Stabilization Assembly

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/627,781, filed Jan. 31, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, as if fully set forth herein.

The field of the current invention regards stabilizing assemblies for apparatus that may benefit from additional stabilization, including stabilization assemblies for archery bows.

Stabilizers for archery bows are well known in the art. Such stabilizers may stabilize the bow during aiming and shooting, and may reduce shock and vibration in the bow after the arrow is released.

The stabilizer adds mass at a distance from the bow limbs and release point of the bow. The moment of inertia of the stabilizer may perform the stabilizing function, and a greater moment of inertia will decrease unwanted motion in the archery bow.

Various types of stabilization devices have been used. For example, elastic or shock absorbing materials have been used to dampen vibrations thereby improving the stabilization of the archery bow.

Alternatively, other stabilization devices anchor the bow to the ground to dissipate the energy and vibration of the archery bow, to beyond the bow/arrow device and human archer.

The present invention is directed in one or more embodiments to archery bow stabilizers, or stabilizers for use with other types of apparatus, where the stabilizer may include a vessel or hollow chamber attached to the archery bow or other apparatus. The vessel or chamber may contain a free-flowing liquid to reduce archery bow vibration and unwanted motion. To this end, the motion of the fluid may counteract or counterbalance the motion or vibration of the bow or other apparatus.

In some embodiments, an archery bow stabilizer comprises a hollow chamber within a container that is attached to a rod, and the rod is directly attached to the archery bow. A free-flowing liquid is contained within the hollow chamber.

In some embodiments, the stabilizing hollow chamber is contained within the device that directly attaches to the archery bow and does not use the intervening rod to attach to the bow.

In some embodiments, multiple stabilizing devices, each including a hollow member, may be attached to the archery bow in more than one location. Each stabilizing device may include a rod extending from a hollow member to the bow and/or to another stabilizing device. Each hollow chamber may contain a free-flowing liquid and may be positioned at multiple directions from and/or at various orientations with respect to the archery bow.

In some embodiments, the device containing the hollow chamber with the free-flowing liquid may be attached to bridging attachment devices. In these embodiments, multiple may be connected to each other and then attached to the archery bow via a single or multiple attachment points.

In some embodiments, a single device may contain multiple hollow chambers that may be filled with differing amounts of free-flowing liquid.

In some embodiments, the hollow chamber(s) may each include one or more internal baffles.

In some embodiments, the free-flowing liquid may involve different fluids of different density, different composition, and different viscosity.

In some embodiments, the free-flowing liquid may include a suspension and/or a colloid.

Other aspects and embodiments of the invention are discussed herein. It should be noted that while the description herein may focus on the invention as used with an archery bow, the invention may be used with other apparatus.

The current invention is now described with reference to the figures. Though the following description may focus on the use of stabilization assemblies, systems or devices with archery bows, the current invention is applicable to other apparatus.

shows a side view block diagram of the stabilization assemblyconfigured with a separate apparatus S andshows a top view block diagram of the same. Whiledepict the stabilization assemblyand the separate apparatus S as basic blocks, it is understood that the stabilization assemblyand the apparatus S may include any shapes and/or forms as required, e.g., depending on the application of the assembly. In general, the stabilization assemblymay provide stability to the separate apparatus S by providing a volume of fluid that, when caused to move (i.e., accelerate), may offset movement of the apparatus S. In this way, the apparatus may be stabilized.

In some embodiments, the stabilization assembly(also referred to herein as simply the assembly or system or device) may include a housing or shell assemblyand an attachment assembly. In general, the shell assemblyincludes the volume of fluid, and the attachment assemblyattaches or otherwise configures the shell assemblywith the separate apparatus S to provide stabilization while apparatus S is in use, e.g., an archery bow being aimed and shot by an archer. The assemblyalso may include other elements and components as necessary to fulfill its functionalities.

As shown in, the shell assemblymay include a shell bodydefining an inner volume or chamber or hollow chamberdesigned to receive and contain a fluid. When inside the inner volume or chamber, the fluidmay include a fluid volume. In some embodiments, it may be preferable that the fluid volumebe less than the shell's inner volumeso that the inner volumeis not completely filled with the fluid. As such, the fluid volumemay include a fluid surface(e.g., an upper fluid surface). The shell bodymay preferably be fluid tight such that the fluidcontained within its inner volume or chambermay not leak or otherwise escape the shell body.

The shell assemblymay be coupled to the separate apparatus S using the attachment assembly. In some embodiments, as shown in, the attachment assemblymay include an attachment support structureincluding a proximal endcoupled to the separate apparatus S and a distal endcoupled to the shell assembly. The support structuremay include one or more rods, bars, blocks, beams, scaffolding, other types of support structures, and any combinations thereof. It may be preferable that the support structure be rigid such that it may not flex during use of the assemblywith the separate apparatus S.

In some embodiments, the proximal endof the support structuremay be coupled to the separate apparatus S using a first attachment mechanismand to the shell assemblyusing a second attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanisms,may include sockets, bolts, screws, mounts, latches, welding, adhesive, other types of attachment mechanisms, and any combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the attachment mechanisms,may be releasable so that the attachment assemblyand/or the shell assemblymay be removed, replaced, and/or interchanged. The ability to interchange shell assemblymay provide differing stabilizing characteristics for the apparatus S, depending on its use and/or its user.

In other embodiments, either of the attachment mechanisms,may be fixed. In addition, the first attachment mechanismneed not match the second attachment mechanism. Additional details will be described in other sections.

depicts a scenario in which the separate apparatus S is caused to move to the right at a first moment in time Tand at an acceleration rate of a. Because the shell bodyand the volume of fluidcontained therein may be coupled to the apparatus S, it also may be caused to accelerate at a rate of aat the same moment in time T. A practical example of this may be an archery bow configured with the assemblyand caused to accelerate to one side due to the archer briefly flinching at the moment of the arrow release (at time T). In this example, the acceleration a(i.e., the flinch) may last about 0.1-0.2 seconds, or another duration.

In this example, the shell bodymay include a left side walland a right side wall, with a distance L between the two,. Choosing a first point (1) of the fluid volumeat the left side walland a second point (2) of the fluid volumeat the right side wall(generally opposite the first point (2)) as shown in, the fluid pressure at (1) may be Pand the fluid pressure at (2) may be P. As such, Prepresents the pressure applied by the fluid volumeto the shell's left side walland Prepresents the pressure applied by the fluid volumeto the shell's right side wall. The depths of the first point (1) and of the second point (2) within the shell bodyare assumed to be equal such that effects on the pressures P, Pdue to gravity may be omitted.

According to fluid dynamics, fluid pressure decreases in the direction of acceleration and the difference between the first pressure Pand the second pressure Pmay be represented by the following equation:

1−2=ρ×1

Given the above, with the volume of fluidwithin the shell bodyaccelerating to the right at a rate of a, the fluid pressure Pat the left point (1) may be greater than the fluid pressure Pat the right point (2) (P>P) by an amount given by ρ×L×a.

Furthermore, the force Fapplied by the fluid volumeat the left point (1) may be defined by F=P×a, and the force Fapplied by the fluid volumeat the right point (2) may be defined by F=P×a. Because Pis greater than P, it follows that Fis greater than F.

Accordingly, as the fluid volumewithin the shell bodyaccelerates to the right at time T, the fluid volumeapplies a greater force Fto the shell's left side wallcompared to the force Fapplied to the right side, and the force Fmay counteract (e.g., dampen) the movement of the separate apparatus S. In this way, the separate apparatus S may be stabilized at the time T.

After the initial movement of the separate apparatus S and of the stabilization assemblyattached thereto (e.g., after the initial acceleration aat time T), the fluidwithin the shell's inner volumemay flow in different directions (depending on the ensuing movement(s) of the separate apparatus S) thereby causing turbulence within the fluid. This may occur at a time Tdirectly after the time T(e.g., within 0.1 seconds to 3 seconds of T). Given this, additional forces may be applied by the fluidto the shell bodyat the time T. In addition, because the flow at Tmay be turbulent, the corresponding forces may be somewhat chaotic and/or erratic.

In general, as known, there are three fluid flow regimes: laminar, turbulent, and a transition region. Laminar flow is defined as smooth linear flow that generally follows the boundary in the system. Laminar flow is primarily driven by external forces such as gravity and the driving pressure, e.g., the acceleration a. Turbulent flow is generally irregular, chaotic, erratic, and highly sensitive to initial conditions and boundary conditions. The transition region is an area wherein the flow behavior begins to change from laminar to turbulent.

Applying these definitions to the above embodiment, the flow of the fluidwithin the shell bodymay be generally laminar at time Tas it is driven to the left by the acceleration aof the shell body. However, once the initial acceleration aends (i.e., the archer's flinch ends), the fluidmay move in different directions and may become turbulent. Being turbulent, the additional forces may be chaotic and not easily defined, and as such, may cause undesirable movement to the shell bodyand to the archery bow at the time T.

Viscosity is a term that quantifies the internal frictional forces between layers of a fluid that are in relative motion and is used to provide a measurement of a fluid's resistance to deformation and flow. As a fluid's viscosity increases, the fluid experiences larger shear stresses and internal drag, thereby impacting the fluid's flow regime. In general, a fluid with higher viscosity tends to be less vulnerable to becoming turbulent.

In some embodiments, the fluidmay include a suspensionor a colloid.

As is known, a suspensionis a heterogeneous mixture generally comprising a fluid (also referred to as the dispersion medium, continuous phase, or external phase) and a plurality of solid particles (also referred to as the dispersed phase or the internal phase) suspended, but not dissolved, therein. The fluid and the particles are not chemically bonded to one another such that each retains its own chemical properties and makeup. In some instances, the particles may be dispersed throughout the fluid through mechanical agitation and/or through the use of certain excipients or suspending agents. In addition, the solid particles may be sufficiently large enough (e.g., larger than one micrometer) for sedimentation to occur and may eventually settle within the fluid. However, the mixture may generally be classified as a suspension when the particles are suspended and not settled out. An example of a suspension may include agitated sand in water wherein the suspended particles may be visible under a microscope and may settle over time if left undisturbed.

A colloidon the other hand is known to be a suspension in which the particles are small enough that they do not settle, even when left undisturbed (no sedimentation). The size of the particles in a colloidmay typically range from 1 nanometer to 1 micrometer, though other sizes may apply with the current invention.

In a viscous liquid, one layer of the fluid may exert more drag on its neighboring layers, and may thereby produce a thicker fluid that is more resistant to deformation and flow. Particles in a suspension or colloid may behave in a similar manner, that is, a particle in a suspension or colloid may be more likely to move when its neighboring particles move, which may affect the fluid's effective viscosity.

Other factors, such as particle size and the concentration of particles may also affect the suspension's or colloid's viscosity. For example, an increase in the suspension's density due to particle size and an increased concentration may result in an increase of the suspension's or colloid's viscosity. In addition, the pH level of the suspension or colloid also may affect the viscosity, however, the effect may not be linear and may rely on other attributes.

Given the above, the dispersion medium and the particles of the assembly's suspensionand/or colloidmay be chosen to provide a viscosity level that (i) provides adequate initial forces F, Fto be applied at the time Tto stabilize the separate apparatus S (e.g., the archery bow) as described above, and (ii) minimizes the additional forces applied by the suspensionor colloidto the shell bodyat the time T.

In some embodiments, as shown in, the shell assemblymay one or more internal bafflesconfigured within the shell body's inner volume.shows a top view block diagram of the assemblywith the baffleandshows a perspective view of the same. The fluidis not shown infor clarity.

In some embodiments, each bafflemay include a bulkheadwith an aperture. Each bafflemay generally extend across the shell body's inner volumebetween the inner surface of the forward sidewalland the inner surface of the rear sidewall. It may be preferable that the bafflebe substantially perpendicular to the direction of the acceleration a.

In some embodiments, the aperturemay be round, e.g., circular or oval shaped, but other shapes also may be used. The aperturealso may preferably be located in the center of the bulkhead, but the aperturealso may be located in other areas on the bulkhead. In some embodiments, the diameter of the aperturemay be about 10% to 50% the width of the bulkhead, and preferably about 20% to 40% the width of the bulkhead, and more preferably about 25% the width of the bulkhead. Whileshow the shell bodyincluding a single baffle, it is understood that the shell bodymay include any number of bafflesin any suitable locations. Also, if multiple bafflesare used, the bafflesneed not match (e.g., the aperturesay include different diameters).

In use, the bafflesmay minimize the “sloshing” of the fluid(including the suspensionand/or the colloidif used) at and/or after the time T. For example, after the initial flinch by the archer that causes the acceleration aof the fluidand the resulting forces F, Fapplied to the shell bodyto stabilize the archery bow, the archer may stop the flinch and/or even counter the flinch by purposely moving the bow in an opposite direction (e.g., back to center). This in turn may cause the fluidto decelerate and/or to accelerate in an opposite direction to athereby causing additional forces to be applied to the shell bodythat may potentially affect the bow's stability. In this scenario, the bafflesmay segment the shell bodysuch that the fluidis distributed in each compartment. The fluidis able to flow through the aperturebut the bulkheadprevents the total load from moving drastically within the shell's inner volume.

In addition, as the fluiddecelerates and/or accelerates in an opposite direction, it may apply forces to the left and right inner sidewalls,of the shell bodyas well as to the left and right sides of the bulkheadmidway therebetween. This in turn may more evenly dissipate the additional forces and spread the energy more evenly across the shell body. As a result, the fluidmay dampen more quickly thereby minimizing the effects of the additional forces at and/or after time T.

In addition, other suitable structures such as fins, rudders, and/or other types of baffles may be configured within the shell's inner volumefor the same or similar purposes.

In a first example of implementation, as shown in, the stabilization assemblymay be implemented with an archery bow B and may help in stabilizing the bow B during its use with shooting arrows. For example, if the archer may inadvertently flinch or otherwise cause the bow B to move (e.g., to move sharply) at the moment just before or at the time of the shot, the stabilization assemblymay help to offset the movement and thereby stabilize the bow B.

shows the stabilization assemblyconfigured with a compound type archery bow B, andshows the assemblyconfigured with a recurve type archery bow B. As is known, each bow B may include an upper limb UL and a lower limb LL. As is shown in, the bow B also may include a riser R that may include a central structure to which other parts of the bow B may be attached. For example, the upper and lower limbs UL, LL may be attached to opposite ends (e.g., upper and lower ends) of the riser R, and the riser R may include a grip, an arrow shelf, and universal mounting points to attach bow accessories such as stabilizers, rests, sights, and other accessories.

In some embodiments, as shown in, the stabilization assemblymay be attached to any location on the lower limb LL of the bow B. It also may be connected to any location on the upper limb UL.