Bow structure

Claim 2

In a handle section for a compound bow, said handle section having a front surface, a back surface, a longitudinal axis and a plane of bending passing through said longitudinal axis and being generally perpendicular to said front surface, said back surface and passing through a taut bow string when the handle section is connected to bow limbs; said handle section having upper and lower ends for connection to an upper limb and a lower limb; said handle section being formed of a lightweight metal and including an offset portion which is offset from said longitudinal axis and which portion lies in a plane that is offset from and generally parallel to the plane of bending of the handle section with the offset portion defining a window for the discharge of an arrow; said offset portion having a ribbed surface which is generally parallel to said plane of bending with the ribbed surface including cross ribs positioned in planes that are transverse to the plane of bending of the handle section; said ribbed surface including side ribs positioned in planes transverse to the plane of bending of the handle section with the side ribs being positioned adjacent to the front and rear surfaces of the handle section; said side ribs being joined to said cross ribs with the cross ribs extending from the side ribs in a diagonal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle section; said cross ribs and said side ribs forming recessed regions in said ribbed surface with the recessed regions being bounded By the rigid connection of the cross ribs and the side ribs, whereby the weight of the handle section is reduced by the empty volume of the recessed regions, the handle section being resistant to shear and bending forces applied in the plane of bending of the handle section and in the plane of the offset portion with the diagonal cross ribs tending to translate shear forces in the handle section into compressive forces in the cross ribs and the rigid structure of the joined cross ribs and side ribs providing the handle section with resistance to bending in the bending plane of the handle section and in the plane of the offset portion.

Claim 3

The handle section of claim 1 including curved regions at either end of said offset portion joining said offset portion to the remainder of the handle section; said curved regions being strengthened to resist a twisting moment applied to the curved regions during bending of the handle section along its plane of bending.

Claim 4

The handle section of claim 2 including spaced curved ridges positioned at said curved regions; said curved ridges positioned transversely to the plane of bending of said handle section; said curved ridges positioned in planes parallel to the axis of the handle section, and said curved ridges positioned on a surface which is convexly curved toward the axis of the handle section.

Claim 5

The handle section of claim 1 wherein said ribbed surface is the outer surface of said offset portion.

Claim 6

The handle section of claim 1 including first cross ribs extending in first diagonal directions with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle section; second cross ribs extending in second diagonal directions with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle section; said first and second cross ribs intersecting to form recessed regions having a diamond configuration which are positioned centrally of said ribbed surface, and the first and second cross ribs together with the side ribs forming recessed regions having a triangular configuration positioned adjacent the front and rear surfaces of the handle section.

Claim 7

The handle section of claim 5 wherein said front and rear surfaces converge outwardly to provide the offset portion with a smaller cross sectional area adjacent the end of the handle section which is connectable to an upper limb and a larger cross sectional area adjacent the connection of the offset portion to the remainder of the handle section.

Claim 8

The handle section of claim 6 wherein the directions of the cross ribs are uniformly changed in proceeding outwardly from the larger cross sectional area toward the smaller cross sectional area; the cross ribs in the larger cross sectional area of the offset portion forming a lesser angle with the axis of the handle section than the cross ribs in the smaller cross sectional area of the offset portion, and the recessed diamond shaped regions formed by intersection of the first and second cross ribs diminishing in size in proceeding from the larger cross sectional area to the smaller cross sectional area of the offset portion, whereby the stiffness of the offset portion is greater in the regions having the smaller cross sectional area and bending of the offset portion occurs in a region having a larger cross sectional area.

Claim 9

The handle section of claim 1 wherein said front and rear surfaces converge outwardly to provide the offset portion with a smaller cross sectional area adjacent the end of the handle section which is connectable to an upper limb and a larger cross sectional area adjacent the connection of the offset portion to the remainder of the handle section.

Claim 10

The handle section of claim 8 wherein the directions of the cross ribs are uniformly changed in proceeding outwardly from the larger cross sectional area toward the smaller cross sectional area; the cross ribs at the larger cross sectional area of the offset portion forming a lesser angle with The longitudinal axis of the handle section than the cross ribs at the smaller cross sectional area of the offset portion, whereby the stiffness of the offset portion is greater in regions having a smaller cross sectional area and bending of the offset portion occurs in a region having a larger cross sectional area.

Claim 11

The handle section of claim 1 including a handle positioned on the axis of the handle section; said handle being positioned immediately below the offset portion, and the lower end of the offset portion being joined to the handle.

Claim 12

The handle section of claim 10 wherein said handle has a curved surface contoured to fit the hand, and the handle is canted in a forward direction with the upper portion of the handle positioned ahead of the lower portion of the handle, whereby the handle section is more easily held in an erect position by grasping the handle with the grasping hand and wrist joint inclined downwardly.

Claim 13

In a compound bow having a handle section and an upper and a lower limb connected to said handle section, the improvement comprising: said handle section having a front surface, a back surface, a longitudinal axis and a plane of bending passing through said longitudinal axis and being generally perpendicular to said front surface, said back surface, and passing through a taut bowstring with said handle section connected to said bow limbs; said handle section having upper and lower ends connected respectively to said upper and lower limbs; said handle section being formed of a lightweight metal and including an offset portion which is offset from said longitudinal axis and which portion lies in a plane that is offset from and generally parallel to said plane of bending with the offset portion defining a window for the discharge of an arrow; said offset portion having a ribbed surface which is generally parallel to said plane of bending with the ribbed surface including cross ribs positioned in planes that are transverse to the plane of bending of the handle section; said ribbed surfaces including side ribs positioned in planes transverse to the plane of bending of the handle section with the side ribs being positioned adjacent to the front and rear surfaces of the handle section; said side ribs being joined to said cross ribs with the cross ribs extending from the side ribs in a diagonal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle section; said cross ribs and said side ribs forming recessed regions in said ribbed surface with the recessed regions being bounded by the rigid connection of the cross ribs and the side ribs, whereby the weight of the handle section is reduced by the empty volume of the recessed regions, the handle section being resistant to shear and bending forces applied in the plane of bending of the handle section and in the plane of the offset portion with the diagonal cross ribs tending to translate shear forces in the handle section into compressive forces in the cross ribs and the rigid structure of the joined cross ribs and side ribs providing the handle section with resistance to bending in the bending plane of the handle section and in the plane of the offset portion.

Claim 14

In a compound bow having a handle section and an upper and a lower limb connected to said handle section, the improvement comprising: said handle section having a front surface, a back surface, a longitudinal axis and a plane of bending passing through said longitudinal axis and being generally perpendicular to said front surface, said back surface, and passing through a taut bowstring with said handle section connected to said bow limbs; said handle section having upper and lower ends connected respectively to said upper and lower limbs; said handle section being formed of a lightweight metal and including an offset portion which is offset from said longitudinal axis and which portion lies in a plane that is offset from and generally parallel to said plane of bending with the offset portion defining a window for the discharge of an arrow; said offset portion having a ribbed surface which is generally parallel to said plane of bending with the ribbed surface including cross ribs positioned in planes that are transverse to the plane of bending of the handle section; said ribbed surfaces including side ribs positioned in planes transverse to the plane of bending of the handle section with the side ribs being positioned adjacent to the front and rear surfaces of the handle section; said side ribs being joined to said cross ribs with the cross ribs extending from the side ribs in a diagonal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle section; said cross ribs and said side ribs forming recessed regions in said ribbed surface with the recessed regions being bounded by the rigid connection of the cross ribs and the side ribs, whereby the weight of the handle section is reduced by the empty volume of the recessed regions, the handle section being resistant to shear and bending forces applied in the plane of bending of the handle section and in the plane of the offset portion with the diagonal cross ribs tending to translate shear forces in the handle section into compressive forces in the cross ribs and the rigid structure of the joined cross ribs and side ribs providing the handle section with resistance to bending in the bending plane of the handle section and in the plane of the offset portion.

Claim 15

The compound bow of claim 12 including curved regions at either end of said offset portion joining said offset portion to the remainder of the handle section; said curved regions being strengthened to resist a twisting moment applied to the curved regions during bending of the bow along its plane of bending.

Claim 16

The compound bow of claim 13 including spaced curved ridges positioned at said curved regions; said curved ridges positioned transversely to the plane of bending of said bow; said curved ridges positioned in planes parallel to the axis of the handle section, and said curved ridges positioned on a surface which is convexly curved toward the axis of the bow.

Claim 17

The compound bow of claim 12 whereiN said ribbed surface is the outer surface of said offset portion.

Claim 18

The compound bow of claim 12 including first cross ribs extending in first diagonal directions with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle section; second cross ribs extending in second diagonal directions with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle section; said first and second cross ribs intersecting to form recessed regions having a diamond configuration which are positioned centrally of said ribbed surface, and the first and second cross ribs together with the side ribs forming recessed regions having a triangular configuration positioned adjacent the front and rear surfaces of the handle section.

Claim 19

The compound bow of claim 16 wherein said front and rear surfaces converge outwardly to provide a smaller cross sectional area adjacent the connection between the handle section and the upper limb and a larger cross sectional area adjacent the connection of the offset portion to the remainder of the handle section.

Claim 20

The compound bow of claim 17 wherein the directions of the first and second cross ribs are uniformly changed in proceeding outwardly on the offset portion from the larger cross sectional area toward the smaller cross sectional area; the cross ribs in the larger cross sectional area of the offset portion forming a lesser angle with the axis of the handle section than the cross ribs in the smaller cross sectional area of the offset portion, and the recessed diamond shaped regions diminishing in size in proceeding from the larger cross sectional area to the smaller cross sectional area of the offset portion, whereby the stiffness of the offset portion is greater in regions having the smaller cross sectional area and bending of the offset portion occurs in a region having a larger cross sectional area.

Claim 21

The compound bow of claim 12 wherein said front and rear surfaces converge outwardly to provide the offset portion with a smaller cross sectional area adjacent the connection between the handle section and the upper limb and a larger cross sectional area adjacent the connection of the offset portion to the remainder of the handle section.

Claim 22

The compound bow of claim 19 wherein the directions of the cross ribs are uniformly changed in proceeding outwardly from the larger cross sectional area toward the smaller cross sectional area; the cross ribs at the larger cross sectional area of the offset portion forming a lesser angle with the longitudinal axis of the handle section than the cross ribs at the smaller cross sectional area of the offset portion, whereby the stiffness of the offset portion is greater in the regions having the smaller cross sectional area and bending of the offset portion occurs in a region having a larger cross sectional area.