Broadtail Hunting Arrow With Rear-Deployed Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hunting arrows with broad head cutting elements positioned at the front end suffer from increased weight and wind resistance, affecting flight accuracy and the likelihood of delivering maximum damage to the prey.
Innovation Solution
A hunting arrow design featuring a broadtail accessory with deployable knife blades positioned between the nock and fletching, which reduces flight interference and enhances accuracy by stabilizing the arrow's trajectory, while ensuring a kill through enlarged wounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cutting elements are positioned at the front end of the arrow, then maximum damage to prey is achieved, but flight accuracy and stability deteriorate due to increased weight and wind resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting elements are inverted from the conventional front-end position to the rear-end position of the arrow, near the nock. This inversion resolves the contradiction by placing the heavy cutting elements at the rear, allowing the arrow's center of gravity to remain forward for accurate flight, while still delivering maximum damage when the elements deploy inside the prey's body cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting elements are designed to be deployable rather than fixed, transitioning from a retracted state during flight to an extended state upon impact. This dynamic configuration allows the arrow to maintain optimal flight characteristics with elements retracted, then achieve maximum damage capability when elements deploy inside the prey's body.
2Strength
If heavy cutting elements are added to the arrow, then wound enlargement capability is improved, but flight stability and trajectory accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting elements are nested within the arrow shaft or broadhead structure during flight, concealed within a protective housing. This nesting allows the heavy elements to be carried without disrupting flight stability, as they are positioned within the arrow's structure rather than extending outward, minimizing wind resistance and maintaining aerodynamic stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting elements transition from a retracted, non-intrusive position during flight to an extended, active position upon impact. This dynamic deployment ensures that the elements do not interfere with flight stability while being available for wound enlargement when needed, resolving the contradiction between carrying heavy elements and maintaining flight stability.
3Manufacturing precision
If cutting elements are positioned at the rear of the arrow, then flight accuracy is improved, but the ability to deliver maximum damage at the point of impact is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting elements are designed to deploy dynamically after arrow penetration, transitioning from a retracted state during flight to an extended state inside the prey's body cavity. This timing ensures that the elements are in the optimal position for damage delivery precisely when the arrow has already achieved accurate placement, resolving the contradiction between rear positioning for accuracy and front positioning for damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The arrow first penetrates the prey with the cutting elements retracted, ensuring accurate placement. The cutting elements then deploy as a preliminary action to enlarge the wound channel, creating a larger cavity for subsequent blood loss. This two-stage process resolves the contradiction by separating the accuracy function (penetration with elements retracted) from the damage function (wound enlargement with elements deployed).
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The broadtail accessory improves flight stability and accuracy, increasing the chances of a successful kill by minimizing the impact of added weight and wind resistance, and allowing for adjustable blade deployment for varying hunting conditions.
Implementation Method 1
at least a pair of knife blades biased to a forward position by a spring. The blades deploy to an aft lock position upon a forward edge of the knife blades contacting an outer skin of the prey
Data Source
AI summary
A hunting arrow has a wound-enhancing accessory which has at least one pair of pivoting knife blades which deploy upon striking the targeted prey. Unlike existing broad head devices, the blades of the present invention are positioned at the tail of the arrow between the fletching and the nock where there is less impact on the aerodynamics of the arrow. In one embodiment, the restraining force resisting deployment of the knife blades can be adjusted using a set screw.