Compound bow with improved riser

Abstract

A compound bow includes a base member with a longitudinal extent and has first and second ends. The base member is formed from a rigid material and has a grip location between its first and second ends, which provide mounting locations for mounting limbs to the base member. An elastomeric body is applied over, for example by molding, and at least substantially encapsulates the base member over the longitudinal extent. The elastomeric body comprises an elastomeric material, and optionally forms a grip member at the grip portion.

1 . A compound bow comprising:
 a base member, said base member having a longitudinal extent and having first and second ends, said base member being formed from a rigid material;   first and second limbs, said first end providing a first mounting location for said first limb to said base member at said first end, and said second end providing a second location for said second limb to said base member at said second end; and   an elastomeric material extends over at least a portion of one of said limbs or one of said mounting locations.   
   
   
       2 . The bow according to  claim 1 , wherein said base member is formed from an extruded material. 
   
   
       3 . The bow according to  claim 1 , wherein said elastomeric material extends over at least a portion of said mounting locations. 
   
   
       4 . The bow according to  claim 3 , wherein said elastomeric material extends over at least a portion of each of said limbs. 
   
   
       5 . The bow according to  claim 3 , wherein said at least one of said first and second ends includes at least one recess, said elastomeric material extending into said recess. 
   
   
       6 . The bow according to  claim 4 , wherein an elastomeric material at least partially encapsulates said base member. 
   
   
       7 . The bow according to  claim 6 , wherein said elastomeric material extending over said ends and said limbs is at least substantially the same material as said elastomeric material encapsulating said base member. 
   
   
       8 . A method of making a compound bow riser comprising:
 providing a base member formed from a rigid material, the base member having longitudinal extent and first and second ends, the base member further having a grip location between the first and second ends and a mounting opening at the grip location; and   molding a dampening body from an elastomeric material over the base member at least along the longitudinal extent of the base member; and   wherein said molding includes at least surrounding the grip location with the elastomeric material.   
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 covering the grip location with the dampening body.   
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising forming a grip at the grip location with the dampening body. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said covering includes covering the mounting opening with the dampening body. 
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising providing an indication of the perimeter of the grip location wherein a user may cut along the indication to remove the elastomeric material over the grip location to thereby expose the mounting opening and the grip location. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said molding further includes forming a grip with an elastomeric material having a different durometer value than the elastomeric material molded to the base member. 
   
   
       14 . A method of dampening noise in a compound bow, the compound bow having a base member formed form a rigid material and which forms a riser, a pair of limbs mounted to opposed ends of the base member, said method comprising:
 molding an elastomeric material to at least a portion of one of the limbs or one of the ends of the base member.   
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising molding an elastomeric material to at least a portion of said base member. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said molding an elastomeric material to the base member includes molding an elastomeric material to the base member with the same or similar elastomeric material being molded to the limbs or to the ends. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising forming a grip on the base member with an elastomeric material. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said forming a grip comprises forming the grip from the elastomeric material molded to the base member, further comprising forming an indication around the grip wherein the indication may be used to remove the grip. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the base member has a grip location, said molding an elastomeric material to at least a portion of the base member includes terminating the elastomeric material around the grip location to thereby expose the grip location. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein forming a grip comprises molding a grip from an elastomeric material with a different durometer value than the elastomeric material molded to the base member.