Counterweight for a hunting arrow

Abstract

A counterweight for a hunting arrow that is mountable between a broadhead and the arrow shaft. The counterweight includes a body with a threaded opening that receives a threaded projection extending from a broadhead and a threaded stud that is threadably matable with a threaded opening in an insert disposed within the leading end of an arrow shaft.

1 . A counterweight for a hunting arrow comprising:
 a body having a longitudinal axis, the body having a forward end, a rearward end, a forward portion terminating at the forward end and an aft portion terminating at the rearward end, the forward portion sized and configured for receiving a stud extending from a broadhead, and the aft portion including a projection terminating at the rearward end, the projection sized and configured for secure mating with an insert disposed within a leading end of an arrow shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The counterweight of  claim 1  wherein the stud extending from the broadhead is a threaded stud, the projection comprises a threaded projection, and
 the forward portion includes a bore opening to the forward end of the body, the bore being coaxially disposed about the longitudinal axis and including an inner threaded portion sized and configured to receive the threaded stud extending from the broadhead. 
 
     
     
         3 . The counterweight of  claim 1  wherein the forward portion includes a trailing end and the bore includes a generally cylindrical inner surface opening to the forward end of the first portion and the inner threaded portion, wherein the generally cylindrical inner surface and the inner threaded portion are disposed about the longitudinal axis and, wherein the aft portion includes a generally cylindrical section extending generally from the trailing end of the first portion to the threaded projection and wherein the generally cylindrical section and threaded projection are disposed about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The counterweight of  claim 3  wherein the forward portion comprises generally cylindrical section having an outer diameter and the generally cylindrical section of the aft portion has an outer diameter than is less than the outer diameter of the generally cylindrical section of the forward portion. 
     
     
         5 . The counterweight of  claim 3  wherein the generally cylindrical section of the aft portion and the threaded projection each have an outer diameter and the outer diameter of the threaded projection is less than the outer diameter of the generally cylindrical section of the aft portion. 
     
     
         6 . The counterweight of  claim 1  wherein the body is fabricated as a single piece. 
     
     
         7 . The counterweight of  claim 1  wherein the body weighs between 20 and 150 grains. 
     
     
         8 . The counterweight of  claim 1  wherein the overall length of the body is at least 1¼ inches. 
     
     
         9 . The counterweight of  claim 1  wherein the body is fabricated of steel, titanium, tungsten, brass, a metal alloy, a plastic or a combination of a metal and plastic. 
     
     
         10 . The counterweight of  claim 1  wherein the forward portion and the aft portion are separate pieces and the forward portion is mated to the aft portion to form the body. 
     
     
         11 . The counterweight of  claim 10  wherein either or both of the forward and aft portions include a cavity configured to optionally receive weighted material therein. 
     
     
         12 . The counterweight of  claim 11  further including a weighted insert disposed with the cavity. 
     
     
         13 . A hunting arrow comprising:
 a broadhead having a stud extending from an aft end of the broadhead;   an arrow shaft having a leading end;   an insert having a leading end, the insert mounted at least partially within the leading end of the arrow shaft, the insert including a bore opening to the leading end of the insert; and   a counterweight comprising a body, the body having a forward portion, an aft portion, and a longitudinal axis, the forward portion including a bore sized and configured for secure mating with the stud extending from the aft end of the broadhead, wherein the stud of the broadhead is securely disposed within the bore of the forward portion, the aft portion including a stud that is sized and configured for secure mating within the bore of the insert, the stud of the aft portion being securely disposed within the bore of the insert to secure the body between the broadhead and the arrow shaft.   
     
     
         14 . The hunting arrow of  claim 13  wherein a) the stud of the broadhead includes a threaded projection, b) the bore in the insert includes a threaded opening, and c) the bore in the forward portion includes a threaded portion sized and configured to receive the threaded projection of the stud of the broadhead and wherein the stud of the aft portion includes a threaded projection sized and configured for threadable mating within the threaded opening of the insert. 
     
     
         15 . The hunting arrow of  claim 13  wherein the body is fabricated as a single piece. 
     
     
         16 . The hunting arrow of  claim 13  wherein the counterweight weighs between 20 and 150 grains. 
     
     
         17 . The hunting arrow of  claim 13  wherein the overall length of the counterweight is at least 1¼ inches. 
     
     
         18 . The hunting arrow of  claim 13  wherein the forward portion and the arrow shaft have first and second outer diameters respectively and wherein the first outer diameter of the forward portion is generally equal to the second outer diameter of the arrow shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The hunting arrow of  claim 13  wherein forward portion and the arrow shaft have first and second outer diameters respectively and wherein the first outer diameter of the forward portion is generally equal to the second outer diameter of the arrow shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The hunting arrow of  claim 13  wherein the arrow shaft has a trailing end and the hunting arrow further includes a rear mounted deployable cutter device mounted at the trailing end of the arrow shaft. 
     
     
         21 . The hunting arrow of  claim 20  wherein the body is fabricated as a single piece. 
     
     
         22 . The hunting arrow of  claim 20  wherein the counterweight weighs between 20 and 150 grains. 
     
     
         23 . The hunting arrow of  claim 20  wherein the overall length of the counterweight is at least 1¼ inches. 
     
     
         24 . A method for assembling a hunting arrow that includes a) a broadhead having a stud with a threaded projection and b) an arrow shaft having an insert mounted at least partially within a leading end of the arrow shaft, the insert including a threaded opening, the method comprising the steps of:
 threadably securing the threaded projection of the broadhead within a threaded opening within a forward portion of counterweight having a body that includes the forward portion and an aft portion, the aft portion having a stud that includes a threaded projection; and   securing the threaded projection of the aft portion of the body within the threaded opening of the insert to secure the body between the broadhead and the arrow shaft and provide added weight therebetween.