Adjustable split-cable assembly for a compound archery bow

Abstract

A compound archery bow includes a power cable arranged to be taken up at one end by a pulley member and is coupled at the other end to the bow by (i) a pair of spaced-apart flexible secondary power cables connected to a transverse coupling member, and (ii) the power cable being connected to the transverse coupling member at any one of multiple cable positions along the transverse coupling member between the secondary power cables. Performance characteristics of the bow can be optimized with respect to the transverse position of the power cable on the transverse coupling member.

1 . A compound archery bow comprising:
 (a) a substantially rigid riser;   (b) a first resilient bow limb extending from a first end portion of the riser;   (c) a second resilient bow limb extending from a second end portion of the riser;   (d) a first pulley member mounted on and rotatable relative to the first bow limb around a first transverse rotation axis, wherein the first pulley member includes a first draw cable groove and a power cable take-up mechanism;   (e) a second pulley member mounted on and rotatable relative to the second bow limb around a second transverse rotation axis, wherein the second pulley member includes a second draw cable groove;   (f) a draw cable engaged with the first and second draw cable grooves and arranged to rotate the first and second pulley members as the bow is drawn and the draw cable is let out from the first and second draw cable grooves;   (g) a power cable (i) engaged to be taken up by the power cable take-up mechanism of the first pulley member as the bow is drawn and the first pulley member rotates and (ii) coupled to the bow so as to cause deformation of one or both bow limbs as the power cable is taken up; and   (h) a transverse coupling member and a pair of flexible, transversely spaced-apart secondary power cables, wherein (i) the transverse coupling member is connected to the bow by the pair of transversely spaced-apart flexible secondary power cables, (ii) the power cable is connected to the transverse coupling member at any one of multiple cable positions along the transverse coupling member between the pair of secondary power cables, and (iii) the coupling member and the pair of secondary power cables are arranged so as to couple the power cable to the bow.   
     
     
         2 . The bow of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (g′) a second power cable (i) engaged to be taken up by a second power cable take-up mechanism of the second pulley member as the bow is drawn and the second pulley member rotates and (ii) coupled to the bow so as to cause deformation of one or both bow limbs as the power cable is taken up; and 
 (h′) a second transverse coupling member and a second pair of flexible, transversely spaced-apart secondary power cables, wherein (i) the second transverse coupling member is connected to the bow by the second pair of transversely spaced-apart flexible secondary power cables, (ii) the second power cable is connected to the second transverse coupling member at any one of multiple cable positions along the second transverse coupling member between the second pair of secondary power cables, and (iii) the second coupling member and the second pair of secondary power cables are arranged so as to couple the second power cable to the bow. 
 
     
     
         3 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein (i) a power cable anchor is engaged with a central portion of the transverse coupling member so as to substantially prevent lateral tilting of the power cable anchor relative to the transverse coupling member, (ii) the power cable is connected to the power cable anchor at a point that is displaced from an axis defined by the transverse coupling member, and (iii) the power cable is connected to the transverse coupling member by engagement of the power cable anchor with the central portion of the transverse coupling member. 
     
     
         4 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein the power cable is coupled to the bow at the second bow limb, the second transverse axle, or the second pulley member. 
     
     
         5 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein (i) at least a central portion of the transverse coupling member is externally threaded, (ii) a power cable anchor is engaged with the central portion of the transverse coupling member, (iii) the power cable is connected to the power cable anchor, and (iv) the power cable is connected to the transverse coupling member by engagement of the power cable anchor with the central portion of the transverse coupling member. 
     
     
         6 . The bow of  claim 5  wherein (i) the power cable anchor is internally threaded and is threadedly engaged on the central portion of the transverse coupling member, and (ii) the transverse coupling member and the power cable anchor are arranged so that movement of the power cable anchor along the transverse coupling member is effected by relative rotation of the transverse coupling member and the power cable anchor, thereby altering the cable position where the power cable is connected to the transverse coupling member. 
     
     
         7 . The bow of  claim 5  wherein (i) one or more internally threaded retaining members are threadedly engaged on the central portion of the transverse coupling member, (ii) engagement of the power cable anchor with the transverse coupling member is effected by tightening the one or more retaining members against the power cable anchor, and (iii) the transverse coupling member, the power cable anchor, and the retaining members are arranged so that movement of the power cable anchor among the multiple cable positions along the transverse coupling member is effected by relative rotation of the transverse coupling member and one or more of the retaining members threadedly engaged on the transverse coupling member, thereby altering the cable position where the power cable is connected to the transverse coupling member. 
     
     
         8 . The bow of  claim 5  wherein the power cable is looped around the power cable anchor in a peripheral groove thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein (i) at least a central portion of the transverse coupling member has a set of multiple circumferential grooves arranged along the transverse coupling member, and (ii) each one of the multiple grooves defines a corresponding one of the multiple cable positions. 
     
     
         10 . The bow of  claim 9  wherein the power cable is looped around the transverse coupling member in one of the multiple grooves. 
     
     
         11 . The bow of  claim 9  wherein (i) a power cable anchor is positioned on the central portion of the transverse coupling member and is engaged with one of the multiple circumferential grooves, and (ii) the power cable is connected to the power cable anchor. 
     
     
         12 . The bow of  claim 11  wherein the power cable is looped around the power cable anchor in a peripheral groove thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein (i) a power cable anchor is positioned on a central portion of the transverse coupling member, (ii) the power cable is connected to the power cable anchor, and (iii) the power cable anchor is held at any one of the multiple cable positions by a set screw, by being arranged as a one or two-piece clamp, or by one or more retainers on the transverse coupling member. 
     
     
         14 . The bow of  claim 13  wherein the power cable is looped around the power cable anchor in a peripheral groove thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein (i) at least a central portion of the transverse coupling member includes a set of external threads, (ii) the power cable is looped around the transverse coupling member in one of the external threads, and (iii) the power cable and the transverse coupling member are arranged so that movement of the looped power cable along the transverse coupling member is effected by relative rotation of the transverse coupling member and the looped power cable. 
     
     
         16 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein the secondary power cables are connected to the second bow limb. 
     
     
         17 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein the secondary power cables are connected to the second transverse axle. 
     
     
         18 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein the secondary power cables are connected to the second pulley member, and the second pulley member is arranged so as to let out the secondary power cables over a latter portion of drawing the bow. 
     
     
         19 . The bow of  claim 18  wherein the second pulley member is arranged so as to take up the secondary power cables over an initial portion of drawing the bow. 
     
     
         20 . The bow of  claim 18  wherein the second pulley member includes paired let-out members disposed on opposite sides of the second bow limb, and each one of the pair of secondary power cables is connected to a corresponding one of the paired let-out members. 
     
     
         21 . The bow of  claim 20  wherein the paired let-out members comprise a pair of power cable anchors that are eccentrically positioned relative to the second rotation axis. 
     
     
         22 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein lengths of the secondary power cables of the pair differ from each other. 
     
     
         23 . The bow of  claim 1  wherein the pair of secondary power cables is arranged so as to enable adjustment of relative lengths of the secondary power cables of the pair. 
     
     
         24 . A method for adjusting the bow of  claim 23 , the method comprising altering the relative lengths of the secondary power cables of the pair. 
     
     
         25 . A method for rigging the bow of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 (A) engaging the draw cable with the first and second draw cable grooves so that the first and second pulley members rotate and let out the draw cable as the bow is drawn;   (B) connecting the transverse coupling member to the bow with the pair of secondary power cables, and connecting the power cable to the transverse coupling member at a selected one of the multiple cable positions along the transverse coupling member; and   (C) engaging the power cable with the power cable take-up mechanism so that the power cable is taken up as the first pulley member rotates as the bow is drawn, thereby causing deformation of one or both bow limbs.   
     
     
         26 . A method for adjusting the bow of  claim 1 , the method comprising moving the power cable from a first one of the multiple cable positions along the transverse coupling member to a different, second one of the multiple cable positions along the transverse coupling member.