Disc golf target

• US 6,554,285 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fred C. Chittenden
• Original Assignee: Fred C. Chittenden
• Inventors: Chittenden, Fred C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US09/887,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20010033057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 273/398-402, 473/476, 473/479
• US Class Current: 273/400
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2067/061 Means to mark out tossing area
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/06 Ring or disc tossing games , e.g. quoits; Throwing or tossing games, e.g. using balls; Games for manually rolling balls, e.g. marbles

Abstract

A disc golf target assembly. A plurality of chain segments are suspended from a support member by generally U-shaped attachment loops. The attachment loops have upwardly and outwardly sloped side portions, so that the energy of the disc is absorbed and dissipated by spreading and lifting the chain segments as the disc strikes the target assembly. The support member, attachment loops and chain segments may be mounted on a vertical support, and the assembly may include a basket that is mounted beneath the support and chain segments for receiving the disc therefrom.

Claims

1. A disc golf target assembly, comprising:

at least first and second elongate, generally vertical members disposed to form a barrier with respect to a path of a disc; and

attachment members by which upper ends of said vertical members are suspended from a support structure;

each of said attachment members comprising a downwardly extending portion from which said vertical member hangs when in a static condition, and upwardly sloped side portions extending generally laterally from said downwardly extending portion up which said vertical member slides in response to being struck by a disc;

so that kinetic energy of a disc is absorbed and dissipated in lifting said vertical members and spreading said vertical members laterally apart as a disc strikes said target assembly.

2. The target assembly of claim 1, wherein said attachment members comprise:

a plurality of generally U-shaped attachment loops.

3. The target assembly of claim 2, wherein said support structure comprises:

an elongate rim member mounted along upper edges of said attachment loops.

4. The target assembly of claim 3, wherein said elongate, generally vertical members comprise:

a plurality of elongate, flexible members having sufficient weight to return said vertical members to said static position after being struck by a disc.

5. The target assembly of claim 4, wherein said plurality of elongate flexible members comprises:

a plurality of chain segments suspended from said attachment loops.

6. The target assembly of claim 5, wherein said side portions of said attachment members comprise:

side portions of said attachment loops, said side portions of said attachment loops having an outward and upward curvature so that said weight of said chain segments offers increasing resistance to said disc as said chains spread further apart in response to being struck by said disc.

7. The target assembly of claim 6, wherein said downwardly extending portions of said attachment members comprise:

a generally V-shaped portion of said attachment loops for centering said chain segments in said attachment loops when said chain segments are in said static position.

8. The target assembly of claim 5, wherein said elongate rim member comprises:

a rim member which extends about a perimeter of a capture area.

9. The target assembly of claim 8, wherein said chain segments are suspended along said rim member so as to substantially surround said capture area.

10. The target assembly of claim 9, wherein said downwardly extending portions of said attachment loops are angled outwardly about said perimeter of said capture area, so that said chain segments slide rearwardly along said side portions of said attachment loops and towards said capture area in response to being struck by a disc which is entering said capture area.

11. The target assembly of claim 10, wherein said rim member is a circular support member extending continuously about said capture area.

12. The target assembly of claim 11, wherein said plurality of attachment loops are formed as a continuous structure that is mounted to said circular support member.

13. The target assembly of claim 12, wherein said continuous structure forming said attachment loops is a bent wire rod.

14. The target assembly of claim 13, further comprising:

a ring member interconnecting lower ends of said chain segments so that said chain segments extend downwardly and inwardly around said capture area.

15. A disc golf target, comprising:

a plurality of generally vertically extending chains forming a barrier with respect to a path of a disc, said vertically extending chains being spaced apart by a distance less than a predetermined diameter of said disc; and

a plurality of attachment members from which upper ends of said chains are suspended, each of said attachment members comprising a generally U-shaped rod member that passes through an upper link of one of said vertically extending chains and has a downwardly extending vertex from which said chain hangs when in a static condition and first and second upwardly sloped side portions extending generally laterally from said downward vertex;

so that in response to a disc striking said barrier said upper links of said claims slide upwardly and laterally towards adjacent chains in said barrier so that kinetic energy of a disc is absorbed and dissipated in lifting said chains and spreading said chains laterally apart as a disc strikes and passes through said barrier.

16. A disc golf target assembly, comprising:

a plurality of elongate, flexible, generally vertical chain segments disposed to form a barrier with respect to a path of a disc, said chain segments having sufficient weight to return to a static position after being struck by a disc; and

attachment members by which upper ends of said vertical chain segments are suspended from a support structure;

each of said attachment members comprising a generally U-shaped attachment loop having a downwardly extending portion from which one of said vertical chain segments hangs when in a static condition and upwardly sloped side portions up which said chain segment slides in response to being struck by a disc, said side portions of said attachment loops having an outward and upward curvature so that said weight of said chain segments offers increasing resistance to a disc as said chains spread further apart in response to being struck by a disc;

so that kinetic energy of a disc is absorbed and dissipated in spreading and lifting said vertical members as a disc strikes said target assembly.

17. The target assembly of claim 16, wherein said bottom portions of said attachment members comprise:

a generally V-shaped portion of said attachment loops for centering said chain segments in said attachment loops when said chain segments are in said static position.

18. A disc golf target assembly, comprising:

a plurality of elongate, flexible, generally vertical chain segments disposed to form a barrier with respect to a path of a disc, said chain segments having sufficient weight to return to a static position after being struck by a disc;

an elongate rim member extending about a perimeter of a capture area, said chain segments being suspended along said rim member so as to substantially surround said capture area; and

a plurality of generally U-shaped attachment loops by which upper ends, of said chain segments are suspended from said rim member, said attachment loops being formed as a continuous structure by a bent wire rod that is mounted to said elongate rim member;

each of said attachment loops comprising a downwardly extending portion from which one of said chain segments hangs when in a static condition and upwardly sloped side portions up which said chain segment slides in response to being struck by a disc, said bottom portions of said attachment loops being angled outwardly about said perimeter of said capture area so that said chain segments slide rearwardly along said side portions of said attachment loops and towards said capture area in response to being struck by a disc which is entering said capture area;

so that kinetic energy of a disc is absorbed and dissipated in spreading and lifting said vertical members as a disc strikes said target assembly.

19. The target assembly of claim 18, further comprising:

a ring member interconnecting lower ends of said chain segments so that said chain segments extend downwardly and inwardly around said capture area.