U.S. patent application number 17/115621 was filed with the patent office on 2021-06-10 for target actuator system.
The applicant listed for this patent is Action Target Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert DeCosta, Joseph Green.
Application Number | 20210172715 17/115621 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005398574 |
Filed Date | 2021-06-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210172715 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DeCosta; Robert ; et
al. |
June 10, 2021 |
TARGET ACTUATOR SYSTEM
Abstract
A target carrier system and a method of use are disclosed for
controlling the presentation of a target during firearms training.
The system and method may be used to improve decision making on
whether or not to discharge a weapon when exposed to a potential
threat.
Inventors: |
DeCosta; Robert; (Spanish
Fork, UT) ; Green; Joseph; (Herriman, UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Action Target Inc. |
Provo |
UT |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005398574 |
Appl. No.: |
17/115621 |
Filed: |
December 8, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62945882 |
Dec 9, 2019 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41J 5/02 20130101; F41J
5/042 20130101; F41J 1/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F41J 5/04 20060101
F41J005/04; F41J 1/10 20060101 F41J001/10; F41J 5/02 20060101
F41J005/02 |
Claims
1. A target carrier system comprising: a target actuator having a
clamping mechanism for holding a target, the target actuator being
configured to rotate the clamping mechanism at least 360 degrees;
and a plurality of contacts disposed to engage a target and to
obtain signals from the target indicative of the target being hit
by a bullet.
2. The target carrier system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of
contacts is disposed on the clamping mechanism.
3. The target carrier system of claim 1, further comprising a slip
ring attached to the clamping mechanism.
4. The target carrier system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of
contact is electrically connected to the slip ring.
5. The target carrier system of claim 3, further comprising a
plurality of brush contacts disposed in communication with the slip
ring.
6. The target carrier system of claim 1, wherein the orientation of
the clamping mechanism is determined by the target carrier
system.
7. A target system comprising the target carrier system of claim 1,
and further comprising a target held by the clamping mechanism.
8. The target system of claim 7, wherein the target carrier system
supplies electrical current to the target and receives signals back
from the target indicative of puncturing of the target.
9. The target system of claim 7, wherein the target has a first
side having an image disposed thereon and a second side having an
image disposed thereon and wherein the images on the first side is
different from the image on the second side.
10. The target system of claim 7, wherein the orientation of the
clamping mechanism is determined by the target carrier system.
11. The target system of claim 7, wherein the target carrier system
is programmed to determine which side of the target is being
presented to a person disposed in front of the target carrier.
12. The target carrier system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of
contacts is contained in a clip.
13. The target carrier system of claim 1, wherein the clip is
electrically connected to a plug.
14. The target carrier system of claim 1, wherein the clip includes
a transmitter.
15. A method of presenting a target, the method comprising:
rotating a target to present the target; receiving data from the
target indicative of whether the target has been struck by one or
more bullets while presented; rotating the target so the target is
no longer presented; and rotating the target to present the target
based on data received from the target;
16. The method of presenting a target of claim 15, wherein the
target has a first side and a second side and wherein the first
side has an image thereon indicative of a threat sufficient to
justify the shooting of a gun and wherein the second side has an
image thereon which is not indicative of a threat sufficient to
justify the shooting of a gun.
17. The method of presenting a target of claim 16, wherein the
method includes knowing which side of the image is being presented
and determining if the target has properly been struck by a bullet
while being presented.
18. The method of presenting a target of claim 17, wherein an
actuator rotates the target in response to instructions from a
processor and wherein the processor receiving signals from the
target indicating if the target has been hit by a bullet.
19. The method for presenting a target of claim 15, wherein
electrical signals are passed between the target ad the target
carrier via a slip ring.
20. The method for presenting a target of claim 15, wherein a clip
is placed on the target, the clip having a plurality of
conductors.
21. A target carrier system comprising: a target; a processor
disposed in communication with the target, the processor being
programmed to present an image on the target to a person being
trained with the target, the processor being programmed to change
the image visible to the user in response to whether or nor the
person being trained fires a projectile through the target.
22. The target carrier system of claim 21, wherein the target has a
plurality of conductive lines disposed thereon or therein and
wherein a bullet passing through the target provides feedback to
the processor:
23. The target carrier system of claim 21, wherein target carrier
system includes a motor unit which rotates a target and wherein the
processor is disposed in communication with the motor unit which
rotates the target.
24. The target carrier system of claim 22, wherein the processor is
programmed to rotate the target in response to the occurrence or
absence of a projectile passing through the target within a given
amount of time.
25. The target carrier system of claim 21, wherein the target
carrier system further comprises a projector for projecting an
image onto the target and wherein the processor is programmed to
change the image the projector projects onto the target in response
to the occurrence or absence of a projectile passing through the
target within a given amount of time.
26. The target carrier system of claim 21, wherein the target
carrier system further comprises a projector for projecting an
image onto the target and wherein the processor is programmed to
change the image the projector projects onto the target in response
to a certain number of projectiles passing through the target
within a given amount of time.
27. A method for training a person when to discharge a firearm, the
method comprising: presenting a target having a first image
disposed thereon indicative of a shoot or no shoot situation;
detecting whether a projectile has passed through the target or a
specific portion thereof after the image was presented; and
providing a second image to the shooter in response to whether or
not a projectile was fired through the target while the first image
was presented to the person.
28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the method comprises
rotating the target to present the second image to the person.
29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first image is
projected onto the target and wherein presenting the second image
comprises projecting a second image onto the target.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of
firearm shooting ranges, and more particularly to a target carrier
system with a target actuator system for presenting one or more
targets to a trainee and for providing remote information
responsive to the strikes to the target.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In range shooting, it is important to provide multiple
different scenarios to train a soldier or law enforcement officer
("trainee") to react properly in a number of different situations.
Extensive training protects both the trainee and the public. A
properly trained shooter will be able to quickly assess a situation
and determine whether it is a shoot or no shoot situation. Most
importantly, the trainee will have confidence in his or her ability
to make accurate split-second decisions on whether or not to fire
their weapon. A well-trained shooter should not fire too quickly,
thereby risking shooting an innocent person. Likewise, a
well-trained shooter should not hesitate too long before shooting
an armed individual who is posing an imminent risk to the public or
the police officer, etc.
[0003] Target equipment, such as target retrievers, are installed
on the ranges to give versatility in training and ease in placing
and returning a target. Target retrievers typically include a track
and a target carrier in communication with a motor unit to move the
target carrier relative to the trainee, thereby changing the
distance between the target and the trainee. The retrievers may
include a target actuator which can control when the target is
presented to the shooter. For example, a target may be positioned
in a neutral position parallel to the line of fire so that the
shooter sees the edge of the target. The target may then be rotated
90 degrees so that the target is visible to the trainee. The
trainee may have a given amount of time to shoot a given number of
rounds in a given area, to score a number of points, etc. Likewise,
a target may have an image disposed thereon of a person holding a
cell phone or other item which does not pose a risk--with the goal
of the test being that the trainee does not discharge their
weapon.
[0004] One challenge with presenting a trainee with a target that
is the same every time is that the trainee starts to anticipate the
scenario. If the scenario is a shoot scenario, the trainee will
anticipate shooting and begin shooting as soon as the target is
displayed. Ideally, however, the trainee should be forced first to
make the determination whether shooting was appropriate prior to
discharging his or her weapon.
[0005] Alternatively, the trainee may be provided with an image
showing a no shoot situation--such as a person holding a flashlight
rather than a gun. If the trainee knows that the no shoot scenario
will be shown, there is no challenge and the trainee does not
improve at making the decision under high pressure situations.
While shoot and no shoot images may be presented on two sides of
the same target, it is often difficult to determine what shots were
made in a proper shoot scenario and which were improperly made in a
no shoot scenario unless everyone on the range is obtaining the
shoot or no shoot scenario at the same time. This, however, can
also create conditioning issues, as the trainee may simply rely on
the other trainees and fire as soon as someone else fires. In
actual situations, however, this can be catastrophic. A police
officer's partner may be shooting at someone who poses a threat. If
the police office is conditioned to fire upon hearing other
officers fire, he or she may be more likely to fire at a person who
is not posing a threat do to conditioning to fire when other
officers fire.
[0006] One recent improvement in training is the use of targets
that can detect not only that they have been struck, but also where
they have been struck. The targets allow for real time analysis of
the officers' shooting. Thus, for example, the target may be
programmed to fall over, turn, etc., after the trainee has placed 3
shots in a predetermined area. Among other things, the present
invention is designed to enhance the usability of such targets.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0007] The present invention relates to target actuator systems and
methods for presenting an image on a target and detecting strikes
to the target while the image is displayed to the trainee. In one
embodiment, the system may comprise a target carrier having a
target actuator disposed thereon. The target actuator may enable
360 degrees or greater in rotational movement of the target.
[0008] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the
actuator may include a communications mechanism for transferring
signals and/or electrical current between the target carrier and
the target so that target carrier may obtain information from the
target regarding whether the target has been struck and where the
target has been struck.
[0009] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure,
the target actuator may actuate responsive to information received
from the target. For example, once the trainee has reached a given
number of points, the actuator may rotate the target into a
non-presented position. Alternatively, the actuator may move the
target to force the trainee to repeat a certain training exercise
until it is completed properly.
[0010] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure,
the target carrier system may work with the target to determine
when the target has been hit while the target actuator has placed
the target in a no shoot scenario. That information can then be
used to ensure that the trainee receives additional training to
avoid shooting during a no shoot scenario.
[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure,
a target may be provided with a mechanism for sensing the location
at which a projectile pierces the target and an image may be
projected onto the target. A processor may record and report
information regarding the image that was projected on the target at
the time the projectile impacted the target.
[0012] A method is also described herein to sense hits to a target,
and to adjust the actions of the target in responsive to signals
from the target. These may include, for example, rotating the
target to stop the exercise, or changing an originally planned
sequence to cause the trainee to repeat a portion of the training
in which the trainee did not perform as desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0013] The following drawings illustrate what are currently
considered to be specific representative configurations for
carrying out the invention and are not limiting as to embodiments
which may be made in accordance with the present invention. The
components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to
each other. Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts
throughout the several views.
[0014] The drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope
of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The
various elements of the invention accomplish various aspects and
objects of the invention. Not every element of the invention can be
clearly displayed in a single drawing, and as such not every
drawing shows each element of the invention.
[0015] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of
illustrative systems embodying the principles of the present
subject matter. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow
charts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and
the like, represent various processes which may be practiced
manually, in analog, or may be substantially represented in
computer readable medium and so executed by a computer or
processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly
shown.
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates a cut-away view of a target made in
accordance with the prior art in which the target is configured to
be inserted into a stand;
[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a first side of a target which may be
used in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates a second, opposing side of the target
shown in FIG. 2;
[0019] FIG. 4 shows a side schematic view of a target carrier
having a target actuator in accordance with one aspect of the
present disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 5 shows a front view of a target carrier in accordance
with one aspect. of the present disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of an alternate embodiment of
a target actuator; and
[0022] FIG. 7 shows a close-up view of the connector shown in FIG.
6;
[0023] FIG. 8 shows an alternate embodiment of a target carrier,
target actuator, and target;
[0024] FIG. 9 shows steps of a method of using the target carrier
system in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure;
[0025] FIG. 10 shows an alternate implementation of a target
actuator and a target; and
[0026] FIGS. 11A and 11B show opposing sides of the target shown in
FIG. 10.
[0027] It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative
and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by
the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various
aspects and objects of the invention. It will be appreciated that
it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the
present disclosure in a single figure, and as such, multiple
figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details
of different aspects of the invention in greater clarity.
Similarly, not all configurations or embodiments described herein
or covered by the appended claims will include all of the aspects
of the present disclosure as discussed above.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] The following provides a detailed description of particular
embodiments of the present invention. Reference will now be made to
the drawings in which the various elements of the illustrated
configurations will be given numerical designations and in which
the invention will be discussed so as to enable one skilled in the
art to make and use the invention. It is to be understood that the
following description is only exemplary of the principles of the
present invention and should not be viewed as narrowing the scope
of the claims which follow, which claims define the full scope of
the invention.
[0029] It will be appreciated that various aspects discussed in one
drawing may be present and/or used in conjunction with an
embodiment shown in another drawing, and each element shown in
multiple drawings may be discussed only once. For example, in some
cases, detailed description of well-known items or repeated
description of substantially the same configurations may be
omitted. The reason is to facilitate the understanding of those
skilled in the art by avoiding the following description from being
unnecessarily redundant. The accompanying drawings and the
following description are provided for those skilled in the art to
fully understand the present disclosure, and these are not intended
to limit the terms setting forth the scope of claims.
[0030] Reference in the specification to "one embodiment," "one
configuration," "an embodiment," or "a configuration" means that a
particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in
connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one
embodiment, etc. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment"
in various places may not necessarily limit the inclusion of a
particular element of the invention to a single embodiment, rather
the element may be included in other or all embodiments discussed
herein.
[0031] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or
characteristics of embodiments of the present disclosure may be
combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the
following description, numerous specific details may be provided,
such as examples of products or manufacturing techniques that may
be used, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the
invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however,
that embodiments discussed in the disclosure may be practiced
without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods,
components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known
structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described
in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
[0032] Before the present invention is disclosed and described in
detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not
limited to any particular structures, process steps, or materials
discussed or disclosed herein, but is extended to include
equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those of ordinarily
skill in the relevant art. More specifically, the invention is
defined by the terms set forth in the claims. It should also be
understood that terminology contained herein is used for the
purpose of describing particular aspects of the invention only and
is not intended to limit the invention to the aspects or
embodiments shown unless expressly indicated as such. Likewise, the
discussion of any particular aspect of the invention is not to be
understood as a requirement that such aspect is required to be
present apart from an express inclusion of that aspect in the
claims.
[0033] It should also be noted that, as used in this specification
and the appended claims, singular forms such as "a," "an," and
"the" may include the plural unless the context clearly dictates
otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a bracket" may include
an embodiment having one or more of such brackets, and reference to
"the target plate" may include reference to one or more of such
target plates.
[0034] As used herein, the term "substantially" refers to the
complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action,
characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result to
function as indicated. For example, an object that is
"substantially" enclosed would mean that the object is either
completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact
allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in
some cases depend on the specific context, such that enclosing
nearly all of the length of a lumen would be substantially
enclosed, even if the distal end of the structure enclosing the
lumen had a slit or channel formed along a portion thereof. The use
of "substantially" is equally applicable when used in a negative
connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an
action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or
result. For example, structure which is "substantially free of" a
bottom would either completely lack a bottom or so nearly
completely lack a bottom that the effect would be effectively the
same as if it completely lacked a bottom.
[0035] As used herein, the term "generally" refers to something
that has characteristics of a quality without being exactly that
quality. For example, a structure said to be generally vertical
would be at least as vertical as horizontal, i.e. would extend 45
degrees or greater from horizontal. Likewise, something said to be
generally circular may be rounded like an oval but need not have a
consistent diameter in every direction.
[0036] As used herein, the term "about" is used to provide
flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given
value may be "a little above" or "a little below" the endpoint
while still accomplishing the function associated with the
range.
[0037] As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements,
compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a
common list for convenience. However, these lists should be
construed as though each member of the list is individually
identified as a separate and unique member.
[0038] Concentrations, amounts, proportions, and other numerical
data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is
to be understood that such a range format is used merely for
convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to
include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the
limits of the range, but also to include all the individual
numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if
each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an
illustration, a numerical range of "about 1 to about 5" should be
interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of
about 1 to about 5, but also include individual values and
sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this
numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and
sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well
as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, individually. This same principle applies to
ranges reciting only one numerical value as a minimum or a maximum.
Furthermore, such an interpretation should apply regardless of the
breadth of the range or the characteristics being described.
[0039] For a firmware, and/or software implementation of the target
carrier system described herein, the methodologies may be
implemented with modules (e.g., procedures, functions, and so on)
that perform the functions described herein. Any machine readable
medium tangibly embodying instructions can be used in implementing
the methodologies described herein. For example, software codes and
programs can be stored in a memory and executed by a processing
unit. Memory can be implemented within the processing unit or may
be external to the processing unit. As used herein the term
"memory" refers to any type of long term, short term, volatile,
nonvolatile, or other storage devices and is not to be limited to
any particular type of memory or number of memories, or type of
media upon which memory is stored.
[0040] In other firmware and/or software implementations, the
functions may be stored as one or more instructions or code on a
non-transitory computer-readable medium. Examples include
computer-readable media encoded with a data structure and
computer-readable media encoded with a computer program.
Computer-readable media may take the form of an article of
manufacturer. Computer-readable media includes physical computer
storage media. A storage medium may be any available medium that
can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not
limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM,
EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, flash memory,
magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any
other medium that can be used to store reproduce data magnetically,
while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of
the above should also be included within the scope of
computer-readable media.
[0041] In addition to storage on computer readable medium,
instructions and/or data may be provided as signals on transmission
media included in a communication apparatus. For example, a
communication apparatus may include a transceiver having signals
indicative of instructions and data. The instructions and data are
configured to cause one or more processors to implement the
functions outlined in the claims. That is, the communication
apparatus includes transmission media with signals indicative of
information to perform disclosed functions. At a first time, the
transmission media included in the communication apparatus may
include a first portion of the information to perform the disclosed
functions, while at a second time the transmission media included
in the communication apparatus may include a second portion of the
information to perform the disclosed functions.
[0042] It should be noted that the description set forth herein
merely illustrates the principles of the present subject matter. It
will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able
to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly
described herein, embody the principles of the present subject
matter and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore,
all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to
be only to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the
invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to
furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without
limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions.
Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and
embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof,
are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0043] The present disclosure generally relates to a system
including a target carrier system having a target actuator which
receives an electronic target, and which enables rotation of the
target to either present or withdraw a target from being presented.
The target carrier system may receive information from a target
regarding whether the target has been hit and then adjust the
target presentation based on that information.
[0044] The target actuator may also enable rotation of the target
360 degrees or more. As was noted in the background, during
training a trainee may come to anticipate what will be shown and
prejudge the situation. The rotation of the target in multiple
directions prevents the trainee from being able to anticipate
whether the next image shown will be a shoot or no shoot
scenario--thereby forcing the trainee to undertake the necessary
analysis each time.
[0045] Turning specifically to FIG. 1, there is shown a cut-away
view of a target made in accordance with the prior art. Examples of
such targets are discussed in detail in U.S. Patent App. Pub. No.
2016/0334195 A1 (application Ser. No. 15/151,664), which is hereby
incorporated by reference. The target 10 may be formed with a
plurality of conductive lines or layers 14, which may be grouped
into a number of areas 20, 24, 28 around the target. The conductive
lines or layers 14 may be disposed in communication with a
plurality of contacts, 30, 32, 34, and 36.
[0046] When a bullet is fired through the target 10, the disruption
(typically a short circuit) created by the bullet can be sensed by
the conductive layers 14 and the location of the penetration can be
determined. For example, if the bullet passes through the first
area 20, the target can convey signals indicating that the trainee
has hit the desired area. Likewise, the target can determine and
send signals if the bullet passes through the second area 24 or the
third area 28. The trainee may be provided with a feedback
device--such as a video monitor which tells the trainee where the
bullets are impacting the target 10 so that the trainee can improve
his or her aim, or even an audio indication when a bullet hits the
proper area or does not.
[0047] While the target shown in FIG. 1 is advantageous in helping
the trainee to improve aim and provide real time information of
where the target was impacted, simply presenting a target with a
one image may create conditioning issues discussed above.
[0048] Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, there are shown views of
opposing sides of a target built similar to the target in FIG. 1,
with the difference being that the back side of the target (FIG. 3)
presents a different scenario than the front side. Thus, in FIG. 2,
the target 50 includes an image 52 of a person holding a weapon.
(As with the normal presentation of the targets--the conductive
lines are not readily visible, though the contacts 30, 32, 34 and
36 are visible near the top of the target). The image shown in FIG.
2 may represent a "shoot scenario." In contrast, the back side of
the target 50, as shown in FIG. 3, is provided with an image 54 of
a person engaged in an activity which is not threatening, so a to
present a "no shoot" scenario.
[0049] Turning now to FIG. 4, there is shown a side view of a
target carrier 60 having a target actuator 64 and a motor unit 66
for rotating the target actuator 64 in accordance with one aspect
of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will be
familiar with target retrievers used to train law enforcement and
the like and the specific mechanics of by which they move a target
toward and away from a shooter are discussed, for example, in U.S.
Patent Pub. No. 2019/0212107 A1 (application Ser. No. 16/237,394),
which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0050] The target actuator 64 may include a drive arm 68 and a
clamp 72 attached to the drive arm, the clamp being configured to
receive and retain a target 50. Disposed on the clamp 72 may be a
slip ring 76 (which may sit on an actuator plate 80 attached to the
drive arm 68.) The slip ring 76 may be disposed in communication
with a plurality of contacts 84 disposed on the clamp 72 so as to
engage the contacts (not shown in FIG. 4) on the target 50 when the
target is held in place by the clamp 72. The contacts 84 may
include a lead wire 82, connecting them to portions of the slip
ring 72 to convey electrical signals.
[0051] A plurality of brush contacts 88 may be disposed on the
target carrier 60 or otherwise suspended so that the drive arm 68
has at least 360 degrees of motion in one direction, and
potentially the ability to rotate continually in either direction
while the brush contacts 88 remain in contact with the slip ring 76
to thereby maintain communication between the target 50 and the
target carrier 60. The rotation of the drive arm 68 is affected by
the motor unit 66 and may include the use of gears, pullies,
pistons etc., to ensure rotation of at least 360 degrees. The motor
unit 66 may also include mechanisms for determining the position of
the clamp so that the target carrier 60 knows what portion of the
target 50 is being presented to the shooter.
[0052] The ability of the drive arm 68 to be rotated 360 degrees is
advantageous to help prevent conditioning. A target actuator may be
established with three set positions a neutral, center position
would display the edge of the target, a rotation 90 degrees to the
left would show one side of the target, and a rotation 90 degrees
to the right would show the other side of the target. When a
trainee works with such a system, however, the trainee could get
conditioned that when the target rotates right, he or she will be
presented with the shoot scenario and when the target rotates left,
the no shoot scenario will be presented. Thus, before even seeing
the image, the trainee knows whether or not to shoot.
[0053] By providing 360-degree rotation, however, this conditioning
can be reduced or eliminated. When the target is rotated 90 degrees
to the right to show a shoot scenario, the target can be returned
to a neutral position by rotating the target 90 degrees to the
left--or by rotating the target another 90 degrees to the right. If
the target is rotated an additional 90 degrees to the right, the
turning of the target prevents the reverse situation. A rotation to
the right would then present the no shoot scenario and a rotation
to the left would show the shoot scenario. By mixing up the
rotational patterns of the target, it becomes less likely that the
trainee will get conditioned to believe that rotation in one
direction will be a shoot scenario and a rotation in the other
direction will be a non-shoot scenario.
[0054] In use, the target carrier 60 may drive the target actuator
64 in either direction. This enables the target actuator 64 to hold
the target 50 in the position shown in FIG. 4 where only the edge
of the target is presented to the trainee. It also allows the
target 50 to be rotated in one direction 90 degrees so one side of
the target 50 (e.g. the "shoot" side shown in FIG. 2) is presented
to the trainee, or rotated 90 degrees in the opposite direction so
that the other side (e.g. the "no shoot" side shown in FIG. 3) is
presented to the trainee.
[0055] The target carrier 60 may react to the information received
from the target 50. For example, if the target 50 is turned to
present the first side (FIG. 2) to the trainee, the target carrier
may keep the target in place for a given amount of time, and then
return it to the neutral position (by rotating in either
direction). Alternatively, the target carrier 60 may receive
signals indicating that the trainee has placed 3 rounds into the
first target area and return the target 50 to a neutral
position.
[0056] The target carrier 60 may have a processor and may also be
programmed to take other actions. For example, if no round has been
placed in the first target area (24 in FIG. 1) within 3 seconds of
being presented to the shooter, the target carrier 60 could advance
the target toward the trainee until three shots are placed in the
first target area. Such a scenario may replicate a person with a
weapon charging the trainee and place the trainee under additional
stress. Alternatively, the target carrier 60 could be programmed to
move away from the trainee, replicating a person retreating from
the trainee and forcing the trainee to decide at what point it is
no longer justified to discharge his or her weapon. The processor
associated with the target carrier 60 may also be programmed to
apply responses randomly so that one time the target "charges" at
the trainee, while other times it "flees." By repeatedly presenting
the trainee with unexpected scenarios and having the trainee
successfully process and react to the scenarios, the target carrier
system helps the trainee to be more comfortable making such
situations in real life situations and less prone to making a
mistake due to panic.
[0057] Likewise, the actuator 64 could be provided with an optical
encoder, a position sensor or other optical, mechanical, or
electrical system which allows the target carrier 60 to determine
the orientation of the clamp 72. This can indicate what face, if
either, of the target 50 is being presented. Thus, for example, if
the target carrier 60 determines that the second side ("no shoot"
side shown in FIG. 3) is being presented to the trainee, the target
carrier 60 may be responsive to any indication from the target 50
that it has been struck by a round. If target 50 indicates a
strike, the target carrier knows that the trainee has shot an
unarmed person. This may cause the target carrier 60 to turn the
target 50 and return it to a start position--indicating that the
trainee has failed the exercise. The system could also create a
human perceptible alarm, such as a flashing red screen or a buzzer
indicating that an innocent civilian has been shot. Additionally,
or alternatively, the target carrier 60 could be programmed to
repeat the exercise until the trainee can repeat it a number of
times (e.g. 10 times) without another mistake.
[0058] Still yet another alternative scenario might be to deduct
points for each improper shot. Thus, for example, 10 trainees could
be put on the firing range. The targets 50 are selectively
presented and the winning trainee is the first to place 20 rounds
into the first target area 20 (FIG. 2), with the target being
turned back to neutral and then either side presented, with the no
shoot scenario remaining for some period of time and the shoot
scenario turning each time three rounds have been placed in to the
first area. Each round placed in the third area 28 (FIG. 2) may
count as a negative 1, while each round fired into any area when
the "no shoot" side of the target is presented may counted as a
negative 10 points.
[0059] Placing trainees in a stressful situation in which they are
forced to make critical decisions while adrenaline is flowing is
good for training them to properly assess the situation before
firing. In real life situations, a police officer or soldier is
usually in a high stress situation when they are forced to make the
decision to shoot or not shoot. By repeatedly training these
individuals to make the decision properly under pressure, the
police officers, soldiers and civilians are safer.
[0060] FIG. 5 shows a front view of a portion of the target
actuator 64 in accordance with one aspect of the present
disclosure. The slip ring 76 is disposed about the drive arm 68 and
in communication with the brush contacts 88 which may be attached
to the target carrier (not shown) or some other structure. The slip
ring 76 may be further disposed in communication with the contacts
84, which are mounted on or disposed along the clamp 72 so as to
engage the contacts 30, 32, 34, and 36 on the target 50. It will be
appreciated that the clamp 72 can use a variety of mechanisms for
receiving and holding the target, such as, for example, a
spring-loaded hinge 92, or other clamping mechanism, such as one or
more wingnuts on a bolt, a cam system, etc.
[0061] By rotating the actuator arm 68, the target can be moved
between exposure of neutral (i.e. the edge of the target is shown
to the trainee), the first side (i.e. a target showing one image
which will require the trainee to make a decision) and a second
side (i.e. the target showing an image other than the image on the
first side). It will be understood that both sides could show a
common scenario as far as shoot or no shoot. For example, one side
could be a person having a weapon in which they are exposed, and a
shot can quickly be taken. On the other side, an armed perpetrator
could be partially obscured (such as standing at least partially
behind an innocent person). Thus, on one side the trainee would
shoot quickly, while on the other side, he or she would have to be
very careful with the shot so as to not harm the innocent person in
the scenario. Also, the location of the point at which the target
needs to be hit could be different on the two sides--with one
requiring rounds impacting the target at one location and the other
at a different location.
[0062] Turning now to FIG. 6, there is shown a side view of an
alternate embodiment of the clamp 72 and contacts 84'. Rather than
using individual contacts on the clamp 72 to engage contacts on the
target, the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 shows a clip 86 which mounts
on the top of the target. The clip 86 includes contacts which
engage the contacts (not shown) on the target. The clip 86 may be
disposed directly in electrical connection with the slip ring 76 of
other rotatable conductor, or a receptacle 92 may be provided,
which is connected electrically (i.e. by wires) to the slip ring,
etc. The receptacle 92 can allow the clip 86 to be attached to the
target 50 prior to mounting in the clamp 72, and then a plug 96
electrically connected to the clip 86 can be inserted into the
receptacle.
[0063] A close-up view of the clip, an electrical cord 98 and the
plug 96 is shown in FIG. 7. The clip 86 allows for easy mounting on
the target and helps ensure that the contacts 84 remain in
communication with the contacts on the target. This also reduces
the exactness with which the target needs to be mounted in the
clamp 72.
[0064] Turning now to FIG. 8, there is shown an alternate view of a
target carrier system 60 disposed along a track 58 so the target
carrier system can advance or retract the target relative to the
trainee. It will be appreciated that the carriers shown in the
other drawings may be disposed along a track as well.
[0065] The target carrier 60 includes the target actuator 64. The
target actuator will typically include a motor 66 to rotate the
drive arm 68 which is attached to the clamp 72. Rather than having
a rotatable conductor such as the slip ring discussed above, the
contacts 84 which engage the target 50 are contained in a cap or
clip 86 which mounts on the target 50. The contacts 84 are engaged
in the clip 86 and signals sensed from the target are conveyed via
a transmitter, such as a transceiver 100, to a receiver, such as
transceiver 104 on the target carrier 60. The target carrier 60 may
also include a processor 108 which processes the signals received
and then instructs actuation of the target actuator 64 in response
to the signals received. Because power is not provided by the
target carrier 60, the clip 86 may include a battery to provide
current through the target 50. Signals received from the target are
conveyed to the transceiver 108 on the target carrier 60 and the
target actuator may be adjusted either to provide a predetermined
scenario regarding which face(s) of the target are shown, or to
provide a dynamic selection of scenarios in light of the signals
received back from the target.
[0066] FIG. 9 shows steps of a method of using the target carrier
system in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure. As
part of a training exercise, a target may be presented to a
trainee. As the trainee shoots at the target, or upon completion of
that presentment of the target, the target carrier system may
collect data from the target regarding the trainee's response to
presentment of the target. This may include how many shots hit a
desired portion of the target, how quickly rounds were placed in
the desired area of the target, how many rounds hit other areas of
the target, etc.
[0067] The target carrier system may then process the information
received and either continue to run a predetermined scenario or
change the orientation of the target based on the data collected
from target. Thus, for example, the target carrier system may be
programmed with a given routine. As long as the trainees fall
within a given set of parameters as to accuracy and timing, the
target carrier system may continue to run the preprogrammed
routine. However, once a trainee's responses fall outside of the
given set of parameters, the processor, etc., in the target carrier
can change the actuation of the target carrier to address the data
received from the target. For example, if a trainee improperly
shoots during a no shoot scenario, the processor may adjust the
program to provide the trainee with more time judging between shoot
and no shoot scenarios (i.e. more turning of the target between the
first side and the second side being exposed). This may mean that a
side of the target is exposed for less time, as the focus is on the
first second or two during which the shoot or no shoot decision is
made, and less time focused on hitting the target in the correct
location. This may include exposing the target briefly and
immediately changing the target if it is struck by a bullet.
Additional feed back could be provided to the shooter via a feed
back mechanism such as a screen showing flashing red or a buzzer if
the wrong decision was made.
[0068] FIG. 10 shows a side view of an alternate embodiment of a
target carrier target carrier system 60. The target carrier system
60 may be disposed along a track 58 so the target carrier system
can advance or retract the target relative to the trainee. It will
be appreciated that the carriers shown in the other drawings may be
disposed along a track as well.
[0069] The target carrier 60 may include a target actuator 64. The
target actuator may include a motor 66 to rotate the drive arm 68
which may be attached to the clamp 72. Rather than having a
rotatable conductor such as the slip ring discussed above, the
contacts 84 which engage the target 50 may be contained in a cap or
clip 86 which mounts on the target 50. The contacts 84 may be
engaged in the clip 86 and signals sensed from the target are
conveyed via a transmitter, such as a transceiver 100, to a
receiver, such as transceiver 104 on the target carrier 60. The
target carrier 60 may also include a processor 108 which processes
the signals received and then instructs actuation of the target
actuator 64 in response to the signals received. If power is not
provided by the target carrier 60, the clip 86 may include a
battery to provide current through the target 50. Signals received
from the target may be conveyed to the transceiver 108 on the
target carrier 60 and the target actuator may be adjusted either to
provide a predetermined scenario regarding which face(s) of the
target are shown, or to provide a dynamic selection of scenarios in
light of the signals received back from the target.
[0070] The target carrier system 60 may further include a projector
120 which can project images onto the target 50. A deflector plate
124 may be positioned in front of the projector to prevent it from
being struck by a bullet. As shown in FIGS. 11a and 11B, the target
does not have to have an image disposed thereon at which the
shooter fires. Rather, the target 50 may have a pattern drawn in
conductive ink with is not visible or barely visible to the
shooter. The projector 120 (FIG. 10) may project an image on the
target 50. This allows numerous images to be presented which helps
avoid conditioning. The conductive lines or layers 14 (which may be
in the form of conductive ink) allows the system to determine if
the shooter has hit the target while a given target was
exposed.
[0071] It will be appreciated that the target 50 may be rotated
into a position where it is parallel to the line of fire to
indicate a non-active situation, or the target can simply be left
in the presented position and the projector programmed to not
display an image on the target. In other words, a motor unit for
rotating the target would not be required. One advantage of such an
approach is that no time is wasted on the physics of turning the
target. The system can sense how quickly the trainee fires after a
shoot scenario is presented. Additionally, the projector can be
disposed in communication with a processor which is programmed to
alter the scenario based on the trainee's reactions. Additionally,
due to the use of the projector, the image of on the target seen by
the trainee could be video rather than a static image. This more
effectively allows the trainee to presented with grey area
situations such as a scenario with a person holding a hostage. For
example, the situation may be a not shoot when the kidnapper is
partially disposed behind the person being kidnapped and is holding
a knife to her throat. That situation can quickly become a shoot
situation when the person being kidnapped breaks free and her
kidnapper is exposed. The processor can receive information from
the target which tells both how quickly the trainee reacted to the
change in the scenario and how accurate the trainee's shooting
was.
[0072] Additionally, it will be appreciated that the motor unit and
the projector can be used to help decondition a shooter. If the
shooter is conditioned to react a certain way when the target
rotates with the edge toward the shooter rotating to the left, the
trainee can be forced through a series of drills where the image
presented is not what he or she would have expected. For example,
if a shoot scenario has previously been shown on that side of the
target 50, the projector can be used to turn the scenario into a no
shoot scenario. This could be done, for example, by projecting a
bystander adjacent an armed person. Thus, the projector can be used
to project a complete scenario or to change a scenario by adding
additional factors which must be considered. This can be used to
"deprogram" someone who is relying on the rotation of a target
rather than on the visual image presented.
[0073] It will also be appreciated that when using a projector, it
is not necessary to turn the target 50. The projector could simply
project images onto a target so that the motor unit 66 would be
unnecessary. The processor 108, however, can be programmed to adapt
to the configuration of the target carrier system and to provide a
variety of static and dynamic shooting scenarios. By detecting the
presence or absence of projectiles passing through the target 50
and/or the location at which they pass through, the processor can
be used to provide dynamic scenarios which improve the shooting
skills and the decision making of the trainee.
[0074] FIGS. 11A and 11B show front and back views respectively of
the target 50. The conductive lines 14 (only some of which are
marked) connected to the contacts 30, 32, 34, 36 convey the
information to the processor to provide a record/indication of a
bullet passing through the target 50 at a particular location. By
simply using conductive ink on paper or cardboard (or even the
targets discussed with respect to the other configurations), a
relatively inexpensive target can be provided, thereby allowing
officers to receive extensive training in different scenarios.
[0075] Thus, there is disclosed an improve target carrier system.
It will be appreciated that modifications can be made without
departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The
appended claims are intended to cover such modifications.
* * * * *