Tuning fork damper for archery products

Abstract

A tuning fork damping assembly for an archery bow includes a tuning fork housing adapted to be coupled to a portion of the archery bow. The tuning fork housing includes spaced apart fork members defining a cavity. A dampening member is disposed within the cavity for dampening vibrational energy generated by each shot of the archery bow.

1 . A tuning fork damping assembly for an archery bow, said tuning fork damping assembly comprising: 
 a tuning fork housing adapted to be coupled to a portion of the archery bow, said tuning fork housing including spaced apart fork members defining a cavity; and    a dampening member disposed within said cavity for dampening vibrational energy generated by each shot of the archery bow.    
   
   
       2 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein one of said spaced apart fork members has a first geometrical shape for vibrating at a first frequency.  
   
   
       3 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 2  wherein another of said spaced apart fork members has a second geometrical shape for vibrating at a second frequency.  
   
   
       4 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said first and second geometrical shapes are the same such that each of said spaced apart fork members vibrates at the same frequency as the archery bow is shot.  
   
   
       5 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said first geometrical shape is different from said second geometrical shape such that at least one of said spaced apart fork members vibrates at a different frequency from another one of said spaced apart fork members as the archery bow is shot.  
   
   
       6 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said dampening member is formed from an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       7 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said tuning fork housing is integrally formed.  
   
   
       8 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said tuning fork housing is fabricated separately and assembled together.  
   
   
       9 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including a damping mass coupled to at least one of said spaced apart fork members.  
   
   
       10 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including a damping mass coupled to said dampening member.  
   
   
       11 . A tuning fork damping assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including a screw extending through said dampening member and said spaced apart fork members for clamping said dampening member therebetween.  
   
   
       12 . A tuning fork damping device for an archery bow, said tuning fork damping device comprising: 
 an integrally formed, one-piece tuning fork housing adapted to be coupled to a portion of the archery bow, said tuning fork housing having spaced apart fork members defining a cavity therebetween to allow each of said spaced apart fork members to vibrate independently of one another for dampening vibrational energy generated by each shot of the archery bow.    
   
   
       13 . A tuning fork damping device as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said tuning fork housing is formed from an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       14 . A tuning fork damping device as set forth in  claim 12  wherein one of said spaced apart fork members has a first geometrical shape for vibrating at a first frequency.  
   
   
       15 . A tuning fork damping device as set forth in  claim 14  wherein another of said spaced apart fork members has a second geometrical shape for vibrating at a second frequency.  
   
   
       16 . A tuning fork damping device as set forth in  claim 15  wherein said first and second geometrical shapes are the same such that each of said spaced apart fork members vibrates at the same frequency as the archery bow is shot.  
   
   
       17 . A tuning fork damping device as set forth in  claim 15  wherein said first geometrical shape is different than said second geometrical shape such that at least one of said spaced apart fork members vibrates at a different frequency from another one of said spaced apart fork members as the archery bow is shot.  
   
   
       18 . A tuning fork damping device as set forth in  claim 12  including a damping mass coupled to at least one of said spaced apart fork members.  
   
   
       19 . A tuning fork assembly for dampening vibrational energy in an archery bow, said tuning fork assembly comprising: 
 a bow component including pair of spaced apart, generally rigid fork members defining a cavity therebetween; and    a dampening member disposed within said cavity and clamped into place between said pair of spaced apart, generally rigid fork members for dampening vibrational energy in portions of the archery bow adjacent said bow component.    
   
   
       20 . A tuning fork assembly as set forth in  claim 19  including a screw extending between said pair of spaced apart, generally rigid fork members for clamping said dampening member therebetween.  
   
   
       21 . A tuning fork damping assembly for an archery bow, said tuning fork damping assembly comprising: 
 a tuning fork housing adapted to be coupled to a portion of the archery bow, said tuning fork housing including spaced apart fork members defining a cavity; and    a damping mass coupled to at least one of said spaced apart fork members for dampening vibrational energy generated by each shot of the archery bow.