1. A bowstring release comprising:
a body;
a sear coupled to the body;
a hinge extending along an axis;
a release mechanism comprising a bowstring holder, the bowstring holder being coupled to the hinge, the bowstring holder being pivotal about the axis between:
(a) a non-release position in which the bowstring holder is positioned to hold a bowstring when the bowstring holder is engaged with the sear; and
(b) a release position in which the bowstring holder is positioned to release the bowstring after the bowstring holder is disengaged from the sear; and
a safety device configured to be coupled to the release mechanism so that, when the bowstring holder is disengaged from the sear, the safety device is configured to:
(a) enable movement of the bowstring holder from the non-release position to an intermediate position between the non-release position and the release position; and
(b) prevent the bowstring holder from moving to the release position,
wherein the movement to the intermediate position causes an output perceptible by a user; and
wherein the prevention of the movement to the release position prevents an unintentional release of the bowstring.
2. The bowstring release of claim 1, wherein: (a) the safety device comprises a safety pin; and (b) the bowstring holder comprises a bowstring hook.
3. The bowstring release of claim 2, wherein the release mechanism defines an opening configured to receive at least part of the safety device.
4. The bowstring release of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism comprises a safety lock configured to cooperate with the safety device.
5. The bowstring release of claim 1, wherein the body defines a safety device holder configured to hold the safety device when the safety device is not being used.
6. The bowstring release of claim 1, wherein the bowstring holder is configured to disengage from the sear when the bowstring holder is subject to a level of force.
7. The bowstring release of claim 1, wherein the sear is moveably coupled to the body.
8. The bowstring release of claim 1, wherein the output is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a tactile output; and (b) an audible output.
9. The bowstring release of claim 1, wherein:
the bowstring release is selected from the group consisting of a trigger-based release device, a triggerless release device, and a back tension release device;
the bowstring is configured to produce a bowstring force acting toward a target;
the bowstring holder comprises a hook, the hook configured to hold the bowstring until the hook is pivoted, relative to the bowstring, to the release position to enable the bowstring to slide out of the hook due to the bowstring force; and
the hook and the safety device are configured to cooperate so that, as a result of the bowstring holder being disengaged from the sear:
the hook pivots until striking a portion of the safety device;
the portion of the safety device brings the hook to a stop at the intermediate position, preventing the hook from pivoting to the release position; and
the hook’s striking of the portion of the safety device causes the output, the output being selected from the group consisting of a sound and a vibration,
wherein the output is helpful in learning how to operate the bowstring release.
10. A bowstring release comprising:
a body;
a bowstring holder pivotally coupled to the body, the bowstring holder being pivotal from a first position associated with holding of a bowstring to a second position associated with releasing of the bowstring;
a sear supported by the body, the sear configured to restrain the bowstring holder in the first position until the bowstring holder is subject to a level of force; and
a safety member attachable to the body, the safety member being configured so that, when the bowstring holder is unrestrained by the sear:
(a) the bowstring holder moves from the first position to an intermediate position where the bowstring holder contacts the safety member; and
(b) the safety member prevents the bowstring holder from moving to the second position so as to prevent an unintentional release of the bowstring.
11. The bowstring release of claim 10, which comprises a hinge that pivotally couples the bowstring holder to the body, the hinge extending along an axis, the bowstring holder being pivotal about the axis.
12. The bowstring release of claim 11, wherein the safety member is configured to bring the bowstring holder to a stop at the intermediate position after the bowstring holder has traveled and generated a momentum, the bowstring holder striking the safety member so as to generate an output based on the momentum, the output facilitating training in use of the bowstring release.
13. The bowstring release of claim 12, wherein:
the bowstring is configured to produce a bowstring force acting toward a target; and
the bowstring holder comprises a hook, the hook configured to hold the bowstring until the hook is pivoted, relative to the bowstring, to the second position to enable the bowstring to slide out of the hook due to the bowstring force.
14. The bowstring release of claim 13, wherein the safety member comprises a safety pin.
15. The bowstring release of claim 14, wherein the bowstring release defines an opening configured to receive at least part of the safety member.
16. The bowstring release of claim 15, wherein the bowstring release comprises a safety lock configured to cooperate with the safety member.
17. The bowstring release of claim 16, wherein the body defines a safety member holder configured to hold the safety member when the safety member is not being used.
18. The bowstring release of claim 13, wherein the output is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a tactile output; and (b) an audible output.
19. The bowstring release of claim 10, wherein:
the bowstring release is selected from the group consisting of a trigger-based release device, a triggerless release device, and a back tension release device;
the bowstring is configured to produce a bowstring force acting toward a target;
the bowstring holder comprises a hook, the hook configured to hold the bowstring until the hook is pivoted, relative to the bowstring, to the second position to enable the bowstring to slide out of the hook due to the bowstring force; and
the hook and the safety member are configured to cooperate so that, as a result of the bowstring holder being unrestrained by the sear:
the hook pivots until striking the safety member;
the safety member brings the hook to a stop at the intermediate position, preventing the hook from pivoting to the second position; and
the hook’s striking of the safety member causes an output, the output being selected from the group consisting of a sound and a vibration,
wherein the output is helpful in learning how to operate the bowstring release.
20. A bowstring release comprising:
a body;
a sear supported by the body;
a bowstring holder pivotally coupled to the body, the bowstring holder being pivotal between:
(a) a non-release position in which the bowstring holder is positioned to hold a bowstring when the sear blocks movement of the bowstring holder; and
(b) a release position in which the bowstring holder is positioned to release the bowstring after the bowstring holder is unblocked by the sear; and
a safety device attachable to the body, the bowstring holder and the safety device being configured to cooperate so that, after the bowstring holder is unblocked by the sear:
the bowstring holder moves through a range of motion until striking the safety device; and
the safety device blocks the bowstring holder from moving to the release position,
wherein, due to the bowstring holder’s striking of the safety device, an impact occurs,
wherein the impact provides feedback to facilitate training in use of the bowstring release.
21. The bowstring release of claim 20, wherein the safety device comprises a safety pin.
22. The bowstring release of claim 21, wherein:
(a) the release defines an opening configured to receive at least part of the safety device;
(b) the release comprises a safety lock configured to cooperate with the safety device;
(c) the body defines a safety device holder configured to hold the safety device when the safety device is not being used; and
(d) the bowstring holder is configured to slide out of contact with the sear when the bowstring holder is subject to a level of force.
23. The bowstring release of claim 20, wherein:
the bowstring release is selected from the group consisting of a trigger-based release device, a triggerless release device, and a back tension release device;
the bowstring is configured to produce a bowstring force acting toward a target;
the bowstring holder comprises a hook, the hook configured to hold the bowstring until the hook is pivoted, relative to the bowstring, to the release position to enable the bowstring to slide out of the hook due to the bowstring force; and
the hook and the safety device are configured to cooperate so that, as a result of the bowstring holder being disengaged from the sear:
the hook pivots until striking the safety device;
the safety device brings the hook to a stop at an intermediate position between the non-release position and the release position, preventing the hook from pivoting to the release position; and
the feedback is selected from the group consisting of a sound and a vibration,
wherein the feedback is helpful in learning how to operate the bowstring release.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An optical coupling device comprising:
a light-emitting element;
a light receiving element that faces the light-emitting element;
an insulating member, provided between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, which transmits light emitted by the light-emitting element;
a first sealing resin that seals a space between the light emitting element and the insulating member; and
a second sealing resin that seals a space between the light receiving element and the insulating member,
wherein the first sealing resin includes a plurality of first particles having a refractive index higher than that of the first sealing resin,
a content ratio of the first particles in the first sealing resin changes stepwise or continuously as the particles approach the insulating member from the light-emitting element, and
a content ratio of the first particles in the first sealing resin in a range up to 10 \u03bcm from the light emitting element is higher than a content ratio of the first particles in the first sealing resin in a range up to 10 \u03bcm from the insulating member.
2. The optical coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the content ratio of the first particles in the first sealing resin changes in three or more steps as the particles approach the insulating member from the light-emitting element.
3. The optical coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing resin is a silicone resin, and
the first particle is at least one of zirconium oxide, hafnium oxide, gallium arsenide, and gallium phosphide.
4. The optical coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating member is an insulating film.
5. The optical coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating member is an insulating resin layer.
6. The optical coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the second sealing resin includes a plurality of second particles having a refractive index higher than that of the second sealing resin,
a content ratio of the second particles in the second sealing resin changes stepwise or continuously as the particles approach the insulating member from the light receiving element, and
a content ratio of the second particles in the second sealing resin in a range up to 10 \u03bcm from the light receiving element is higher than a content ratio of the second particles in the second sealing resin in a range up to 10 \u03bcm from the insulating member.
7. An optical coupling device comprising:
a light-emitting element;
a light receiving element that faces the light-emitting element;
an insulating member, provided between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, which transmits light emitted by the light-emitting element;
a first sealing resin that seals a space between the light emitting element and the insulating member; and
a second sealing resin that seals a space between the light receiving element and the insulating member,
wherein the insulating member includes
a first layer having a refractive index lower than those of the first sealing resin and the second sealing resin, and
a second layer which is formed at a first surface facing the first sealing resin in the first layer, and of which a refractive index lies between those of the first sealing resin and the first layer.
8. The optical coupling device according to claim 7, wherein the refractive index of the second layer decreases stepwise or continuously from a surface on the first sealing resin layer side toward a surface on the first layer side.
9. A method of manufacturing an optical coupling device, comprising:
sealing a light emitting element with a first sealing resin;
sealing a light receiving element with a second sealing resin; and
bonding the first sealing resin and the second sealing resin through an insulating member that transmits light which is emitted by the light-emitting element,
wherein the first sealing resin includes a plurality of first particles having a refractive index higher than that of the first sealing resin, and
the step of sealing the light emitting element with the first sealing resin includes
disposing the first sealing resin, which includes the plurality of first particles and is not cured, over the light-emitting element,
making a distribution of the first particles be biased toward the light emitting element side in the first sealing resin by causing gravity or a centrifugal force to act on the first sealing resin located over the light-emitting element, and
curing the first sealing resin.
10. A method of manufacturing an optical coupling device, comprising:
sealing a light emitting element with a first sealing resin;
sealing a light receiving element with a second sealing resin; and
bonding the first sealing resin and the second sealing resin through an insulating member that transmits light which is emitted by the light-emitting element,
wherein the first sealing resin includes a plurality of first particles having a refractive index higher than that of the first sealing resin, and
in the step of sealing the light emitting element with the first sealing resin, a step of disposing the first sealing resin, which includes the plurality of first particles and is not cured, over the light emitting element is repeatedly performed while reducing a content ratio of the plurality of first particles in the first sealing resin.