Amusement devices: games – Simulated-projectile game – target therefor – or accessory – Electromagnetic ray simulates projectile or its path – or...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-03
2001-12-11
Harrison, Jessica J. (Department: 3713)
Amusement devices: games
Simulated-projectile game, target therefor, or accessory
Electromagnetic ray simulates projectile or its path, or...
C463S051000, C463S049000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328651
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention disclosed herein relates to a target shooting toy or game, and more particularly to a target shooting toy that simulates shooting at and hitting a target, particularly a moving target (e.g. skeet, duck or other moving or flying animals, airplanes, vehicles and other moving objects, etc.). More particularly, the invention relates to such a target shooting toy which displays an optical image, e.g., by projecting it to a display surface, and which determines using optics and electronics when a target image has been “hit” by a toy gun that can be aimed at the image.
There is a continuing need to produce and provide toys and amusement devices that have a high play value. With respect to target shooting toys, they should also challenge, stimulate and retain the attention of one or more players. To provide lasting play value, a target shooting toy should accommodate varying skill levels to allow players to compete at different levels and to improve their skills with continued play (e.g. co-ordination, reflexes and the like). Also, such toys should be manufactured inexpensively for mass marketing.
Various toys, amusement devices and training devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 2,042,174 (Foisy, issued May 26, 1936); U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,319 (Hooker, issued Jul. 25, 1950); U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,117 (Davenport, issued Apr. 15, 1952); U.S. Pat. No. 2,569,594 (Aagesen, issued Oct. 2, 1951); U.S. Pat. No. 2,665,13 (Garrido, issued May 5, 1954); U.S. Pat. No. 2,689,130 (Henry, issued Sep. 14, 1954); U.S. Pat. No. 2,995,834 (Rowe, issued Aug. 15, 1961); U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,714 (Ceccaroni, issued Nov. 11, 1975); U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,925 (Ryan et al, issued Jul. 11, 1972); U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,204 (Yokoi issued Sep. 9, 1975); U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,704 (Meyer et al, issued Nov. 9, 1976); U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,423 (De Weese, issued Sep. 5, 1978); U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,557 (Mc Lellan, issued Aug. 7, 1979); U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,748 (Yokoi, issued Nov. 27, 1979); U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,009 (Ohta, issued Oct. 21, 1980); U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,080 (Pennington, issued Mar. 30, 1982); U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,880 (Meyer et al, issued Jun. 22, 1982); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,229 (Suzuki, issued Nov. 22, 1994).
However, there remains a need for a target shooting toy that has one or more of the following: is relatively inexpensive and has high play; simulates target shooting games (e.g., skeet) with improved realism; is compact, can be easily set up; accommodates various skill levels; provides various types of target shooting games; is capable of single or multi-player use; provides various target images; provides improved and variable target motion; coordinates target motion with the type of target represented by the target image; provides overall versatility; provides realistic sound associated with various target images; provides competitive shooting games and practice; and other characteristics and features disclosed in the description and drawings herein. The invention herein provides a target shooting toy which has one or more of the features and characteristics described immediately above, and in one embodiment, provides all of the above features and characteristics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention disclosed herein to provide a target shooting toy which has one or more of the above described features and characteristics, particularly a target shooting toy which can be manufactured inexpensively.
The invention disclosed herein realizes certain of the features and characteristics described above in a toy which has the capability of displaying different images while providing motion, sound, and/or display sequences and/or other attributes which differ at least partially from image to image. Thus, motion and other attributes may be more closely matched with the type of target to be displayed by the toy. This may be accomplished in accordance with the invention by permanently associating with the toy that structure which is commonly used by the toy to display and move all images, or to provide audio for all images, etc., and providing in one or more user replaceable modules the remaining structure which defines and/or controls the display, motion and/or sound characteristics and/or sequences specific to one or certain images. The replaceable modules may contain electronics only, optics only, or both.
For example, images may be optically projected onto a display surface, and the replaceable module may contain electronics which causes the image to be electronically generated, and electronics which defines and/or controls the projection, display and movement of the image. In that case, the images are electronically stored. In another embodiment, the images may be optically stored in an optical format, e.g., on an optical medium such as on a film transparency, and a replaceable image module may be provided for the different stored images. One or more electronics modules may also be provided to cooperate with the image modules to define and/or control image display, projection and movement, and audio accompaniment.
In the preferred embodiment, the images are optically projected onto a display surface, and motion is imparted to the projected image(s) by mechanically coupling one or more electric motors to a structure which projects a light beam defining the optical image(s). A replaceable electronics module defines the motion parameters and/or sequences by which the motor or motors are driven, and provides control signals to a circuit or circuits not part of the electronics module which drive the motor(s). Depending upon the embodiment, the electronics module can also define and/or control sound and image display, e.g., changes in the image itself (e.g., from flying to falling, or from intact to broken-up, etc.), or displaying the image only at predetermined times in a sequence or after an event or since a predetermined time, or for predetermined periods of time, etc.
As mentioned, the images may be stored in an optical format, on an optical medium such as a film transparency, or electronically, such as in memory, and displayed on a display device. The optical format image or the image in the display device is projected by a light beam as an optical image onto a display surface. Where the images are stored in an optical format, they may be provided as replaceable modules which include one or more film transparencies or equivalent. Where the images are stored electronically, they may be provided with the replaceable electronics module or as another replaceable electronics module.
According to one embodiment, the target shooting toy includes an image projector that projects a light beam therefrom that defines an image upon impinging a display surface, a drive system for the image projector which moves the light beam, a light detector which provides electrical signals in response to light received by the light detector, a hit determining electrical circuit coupled to the light detector which determines a hit from the electrical signals provided by the light detector when light received by the light detector is reflected from an image projected by the image projector on the display surface, and a user movable device which when pointed at the display surface directs light from the display surface to the light detector. In this embodiment, the drive system moves the light beam to project an image which moves relative to at least two coordinate axes and includes at least one electrical motor carried by the housing coupled to the image projector, a first electrical circuit carried by the housing coupled to the at least one motor, and a second electrical circuit having motion-defining parameters which define the motion of the light beam from the image projector. At least one connector having a one part connected to the second circuit is removably connectable to another part connected to the image projector to removably couple the second electrical circuit to the first electrical circuit such that the second electrical circuit can be removed and replaced by
Dowd Paul
John Ping Chan
Lebensfeld Steven
Waldman Brian
Brown & Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner LLP
Harrison Jessica J.
Kasick Julie
Toymax Inc.
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