Thermoplastic bow limb

Abstract

An archery bow limb may comprise a thermoplastic material having reinforcing. A tension side of the bow limb may have continuous unidirectional reinforcing spanning substantially the entire length of the bow limb. A method of manufacturing such bow limbs may comprise building up layers of reinforcing fibers preimpregnated with thermoplastic resin (prepregs) over a core of thermoplastic material to make a preform, and compression molding the preform to consolidate the thermoplastic of the prepreg layers to one another and to the core.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of the invention is hereafter described with specific reference being made to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an archery bow.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an exploded view of a bow limb precursor comprising a plurality of prepreg layers.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a bow limb precursor.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a bow limb billet.

FIGS. 5-7 show the bow limb billet during stages of shaping to produce a bow limb.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a sheet precursor which may be molded and cut to make a plurality of bow limb billets.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a bow limb precursor comprising a core of material and layers of prepreg material.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of a bow limb precursor comprising a core of material and layers of prepreg material.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a sheet precursor comprising a core of material and layers of prepreg material which may be molded and cut to make a plurality of bow limb billets.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show embodiments of core material comprising a plurality of prepreg layers.

FIG. 14 shows an embodiment of a core precursor comprising a plurality of prepreg layers which may be molded and cut to make a plurality of core billets.

Claims

1. An archery bow limb comprising: a body portion having a longitudinal axis, the body portion comprising a thermoplastic material and reinforcing fibers, any portion of the bow limb having a component length, the component length being measured from a first edge to a second edge in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis;wherein a continuous reinforcing fiber extends at least 75% of the component length of the bow limb as measured in the area of the continuous reinforcing fiber.

2. The bow limb of claim 1, wherein the continuous reinforcing fiber extends at least 90% of the component length of the bow limb as measured in the area of the continuous reinforcing fiber.

3. The bow limb of claim 1, wherein a plurality of substantially parallel continuous reinforcing fibers each extends at least 75% of the component length of the bow limb as measured in the area of each respective continuous reinforcing fiber.

4. The bow limb of claim 3, wherein the plurality of substantially parallel continuous reinforcing fibers extends across substantially an entire width dimension of the bow limb.

5. The bow limb of claim 1, wherein a second continuous reinforcing fiber extends at least 75% of a component length of the bow limb as measured in the area of the second continuous reinforcing fiber, wherein the continuous reinforcing fiber is oriented in a tension side of the bow limb the second continuous reinforcing fiber is oriented in a compression side of the bow limb.

6. The bow limb of claim 5, wherein a plurality of substantially parallel second continuous reinforcing fibers oriented in the compression side of the bow limb each extends at least 75% of the component length of the bow limb as measured in the area of each respective second continuous reinforcing fiber

7. The bow limb of claim 6, wherein the plurality of substantially parallel second continuous reinforcing fibers extends across substantially an entire width dimension of the bow limb.

8. The bow limb of claim 1, further comprising a core of thermoplastic material.

9. The bow limb of claim 7, wherein the core further comprises reinforcing fibers having a length of ½ inch or less.

10. An archery bow limb comprising: a tension side layer, a core layer and a compression side layer;each layer comprising a thermoplastic material;wherein the tension side layer further comprises a plurality of reinforcing fibers, the reinforcing fibers oriented substantially parallel to a lengthwise axis of the bow limb and continuously spanning a substantial length of the bow limb.

11. The bow limb of claim 10, wherein the compression side layer further comprises a plurality of reinforcing fibers, the reinforcing fibers oriented substantially parallel to a lengthwise axis of the bow limb and continuously spanning a substantial length of the bow limb.

12. The bow limb of claim 10, wherein the core layer further comprises a plurality of short reinforcing fibers suspended throughout the core layer.

13. The bow limb of claim 10, further comprising an intermediate layer having first reinforcing fibers that are substantially parallel to one another and nonparallel to the reinforcing fibers of the tension side layer.

14. The bow limb of claim 13, wherein the intermediate layer further comprises second reinforcing fibers that are substantially parallel to one another and nonparallel to the first reinforcing fibers.

15. The bow limb of claim 14, wherein the first reinforcing fibers of the intermediate layer are oriented at a predetermined positive angle to the reinforcing fibers of the tension side layer, the second reinforcing fibers of the intermediate layer are oriented at a predetermined negative angle to the reinforcing fibers of the tension side layer, an absolute value of the positive angle being equal to an absolute value of the negative angle.

16. The bow limb of claim 13, wherein the intermediate layer is located between the core layer and the tension side layer.

17. The bow limb of claim 13, wherein the intermediate layer is located between the core layer and the compression side layer.

18. The bow limb of claim 10, wherein the tension side layer is at least 0.03 inches thick.

19. The bow limb of claim 18, wherein the compression side layer is at least 0.03 inches thick.

20. The bow limb of claim 10, wherein the bow limb does not comprise a thermoset material.