Bow string cam arrangement for a bow

A bow comprising:

• a riser including an up-range side positioned proximate a user and a down-range side positioned proximate a target;
• at least one first bow limb attached to the riser and extending at least partially in an up-range direction relative to the up-range side of the riser;
• at least one second bow limb attached to the riser and extending at least partially in the up-range direction relative to the up-range side of the riser;
• a first cam mounted to the at least one first bow limb and rotatable around a first axis within a first plane of rotation perpendicular to the first axis, the first cam comprising a first draw string journal, a first power cable journal extending from the first plane of rotation, and a second power cable journal extending from the first plane of rotation, wherein the first power cable journal and the second power cable journal include a path that is at least partially helical, wherein a draw force versus draw distance of the bow is determined at least in part by relative rates of take-up and let-out of the first power cable journal and the second power cable journal;
• a second cam mounted to the at least one second bow limb and rotatable around a second axis within a second plane of rotation perpendicular to the second axis, the second cam comprising a second draw string journal, a third power cable journal extending from the second plane of rotation, and a fourth power cable journal extending from the second plane of rotation, wherein the third and fourth power cable journals include a path that is at least partially helical, wherein the draw force versus draw distance of the bow is determined at least in part by relative rates of take-up and let-out of the third power cable journal and the fourth power cable journal;
• a draw string configured to launch a projectile along a projectile axis, the draw string received in the first and second draw string journals and secured to the first and second cams, wherein the draw string unwinds from the first and second draw string journals as it translates from a released configuration to a drawn configuration, wherein:
• in the released configuration, a first portion of the draw string is received in the first draw string journal, a second portion of the draw string is received in the second draw string journal, and a third portion of the draw string extends linearly:
• (1) between the first cam and the second cam, (2) directly from a down-range side of the first cam, the down-range side of the first cam positioned down-range relative to the first axis and located between the riser and the first axis, and (3) directly from a down-range side of the second cam, the down-range side of the second cam positioned down-range relative to the second axis and located between the riser and the second axis;
• and
• in the drawn configuration, the first portion of the draw string, the second portion of the draw string, and the third portion of the draw string are positioned to the up-range side of the riser;
• and
• a first power cable attached to the first cam and received in the first power cable journal;
• and
• a second power cable attached to the second cam and received in the third power cable journal,
• wherein, during operation of the bow as the draw string moves from the released configuration to the drawn configuration, the first power cable is displaced along the first axis relative to the first plane of rotation of the first draw string journal and the second power cable is displaced along the second axis relative to the second plane of rotation of the second draw string journal, and
• wherein, during operation of the bow as the draw string moves from the released configuration to the drawn configuration, the first axis moves continuously towards the second axis.

A bow comprising:

• a riser coupled to a center rail and including an up-range side positioned proximate a user and a down-range side positioned proximate a target;
• at least one first bow limb attached to the riser and extending at least partially in an up-range direction relative to the up-range side of the riser;
• at least one second bow limb attached to the riser and extending at least partially in the up-range direction relative to the up-range side of the riser;
• a first cam mounted to the at least one first bow limb and rotatable around a first axis within a first plane of rotation perpendicular to the first axis, the first cam comprising a first draw string journal, a first power cable journal having a first power cable journal axis, and a second power cable journal having a second power cable journal axis, the first power cable journal defining a first path configured to receive a cable, wherein the first power cable journal axis and the second power cable journal axis are coaxial;
• a second cam mounted to the at least one second bow limb and rotatable around a second axis within a second plane of rotation, the second cam comprising a second draw string journal, a third power cable journal having a third power cable journal axis, and a fourth power cable journal having a fourth power cable journal axis, the third power cable journal defining a second path configured to receive a cable, wherein the third power cable journal axis and the fourth power cable journal axis are coaxial;
• a draw string configured to launch a projectile along a projectile axis, the draw string received in the first and second draw string journals and secured to the first and second cams, wherein the draw string unwinds from the first and second draw string journals as it translates from a released configuration to a drawn configuration, wherein:
• in the released configuration, a first portion of the draw string is received in the first draw string journal, a second portion of the draw string is received in the second draw string journal, and a third portion of the draw string extends linearly:
• (1) between the first cam and the second cam, (2) directly from a down-range side of the first cam, the down-range side of the first cam positioned down-range relative to the first axis and located between the riser and the first axis, and (3) directly from a down-range side of the second cam, the down-range side of the second cam positioned down-range relative to the second axis and located between the riser and the second axis;
• and
• in the drawn configuration, the first portion of the draw string, the second portion of the draw string, and the third portion of the draw string are positioned to the up-range side of the riser;
• a first power cable attached to the first cam and received in the first power cable journal;
• and
• a second power cable attached to the second cam and received in the third power cable journal,
• wherein the first and third power cable journals comprise a width at least twice a width of the first and second power cables so that, during operation of the bow as the draw string is moved from the released configuration to the drawn configuration, the first and second power cables respectively wrap on the first and third power cable journals along the first and second paths respectively defined by the first power cable journal and the third power cable journal, the first and second paths extending at an angle relative to the first and second planes of rotation, respectively, and
• wherein, during operation of the bow as the draw string moves from the released configuration to the drawn configuration, the first cam and the second cam move continuously inwards towards the center rail.