Impact sensing target

• US 3,874,664 A
• Filed: 10/29/1973
• Issued: 04/01/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bjorn G. Bjornsen, William R. Faurot
• Original Assignee: Bjorn G. Bjornsen, William R. Faurot
• Inventors: Faurot, William R., Bjornsen, Bjorn G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, T.
• Application Number:
  US05/410,889
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 273/29A,26A,176B,181R,181C,181G,12R,43R,12.1B,12.1C,12.2A 340/261,273,384,38
• US Class Current: 473/462
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/007 Target zones without opening defined on a substantially horizontal surface
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/04 Electric hit-indicating systems; Detecting hits by actuation of electric contacts or switches

Abstract

A target for being positioned on a surface such that an object impinged thereagainst will deflect the target to generate a pulse which is transmitted to an indicator such as a horn, a light, a counter, etc. The target comprises a flat panel having a cavity therein and placed on a surface. The cavity is bridged by a diaphragm which is deflected when the target is hit by an object. Connected to the target is a transmitter such as an elongated tube. The other end of the transmitter is connected to the indicator. When the diaphragm is deflected by virtue of an object hitting the panel, a pulse is generated through the transmitter to the indicator. The transmitter and cavity are provided with a device which maintains ambient pressure therein.

Claims

1. A target positionable on a relatively unyielding surface for sensing the impact of objects comprising:

a stiff panel having means for locating said panel on the surface;

a sensor including a cavity in said panel having a diaphragm means mouNted thereacross for sealing said cavity into a chamber and having means on said diaphragm means for engaging said surface; and

tubular transmitting means connected to said chamber and having means for maintaining the transmitting means and chamber at ambient pressure, said diaphragm means being formed of a material possessing sufficient stiffness to provide a transient deflection from a quiescent position responsive to object impact forces sufficient to generate a transient pneumatic pulse for travel down said transmitting means.

2. The target of claim 1 wherein said surface comprises a tennis court and the area of said panel is a predetermined fraction of the tennis court area.

3. The target of claim 1 wherein said diaphragm means is formed of a material sufficiently stiff to support a proportionate share of the weight of said panel yet sufficiently flexible to transiently deflect on object impact.

4. The target of claim 3 wherein said diaphragm means includes means for limiting the deflection of said diaphragm to avoid damage thereto.

5. The target of claim 4 wherein said deflection limiting means includes means mounted on said diaphragm means and abuttable with the interior of said cavity.

6. The target of claim 1 further including a pneumatic pressure operated transducer having a fixed volume and including unidirectional flow control means interposed between said transmitting means and said transducer for isolating said fixed volume and for permitting entry of the pneumatic pulse created by said diaphragm means into said volume to establish a pressure therein sufficient to operate said transducer.

7. The target of claim 6 including indicator means coupled to said transducer for providing a perceptible indication of object impact.

8. The target of claim 7 wherein said indicator means includes a visually perceptible indicator.

9. The target of claim 7 wherein said indicator means includes an audibly perceptible indicator.

10. The target of claim 7 wherein said indicator means includes a counter.

11. The target of claim 7 wherein said target includes said transducer located in said panel and includes further transmitting means coupled to said transducer for transmitting a signal corresponding to said pneumatic pulse to said indicator means.

12. The target of claim 11 wherein said further transmitting means comprises wires.

13. The target of claim 11 wherein said further transmitting means comprises a radio transmitter and receiver.

14. The target of claim 6 wherein said transducer includes bleed means coupled to said volume for reducing the pressure in said volume over a predetermined period of time.

15. The target of claim 14 wherein said bleed means is adjustable for adjusting the duration of said period of time.

16. The target of claim 6 wherein said unidirectional flow control means comprises check valve means.

17. The target of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining ambient pressure comprises check valve means connecting said transmission means and the surrounding atmosphere.