Torque Reducing Apparatus and Method
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a bow and a method for reducing torque. An exemplary bow includes a riser having a pair of limbs having a string assembly operably coupled to each one of the pair of limbs, the riser with the pair of limbs operable to maintain a tension in the string assembly. The bow further includes a handle, the handle having a ball joint maintained in the handle operable to rotate relative to the handle, wherein the handle is rotatably affixed to the riser at the ball joint free floating bow including a riser having two ends, and a pair of limbs, each extending from one end of the riser.
This nonprovisional application claims benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/150,502 filed on Apr. 21, 2015 whose contents in entirety are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a torque reducing apparatus and method. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a torque reducing mechanism adapted for a user.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
A bow is a flexible arc that can shoot aerodynamic projectiles often known as arrows. A string joins the two ends of the bow and when the string is drawn back, the ends of the bow are flexed. When the string is released, the potential energy of the flexed bow is transformed into kinetic energy in the velocity of the arrow.
Today, bows and arrows are used primarily for hunting and for the sport of archery. There is no one accepted system for classification of bows. Bows may be described by various characteristics including the materials used, the length of the draw that they permit, the shape of the bow in a side view, and the shape of the limb in cross-section. Some common types of bows includes the recurve bow, the reflex bow, the self bow, the longbow, the composite bow and the compound bow.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a method and apparatus for reducing torque.
A first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a free floating bow. The free floating bow includes a riser having two ends, and a pair of limbs, each extending from one end of the riser. The free floating bow further includes a string assembly extending between the pair of limbs, a handle having a top end and a bottom end, and a ball joint assembly having a socket, a ball rotatably retained within the socket, wherein the socket is attached to the riser and the ball is attached to the top end of the handle, and wherein the riser is adapted to rotate with respect to the handle about the ball.
A second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a free floating bow configured to be held in an archer's hand. The free floating bow includes a riser including two ends and handle having a central axis, a pair of limbs, each extending from one end of the riser, and a string assembly having two ends, each end of the string assembly is functionally attached to a limb of the pair of limbs. The free floating bow further includes two joints, each interposed between one end of the riser and one of the limbs, each joint having a central axis substantially parallel to the central axis of the handle, wherein the handle is adapted to be held with a firm grip of the archer's hand and each of said limbs is adapted to rotate with respect to the handle such that proper aim and shot can be taken with the bow.
A third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure a bow including a riser having a pair of limbs having a string assembly operably coupled to each one of the pair of limbs, the riser with the pair of limbs operable to maintain a tension in the string assembly, and a handle, the handle comprising a ball joint maintained in the handle operable to rotate relative to the handle, wherein the handle is rotatably affixed to the riser at the ball joint.
A fourth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure a method of manufacture. The method includes providing a riser having a pair of limbs having a string assembly operably coupled to each one of the pair of limbs, the riser with the pair of limbs operable to maintain a tension in the string assembly. The method further includes affixing a handle to the riser, the handle comprising a ball joint maintained in the handle operable to rotate relative to the handle, wherein the handle is rotatably affixed to the riser at the ball joint.
The following will describe embodiments of the present disclosure, but it should be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments and various modifications of the invention are possible without departing from the basic principles. The scope of the present disclosure is therefore to be determined solely by the appended claims.
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to equipment used in archery, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for reducing torque on a bow, and most particularly to an assembly for eliminating the torque transferred from the grip to the riser so that the user can maintain improved control over the bow. The reduction in torque transferred from a user's hand or grip to the riser of the bow greatly increases accuracy. Embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable for bows with high draw strength.
Drawing the string of the bow out of the plane of the bow produces torque or a tendency for the bow grip to twist in the hand of the user. When the string is released the torque twists the grip in the opposite direction causing deflection of the arrow path or oscillation of the arrow, both of which affect the accuracy of the shot. Although thicker grip sections are desirable from the comfort standpoint, such thicker sections act to increase hand contact with the grip along with the consequent torque on the bow. In order to reduce this amplified torque tendency, conventional wisdom suggests a narrower and thinner riser. This reduces the amount of hand contact with the bow. However, one drawback to this solution is that thin grips are uncomfortable and more difficult to grasp securely.
Thus, there is a need for a handle that may be incorporated into conventional bows that reduces the torque transferred from the user's hand or grip to the riser upon release of the bow string. Accordingly, one aspect of the present disclosure provides a bow handle of normal thickness and mounting location while reducing the effect of torque on the bow during use. Embodiments of an exemplary torque reducing assembly are compact, and are easily retrofitted into conventional bows. Embodiments of an exemplary torque reducing assembly further allow the user to maintain precise control over the bow during use. Embodiments also provide a bow with improved accuracy by overcoming the twisting and/or turning motion of a bow about the hand grip when force is applied as a user draws the bow string to an anchor point.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a bow that can be held by a user without the need to open the bow hand to take a shot, making it easier for the user to take a shot or shorten the time between the aiming phase and trigger pulling phase during use. Embodiments also include a bow that is simple to operate. Embodiments also include a bow that does not require the user to hold the bow level prior to shooting.
Referring to
As shown in
It should be appreciated that embodiments of ball joint assembly 8 can be maintained above handle 6 between riser 4 and handle 6 as shown in
Riser 4 includes two ends with a limb 14 extending from each end of riser 4. A limb retainer plate 10 is provided at each end of riser 4, facilitating the attachment of a limb 14 to riser 4. String assembly 16 (shown in
The ball joint assembly 8 includes a first ball socket portion 26 and a second ball socket portion 28. Between the first ball socket portion 26 and the second ball socket portion 28 is ball 30. Ball 30 is rotatably encased at a first end, where the socket 28 is attached to riser 4 and at a second end to the top end of handle 6. The second socket portion 28 extends from substantially a center bottom portion of riser 4. In assembling the ball joint assembly 8, the ball 30 is first placed within the socket of the second ball socket portion 28 before the first ball socket portion 26 is arranged such that its socket cups the ball 30 and the first ball socket portion 26 is coupled and attached to the second socket portion 28, securing the ball 30 in place. The ball 30 is in turn attached to the top end of handle 6. In one embodiment, ball 30 measures from about 1.5 inches to about 2.0 inches in diameter. In practice, handle 6 extends rearwardly and downwardly from the top end of handle 6 to the bottom end of handle 6. Handle 6 is adapted to be held with a firm grip of the user's hand 56 (shown in
In the embodiment shown in
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Handle base 66 in the embodiment shown replaces dogbone 20 and provides ports 68 for attaching arm braces 24 to handle base 66. Arm braces 24 can be fixedly attached to handle base at ports 68 by the use of screws, nails, welding, snaps, clasps, or a combination of these methods.
Referring to
Embodiments of handle 6, as shown in
In practice, a user will grip free floating bow 2 at handle 6. The user's arm will extend between arm braces 24 and under arm support 34. While maintaining the relative location of handle 6, the user will pull string 18 towards the user's body thereby creating increased tension in string 18 and rotational torque on riser 4 and handle 6 to rotate in the direction of the pulling motion. During the pulling movement, embodiments of free floating bow 2 allow riser 4 to rotate about ball 30 relative to handle 6 in the direction of the user's pulling movement. This rotation can include rotation along one of the yaw angle 40, pitch angle 42, or roll angle 44, or a combination of these angles. Since riser 4 rotates in response to the rotational torque, the torque on handle 6 felt by the user is reduced.
This disclosure has been described in detail with particular reference to a presently preferred embodiment, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.
Claims
1. A free floating bow comprising:
- (a) a riser having two ends;
- (b) a pair of limbs, each extending from one end of the riser;
- (c) a string assembly extending between the pair of limbs;
- (d) a handle having a top end and a bottom end; and
- (e) a ball joint assembly having a socket, a ball rotatably retained within the socket, wherein the socket is attached to the riser and the ball is attached to the top end of the handle, and wherein the riser is adapted to rotate with respect to the handle about the ball.
2. The free floating bow according to claim 1, wherein the riser is adapted to rotate relative to the handle about the ball through a yaw angle, a pitch angle, and a roll angle.
3. The free floating bow according to claim 1, wherein the string assembly comprises a compound bow string assembly.
4. The free floating bow according to claim 1, wherein the free floating bow is a bow selected from one of a compound bow, a recurve bow, and a long bow.
5. The free floating bow according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of arm braces extending from the bottom end of the handle and an arm support configured to span the pair of arm braces, wherein the arm support is adapted to be supported on a user's bow arm.
6. The free floating bow according to claim 1, the ball measures from about 1.5 inches to about 2.0 inches in diameter.
7. A bow comprising:
- (a) a riser comprising a pair of limbs having a string assembly operably coupled to each one of the pair of limbs, the riser with the pair of limbs operable to maintain a tension in the string assembly; and
- (b) a handle, the handle comprising a ball joint maintained in the handle operable to rotate relative to the handle, wherein the handle is rotatably affixed to the riser at the ball joint.
8. The bow according to claim 7, wherein the riser operably rotates relative to the handle in a direction of increased tension on the string assembly.
9. The bow according to claim 7, wherein the string assembly is a string.
10. The bow according to claim 7, wherein the string assembly is a compound bow string assembly.
11. The bow according to claim 7, wherein the riser is operable to rotate relative to the handle along at least two degrees of rotation.
12. The bow according to claim 7, the free floating bow further comprising a pair of arm braces extending from the bottom end of the handle and an arm support configured to span the pair of arm braces, wherein the arm support is adapted to be supported on a user's bow arm.
13. A method of manufacture, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a riser comprising a pair of limbs having a string assembly operably coupled to each one of the pair of limbs, the riser with the pair of limbs operable to maintain a tension in the string assembly; and
- (b) affixing a handle to the riser, the handle comprising a ball joint maintained in the handle operable to rotate relative to the handle, wherein the handle is rotatably affixed to the riser at the ball joint.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the riser operably rotates relative to the handle in a direction of increased tension on the string assembly.
15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the string assembly is a string.
16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the string assembly is a compound bow string assembly.
17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the riser is operable to rotate relative to the handle along at least two degrees of rotation.
18. The method according to claim 13, the free floating bow further comprising a pair of arm braces extending from the bottom end of the handle and an arm support configured to span the pair of arm braces, wherein the arm support is adapted to be supported on a user's bow arm.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 21, 2016
Publication Date: Oct 27, 2016
Inventors: Michael Hunter (Rochester, NY), Jonathan Steele (Scottsville, NY)
Application Number: 15/134,547