US 10,330,427 B2Granted

Mid-limb cam crossbow system

AssigneeHunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.

InventorsMichael Shaffer, Dean Mook

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Abstract

Provided is a mid-limb cam crossbow system comprising a beam; a bow assembly having a first bow limb of length L1 and second bow limb of length L2; a first cam engaged with the first bow limb at a point between (0.15)L1 and (0.75)L1 from the limb end; a second cam engaged with the second bow limb at a point between (0.15)L2 and (0.75)L2 from the limb end; a first power string engaged with the first cam and a region on the second bow limb greater than (0.75)L2 from the limb end; a second power string engaged with the second cam and a region on the first bow limb greater than (0.75)L1 from the limb end; and a bowstring engaged between the first cam and the second cam. The bow assembly may be configured in an uncocked configuration or a cocked configuration. L1 and L2 are between 15 centimeters and 65 centimeters.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A mid-limb cam crossbow system 100 comprising:

an elongated beam 110 having a first beam end 117, and a second beam end 118 opposite the first beam end 117;
a bow assembly 140 mounted to the beam 110 at the first beam end 117, the bow assembly 140 having a pair of limbs 151, 161 defining opposite ends of said bow assembly 140, the pair of limbs 151, 161 being a first limb 151 and a second limb 161, wherein
the first limb 151 has a proximate end 152 and a distal end 155 offset from the proximate end 152 by a length L1, and
the second limb 161 has a proximate end 162 and a distal end 165 offset from the proximate end 162 by a length L2;
a first cam 156 rotatably engaged with the first limb 151 at a first cam mount point 159 offset from the proximate end of the first limb 152 by a length between (0.15)L1 and (0.75)L1;
a second cam rotatably engaged with the second limb at a second cam mount point 169 offset from the proximate end of the second limb 162 by a length between (0.15)L2 and (0.75)L2;
a first power cord 146 operatively engaged between a first power cord mount 158 and the second cam 166, wherein the first power cord mount 158 is offset from the proximate end of the first limb 152 by a length of greater than (0.75)L1;
a second power cord 144 operatively engaged between a second power cord mount 168 and the first cam 156, wherein the second power cord mount 168 is offset from the proximate end of the second limb 162 by a length of greater than (0.75)L2;
a bow string adapted to propel an arrow, the bowstring operatively engaged between the first cam and the second cam;
and
wherein the bow assembly may be configured in
a) an uncocked configuration in which,
i) the bow assembly stores some residual energy,
ii) the bowstring is located at a uncocked bowstring position along the main beam;
or
b) a cocked configuration in which,
i) the bow assembly stores more than 75 foot pounds of energy greater than the residual energy,
ii) the bowstring is located at a cocked bowstring position along the main beam which is more than 20 centimeters from the uncocked bowstring position;
and
wherein
L1 is between 15 centimeters and 65 centimeters, and
L2 is between 15 centimeters and 65 centimeters.

19 more elements

A method of using a mid-limb cam crossbow system comprising:

providing a mid-limb cam crossbow system having
an elongated main beam having a first beam end, and a second beam end opposite the first beam end,
a bow assembly mounted to the main beam at the first beam end, the bow assembly having a pair of bow limbs defining opposite ends of said bow assembly, the pair of bow limbs being a first bow limb and a second bow limb, wherein
the first bow limb has a proximate end and a distal end offset from the proximate end by a length L1, and
the second bow limb has a proximate end and a distal end offset from the proximate end by a length L2,
a first cam rotatably engaged with the first bow limb at a first pivot point offset from the proximate end of the first bow limb by a length between (0.15)L1 and (0.75)L1;
a second cam rotatably engaged with the second bow limb at a second pivot point offset from the proximate end of the second bow limb by a length between (0.15)L2 and (0.75)L2,
a first power string operatively engaged between the first cam and a region on the second bow limb offset from the proximate end of the second bow limb by a length of greater than (0.75)L2,
a second power string operatively engaged between the second cam and a region on the first bow limb offset from the proximate end of the first bow limb by a length of greater than (0.75)L1,
a bowstring adapted to propel an arrow, the bowstring operatively engaged between the first cam and the second cam, and
wherein the bow assembly may be configured in
a) an uncocked configuration in which,
i) the bow assembly stores some residual energy,
ii) the bowstring is located at a uncocked bowstring position along the main beam, or
b) a cocked configuration in which,
i) the bow assembly stores more than 75 foot pounds of energy greater than the residual energy,
ii) the bowstring is located at a cocked bowstring position along the main beam which is more than 20 centimeters from the uncocked bowstring position, and
wherein
L1 is between 15 centimeters and 65 centimeters, and
L2 is between 15 centimeters and 65 centimeters;
changing the bow assembly from a uncocked configuration to a cocked configuration by an operation comprising the steps of
a) moving the bowstring from the uncocked bowstring position to the cocked bowstring position, and
b) storing energy in the bow assembly of more than 75 foot pounds of energy greater than the residual energy.

20 more elements

A mid-limb cam crossbow system comprising:

an elongated main beam having a first beam end, and a second beam end opposite the first beam end;
a bow assembly mounted to the main beam at the first beam end, the bow assembly having a pair of bow limbs defining opposite ends of said bow assembly, the pair of bow limbs being a first bow limb and a second bow limb,
wherein
the first bow limb has a proximate end and a distal end offset from the proximate end by a length L1, and
the second bow limb has a proximate end and a distal end offset from the proximate end by a length L2;
a first cam rotatably engaged with the first bow limb at a first pivot point offset from the proximate end of the first bow limb by a length between (0.45)L1 and (0.55)L1;
a second cam rotatably engaged with the second bow limb at a second pivot point offset from the proximate end of the second bow limb by a length between (0.45)L2 and (0.55)L2;
a first power string operatively engaged between the first cam and a region on the second bow limb offset from the proximate end of the second bow limb by a length of greater than (0.90)L2;
a second power string operatively engaged between the second cam and a region on the first bow limb offset from the proximate end of the first bow limb by a length of greater than (0.90)L1;
a bowstring adapted to propel an arrow, the bowstring operatively engaged between the first cam and the second cam;
and
wherein the bow assembly may be configured in
a) an uncocked configuration in which,
i) the bow assembly stores some residual energy,
ii) the bowstring is located at a uncocked bowstring position along the main beam;
or
b) a cocked configuration in which,
i) the bow assembly stores more than 135 foot pounds of energy greater than the residual energy,
ii) the bowstring is located at a cocked bowstring position along the main beam which is more than 40 centimeters from the uncocked bowstring position;
and
wherein
L1 is between 32 centimeters and 38 centimeters, and
L2 is between 32 centimeters and 38 centimeter;
wherein a second angle is defined by
a vector along the uncocked bowstring position, and
a vector along the first power string in the uncocked configuration;
and
wherein the second angle is between 15 and 30 degrees.

25 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.