EP1685882B1 - Semi-adherent target for projectile shooting toy, comprising a device for collecting and sorting the projectiles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a semi-adherent toy projectile target provided with a projectile recovery and sorting device.

It relates to the technical field of targets comprising rings intended to be targeted by toys of the type repetitive pistols discharging projectiles that are safe for children and more particularly the targets whose rings are combined with a projectile collector.

Toy guns discharging projectiles are well known and have, for example, been described in US Pat. FR2818157 filed by the applicant. These guns allow to repeatedly discharge small plastic balls. The projectile ejection speed being low, this type of gun poses no risk for children.

Players can shoot each other to simulate war games or target a target to practice their marksmanship. In the latter case, the shooter generally uses a conventional target comprising a series of concentric rings defining the subdivisions of an area to be aimed. Generally, a firing value corresponds to each ring. The player usually positions the target against a wall before aiming and firing.

In the case where a target is employed, a number of disadvantages occur.

First, the projectiles bounce off the target during the impact on the rings so that at the end of the firing round, the projectiles are scattered on the floor of the game room and usually a large number of these projectiles are never found by the player. In addition, they may slip and hurt themselves by walking on them.

Another disadvantage occurs when two or more players compete in a shooting tournament. Indeed, since the projectiles bounce instantly at the moment of impact on the rings, it is difficult to visualize the point of impact of the projectile on the target. This situation is detrimental not only for the shooter who has no marker to adjust his shot, but also for other players who can not count the points scored.

We know from the document FR 790.426 (DAMON) a toy target discharging projectiles, comprising a rigid shell in which is mounted a series of vertical and coaxial rings defining the subdivisions of an area to be aimed, said rings being offset relative to each other on the horizontal axis common greater than the size of said projectiles, a device for recovering said projectiles being arranged with each of said rings, the impact surface of the rings being covered with a washer of elastomeric material for damping the impact projectiles. Thus, when the projectile impacts on a ring, it does not bounce and falls into the recovery device associated with the ring that is reached. However, the shooter does not have time to visualize his point of impact to properly adjust his shot.

The document US 3,037,776 (YOUNCE) discloses a golf game target whose rings are made of a quilted material having a plurality of small cavities on its surface. When a golf ball having grooves impinges on this surface, a vacuum tending to retain said ball on the surface of said rings is created. However, in this case, the golf ball remains stuck on the ring and can not be recovered in the recovery device.

The present invention aims to mitigate this state of affairs including the fact that it allows to recover the projectiles during the impact on the rings, while allowing the shooter to view the impact of the projectile when it reaches the target to properly adjust his shot.

Another object of the invention is to automatically sort the projectiles according to the shooter and the point of impact on the target in order to easily count the scores of different players.

The invention also aims to provide a target for fun use of simple design and easy to use.

These goals are achieved by a target for toy pistol discharging projectiles, of the type described in FR 790.426 (DAMON) and whose impact surface of the rings is covered with a washer of elastomeric material for damping the impact of the projectiles, said washer being made of a semi-adhesive material based on styrene-type polymer. ethylene / butylene-styrene so that the projectile can roll slowly on said washer after the impact and that the shooter has time to visualize the point of impact.

To allow the shooter to reach a ring even when the trajectory of the projectile is not horizontal, the outer diameter of a ring is advantageously greater than the inside diameter of the ring directly in front of it.

According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the impact surface of the rings is covered with a washer made of elastomeric material having recesses, advantageously formed by grooves, on its face facing said impact surface. . The presence of the grooves allows local deformation of the washer at the moment of impact of the projectile to effectively damp the latter without it being able to bounce.

So that the projectile can not cross the ring on which it impacted during its fall and that it falls into the right recovery device, the upper part of the rings is advantageously deformed forward.

Advantageously, the inner edge of the washer is beveled at its face vis-à-vis the impact surface of the rings so that when the projectile rolls down it can not bypass the inner edge of the ring and fall into another recovery device.

To simplify the design, the projectile recovery device is made by chutes placed under each of the rings.

In order to easily count the score of players, each chute advantageously comprises an opening arranged with at least one device for counting the number of projectiles present in said chute.

According to a feature of the invention allowing several fencers to sort and store their own projectiles, the rings are mounted pivoting about the common horizontal axis and devices for counting the number of projectiles are arranged according to the angular position of the openings present on chutes.

According to a feature of the invention enabling fencers to visually account for their score, each device for counting the number of projectiles is made by a vertical transparent tube arranged at the level of the shell and in which these projectiles are housed, the upper end said tube being connected to the opening on the chute. And so that players can easily count their points, each tube corresponds to a numerical value inversely proportional to the impact surface of the ring with which it is associated.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the tubes comprise at their lower end a device for retaining the projectiles so that the player can recover all of his projectiles at the end of the part by actuating said element.

• la figure 1 est une vue de face de la cible selon un mode préféré de réalisation ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe verticale selon A-A de la cible représentée à la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe horizontale selon B-B de la cible représentée à la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue partielle en coupe verticale selon C-C de la cible représentée à la figure 2, la partie basse de la coque n'étant pas représentée ;
• la figure 5 est une vue agrandie du détail D1 de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective d'un mode préféré de réalisation d'une rondelle élastomère ;
• la figure 7 est une vue partielle en coupe horizontale selon DD de la cible représentée à la figure 1 montrant l'agencement des éléments amovibles de retenu des projectiles avec les tubes.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly on reading the following description, given by way of indicative and nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is a front view of the target according to a preferred embodiment;
• the figure 2 is a vertical sectional view along AA of the target shown in FIG. figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view along BB of the target shown in FIG. figure 1 ;
• the figure 4 is a partial view in vertical section along CC of the target shown in FIG. figure 2 , the lower part of the hull not being represented;
• the figure 5 is an enlarged view of detail D1 of the figure 2 ;
• the figure 6 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an elastomeric washer;
• the figure 7 is a partial view in horizontal section along DD of the target shown in FIG. figure 1 showing the arrangement of removable projectile retention elements with the tubes.

The target object of the invention is particularly intended to be reached during a party by projectiles consisting of balls or small plastic spheres drawn by a toy gun with automatic unloading.

Referring to the figure 1 , the target object of the invention comprises a rigid shell 1, advantageously consisting of two parts obtained by plastic molding and rigidly assembled by screwing, tenon or any other equivalent means.

The shell 1 comprises a bottom portion 1a flared downwards and an upper portion 1b of substantially cylindrical shape within which is mounted a series of vertical and coaxial rings 2.

Viewed from the front ( figure 1 ), these rings conventionally define the subdivisions of an area to be aimed and are advantageously of different colors so that the shooter can distinguish them correctly.

The rings 2 are arranged in such a way that the ring which has the largest impact surface forms the outer contour of the area to be aimed and the ring which has the smallest impact surface forms the center of said area to aim.

In a conventional manner, a numerical value or a number of points is assigned to each ring 2, for example 5 points for the ring which has the largest impact area and 100 points for the ring which has the smallest area.

According to a feature of the invention shown in figure 2 , the portion 1d of the opening of the shell 1 is bevelled so as to deflect the rebound of a projectile P impacting on said wafer. In this way, the projectile does not bounce far from the target object of the invention and can easily be found.

By referring to the figure 2 , the rings 2 are offset relative to each other on the common horizontal axis 4, a distance greater than the size of the projectiles P.

To simplify the design, the rings 2 are integrated in a molded support 20 arranged inside the upper part 1b of the shell 1 and for keeping the rings 2 in vertical planes. In an alternative embodiment not shown, the rings 2 can be directly integrated in the upper part 1b of the shell 1.

As shown on figures 2 and 3 , the rings 2 are arranged so that we see the second ring through the hole of the first ring and so on until the last ring which is visible through the penultimate and which is arranged at the bottom of the upper part 1b of the shell 1. Thus, the more precisely the projectile P is fired, the more it will go to the bottom of the upper part 1b to reach the impact surface of the last ring which is the smallest.

Referring to figures 2 and 3 , the outer diameter of a ring 2 is greater than the inside diameter of the ring directly in front of it so that a shooter can reach the impact surface of said rings even when the trajectory of the projectile P is not horizontal.

According to a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, the last ring does not need to be perforated and can be likened to a simple disk.

The rings 2 can equally well have different outside diameters ( figures 2 and 3 ) or equal, the first solution having the advantage of simplifying the design.

In order to be able to correctly distinguish the color of each ring 2, lights can be provided on the shell 1.

By referring to Figures 2 to 6 appended, the impact surface of the rings 2 is covered with a washer 5 of elastomeric material for damping the impact of the projectiles P. Other equivalent means for mitigating the rebound of the projectile on the ring may be employed according to the characteristics of said projectile.

To the figure 2 is represented in dotted line the course of a projectile P from the moment it is ejecting a toy pistol.

As represented on figures 4 and 5 , the washers 5 are held on the impact surface of the rings 2 by means of a ring 5a for gripping the circumference of said ring against said impact surface. These crowns are advantageously fixed on the rings 2 by means of clips 50a or by any other equivalent means.

According to a preferred embodiment represented at figure 6 , the washer 5 has splines 5b on its face vis-à-vis with the impact surface of the ring 2 on which it is arranged. These grooves make it possible to offset the washer 5 of the impact surface of the ring 2 to form depressions, so that at the moment of impact, said washer can locally deform and gently push the projectile towards 'before. The latter then falls down just in front of the ring on which he impacted without being able to bounce ( figures 2 and 5 ) and is recovered in a recovery device located at the bottom of said ring. Other equivalent means, for example pins or cavities, may be used to form depressions on the face of the washer 5 vis-à-vis the impact surface of the rings 2.

Referring to the figure 2 and more particularly to the figure 5 , the upper part 2a of the rings 2 is deformed forward so that the projectile P, when falling downwards, can not reach the inner edge of the ring on which it has impacted at the risk of bouncing on said ridge and fall into the recovery device arranged with the ring located just behind.

In order to slow down the fall of the projectile P, the rings 5 also have semi-adhesive properties, and are advantageously formed of a material based on styrene-ethylene / butylene-styrene polymers (SEBS). In this way, after the impact on a ring 2, the projectile P rolls slowly on the washer 5 and the shooter has time to visualize the point of impact.

When the projectile P rolls down, it may happen that it bypasses the flat inner edge of the crown 5 and with its momentum falls into the recovery device arranged with the ring located just behind. To solve this problem and according to the figure 5 , the inner edge 5c of the washers 5 is preferably beveled at its face vis-à-vis the impact surface of the rings 2 on which it is arranged.

By referring to figures 2 and 4 each ring 2 is arranged with a projectile recovery device P formed by a chute 6. As successive shots, the projectiles P are sorted and stored in the different chutes 6 according to the ring on which they have impacted.

Advantageously, these chutes 6 are slightly inclined downwards and comprise at their lower end an opening 6a bringing the projectiles P to at least one device to count their number.

According to the preferred embodiment shown on the Figures 1 to 4 , the device for counting the number of projectiles is made by a vertical transparent tube 7 arranged on the lower part 1a of the shell 1 and in which the latter are housed ( figures 1 and 2 ).

Referring to figures 2 and 7 the tubes 7 are formed by a transparent part having vertical grooves 7a, said grooves being arranged in openings provided on the lower part 1a of the shell 1. The grooves 7a are closed at the rear by a vertical plate 7b ( figure 2 ) to form the series of tubes 7.

As shown in the accompanying figures, ducts 7c for directing the projectiles P from the openings 6a present on the chutes 6 into the tubes 7. Advantageously, all these ducts are positioned on a support plate 7d slightly inclined downwards ( figures 2 and 4 ).

Each tube 7 thus retrieves the projectiles P having impacted the ring 2 which is dedicated to it. As represented in figure 1 , at the end of the part the projectiles P are aligned in the different tubes 7 with which are associated 8. We therefore have a row of tubes 7 which allows the shooter to add these values to obtain the score.

Other equivalent devices for counting the number of projectiles can be used including using electronic counting systems at the exit of the openings 6a.

Referring to the figure 7 , the tubes 7 comprise at their lower end a device 9 for retaining the projectiles P formed by a support 9a coming to rest against the rear part of the grooves 7a, said support comprising projecting elements 9b positioned inside said grooves of in order to close a portion of said lower end and block the passage of said projectiles. The support 9a is slidably mounted horizontally in the lower part 1a of the shell 1 and gripping means 9c can move the projecting elements 9b to release the passage of the projectiles P. Return springs can be arranged with the support 9a so that the projecting elements 9c are in the closed position during the game.

Referring to the figure 2 when the player to count his points, he actuates the gripping means 9c to release the projectiles P and recover them in a recovery tank 90 located at the rear of the shell 1.

In the case of two fencers, the devices for counting the number of projectiles P are doubled to allow each fencer to count his own score, independently of those of the other shooter, thanks to a second series of tubes 7 ( figure 1 ).

In this case and referring to figures 2 and 3 a shoulder 10b arranged at the opening of the upper part 1b of the shell 1 and a projecting cylindrical element 20a, coaxial with the rings 2, placed behind the molded support 20 and fitted in said upper part, allow said pivoting rings to be mounted around the common horizontal axis 4.

Referring to the figure 4 , a gripping means 20b fixed to the molded support 20 and coming out of the shell 1 for an opening 1c provided for this purpose makes it possible to rotate the rings 2 by an angle α relative to the vertical and thus to vary the position angular openings 6a present on the chutes 6.

Referring to figures 3 and 4 two devices for counting the number of projectiles P of the type described above are arranged with the openings 6a according to the angular position of the latter. Two series of ducts 7c connected to two series of tubes 7 are arranged so that in an extreme angular position of the openings 6a, the projectiles P present in the ducts 6 may have fallen into one of the two series of ducts 7c.

Preferably, to perfectly position the openings 6a at the various ducts 7c, a means for locking the rings in an angular position is provided.

Referring to the figure 1 , it suffices for example the first player to rotate the rings 2 to the right to place the openings 6a at the ducts 7c on the right and that all projectiles impacting said rings are recovered in the series of tubes 7 located at right. The second player will have to rotate the rings to the left to recover his projectiles in the series of tubes 7 on the left.

The invention should be understood as not limited to two players, the number of devices for counting the number of projectiles can be adapted to the number of possible angular positions.

Claims (9)

1. Target for a toy that launches projectiles (P), comprising a rigid shell (1) in which is assembled a series of vertical and coaxial rings (2) defining the subdivisions of a target area, the said rings being offset in relation to the others on the common horizontal axis (4) by a distance greater than the size of the said projectiles, a device for recovering the said projectiles being installed with each of the said rings, the impact surface of the rings (2) is covered with an elastomer washer (5) which dampens the impact of the projectiles (P), characterised by the fact that the said washer (5) is made of a semi-adhesive polymer-based material of the styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene type so that the projectile (P) can roll slowly over the said washer after the impact and the player has the time to see the point of impact.
2. Target according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the elastomer washer (5) has hollows on its surface opposite the impact surface of the rings (2).
3. Target according to one of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that the top part (2a) of the rings (2) is deformed forwards.
4. Target according to claim 3, characterised by the fact that the inner edge (5c) of the washer (5) is bevelled on its surface opposite the impact surface of the rings (2).
5. Target according to one of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that the edge (1d) of the opening of the shell (1) is bevelled so as to deviate the rebound of a projectile (P) hitting the said edge.
6. Target according to one of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that the devices for recovering the projectiles (P) are each formed by a channel (6) so that during successive salvos, the said projectiles (P) can be sorted and stored in the different channels (6) according to the ring (2) which they hit, each channel (6) comprising an opening (6a) designed to bring the said projectiles towards several devices (7, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) to count them, the said rings (2) being assembled to pivot around the common horizontal axis (4) so as to vary the angular position of the openings (6a) and position them on the different devices (7.7a.7b.7c.7d) to count the number of projectiles.
7. Target according to claim 6, characterised by the fact that each device (7, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) to count the number of projectiles (P) consists of a vertical, transparent tube (7) installed on the shell (1) and in which the said projectiles are housed, the top end of the said tube being connected to the opening (6a) on the channel (6).
8. Target according to claim 7, characterised by the fact that the lower end of the tubes (7) have a device (9) which retains the projectiles (P).
9. Target according to claim 8, characterised by the fact that the tubes (7) have vertical grooves (7a), the said grooves being arranged in the openings provided in the lower part (1 a) of the shell (1), the retention device (9) for the projectiles (P) being formed by a support (9a) which is placed against the rear part of the said grooves, the said support consisting of projecting elements (9b) which are positioned inside the said grooves so as to block part of the said lower end and block the passage of the said projectiles, the said support being assembled to slide horizontally in the said lower part of the said shell and grippers (9c) used to move the said projecting elements to clear the passage of the said projectiles.

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