Crossbow power cable support
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A crossbow, comprising:
- a main beam that extends longitudinally and that has a longitudinal axis that defines first and second sides of the crossbow;
a bow assembly supported to the main beam and comprising;
a bowstring;
first and second bow limbs that are positioned on the first and second sides of the crossbow, respectively;
first and second bowstring wheels supported to the first and second bow limbs, respectively;
first and second power cables; and
first and second power cable wheels positioned on the first and second sides of the crossbow, respectively; and
a trigger mechanism supported to the main beam and operable to;
hold the bowstring in a cocked position; and
release the bowstring from the cocked position to fire the crossbow;
wherein;
(1) the first bowstring wheel is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a first rotational axis and comprises;
a bowstring reception surface;
a first power cable reception surface; and
a second power cable reception surface;
(2) the second bowstring wheel is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a second rotational axis and comprises;
a bowstring reception surface;
a first power cable reception surface; and
a second power cable reception surface;
(3) the first power cable wheel comprises a power cable reception surface and is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a third rotational axis;
(4) the second power cable wheel comprises a power cable reception surface and is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a fourth rotational axis;
(5) the bowstring has a first end received on the bowstring reception surface of the first bowstring wheel and a second end received on the bowstring reception surface of the second bowstring wheel;
(6) the first power cable has;
a first end received on the first power cable reception surface of the first bowstring wheel;
a mid-portion received on the power cable reception surface of the first power cable wheel; and
a second end received on the second power cable reception surface of the first bowstring wheel;
(7) the second power cable has;
a first end received on the first power cable reception surface of the second bowstring wheel;
a mid-portion received on the power cable reception surface of the second power cable wheel; and
a second end received on the second power cable reception surface of the second bowstring wheel;
(8) the crossbow defines a bowstring plane on which the bowstring travels between cocked and released positions;
(9) the main beam has a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the bowstring plane;
(10) a plane that is perpendicular to the bowstring plane and upon which the longitudinal axis lies is defined as a first plane;
(11) the third rotational axis is one of;
perpendicular to the first rotational axis; and
forms an acute angle with the first plane that is 30 degrees or less; and
(12) the fourth rotational axis is one of;
perpendicular to the second rotational axis; and
forms an acute angle with the first plane that is 30 degrees or less.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A crossbow in some embodiments may include two power cables and two power cable wheels. Each power cable may extend from a bowstring wheel, to a power cable wheel and then back to the bowstring wheel. A crossbow in some other embodiments may include four power cables and two power cable wheels. Each power cable may extend from a bowstring wheel, to a power cable wheel and then to a portion of the crossbow that does not move relative to the main beam.
73 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A crossbow, comprising:
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a main beam that extends longitudinally and that has a longitudinal axis that defines first and second sides of the crossbow; a bow assembly supported to the main beam and comprising;
a bowstring;
first and second bow limbs that are positioned on the first and second sides of the crossbow, respectively;
first and second bowstring wheels supported to the first and second bow limbs, respectively;
first and second power cables; and
first and second power cable wheels positioned on the first and second sides of the crossbow, respectively; anda trigger mechanism supported to the main beam and operable to;
hold the bowstring in a cocked position; and
release the bowstring from the cocked position to fire the crossbow;wherein; (1) the first bowstring wheel is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a first rotational axis and comprises;
a bowstring reception surface;
a first power cable reception surface; and
a second power cable reception surface;(2) the second bowstring wheel is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a second rotational axis and comprises;
a bowstring reception surface;
a first power cable reception surface; and
a second power cable reception surface;(3) the first power cable wheel comprises a power cable reception surface and is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a third rotational axis; (4) the second power cable wheel comprises a power cable reception surface and is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a fourth rotational axis; (5) the bowstring has a first end received on the bowstring reception surface of the first bowstring wheel and a second end received on the bowstring reception surface of the second bowstring wheel; (6) the first power cable has;
a first end received on the first power cable reception surface of the first bowstring wheel;
a mid-portion received on the power cable reception surface of the first power cable wheel; and
a second end received on the second power cable reception surface of the first bowstring wheel;(7) the second power cable has;
a first end received on the first power cable reception surface of the second bowstring wheel;
a mid-portion received on the power cable reception surface of the second power cable wheel; and
a second end received on the second power cable reception surface of the second bowstring wheel;(8) the crossbow defines a bowstring plane on which the bowstring travels between cocked and released positions; (9) the main beam has a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the bowstring plane; (10) a plane that is perpendicular to the bowstring plane and upon which the longitudinal axis lies is defined as a first plane; (11) the third rotational axis is one of;
perpendicular to the first rotational axis; and
forms an acute angle with the first plane that is 30 degrees or less; and(12) the fourth rotational axis is one of;
perpendicular to the second rotational axis; and
forms an acute angle with the first plane that is 30 degrees or less. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A crossbow comprising:
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a main beam that extends longitudinally; a bow assembly supported to the main beam and comprising;
a bowstring;
first and second bow limbs;
first and second bowstring wheels supported to the first and second bow limbs, respectively;
first, second, third and fourth power cables; and
first and second power cable wheels; anda trigger mechanism supported to the main beam and operable to;
hold the bowstring in a cocked position; and
release the bowstring from the cocked position to fire the crossbow;
wherein;(1) the first bowstring wheel is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a first rotational axis and comprises;
a bowstring reception surface;
a first power cable reception surface; and
a second power cable reception surface;(2) the second bowstring wheel is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a second rotational axis and comprises;
a bowstring reception surface;
a first power cable reception surface; and
a second power cable reception surface;(3) the first power cable wheel comprises first and second power cable reception surfaces and is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a third rotational axis; (4) the second power cable wheel comprises first and second power cable reception surfaces and is rotatable with respect to the main beam about a fourth rotational axis; (5) the bowstring has a first end received on the bowstring reception surface of the first bowstring wheel and a second end received on the bowstring reception surface of the second bowstring wheel; (6) the first power cable has;
a first end received on the first power cable reception surface of the first bowstring wheel;
a mid-portion received on the first power cable reception surface of the first power cable wheel; and
a second end attached to a portion of the crossbow that does not move relative to the main beam when the crossbow is cocked and when the crossbow is fired;(7) the second power cable has;
a first end received on the second power cable reception surface of the first bowstring wheel;
a mid-portion received on the second power cable reception surface of the first power cable wheel; and
a second end attached to a portion of the crossbow that does not move relative to the main beam when the crossbow is cocked and when the crossbow is fired;(8) the third power cable has;
a first end received on the first power cable reception surface of the second bowstring wheel;
a mid-portion received on the first power cable reception surface of the second power cable wheel; and
a second end attached to a portion of the crossbow that does not move relative to the main beam when the crossbow is cocked and when the crossbow is fired;(9) the fourth power cable has;
a first end received on the second power cable reception surface of the second bowstring wheel;
a mid-portion received on the second power cable reception surface of the second power cable wheel; and
a second end attached to a portion of the crossbow that does not move relative to the main beam when the crossbow is cocked and when the crossbow is fired; and(10) the bowstring is not physically coupled to any of the first, second, third and fourth power cables. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification