Games using tangible projectile – Projectile – per se; part thereof or accessory therefor – Arrow – dart – or shuttlecock; part thereof
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-29
2004-07-06
Ricci, John A. (Department: 3712)
Games using tangible projectile
Projectile, per se; part thereof or accessory therefor
Arrow, dart, or shuttlecock; part thereof
Reexamination Certificate
active
06758772
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to darts and, more particularly, to darts that resemble various types of missiles used by the United States military.
PRIOR ART
Many improvements have been made over the years for darts which are adapted to be thrown through the air from a first location to a target location, such as a dart board hung on a vertical wall. For the most part, these improvements have been generally satisfactory to provide more efficient arrangement of dart parts and to enhance the skills and accuracy of the users of the darts.
Improvements in darts typically center on the distribution of weight as the dart itself remains in a substantially streamlined form. Thus, the dart will encounter less air turbulence or other manifestations of the air which would otherwise adversely affect the trajectory of the dart as it is thrown through the air. The aim, of course, is to have trouble-free movement of the darts so that, as the skills of the user improve, the chances of anticipating greater scoring success increase. Moreover, the interest in the game of darts itself will be enhanced since knowledge of the improvements of the darts will stimulate the user to want to enter and play the game of darts with all comers.
While substantial improvements have been made over the years, there is still room for additional improvements to thereby enhance the skills of the users of the darts and to generate continued interest in the game of darts notwithstanding very long play periods which are characteristic of the game of darts. The present invention satisfies the need for additional improvements as will hereinafter be described.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide darts that resemble various U.S. missiles and to thereby invoke a patriotic spirit and sense of pride through their use. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by a dart including a hollow elongate barrel section having a longitudinal axis and including generally conical opposed end portions integral therewith. The end portions thereof define threaded female end portions respectively.
The dart further includes a plurality of elongate shaft sections each having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portions respectively so that the barrel section becomes disposed between the plurality of shaft sections. One of the plurality of shaft sections further has an opposed threaded female end portion. The plurality of shaft sections each further have a plurality of slits formed therein.
The dart further includes a plurality of fin sections removably engageable with the plurality of slits respectively and for assisting the dart to maintain a predetermined flight trajectory. The plurality of fins are preferably disposed outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the barrel section. A tip section preferably has a male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portion of the one shaft section.
The elongate barrel section may have an outer surface having a plurality of substantially equally spaced grooves formed therein and between the end portions thereof. The plurality of slits formed in one of the shaft sections preferably extends from the threaded male end portion thereof to generally midway a length thereof. Another one of the plurality of shaft sections may have a non-threaded end portion with its plurality of slits extending therefrom to generally midway a length thereof.
One of the plurality of fin sections may have four sides integral with each other. Alternately, another one of the plurality of fin sections may have five sides integral with each other. The plurality of slits may also be substantially equally spaced apart about a perimeter of said plurality of shaft sections respectively.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4021041 (1977-05-01), Goldfarb et al.
patent: 4114884 (1978-09-01), Tunnicliffe
patent: 4457514 (1984-07-01), Paxman
patent: 5324044 (1994-06-01), Giegerich
patent: 5375850 (1994-12-01), Pickett
patent: D380784 (1997-07-01), Smith
patent: D381372 (1997-07-01), Smith
patent: D393665 (1998-04-01), Smith
patent: D395465 (1998-06-01), Smith
patent: D399539 (1998-10-01), Smith et al.
patent: 6585612 (2003-07-01), Weissmann
Chambers Robert Paul
Dodgen Tim F.
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