Dart with rotary flight and light means

• US 6,533,688 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2001
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kou-Hwa Huang
• Original Assignee: Kou-Hwa Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Kou-Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/978,010
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 473/570, 473/578
• US Class Current: 473/578
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/38 of tracer type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/382 emitting an electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser beam or infrared emission
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/003 Darts

Abstract

A dart includes a barrel, a point movably supported on a spring member inside the barrel, a lighting circuit assembly mounted in the barrel, a fixed shaft element fixedly connected to the barrel opposite to the point, a rotary shaft element coupled to the fixed shaft element by a connector, and a flight fastened to a rotary shaft element outside the connector. The flight is rotated with the rotary shaft element relative to the fixed shaft element and the lighting circuit assembly is closed to emit light toward the flight when the dart thrown at the dartboard.

Claims

1. A dart comprising:

a barrel, said barrel having a front side and a rear side;

a metal point axially slidably mounted in said barrel and partially protruding over the front side of said barrel;

a shaft connected to the rear side of said barrel;

a flight coupled to said shaft remote from said barrel; and

a lighting circuit assembly installed in said barrel and adapted to emit light toward said shaft and said flight;

wherein said shaft comprises a fixed hollow shaft element made of light penetrable material, said fixed hollow shaft element having a front side fastened to the rear side of said barrel and a rear side opened, a rotary shaft element made of light penetrable material and inserted into the rear side of said fixed shaft element for free rotation, said rotary shaft element having a rear extension rod extended out of the rear side of said fixed shaft element, and a connector made of light penetrable material and sleeved onto the rear extension rod of said rotary shaft element and fixedly fastened to the rear side of said fixed shaft element to stop said rotary shaft element from falling out of said fixed shaft element;

said flight is made of light penetrable material, having a front neck fixedly fastened to the rear extension rod of said rotary shaft element outside said fixed shaft element for free rotation with said rotary shaft element relative to said fixed shaft element.

2. The dart as claimed in claim 1 wherein said barrel comprises a metal front barrel element having a front side and a rear side, a metal rear barrel element connected between the rear side of said front barrel element and the front side of said fixed shaft element, said rear barrel element having an inwardly protruded rear annular flange, said rear annular flange defining a center through hole, and a metal front cone connected to the front side of said front barrel element.

3. The dart as claimed in claim 2 wherein said lighting circuit assembly comprises an electrically insulative battery holder mounted inside said rear barrel element, said battery holder having a front center hole connected to the center through hole of the rear annular flange of said front barrel element, a light emitting diode embedded in a transparent glue in said rear barrel element outside said battery holder, said light emitting diode having a positive pole lead out leg connected to an inside wall of said rear barrel element and a negative pole lead out leg, and a battery set mounted in said battery holder, said battery set having a negative terminal disposed in contact with the negative pole lead out leg of said light emitting diode and a positive terminal facing the center through hole of said battery holder for the contact of said point to turn on said light emitting diode when the dart thrown at a dartboard to force said point backwards relative to said barrel.

4. The dart as claimed in claim 3 wherein said point comprises a rear shank of relatively greater diameter than a front end thereof suspended in said front barrel element and partially inserted in the center through hole of the annular rear flange of said front barrel element, said rear shank having front raised portions and rear raised portions respectively protruded from the periphery near front and rear ends thereof and adapted to limit axial movement of said point relative to said barrel.

5. The dart as claimed in claim 4 wherein said front cone is fastened to the front side of said front barrel element by a screw joint and rotated relative to said front barrel element between a first position where said point is disconnected from the negative terminal of said battery set, and a rear position where the rear shank of said point is forced through the front center hole of said battery holder into contact with the negative terminal of said battery set.

6. The dart as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a spring member sleeved onto the rear shank of said point and adapted to impart a forward pressure to said point, said spring member having a rear side supported on the annular rear flange of said front barrel element and a front side stopped at the front raised portions of said rear shank.