Drop away arrow rest

Abstract

A drop away arrow rest including an arrow support arm and a reset button operable to convert the rest from a first mode, in which a shaft is rotationally fixed relative to the support arm, to a second mode, in which the shaft is rotationally decoupled relative to the support arm. The reset button can be manually moveable to convert the rest from the first mode in which the support arm can be in a rest position, to the second mode in which the support arm can be in the support position. The rest can include a reset bias member that selectively moves the shaft, and a support arm bias member that selectively moves the support arm to the support position and/or the rest position. The rest can include containment arms to offer full, surrounding arrow containment. A readily replaceable bumper can join with the support arm and/or containment arms.

1 . A drop away arrow rest for an archery bow, the bow including a bowstring, the rest comprising:
 a bracket configured to attach to the bow;   an arrow support arm joined with the bracket, the arrow support arm movable from a support position to a rest position, the arrow support arm having a rest axis, the arrow support arm rotatable about the rest axis; and   a reset button joined with a shaft that is aligned with the rest axis of the arrow support arm, the reset button operable to convert the rest from a first mode, in which the shaft is rotationally fixed relative to the support arm so that the shaft and support arm rotate in unison, to a second mode, in which the shaft is rotationally decoupled relative to the support arm so that the shaft and support arm do not rotate in unison,   wherein the reset button is manually moveable by a user without the use of tools so that the user can move the reset button thereby converting the rest from the first mode in which the support arm is in a rest position, to the second mode in which the support arm is in the support position.   
     
     
         2 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 1  comprising a first bias member joined with the reset button and another, second bias member joined with the support arm,
 wherein the second bias member exerts a force on the support arm urging the support arm to the support position. 
 
     
     
         3 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 2  wherein the first bias member is adapted to compress as the rest converts from the first mode to the second mode. 
     
     
         4 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 3  wherein manual depression of the reset button compresses the first bias member,
 wherein the shaft moves longitudinally along and parallel to the rest axis as the rest converts from the first mode to the second mode. 
 
     
     
         5 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 1  wherein the reset button is non-rotatable relative to the shaft in the first mode so that it rotates with the shaft, in the first mode. 
     
     
         6 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 1  wherein the support arm is joined with a support arm body,
 wherein the support arm body includes a first engagement member, 
 wherein the shaft includes a second engagement member, 
 wherein the second engagement member engages the first engagement member to rotationally fix the shaft relative to the support arm when the rest is in the first mode, wherein the second engagement member disengages the first engagement member to rotationally decouple the shaft relative to the support arm when the rest is in the second mode. 
 
     
     
         7 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 6  wherein the first engagement member is a recess and the second engagement member is a corresponding tab that selectively interfits within the recess. 
     
     
         8 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 1  comprising a reset spring and a support arm spring distal from one another, the reset spring adapted to selectively rotate the shaft, the support arm spring adapted to selectively rotate the support arm. 
     
     
         9 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 1  comprising a reset spring adapted to selectively rotate the shaft, wherein the reset spring is compressible along a longitudinal spring axis when the reset button is manually moved by the user. 
     
     
         10 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 1  wherein the rest axis is substantially perpendicular to an axis of an arrow supported on the support arm when the support arm is in the support position. 
     
     
         11 . A drop away arrow rest for an archery bow, the rest comprising:
 a bracket;   a housing joined with the bracket;   a shaft mount body joined with the housing, the shaft mount body defining a hole;   a shaft rotatably mounted in the hole;   a reset button rotatably fixed to the shaft so that the reset button rotates when the shaft rotates, the reset button manually operable without the use of tools;   a reset spring adapted to selectively rotate the shaft;   an arrow support arm extending away from the housing, the arrow support arm movable from a support position to a rest position; and   a support arm spring distal from the reset spring and adapted to selectively move the support arm to at least one of the support position and the rest position,   whereby manual operation of the reset button enables the support arm to move from the rest position to the support position.   
     
     
         12 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 11  wherein the reset spring is coupled to the shaft mount body and to the reset button,
 wherein the reset spring exerts a first rotational force on at least one of the shaft mount body and the reset button. 
 
     
     
         13 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 12  comprising a cord adapted for attachment to a bow component, the cord adapted to selectively exert a cord force that counters the first rotational force. 
     
     
         14 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 11  wherein the support arm is joined with a first engagement member and the shaft is joined with a second engagement member,
 wherein the second engagement member engages the first engagement member to rotationally fix the shaft relative to the support arm when the rest is in a first mode, wherein the second engagement member disengages the first engagement member to rotationally decouple the shaft relative to the support arm when the rest is in a second mode so that the support arm can rotate freely relative to shaft. 
 
     
     
         15 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 11  wherein the support arm is movable in a vertical plane, without rotating. 
     
     
         16 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 11  comprising a rest axis about which the support arm is rotatable,
 wherein the rest axis is substantially parallel to an axis of an arrow supported on the support arm when the support arm is in the support position. 
 
     
     
         17 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 11  comprising a first containment arm joined with the housing the first containment arm extending above the support arm when the support arm is in the support position,
 wherein an arrow supported by the support arm in the support position is substantially surrounded by at least one of the support arm and the containment arm, whereby the arrow is at least one of impaired and prevented from falling off the support arm in the support position. 
 
     
     
         18 . A drop away arrow rest comprising:
 a bracket configured to attach to a bow;   an arrow support arm joined with the bracket, the arrow support arm movable from a support position to a rest position,   a shaft adjacent the support arm;   a reset button joined with the shaft, the reset button manually operable without the use of tools to convert the rest from a first mode to a second mode;   a reset spring adapted to selectively move the shaft;   a support arm spring distal from the reset spring and adapted to selectively move the support arm to at least one of the support position and the rest position;   a first engagement member joined with the support arm; and   a second engagement member joined with the shaft,   wherein the second engagement member engages the first engagement member to rotationally fix the shaft relative to the support arm when the rest is in the first mode, wherein the second engagement member disengages the first engagement member to rotationally decouple the shaft relative to the support arm when the rest is in the second mode so that the support arm can move relative to shaft.   
     
     
         19 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 18  wherein the first engagement member is a recess and the second engagement member is a corresponding tab that selectively interfits within the recess, thereby rotationally fixing the shaft relative to the support arm. 
     
     
         20 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 18  comprising a first containment arm joined with the bracket, the first containment arm extending above the support arm when the support arm is in the support position,
 wherein an arrow supported by the support arm in the support position is substantially surrounded by at least one of the support arm and the containment arrow, whereby the arrow is at least one of impaired and prevented from falling off the support arm in the support position. 
 
     
     
         21 . A drop away arrow rest comprising:
 a bracket configured to attach to a bow;   an arm joined with the bracket and located so as to at least one of support an arrow and at least partially contain an arrow; and   a bumper fixedly joined with the arm so that the bumper faces toward the arrow, the bumper adapted to at least one of reduce friction between the arm and the arrow, and to attenuate at least one of noise and vibration upon contact of the arrow with the arm, the bumper located so that it prevents the arrow from contacting the arm,   wherein at least one of the arm and the bumper includes a male connector, and the other of the at least one of the arm and the bumper includes a female connector,   wherein the male connector engages the female connector to fixedly, mechanically join the bumper with the arm, but enables the bumper to be removed from the arm manually, without the use of tools.   
     
     
         22 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 21  wherein the arm is at least one of an arrow support arm joined with the bracket, the arrow support arm movable from a support position to a rest position, and an arrow containment arm, adapted to extend at least one of above and below the arrow. 
     
     
         23 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 21  wherein the bumper includes the male connector in the form of a ridge extending along a length of the bumper,
 wherein the arm includes a groove extending along a length of the arm, 
 wherein the ridge interfits in the groove. 
 
     
     
         24 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 21  wherein the male connector at least one of snap fits into and slides longitudinally into the female connector to join the bumper and the arm. 
     
     
         25 . The drop away arrow rest of  claim 21  wherein the male connector is in the form of a ridge, and the female connector is in the form of a groove, wherein the ridge interfits into the groove to mechanically join the bumper and the arm without the use of an adhesive.