Thermoplastic composite bow riser, limb, and cam
AssigneeGordon Composites, Inc.
InventorEdward Pilpel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A riser for an archery bow is formed from a fibrous composite material, the matrix of which may be a high heat distortion thermoplastic polymer, a very high heat distortion thermoplastic polymer, or a combination thereof. The riser may incorporate a spine formed from a different polymer or composite than the rest of the riser, or from metal. A method for producing a riser for an archery bow includes the steps of introducing a polymeric composite into a mold from a first end of said mold to facilitate a particular orientation of components of said polymeric composite, molding the polymeric composite to produce a billet that approximates a net shape of the riser, and then machining the billet to the final shape of the riser.
Claims18
A method for producing a riser for an archery bow, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a composite material comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a plurality of reinforcing fibers located therein, said thermoplastic polymer being distortable by heat;
- extruding said composite material into sheets that approximate the peripheral shape of said riser;
- assembling at least two of said sheets interfacially to form a billet;
- forging said billet into a shape that approximates a shape of said riser;
- and
- machining said billet to a final configuration of said riser;
- wherein said polymer forms a matrix of said composite material and wherein said plurality of reinforcing fibers are substantially aligned in said matrix and wherein at least a portion of said fibers are long enough to extend from one end of said riser to the other.
A method for producing a riser for an archery bow, said method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a thermoplastic polymer into an extruder;
- extruding said thermoplastic polymer into sheets that approximate the peripheral shape of said riser;
- assembling at least two of said sheets interfacially to form a billet;
- forging said billet into a shape that approximates a shape of said riser;
- and
- machining said billet to a final configuration of said riser;
- wherein said thermoplastic polymer is fiber-reinforced and distortable by heat;
- and
- wherein at least a portion of said fibers are long enough to extend from one end of said riser to the other.
A method for producing a riser for an archery bow, said method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a heat distortable fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer into one end of a mold using an injection system that facilitates an alignment of said fibers in said mold;
- molding said thermoplastic polymer to form a pre-formed billet;
- causing at least a portion of said fibers to extend substantially from one end of said pre-formed billet to an opposing end of said pre-formed billet, at least a portion of said fibers being long enough to extend from one end of said pre-formed billet to the opposing end;
- forging said pre-formed billet into a shape that approximates a peripheral shape of said riser;
- machining said riser to form a feature of said riser;
- and
- over-molding a feature onto said riser.
A method for producing a riser for an archery bow, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a composite material comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a plurality of reinforcing fibers located therein, said thermoplastic polymer being distortable by heat;
- extruding said composite material into sheets that approximate the peripheral shape of said riser;
- assembling at least two of said sheets interfacially to form a billet;
- incorporating a reinforcing structure between said at least two of said sheets;
- forging said billet into a shape that approximates a shape of said riser;
- and
- machining said billet to a final configuration of said riser;
- wherein said polymer forms a matrix of said composite material and wherein said plurality of reinforcing fibers are substantially aligned in said matrix and wherein at least a portion of said fibers are long enough to extend from one end of said riser to the other.
A method for producing a riser for an archery bow, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a composite material comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a plurality of reinforcing fibers located therein, said thermoplastic polymer being distortable by heat;
- extruding said composite material into sheets that approximate the peripheral shape of said riser;
- assembling at least two of said sheets interfacially to form a billet;
- stamping said billet into a shape that approximates a shape of said riser;
- and
- machining said billet to a final configuration of said riser;
- wherein said polymer forms a matrix of said composite material and wherein said plurality of reinforcing fibers are substantially aligned in said matrix and wherein at least a portion of said fibers are long enough to extend from one end of said riser to the other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.