Archery Bow Riser Accessory Cavity for Repeatable Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing archery bows face challenges with added weight and bulk due to accessories, which can change placement and orientation when removed and reinstalled, affecting accuracy and profile during travel or storage.
Innovation Solution
The archery bow design incorporates an asymmetrical aperture and fastener system in the riser, allowing for precise reinstallation of accessories with a mounting bar and non-orthogonal fastener orientation, ensuring consistent placement and reducing weight and profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If accessories are attached to the bow riser, then the bow gains functional capabilities (stabilizers, sights, arrow rests), but the weight and bulk of the bow increase
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory mounting system is segmented into a modular cavity structure with distinct components: the cavity itself, the mounting bar, and the fastener. This allows the accessory to be separated into removable segments that can be attached or detached as needed, providing functional versatility while allowing the bow to be lightweight when accessories are removed.
Solution Approach 2:
The accessory mounting system is extracted as a separate functional module from the main bow structure. The cavity is formed within the riser but the accessory itself (mounting bar plus accessory components) can be completely removed when not needed, extracting the added weight and bulk while preserving the option to add functionality when required.
2Ease of operation
If accessories are removed and reinstalled, then the bow can be optimized for travel or storage, but the specific placement and orientation of the accessory changes due to tolerances and clearances
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture is designed with an asymmetrical cross-sectional shape that does not match any standard geometric form. This asymmetric geometry creates a unique fit with the mounting bar, ensuring that the mounting bar can only be installed in one specific orientation and position. The asymmetric shapes of both the aperture and mounting bar work together to eliminate tolerance-induced variations in accessory placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting interface features locally optimized contact surfaces with specific geometric properties. The aperture has contact surfaces positioned at specific locations that engage with corresponding features on the mounting bar, creating localized precision points that ensure consistent accessory placement. The non-orthogonal fastener orientation provides another localized constraint that further ensures repeatable positioning.
3Strength
If multiple screws are used to attach an accessory, then the accessory can be securely fastened, but the order of tightening the screws can change the specific placement of the accessory
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is extracted from the conventional multi-screw approach and replaced with a single fastener mechanism. This single fastener engages with the asymmetric aperture and mounting bar geometry to provide secure attachment without the placement variability introduced by multiple fasteners. The single fastener eliminates the need for sequential tightening operations that can cause placement shifts.
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric aperture shape works in conjunction with the single fastener to provide both security and precision. The asymmetric geometry creates inherent alignment features that ensure the mounting bar is positioned correctly before the fastener is engaged, while the fastener itself provides the necessary clamping force to secure the accessory firmly in that precise position.
4Ease of manufacture
If accessories are attached with standard symmetrical apertures, then the mounting process is simpler, but the accessory placement and orientation cannot be precisely controlled upon reinstallation
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric aperture design maintains relative manufacturing simplicity while achieving precise accessory placement. The asymmetric shape is a straightforward geometric feature that can be manufactured using conventional processes, and it provides built-in alignment and positioning functions that eliminate the need for complex adjustment mechanisms or multiple fasteners.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, an archery bow comprises a riser, a first limb, a second limb and a bowstring. The riser comprises a first rail, a second rail and a plurality of connecting members extending between the first rail and the second rail. The riser comprises an accessory cavity comprising an aperture through the first rail. The aperture comprises an asymmetrical shape. In some embodiments, the aperture comprises a first aperture and the accessory cavity comprises a second aperture through the second rail. In some embodiments, the second aperture has the same shape as the first aperture.