Archery bow modular cam system

Abstract

A modular cam system for an archery bow or crossbow includes swappable cams that change the maximum draw weight of the archery bow or crossbow. Moreover, the modular cams can be affixed to a rotatable member in a number of orientations to set the desired draw length without changing the limbs, tightening or loosening limb bolts, or disassembling the bow. Further, the maximum draw weight of the bow remains substantially similar throughout a large portion of the draw length adjustment for a specified cam module.

1 . An archery bow comprising:
 a riser having a first end and a second end;   a first limb coupled to the first end of the riser;   a second limb coupled to the second end of the riser;   a first assembly rotatably coupled to the first limb;   a second assembly rotatably coupled to the second limb;   a bowstring extending between the first assembly and the second assembly, wherein the bowstring is configured to rotate the first assembly and the second assembly to thereby transition the archery bow between a brace condition and a drawn condition;   a first cable attached to the first assembly;   a first cam releasably coupled to the first assembly, wherein the first cam has a first periphery shaped to provide a first maximum draw weight as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition, wherein the first cam comprises a first cable path and a second cable path; and   a second cam interchangeable with the first cam and having a second periphery shaped to provide a second maximum draw weight as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition,   wherein the first cam is releasably positioned relative to the first assembly such that:
 the first cable engages first with the first cable path and thereafter with the second cable path as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition; and 
 engagement of the first cable with the second cable path prevents further rotation of the first assembly as the archery bow is transitioned into the drawn condition. 
   
     
     
         2 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein the first cable path and the second cable path of the first cam have a V-shaped arrangement. 
     
     
         3 . The archery bow of  claim 1 , wherein the first cable path and the second cable path of the first cam are linear. 
     
     
         4 . The archery bow of  claim 3 , wherein the first cable path and the second cable path of the first cam are angularly offset relative to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The archery bow of  claim 4 , wherein the first cable path and the second cable path of the first cam are adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The archery bow of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second cable attached to the second assembly;   a third cam releasably coupled to the second assembly, wherein the third cam has the first periphery shaped to provide the first maximum draw weight as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition, wherein the third cam comprises a first cable path and a second cable path; and   a fourth cam interchangeable with the third cam and having the second periphery shaped to provide the second maximum draw weight as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition,   wherein the third cam is releasably positioned relative to the second assembly such that:
 the second cable engages first with the first cable path of the third cam and thereafter with the second cable path of the third cam as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition; and 
 engagement of the second cable with the second cable path of the third cam prevents further rotation of the second assembly as the archery bow is transitioned into the drawn condition. 
   
     
     
         7 . The archery bow of  claim 6 , wherein the first cam is identical to the third cam, wherein the second cam is identical to the fourth cam. 
     
     
         8 . The archery bow of  claim 6 , wherein the first cam is selectively repositionable relative to the first assembly to thereby adjust a draw length of the archery bow without substantially changing the first maximum draw weight. 
     
     
         9 . The archery bow of  claim 8 , further comprising a fastener, wherein the first assembly defines a plurality of apertures at a plurality of locations along an arc having a constant radius, wherein the first cam defines an aperture, wherein the fastener extends through the aperture of the first cam and one of the plurality of apertures of the first assembly to selectively fix the first cam in any one of the plurality of locations. 
     
     
         10 . An archery bow, comprising:
 a riser having a first end and a second end;   a first limb coupled to the first end of the riser;   a second limb coupled to the second end of the riser;   a first assembly rotatably coupled to the first limb;   a second assembly rotatably coupled to the second limb;   a bowstring extending between the first assembly and the second assembly, wherein the bowstring is configured to rotate the first assembly and the second assembly to thereby transition the archery bow between a brace condition and a drawn condition;   a first cable attached to the first assembly;   a first cam releasably coupled to the first assembly, wherein the first cam has a first periphery shaped to provide a first draw force curve, wherein the first cam comprises a first cable path and a second cable path; and   a second cam interchangeable with the first cam and having a second periphery shaped to provide a second draw force curve,   wherein the first cam is releasably positioned relative to the first assembly such that:
 the first cable engages first with the first cable path and thereafter with the second cable path as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition; and 
 engagement of the first cable with the second cable path prevents further rotation of the first assembly as the archery bow is transitioned into the drawn condition. 
   
     
     
         11 . The archery bow of  claim 10 , wherein the first cable path and the second cable path of the first cam have a V-shaped arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . The archery bow of  claim 10 , wherein the first cable path and the second cable path of the first cam are linear. 
     
     
         13 . The archery bow of  claim 12 , wherein the first cable path and the second cable path of the first cam are angularly offset relative to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The archery bow of  claim 13 , wherein the first cable path and the second cable path of the first cam are adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The archery bow of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second cable attached to the second assembly;   a third cam releasably coupled to the second assembly, wherein the third cam has the first periphery shaped to provide the first draw force curve, wherein the third cam comprises a first cable path and a second cable path; and   a fourth cam interchangeable with the third cam and having the second periphery shaped to provide the second draw force curve,   wherein the third cam is releasably positioned relative to the second assembly such that:
 the second cable engages first with the first cable path of the third cam and thereafter with the second cable path of the third cam as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition; and 
 engagement of the second cable with the second cable path of the third cam prevents further rotation of the second assembly as the archery bow is transitioned into the drawn condition. 
   
     
     
         16 . The archery bow of  claim 15 , wherein the first cam is identical to the third cam, wherein the second cam is identical to the fourth cam. 
     
     
         17 . The archery bow of  claim 15 , wherein the first cam is selectively repositionable relative to the first assembly to thereby adjust a draw length of the archery bow without substantially changing the first draw force curve. 
     
     
         18 . The archery bow of  claim 17 , further comprising a fastener, wherein the first assembly defines a plurality of apertures at a plurality of locations along an arc having a constant radius, wherein the first cam defines an aperture, wherein the fastener extends through the aperture of the first cam and one of the plurality of apertures of the first assembly to selectively fix the first cam in any one of the plurality of locations. 
     
     
         19 . An archery bow, comprising:
 a riser having a first end and a second end;   a first limb coupled to the first end of the riser;   a second limb coupled to the second end of the riser;   a first assembly rotatably coupled to the first limb;   a second assembly rotatably coupled to the second limb;   a bowstring extending between the first assembly and the second assembly, wherein the bowstring is configured to rotate the first assembly and the second assembly to thereby transition the archery bow between a brace condition and a drawn condition;   a first cable attached to the first assembly;   a first cam releasably coupled to the first assembly, wherein the first cam has a first periphery shaped to provide a first bow parameter, wherein the first cam comprises a first cable path and a second cable path; and   a second cam interchangeable with the first cam and having a second periphery shaped to provide a second bow parameter,   wherein the first cam is releasably positioned relative to the first assembly such that:
 the first cable engages first with the first cable path and thereafter with the second cable path as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition; and 
 engagement of the first cable with the second cable path prevents further rotation of the first assembly as the archery bow is transitioned into the drawn condition. 
   
     
     
         20 . The archery bow of  claim 19 , wherein the first bow parameter and the second bow parameter comprise at least one of (a) a maximum draw weight as the archery bow is transitioned from the brace condition to the drawn condition or (b) a draw force curve.