Aiming Device and Method for Archery Bow

Abstract

An apparatus for improving an archer's aiming consistency by utilizing a directed light beam device mounted to an archery bow or integrated into the grip of an archery bow. Various embodiments provide an apparatus comprising a directed beam light source such as a laser, a power source for providing power to said light source, an actuation switch for allowing power to flow from said power source to said light source, a circuit for interconnecting said light source, said power source, and said actuation switch, and a jacket adapted to be attached to an archery bow within which said light source, said power source, said actuation switch, and said circuit are disposed, so that, when said jacket is attached to the archery bow said light source directs light forwardly from said bow toward a target and so that, during use, said actuation switch can be actuated by the same hand that is holding the bow in response to the natural motion of drawing the bow string. The jacket may fit over and around the stock grip of a bow and be shaped to comfortably fit the hand of an archer. Alternatively, the jacket may replace the stock grip normally provided with the bow.

1 . A sighting device for an archery bow, comprising:
 a directed beam light source;   a power source for providing power to said directed beam light source;   an actuation switch for allowing power to flow from said power source to said light source;   a circuit for interconnecting said light source, said power source and said actuation switch; and   a jacket adapted to be attached to an archery bow, said light source, said power source, said actuation switch and said circuit being disposed within said jacket so that, when said jacket is attached to the archery bow said light source directs light forwardly from said bow toward a target and so that said actuation switch can be actuated by the hand of a person holding said bow by said jacket.   
   
   
       2 . The sighting device of  claim 1 , wherein said bow has a back, two sides, an upper end and a lower end and said jacket has a back portion and two opposing side portions for covering portions of said back and said two sides of said bow, and an upper end corresponding to said upper end of said bow and a lower end corresponding to said lower end of said bow. 
   
   
       3 . The sighting device of  claim 2 , wherein said actuation switch is disposed in said back portion of said jacket. 
   
   
       4 . The sighting device of  claim 3 , wherein said actuation switch is disposed more toward said upper end of said grip than toward said lower end of said jacket so as to actuate and thereby allow power to flow from said power source to said light source, in response to the pressure naturally applied by the user's hand when the bow string is drawn. 
   
   
       5 . The sighting device of  claim 4 , wherein said actuation switch is a spring return pushbutton switch adapted to close when the hand of a user applies pressure to said jacket as the bow is drawn and thereby allow power to flow from said power source to said light source, and to open when pressure on said switch is released. 
   
   
       6 . The sighting device of  claim 5 , wherein said jacket has a thinner portion disposed at the position of said actuation switch and said actuation switch is disposed interior to said jacket beneath said thinner portion of said jacket. 
   
   
       7 . The sighting device of  claim 6 , wherein outer surfaces of said back and two sides of said jacket are shaped so as to conform generally to the palm, thumb and four fingers of a human hand whereby the thumb is on one side of the jacket, the four fingers are on the other side of the jacket, and the web of tissue between the thumb and forefinger is disposed substantially over said actuation switch. 
   
   
       8 . The sighting device of  claim 7 , wherein said directed beam light source comprises a laser. 
   
   
       9 . The sighting device of  claim 8 , wherein said laser is disposed on the same side of said jacket as the user's fingers lay during use, more toward said upper end of said jacket than toward said lower end of said grip. 
   
   
       10 . The sighting device of  claim 9 , wherein said jacket comprises first and second interlocking parts, the first of said interlocking parts substantially comprising said first side and said back side of said jacket and the second of said interlocking parts substantially comprising the second side of said jacket. 
   
   
       11 . The sighting device of  claim 10 , wherein said actuation switch is a flexible membrane switch. 
   
   
       12 . The sighting device of  claim 10  wherein said circuit comprises a flexible circuit. 
   
   
       13 . The sighting device of  claim 8 , said actuation switch is a flexible membrane switch. 
   
   
       14 . The sighting device of  claim 8  wherein said circuit comprises a flexible circuit. 
   
   
       15 . The sighting device of  claim 2 , wherein outer surfaces of said back and two sides of said jacket are shaped so that when the thumb of a user is on one side of the jacket and the four fingers are on the other side of the jacket, the web of tissue between the thumb and forefinger is disposed substantially over said actuation switch. 
   
   
       16 . The sighting device of  claim 15 , wherein said directed beam light source comprises a laser. 
   
   
       17 . The sighting device of  claim 15 , wherein said laser source is disposed on the same side of said jacket as the user's fingers during use, more toward said upper end of said grip than toward said lower end of said jacket. 
   
   
       18 . The sighting device of  claim 1 , wherein said directed beam light source comprises a laser. 
   
   
       19 . The sighting device of  claim 18 , wherein said laser is disposed on one side of said jacket more toward said upper end of said jacket than toward said lower end of said jacket. 
   
   
       20 . The sighting device of  claim 18 , further comprising a laser assembly for holding said laser, said jacket including devices adapted to interact with said laser assembly so as to adjust said laser for elevation and windage. 
   
   
       21 . The sighting device of  claim 1 , wherein said actuation switch is a spring return pushbutton switch adapted to close when the hand of a user applies pressure to said jacket so as to allow power to flow from said power source to said light source, and to open when pressure on said switch is released. 
   
   
       22 . The sighting device of  claim 1 , wherein said jacket comprises first and second interlocking parts, the first of said interlocking parts substantially comprising a first side and a back side of said jacket corresponding to one side of said bow, and the second of said interlocking parts substantially comprising a second side of said jacket corresponding to the other side of said bow. 
   
   
       23 . The sighting device of  claim 22 , wherein said directed beam light source and said actuation switch are disposed in said first part of said jacket, said light source being disposed more toward the upper end of said jacket than the lower end thereof, on said first side thereof, and said actuation switch being disposed more toward an upper end of said grip than the lower end thereof, on said back side thereof. 
   
   
       24 . The sighting device of  claim 1 , said actuation switch comprises a flexible membrane switch. 
   
   
       25 . The sighting device of  claim 1 , wherein said circuit comprises a flexible circuit. 
   
   
       26 . An archery bow having a directed light beam aiming device, comprising:
 a bow member;   a jacket disposed on said bow member for holding the bow with one hand;   a directed beam light source disposed within said jacket so as to direct light toward a target when said light source is actuated;   a power source disposed within said jacket for providing power to said light source;   an actuation switch disposed within said jacket for allowing power to flow from said power source to said light source; and   a circuit disposed within said jacket for interconnecting said light source, said power source and said actuation switch, said actuation switch being disposed within said jacket so that during use, said actuation switch can be actuated by the same hand that is holding the bow.   
   
   
       27 . The archery bow of  claim 26 , wherein said jacket has an upper end and a lower end and said actuation switch is disposed more toward said upper end than said lower end so as to close and thereby allow power to flow from said power source to said light source in response to the pressure naturally applied when the bow string is drawn. 
   
   
       28 . The archery bow of  claim 27 , wherein said actuation switch is a spring return pushbutton switch adapted to close when the hand of a user applies pressure to said jacket as the bow is drawn, and to close when pressure on said switch is released. 
   
   
       29 . The archery bow of  claim 28 , wherein said directed light beam source is a laser. 
   
   
       30 . The archery bow of  claim 26 , wherein said directed light beam source is a laser. 
   
   
       31 . The archery bow of  claim 26 , wherein said jacket has an upper end and a lower end, said directed light beam source is a laser, and said laser is disposed on the same side of said jacket as the user's fingers lay during use, more toward said upper end of said jacket than said lower end of said jacket. 
   
   
       32 . The archery bow of  claim 26 , wherein outer surfaces of said jacket are shaped so that when the thumb of a user is on one side of the jacket and the four fingers are on the other side of jacket, the web of tissue between the thumb and forefinger is disposed substantially over said actuation switch. 
   
   
       33 . The archery bow of  claim 32 , wherein said directed light beam source is a laser.