Abstract:
A weight for an archery bowstring comprises a tubular shape defining an internal cavity. The weight can comprise a single piece of material. The weight desirably frictionally engages a bowstring and has the same shape before and after installation. The weight comprises a continuous structure surrounding the bowstring that will not become detached.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This Application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/481,374, filed Sep. 9, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,587,902, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/845,427, filed Jul. 28, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,826,896, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 29/355,275, filed Feb. 4, 2010, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a bow, such as a compound bow, having weights on the bowstring to enhance the bow&#39;s performance. It is known in the art that placing some weight at proper positions on the bowstring can enhance the performance of the bows. Previously, multiple metal weights have been individually clamped or crimped onto the bowstring. Prior methods of placement can be imprecise, and in some cases, individual weights can migrate or even become disengaged from the bowstring, for example as the bow is fired. 
         [0003]    There remains a need for bowstring weights that are functional, aesthetic and safer than previous designs. 
         [0004]    All US patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
         [0005]    Without limiting the scope of the invention, a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below. 
         [0006]    A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is also provided for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. §1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An archery bow comprises at least a riser portion, a first limb connected at a first end of the riser portion, a second limb connected at a second end of the riser portion, and a bowstring extending between the first limb and the second limb. The bowstring has a first end and a second end. At least one bowstring weight has a center of mass attached to the bowstring at a location that is less than ⅓ of the distance between the first end and the second end when the bow is in an undrawn state. 
         [0008]    In at least one embodiment, the bowstring weight has an internal bore, and the bowstring passes through the internal bore. In at least one embodiment, the bowstring weight is attached to the bowstring by an adhesive. 
         [0009]    In at least one embodiment, the bowstring weight comprises a polymer material. In at least one embodiment, the bowstring weight consists of a polymer material. 
         [0010]    The weight preferably comprises a continuous structure surrounding the bowstring, which will not become detached. Preferably, the weight retains the same shape and shape configuration prior to and after being installed on a bowstring. 
         [0011]    In at least one embodiment, the bowstring weight has a plurality of shapes selected from a group consisting of cubes, rectangular prisms, cylinders and spheres. 
         [0012]    In at least one embodiment, the bowstring weight has a wave-like profile, wherein the wave-like profile is comprised of a plurality of alternating first sections and second sections, wherein the first section and the section are of distinguishable shapes. 
         [0013]    In at least one embodiment, the bow further comprises a bowstring bulge, wherein the bowstring weight engages with the bowstring bulge. 
         [0014]    In at least one embodiment, the weight comprises a cylindrical member made from a polymer material. The polymer material is resilient enough to have the bowstring pulled through the internal bore, but rigid enough to provide resistance to bending along the length of the bowstring weight. In at least one embodiment, the cylindrical member has an internal bore through the axis of the cylindrical member and a wave-like outer profile, wherein the wave-like profile is comprised of a plurality of alternating first sections and second sections of a material. In at least one embodiment, the first section has a smooth concave shape and the second section has a substantially cylindrical shape. 
         [0015]    In at least one embodiment, the weight is injection molded. 
         [0016]    In at least one embodiment, the weight has a total weight between about 0.1 grams and 10 grams. In at least one embodiment, the bowstring weight has a total weight between about 0.5 grams and 5 grams. In at least one embodiment, the weight has a total weight between about 2 grams and 4 grams. In at least one embodiment, the weight has a total weight of about 3 grams. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the invention installed on a compound bow. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a partial view of the bowstring of  FIG. 1  showing an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional of the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein specific preferred embodiments of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated. 
         [0023]    For the purposes of this disclosure, like reference numerals in the figures shall refer to like features unless otherwise indicated. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a compound bow  10  such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,368,006 and 6,443,139, both incorporated herein by reference. Although the present invention can be used with any suitable type of archery bow (including, but not limited to, single-cam bows, CPS bows and/or cam-and-a-half bows, dual-cam bows and/or twin-cam bows, crossbows, etc.), a bow  10  is shown in  FIG. 1  as a single-cam compound bow. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the bow  10  generally comprises a riser  12 , a first limb  14 , a second limb  16 , rotatable members  18  and  20 , a cam assembly  22 , a first cable  24 , and a second cable  28 . The inner ends of limbs  14 ,  16  are connected at opposite ends of the riser  12 . Rotatable member  18  is rotatably supported on an axle  30  near the outer end of first limb  14 , and rotatable member  20  is rotatably supported on an axle  31  near the outer end of second limb  16 . Each rotatable member can comprise a cam, a pulley or any other suitable rotatable member. In the embodiment shown, rotatable member  20  comprises a cam assembly  22 . 
         [0026]    The first cable  24  has a first section  25  (typically referred to as “the bowstring”) and a second section  26  (typically referred to as “the control cable” in a one-cam bow). The first cable  24  extends from rotatable member  20 , is trained around rotatable member  18  and extends back to terminate on the rotatable member  20 . In particular, bowstring  25  can be considered the portion of the first cable  24  that an archer grasps and draws, which extends between the first and second rotatable members  20 ,  22 . The control cable  26  portion extends between the first and second rotatable members but is not grasped by an archer. The second cable  28  (typically referred to as “the power cable”) is anchored at one end to an outer portion of the first limb  14 , for example being attached to the limb  14  itself, the axle  30 , or in some embodiments, a portion of the rotatable member  20 , for example as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/248,467, filed Oct. 9, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The second cable  28  is anchored at the other end to the cam assembly  22 . When the archer draws the bowstring  25  back, the rotatable member of cam assembly  22  rotates and bowstring  25  is fed out from rotatable member  20 . The control cable  26  is fed out from a rotatable member  18 ,  20  to give the bowstring  25  more cable length as the archer approaches full draw. As the bowstring  25  is fed out from the rotatable member(s)  18 ,  20 , the power cable  28  is taken up in the cam assembly  22 . The increased tension in the first cable  24  and the second cable  28  during draw shortens the distance between the rotatable members  18 ,  20 , causing flexure of limbs  14 ,  16 . Thus, energy is stored in the limbs of the bow, and when the bowstring is released, this stored energy is transferred to an arrow to accelerate it forward. While the above disclosure describes a single-cam compound bow, various other configurations such as CPS bows and/or cam-and-a-half bows, dual-cam bows and/or twin-cam bows, crossbows, and the like may be used. 
         [0027]    As described above, the bowstring  25 , which is a portion of the first cable  24 , extends between the first and second rotatable members  18 ,  20 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , bowstring  25  has a length spanning between bowstring support points  32 ,  33 . The support points  32 ,  33  comprise the points where the bowstring  25  first contacts each of the first and second rotatable members  18 ,  20  in the undrawn state, which can also be considered the last point of the bowstring  25  that is supported by either rotatable member  18 ,  20 . 
         [0028]    At least one bowstring weight  40  is attached to the bowstring  25 . In some embodiments, such as the one shown in  FIG. 1 , two bowstring weights are used, one at each end of the bow. Each bowstring weight  40  is attached at a distance l away from the bowstring support point  32 ,  33 . Distance l is defined as the shortest distance from the center of mass of the bowstring weight  40  to the nearest bowstring support point  32 ,  33 . In some embodiments, l is less than ⅓ of the overall length L of the bowstring  25 . In a preferred embodiment, l is less than ⅕ of the overall length L of the bowstring  25 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a partial view of the bowstring  25  with a bowstring weight  40  attached to the bowstring&#39;s serving  50 , which is additional thread that is wrapped around the bowstring  25  to prevent abrasion. 
         [0030]    In some embodiments, the bowstring weight  40  comprises an internal cavity  41 , for example spanning axially through the bowstring weight  40 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . In some embodiments, the cavity  41  comprises an internal bore. The bowstring  25  is fed through the internal cavity  41 . The bowstring weight  40  thus has a single cavity that extends over the axial length of the bowstring weight. In at least one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape and size of the internal cavity  41  is constant. In some embodiments, end portions of the internal cavity  41  may flare slightly. Thus, in some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape and size of the internal cavity  41  may be constant over a majority of the length of the bowstring weight (e.g. 60%, 70%, 80%, 85%, 90% or 95% of the length or more). 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, the internal cavity  41  forms a friction fit with the serving  50  that substantially maintains the bowstring weight  40  at a specific location on the bowstring  25 . In some embodiments, the bowstring weight  40  can be sized to frictionally engage the bowstring  25  directly, and the serving  50  can be omitted. In some embodiments, a friction fit can be supplemented with a suitable adhesive, such as cyanoacrylate. In some other embodiments, any suitable attachment method can be used, such as crimping, an adhesive, a separate fastener or the like. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, the bowstring weight  40  is a molded or injection molded single piece. In some embodiments, a bowstring weight  40  consists of a single piece of material. In at least one embodiment, the bowstring weight  40  is entirely formed of a single type of material. In various embodiments, the bowstring weight  40  can comprise any suitable material(s), preferably polymers, such as rubber, neoprene, nylon, PVC, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, PVB, silicone, elastomers and/or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, this material has a desired density that correlates with a desired weight of the bowstring weight  40 . In some embodiments, the material is resilient enough to have the bowstring pulled through the internal bore  41 , but rigid enough to provide resistance to bending along the length of the bowstring weight  40 . 
         [0033]    The weight of the bowstring weight  40  may be varied by changing the length l weight  and the diameter d weight  of the bowstring weight  40 , such that the volume of material used in the bowstring weight increases or decreases. In at least one embodiment, the total weight of the bowstring weight  40  is between about 0.1 grams and 10 grams. In some embodiments, the total weight of the bowstring weight  40  is between about 2 grams and about 5 grams. In some preferred embodiments, the total weight of the bowstring weight  40  is approximately 2.6 grams. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the preferred weight of the bowstring weight  40  can change based upon the specific characteristics of the bow. 
         [0034]    The bowstring weight  40  may have any suitable shape. In some embodiments, the bowstring weight  40  is a cube, a rectangular prism, a cylinder, or a sphere. In some embodiments, the bowstring weight  40  has an outer wave-like profile  60  along the length of the bowstring weight, as shown in  FIG. 2 . This wave-like profile is created by having at least one first portion  62  and one second portion  64  alternatively arranged longitudinally along the bowstring, wherein the first portion  62  and the second portion  64  have distinguishable shapes. For example, the first portion  62  has a smooth concave shape and the second portion  64  has a substantially cylindrical shape. By using a wave-like profile, the total weight of the bowstring weight  40  can be visually determined by counting the total number of the first portion  62  and the second portion  64 , which each correspond to a given weight. 
         [0035]    The bowstring weight  40  can also be modified to achieve a desired weight. For example, a bowstring weight  40  may be provided having several segments, such as first portions  62  and second portions  64 . If less weight is needed, a user can remove various segments, for example by cutting the bowstring weight  40 . 
         [0036]    In some embodiments, the bowstring  25  can be provided with a spacer  70  to increase the size of the bowstring  25  and help provide for a friction fit between the bowstring weight  40  and the spacer  70 . In some embodiments, a spacer  70  can be used over the serving  50 . The spacer  70  can comprise any suitable material and may be of any suitable shape. In some embodiments, the bowstring spacer  70  may comprise a tubular structure made of any suitable materials, such as a polymer, metal or fabric. In some embodiments, the spacer  70  comprises an additional wrap of serving material, which can be installed over a base layer of serving  50 . 
         [0037]    In some embodiments, the bowstring spacer  70  may engage the internal cavity  41  to facilitate the bowstring weight  40  remaining in a fixed location along the bowstring  25 . 
         [0038]    In some embodiments, the shape of a bowstring weight  70  remains substantially identical prior to installation on a bowstring  25  and after installation on a bowstring  25 . 
         [0039]    The bowstring weight  40  can be used with any suitable archery bows, such as compound bows. 
         [0040]    The invention is also directed to methods of forming a bowstring weight  40  as described herein, as well as methods of making a bow comprising a bowstring weight  40  as described herein. For example, a portion of an archery bow can be provided that comprises all parts of an archery bow except for a bowstring. A bowstring can also be provided. The bowstring weight  40  can be provided and installed on the bowstring, for example by pulling the bowstring  25  through the cavity  41  of the weight  40 . The bowstring can then be installed on the bow portion. 
         [0041]    A location of the weight  40  on the bowstring can further be adjusted after the bowstring  25  is installed on the bow. 
         [0042]    The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this field of art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to.” Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims. 
         [0043]    Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent claim if such multiple dependant format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim  1  should be alternatively taken as depending from all pervious claims). In jurisdiction where multiple dependant claims formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependant claim below. 
         [0044]    This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.