U.S. patent application number 11/825444 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-08 for archery game.
Invention is credited to Dean M. Jones.
Application Number | 20090008878 11/825444 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40220821 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090008878 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jones; Dean M. |
January 8, 2009 |
Archery game
Abstract
A game having a supporting frame over which is draped a cover
and a netting with the cover and netting catching and retaining
arrows shot into the target or cover. The target may be designed to
replicate a dart board.
Inventors: |
Jones; Dean M.; (Columbus
Twp., MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C.
1000 TOWN CENTER, TWENTY-SECOND FLOOR
SOUTHFIELD
MI
48075
US
|
Family ID: |
40220821 |
Appl. No.: |
11/825444 |
Filed: |
July 6, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/404 ;
273/407 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41J 3/0019 20130101;
F41J 3/0004 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/404 ;
273/407 |
International
Class: |
F41J 3/02 20060101
F41J003/02 |
Claims
1. An archery game comprising, in combination: a readily moveable
backdrop for resting on a supporting surface located in a target
area for the game; said backdrop having a frame with an upper end
portion and a lower end portion which may be readily assembled and
disassembled for permitting simple movement of the frame to
different locations; a flexible bag-like cover having a front wall
and a back wall for draping open end first downwardly over the
frame; said frame permitting said front wall of the bag facing an
archer to sway upon impact of an arrow; and a target mounted on
said front wall of the bag-like cover and causing said cover to
sway away from an archer who strikes the target with an arrow
thereby cushioning the shock and limiting penetration of said arrow
into the backdrop.
2. The invention defined by claim 1 wherein the backdrop includes a
netting overlying the back wall of the bag-like cover to catch an
arrow penetrating through the cover.
3. The invention defined by claim 1 wherein said frame has a base
portion for resting on said supporting surface and a pair of
laterally spaced-apart upright portions with said bag-like cover
swayable between said upright portions when said target or front
wall of the cover is struck by an arrow.
4. The invention defined by claim 2 wherein said netting has an
upper edge portion connected to the bag-like cover adjacent the
upper end of the frame.
5. The invention defined by claim 1 wherein said target comprises a
porous block fastened to the said front wall of the cover and
having a dart board-like design thereon.
6. The invention defined by claim 3 wherein said frame has an upper
frame portion disposed at a reclining angle over which is draped
said cover, with the width of the cover being greater than the
laterally spaced apart upper frame portion.
7. The invention defined by claim 5 wherein said front wall of the
cover is provided with Velcro.RTM.-like fasteners removably
connected to the said porous block.
8. The invention as defined by claim 2 wherein said netting being
connected at an upper end to said cover adjacent the upper end of
the frame.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a game that utilizes a target
similar to a dart board but instead of throwing darts at it the
player shoots arrows at it.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] Several U.S. Pat. Nos. show archery targets, namely, U.S.
Pat. Nos. 1,602,441; 3,367,660; 4,546,984 and 3,902,721 while
others namely, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,328,033 and 5,062,640 show golf
targets. The advertising of other parties show dart boards, for
example the advertising of http://www.dart-stopbackboards.com on
the internet. But none of the patents or publications show or
suggest shooting arrows at dart boards and dart board structures
that would be capable of handling the impact and destructiveness of
arrows shot by archery bows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In general, my invention enables archery players to engage
in target practice as well as archery games similar to darts,
indoors or outdoors such as in a game room, back yard, a bedroom or
any other place favored by the player without damage to the
surrounding environment or persons or pets if an arrow misses the
target. Unlike a conventional dart game, my target is not hung on a
wall but rather has a readily portable backdrop which may be
erected in any suitable location independent of walls or other
objects upon which a dart board is conventionally hung. For this
objective I provide a portable, readily assembled or disassembled
backdrop comprising a frame which may be rested on any horizontal
surface, such as the floor of a house or on the driveway or
grass-covered space.
[0006] Upon the frame is draped a cover that has a glove-like fit
thereon at the top, with front and back sides hanging loosely there
below. This loosely hanging front side of the cover faces the
archer and upon this surface is hung the target. When either the
front side of the cover or the target is struck by an arrow, the
target and the front side of the cover will move away from the
archer in the direction of the arrow movement thereby dampening or
absorbing shock of the arrow and generally preventing the arrow
from penetrating deeply into the target or cover structure.
[0007] In the event an arrow is shot with unusual force at the
target, a nylon or other suitable netting overlies the backside of
the cover to catch the arrow and prevent it from exiting the
backdrop.
[0008] The sequence of the players and the scoring thereof may be
whatever the players desire which may be, but does not have to be,
based on rules and scoring similar to a game of darts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of my archery target;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the connection between
the netting and the bag-like cover;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows the bag-like cover assembled over the
frame;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a preferred typical connection between the
frame portions;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a front view of my game structure with the target
mounted thereon;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the target;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a rear view of the backdrop with the secondary
drape or netting partially removed to expose the back wall of the
cover;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a side view of the backdrop; and
[0017] FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing an arrow penetrating the
target, the cover and stopped by the netting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1-4 and 7 and 8, my archery game comprises
a backdrop 10 having a frame 12 composed of nine tubular sections
14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 joined together as in FIG. 4
where the end of one tubular section has been expanded as at 34 to
permit the insertion of an end 36 of an adjacent section.
[0019] While I have shown the frame with nine tubular sections,
more or less sections may be involved. However, my intention is
that sufficient sections be provided so that upon disassembly of
the frame the tubular frame sections may be placed in a duffle bag
or carrying case that may be a convenient size, namely from three
to four feet more or less in length. The tubular sections 14-28 may
be made of metal or plastic, as desired.
[0020] Extending upwardly and at a reclining angle is the upper
frame portion 38 composed of the four laterally spaced apart
tubular sections 14, 16, 18 and 20. The lower end portion of the
frame is composed of sections 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30, of which
sections 22 and 30 are bent backwardly as best shown in FIGS. 1 and
3 so that the upper frame sections 14, 16, 18 and 20 repose at a
backward angle.
[0021] Received over the frame is a flexible bag-like cover 40
which may be made of canvas having a camouflage or other design
pattern on it if desired. The bag-like cover has a lower open end
formed by front and back walls 42 and 44. The front wall 42 faces
the game player. The walls 42 and 44 are stitched or otherwise
secured together at the upper end of the cover as at 46 to form a
glove-like fit over the upper end of the frame. Except for the
joining of the front and back walls 42 and 44 of the bag-like cover
at the upper end of the backdrop 10, the front and back walls are
purposely permitted to hang loosely between the upper and lower
portions of the frame. This enables the backdrop 10 to absorb the
force of arrows striking the front wall 42 of the cover or the
target 48. While the arrows may penetrate the front wall 40 or the
target 48, most of them will be restrained by the looseness of the
drape-like cover. The front and back walls of the cover are wider
than the frame as shown in FIG. 3 so that the cover overlies the
upper frame portion 38.
[0022] Velcro.RTM.-like ties 47 and 49 may be provided to keep the
drape-like cover in place on the frame but are loose enough so that
the cover may flex as it is struck by arrows.
[0023] To prevent stray arrows or an unusually fast moving arrow
from penetrating through the cover and both the front and back
walls of the bag, I provide a secondary drape 50 which may be in
the form of a sheet of nylon netting having a porosity that will
grip an arrow striking it to prevent the arrow from passing
outwardly beyond the back wall 44 of the bag-like cover. I have
found that a nylon netting of 1/8'' porosity is suitable for this
purpose. The netting, as in the case of the bag-like cover, is
draped loosely so that it will move with a fast-moving arrow that
penetrates the back cover of the bag. For this purpose, the netting
or secondary drape 50 may be stitched or otherwise secured to the
upper edge of the bag as at 52 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. I have found
that the lower end 56 of the netting may be advantageously inserted
beneath the lower tubular sections 24, 26 and 28 of the frame to
retain the netting loosely behind the bag-like cover as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3.
[0024] The target 48 may be in the form of a generally square block
of Styrofoam or the like, 21 inches wide about 24 inches tall, and
21/4 inches thick and having a density of from 4 to 6 pounds per
square foot. The face of the block is decorated with the design of
a dart board 54. As before mentioned, the dart board may be used to
play any of the dart games but instead of using darts, the players
use their bows and arrows and shoot the arrows at the dart board as
though they were playing darts. In the event an arrow passes
through the Styrofoam block, it will encounter the back wall 44 of
the cover which will arrest most arrows. Those arrows which pass
through the block, the back wall of the cover and attempt to exit,
encounter the netting 50 which will arrest the arrow. Thus, the
game may be played in an environment not threatened by arrows
exiting the backdrop 10.
[0025] The target block 48 may be secured to the front wall 42 of
the cover by one or more Velcro.RTM.-like straps 58 passing through
slots in the block and in the front wall of the cover.
[0026] While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and
described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and
describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words
used in the specification are words of description rather than
limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *
References