Amusement devices: games – Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor... – Target
Patent
1984-06-18
1987-07-07
Pinkham, Richard C.
Amusement devices: games
Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor...
Target
273404, A63B 6300
Patent
active
046781943
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a target apparatus, and more particularly relates to a target apparatus incorporating a target of the type into which a projectile may be embedded, with part of the projectile still protruding from the target. Examples of such targets are dart-boards and archery targets.
In this specification, the invention will be described with prime reference to a dartboard, but it is to be understood that the invention may be applied to other similar targets, such as an archery target, if the appropriate modifications are made.
Various attempts have been made to provide an automatic scoring dartboard. Some of these attempts have involved the use of mechanical devices, such as the arrangement described in British Patent Specification No. 1,370,609. In this arrangement when a dart hits the target, a member moves and an appropriate electronic signal is generated. The disadvantage with this type of target is that the target involves many moving parts, which can go wrong, and also the dart does not become embedded in the target in the same way that the dart would become embedded in an ordinary dartboard.
British Patent Specification No. 1,603,792 describes a different arrangement in which the dartboard is provided with a number of superimposed conducting layers, that are insulated from each other. As a dart becomes embedded in the dartboard the point of the dart interconnects the various layers, and consequently electric signals can be passed from one layer to another to provide an indication of the precise location of the dart. One disdavantage with this particular arrangement is that the conductive layers are formed of a conductive foam material. Thus the described dartboard does not have the same "feel" and does not have the same playing characteristics as a conventional dartboard. Also, in areas of the dartboard where the darts land frequently, for example the triple-twenty region, the foam is soon severely damaged by the points of the darts, and looses its conductive characteristics.
According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a target in which projectiles may be embedded, said target comprising a fibrous body, at least part of the front face of the target being formed from fibres that are, or have been treated to be, conductive at least on the outer surfaces thereof adjacent the face of the target.
Preferably the target face is divided into a plurality of beds, the fibres in each bed being insulated from the fibres in the other beds.
The target may comprise a rigid backboard and a plurality of fibres that extend substantially normally to that backboard, the free ends of the fibres defining the front face of the target. The fibres may be formeed of a conductive material, and thus may be carbon fibres, or metallic fibres, or the fibres may have been treated to make the fibres conductive.
Preferably the fibres are vegetable fibres that have been at least partly coated with metal or with conductive metal oxide. The coating may be applied chemically, or may be vacuum deposited, or said coating may be provided by spraying the fibres with metal vapours.
In one embodiment of the invention said coating may be applied by spraying the fibres with a succession of different vapours which form appropriate conductive compounds or compositions on the surfaces of the fibres.
If the fibres are treated vegetable fibres then the fibres may be moistened with ionically conductive liquids, and conveniently said liquids are provided with a hygroscopic component to prevent the fibres drying out. Advantageously said hygroscopic component is glycerol. surface of each of the fibres may be modified chemically to produce a conductive skin. Thus, the surface of the fibres may be charred, for example by the application of laser light.
Preferably the fibres are coated with graphite by being treated with a liquid comprising a suspension of finely divided graphite. This may be done before or after the board is fabricated. Preferably the mositure content of the fibres is allowed to stabilise and the fibre
REFERENCES:
patent: 3112110 (1963-11-01), Schulman
patent: 3396971 (1965-10-01), Estep
patent: 4244583 (1981-01-01), Wood et al.
Bowyer William H.
Crocker Robert L.
Gray Nigel
Hansford Christopher M.
Parker Leslie K.
Lastova MaryAnn S.
Pinkham Richard C.
Viragate Limited
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