Patent Application
20150013657
The present invention relates generally to archery and more specifically to string suppressors, which suppress noise and vibration of a bow string of an archery bow, such as a crossbow.
Historically, archery bows and crossbows have been used for recreation, war and survival. Whether a recurve bow, compound, recurve crossbow, or compound crossbow, an archery bow utilizes a bowstring to propel an arrow. Upon the release of an arrow, the bowstring of the archery bow creates a great deal of vibration, noise, and resonance, all of which are negative attributes. Several years ago, solid rubber bumpers, or “stops” were placed in the path of the bowstring as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,954,481 to Barnard, in an effort to stop some of these negative attributes. Though only marginally successful, these solid stops did help dampen some of the string vibration. More recently, efforts have been made to absorb more of the noise, shock, and vibration of the bowstring by use of miniature shock absorbers, such as those disclosed by the Hydroshock product, shown in youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5yrRvzL88I, or by utilizing a combination of a spring and rubber balls, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,713 to Grace, Jr.
Although the previously disclosed devices work to a certain extent, there is still a need for a less expensive, better functioning string suppressor. The prior art discloses placing a rubber stop portion of the string suppressor flush with the forward edge of the bow string, when the bow string is at rest. Upon shooting the bow, the string travels towards the suppressor at a great speed, striking the rubber portion, rebounding the opposite direction, traveling forward again, repeating this sequence many times before the bowstring comes to a rest.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a string suppressor for archery bows, which suppresses noise and vibration of a bowstring of an archery bow, such as a crossbow and which is less expensive than that of the prior art.
A string suppressor for an archer bow (spring suppressor) includes a minimal number of components, and is adjustably mounted to function as a string stop and/or a string vibration suppressor. The spring suppressor preferably includes a bumper, a piston rod, a housing, a compression spring and an end plug. The bumper is preferably fabricated from a durable rubber. The piston includes a bumper portion, a neck portion and a tail portion. The bumper portion extends from one side of the neck portion and the tail portion extends from an opposing side of the neck portion. The bumper is attached to the bumper portion. The housing includes a piston portion and a mounting portion. The mounting portion extends from a bottom of the piston portion. A bumper hole, a piston bore and a cap thread are formed in the piston portion. The piston bore is formed through substantially a length of the piston portion. The bumper hole is formed through an end of the piston bore. The bumper hole is sized to slidably receive an outer diameter of the bumper portion. The cap thread is formed in an entrance of the piston bore to threadably receive the end plug.
The piston bore is sized to slidably receive an outer diameter of the neck portion. An outer diameter of the tail portion is sized to receive an inner diameter of the compression spring and an outer diameter of the compression spring is sized to be received by the piston bore. The end plug is threaded into an end of the piston bore to retain the compression spring and the piston rod. The end plug includes a tail hole, which is sized to receive the tail portion. The spring suppressor is mounted on the shooting bow with the spring pre-loaded to apply pressure to the bowstring.
A second embodiment of the string suppressor preferably includes the bumper, the piston rod, a housing, the compression spring and an end rod. The end rod includes a first threaded end, a rod body and a second threaded end. The first threaded end is formed on a first end of the rod body and the second threaded end is formed on a second end of the rod body.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shooting bow that is compact, light-weight, versatile, and adjustable.
Finally it is another object of the present invention to provide a string suppressor that pre-loads the bowstring, as to greatly reduce oscillation of the bowstring.
Referring to
Referring to
A bumper hole 142, a piston bore 144 and an end plug thread 146 are formed in the piston portion 132. The piston bore 144 is formed through substantially a length of the piston portion 132. The bumper hole 142 is formed through an end of the piston bore 144. The bumper hole 142 is sized to slidably receive an outer diameter of the bumper portion 122. The end plug thread 146 is formed in an entrance of the piston bore 144 to threadably receive the end plug 150. The piston bore 144 is sized to slidably receive an outer diameter of the neck portion 220. The piston rod 120 is pre-loaded by the compression spring 140. An outer diameter of the tail portion 210 is sized to receive an inner diameter of the compression spring 140 and an outer diameter of the compression spring 140 is sized to be received by the piston bore 144. The end plug 150 includes a tail hole 152 to slidably receive the tail portion 210. The end plug 150 is threaded into the end plug thread 146 to retain the compression spring 140 and the piston rod 120.
When the compression spring 140 is fully compressed, there is stored energy therein. When the compression spring 140 is uncompressed, the stored energy therein is released, which forces the piston rod 120 and the bumper 110 in the opposite direction. If the bowstring 50 is in contact with the bumper 110, the bowstring will also travel in the opposite direction.
The movement of the piston rod 110 in a first direction and again in an opposite direction creates a “cycle”. The piston rod 120 and bumper 110 travel the greatest distance during a first cycle, and during multiple subsequent cycles, the piston rod 120 and the bumper 110 travel less distance with each progressive cycle until the piston rod 120 and the bumper 110 come to a complete stop.
With reference to
The end rod 160 includes a first threaded end 188, a rod body 190 and a second threaded end 192. A tail bore 194 is formed in the first threaded end 188 to slidably receive the tail portion 210. The first threaded end 188 is formed on a first end of the rod body 190 and the second threaded end 192 is formed on a second end of the rod body 190. The end rod thread 186 is sized to threadably receive the first threaded end 188 and retain the piston rod 120 and the compression spring 140. The second threaded end 192 may be threaded into the shooting crossbow 10.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
