Mechanical arrow nocks

Abstract

An arrow nock having a telescoping impeller and housing with resilient means for enhancing the acceleration of launch. In various embodiments, effective together or independently, the housing and impeller are configured and coupled to: create arrow rotation during launch; grip the bowstring during notching and release it during launch; and generate tracking signals.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An arrow nock for mounting on an end of an arrow shaft, comprising:
 a housing having a longitudinal axisand, the housing having a set of first and second ends leading end and a distal end; 
 an impeller disposed along the longitudinal axis having a first end disposed within the housing and a second end disposed outside of and projects from the housing, wherein the impeller and the housing are moveable relative to each other; 
 wherein movement of the housing relative to the impeller occurs rotationally and freely about the longitudinal axis; and, 
 a retainer depending edge to capture at least one of the ends of the impeller being a first or end and a second end of the impeller within the housing, the housing having a distal end with the depending edge defining an aperture to entrap the impeller. 
 
     
     
       2. The arrow nock of  claim 1 , wherein movement of the housing relative to the impeller occurs translationally along the longitudinal axis and further comprising a decoupling member that causes the axial rotation of the housing to become and the impeller being decoupled from the axial rotation of the impeller and able to rotate independent from each other. 
     
     
       3. The arrow nock of  claim 1 , further comprising a resilient member means positioned to resist movement between the housing and the impeller. 
     
     
       4. The arrow nock of  claim 3 , wherein movement and rotation of the housing relative to the impeller occurs translationally along the longitudinal axis and rotationally about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       5. The arrow nock of  claim 4 , further comprising a rotator configured to cause an axial rotation of a resilient means causing the impeller and the housing relative to each other to rotate in opposite directions when the housing and impeller are translationally moved relative to each other along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       6. The arrow nock of  claim 5 , wherein the rotator is further configured to cause the axial, rotation of the impeller in a first direction and to cause the axial rotation of the housing in a second and opposite direction both when the impeller is moved in a first translational direction relative to the housing and when the impeller is moved in a second translational direction relative to the housing and housing are coupled to effect relative rotation about their common longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       7. The arrow nock of  claim 5 , wherein the rotator is further configured to cause the axial rotation of the housing in a first direction and to cause the axial rotation of the impeller in a second and opposite direction both when the impeller is moved in a first translational direction relative to the housing and when the impeller is moved in a second translational direction relative to the housing rotation of the impeller and the housing occurs when the impeller and the housing are axially displaced. 
     
     
       8. The arrow nock of  claim 5 , further comprising a decoupling member that causes the axial rotation of the housing to become decoupled from the axial rotation of the impeller the housing and the impeller being decoupled and able to rotate. 
     
     
       9. The arrow nock of  claim 8 , wherein the rotator is comprised of one or more rotator channels the nock comprises a plurality of guide channels in the interior of the housing with at least one guide channel in the interior of the housing that each engage a respective engaging at least one of a set of one or more followers extending from the exterior of the impeller follower. 
     
     
       10. The arrow nock of  claim 9 , each of the wherein at least one or more rotator channels having guide channel has a first leading end and a second trailing end and each of the one or more rotator channels at least one guide channel being configured to cause the housing and the impeller too axially rotate relative to one another in opposite directions as the followers travel from the first end to the second end of each of the respective rotator channels. 
     
     
       11. The arrow nock of  claim 9 , wherein the decoupling member comprises a decoupling the nock further comprises a circumferential channel formed in the interior of the housing, the decoupling circumferential channel being connected to each of the one or more rotator channels and being configured to engage each of, the one or more followers at least one of the at least one guide channel. 
     
     
       12. The arrow nock of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a locking member cocking section to prevent movement of the impeller relative to the housing; and, 
 a release member to release the locking member and thereby permit movement of the impellerthe nock being uncocked and able to rotate relative to the housing. 
 
     
     
       13. The arrow nock of  claim 12 , wherein the locking member cocking section holds the resilient member in a compressed state means, and
 wherein release of the locking member cocking section permits movement of the resilient member means and the uncocking of the nock forces movement of the housing relative to the impeller. 
 
     
     
       14. The arrow nook of  claim 13 , wherein the release member is operative to each of the rotator followers from each of the respective locking channels into the respective rotator channel when the housing and the impeller are translationally displaced relative to each other along the longitudinal axis by a predetermined distance. 
     
     
       15. The arrow nock of claim  12  13, wherein the locking member comprises a locking channel cocking section is connected to one end of each of the rotator Channels at least one guide channel to engage the rotator followers and prevent the rotator followers from entering each of the rotator channels at least one guide channel. 
     
     
       16. The arrow nock of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a locking member to prevent cocking section preventing movement of the impeller relative to the housing; and, 
 a release member to release the locking member and thereby permitthe uncocking of the cocking section permitting movement of the impeller relative to the housing. 
 
     
     
       17. The arrow nock of  claim 16 , wherein the locking member holds the resilient member in a compressed state, and
 wherein release of the locking member permits movement of the resilient member and forces movement of the housing relative to the impeller.   
     
     
       18. An arrow nock for mounting on an end of an arrow shaft, comprising:
 a housing having a longitudinal axisand, the housing having a set of first and second ends leading end and a distal end; 
 an impeller disposed along the longitudinal axis having a, first end disposed within the housing and a second end disposed outside of projects from the housing, wherein the impeller and the housing are moveable relative to each other; 
 a distal end of the housing configured to capture at least one of the ends of the impeller being a first end of the impeller and a second end of the impeller within the housing, the housing having a distal end defining an aperture to entrap the impeller; 
 a resilient member means positioned to resist movement between the housing and the impeller; 
 a locking member to hold cocking section preventing movement of the impeller in a fixed position relative to the housing; and, 
 a release member to release the locking member to permita release from a drawn bowstring which is engaged in the nock causing the release of the housing and the impeller permitting movement of the impeller relative to the housing. 
 
     
     
       19. The arrow nock of  claim 18 , wherein the locking member cocking section holds the resilient member means in a fixed state, and wherein release of the locking member the uncocking of the nock releases the resilient member means from the fixed state. 
     
     
       20. The arrow nock of  claim 18 , wherein the release member is operative in response to compression of the resilient member while in the fixed state. 
     
     
       21. An arrow nock for mounting on an end of an arrow shaft, comprising:
 a housing having longitudinal axis and having a set of first and second ends leading end and a distal end; 
 an impeller disposed along the longitudinal axis having first end disposed within the housing and a second end disposed outside of the housing projects from the housing, wherein the impeller and the housing are moveable relative to each other; 
 a means bowstring notch for engagement by a bowstring; 
 a retainer to capture at least one of the ends of the impeller being a first end of the impeller and a second end of the impeller within the housing, the housing having a distal end defining an aperture to entrap the impeller; 
 a releasable gripper movable within the nock to selectively retain hold the arrow on the bowstring, limiting disengagement of the bowstring prior to launch, and release the bowstring when the housing and impeller are axially displaced, providing clear passage for the bowstring upon launch of the arrow. 
 
     
     
       22. The arrow nock of  claim 21 , further comprising a resilient member means positioned to resist movement between the housing and the impeller; and,
 a locking member to prevent cocking section preventing the movement of the impeller relative to the housing and to hold holding the resilient member means in a fixed position; and, 
 a release member to release the locking member to permituncocking of the nock permitting movement of the impeller relative to the housing, and, 
 wherein the releasable gripper is operable to retain the bowstring when the locking member holds the resilient member in a fixed position nock is cocked. 
 
     
     
       23. The arrow nock of  claim 21  further comprising a resilient member positioned to resist movement between the housing and the impeller. 
     
     
       24. The arrow nock of  claim 23  wherein the releasable gripper functions as a locking member to prevent movement of the impeller relative to the housing. 
     
     
       25. The arrow nock of  claim 21  wherein the position of the releasable gripper is determined by the position of the housing relative to the impeller. 
     
     
       26. The arrow nock of  claim 21  further comprising;
 an energy source; 
 an electrical component operative when connected to the energy source; and 
 a connector conductor mounted on the nock and the releasable gripper to connect the energy source and the electrical component when the releasable gripper impeller is in a predetermined position. 
 
     
     
       27. An arrow nock for mounting on an end of an arrow shaft, comprising:
 a housing having a longitudinal axis and having set of first and second ends a leading end and a distal end; 
 an impeller disposed alone along the longitudinal axis having first a leading end disposed within the housing and a second end disposed outside of the housing, projects from the housing wherein the impeller and the housing are moveable in axially opposite directions relative to each other; 
 an energy source; 
 an electrical component operative when connected to, the energy source; and, 
 a connector conductor mounted on between the housing and the impeller with the housing having a conducting surface which is used to connect the energy source and the electrical component when the housing is in a predetermined position relative to the impeller. 
 
     
     
       28. The arrow nock of  claim 27 , wherein the electrical component comprises, a signal generator. 
     
     
       29. The arrow nock of  claim 28 , further comprising a timer operative to establish the connection after predetermined time interval following operation of the connector conductor.