Materials for use in archery equipment

Abstract

An archery bow can include a riser, a first limb coupled to the riser, a second limb coupled to the riser, a string extending between the first and second limb, and Non-Newtonian material (NN material). The NN material can be incorporated into at least one of the riser, the first limb, the second limb, the string, or another component of the archery bow. The NN material can have a material property (e.g., viscosity) which varies relative to a stress or force applied to the NN material. One or more portions of NN material can additionally, or alternatively, be incorporated into a projectile (e.g., an arrow) for an archery bow, an archery target or other archery equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An archery bow comprising:
 a riser;   a limb coupled to the riser;   a cam coupled to the limb, the cam including a damper at least partially formed from a Non-Newtonian material (NN material); and   a bowstring coupled to the cam.   
     
     
         2 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein a viscosity of the NN material is configured to:
 temporarily increase when a projectile is launched from the archery bow; or   temporarily decrease when a projectile is launched from the archery bow.   
     
     
         3 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein the damper is at least partially disposed within an aperture formed within the cam. 
     
     
         4 . The archery bow of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the cam includes a lobe; and   the aperture is formed within the lobe.   
     
     
         5 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein
 the cam includes a string track extending around a periphery of the cam;   the bowstring is partially disposed within the string track; and   the damper is at least partially disposed within the string track.   
     
     
         6 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein the damper forms a lobe of the cam. 
     
     
         7 . An archery bow comprising:
 a riser;   a limb coupled to the riser;   a cam coupled to the limb, the cam including a structural member at least partially formed from a Non-Newtonian material (NN material); and   a bowstring coupled to the cam.   
     
     
         8 . The archery bow of  claim 7 , wherein a viscosity of the NN material is configured to:
 temporarily increase when a projectile is launched from the archery bow; or   temporarily decrease when a projectile is launched from the archery bow.   
     
     
         9 . The archery bow of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the cam includes a string track extending around a periphery of the cam;   the bowstring is partially disposed within the string track; and   the string track is at least partially supported by the structural member.   
     
     
         10 . The archery bow of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the cam is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation; and   the structural member extends between the axis of rotation and the string track.   
     
     
         11 . The archery bow of  claim 7 , wherein the structural member is a first structural member and the cam further includes a second structural member. 
     
     
         12 . The archery bow of  claim 11 , wherein the second structural member is at least partially formed from an NN material. 
     
     
         13 . The archery bow of  claim 11 , wherein the first structural member and the second structural member define a through-hole. 
     
     
         14 . The archery bow of  claim 7 , wherein the NN material comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         15 . The archery bow of  claim 7 , wherein the archery bow is a compound bow or a crossbow. 
     
     
         16 . An archery bow comprising:
 a riser;   a limb coupled to the riser;   a cam rotatably coupled to the limb about an axis of rotation, the cam comprising:
 a first structural member; and 
 a second structural member at least partially formed from a Non-Newtonian material (NN material); and 
   a bowstring coupled to the cam.   
     
     
         17 . The archery bow of  claim 16 , wherein the first structural member is at least partially formed from a NN material. 
     
     
         18 . The archery bow of  claim 16 , wherein the first structural member and the second structural member extend radially from the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         19 . The archery bow of  claim 16 , wherein the first structural member and the second structural member define an aperture. 
     
     
         20 . The archery bow of  claim 16 , wherein the cam further includes a string track extending about a periphery of the cam, the string track supported by the first structural member and the second structural member.