U.S. patent application number 10/715251 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-19 for method for generating lines for dart games.
Invention is credited to Huang, Chih Hsiung, Yiu, Chih Hao.
Application Number | 20050107187 10/715251 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34574176 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050107187 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yiu, Chih Hao ; et
al. |
May 19, 2005 |
Method for generating lines for dart games
Abstract
A method for dart games includes attaching a reference line
generating device to a dart board or to a wall, to generate one or
more reference lines in front of the dart board as toe lines, and
to avoid the users or the players from drafting the reference lines
or the toe lines manually, and from drafting the reference lines or
the toe lines every time when the players are going to play the
dart games. The reference line generating device includes a light
generating device received in a housing and supported on a circuit
board, and adjustable to various angular positions, for generating
the reference lines or the toe lines.
Inventors: |
Yiu, Chih Hao; (Taichung,
TW) ; Huang, Chih Hsiung; (Taichung, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Chih Hao Yiu
P.O. Box 63-99
Taichung
406
TW
|
Family ID: |
34574176 |
Appl. No.: |
10/715251 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/371 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41J 3/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/371 |
International
Class: |
A63B 037/04 |
Claims
1. A method for dart games, said method comprising: providing a
dart board, providing an attaching device, providing a housing and
rotatably and adiustably attaching said housing to said attaching
device, to allow said housing to be rotated and adjusted relative
to said attaching device, and providing and attaching at least one
reference line generating device to said housing, said at least one
reference line generating device including a light generating
device to generate at least one toe line for said dart board, said
at least one reference line generating device being rotatable in
concert with said housing, to allow said at least one toe line
generated by said light generating device to be rotated and
adjusted relative to said attaching device and said dart board.
2-3. (canceled)
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising providing a
circuit board to support said light generating device.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising providing a
casing in front of said housing to receive said light generating
device.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising providing
and attaching a lens in said casing and disposing in front of said
light generating device.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising providing a
passage in said casing to receive said lens therein.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said attaching device
is provided for attaching at least one reference line generating
device to said dart board.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said attaching device
provides at least one arm having a first end attached to said dart
board, and a second end for supporting said at least one reference
line generating device.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said attaching device
provides an extension laterally extended from said first end of
said at least one arm, and secured to said dart board with at least
one fastener.
11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said attaching device
is provided for attaching at least one reference line generating
device to a supporting surface.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said attaching
device provides at least one arm having a first end attached to the
supporting surface, and a second end for supporting said at least
one reference line generating device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a dart board game, and more
particularly to a method for generating reference lines for dart
games, and for avoiding the users from drafting reference lines or
toe lines manually.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Various kinds of typical dart boards have been developed and
comprise a number of darts areas or dart segments to be hit by
darts. In addition, various kinds of dart games have been developed
for being played by one or more players.
[0005] For almost all of the dart games, one or more reference
lines are required to be drafted in front of the dart boards, and
the players should stand behind the reference lines to play the
dart games.
[0006] The distance between the reference line and the dart boards
is normally ranged from about seven (7) to nine (9) feet. For
example, the distance between the reference line and the dart
boards is about seven (7) feet and six (6) inches in Great British,
and is about seven (7) feet and nine and a quarter (9 and 1/4)
inches in the United States.
[0007] However, till today, the reference lines are still drafted
in front of the dart boards by the players manually, with such as
chalk, pen, or the like. Before playing the dart games, the players
may have to measure the distance between the reference line and the
dart boards, and then may have to draft the reference lines. The
reference lines drafted by chalk, pen, or the like normally may not
be last for long time.
[0008] The players may chose some of the lines or objects, that
have been previously formed or provided on the ground or the like,
as the reference lines. However, it will be difficult to find a
support surface or a support wall to support the dart boards, and
to have the support surface or the support wall to be exactly
located in the required distance away from the selected lines or
objects.
[0009] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional dart boards
and dart games.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a method for generating reference lines or toe lines for dart
games, and for avoiding the users from drafting the reference lines
or the toe lines manually.
[0011] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method for dart games includes one or more reference
line generating devices attached to a dart board or to a wall, to
generate one or more reference lines in front of the dart board as
toe lines, and to avoid the users or the players from drafting the
reference lines or the toe lines manually, and from drafting the
reference lines or the toe lines every time when the players are
going to play the dart games.
[0012] The reference line generating device includes a light
generating device for generating the reference line or the toe
line. A housing is provided to receive the light generating device.
A circuit board may be provided to support the light generating
device. A casing may be provided in front of the housing to receive
the light generating device. A lens may be provided in the casing
and disposing in front of the light generating device. A passage
may be provided in the casing to receive the lens therein.
[0013] An attaching device may be provided for attaching the
reference line generating device to the dart board or to the wall,
and includes at least one arm having a first end attached to the
dart board, and a second end for supporting the reference line
generating device, and an extension laterally extended from the
first end of the arm, and secured to the dart board with at least
one fastener.
[0014] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dart board assembly having
a reference line generating device in accordance with the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating
a reference line generating device attached to a wall member for
generating lines for the dart board assembly;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the reference line
generating device of the dart board assembly;
[0018] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the reference line generating
device of the dart board assembly;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a side schematic view of the reference line
generating device attached to the dart board assembly;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a side schematic view similar to FIG. 5,
illustrating the operation of the reference line generating device
of the dart board assembly; and
[0021] FIGS. 7, 8 are side schematic views similar to FIGS. 5, 6,
illustrating the operation of the reference line generating device
that is attached to the wall member for generating lines for the
dart board assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a
method in accordance with the present invention is to provide a
dart board 10 which may be directly and erectly supported on desks,
or the like, or may be attached or secured onto a dart board
cabinet (not shown), a supporting surface or wall 80 or the like.
The dart board 10 includes a spider 11 to separate the front
portion of the dart board 10 into a number of dart areas or dart
segments 12 that are to be hit by darts (not shown). The dart board
10 may include a control panel 14 to control the dart games to be
played by the players, for example.
[0023] The method in accordance with the present invention is to
further provide and attach or secure one or more reference line
generating devices 30 onto the dart board 10 (FIGS. 1, 5, 6), or
onto the dart board cabinet (not shown), or onto the supporting
surface or wall 80 or the like (FIGS. 2, 7, 8), with a coupling or
attaching means or device 20.
[0024] For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the attaching device
20 includes one or more arms 21 each having an extension 22 bent or
extended laterally from one end thereof, and one or more orifices
23 formed in the arms 21 or extensions 22, for receiving fasteners
24 which may secure the arms 21 to the dart board 10 (FIGS. 1, 5,
6), or directly onto the supporting surface or wall 80 or the like
(FIGS. 2, 7, 8).
[0025] The attaching device 20 further includes one or more
apertures 25 formed in the other end of the arms 21, for receiving
fasteners 26 which may be used to secure the reference line
generating device 30 to the arms 21. For example, the reference
line generating device 30 may include a housing 31 rotatably
secured to the arms 21 with the fasteners 26, to allow the housing
31 of the reference line generating device 30 to be rotated and
adjusted relative to the dart board 10 to any selected angular
positions, best shown in FIGS. 5-8.
[0026] The housing 31 of the reference line generating device 30
includes a chamber 32 formed therein for receiving a circuit board
40 or the like therein, and includes a casing 33 provided or
extended in front portion thereof. The casing 33 includes a bore 34
formed therein, and a passage 35 formed therein and intersecting or
communicating with the bore 34 thereof for receiving a lens 36
therein.
[0027] The circuit board 40 includes a laser or light generating
device 41 provided or attached thereon, and engageable into the
bore 34 of the casing 33, and disposed behind the lens 36, for
generating light through the lens 36, in order to generate one or
more reference lines or toe lines 70 (FIGS. 1, 2). It is to be
noted that the circuit board 40 and the light generating device 41
may be solidly secured to the dart board 10 (FIGS. 1, 5, 6), or to
the supporting wall 80 (FIGS. 2, 7, 8) at the selected angular
positions with the housing 31.
[0028] The circuit board 40 may further include a lens or a hood 42
attached thereto, and disposed or secured in front of the light
generating device 41, for such as light concentrating purposes. The
light generating device 41 may also be arranged to generate the
reference lines or the toe lines 70 without the lens 36 nor the
hood 42. In addition, the reference lines or the toe lines 70 may
include a predetermined length or unlimited length.
[0029] It is further to be noted that the reference lines or the
toe lines 70 may be generated by the light generating device 41 and
spaced from the dart board 10 at the selected distance when the
housing 31 and the circuit board 40 and the light generating device
41 are solidly secured to the dart board 10 (FIGS. 1, 5, 6), or to
the supporting wall 80 (FIGS. 2, 7, 8) at the selected angular
position, such that the players are not required to redraft the
reference lines or the toe lines again and again when playing the
dart games.
[0030] The dart board 10 may be directly and erectly supported on
desks or the like, or may be attached or secured onto a dart board
cabinet (not shown), or may be attached or secured onto the
supporting surface or wall 80 or the like. The light generating
device 41 of the reference line generating device 30 may be
directed toward the front portion of the dart board 10, to generate
the reference lines or the toe lines 70 in front of and spaced from
the dart board 10 at the selected distance.
[0031] A cover 37 may be secured to the rear or back portion of the
housing 31, with such as fasteners 38, in order to stably retain
the circuit board 40 within the housing 31. The circuit board 40
and/or the light generating device 41 may be coupled to various
electric power suppliers, such as the electric power supplier of
the dart board 10, with such as electric wires 43, in order to be
energized by various electric power suppliers.
[0032] Accordingly, the method in accordance with the present
invention may provide a device for generating reference lines or
toe lines for the dart boards, and for avoiding the users or the
players from drafting the reference lines or the toe lines manually
while playing dart games.
[0033] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous
changes in the detailed construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *