Composite Bow Limb

Abstract

An improved archery bow limb comprising an elongated body made at least in part of fiber reinforced polymer composite material. A portion of the fiber reinforced polymer composite extends into the tip end and forms a loop therein before returning into the body. An interior of the tip end loop includes an aperture sized to accommodate a string cam axle or other string mounting component.

1 . An archery bow limb comprising:
 an elongated member including a main body, a butt end, and a tip end, wherein the butt end and tip end are on opposite ends of the body;   a plurality of continuous reinforcing fibers embedded in a polymer matrix forming at least a portion of the body; and   at least a portion of the reinforcing fibers embedded in the polymer matrix extending from the body into the tip end and forming a loop in the tip end and returning from the tip end into the body.   
     
     
         2 . The bow limb of  claim 1 , wherein an interior of the loop includes an aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The bow limb of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the aperture includes a bow string mounting component. 
     
     
         4 . The bow limb of  claim 3 , wherein the mounting component is a string cam axle. 
     
     
         5 . The bow limb of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibers are selected from the group including glass, carbon, aramid, polyester, polyethylene, polyamide, cellulose, basalt, and liquid crystal polymer fibers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The bow limb of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group including epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester, thermoset polyurethane, polyamide, polypropylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, and polyetheretherketone polymers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The bow limb of  claim 1 , wherein an interior of the loop includes a bushing sized to accommodate a bow string mounting component. 
     
     
         8 . The bow limb of  claim 7 , wherein the mounting component is a string cam axle. 
     
     
         9 . The bow limb of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an interior of the loop includes a core. 
     
     
         10 . The bow limb of  claim 9 , wherein the core material is selected from the group including fiber reinforced polymers, filled polymers, unfilled polymers, polymeric foams, polymeric honeycombs, woods, metals, metallic honeycombs, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The bow limb of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an interior of the loop includes a vibration damping material. 
     
     
         12 . The bow limb of  claim 11 , wherein the vibration dampening material is selected from the group including thermoset elastomers, thermoplastic elastomers, rubbers, elastomeric foams, gels, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The bow limb of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the body includes a core. 
     
     
         14 . The bow limb of  claim 13 , wherein the core material is selected from the group including fiber reinforced polymers, filled polymers, unfilled polymers, polymeric foams, polymeric honeycombs, woods, metals, metallic honeycombs, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The bow limb of  claim 1 , further comprising an interface within the body, wherein the interface is between the reinforcing fibers extending from the body into the tip end and the reinforcing fibers returning from the tip end into the body, wherein at least a portion of the interface includes a toughened adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . The bow limb of  claim 1 , further comprising a slot in the tip end, wherein the slot divides the tip end into a first tip end including a first loop and a second tip end including a second loop. 
     
     
         17 . The bow limb of  claim 16 , wherein an interior of the first loop includes a first aperture and an interior of the second loop includes a second aperture. 
     
     
         18 . The bow limb of  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the first aperture and at least a portion of the second aperture include a bow string mounting component. 
     
     
         19 . The bow limb of  claim 18 , wherein the bow string mounting component is a string cam axle.