Archery bow and related apparatuses

Abstract

An arrow rest for an archery bow can include a housing, a biasing element, and a member or wheel that rotates between states, configurations, or orientations. The member can be rotated from a first orientation to a second orientation when the archery bow is at least partially drawn. While the member is in the second orientation, the biasing element can apply a torque retaining the member in the second orientation. The member can be rotated to a third orientation and released to generate momentum. A relatively large momentum of the member causes the member to rotate from the third orientation, past the second orientation, to the first orientation. A relatively small momentum of the member can cause the member to rotate from the third orientation to the second orientation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An archery bow, comprising:
 a riser;   a first limb coupled to the riser;   a second limb coupled to the riser;   an energy storage device configured to releasably store energy, the energy transferable to a projectile launched from the archery bow;   a first cam coupled to the first limb;   a second cam coupled to the second limb;   a bowstring extending between the first cam and the second cam; and   a member coupled to a cable, the cable coupled to the energy storage device, the member rotatable about an axis of rotation in a first direction from a first orientation to a second orientation, the cable applying a force biasing the member to remain in the second orientation, the force biasing the energy storage device from a first state to a second state, the member being rotatable in the first direction from the second orientation to a third orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the member is rotatable in a second direction from the third orientation to the second orientation; and   the member is configured to generate an angular momentum sufficient to overcome the force to rotate in the second direction from the third orientation, past the second orientation, to the first orientation.   
     
     
         3 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein a respective distal end of one or more of the first limb or the second limb is displaced as the member rotates between the first orientation to the second orientation. 
     
     
         4 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein the cable is a first length while the member is in the first orientation and elastically deforms to a second length while the member is in the second orientation. 
     
     
         5 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein the first cam or the second cam is rotatable about the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket coupled to the riser and extending from the riser toward the bowstring, wherein the member is rotatably coupled to the bracket. 
     
     
         7 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cable is a first cable and the archery bow further comprises a second cable coupled to the member;   rotation of the member from the first orientation to the second orientation causes the second cable to unwind from the member;   rotation of the member from the first orientation to the second orientation causes the first cable to be entrained within one or more grooves formed on the member; and   a tension in the second cable decreases as the member rotates from the first orientation to the second orientation.   
     
     
         8 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein a segment of the cable intersects the axis of rotation as the member rotates between the first orientation and the second orientation. 
     
     
         9 . The archery bow of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the axis of rotation defines a plane;   the segment of the cable is on a first side of the plane while the member is in the first orientation; and   the segment of the cable is on a second side of the plane while the member is in the second orientation.   
     
     
         10 . An archery bow, comprising:
 a riser;   a first limb coupled to a first end of the riser;   a second limb coupled to a second end of the riser;   a first cam rotatably coupled to the first limb;   a second cam rotatably coupled to the second limb;   a bowstring extending between the first cam and the second cam; and   an assembly, comprising:
 a wheel rotatable about an axis of rotation; 
 an energy storage device; and 
 a cable coupled to the wheel and the energy storage device; 
   wherein:
 in a first configuration of the assembly, the wheel is biased to rotate in a first direction; 
 in a second configuration of the assembly, the cable and the energy storage device induce a torque biasing the wheel to remain stationary; 
 in a third configuration of the assembly, the cable and the energy storage device bias the wheel to rotate in a second direction different from the first direction; 
 the assembly is configured to store potential energy in the second configuration; and 
 the assembly is configured to convert the potential energy to kinetic energy and transfer at least a portion of the kinetic energy to a projectile launched from the archery bow. 
   
     
     
         11 . The archery bow of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the cable is a first cable and the assembly further comprises a second cable; and   in the first configuration of the assembly, the second cable biases the wheel to rotate in the first direction.   
     
     
         12 . The archery bow of  claim 10 , wherein the energy storage device is at least one of a coiled spring, a leaf spring, or a flexible beam. 
     
     
         13 . The archery bow of  claim 10 , wherein the assembly has a potential energy in the third configuration that is greater than the torque biasing the assembly from transitioning from the second configuration to the first configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The archery bow of  claim 13 , wherein transitioning the assembly from the third configuration to the second configuration generates an angular momentum of the wheel greater than the torque. 
     
     
         15 . An archery bow, comprising:
 a riser;   a first limb coupled to a first end of the riser;   a second limb coupled to a second end of the riser;   a first cam rotatably coupled to the first limb;   a second cam rotatably coupled to the second limb;   a bowstring extending between the first cam and the second cam;   a wheel rotatable about an axis of rotation from a first orientation to a second orientation;   a first cable coupled to the wheel and the first cam, the first cable having a first tension while the wheel is in the first orientation and a second tension that is less than 10% of the first tension while the wheel is in the second orientation; and   a second cable coupled to the wheel and the second cam.   
     
     
         16 . The archery bow of  claim 15 , wherein the second tension is less than 5% of the first tension. 
     
     
         17 . The archery bow of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the wheel is rotatable to a third orientation;   the first cable has a third tension while the wheel is in the third orientation; and   the third tension is greater than the second tension.   
     
     
         18 . The archery bow of  claim 17 , wherein, as the wheel rotates from the third orientation to the first orientation, an angular momentum of the wheel meets or exceeds an angular momentum threshold, the angular momentum threshold correlating to a torque induced on the wheel by the first cable and inhibiting the wheel from rotating out of the second orientation. 
     
     
         19 . The archery bow of  claim 18 , wherein the torque prevents the wheel from rotating from the second orientation to the first orientation while the angular momentum is less than the angular momentum threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The archery bow of  claim 15 , wherein the wheel is configured:
 to rotate from the first orientation to the second orientation while the bowstring is drawn;   to rotate from the second orientation to the third orientation while the bowstring is drawn;   to rotate from the third orientation to the first orientation when the bowstring is released by a user when the bowstring is in a drawn configuration; and   to rotate from the third orientation to the second orientation and remain in the second orientation when the bowstring is let down from the drawn configuration.