BOW STABILIZER MOUNT

Abstract

A mounting assembly for mounting a bow stabilizer to an archery bow is provided. In one example, the mounting assembly includes a bow engaging feature configured to attach the mounting assembly to the archery bow, a stabilizer receiving feature configured to receive a bow stabilizer, and a linkage between the bow engaging feature and the stabilizer receiving feature. The linkage is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and provide a vertical offset, along a longitudinal axis of the bow, between the axis of rotation and the stabilizer receiving feature.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/567,494, filed Dec. 6, 2011, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure generally relates to archery bow stabilizers and more specifically, but not by limitation, to a mounting assembly for mounting a stabilizer to an archery bow.

An exemplary archery bow stabilizer comprises a device that is mounted on an archery bow to increase stability, for example by lessening movement on release of the bow string which can increase precision. Also, the bow stabilizer can reduce noise and vibration caused by release of the bow string.

The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

SUMMARY

In one exemplary embodiment, a mounting assembly for mounting a bow stabilizer to an archery bow is provided. The mounting assembly includes a bow engaging feature configured to attach the mounting assembly to the archery bow, a stabilizer receiving feature configured to receive a bow stabilizer, and a linkage between the bow engaging feature and the stabilizer receiving feature. The linkage is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and provide a vertical offset, along a longitudinal axis of the bow, between the axis of rotation and the stabilizer receiving feature.

In one exemplary embodiment, a bow stabilizer mounting apparatus is provided that includes a first portion configured to be attached to a riser of an archery bow having a longitudinal axis along the riser. The mounting apparatus includes a second portion configured to receive a bow stabilizer and allow lateral movement of the bow stabilizer with respect to the riser in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

These and various other features and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary archery bow.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate exemplary bow stabilizers.

FIG. 4 illustrates a mounting assembly for mounting a bow stabilizer to a riser of an archery bow, under one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of a mounting assembly, under one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an end view of a mounting assembly body, under one embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting assembly body illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 illustrates a mounting assembly for mounting a bow stabilizer to a riser of an archery bow, under one embodiment.

FIGS. 9-11 illustrate a mounting assembly for mounting a bow stabilizer to a riser of an archery bow, under one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary archery bow 100. Bow 100 is illustratively a compound bow having a string 102 mounted on cams or wheels 104 on the end of limbs 106. Limbs 106 are attached to a central mount portion or riser 108. Bow 100 has a longitudinal axis 109 through riser 108 that is substantially vertical when bow 100 is held in a conventional, upright shooting position. Other components such as, but not limited to, sights and quivers can also be attached to riser 108. Cams 104 act as pulleys providing mechanical advantage to the user when string 102 is pulled or drawn away from riser 108 in a direction along a draw axis represented by double arrow 111, which is substantially perpendicular to axis 109. In another example, bow 100 can be other types of archery bows, such as, but not limited to, a recurve bow or longbow.

When an arrow is released from archery bow 100, string 102 imparts forward momentum on bow 100, which can cause forward and/or rotational movement of bow 100. Release of the arrow can therefore cause vibration and/or torque, and adversely affect accuracy as well as cause discomfort and fatigue on the user. A significant portion of the vibration caused by the string momentum during release of string 102 may be oriented along the draw axis (represented by double arrow 111). In an effort to mitigate at least some of these effects, a stabilizer can be utilized.

By way of example, an archery bow stabilizer 110 is attached to a portion of riser 108 and is configured to absorb or dampen the shock and/or counteract the movement or torque created by string 102 during release of an arrow. Stabilizer 110 is illustratively mounted to riser 108 using a threaded connection (such as a screw mount) 112 that is received within a corresponding threaded hub 114 provided on riser 108. In one example, hub 114 is positioned along the riser 108 at a position such that the stabilizer is substantially in-line with or below the user's bow arm (i.e., the arm used to hold bow 100). In one example, hub 114 comprises a 5/16^th inch diameter opening having an inner threaded surface.

Archery bow stabilizer 110 can take many forms and can be selected to suit the archery application and the user's preferences. FIGS. 2 and 3 show exemplary stabilizers 200 and 210, which are provided for illustration purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the concepts provided herein.

Stabilizer 200 includes an elongated shaft 202, which is illustratively substantially cylindrical. Optionally, an additional weight 204 can be provided at an end of shaft 202. Stabilizer 210 includes a weight 212 mounted to a stabilizer shaft or body 214 using a dampening device 216. In one example, dampening device 216 comprises a dampening material such as, but not limited to, an elastomer (e.g., rubber), gel, spring, and/or sand, which serves as a dampening component. The dampening device 216 separates the body 214 of the stabilizer from the weighted front-end. Exemplary stabilizers 200 and 210 include screw mounts 218 that have the same or similar dimensions and are configured to be received by hub 114, allowing the user to select a desired stabilizer configuration. The particular length and weight of the stabilizer can be selected by the user based on their preference and the particular archery application. By way of example, shorter bow stabilizers may be preferred for hunting uses whereas longer stabilizers may be preferred for archery competitions.

It is noted that while embodiments described herein illustrate a single front-end long-rod stabilizer, other types of stabilizer configurations such as twin or limb stabilizers and reverse or counterbalance stabilizers can be utilized. In an exemplary twin or limb stabilizer configuration, two stabilizer mounts are utilized, one above the bow-hand and one below the bow-hand, such that two stabilizers are vertically positioned with respect to each other. In an exemplary reverse or counterbalance stabilizer configuration, the riser includes a mount below the user's bow-hand and the stabilizer extends or points back toward the user.

Referring again to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of bow stabilizer 110 generally provides reduced hand shock, bow noise and vibration, and can help aid the user in maintaining bow steadiness and stability when aiming and shooting. The added weight of bow stabilizer 110 projects the center of gravity of bow 100 forward and creates inertia, which can reduce the torque effect movement (i.e., sideways twisting of the bow-hand) and upward or downward inconsistences when aiming.

One effect of the stabilizer 110 inertia, however, can make it difficult for the user to quickly and precisely aim bow 100. For instance, the momentum of bow stabilizer 110 can create side-to-side movement or “wobble” as the user attempts to settle the bow sight on a target. This movement may be difficult for the user to stop, thereby increasing the amount of time it takes for the user to get “on target”.

In accordance with one embodiment, a bow stabilizer mounting assembly is provided for mounting a bow stabilizer to an archery bow that allows some movement of the bow stabilizer with respect to the bow riser. In one particular embodiment, the mounting assembly can be utilized with any desired type or configuration of stabilizer, and is configured to reduce or mitigate the side-to-side bow movement or wobble effect caused by the stabilizer inertia.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary mounting assembly 400 for mounting a stabilizer 402 to a riser 404 of an archery bow. Mounting assembly 400 allows some movement of bow stabilizer 402 with respect to riser 404 and is fixed or stable with respect to riser 404 about one or more axes. Illustratively, mounting assembly 400 allows side-to-side movement of stabilizer 402 in horizontal directions generally represented by out of and into the page arrows 113A and 113B, which are also represented in FIG. 1 by double arrow 113 and are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 409 of riser 404 and the bow draw axis. Mounting assembly 400 restricts movement of stabilizer 402 with respect to riser 404 in horizontal directions 111 along the bow draw axis, which is substantially perpendicular to longitudinal axis 409.

By way of example, but not limitation, when a user attempts to stop the archery bow on target while adjusting their aim horizontally (i.e., moving the bow side-to-side in directions 113A and 113B), assembly 400 allows side-to-side movement of the bow stabilizer 402 with respect to riser 404 which can reduce the undesirable side-to-side movement or “wobble” effects otherwise caused by the bow stabilizer inertia, thereby enhancing the user's ability to aim the archery bow while having little, if any, effect on the shock and vibration dampening characteristics of the stabilizer 402. That is, in one embodiment stabilizer 402 is fixed or stable in the horizontal directions 111 to maintain or preserve vibration transfer from riser 404 to stabilizer 402.

In the illustrated embodiment, assembly 400 comprises a linkage between the riser 404 and the stabilizer 402 that is rotatable about an axis and provides a vertical offset, along the longitudinal axis 409 of the bow, between the riser connection and the stabilizer connection. The linkage can comprise a lever arm, for example, and can have any suitable shape and size. For example, but not limitation, the linkage can comprise an elongated arm, an oblong or circular disc, etc.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the linkage of assembly 400 comprises a mounting assembly body 406 in the form of an elongated lever arm having a first portion 408 that removably receives stabilizer 402 and a second portion 410 attached to and spaced apart from the first portion 408 by an arm 412. In the illustrated embodiment, first portion 408 includes a threaded hub configured to receive a threaded screw mount of stabilizer 402. The second portion 410 is rotatably mounted to riser 404 using one or more fasteners such that assembly body 406 is configured to rotate with respect to riser 404 about an axis 414. FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of mounting assembly 400. FIG. 6 is an end view of assembly body 406 and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of assembly body 406 taken at line 7-7, illustrated in FIG. 6.

Mounting assembly 400 includes a first fastener 416 and a second fastener 418. Fastener 416 is illustratively a 5/16-24 socket screw having a socket cap and a threaded shaft 420, where “ 5/16” represents, in inches, the major or outer diameter of the threads and “24” represents the number of threads per inch along shaft 420.

Fastener 418 comprises an intermediary component that acts as a spacer or standoff between riser 404 and body 406, and includes male and female fastener features. The male fastener feature comprises a threaded shaft 422 that is threadably received by a threaded hub 424 on riser 404. A portion of threaded shaft 420 is received within the female feature of fastener 418 formed at an opening at end 424. Body 406 is rotatably mounted on fastener 416. It is noted that while fasteners 416 and 418 are illustrated using threaded features, other suitable types of fasteners can be utilized. Further, in one embodiment fastener 416 can be configured to attach directly to threaded hub 424 of riser 404 without using an intermediary component.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, portion 408 has a bore 426 forming the threaded hub for receiving the screw mount of stabilizer 402. In one embodiment, the threaded hub is substantially similar to hub 424 (e.g., a 5/16^th inch diameter threaded opening).

Portion 410 has a through bore 428 extending from a first side 430 to a second side 432 of portion 410. Bore 428 includes a cavity 429 sized to accommodate a bearing, such as bearing 434 illustrated in FIG. 6. Bearing 434 is illustratively a ball bearing having a plurality of balls (not shown) positioned between an inner race 436 and an outer race 438. Inner race 436 is configured to be received on shaft 420 of fastener 416 and is movable on the bearing balls with respect to outer race 438. In one embodiment, other types of bearings, such as, but not limited to, cylindrical roller bearings, needle bearings, plain bearings, and/or any other suitable types of bearings, can be utilized.

Bearing 434 is retained within bore 428 using a lip 440 formed on portion 410 and a snap ring 442. Snap ring 442 is insertable into bore 428 by deforming the ring 442 and is configured to be retained by a recess 444 formed along at least a portion of the inner surface of bore 428. In another embodiment, bearing 434 can be secured within bore 428 by a friction fit, by using other types of fasteners, and/or by any other suitable means for joining materials such as, but not limited to, welding, soldering, gluing, etc. In one embodiment, multiple bearing elements can be utilized, such as two or more bearings placed side-by-side within bore 428.

Alternatively, or in addition, a bearing can be provided between spacer or standoff 418 and riser 404 to allow spacer or standoff 418 to rotate with respect to riser 404. For example, in one embodiment riser 404 can include a bearing positioned within opening 424.

Arm 412 has a width 446 (FIG. 6) and a depth 448 (FIG. 7). In one example, width 446 and depth 448 are approximately four tenths and six tenths of an inch, respectively. A length of arm 412 is such that respective center axes of bores 426 and 428 are spaced a distance 450. In one example, distance 450 is greater than or equal to one inch. In one example, distance 450 is approximately two inches. However, it is noted that the length of mounting assembly 400 can be longer or shorter than two inches and can be selected, for example, based on user preferences and/or the physical dimensions of riser 404.

Portions 408 and 410 can have the same or different outer dimensions. Further, while portions 408 and 410 are illustrated as having a substantially circular shape, other shapes can be utilized. In the illustrated embodiment, portions 408 and 410 have an outer diameter 452 and a length 454. In one example, diameter 452 is approximately one inch and length 454 is approximately three quarters of an inch.

In one embodiment, a resilient dampening material can be used to mount the threaded hub formed by bore 426 within portion 408. For example, an elastomeric material can be placed between bore 426 and portion 408.

FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a linkage comprising a substantially circular disc 800. Disc 800 includes a first mounting aperture 802 for connecting the disc 800 to a riser, for example by using a screw secured to a standoff or spacer that is connected to the riser. A second, threaded mounting aperture 804 is configured to receive a stabilizer. A bearing 806 allows disc 800 to rotate with respect to the riser.

While at least some embodiments illustrated herein describe a rotatable linkage, it is noted that other suitable mechanisms can be utilized to allow movement of a stabilizer with respect to a bow riser. For example, but not limitation, FIGS. 9-11 illustrate one embodiment of a mounting assembly 900. FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 are side, end, and exploded perspective views, respectively, of assembly 900.

As illustrated, assembly 900 includes an elongated body 902 having a fastening feature 904 for attaching assembly 900 to a bow riser. Fastening feature 904 is illustratively in the form of a threaded shaft that removably couples assembly 900 to an archery bow. Body 902 includes a slot 906 that extends at least partially between sides 908 and 910 and provides an opening into an inner cavity 912 formed in body 902.

A block 914 having a threaded hub 916 is movably retained within the inner cavity 912 and configured to removably receive a bow stabilizer mount screw. In one example, a linear-motion bearing is formed in body 902. Block 914 is biased to a central or neutral position (illustrated in FIG. 10) within slot 906. For example, block 914 can be spring loaded using a pair of compression springs 918 disposed on opposing sides of block 914.

The slot 906 can be oriented with respect to the archery bow horizontally such that assembly 900 allows the bow stabilizer to move horizontally or side-to-side within the slot 906, while restricting movement of the bow stabilizer with respect to the bow riser along the bow draw axis.

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of various embodiments of the invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of various embodiments of the invention, this disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of structure and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A mounting assembly for mounting a bow stabilizer to an archery bow having a longitudinal axis, the mounting assembly comprising:

a bow engaging feature configured to attach the mounting assembly to the archery bow;

a stabilizer receiving feature configured to receive a bow stabilizer; and

a linkage between the bow engaging feature and the stabilizer receiving feature, the linkage being configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and provide a vertical offset, along the longitudinal axis of the bow, between the axis of rotation and the stabilizer receiving feature.

2. The mounting assembly of claim 1, and further comprises a bearing for rotatably supporting the linkage on the bow engaging feature.

3. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the bow engaging feature comprises a spacer component positioned between the archery bow and the linkage.

4. The mounting assembly of claim 3, wherein the spacer component has a threaded fastener configured to be received within a mounting aperture of the archery bow.

5. The mounting assembly of claim 4, wherein the spacer component comprises a first end having the threaded fastener and a second, opposite end having a threaded aperture for receiving a second threaded fastener.

6. The mounting assembly of claim 5, and further comprises a bearing for rotatably supporting the linkage on the bow engaging feature.

7. The mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein the bearing comprises an aperture that receives the second threaded fastener.

8. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein a distance between the axis of rotation and the stabilizer receiving feature is greater than or equal to one inch.

9. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the linkage fixedly couples the bow engaging feature and the stabilizer receiving feature.

10. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the linkage has an elongated shape.

11. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the linkage has a circular shape.

12. A bow stabilizer mounting apparatus comprising:

a first portion configured to be attached to a riser of an archery bow, the archery bow having a longitudinal axis along the riser; and

a second portion configured to receive a bow stabilizer and allow lateral movement of the bow stabilizer with respect to the riser in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

13. The bow stabilizer mounting apparatus of claim 12, and further comprising a linkage between the first and second portions.

14. The bow stabilizer mounting apparatus of claim 13, wherein the linkage provides a vertical offset, along the longitudinal axis, between the first and second portions.

15. The bow stabilizer mounting apparatus of claim 13, wherein the linkage fixedly couples the first and second portions such that the first and second portions are spaced apart by a distance greater than or equal to one inch.

16. The bow stabilizer mounting apparatus of claim 13, and further comprising a bearing configured to accommodate rotation of the linkage about a rotation axis.

17. The bow stabilizer mounting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the linkage extends in a direction that is transverse to the rotation axis.

18. The bow stabilizer mounting apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first portion comprises a spacer component configured to be threadably attached to the riser.

19. The bow stabilizer mounting apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first portion comprises a cavity configured to accommodate a bearing.

20. The bow stabilizer mounting apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second portion comprises a spring loaded hub configured to receive the bow stabilizer.