COMPOUND BOW CAM ARRANGEMENT WITH BALANCING YOKE

Abstract

In certain arrangements, a balancing yoke is used in a hybrid cam arrangement of an archery bow, in which two cables are paid out from respective tracks or taken up in respective tracks on a cam when the bow is drawn. Aspects of the present disclosure incorporate a balancing yoke which has two leg portions which are symmetrically paid out or taken up in tracks on opposite sides of the cam's central rotational plane and wherein the force applied by a cable is divided and applied by the yoke legs to the cam on opposite sides of the cam's central rotational plane.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 62/106,428 filed on Jan. 22, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to archery bows and more particularly pertains to a cam and cable arrangement with balancing yokes for use with and mounted to archery bows.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An archery bow stores energy when an archer draws the bowstring. When the bowstring is released, the stored energy propels the arrow. A bow typically has a central riser portion, with upper and lower limbs extending to limb tips. In compound bow arrangements, rotatable elements, often called wheels or cams, are respectively mounted at the upper and lower limb tips. The cable arrangements of the compound bows are arranged between the opposing limb tips and the cams.

The cable arrangements store energy from the bent limbs in an undrawn position and store further energy as the bow is drawn. When the cables are engaging one of the cams under tension, each cable is applying a force to the cams. Any cable force or the net force from a combination of cables applied to a cam which is offset from the ideal central rotational plane of the cam can result in a twisting or torqueing force applied to the cam. This may cause the cam to undesirably lean to one side and/or to change in the amount and/or direction of lean as the cam rotates during use of the bow. Undesired lean of the cam can make accurate use of the bow more difficult and can contribute to wear and tear on the bow and components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of an archery bow in an undrawn position incorporating an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of the lower cam and cables from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an alternate perspective side view of the lower cam and cables from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the bow, lower cam and cables from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a prior art arrangement of a lower cam and cables.

FIG. 6 is a perspective side view of an alternate embodiment of the lower cam and cables usable with the bow shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of an alternate embodiment of an archery bow in an undrawn position incorporating an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a perspective side view of the lower cam and cables from the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an alternate perspective side view of the lower cam and cables from the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the bow, lower cam and cables from the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a perspective side view of an alternate embodiment of an archery bow in an undrawn position incorporating an embodiment of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Archery bows according to certain embodiments described herein include a cam arrangement with a lower balancing yoke. In a hybrid cam arrangement two cables are paid out from respective tracks on a cam when the bow is drawn. Typically this is the lower cam. In certain embodiments, the cable arrangement includes a control cable which is paid out from the cam in conjunction with the bowstring being fed out. Aspects of the present disclosure incorporate a control cable with a balancing yoke which has two leg portions which are symmetrically paid out from tracks on opposite sides of the cam's central rotational plane and wherein the force applied by the control cable is divided and applied by the yoke legs to the cam on opposite sides of the cam's central rotational plane.

Archery bows according to certain alternate embodiments described herein include a cam arrangement with a lower balancing yoke. In certain cam arrangements a buss cable is taken up on a track on a cam when the bow is drawn. Typically this is the lower cam. Aspects of the present disclosure incorporate a buss cable with a balancing yoke which has two leg portions which are symmetrically taken up in tracks on opposite sides of the cam's central rotational plane when the bow is drawn, wherein the force applied by the buss cable is divided and applied by the yoke legs to the cam on opposite sides of the cam's central rotational plane.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be readily appreciated as the same become better understood by references to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended, such alterations, modifications, and further applications of the principles being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Embodiments disclosed herein include a compound archery bow with a cam and cable arrangement, most commonly using a hybrid cam and cable arrangement. In certain embodiments, the cable arrangement includes a control cable which is paid out from the cam in conjunction with the bowstring being fed out from a bowstring track. Aspects of the present disclosure incorporate a control cable with a balancing yoke which has leg portions which are paid out symmetrically from tracks on opposite sides of the cam's central rotational plane and wherein the force applied by the control cable is correspondingly divided and applied by the legs to the cam on opposite sides of the cam's central rotational plane.

Alternate aspects of the present disclosure include a buss cable with a balancing yoke with two leg portions which are symmetrically taken up in tracks on opposing sides of the cam when the bow is drawn. The force applied by the buss cable is correspondingly divided and applied by the legs on opposite sides of the cam's central plane.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a compound bow generally designated 10. Bow 10 is described for illustration and context and is not intended to be limiting. When viewed from the perspective of an archer holding the bow, it includes a riser 11 with a handle, an upper limb portion 12, and a lower limb portion 14 forming a bow body. In the example illustrated, rotational members such as upper cam 25 and lower cam 110 are supported at the respective limb tip sections for rotary movement about respective axles. In the embodiment shown, upper and lower limbs are formed of parallel and symmetric limb portions sometimes called quad limbs. Alternately, a single piece limb can have a notch or slot area removed to allow a rotational element to be mounted to the limb tip. An upper cam axle is carried between the outer limb tip portions of upper limb 12. A lower cam axle is carried between the outer limb tip portions of lower limb 14.

From the perspective of the archer, the bowstring is considered rearward relative to the riser which defines forward. Directional references herein are for ease of explanation and are not intended to be limiting. Similarly, a bow riser held with the left hand is illustrated, but is not intended to be limiting. A symmetric arrangement can be used with a bow having a right-handed riser.

The portion of the cable which defines the bowstring 40 is fed out from cams 25 and 110 when the bow is drawn. In the illustrated hybrid cam and cable arrangement, a control cable 30 is fed out from a track on lower cam 110 and taken up by a track on upper cam 25 when the bow is drawn. A buss cable 20 is connected at an upper end to or adjacent the axle of upper cam 25 and extends to a lower portion which is taken up by a track in lower cam 110 when the bow is drawn. Optionally, buss cable 20 can be anchored to the upper axle with a y-yoke cable.

When the bowstring 40 is drawn, it causes cams 25 and 110 at each end of the bow to rotate, feeding out cable and bending limb portions 12 and 14 inward, causing energy to be stored therein. When the bowstring 40 is released with an arrow engaged to the bowstring, the limb portions 12 and 14 return to their rest position, causing cams 25 and 100 to rotate in the opposite direction, to take up the bowstring 40 and launch the arrow with an amount of energy proportional to the energy initially stored in the limbs. The rotation of the cams and the respective action of paying out or taking up each cable portion is reversed when the archery bow is shot and an arrow is released.

For convenience, the combination of riser 11 and either single or quad limbs forming upper limb 12 and lower limb 14 may generally be referred to as a bow body. It should be appreciated that a bow body can take on various designs in accordance with the many different types of bows.

FIGS. 2-4 illustrate close-up perspective views of lower cam 110 interacting with the cable arrangement. The bow limbs are omitted in FIGS. 2-3 for ease of illustration. Cam 110 includes a cam body 112. Cam body 112 is freely rotatable around or with axle 113. As shown in FIG. 4, axle 113 has opposing ends which are secured through opposing sides of the tip of limb 14. Cam body 112 may define cut-out portions which reduce the mass of the cam. Cam 110 rotates in direction D when the bow is drawn.

A lower portion of bowstring 40 is received in a bowstring track 144, typically defined around the largest circumference of cam body 112. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, an end of bowstring 40 is secured to anchor 147. A lower portion of buss cable 20 is received in a buss track 124 defined on cam body 112. Buss track 124 is defined on a track section offset yet in a plane parallel to bowstring track 144. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, an end of buss cable 20 is secured to anchor 127. In certain optional embodiments the draw characteristics of the bow can be modified using modules mounted on the cam body to adjust the tracks and/or by adjusting the placement of the anchors.

In the present embodiment, control cable 30 extends downward to a yoke arrangement which begins above cam 110. Control cable 30 extends to a junction or splitter member 32, for example shown as a ring with a peripheral groove or track. Two legs 34 and 36 extend from junction member 32 to opposing yoke tracks 134 and 136. As seen from a rear view in FIG. 4, yoke tracks 134 and 136 are arranged on cam 110 on opposing sides and to the outside of bowstring track 144 and buss track 124. Yoke tracks 134 and 136 are arranged to encircle axle 113. Preferably yoke tracks 134 and 136 are symmetric. The yoke tracks may be circular and centered on axle 113 or eccentrically arranged around axle 113. End portions of legs 34 and 36 may extend to anchors 135 and 137 and may be secured at the ends of the yoke cable. Yoke tracks 134 and 136 may be formed integrally with cam body 112. Alternately, yoke tracks 134 and 136 may be separate components mounted to cam body 112 or track portions otherwise secured in a locked rotational arrangement with cam body 110.

Cam 110 defines a rotational plane P-P. Ideally, the cam is mounted to axle 113 and bow 10 so that the rotational plane of cam 110 is parallel to, and preferably overlaps with the longitudinal axis of bowstring 40. Cam 110 also defines a rotational axis A-A which is ideally perpendicular to the bowstring axis and which is preferably aligned with the rotational axis of axle 113.

A prior art version of a hybrid cam and cable arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 5. Similar to the present embodiment, the prior art cam arrangement includes a bowstring extending into a bowstring track and a buss cable extending into an offset buss cable track. The bowstring is let out and the buss cable is taken up when bow is drawn. Differently from the present embodiments, the prior art arrangement has a control cable extending into a single control cable track. The single control cable track is offset from the bowstring track opposite the buss cable track. The single control cable is let out from the control cable track when the bow is drawn.

Each of the cables in the prior art arrangement is under tension, applying an upward and rotational force to the cam, which bears against axle 113 (not shown in FIG. 5). As measured from a central point, each of the cables applies an upward force which is a combination of the magnitude of the force applied over a lever arm distance measured from the respective cable track and the track radius to the center point. Complicating the arrangement, the magnitude of the forces in the cables changes at different rates during the bow's draw and release cycle. The sum of the forces applied by all of the cables at a given point in the cycle is the net applied force. The net force applied to the cam body, operating against the retaining force of the axle, affects the rotational plane of the cam. In many prior art arrangements, the net applied force is unbalanced and applies a torque or leaning force to the cam, causing the cam to rotate while in a leaning orientation and/or to rotate with a changing lean, causing rotational axis A-A of the cam to in effect precess around the ideal rotational axis. When the cam leans, it can interfere with the ideal operation of the cam and the archer's shot. It can also cause undesired wear and tear on the cam, cables and bow.

Embodiments of the present disclosure illustrate a yoke arrangement in the control cable to balance and minimize the offset force applied to the cam by the control cable. In further embodiments, the yoke arrangement can be adjusted or controlled to minimize the lean caused by the net forces applied by all of the cables.

For example, control cable 30 extends to and connects at a lower end to a junction, such as formed by splitter member 32. The lateral separation of the yoke legs by splitter member may approximate the lateral distance between the yoke tracks, for example corresponding to the diameter or lateral width of a ring shaped splitter member. Legs 34 and 36, formed by a single yoke cable or separate yoke cable portions, extend to tracks 134 and 136 on opposing sides of the cam body 112. Tracks 134 and 136 are on the exterior of bowstring track 144 and buss track 124, yet are preferably arranged closely adjacent the center of cam 110 to minimize the lever arm distances between a center point and cables 34 and 36. Control cable 30 applies a force to junction 32. In turn, that force is divided and communicated through legs 34 and 36 to cam 110. The offset of yoke tracks 134 and 136 in opposite directions from the bowstring track 140 preferably means that the offset yoke forces all or substantially cancel out, resulting in a net control cable force axis aligned with or closely adjacent the central rotational plane P-P of cam 110.

In certain embodiments, the force applied by control cable 30 is divided equally between legs 34 and 36. For example legs 34 and 36 may have the same length.

Alternately, the force may be divided unequally to vary the force distribution between the legs, for example to use the force of the control cable to balance out the net applied force including the bowstring and the buss cable. For example, legs 34 and 36 may each be of different fixed lengths and/or mounted at different lever arm distances from the center point.

A fixed length of each leg can be controlled by the absolute fixed length between two ends, such as with one end attached to each of cam 110 and junction 32. Optionally the legs can have a relative length less than the absolute length, which can be formed, for example, by clamping or twisting a leg portion to effectively reduce the leg length.

Still alternately, the yoke cable may be in a floating arrangement with splitter 32, for example allowing a middle portion of the yoke cable to adjustably slide on a pulley or within a pulley-like track on splitter 32. The floating arrangement may allow the yoke cable to self-adjust the length of legs 34 and 36 between the position of control cable 30 and each of anchors 135 and 137 to a point balanced between the forces transmitted through legs 34 and 36. The self-adjustment may be partial if the yoke cable slides to balance the applied forces during set-up or while the bow is sitting in an undrawn state but the yoke cable is inhibited, actively or by friction, from self-adjusting during operation of the bow. Alternately, the self-adjustment may be dynamic if the yoke cable can freely slide or rotate with a pulley or in a pulley-like track in response to changing magnitudes of force on the respective legs as the bow is drawn and released.

Preferably, the yoke arrangement minimizes the offset forces applied to cam 110 and correspondingly minimizes any lean in the rotational plane of the cam. Ideally, the rotational plane of the cam has no lean and is parallel and/or overlaps with the bowstring axis.

An alternate embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6 the bow, cam, bowstring and buss cable arrangement are the same or similar to the bow illustrated in FIG. 1. In the alternate embodiment of FIG. 6, a control cable 230 extends splitter 232. Yoke legs 234 and 236 extend to tracks on cam 110. Splitter 232 is a hemispherical piece with a peripheral groove, to which a lower portion of control cable 230 connects. Splitter 232 divides and separates yoke legs 234 and 236. The yoke legs 234 and 236 may be of fixed lengths splitting from an end of control cable 230, or the yoke legs may be adjustable relative to the control cable.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of an alternate embodiment of a compound bow generally designated 310. Bow 310 is described for illustration and context and is not intended to be limiting. Similar to bow 10, when viewed from the perspective of an archer holding the bow, it includes a riser 311 with a handle, an upper limb portion 312, and a lower limb portion 314 forming a bow body. In the embodiment shown, upper and lower limbs are formed of parallel and symmetric limb portions sometimes called quad limbs. Alternately, a single piece limb can have a notch or slot area removed to allow a rotational element to be mounted to the limb tip. For convenience, the combination of riser 311 and either single or quad limbs forming upper limb 312 and lower limb 314 may generally be referred to as a bow body. It should be appreciated that a bow body can take on various designs in accordance with the many different types of bows.

In the example illustrated, rotational members such as upper cam 325 and lower cam 410 are supported at the respective limb tip sections for rotary movement about respective axles. An upper cam axle is carried between the outer limb tip portions of upper limb 312. A lower cam axle is carried between the outer limb tip portions of lower limb 314. Optional bow accessories such as cable guard and upper and lower bowstring dampeners are illustrated in FIG. 7, but are not shown in other figures for ease of illustration.

The portion of the cable which defines the bowstring 340 extends directly between the upper and lower cams and is fed out from cams 325 and 410 when the bow is drawn. In the illustrated arrangement, a control cable 330 is fed out from a track on lower cam 410 and taken up by a track on upper cam 325 when the bow is drawn. A buss cable 320 is connected at an upper end to or adjacent the axle of upper cam 325 and extends to a lower portion which is taken up by lower cam 410 when the bow is drawn. Optionally, buss cable 320 can be anchored to the upper axle with a y-yoke cable.

FIGS. 8-9 illustrate close-up perspective views of lower cam 410 interacting with the cable arrangement. The bow limbs are omitted in FIGS. 8-9 for ease of illustration. Cam 410 includes a cam body 412. Cam body 412 is freely rotatable around or with axle 413. As shown in FIG. 10, axle 113 has opposing ends which are secured through opposing sides of the tip of limb 314. Cam body 412 may define cut-out portions which reduce the mass of the cam. Cam 410 rotates in direction D when the bow is drawn.

A lower portion of bowstring 340 is received in a bowstring track 444, typically defined around the largest circumference of cam body 312. A lower portion of control cable 330 is received in a control track 334 defined on cam body 412. Control track 334 is defined on a track section offset yet in a plane parallel to bowstring track 344. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, an end of control cable 330 is secured to anchor 335.

In the present embodiment, buss cable 320 extends downward to a yoke arrangement which begins above cam 410. This yoke arrangement can be instead of or in addition to a control cable yoke arrangement. Control cable 40 extends to a junction or splitter member 322, for example shown as a ring with a peripheral groove or track. Two legs 324 and 326 extend from junction member 322 to opposing yoke tracks 424 and 426. As seen from a rear view in FIG. 10, yoke tracks 424 and 426 are arranged on cam 410 on opposing sides and to the outside of bowstring track 444. End portions of legs 324 and 326 may be secured to anchors 427.

Preferably yoke tracks 424 and 426 are symmetric. Alternately, the yoke tracks may be eccentrically arranged. In certain optional embodiments the draw characteristics of the bow can be modified by adjusting the placement of the anchors or by using a pair of modules 450 mountable on opposing sides of the cam body to adjust the yoke tracks. Optionally, the modules may be changeable to adjust the bow as desired.

Cam 410 defines a rotational plane P-P. Ideally, the cam is mounted to axle 413 and bow 310 so that the rotational plane of cam 410 is parallel to, and preferably overlaps with the longitudinal axis of bowstring 340. Cam 410 also defines a rotational axis A-A which is ideally perpendicular to the bowstring axis and which is preferably aligned with the rotational axis of axle 413.

Differently from the present embodiments, the prior art arrangement has a buss cable extending into a single buss cable track. The single buss cable track is offset from the bowstring track. The single buss cable is taken up on the cam when the bow is drawn.

Embodiments of the present disclosure illustrate a yoke arrangement in the buss cable to balance and minimize the offset force applied to the cam by the control cable. In further embodiments, the yoke arrangement can be adjusted or controlled to minimize the lean caused by the net forces applied by all of the cables.

For example, buss cable 320 extends to and connects at a lower end to a junction, such as formed by splitter member 322. Legs 324 and 326, formed by a single yoke cable or separate yoke cable portions, extend to tracks 424 and 426 on opposing sides of the cam body 412. In certain embodiments, the diameter or width of splitter member 322 separates the legs by a lateral distance corresponding to the lateral offset distance between yoke tracks 424 and 426. Tracks 424 and 426 are on the exterior of bowstring track 444, yet are preferably arranged closely adjacent the center of cam 410 to minimize the lever arm distances between a center point and cables 324 and 326. Buss cable 320 applies a force to junction 322. In turn, that force is divided and communicated through legs 324 and 326 to cam 410. The offset of yoke tracks 424 and 426 preferably means that the offset yoke forces all or substantially cancel out, resulting in a net buss cable force axis aligned with or closely adjacent the central rotational plane P-P of cam 410.

In certain embodiments, the force applied by buss cable 320 is divided equally between legs 324 and 326. For example legs 324 and 326 may have the same length. Alternately, the force may be divided unequally to vary the force distribution between the legs, for example to use the force of the buss cable to balance out the net applied force including the bowstring and the control cable. For example, legs 324 and 326 may each be of different fixed lengths and/or mounted at different lever arm distances from the center point.

A fixed length of each leg can be controlled by the absolute fixed length between two ends, such as with one end attached to each of cam 410 and junction 322. Optionally the legs can have a relative length less than the absolute length, which can be formed, for example, by clamping or twisting a leg portion to effectively reduce the leg length.

Still alternately, the yoke cable may be in a floating arrangement with splitter 322, for example allowing a middle portion of the yoke cable to adjustably slide on a pulley or within a pulley-like track on splitter 322. The floating arrangement may allow the yoke cable to self-adjust the length of legs 324 and 326 between the position of control cable 320 and each of anchors 427 to a point balanced between the forces transmitted through legs 324 and 326. The self-adjustment may be partial if the yoke cable slides to balance the applied forces during set-up or while the bow is sitting in an undrawn state but the yoke cable is inhibited, actively or by friction, from self-adjusting during operation of the bow. Alternately, the self-adjustment may be dynamic if the yoke cable can freely slide or rotate with a pulley or in a pulley-like track in response to changing magnitudes of force on the respective legs as the bow is drawn and released.

Preferably, the yoke arrangement minimizes the offset forces applied to cam 410 and correspondingly minimizes any lean in the rotational plane of the cam. Ideally, the rotational plane of the cam has no lean and is parallel and/or overlaps with the bowstring axis.

In certain embodiments, yoke arrangements on the control cable and on the buss cable can be used on the same bow and optionally on one or both of the upper and/or lower ends of the respective buss and control cables. For example, the control cable may have a yoke arrangement engaging the lower cam which is fed out as the bow is drawn, as shown in FIGS. 1-4. The control cable may also have a yoke arrangement engaging the upper cam which is taken up as the bow is drawn, comparable to the buss cable yoke shown in Figs. as shown in FIGS. 7-10. These options may be used together or separately with options where the buss cable has a yoke arrangement engaging the upper cam and/or a yoke arrangement engaging the lower cam as illustrated in FIGS. 7-10.

FIG. 11 illustrates a representative example of an embodiment of a compound bow generally designated 510. Bow 510 includes a yoke arrangement on each of the control and buss cables. Similar to bow 10, when viewed from the perspective of an archer holding the bow, it includes a riser with a handle, an upper limb portion, and a lower limb portion forming a bow body. Rotational members such as upper cam 522 and lower cam 512 are supported at the respective limb tip sections for rotary movement about respective axles.

The portion of the cable which defines the bowstring 540 extends directly between the upper and lower cams and is fed out from cams 512 and 522 when the bow is drawn. In the illustrated arrangement, a control cable 530 is fed out from a track on lower cam 512 and extends to a yoke arrangement 525. Yoke arrangement 525 includes two leg portions which engage upper cam 522 to be taken up on cam 522 as the bow is drawn. Yoke arrangement 525 operates on the upper end of the control cable and with take-up tracks on upper cam 522 in a manner symmetric to the buss cable yoke arrangement shown in FIGS. 7-10 and the accompanying description.

A buss cable 520 is connected at an upper end to or adjacent the axle of upper cam 522 and extends to a yoke arrangement 515 which is taken up by lower cam 512 when the bow is drawn. Yoke arrangement 515 and lower cam 512 operate in the same manner as shown in FIGS. 7-10 and the accompanying description. Optionally, buss cable 520 can be anchored to the upper axle with a y-yoke cable.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come with the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

Claims

1. An archery bow, comprising:

a riser with a handle;

upper and lower limb portions extending from the riser to limb tip sections;

first and second cams supported at the limb tip sections;

a bowstring extending directly between the cams and extending into a bowstring track on said second cam;

a control cable anchored at one end to said first cam;

a buss cable anchored at one end adjacent said first cam;

wherein at least one of said control cable and said buss cable extends to a junction, wherein two yoke legs extend from said junction to a pair of yoke tracks defined on said second cam; wherein said yoke tracks are offset from said bowstring track on opposing sides of said bowstring track.

2. The archery bow of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said control cable and said buss cable extending to a junction is said control cable.

3. The archery bow of claim 2, wherein said yoke legs are let out from said yoke tracks when said bow is drawn.

4. The archery bow of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said control cable and said buss cable extending to a junction is said buss cable.

5. The archery bow of claim 4, wherein said yoke legs are drawn into said yoke tracks when said bow is drawn.

6. The archery bow of claim 5, comprising a pair of modules mounted on opposing sides of said second cam and forming portions of said yoke tracks, wherein said modules control how said yoke legs are drawn into said yoke tracks when said bow is drawn.

7. The archery bow of claim 1, wherein said junction comprises a splitter member.

8. The archery bow of claim 7, wherein said splitter member separates the yoke legs by a distance which equals the distance between said yoke tracks.

9. The archery bow of claim 1, wherein said yoke legs are formed by a single yoke cable extending through said junction.

10. The archery bow of claim 1, wherein said yoke legs are formed by a pair of yoke cables extending from said junction.

11. The archery bow of claim 1, wherein the forces of said yoke legs applied on opposite sides of said bowstring track are substantially equal, resulting in a net force axis applied by said yoke legs substantially aligned with said bowstring track.

12. The archery bow of claim 1, wherein the forces of said yoke legs applied on opposite sides of said bowstring track are unequal.

13. The archery bow of claim 1, wherein said yoke tracks are arranged at different offset distances relative to said bowstring track.

14. A cable arrangement for an archery bow having a riser with first and second limb portions, comprising:

a cable extending from adjacent the first limb portion;

said cable extending to a junction adjacent said second limb portion;

two yoke legs extending from said junction to a pair of yoke tracks defined on a cam on said second limb portion, wherein said yoke tracks are arranged on opposing sides of a bowstring track on said cam.

15. The cable arrangement of claim 14, wherein said cable extends from a cam on the first limb portion.

16. The cable arrangement of claim 14, wherein said cable extends from an axle of the cam on the first limb portion.

17. The cable arrangement of claim 14, comprising a splitter member which separates the yoke legs by a distance which equals the distance between said yoke tracks.

18. A cam for an archery bow having a riser with first and second limb portions and a bowstring extending between said limbs, comprising:

a cam body;

said cam body defining a bowstring track;

said cam body defining a pair of parallel yoke tracks offset on opposing sides of said bowstring track.

19. The cam of claim 18, wherein said pair of parallel yoke tracks are arranged to take up a pair of yoke legs when said bow is drawn.

20. The cam of claim 18, wherein said pair of parallel yoke tracks are arranged to let out a pair of yoke legs when said bow is drawn.