Firearm targets and methods for manufacturing firearm targets

• US 20070046760A1
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AOB Products Company (Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Battenfeld Technologies Incorporated (Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zara, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,631,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/105
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 1/00 Targets; Target stands; Target holders F41J2/00 - F41J11/00 take precedence; targets combined with bullet catchers F41J13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/22 the indicating means being a dispensing device

Abstract

Firearm targets and methods for manufacturing firearm targets are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a target includes a substrate, a release layer on the substrate, and an ink layer on the release layer such that the release layer is positioned between the ink layer and the substrate. The ink layer at least partially defines a target image. The ink layer has a first section with a first color and a second section with a second color different than the first color.

Claims

1. A firearm target, comprising:

a substrate;

a release layer on the substrate; and

an ink layer on the release layer such that the release layer is positioned between the ink layer and the substrate, the ink layer at least partially defining a target image and having a first section with a first color and a second section with a second color different than the first color.

2. The target of claim 1 wherein:

the substrate comprises a first area, a second area different than the first area, and a third color different than the first and second colors;

the ink layer comprises a first ink layer;

the target further comprises a second ink layer positioned between the substrate and the release layer;

the second ink layer covers the first area of the target and has a fourth color different than the first, second, and third colors;

the first section of the first ink layer covers at least a portion of the second ink layer and includes a plurality of discrete portions separated by gaps;

the gaps between adjacent portions of the first section of the first ink layer expose sections of the second ink layer; and

the second section of the first ink layer covers the second area of the substrate.

3. The target of claim 1 wherein:

the ink layer comprises a first ink layer;

the target further comprises a second ink layer positioned between the substrate and the release layer;

the second ink layer covers at least a portion of the substrate; and

the first section of the first ink layer covers at least a portion of the second ink layer.

4. The target of claim 1 wherein:

the ink layer comprises a first ink layer;

the target further comprises a second ink layer positioned between the substrate and the release layer; and

the second ink layer has a third color different than the first and second colors.

5. The target of claim 1 wherein:

the substrate has a third color different than the first and second colors;

the ink layer comprises a first ink layer;

the target further comprises a second ink layer positioned between the substrate and the release layer; and

the second ink layer has a fourth color different than the first, second, and third colors.

6. The target of claim 1 wherein the release layer and the ink layer are configured so that penetration of a projectile removes a portion of the ink layer and exposes a surface adjacent to the ink layer.

7. The target of claim 1 wherein the second section of the ink layer is disposed outboard the target image.

8. The target of claim 1 wherein the first section of the ink layer at least partially defines the target image and the second section of the ink is disposed outboard the target image.

9. The target of claim 1 wherein the first section of the ink layer comprises a plurality of spaced apart portions separated by gaps.

10. The target of claim 1 wherein the first section of the ink layer comprises a plurality of discrete arcuate portions arranged concentrically.

11. The target of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a first surface carrying the release layer and a second surface opposite the first surface, and wherein the target further comprises:

an adhesive layer on the second surface of the substrate; and

a removable member detachably coupled to the adhesive layer.

12. The target of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises an inorganic material.

13. The target of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises mylar.

14. The target of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises an organic material.

15. The target of claim 1 wherein:

the target image is a first target image;

the target further comprises a second target image spaced apart from the first target image; and

the second section of the ink layer is disposed between the first and second target images.

16. The target of claim 1, further comprising a synthetic layer between the ink layer and the substrate.

17. The target of claim 1 wherein the ink layer comprises a first ink layer, and wherein the target further comprises a second ink layer between the release layer and the substrate, the second ink layer comprising (a) a first section having a third color different than the first and second colors, and (b) a second section having a fourth color different than the first, second, and third colors.

18. A firearm target, comprising:

a substrate;

a first ink layer covering at least part of the substrate; and

a second ink layer carried by the substrate, the second ink layer including (a) a first section having a first color and covering at least part of the first ink layer, and (b) a second section having a second color different than the first color, wherein the second ink layer is configured so that the impact of a firearm projectile detaches a portion of the second ink layer from the substrate and exposes a surface of the first ink layer and/or the substrate.

19. The target of claim 18 wherein the second ink layer comprises a release agent.

20. The target of claim 18, further comprising a release layer between the first ink layer and the second ink layer.

21. The target of claim 18 wherein the first ink layer comprises a first section having a third color and a second section having a fourth color different than the third color.

22. The target of claim 18 wherein:

the first section of the second ink layer comprises a plurality of spaced apart portions separated by gaps; and

the first ink layer is visible through the gaps.

23. A target, comprising:

a substrate; and

an ink layer carried by the substrate, the ink layer including a first section having a first color, and a second section having a second color different than the first color, wherein the ink layer is configured such that penetration of a projectile removes a portion of the ink layer and exposes a surface adjacent to the ink layer.

24. The target of claim 23, further comprising a release layer between the substrate and the ink layer.

25. The target of claim 23 wherein the ink layer comprises a first ink layer, and wherein the target further comprises a second ink layer between the first ink layer and the substrate.

26. A firearm target, comprising:

a substrate;

an ink layer carried by the substrate, the ink layer including a first section with a first color and a second section with a second color different than the second color; and

means for detaching a portion of the ink layer from the substrate and exposing at least a portion of a surface adjacent to the ink layer when a projectile strikes the target.

27. The target of claim 26 wherein the means for detaching comprise a release agent in the ink layer.

28. The target of claim 26 wherein the means for detaching comprise a release layer positioned between the ink layer and the substrate.

29. The target of claim 26 wherein the ink layer comprises a first ink layer, and wherein the target further comprises a second ink layer positioned between the first ink layer and the substrate.

30. A method for manufacturing a firearm target, the method comprising:

forming a release layer on a substrate; and

printing an ink layer on the release layer with the ink layer at least partially defining a target image and having a first section with a first color and a second section with a second color different than the first color.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the ink layer comprises a first ink layer, and wherein the method further comprises depositing a second ink layer between the release layer and the substrate.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein:

the ink layer comprises a first ink layer;

the method further comprises depositing a second ink layer between the release layer and the substrate;

the second ink layer has a third color different than the first and second colors; and

printing the first ink layer comprises printing the first ink layer so that the first section covers at least a portion of the second ink layer.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein forming the release layer comprises depositing a release material that inhibits the ink layer from adhering to the target so that penetration of a projectile removes a portion of the ink layer and exposes a surface adjacent to the ink layer.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein printing the ink layer comprises depositing the ink layer so that the first section includes a plurality of spaced apart portions.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein printing the ink layer comprises depositing the ink layer with a plurality of arcuate portions arranged concentrically.

36. The method of claim 30, further comprising disposing an adhesive layer on the substrate opposite the release layer.

37. The method of claim 30 wherein printing the ink layer comprises depositing the ink layer so that the first section at least partially defines the target image and the second section is disposed outboard the target image.

38. A method for manufacturing a firearm target, the method comprising:

forming a first ink layer on a first area of a substrate;

placing a release layer on the first ink layer and a second area of the substrate, the second area being different than the first area;

disposing a first section of a second ink layer on the release layer so that the first section covers at least a portion of the first ink layer and at least partially defines a target image, the first section having a first color; and

printing a second section of the second ink layer on the release layer so that the second section covers the second area of the substrate and has a second color different than the first color.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein forming the first ink layer comprises printing a first ink layer having a first section with a third color and a second section with a fourth color, and wherein the first, second, third, and fourth colors are different.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein disposing the first section of the second ink layer comprises printing the first section of the second ink layer so that sections of the first ink layer are visible.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein placing the release layer comprises depositing a release material that inhibits the second ink layer from adhering to the target so that penetration of a projectile removes a portion of the second ink layer and exposes at least one of the first ink layer or the substrate.