Compound bows with modified cams

Abstract

A compound bow comprising a handle portion having a first limb and a second limb extending outwardly therefrom, a wide body cam assembly pivotally coupled to the first limb near an outer end thereof, and a dual wheel assembly pivotally coupled to the second limb near an outer end thereof. The wide body cam assembly comprises a main sheave and a collector sheave located on opposite sides of a cable sheave. The main sheave is spaced apart from the cable sheave by a first distance sufficient to permit arrows to be fired from the bow free from interference by a cable without the use of a cable guard. The dual wheel assembly comprises a feed out sheave and a take in sheave separated by a second distance which is larger than the first distance. The feed out sheave is positioned substantially within a plane defined by the main sheave.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compound bow comprising:
 a first limb, the first limb including a first end portion and a second end portion;   a second limb, the second limb including a first end portion and a second end portion;   a handle portion connecting the second end portion of the first limb to the second end portion of the second limb;   a dual wheel assembly pivotally connected to the first end portion of the first limb, the dual wheel assembly including:
 a rotational axis; 
 a feed out sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the feed out sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a first plane; 
 a take in sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the take in sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a second plane; 
 wherein the feed out sheave and the take in sheave are spaced away from each other and arranged such that the first plane and second plane are parallel to each other; 
   a wide body cam assembly pivotally connected to the first end portion of the second limb, the wide body cam assembly including:
 a rotational axis; 
 a cable sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the cable sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a third plane; 
 a main sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the main sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a fourth plane, the fourth plane being parallel to the third plane and located a distance D1 from a first side of the third plane; 
 a collector sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the collector sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a fifth plane, the fifth plane being parallel to the third plane and located a distance D2 from a second side of the third plane; 
 wherein the first and fourth planes are co-planar; 
 wherein the second and fifth planes are co-planar; 
 wherein the distances D1 and D2 are the same magnitude and both are at least 1.6 centimeters; 
 wherein the second end portion of the first limb and the second end portion of the second limb are wider than the sum of D1 and D2, 
 wherein the first plane defines an operating plane, wherein the operating plane is the plane in which the arrow is knocked and is co-planar with an arrow rest, wherein the operating plane is offset from a lateral center of the bow; 
 wherein the second plane defines a plane in which a second portion of the bow string extends; and 
 wherein the third plane defines a plane in which a body portion of a cable extends. 
   
     
     
         2 . A compound bow comprising:
 a first limb, the first limb including a first end portion and a second end portion;   a second limb, the second limb including a first end portion and a second end portion;   a handle portion connecting the second end portion of the first limb to the second end portion of the second limb;   a dual wheel assembly pivotally connected to the first end portion of the first limb, the dual wheel assembly including:
 a rotational axis; 
 a feed out sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the feed out sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a first plane; 
 a take in sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the take in sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a second plane; 
 wherein the feed out sheave and the take in sheave are spaced away from each other and arranged such that the first plane and second plane are parallel to each other; 
   a wide body cam assembly pivotally connected to the first end portion of the second limb, the wide body cam assembly including:
 a rotational axis; 
 a cable sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the cable sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a third plane; 
 a main sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the cable sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a fourth plane, the fourth plane being parallel to the third plane and located a distance D1 from a first side of the third plane; 
 a collector sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the collector sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a fifth plane, the fifth plane being parallel to the third plane and located a distance D2 from a second side of the third plane; 
 wherein the first and fourth planes are co-planar; and 
 wherein the second and fifth planes are co-planar. 
   
     
     
         3 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , wherein the distance D1 is at least 1.6 centimeters. 
     
     
         4 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , further comprising a continuous bow string that engages both the main sheave and the collector sheave and wherein the distances D1 and D2 are of the same magnitude. 
     
     
         5 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , further comprising a first bow string portion engaged with the collector sheave subject to a first tension and a second bow string portion engaged with the main sheave subject to a second tension, wherein the first tension is different than the second tension and where the distances D1 and D2 are different. 
     
     
         6 . The compound bow of  claim 5 , wherein the distances D1 and D2 are selected based on the ratio of the first tension force to the second tension force. 
     
     
         7 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , wherein the first limb is an upper limb and wherein the second limb is a lower limb. 
     
     
         8 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , further comprising a spacer located between the feed out sheave and the take in sheave, the spacer including a groove for anchoring a cable. 
     
     
         9 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , further comprising a first wide body cam spacer between the main sheave and the cable, and a second wide body cam spacer between the cable sheave and the collector sheave. 
     
     
         10 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , further comprising an axle that extends through the first limb and the dual wheel assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , wherein the second end portion of the first limb and the second end portion of the second limb are wider than the sum of D1 and D2. 
     
     
         12 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , wherein both D1 and D2 are at least 1.6 centimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , wherein the first limb and the second limb are split limbs. 
     
     
         14 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , wherein the main sheave and collector sheave both include integral axially ending protrusions along the radial axis that are configured to engage bearing assemblies. 
     
     
         15 . The compound bow of  claim 2 , further comprising a cable that includes a first portion engaged with the peripheral groove on the cable sheave and extending towards the dual wheel assembly in the third plane, and a second portion that slits into a first and a second sub-cables, wherein the first and second sub-cables are anchored to a first and a second side of the dual wheel assembly. 
     
     
         16 . A compound bow comprising:
 a first limb, the first limb including a first end portion and a second end portion;   a second limb, the second limb including a first end portion and a second end portion;   a handle portion connecting the second end portion of the first limb to the second end portion of the second limb;   a dual wheel assembly pivotally connected to the first end portion of the first limb, the dual wheel assembly including:
 a rotational axis; 
 a feed out sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the feed out sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a first plane; 
 a take in sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the take in sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a second plane; 
 wherein the feed out sheave and the take in sheave are spaced away from each other and arranged such that the first plane and second plane are parallel to each other; 
   a wide body cam assembly pivotally connected to the first end portion of the second limb, the wide body cam assembly including:
 a rotational axis; 
 a cable sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the cable sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a third plane; 
 a main sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the main sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a fourth plane, the fourth plane being parallel to the third plane and located a distance D1 from a first side of the third plane; 
 a collector sheave configured to rotate about the rotational axis, the collector sheave including a peripheral groove that defines a fifth plane, the fifth plane being parallel to the third plane and located a distance D2 from a second side of the third plane; 
 wherein the first and fourth planes are co-planar; 
 wherein the second and fifth planes are co-planar; 
 wherein the distances D1 and D2 are the same magnitude and both are at least 1.6 centimeters; 
 wherein the second end portion of the first limb and the second end portion of the second limb are wider than the sum of D1 and D2. 
   
     
     
         17 . The compound bow of  claim 16 , wherein the main sheave and collector sheave both include integral axially ending protrusions along the radial axis that are configured to engage bearing assemblies. 
     
     
         18 . The compound bow of  claim 16 , wherein the dual wheel assembly and the wide body cam assembly are each machined from unitary bodies of aluminum. 
     
     
         19 . The compound bow of  claim 16 , wherein the dual wheel assembly and the wide body cam assembly are each injection molded of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         20 . The compound bow of  claim 16 , wherein the first plane defines an operating plane, wherein the operating plane is the plane in which the arrow is knocked and is co-planar with an arrow rest, wherein the operating plane is offset from a lateral center of the bow.