Method and apparatus enabling archery practice

• US 5,566,951 A
• Filed: 06/24/1994
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FATS, Inc. (Meggitt-USA, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dart International, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, David A., Hall, Howard F., Dart, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHAAF, JAMES CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/265,303
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 273/313, 273/314, 273/315, 273/316, 273/358, 273/359, 273/371, 273/373, 273/408, 273/416, 273/419, 273/440, 273/454, 273/460
• US Class Current: 273/358
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0269 Bow and arrows
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2445 detecting reflected light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2476 Speech or voice synthesisers, e.g. using a speech chip
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0664 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0291 with a simulated projectile, e.g. an image on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/02 Photo-electric hit-detector systems comprising a light-emitting device for simulating the firing of a gun F41G3/2622; detecting by optical means G01V8/10

Abstract

An archery practice device projects a moving hunt scene on a screen. In one embodiment of the invention, a continuous plane of IR light is located prior to the screen, an arrow carrying a reflector is detected as it penetrates this light plane, and IR illumination is reflected back toward the archer and a full-screen radiation detector. In another embodiment, a piezoelectric motion detector senses impact of an arrow on the screen, an IR source is momentarily triggered by the motion detector, and IR illumination is reflected by the arrow toward the full-screen radiation detector. The detector generates a full-screen signal indicating the point of arrow impact on the screen. Upon detecting the arrow, the moving scene is frozen on the screen. The visual content of the frozen scene is coordinated to the full-screen signal from the detector, whereupon a hit zone image is projected on the screen to indicate the arrow impact point relative to the frozen scene. The arrow does not penetrate the screen, and drops vertically downward adjacent to the bottom of the screen at a location between the front of the screen and the archer.

Claims

1. A method providing archery practice simulating a dynamic target scene as in an animal hunt, wherein an arrow is shot toward a screen, comprising the steps of:

providing a screen having a front and a back;

providing an arrow having a tip, wherein penetration of said screen by said arrow tip is avoided when said arrow tip hits said screen;

projecting target scenes in sequence on said front of said screen for viewing as a dynamic target by an archer;

determining an arrow hit location relative to said screen showing a first target scene using said arrow shot by the archer;

permitting said arrow to fall from said screen between the archer and said front of said screen; and

informing the archer of said arrow hit location.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of:

providing means at said screen for stopping said arrow by absorbing impact due to said arrow.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said step of providing said screen includes holding said screen in place under tension using spring means.

4. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said step of determining includes comparing said arrow hit location with said first target scene after said shooting of said arrow.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said step of determining includes ascertaining accuracy of said arrow hit location relative to said first target scene.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 1, including the steps of:

providing a triggerable, intermittent, source of radiation of a given wavelength that is not within a wavelength range extending from about 400 nm to about 700 nm, said source being spaced from said front of said screen, and said source being operable when triggered to provide full screen illumination of said front of said screen;

providing an arrow arrival detector associated with said screen and operable to provide an output signal upon an arrow arriving at said front of said screen;

connecting said detector output signal in controlling relation to said source, to thereby trigger said source and provide full screen illumination of said front of said screen upon the detection of an arrow arriving at said front of said screen;

providing an arrow that is capable of reflecting radiation of said given wavelength;

providing a detector that is sensitive to radiation of said given wavelength; and

positioning said detector to receive radiation reflected from said arrow.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said step of informing includes freezing said first target scene on said screen for viewing by the archer.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

said step of informing includes indicating said arrow hit location on said screen for viewing by the archer along with said first target scene.

9. Apparatus for simulating a moving hunt scene for an arrow shot by an archer, comprising:

a screen having a front and a back;

means projecting a sequence of visual frames comprising said moving hunt scene onto said front of said screen for presenting at least one hunt object visible to the archer;

means for determining an arrow hit location relative to said screen showing a first visual frame using an arrow shot by the archer; and

means for informing the archer of said arrow hit location;

wherein said screen is constructed and arranged to avoid penetration thereof by the arrow and the arrow falls from said screen between the archer and said front of said screen.

10. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said screen includes means for stopping the arrow by absorbing impact due to the arrow.

11. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said screen includes a plurality of separate layers.

12. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said front of said screen includes a flexible sheet facing the archer for producing said visual frames.

13. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said back of said screen includes a pad parallel to said flexible sheet and in backing relation to said sheet for absorbing impact of the arrow shot by the archer.

14. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said front of said screen includes a flexible sheet formed by an open mesh first layer facing the archer and a solid second layer.

15. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said back of said screen includes a pad and solid second layer positioned between said pad and the archer.

16. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, further including:

an arrow having an arrow tip with a front face, said front face having a shape that avoids penetration of said screen by said arrow tip.

17. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, further including:

an arrow having an arrow tip that is removable from remaining portions of said arrow and said arrow tip is reconnectable to said arrow.

18. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said means for determining includes means for comparing said arrow hit location with said first visual frame.

19. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said means for determining includes means for ascertaining accuracy of said arrow hit location relative to said first visual frame.

20. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said means for informing includes means for freezing said first visual frame on said screen for viewing by the archer.

21. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 20, wherein:

said means for informing includes means for indicating an arrow hit location on said screen for viewing by the archer along with said first visual frame.

22. Apparatus providing a visual moving scene toward which an arrow shot by an archer is directed, comprising:

a screen having an imaging and arrow stopping surface;

an arrow having a leading end that is constructed and arranged so as to not penetrate said surface;

means projecting a sequence of visual scenes onto said surface, said sequence of visual scenes presenting at least one moving target for an arrow;

sensing means for sensing the position of an arrow as it approaches said surface and a given scene projected thereon;

determining means responsive to said sensing means for determining an arrow hit location on said surface;

means responsive to said sensing means for freezing said given scene on said surface for viewing by an archer; and

means responsive to said determining means for projecting said determined arrow hit location on said surface for viewing by an archer along with said given scene.

23. Apparatus simulating an archery hunt scene having at least one moving object, comprising:

a screen having an arrow stopping surface of a size simulating a hunt area normally viewed by an archer;

an arrow having a nonpenetrating leading end;

means projecting a sequence of visual hunt scene frames onto said arrow stopping surface for viewing by the archer;

sensing means responsive to an arrow approaching said arrow stopping surface for determining a subsequent arrow hit location on said arrow stopping surface;

means responsive to said sensing means for freezing a visual hunt scene frame on said arrow stopping surface for viewing by the archer; and

means responsive to said sensing means for projecting said determined arrow hit location on said arrow stopping surface for viewing by the archer.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said screen includes a reflecting surface and an impact absorbing backing material.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said sensing means comprises:

a continuous full screen field of electromagnetic radiation of a given wavelength that is outside of a wavelength range that extends from about 400 nm to about 700 nm, said field of electromagnetic radiation being spaced in front of said reflecting surface; and

a detector that is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation of said given wavelength, said detector being positioned to receive electromagnetic radiation reflected from an arrow as said arrow penetrates said field of electromagnetic radiation.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said field of electromagnet radiation is spaced about 0.5 inches in front of said reflecting surface.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said screen includes impact absorbing means for stopping said arrow by absorbing the impact thereof.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said screen includes a flexible image reflecting sheet facing the archer, and an impact absorbing pad in backing relation to said sheet.