U.S. patent application number 14/506259 was filed with the patent office on 2016-04-07 for cable guard apparatus and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hoyt Archery, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Hoyt Archery, Inc.. Invention is credited to Dan'l J. Anselmo, Brian Gold, Gideon S. Jolley.
Application Number | 20160097612 14/506259 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55487334 |
Filed Date | 2016-04-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160097612 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gold; Brian ; et
al. |
April 7, 2016 |
CABLE GUARD APPARATUS AND METHOD
Abstract
A compound archery bow having a reverse-pivot cable guard,
wherein the cable guard has a first cantilever member connected to
a riser at a proximal end and extending away from the riser at a
distal end and a second cantilever member attached to the distal
end of the first cantilever member and extending back toward the
riser. The proximal end of the second cantilever member retains a
bow cable such that when the bow is drawn, the second cantilever
member flexes toward the plane of arrow flight and the bowstring
and away from the riser. This design may reduce stresses on the
cable guard, reverse torque on the riser, and improve cable life,
among other benefits.
Inventors: |
Gold; Brian; (Stansbury
Park, UT) ; Anselmo; Dan'l J.; (South Jordan, UT)
; Jolley; Gideon S.; (Syracuse, UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hoyt Archery, Inc. |
Salt Lake City |
UT |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Hoyt Archery, Inc.
Salt Lake City
UT
|
Family ID: |
55487334 |
Appl. No.: |
14/506259 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
124/25.6 ;
124/88; 29/428 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B 5/105 20130101;
F41B 5/1403 20130101; F41B 5/14 20130101; F41B 5/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F41B 5/14 20060101
F41B005/14; F41B 5/10 20060101 F41B005/10 |
Claims
1. A compound archery bow having a cable guard, the bow comprising:
a handle riser assembly including a riser, upper and lower limbs
each including a limb proximal end connected to the riser and a
limb distal end, and a pulley positioned at the limb distal end of
each of the upper and lower limbs; at least one cable and a
bowstring extending between the pulleys; a cable guard comprising:
a first cantilever member having a first cantilever member proximal
end connected to the riser and a first cantilever member distal
end; a second cantilever member having a second cantilever member
distal end securely fixed to the first cantilever member distal end
and a second cantilever member proximal end extending toward the
handle riser, the second cantilever member being configured to flex
or bend upon drawing the bowstring; a guide portion attached to the
second cantilever member proximal end, the guide portion receiving
at least one portion of the at least one cable.
2. The compound archery bow of claim 1, wherein the guide portion
comprises at least one roller wheel, the at least one roller wheel
configured to contact and roll along the at least one cable.
3. The compound archery bow of claim 2, wherein a roller axis
extends through a center of rotation of the at least one roller
wheel and a longitudinal axis extends along a length of the first
cantilever member and an included angle between the roller axis and
the longitudinal axis increases when the bowstring is drawn.
4. The compound archery bow of claim 1, wherein the first
cantilever member comprises an opening, the second cantilever
member being positioned through the opening.
5. The compound archery bow of claim 1, wherein the second
cantilever member is attached to a side of the first cantilever
member opposite a direction of deflection of the second cantilever
member upon drawing the bowstring.
6. The compound archery bow of claim 1, wherein the second
cantilever member proximal end is configured to deflect away from
the handle riser upon drawing the bow.
7. The compound archery bow of claim 1, the first cantilever member
further comprising a support guide contacting the second cantilever
member between the second cantilever member proximal end and the
second cantilever member distal end.
8. A flexible guide cable guard for an archery bow, the cable guard
comprising: a base portion configured to mount to a riser of an
archery bow; a cantilevered flexible retaining member securely
fixed to the base portion and having a free end extending toward
the riser, the free end having at least one cable retaining guide
configured to receive a cable of a bow, the free end being
configured to deflect away from the riser upon bending relative to
the base portion.
9. The flexible guide cable guard of claim 8, wherein the at least
one cable retaining guide comprises an aperture.
10. The flexible guide cable guard of claim 8, wherein the at least
one cable retaining guide comprises a roller.
11. The flexible guide cable guard of claim 8, wherein the at least
one cable retaining guide comprises at least two cable retaining
rollers.
12. The flexible guide cable guard of claim 11, wherein the at
least two cable retaining rollers are coaxial.
13. The flexible guide cable guard of claim 8, wherein the flexible
retaining member comprises a shaft extending through the at least
one cable retaining guide.
14. The flexible guide cable guard of claim 8, wherein the flexible
retaining member is removably attached to the base portion.
15. The flexible guide cable guard of claim 8, further comprising
an elastic dampening member positioned between the base portion and
the flexible retaining member.
16. The flexible guide cable guard of claim 8, wherein the flexible
retaining member extends through an opening in the base
portion.
17. A reverse-biased cable guard for an archery bow, the cable
guard comprising; a base portion having a proximal end configured
to mount to a riser of an archery bow and a distal end extending
away from the riser toward a cable of the archery bow; a
cantilevered cable mounting arm securely fixed to the base portion,
the cable mounting arm having at least one cable guide configured
to retain the cable of the archery bow; wherein upon drawing the
archery bow, the at least one cable guide contacts the cable of the
archery bow, the cable mounting arm flexes or bends and the distal
end of the base portion is subject to a moment tending to bias the
distal end of the base portion away from the cable contacting the
at least one cable guide.
18. The reverse-biased cable guard of claim 7, wherein upon drawing
the archery bow, the at least one cable guide is configured to move
in a direction of cable loading on the at least one cable
guide.
19. The reverse-biased cable guard of claim 17, wherein the cable
mounting arm is more elastically flexible than the base
portion.
20. The reverse-biased cable guard of claim 17, wherein upon
drawing the archery bow, the cable mounting arm is subject to an
opposing moment tending to oppose the moment tending to bias the
distal end of the base portion.
21. The reverse-biased cable guard of claim 20, wherein the
opposing moment neutralizes the moment tending to bias the distal
end of the base portion.
22. A method of positioning an archery bow cable relative to a
riser, the method comprising: providing an archery bow having a
riser, limbs extending from the riser, a cable extending between
free ends of the limbs, and a bowstring extending between the free
ends; connecting a cable guard support to the riser; connecting a
deflection arm to the cable guard support at a connection point,
the deflection arm having at least one cable roller, wherein the at
least one cable roller is positioned between the connection point
and the riser and the cable engages the at least one cable
roller.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising bending the
deflection arm away from the cable guard support by forces
resulting from drawing the bowstring.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising dampening the
deflection arm using a dampening member positioned between the
deflection arm and the cable guard support.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein bending the deflection arm away
from the cable guard support simultaneously bends the deflection
arm away from the riser.
26. The method of claim 22, further comprising inducing a moment in
the cable guard support tending to drive a free end of the cable
guard support away from the cable.
27. The method of claim 22, wherein connecting the deflection arm
to the cable guard support includes inserting the deflection arm
through the cable guard support.
28. A cable guard for an archery bow, comprising: a cable guard
body configured to attach to a handle riser of the archery bow at a
proximal end portion and configured to secure a cable of the
archery bow at a terminal end portion, the cable guard body having
a distal end portion extending distal to the terminal end portion
in an undrawn position, the distal end portion comprising a bend or
curve in the cable guard body between the proximal and terminal end
portions; wherein the cable guard body comprises a single
continuous piece; wherein the terminal end portion extends away
from the distal end portion toward the proximal end portion;
wherein the terminal end portion is configured to move distally and
laterally in response to drawing the bow.
29. (canceled)
30. The cable guard of claim 28, wherein the terminal end portion
extends laterally relative to the proximal end portion.
31. (canceled)
32. The cable guard of claim 28, wherein the terminal end portion
comprises a cable retaining aperture.
33. The cable guard of claim 28, wherein the terminal end portion
comprises a cable retaining roller.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to apparatus and
methods for improving bow cable guards and relates specifically to
reverse pivot and reverse flexible cable guards and related
methods.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Archers such as bow hunters frequently use compound bows to
their advantage. Compound bows have significantly more rigid limbs
than traditional or recurve bows and employ a mechanical system,
typically a set of pulleys and cables, that offers leverage to the
archer while drawing the bow and provides greater velocity when
launching an arrow. In order to provide these advantages, the
pulleys positioned at the outer ends of the limbs of the bow are
linked by tensioning cables. The cables wrap around and turn the
pulleys as the bowstring is drawn.
[0003] The cables between the pulleys of the bow may interfere with
the flight of the arrow. When the bowstring is released, the arrow
is launched in the direction of the motion of the bowstring.
Because the cable portions are forward of the bowstring, the flight
path of the arrow is close enough to the cables to otherwise cause
the arrow to be deflected by the cables by contact with the
fletchings if a cable guard was not positioned to hold the cables
away from the path of an arrow.
[0004] Some cable guards are partially flexible cantilever bars
attached to the riser handle of the bow and extend rearward to the
rest positions of the crossing cables of the bow. The cable guard
is attached to the cables to hold them to one side of the bow and
out of the path of the arrow and the archer's line of sight.
[0005] Cable guards are also used to reduce the amount of torque
induced on the riser due to the cable loads. However, in this
regard they typically have only limited effectiveness. As the cable
tensions increase through the draw cycle, an increasing lateral
force is applied to the cable guard due to the cable guard holding
the cables laterally away from the flight path of the arrow. This
causes the cable guard cantilever to laterally bend, so the free
end of the guard is slightly drawn toward the riser.
Simultaneously, the limbs of the bow bend inward, causing the
pulleys and cables to move rearward with respect to the riser.
Therefore, although the cable guard attempts to bend toward the
riser, the cables also attempt to draw the cable guard toward the
archer. These opposing forces limit the range of motion of the
cables and guard. At some point, the rearward component of the
tension in the cable overpowers the forward component of the
bending of the cantilever cable guard, and the guard is prevented
from further bending. This limits the lateral travel and function
of the flexible member and adds tension to the cables and applies a
moment to the bow that can cause unintended riser flex which
negatively impacts accuracy of the bow system.
[0006] Other guards use a slide mechanism that moves axially along
the cable guard. This is intended to allow the cables to translate
easily along the longitudinal direction of the cable guard. But the
slide introduces inefficiencies as well, such as increasing the
number of moving parts of the guard, causing friction between the
slide and the guard holding the slide, and causing an increased
moment that twists the bow as it is drawn and released. Usually, a
slide mechanism also prevents a beneficial longitudinal force,
since the slide must move longitudinally along the length of the
guard. The increased tension in the cables coupled with increased
longitudinal lever arm distance at full draw cause a larger
unfavorable moment on the bow system.
[0007] Simply holding the cables to one side of the bow keeps them
out of the flight path of the arrow, but also undesirably
introduces friction and vibration in the operation of the bow that
can cause unnecessary noise and wear on the cable. Thus, some cable
guards retain the cables against rollers. The rollers allow the
cables to slide along the guard with less friction and vibration
while the bow is drawn and released while still keeping the cables
out of the path of the arrow. However, because the guard bends as
the cables increase tension, the cables often put a significant
side load on the wheel bearing assemblies and reduce their
effectiveness. Therefore improvements are desired in archery cable
guards.
SUMMARY
[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a compound
archery bow having a reverse-pivot or reverse-bending cable guard.
The bow may comprise a handle riser assembly including a riser,
upper and lower limbs each including a proximal end connected to
the riser and a distal end, and a pulley positioned at the distal
end of each of the upper and lower limbs. At least one cable and a
bowstring may extend between the pulleys. The bow may further
include a cable guard that has a first cantilever member having a
proximal end connected to the riser and a distal end, a second
cantilever member having a distal end attached to the distal end of
the first cantilever member and a proximal end extending toward the
riser, and a guide portion at the proximal end of the second
cantilever member which receives at least one portion of the at
least one cable.
[0009] In this bow, the guide portion may comprise at least one
roller wheel configured to contact and roll along the at least one
cable. The first cantilever member may comprise an opening through
which the second cantilever member is positioned. The second
cantilever member may be attached to a side of the first cantilever
member opposite a direction of deflection of the second cantilever
member upon drawing the bow. The distal end of the first cantilever
member may be configured to deflect away from the at least one
cable upon drawing the bow. The proximal end of the second
cantilever member may be configured to deflect away from the riser
upon drawing the bow. The first cantilever member may further
comprise a support contacting the second cantilever member between
the proximal and distal ends of the second cantilever member. A
roller axis may extend through the center of rotation of the at
least one roller wheel (e.g., as an axis of rotation) and a
longitudinal axis may extend along the length of the first
cantilever member. An included angle between the roller axis and
the longitudinal axis may increase when the bowstring is drawn.
[0010] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a flexible
guide cable guard for an archery bow is provided that may comprise
a base portion configured to mount to a riser of an archery bow, a
flexible retaining member attached to the base portion and having a
free end extending toward the riser, wherein the free end has at
least one cable retaining guide configured to receive a cable of a
bow and is configured to deflect away from the riser upon bending
relative to the base portion.
[0011] In this cable guard, the cable retaining guide may comprise
an aperture and/or at least one roller. In one case, the cable
retaining roller may comprise at least two cable retaining rollers.
These cable retaining rollers may be coaxial. The flexible
retaining member may comprise a shaft extending through the at
least one cable retaining roller. The flexible retaining member may
be removably attached to the base portion. An elastic dampening
member may be positioned between the base portion and the flexible
retaining member, and the flexible retaining member may extend
through an opening in the base member.
[0012] In another embodiment, a reverse-biased cable guard for an
archery bow is provided. This guard may include a base portion
having a proximal end configured to mount to a riser of an archery
bow and a distal end extending away from the riser toward a cable
of the archery bow. A cable mounting arm may be affixed to the base
portion, which cable mounting arm may have at least one cable
roller configured to retain the cable of the archery bow. Upon
drawing this archery bow, the at least one cable roller may contact
the cable of the archery bow, and the distal end of the base
portion may be subject to a moment tending to bias the distal end
of the base portion away from the cable contacting the at least one
cable roller.
[0013] With this cable guard, upon drawing the archery bow, the at
least one cable roller may be configured to move in a direction of
cable loading on the at least one cable roller. The cable mounting
arm may be more elastically flexible than the base portion. When
drawing the archery bow, the cable mounting arm may be subject to a
canceling (i.e., opposing) moment tending to cancel or at least
partially oppose the moment that tends to bias the distal end of
the base portion. The canceling moment may neutralize the moment
tending to bias the distal end of the base portion.
[0014] In yet another aspect, a method of positioning an archery
bow cable relative to a riser is disclosed. This method may include
providing an archery bow having a riser, limbs extending from the
riser, a cable extending between free ends of the limbs, and a
bowstring extending between the free ends. The method may also
include connecting a cable guard support to the riser and
connecting a deflection arm to the cable guard support at a
connection point. The at least one cable roller in this case may be
positioned longitudinally between the connection point and the
riser, and the cable may engage the at least one cable roller.
[0015] The method may further comprise bending the deflection arm
away from the cable guard support by forces resulting from drawing
the bowstring, and/or dampening the deflection arm using a
dampening member positioned between the deflection arm and the
cable guard support.
[0016] In some embodiments, bending the deflection arm away from
the cable guard support may bend the deflection arm away from the
riser. The method may also include inducing a moment in the cable
guard support tending to drive a free end of the cable guard
support away from the cable. In some cases, connecting the
deflection arm to the cable guard support may include inserting the
deflection arm through the cable guard support.
[0017] In another aspect, a cable guard may comprise a cable guard
body configured to attach to a handle riser of the archery bow at a
proximal end portion and configured to secure a cable of the
archery bow at a terminal end portion. The cantilever member may
have a distal end portion extending distal to the terminal end
portion in an undrawn position, wherein the distal end portion may
comprise a bend linking the proximal end portion to the terminal
end portion. The terminal end portion may be configured to move
simultaneously distally and laterally in response to drawing of the
bow.
[0018] The cable guard body may be a single piece. The terminal end
portion may extend laterally relative to the proximal end portion.
The cable guard body may comprise a rigid member and a pivoting
member, with the pivoting member being pivotally attached to a
distal end of the rigid member and the terminal end portion of the
cable guard body being a terminal end portion of the pivoting
member. The terminal end portion may comprise a cable retaining
aperture. The terminal end portion may also comprise a cable
retaining roller.
[0019] In another embodiment, a cable guard support structure may
be configured such that a portion of the structure extends
longitudinally behind a contact point of the cable against the
support structure. The structure may be integrated in one piece and
may be configured such that the support for the cable guide may
move rearward of the contact point longitudinally and then return
toward the riser. In some cases, there may be at least two areas of
intersection with a longitudinal plane extending from the guide and
cable contact. This may allow greater lateral movement of a cable
by allowing longitudinal force to increase lateral movement, as
compared to other designs where lateral movement is limited by
longitudinal force.
[0020] In another embodiment, a cable guard comprises a rigid base
portion and a pivoting arm oriented such that it has a vertical
pivot axis relative to the bow. The pivot arm may extend forward
toward the riser relative to the pivot axis in an undrawn position.
A cable guide may be positioned at a proximal end of the pivot arm.
In an undrawn or brace position, the pivot arm may be
longitudinally forward and laterally furthest away from the arrow
flight path of the bow. As the bow is drawn, the position of the
cable may move rearward causing the cable guide to move in
laterally toward the arrow path and away from the riser. The
lateral position of the cable may be determined by the longitudinal
position of the cable and the relative location of the pivot axis
of the pivot arm.
[0021] The above summary of the present invention is not intended
to describe each embodiment or every implementation of the present
invention. The figures and the detailed description that follow
more particularly exemplify preferred embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a compound bow having a cable guard of
the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of a cable guard of the
present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 3 shows another isometric view of the cable guard of
FIG. 2.
[0025] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of a cable guard of the
present disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 5 is a top view of a cable guard of the present
disclosure in a rest position.
[0027] FIG. 5A is a detail view of a guide portion of FIG. 5.
[0028] FIG. 6 is a top section view of the cable guard of FIG.
2.
[0029] FIG. 7 is a top view of a cable guard of the present
disclosure in a flexed position.
[0030] FIG. 8A is a top view of a conventional cable guide in an
undrawn position.
[0031] FIG. 8B is a top view of the cable guide of FIG. 8A in a
drawn position.
[0032] FIG. 9A is a top view of another conventional cable guide in
an undrawn position.
[0033] FIG. 9B is a top view of the cable guide of FIG. 9A in a
drawn position.
[0034] FIG. 10 is a top view of another cable guide of the present
disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 11A is a top view of another cable guide of the present
disclosure in an undrawn position.
[0036] FIG. 11B is a top view of the cable guide of FIG. 11A in a
drawn position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] Many drawbacks of currently available cable guards may be
resolved or minimized by the reverse pivot cable guard assembly and
related methods of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, a
contact, receiving, or retention point for bow cables connected to
the reverse cable guard may be configured to move away from the
riser as the bow is drawn, thereby reducing tension introduced to
the cable by the cable guard. This configuration may also cause the
moment induced by the tension on the cable guard to be minimized or
reversed in direction when compared to traditional cable guards.
The direction of flex of the cable guard may allow cable rollers or
other guide features to more closely follow the natural movement of
the cables so that side loads are reduced and bearings are more
efficient.
[0038] According to one embodiment, the reverse flexible cable
guard may comprise a substantially rigid cantilever member that is
fixed to the riser at a proximal end and extends toward the
bowstring to a distal end. A more flexible cantilever member is
attached to the rigid member at their distal ends, and the proximal
end of the flexible member extends back in a direction toward the
riser. The proximal end of the flexible member may comprise rollers
or other elements for securing the proximal end to the tensioning
cables of the bow. When the bow is drawn, the proximal end of the
flexible member is bendable away from the rigid member. This
bending draws the proximal end of the flexible member away from the
riser, rather than toward the riser, so the contact points between
the cable guard and the cables move with the cables away from the
riser rather than bending toward the riser. Thus, the cable guard
may be referred to as a reversible flexible cable guard since the
direction of bending is the reverse of a typical flexible cable
guard and the flexible member extends back toward the riser, rather
than toward the archer. The moment induced by the bending forces
may also be reversed in comparison to traditional cable guards.
[0039] The rigidity of the flexible member may be designed to
control how much flex is allowed through the draw cycle, so cable
rollers may be designed to better retain the cables as the flexible
member is bent. A flexible member may be differentiated from a
rigid member by the amount of elastic bending that each undergoes
throughout the draw cycle, with the flexible member having
significantly greater bending than the rigid member. These bending
properties may be obtained due to differences in construction
materials and/or dimensions of each of the members. For example, a
flexible member may be thinner than a rigid member or may comprise
a more resiliently bendable material so that the flexible member is
less rigid than the rigid member.
[0040] In some embodiments, the rollers on the proximal end of the
flexible member may be constructed to retain the cables when the
bow is undrawn, and may then move as the flexible member bends to
support cables through the range of movement of the cables through
the draw cycle. In this manner, the side loads applied to the
rollers may be reduced, giving the cable guard less noise and
inducing less unnecessary tension or wear on the cables. The cable
rollers may be held to the flexible member by a mounting block or
may be attached directly to the flexible member.
[0041] In other embodiments, the cable guard may have a pivoting
member attached to the end of the rigid member. The pivoting member
may retain the cables of the bow and may pivot when the bow is
drawn such that the retention point of the cables is moved away
from the riser. The pivot motion may also move the retention point
toward the plane of arrow flight, further reducing tension in the
cables at full draw. Upon release of the bowstring, the pivoting
member may pivot back toward the riser. In these embodiments, the
pivoting member may be flexible or rigid.
[0042] In yet another embodiment, the cable guard may have a
single-piece, continuous cantilever member that comprises a bent
shape. Thus, the terminal end portion of the cantilever member may
bend back toward the riser and the retention point of the cables
may be closer to the riser than the distal tip of the bent shape.
In these embodiments, the cantilever member may have flexibility
through a portion or all of the shape so that the terminal end
portion may bend away from the riser and toward the arrow flight
plane upon drawing the bow.
[0043] Turning now to the figures in detail, FIG. 1 is a
perspective view of a compound bow (i.e., bow 100) having a cable
guard 102 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The
bow 100 comprises a handle riser 104, upper and lower limbs 106,
108, upper and lower pulleys 110, 112 (i.e., cams), a bowstring
114, and cables 116. In some embodiments, stabilizers, dampeners,
arrow rests, sights, and other modifications and accessories may be
used with the bow 100. The cables 116 are in tension between the
pulleys 110, 112 and are held by the cable guard 102 out of the
flight path of an arrow launched by the bowstring 114. In some
cases, the cable guard 102 may be said to hold the cables 116 out
of a plane defined by the bowstring 114 and an arrow or the
bowstring 114 and the handle riser 104.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, as used herein, the X axis may be
referred to as a lateral axis or an axis extending in the lateral
directions (i.e., to the right and left of the bow 100), the Y axis
may be referred to as a vertical axis or an axis extending the
vertical directions (i.e., upward and downward relative to the bow
100), and the Z axis may be referred to as a longitudinal axis or
an axis extending in the longitudinal directions (i.e., forward and
backward relative to the bow 100). In some cases herein, a
"longitudinal" direction or axis may refer to a direction or axis
running along a length of a body, such as along the length of rigid
member 118, even if the longitudinal axis running along the body is
not parallel to the Z axis.
[0045] FIGS. 2-5 show views of the cable guard 102 in detail. FIG.
2 is an isometric view showing a cable-facing side 117 of the cable
guard 102, FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing an external-facing
side 119 of the cable guard 102, FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the
cable guard 102, FIG. 5 is a top view of the cable guard 102, and
FIG. 6 is a top section view of the cable guard 102 taken through
section lines 6-6 in FIG. 2.
[0046] The cable guard 102 may comprise a rigid member 118 having a
proximal end 120 attached to the handle riser 104 and a distal end
122 extending away from the handle riser 104. With the proximal end
120 of the rigid member 118 firmly attached (or removably attached)
to the handle riser 104 and the distal end 122 free from attachment
to the riser 104, the rigid member 118 may be referred to as a
first cantilever member or a base portion. The distal end 122 may
also be referred to as extending toward an archer, the cables 116,
or bowstring 114 since it extends rearward from the handle riser
104. In these embodiments, the distal direction may be defined as
extending away from the handle riser 104 and the proximal direction
may be defined as extending toward the handle riser 104 relative to
the rigid member 118.
[0047] The proximal end 120 of the rigid member 118 may be
connected to the handle riser 104 by connecting means such as, for
example, fasteners, adhesives, epoxies, interlocking parts, and
combinations of these or related means. In some applications, the
cable guard 102 may have a proximal end 120 integrally formed with
the handle riser 104. The rigid member 118 may comprise a
construction of metal, alloy, and/or composite materials providing
rigidity. The rigid member 118 may beneficially be made with light
and durable materials such as aluminum to reduce overall bow weight
and to improve the lifespan of the cable guard 102 while it is used
in the field. The rigid member 118 may also be formed with a
plurality of openings 124, 126, 128, 130 that are described in more
detail below. See FIGS. 2-3.
[0048] The rigid member 118 may be connected at its distal end 122
to a flexible member 132. A distal end 134 of the flexible member
132 may be connected to the distal end 122 of the rigid member 118.
This connection may be secured by a fastener (e.g., bolt 136),
adhesive, interlocking parts, and/or other related connection means
at that connection point. A proximal end 138 of the flexible member
132 may extend proximally from the distal end 134 toward the handle
riser 104. The proximal end 138 may be referred to as a "free" end
since it is not rigidly connected to the rigid member 118. The
flexible member 132 may be referred to as a second cantilever
member due to it being securely attached to the distal end 122 of
the rigid member 118 and being free from the rigid member 118 at
its proximal end 138. The flexible member 132 may also be referred
to as a flexible retaining member or a cable mounting arm due to
its function in retaining the cables 116.
[0049] The flexible member 132 may comprise a flexible yet durable
material, such as, for example, metals, alloys, composites, and/or
polymers capable of bending under tension applied by the bow cables
116. In some embodiments, the dimensions of the flexible member 132
may be adapted to make the flexible member 132 bendable. For
example, the thickness of the flexible member 132 may be reduced in
at least some portions of the flexible member 132 in a manner that
allows the flexible member 132 to more readily bend at those
portions. A central portion of the flexible member 132 between the
proximal end 138 and distal end 134 may beneficially be shaped in
this manner to provide greater flexibility to the flexible member
132.
[0050] The flexible member 132 may be supported by a support member
140 disposed between the flexible member 132 and the rigid member
118. This support member 140 may alternatively be referred to as a
rocker or a support guide. The support member 140 may comprise a
durable material such as, for example, an elastomeric polymer
(e.g., nylon or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)) or rubber. The
support member 140 may be shaped with upper and lower guides 142,
144 to keep the flexible member 132 properly aligned along a
longitudinal axis of the rigid member 118. The support member 140
may be attached to the rigid member 118 and/or to the flexible
member 132. When the flexible member 132 flexes under tension from
the cables 116, the support member 140 may deform under pressure
applied by the flexible member 132 moving and/or bending toward the
cable side of the rigid member 118, and the support member 140 may
provide a point around which the flexible member 132 bends. See
FIG. 7. The support member 140 may also act as a dampener to damp
vibrations in the flexible and rigid members 132, 118 when an
archer shoots the bow. This may reduce noise, giving the bow a
lower noise profile, and may reduce vibrations in the archer's arm
after releasing the bowstring 114.
[0051] In some embodiments, the flexible member 132 may bend back
toward the external-facing side 119 of the cable guard 102, such as
when the bowstring is released and the proximal end 138 of the
flexible member 132 resiliently bends back toward the
external-facing side 119 of the cable guard 102. In these
instances, the support member 140 may not restrain that movement
due to the support member 140 only being attached to either the
rigid member 118 or the flexible member 132 (i.e., not both). In
various embodiments, the rigid member 118 may bend toward the
cables or away from the cables (or both, in sequence), depending on
the rigidity of the rigid member 118 and the flexible member 132.
Typically, the rigid member 118 bends toward the cables, but to a
lesser extent than the flexible member 132.
[0052] The proximal end 138 of the flexible member 132 may be
attached to a mounting block 146. The mounting block 146 may be
fastened to the flexible member 132 by connectors such as, for
example, fasteners 148, adhesives, or interlocking parts. See FIGS.
3 and 6. The mounting block 146 may have an angled surface 150 that
may beneficially be perpendicular to an axis A running horizontally
through the cables 116. See FIGS. 5 and 7. Said another way, the
angled surface 150 may be non-parallel with respect to the cable
side 117 of the cable guard 102 or an axis B running along the
length of the rigid member 118. Alternatively, axis A may be
defined as passing through the axle of rotation (roller axle 152)
of the cable rollers 154, 156. Axis B may be defined as running
along the length of the rigid member 118 at a surface on which the
rigid member 118 is attachable to a riser. Axis B may also be
defined as another axis parallel to this surface or a surface on
the external-facing side 119 of the cable guard 102. The angle C
between axes A and B may beneficially have a size between about 5
degrees and about 45 degrees. In some embodiments, the angle C may
be between about 45 degrees and about 90 degrees. Lower angles for
angle C may be beneficial in embodiments where the flexible member
132 undergoes a large amount of deflection when the bow 100 is
drawn.
[0053] FIG. 5A shows a detail view of the mounting block 146 and
the forces acting on the rollers 154, 156 by the cables 116. The
force F of a cable 116 may be divided into orthogonal directional
components F.sub.X and F.sub.Z. F.sub.Z acts in the Z-direction
(along axis B of FIG. 5 or axis Z of FIG. 1) and tends to drive the
mounting block 146 away from the riser, increasing the length of
Z.sub.1. F.sub.X acts in the X-direction (perpendicular to axis B
in FIG. 5 or along axis X in FIG. 1) and tends to drive the
mounting block 146 away from the rigid member 118.
[0054] A roller axle 152 may extend from the angled surface 150
generally toward the cable-facing side 117 of the cable guard 102.
The roller axle 152 may comprise a threaded bolt that is mountable
into or onto the mounting block 146 through the angled surface 150.
In some embodiments, the roller axle 152 is a rod affixed to the
mounting block 146 extending perpendicular to the angled surface
150.
[0055] Two rollers 154, 156 may be positioned coaxially around the
roller axle 152, preferably with a roller bearing 158, 160 within
or between each roller 154, 156 and the roller axle 152. See FIGS.
4 and 6. The rollers 154, 156 may turn around the roller axle 152
as the cables 116 move through the draw cycle. Because the rollers
154, 156 are at the free end of the flexible member 132, they may
turn as the flexible member 132 bends. Thus, the rollers 154, 156
may have widened outer flanges 162, 164 so that the cables 116 do
not come unseated from the rollers 154, 156 as the flexible member
132 bends toward and away from the rigid member 118. See FIGS. 5
and 7. As the limbs 106, 108 of the bow 100 flex, they rotate the
roller wheels 154, 156 into a more perpendicular orientation
relative to the arrow shaft and resulting cable loads, as shown by
angle C being closer to 90 degrees in FIG. 7 than in FIG. 5. This
may help properly load the roller wheel bearings 158, 160, thus
resulting in a more efficient system with less wear on the cables
and rollers.
[0056] The rollers 154, 156 and roller bearings 158, 160 may be
removable from the roller axle 152. The outer roller 154 and inner
roller 156 may have the same size and shape, or may have different
profiles. For example, in some embodiments, the inner roller 156
may have a smaller outer flange 164 since it does not deflect as
far as the outer roller 154 upon bending of the flexible member
132.
[0057] The assembly of rollers 154, 156, the roller axle 152, and
roller bearings 158, 160 may collectively be referred to as a guide
portion of the cable guard 102. The guide portion may guide the
movement of the cables 116 and flexible member 132 through the draw
cycle of the bow 100.
[0058] The rigid member 118 may comprise a central opening 124, a
cable-side opening 126, and two external-side openings 128, 130.
The cable-side opening 126 and external-side openings 128, 130 may
reduce the weight of the rigid member 118. The external-side
openings 128, 130 also allow access to the fasteners 148 for the
mounting block 146. The central opening 124 may allow the flexible
member 132 to extend from the external-facing side 119 of the cable
guard 102 to the cable-facing side 117 of the cable guard 102. The
central opening 124 may therefore allow the flexible member 132 to
be positioned through the rigid member 118. See FIG. 6.
[0059] The distal end 134 of the flexible member 132 may also be
positioned to be laterally offset from the lateral position of the
proximal end 120 of the rigid member 118. As shown in FIG. 6, the
attachment surface 166 on which the flexible member 132 is attached
may be offset from the cable-facing side 117 surface on which the
proximal end 120 of the rigid member 118 is attached. Here, the
attachment surface 166 is separated from the cable-facing side 117
by a width W, which extends in the X.sub.1 direction from the
cable-facing side 117 of the proximal end 120 of the rigid member
118. In some embodiments, the width W may be about as wide as the
thickness of the flexible member 132. Width W may also be based on
the width of the handle riser 104, so that the neutral position of
the distal end 134 of the flexible member 132 is placed at a
predetermined position relative to the cables 116 whether the riser
104 is laterally thicker or thinner than shown. Thus, the width W
may be customized to a specific handle riser width. In some
embodiments, the width W may be less than the thickness of the
flexible member 132, such as a width W of zero.
[0060] In other arrangements, the width W may extend in the X.sub.2
direction (i.e., with the cable-facing side 117 of the distal end
134 of the flexible member 132 positioned in the X.sub.2 direction
from the cable-facing side 117 of the proximal end 120 of the rigid
member 118). This configuration may be beneficial when the flexible
member 132 is designed to have a large amount of bending deflection
while the bow is undrawn. This design may also be used hold the
cables further in the X.sub.2 direction from the plane of arrow
flight.
[0061] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment where the rigid member 118 has an
elongated step-like shape when viewed from above that extends from
the proximal end 120 to the distal end 122. The shape of the rigid
member 118 may take on other forms, such as, for example, a zigzag
shape, a right angle, a curve (which may be convex or concave on
the cable-facing side 117), or a generally straight line. The shape
of the rigid member 118 may have these different shapes to modify
the orientation of the flexible member 132 relative to the handle
riser 104. In some embodiments, the rigid member 118 may be at
least partially flexible as well, and the shape of the rigid member
118 may therefore be shaped to accommodate the flexibility of the
rigid member 118 as the bow is drawn.
[0062] As shown in FIG. 7, the flexible member 132 of the cable
guard 102 may simultaneously flex partially away from the handle
riser and partially toward the arrow. The force F applied by the
cable 116 may be broken down into a force F.sub.Z toward the archer
and a force F.sub.X toward the plane of the arrow and bowstring
114. The cable 116 moves farther from the riser 104 between the
brace height position of FIG. 5 having lateral distance Z.sub.1
from the riser and the drawn position of FIG. 7 having lateral
distance Z.sub.2 from the riser. As compared to the force F in FIG.
5A, F.sub.X may be smaller in FIG. 7 with the bow drawn than in
FIG. 5A with the bow undrawn because the cables 116 are brought
closer to the arrow plane in the X direction. F.sub.Z may be larger
in FIG. 7 than in FIG. 5A because the cables 116 draw the mounting
block 146 rearward in the Z direction.
[0063] As a result of these forces, the moment generated by the
cables 116 on the bow 100 may either be neutral (i.e., canceled out
by the bowstring and arrow) or may be in the opposite direction
when compared to a conventional flexible cable guard. In the top
view of FIG. 7, the moment M at the distal end 122 of the rigid
member 118 is counter-clockwise as opposed to what would be a
clockwise moment at the distal end of a conventional guard because
F.sub.Z is greater than F.sub.X for each cable and the force F is
applied laterally relative to the proximal end 138 of the flexible
member 132. This may mean the cable guard 102 induces less torque
on the bow 100 and tension in the cables 116, so the bow may be
easier to tune and may have less cam lean. Additionally, the
reversed torque may improve tracking of the string and arrow during
the shot. The lessened cam lean during the draw and let down cycle
allows the string to track straighter, reducing wear on the strings
and cables.
[0064] The straighter path of the bowstring 114 may also reduce
horizontal and vertical force changes when loading the arrows and
may reduce the spine breakdown (i.e., buckling) of the arrow shaft.
This can also make spine selection of arrow shafts less critical
for proper arrow flight. Archers may have different inputs to the
riser grip and string at full draw and during the shot of the bow.
Those differences may result in differences in arrow tuning. The
cable guard 102 may allow for adjustment of the bowstring 114 and
cable 116 positions so that the archer may tune their location for
the archer's given input.
[0065] A conventional cable guard or roller guard may fix the
cables into static positions throughout the draw and shot cycle of
the bow. As the bow is drawn, cable tensions may increase to
compress the limbs and create torque on the riser, limbs, and cams
of the system. This torque may result in excess vibration and noise
as all components return to their original positions. By allowing
the cables to move inward toward the arrow and rearward toward the
archer with a reverse pivot cable guard, the torque in the system
may be minimized. The change in cam and limb position and riser
twist may be significantly reduced, thus allowing the system to
settle faster, reduce shot noise, and improve the feel and overall
experience for the archer.
[0066] FIGS. 8A-9B illustrate some example conventional cable
guards for comparison with embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a guard 800 that rigidly fixes a cable
116 relative to a riser 104. In FIG. 8A, an undrawn cable 116 acts
on the rigid guide 800 within an aperture 802 or track in the guide
800. This cable tension applies a force having an F.sub.X and an
F.sub.Z component as shown. Because the cable 116 is offset from
the riser 104 by lengths L.sub.X and L.sub.Z, resulting moments
M.sub.FX and M.sub.FZ are applied to the bow. When the bow is
drawn, as shown in FIG. 8B, the cable increases in tension due to
restraint of its natural tendency to move toward the arrow flight
plane and away from the riser. The increased tension in the cable
116 accordingly increases forces F.sub.X and F.sub.Z, which in turn
increase the moments M.sub.FX and M.sub.FZ. In order to minimize
the moments acting on the bow to improve shot consistency, M.sub.FX
and M.sub.FZ should preferably cancel each other as much as
possible. One way to do so is to increase M.sub.FZ to more closely
match M.sub.FX by increasing length L.sub.X as the bow is drawn.
Increasing L.sub.X also reduces the associated force F.sub.X which
reduces the moment M.sub.FX. However, because the guard 800 is
rigid, length L.sub.X undergoes only negligible change between
undrawn and drawn bow positions.
[0067] FIGS. 9A-9B show another conventional cable guard 900 for
retaining a cable 116 within an aperture 902. The aperture 902 is
formed in a slide 904 configured to move longitudinally along a rod
906 connected to the riser 104. A force F.sub.X is applied to the
guard 900 by the cable 116 at a distance L.sub.Z. The slide 904 may
move along the rod 906 between undrawn and drawn positions (i.e.,
between FIGS. 9A and 9B, respectively), so there is no Z-component
of tension causing a force F.sub.Z to be applied in this
embodiment. When the bow is drawn, however, the slide 904 does not
move in the X direction lateral to the rod 906, so the tension in
the cable 116 causes force F.sub.X to increase, and because FX is
unopposed, it applies a large moment M.sub.FX to the riser 104.
Embodiments of the present disclosure have been developed through
identifying these issues with conventional cable guards and
designing and constructing cable guards that can minimize or cancel
undesirable moments applied to the riser and forces applied to the
cable guard.
[0068] FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the present disclosure that
may address some of the undesirable effects of the designs of FIGS.
8A-9B. The cable 116 in this embodiment is secured to a cable guard
member 1004 through an aperture 1000 in a terminal end portion 1002
of the cable guard member 1004 attached to the riser 104. The cable
guard member 1004 comprises a distal end portion 1006 having a
curved shape that extends longitudinally (i.e., distally) from the
aperture 1000 and cable 116. Thus, the length L.sub.Z at which the
cable 116 is secured is less than the length to the distal end
portion 1006 of the cable guard member 1004. Tension in the cable
116 may engage the terminal end portion 1002 with forces F.sub.X,
F.sub.Z, resulting in moments M.sub.FX and M.sub.FZ applied to the
riser 104. When the bow is drawn, the cable guard member 1004 may
flex in the direction of the tension applied and increase the
lengths L.sub.X and L.sub.Z. As a result, moments M.sub.FX and
M.sub.FZ may be minimized as compared to a rigid guard (e.g., the
guard 800 of FIG. 8A). Because the bend in the distal end portion
1006 is positioned longitudinally beyond the aperture 1000, the
member 1004 lengthens in both the X and Z directions to reduce
torque.
[0069] In some embodiments, the cable guard member 1004 may
comprise a flexible material configured to resiliently flex as the
cable 116 is drawn. Beneficially, the flexible material may be
rigid enough to retain the cable 116 away from the arrow plane to a
desired distance at least while the bow is undrawn. In some
embodiments, portions of the cable guard member 1004 may be more
rigid than others. For example, the distal end 1006 may be more
flexible than proximal portions of the cable guard member 1004.
[0070] While a hook or "J" shape is shown in FIG. 10, in some
embodiments, the shape of the cable guard member 1004 may be a "V"
shape, "U" shape, "N" shape, or other bent form. When referring to
a "bent" shape, the cable guard member 1004 may be constructed by
bending a material or may be formed in a shape that resembles a
material that has been bent. Constructing the material without
actually bending the guard member 1004 may potentially be
beneficial to reduce residual stresses in the material. The cable
guard member 1004 may further be configured to retain multiple
cables 116 instead of only one. In some cases, a roller or set of
rollers may be positioned at the terminal end portion 1002, such as
in the manner of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7 having a mounting
block.
[0071] Yet another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 11A-11B. The cable
guard 1100 in these figures comprises a rigid member 1102 attached
to the riser 104 at a proximal end 1104. A pivoting member 1106 is
pivotally secured to the rigid member 1102 at a distal end 1108 of
the rigid member 1102. The pivoting member 1106 is preferably
positioned so that in an undrawn position, as shown in FIG. 11A,
the cable 116 extending through the aperture 1110 in the pivoting
member 1106 is spaced proximally relative to the distal end 1108 of
the rigid member 1102. As the bow is drawn, the tension in the
cable 116 may rotate the pivoting member 1106 relative to the rigid
member 1102, thereby increasing the length L.sub.Z to the cable
116. The increase in L.sub.Z may beneficially decrease the force
F.sub.Z applied by the cable 116. In some embodiments, the rotation
of the pivoting member 1106 may also be configured to increase
length L.sub.X at full draw, thereby reducing force component
F.sub.X. Using these configurations, moment M.sub.FZ may be
eliminated at full draw and moment M.sub.FX may be reduced as
compared to conventional guards. In some cases, a roller or set of
rollers may be positioned at the terminal end portion 1002, such as
in the manner of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7 which use a mounting
block. The included angle between the rigid member 1102 and the
pivoting member 1106 at an undrawn position may be less than 90
degrees. At a drawn position, the included angle may be
beneficially 90 degrees or less.
[0072] Various inventions have been described herein with reference
to certain specific embodiments and examples. However, they will be
recognized by those skilled in the art that many variations are
possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the
inventions disclosed herein, in that those inventions set forth in
the claims below are intended to cover all variations and
modifications of the inventions disclosed without departing from
the spirit of the inventions. The terms "including:" and "having"
come as used in the specification and claims shall have the same
meaning as the term "comprising."
* * * * *