BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to archery and more specifically to a shooting bow with a unique cable arrangement, which allows a portion of first and/or second cables to be slidably engaged to a first and second pulley, and the ends of each cable are anchored to the same cam. This arrangement enables the device to have self-timing. The present invention may alternately use components other than flexible limbs for storing energy prior to launching the projectile.

Discussion of the Prior Art

Historically, archery bows and crossbows have been used for war, survival, sport, and recreation. A specific component of a compound style shooting bow are the cables. Typically, each cable includes a power end and a control end. The manner in which the cables interact with the cams and limbs of the bow is of particular importance. Typically, the power end of the cable is coupled to the cam on one limb, and the control end of the cable is often coupled to the opposite limb or opposite cam. A very good way to accomplish efficiency is through a binary cam system, wherein the cables are connected to opposing cams, and as one of the cams wraps the cable on the power track, the opposite cam pays out cable from the control track. While all of these methods work to some extent, all have significant issues with performance related to cam lean, and/or assembly and cost. Due to the crossing of cables and the need to keep the cables from interfering with the flight of the arrow, the cables often are off-angle, which in turn creates twisting and torque in a cam axle, thus creating cam lean.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,288 to Ricord discloses a cam lever compound bow, where a bow utilizes single string wrapping pulleys journaled to the ends of the bow limbs, and the ends of the string are coupled to a cam device mounted upon the bow riser. Although, this method does remove the problem of the cables being in the way, it is very inefficient, and timing issues from one limb to the other is a factor. U.S. Pat. No. 7,637,256 to Lee discloses a compound bow, which provides a shooting bow that removes the issue of cables interfering with the flight of the arrow. However, the inefficient use of tensioning devices severely limits the potential of this device. U.S. Pat. No. 8,651,095 to Islas discloses a bowstring cam arrangement for compound crossbow, which provides a method of removing the cables from the path of the string. U.S. Pat. No. 9,494,379 to Yehle discloses a crossbow, where Yehle relies on four cables. Issues are created by having separate cables above and below the string track on each cam. If the cables are not of exact length, or if the upper cable stretches more than the lower cable, or visa-versa, the cables must be adjusted by the user to stay in time with each other. Timing of the cables can be a time consuming and a very difficult process. U.S. Pat. No. 9,759,509 to Kempf teaches a cable configuration wherein the cables are anchored to the cams, which allows for self-timing. More recently, Hoyt introduced a cable configuration wherein the ends of the cable are anchored to the cam, and a central portion of the cable passes through a sleeve. This system is beneficial, however still lacks the smooth passage of the cables to self-time, further there is no provision for the cams to rotate more than about 180 degrees. The present invention deals with the manner in which the cables are coupled to the cams of the bow or crossbow.

Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art to provide a shooting bow, which allows a mid-portion of first and second cables to be slidably engaged on a first and second pulley, and the ends of the cables are coupled to the same cam, respectively, wherein the cam is allowed to rotate at least 200 degrees, up to at least 360 degrees. Historically with all prior art, cams that rotate more than 200 degrees up to about 300 degrees do not require the use of a wider cable track, as the cables are not required to stack upon themselves. The cables do not cross the centerline of the shooting bow. Additionally, the cams are allowed to rotate 360 degrees due to a wider upper and lower cable track, or alternately a divided helical cable track, which allows the cable to wrap adjacent to itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a self-timing cam and cable configuration for a projectile launching device. The present invention includes a pair of cables, wherein both ends of the same cable anchors to the same cam(s), and also reduces or eliminates cam lean. The projectile launching device with self-timing and without cam lean (projectile launch device) may be applied to either a crossbow or vertical bow. The projectile launch device preferably includes a first cam, a second cam, a launch string and two cables, collectively known as a harness system. This configuration allows opposing ends of a first cable to be anchored to a first cam, and opposing end of a second cable to be anchored to a second cam. Preferably, the first and second cables do not cross a centerline of the shooting bow. In a second preferred embodiment, the projectile launching device preferably includes a string latch housing, a bow riser, a rail, a first energy storing device (such as a first limb), a second energy storing device (such as a second limb), a first cam, a second cam, at least one bowstring, and two cables.

The term “limb” may refer to what are known as solid limbs, split-limbs, tube-limbs, or any other flexible energy storing component. The bow riser is enjoined with the rail. One end of the first limb extends from a first end of the bow riser and one end of the second limb extends from a second end of the bow riser. The first cam is pivotally retained on the first limb and the second cam is pivotally retained on the second limb. A first end of the launch string is retained by the first cam and a second end of the launch string is retained by the second cam. On an alternative embodiment, a first set of first and second cable posts are located on a first side of a centerline of the rail and a second set of first and second cable posts are located on a second side of the centerline of the rail. These cable posts may be used to anchor a secondary set of cables which support the cable pulleys. The first cam includes a first cam launch string track, an upper first cam cable track, located above the launch string track, and a lower first cam cable track, located below the launch string track. The second cam includes a second cam launch string track, an upper second cam cable track, located above the launch string track, and a lower second cam cable track, located below the launch string track. The first set of first and second cable posts are located above the plane of the launch string, and the second set of first and second cable posts are located below the plane of the launch string.

A first end of the first cable is coupled to the first cam first cable post; a segment of the first cable before a middle of the first cable partially engages the first cable pulley; the middle of the first cable partially wraps the first cable track; a segment of the first cable after the middle of the first cable partially engages the first cam second cable track; and a second end of the first cable is coupled to the first cable second cable post. A first end of the second cable is coupled to the second cam first cable post; a segment of the second cable before a middle of the second cable partially engages the second cam first cable track; the middle of the second cable partially wraps the second cable pulley; a segment of the second cable after the middle of the second cable partially engages the second cam second cable track; and a second end of the second cable is coupled to the second cable second cable post.

When the launch string is drawn from a rest position to a ready to fire position, the first cam rotates in a first direction and the second cam rotates in a second direction. As the first and second cams rotate, the launch string is unwound from the first and second launch string tracks. Simultaneously, the first and second cables wind into the first and second cable tracks of the first and second cams.

A unique feature of the present invention is that both ends of the first and second cables are firmly fixed to the same cam, and the middle portions “float” or slide relative to the first and second cable pulleys. The first and second cables are of one piece, and as the cable stretches, it self-centers itself about the cable pulleys. The term “pulley” is used as a general term for a component or feature engaging the cables to allow for the smooth transition of a segment of the cables from above the bowstring to below the bowstring, from a first side of the cams to a second side of the cams, wherein the component or feature (the cable retention transition) is coupled with the frame, structure, support, barrel, or riser, providing a slidable retention position for the segment of the cables. The cable retention transition preferably has a curved shape, which the cable makes contact with, but other shapes may also be used.

Another unique feature of the present invention is the ability of the cam to rotate a full 360 degrees, such that as the cams are rotating, the upper and lower cable portions wrap the cable cams.

In a preferred embodiment, the launch string may be releasably retained in the ready-to-fire position by mechanisms known as a string latch assembly or a string release.

In a first preferred alternative embodiment, the launch string may be held in the ready-to-fire position and released by the users' fingers.

In a second preferred alternative embodiment, a rail-less crossbow design may be used.

In a third preferred alternative embodiment, the same harness system configuration may be used on projectile launching devices utilizing energy storing components other than flexible limbs. These other types of energy storing components include spring(s), hydraulics, or pressurized cylinder(s).

For clarity, the word coupled is being defined as a way to connect an object, such as a bowstring or cable, with another object, be it directly or indirectly, such as directly to a post or pulley, or indirectly as in from the end of a string or cable, to an intermediate object, and then to a limb or axle.

Though the term “pulley” has been used through out the application, “pulley” references the component used to slidably retain and transition the cables from a first side of the bowstring track to a second side of the bowstring track, any component fulfilling the same function may be utilized and may or may not be known as a pulley in the traditional sense, and may or may not function as a rotate-able pulley, as rotation of the component is not a prerequisite to retention and transition of said the cables.

The term “rail” is used as a general term describing an elongated component that directly or indirectly supports the front of an arrow. “Rail-less” crossbows still have an elongated component that is coupled with a riser or other structure, wherein the elongated component directly or indirectly supports the front of an arrow.

The term “slidably” as used in the application as to reference how a segment of the cables engage the cable “pulleys”, in that the mid-segment of the cable is retained by, and not fixed to, the “pulley”. The first and second ends of the cables are anchored in a fixed position relative to each other, preventing the mid-segment of the cables from actually moving back and forth, or sliding.

Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a projectile launching device with no cam lean, having a first cam, a second cam, a launch string and at least two cables, collectively known as a harness system, where both ends of the same cable are rigidly attached to the same cam, and the mid-portion of each cable at least partially wraps a cable pulley.

Further, there is a clearly felt need in the art to provide a shooting bow, which allows a mid-portion of first and second cables to be slidably engaged on a first and second pulley, and the ends of the cables are coupled to the same cam, respectively, wherein the cam is allowed to rotate at least 200 degrees up to about 300 degrees, and up to at least 360 degrees. Historically with all prior art, cams that rotate more than 200 degrees up to about 300 degrees do not require the use of a wider cable track, as the cables are not required to stack upon themselves. The cables do not cross the centerline of the shooting bow.

Finally, the cams may be allowed to rotate up to 360 degrees due to a wider upper and lower cable track, or alternately a divided helical cable track, which allows the cable to wrap adjacent to itself.

These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.

