Archery bow assembly

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6712057
  • Patent Number
    6,712,057
  • Date Filed
    Friday, September 27, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 30, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
An archery bow comprising a riser extending between opposing first and second ends. A limb is coupled to each end of the riser. Each limb has a first end for connecting to the riser and a second distal end. A pocket axle pivotally connects the first ends of each limb to one end of the riser. A strut assembly is operatively coupled between each of the limbs and the riser adjacent the pocket axle for selectively pivoting the limbs relative to the riser thereby allowing manual assembly and tuning of the bow by varying the distance between the distal ends of the limbs.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of Invention




The present invention relates to archery bow assemblies, and more particularly, to a strut assembly for mounting the limbs of the bow to the riser.




2. Description of the Related Art




Archery bows typically include a riser defining a handle for holding the bow and a pair of limbs extending from opposite ends of the riser to distal ends. A wheel or cam is commonly rotatably attached to the distal end of each limb and a string and harness system is wound between the wheels or cams of the limbs. The limbs are often flexed and the string and harness system is loaded under high tension to define the draw weight or force required to pull the string of the bow to its full draw position.




It is often desirable to change the string of the bow due to excessive wear or to change the draw weight of the bow. To change the string or other component of the bow typically requires the use of a bow press to flex the limbs of the bow and release the tension on the string and harness allowing removal from the wheels or cams. The bow press may then be used to release the flex on the limbs for complete disassembly of the bow.




The draw weight of the bow may be changed by attaching a different length string between the wheels or cams or by change the angle or orientation of the limbs relative to the bow. It is common to connect the limbs of the bow to the riser with a bolt or connector which extends through the limb and is threaded into the riser. The connector may be loosened to change the orientation of the limbs on the riser and slightly adjust the draw weight of the bow. However, significant shearing forces are exerted on the connector as the orientation of the limbs relative to the riser is changed. Additionally, the connector does not allow the bow to be assembled or disassembled without the use of a bow press.




Therefore, it remains desirable to provide a bow which may be manually assembled and disassembled without the need of a bow press and also an assembly which provide for full adjustment of the draw weight and tuning of the bow.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an archery bow comprising a riser extending between opposing first and second ends. A limb is coupled to each end of the riser. Each limb has a first end for connecting to the riser and a second distal end. An axle pivotally connects at least one of the limbs to one end of the riser. A strut assembly is operatively coupled between at least one of the limbs and the riser adjacent the axle for selectively pivoting the limb relative to the riser thereby allowing manual assembly and tuning of the bow by varying the distance between the distal ends of the limbs.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:





FIG. 1

is a side view of an archery bow assembly according to one aspect of the invention;





FIG. 2

is a fragmentary exploded view of the archery bow assembly and strut assembly for attaching the limbs to the riser;





FIG. 3

is an enlarged perspective view of the strut assembly connected between the limb and the riser;





FIG. 4

is another enlarged perspective view of the strut assembly connected between the limb and the riser with a portion of the limb removed; and





FIG. 5

is a cross-sectional view of the strut assembly between the limb and riser.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1

illustrates a compound archery bow


10


having a riser


12


with a pair of limbs


14


,


16


extending from opposing ends


18


,


20


of the riser


12


. The limb


14


has a first end


22


connected to the end


18


of the riser


12


and a second distal end


24


. Similarly, the limb


16


has a first end


26


connected to the opposite end


20


of the riser


12


and a second distal end


28


. A wheel or cam


30


,


32


is rotatably attached to each distal end


24


,


28


of the limbs


14


,


16


. Additionally, a harness or cable system


34


and bow string


36


are wound around and between each wheel or cam


30


,


32


and pulled in tension by the limbs


14


,


16


.




The bow


10


further includes a pair of limb pockets


38


,


40


for pivotally attaching the respective limbs


14


,


16


to the opposing ends


18


,


20


of the riser


12


. A pocket axle


42


pivotally couples each of the respective limbs pockets


38


,


40


to the opposing ends


18


,


20


. Finally, a strut assembly


44


adjustably couples each of the limb pockets


38


,


40


to the opposing ends


18


,


20


of the riser. The strut assembly


44


allows for assembly and disassembly of the limbs


14


,


16


and limb pockets


38


,


40


to the riser


12


as well as the harness system


34


and string


36


between the wheels or cams


30


,


32


. Additionally, the strut assembly


44


further allows for selective micro-tuning and adjustment of the bow


10


, such as for example, the adjustment of the bow's draw weight and/or axle to axle length between the wheels or cams


30


,


32


.




More specifically, referring to

FIGS. 2-5

, the strut assembly


44


is shown in more detail. Only one strut assembly


44


between the limb


14


and riser


12


will be described in detail, however, it should be appreciated that the strut assembly


44


between the opposite limb


16


and riser


12


includes the same elements and function. The strut assembly


44


includes an adjustable threaded strut power screw


46


coupled to and between the limb pocket


38


and the end


18


of the riser


12


. Referring more particularly to

FIG. 2

, the end


18


of the riser


12


includes an extended pair of spaced apart fingers


48


,


50


each having a bore


52


therethrough for receiving the pocket axle


42


and pivotally securing the limb pocket


38


to the riser


12


. The limb pocket


38


includes a base


54


having a pivot post


56


extending therefrom with a through bore


58


. The pivot post


56


is seated between the fingers


48


,


50


and the bores


52


,


58


aligned axially to receive the pocket axle


42


therethrough. A spacer


60


is received on each side of the pivot post


56


around the axle


42


and an end cap or bushing


62


is secured to the distal end of the pocket axle


42


to pivotally secure the limb pocket


38


to the riser


12


while allowing pivotal movement of the limb


14


and limb pocket


38


about the pocket axle


42


and end


18


of the riser


12


.




Each limb


14


,


16


may be a single unitary member, may be two spaced apart members or may be a split limb, as shown in

FIG. 2

, with a pair of substantially separate and parallel spaced apart limb posts


64


connected to a main member


66


. The base


54


of the limb pocket


38


includes spaced apart tunnels


68


for receiving and mounting the limb posts


64


to the limb pocket


38


along the longitudinal length thereof. The limb posts


64


may be secured to the limb pocket


38


by any suitable means.




The limb pocket


38


further includes a pair of spaced apart support posts


70


,


72


extending longitudinally from the base


54


and attached by an end cap


74


. Each support post


70


,


72


includes a bore


76


therethrough, the axis of which is parallel to the pocket axle


42


. A cylindrical strut pivoting power screw nut


78


is seated in each bore


76


between the spaced apart and parallel support posts


70


,


72


. The screw nut


78


includes a longitudinal bore


80


extending therethrough and a transverse bore


82


extending perpendicular to the bore


80


for receiving the strut power screw


46


. Each of the bores


80


,


82


are threaded and the screw nut


78


is freely rotatably seated in the bores


76


of the support posts


70


,


72


. The power screw


46


is threaded through the bore


82


toward the riser


12


and retained in the limb pocket


38


by the screw nut


78


.




A ball plunger


84


is threaded into the bore


80


as shown in

FIGS. 2 and 5

. The ball plunger


84


includes a compression spring


86


seated between a cap


88


and ball bearing


90


. The ball plunger


84


is biased against the power screw


46


for indexing the rotational position of the power screw


46


relative to the screw nut


78


as will be further described hereinbelow.




The strut power screw


46


is a cylindrical threaded rod extending longitudinally between a first nut end


92


and a second distal end


94


having a concave recess


96


therein. The power screw


46


further includes a row of spaced apart indexing holes or recesses


98


extending along the longitudinal extent of the screw


46


for engagement with the ball plunger


84


. The power screw


46


may include one or more rows of indexing holes


98


around the perimeter of the screw


46


at any number of spaced apart degrees of separation with the individual holes


98


spaced apart longitudinally as desired. For example, the screw may include two parallel rows of indexing holes


98


spaced apart 180 degrees; three rows spaced apart 120 degree; four row spaced apart 90, etc.




Once the strut power screw


46


is threaded through the screw nut


78


, the nut end


92


is seated between the support posts


70


,


72


. The second distal end


94


extends towards the end


18


of the riser


12


through a first strut shock absorber washer


100


, a cylindrical resilient strut shock absorber


102


(which is corrogated as shown) and a second strut shock absorber washer


104


.




Still referring to

FIGS. 2 and 5

, the riser


12


further includes spaced apart flanges


106


,


108


each having a hole


110


therethrough with the axes of which are parallel to the axis of the pocket axle


42


. A cylindrical strut power screw ball bearing retainer


112


is rotatably seated between the flanges


106


,


108


and aligned axially with the holes


110


. The retainer


112


includes an axial bore


114


aligned with the holes


110


and a transverse bore


116


extending perpendicular to and through the axial bore


114


for receiving the distal end


94


of the power screw


46


.




Finally, the strut assembly


44


includes a cylindrical strut pivot support


118


dimensioned to be rotatably received in the axial bore


114


of the retainer


112


and holes


110


of the riser flanges


106


,


108


. The strut pivot support


118


includes a recessed detent


120


in the periphery outer wall thereof for seating and supporting a ball bearing


122


. The second distal end


94


of the power screw


46


is inserted through the transverse bore


116


in the ball bearing retainer


112


and the ball bearing


122


is rotatably seated between the recess


96


in the end of the power screw


46


and the detent


120


in the pivot support


118


to facilitate rotation of the strut power screw


46


.




The strut assembly


44


enables the end user of the archery bow


10


to assemble, disassembly and micro-tune or selectively adjust the characteristics of the bow


10


without the necessity of a conventional bow press typically used to compress the bow limbs and allow removal of the cables and string. More specifically, once the limbs


14


,


16


are secured to the limb pockets


38


,


40


, the limb pockets


38


,


40


may be pivotally attached to the opposing ends


18


,


20


of the riser


12


. The strut assembly


44


is then coupled between the limb pockets


38


,


40


and each end


18


,


20


of the riser


12


. Next, the wheels or cams


30


,


32


may be assembled to the distal ends of the limbs


14


,


16


and then the harness or cable system


34


and string


36


are attached to the wheels or cams


30


,


32


. The strut assembly


44


allows the limbs


14


,


16


to be pivoted toward the riser


12


to reduce the distance between the distal ends of the limbs


14


,


16


for attachment of the harness


34


and string


36


without tension. Once assembled, the nut end


92


of the strut power screw


46


may be rotated using a ratchet or wrench in a clockwise direction as shown in the drawings to increase the angle between the limbs


14


,


16


and riser


12


until the limbs


14


,


16


start to flex naturally due to the fixed length of the string


36


and harness


34


coupled between the wheels


30


,


32


. Rotating the strut power screw


46


forces the power screw nut


78


to travel longitudinally along the threaded length of the screw


46


and pivot the limb pocket


38


,


40


about the pocket axle


42


and riser


12


. As the strut power screw


46


is rotated and the limbs


14


,


16


flex and pivot open relative to the riser


12


, the distance between the wheels or cams


30


,


32


increases and the harness


34


and string


36


is pulled in tension to a desired draw weight. Additionally, the strut shock absorber


102


which encases and protects the strut power screw


46


may be compressed between the limb pockets


38


,


40


and riser


12


to allow pivotal movement of the limbs


14


,


16


while preventing dirt and debris from entering the strut assembly


44


.




In order to disassembly the bow


10


, the strut power screw


46


is simply rotated in the opposite, or counter-clockwise direction as shown, so that the screw nut


78


travels down the length of the screw


46


pivoting the limb pocket


38


,


40


about the pocket axle


42


and riser


12


until the tension on the string


36


and harness


34


is loosened. The bow


10


may then be fully disassembled or part may be changed such as the string


36


without the need of a bow press to release the flex and tension on the limbs


14


,


16


and string


36


.




Finally, the strut assembly


44


also allows selective adjustment of the bow


10


by rotation of the strut power screw


46


in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. As the screw nut


78


travels along the length of the threaded power screw


46


forcing the limb pocket


38


,


40


to pivot about the riser


12


, the ball plunger


84


follows the outer perimeter of the power screw


46


and engages with each indexing holes


98


along the length of the power screw


46


. By counting or tracking the position of the ball plunger


84


relative to the indexing holes


98


, the bow


10


may be selectively adjusted by pivoting or tuning each limb


14


,


16


position relative to the riser


12


to adjust the tension on the string


36


and the flex of the limbs


14


,


16


which account for the draw weight of the bow


10


and also the axle to axle length defined between the wheels or cams


30


,


32


. The location of the ball plunger


84


along the indexing holes


98


is maintain absent additional rotation of the power screw


46


. Therefore, by identifying the desired reference of the ball plunger


84


along the indexing holes


98


, the user may re-establish this adjustment after assembly and disassembly or after further tuning without having to go back to the factory recommended settings. Additionally, the user may selective adjust the bow


10


for different shooting conditions. For example, the strut assembly


44


allows the user to adjust the axle to axle distance to 37 inches during target practice and then adjust the axle to axle distance to 34 inches for hunting. The strut assembly


44


also allows the user to selectively adjust the bow draw weight infinitely by rotating the power screw


46


and pivoting the limbs


14


,


16


relative to the riser


12


.




It should be appreciated to one skilled in the art that the strut assembly may be used on a recurve bow, compound bow or cross bow without varying from the invention. Additionally, the strut assembly may be coupled between only one of the limbs and the riser or both of the limbs and the riser. That is, one of the limbs may be fixedly attached to one end of the riser and the other limb pivotally attached to the opposite end of the riser with the strut assembly extending therebetween to selectively pivot the one limb relative to the riser sufficient to release the tension on the string and allow assembly, disassembly and tuning of the bow.




Finally, it should also be appreciated that the strut pivoting power screw nut


78


may be retained in the riser


12


and the strut pivot support


118


retained by the limb


14


or limb pocket


38


without varying from the scope of the invention or function of the strut assembly


44


.




The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.




Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practised other than as specifically described.



Claims
  • 1. An archery bow comprising:a riser extending between opposing first and second ends; a limb coupled to each end of said riser, each limb having a first end for connecting to the riser and a second distal end; an axle pivotally connecting at least one of said limbs to one end of said riser; and a strut assembly operatively coupled between at least one of said limbs and said riser adjacent said axle for selectively pivoting said limb relative to said riser thereby allowing manual assembly and tuning of the bow by varying the distance between said distal ends of said limbs.
  • 2. An archery bow as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strut assembly includes a strut power screw having a first end pivotally coupled to said limb and an opposite end pivotally coupled to said riser.
  • 3. An archery bow as set forth in claim 2 wherein said strut assembly includes a screw nut retained by one of said limb and said riser and movably coupled to said strut power screw for movement along the length thereof to pivot said limb about said axle and riser.
  • 4. An archery bow as set forth in claim 3 wherein said strut power screw has threads and said screw nut is threadedly attached to said strut power screw whereby rotation of said strut power screw forces said screw nut to travel along the longitudinal length of said strut power screw and pivot said limb about said riser.
  • 5. An archery bow as set forth in claim 4 wherein said strut assembly includes a strut pivot support retained by said riser for rotatably supporting said strut power screw on said riser.
  • 6. An archery bow as set forth in claim 5 wherein said strut power screw includes a first nut end and an opposite second distal end with said threads extending therebetween.
  • 7. An archery bow as set forth in claim 6 wherein said strut pivot support includes a recessed detent for rotatably supporting said second distal end of said strut power screw.
  • 8. An archery bow as set forth in claim 7 wherein said strut assembly includes a ball bearing seated between said second distal end of said strut power screw and said recessed detent of said strut pivot support to allow free rotation of said strut power screw between said limb and said riser.
  • 9. An archery bow as set forth in claim 8 wherein said strut assembly includes a ball bearing retainer having an axially bore for rotatably housing said strut pivot support and a transverse bore for housing said ball bearing.
  • 10. An archery bow as set forth in claim 9 wherein said riser includes a pair of spaces apart flanges having axially aligned holes for rotatably supporting said ball bearing retainer and strut pivot support.
  • 11. An archery bow as set forth in claim 10 wherein said strut power screw includes a row of spaced apart indexing holes extending at least partially between said first and second ends.
  • 12. An archery bow as set forth in claim 11 further including a ball plunger supported by said screw nut for cooperating with a select one of said indexing holes during rotation of said strut power screw for identifying the selected adjusted position of said limb relative to said riser.
  • 13. An archery bow as set forth in claim 12 wherein said ball plunger includes a ball bearing for engaging said strut power screw and a spring compressed between said screw nut and said ball bearing for biasing said ball bearing against said strut power screw and indexing holes.
  • 14. An archery bow as set forth in claim 13 further including a limb pocket having a base for fixedly supporting said first end of said limb and a pivot post for receiving said axle and pivotally attaching said limb to said riser.
  • 15. An archery bow as set forth in claim 14 wherein said limb pocket includes a pair of spaced apart support posts extending from said base each having an axially aligned bore therethrough for rotatably supporting said screw nut between said posts.
  • 16. An archery bow as set forth in claim 15 wherein said strut assembly includes a resilient shock absorber encasing said strut power screw between said limb and said riser.
Parent Case Info

This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/325,376 filed Sep. 27, 2001.

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3628519 Hofmeister Dec 1971 A
3957027 Drake May 1976 A
4955354 Bozek Sep 1990 A
5464001 Peck Nov 1995 A
5706794 Neal Jan 1998 A
5816233 Andrews Oct 1998 A
5881704 Andrews Mar 1999 A
6019097 Cox et al. Feb 2000 A
6055974 Dieziger May 2000 A
6082346 Andrews et al. Jul 2000 A
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6253752 Cox et al. Jul 2001 B1
6360734 Andrews Mar 2002 B1
6367464 Bronnert Apr 2002 B1
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/325376 Sep 2001 US