermore, the interaction between the countersink 122 and the protrusion 180 increases a contact area between the sleeve 60 and the stem 160. It should be appreciated that a larger contact area may allow for the stresses acting on the arrow to be more evenly distributed across the insert 10, or distributed across a larger area, thereby reducing the likelihood of mechanical failure at the insert, or blowout in the sidewall of the arrow shaft 30.

Referring still to FIGS. 1-3, the engagement between the protrusion 180 and the countersink 122 may also help absorb and dissipate the energy from impacts (e.g., impact generated when an arrow hits a target). This absorption reduces the shock and evenly transfers energy through the arrow shaft 30, thereby protecting the shaft 30 and enhancing the overall durability of the arrow head 70. It should be further appreciated that the engagement between the protrusion 180 and the countersink 122 similarly prevents the sleeve 60 from sliding along the arrow shaft 30 during arrow launch and impact.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the body member 120, the stem 160, and the sleeve 60 are assembled in the depicted side section view. A lower end of the body member 120 is abutting the upper end of the sleeve 60. In this way, the protrusion 180 is received in the countersink 122 of the sleeve 60. An adhesive may be used to bind the protrusion 180 within the countersink 122. Additionally, the stem 160 is shown extending downwardly through the sleeve 60. As the sleeve 60 is shorter than the stem 160, the stem extends from a second end 60b of the sleeve 60. In this way, the end of the stem 160 may be inserted in the hollow portion 126 of the arrow shaft 30. This locates the insert 100 and the sleeve 60 may be pressed or glued on to the arrow shaft 30 so that these components are in alignment.

In this assembled manner, the bottom of the body member 120 is in contact with the top edge of the sleeve 60. This contact surface is used to transmit force between the body member 120 and the sleeve 60. Additionally, the surface area for transmission of force, also moves through the protrusion 180 and countersink 122 in an aligned manner.

While the protrusion 180 is described as an annular structure, various shapes may be used. The shape of the protrusion 180 may be complementary with the shape of the countersink so that the sleeve 60 and the body member 120 are aligned to maximize engagement.

Additionally, in this view, the hollow portion 126 is shown below the internal wall 125. The hollow portion 126 can receive the arrow shaft 30 and the stem 160 may be positioned within the arrow shaft 30.

Further, the stem 160 may extend into the arrow shaft various distances. One of the primary concerns for bow hunters and shooters is arrow weight. The materials of the insert 100 may make significant difference in shooting. Therefore the length of the stem 160 may depend on the material used which affects weight. Additionally, the weight of the sleeve 60 and the body 120 together may be factors in the length of the sleeve 60 and length of the stem 160, and the body 120. Users typically desire a specific weight range, therefore the stem 160 may be longer for smaller diameters to reach the desired weight; or may be shorter for larger diameters to reach the desired weight. In some embodiments, the sleeve 60 may be between about 0.50 to 1.5 inches; and in some embodiments the sleeve 60 may have a length of 1.0 inch. In addition to weight, the sleeve 60 length may play a role in locating a snap point of the arrow shaft 30—that is a location where the arrow shaft 30 may be most likely to break. Thus longer sleeves 60 may move the snap point rearward within the arrow 10.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the assembly 20 is shown exploded in axial alignment, with an arrow shaft 30 and an exemplary arrow head 70, broad head, field point, or the like. Starting with the arrow shaft 30, the shaft 30 has an end that is positioned adjacent to the sleeve 60. As shown, the arrow shaft 30 is hollow and formed by a cylindrical sidewall with an open end for receiving (via an opening with an inner diameter matching the inner diameter of the shaft sidewall 32 (or simply of arrow shaft). The shaft sidewall 32 likewise has an outer surface defining an outer diameter of the arrow shaft 30. The arrow shaft 30 may be straight or may be tapered. The arrow shaft 30 should be defined to fit within the sleeve 60. Likewise, the sleeve 60 inner diameter may be straight or may be tapered.

The shaft sidewall 32 has an outer diameter such that the arrow shaft 30 is received in the sleeve 60, and a wall thickness to define an inner diameter, wherein the stem 160 may also be received within the arrow shaft 30. The sleeve 60 has an inner diameter that is larger than the external diameter of the arrow shaft 30. Accordingly the sleeve 60 may be positioned over the shaft 30 and adhered thereto. Further the sleeve 60 may also receive the stem 160, the protrusion 180, and engage the body 120.

When the stem 160 and body 120 are received by the sleeve 60, the protrusion 180 extends into the countersink 122. An optional clip 190 may be used if desired. The sleeve 60 and the body 120 and the stem 160 may then be placed on the arrow shaft 30. Alternatively, the sleeve 60 may be first positioned on the arrow shaft 30, for example with an adhesive, then the stem 160 and body 120 positioned into and through the sleeve 60.

The clip 190 is shown between the sleeve 60 and the arrow shaft 30. In some embodiments, the clip 190 may be used to connect to the stem 160 after the stem 160 is positioned through the sleeve 60. The clip 190 may, in some embodiments, be used to retain the stem 160 in position relative to the sleeve 60 and arrow shaft 30. When assembled, the stem 160 may extend through the sleeve 60 and into the arrow shaft 30, which is hollow. The clip 190 may be used where the stem 160 has portions that rotate relative to the body member 120.

Further, at the end of the body 120, the cavity 140 is shown having an internal cavity which receives an end of the arrow head 70. The arrow head 70 may include a shank 170 and a threaded end 175 which is received in the body 120. In some embodiments, the arrow head 70 may also comprise the shank 170 of a larger diameter and the threaded end 175 which is of a smaller diameter. Accordingly, the lower cavity portion 140b receives the threaded end 175 while the shank 170 is received in the upper cavity portion 140a. In some embodiments, the arrow head 70 may also comprise a shoulder 173 which may either also be received in the insert or may abut the end of the insert 100.

When assembled in the manner shown the shank 170 may be positioned within a cavity 140 of the body 120 which is sized to receive the shank 170. In addition to the threaded material, the shank 170 may be adhered to the body 120 using an adhesive material. The shank 170 of the arrow head 70 may abut the end of the body 120 or the shank 170 may be received by a portion of the body 120.

When assembled, the shank 170 may transfer force from impact to the body 120. In turn the body 120 transmits the force to the arrow shaft 30 and reinforces the shaft 30 with the stem 160 and the sleeve 60. This force is then transferred through the arrow shaft 30 through the area covered by the sleeve 60, rather than solely at the end of the arrow shaft 30.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the arrow 10 is shown disassembled and in an offset alignment. The sleeve 60 is arranged offset but positioned in its seated depth relative to the arrow shaft 30. Similarly, the insert 100 is offset from the sleeve 60 but positioned in its seated depth relative to the sleeve 60. In this way, the stem 160 is clearly shown to have a length to extend through the sleeve and into the arrow shaft 30. Finally, a field point arrow head 70 is shown in a position as it would be seated relative to the body member 120 of the insert 100. In this way the field point is seated against the body member and the body member is seated against the sleeve 60. In such arrangement, the protrusion 180 is positioned in the sleeve 60.

While several inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the invent of embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the inventive teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.

All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases.

Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, properties such as reaction conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in this specification and claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the presently-disclosed subject matter.

As used herein, the term “about,” when referring to a value or to an amount of mass, weight, time, volume, concentration or percentage is meant to encompass variations of in some embodiments ±20%, in some embodiments ±10%, in some embodiments ±5%, in some embodiments ±1%, in some embodiments ±0.5%, and in some embodiments ±0.1% from the specified amount, as such variations are appropriate to perform the disclosed method.

As used herein, ranges can be expressed as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. It is also understood that there are a number of values disclosed herein, and that each value is also herein disclosed as “about” that particular value in addition to the value itself. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. It is also understood that each unit between two particular units are also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited.

In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures.

Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right,” “left,” “top,” and “bottom” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “a” and “one” are defined as including one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. This terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. The phrase “at least one” followed by a list of two or more items, such as A, B, or C, means any individual one of A, B or C as well as any combination thereof.

The foregoing description of methods and embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention and all equivalents be defined by the claims appended hereto.