Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41J—TARGETS; TARGET RANGES; BULLET CATCHERS
  • F41J1/00—Targets; Target stands; Target holders
  • F41J1/01—Target discs characterised by their material, structure or surface, e.g. clay pigeon targets characterised by their material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41J—TARGETS; TARGET RANGES; BULLET CATCHERS
  • F41J5/00—Target indicating systems; Target-hit or score detecting systems
  • F41J5/24—Targets producing a particular effect when hit, e.g. detonation of pyrotechnic charge, bell ring, photograph
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41J—TARGETS; TARGET RANGES; BULLET CATCHERS
  • F41J1/00—Targets; Target stands; Target holders
  • F41J1/10—Target stands; Target holders

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to targets used to assist in training an individual on how to aim a weapon when firing a projectile or become more proficient and accurate in placing a projectile in a desired location when using a weapon. More specifically, the invention is a device that may be affixed to an existing target and allows the user to identify when that particular location of the target has been hit by providing a visual signal that can be seen at a distance without the assistance of a visual aid.
• a gun which includes guns that utilize gun powder or compressed air to launch a projectile or a bow which includes long bows, compound bow, crossbows and the like
• an individual often visits a target range, places a paper target at a desired distance and shoots at the target.
• the individual views the target by retrieving it with the use of a hand operated or mechanically operated clothes line.
• the individual may have binoculars or a spotting scope to see the target or utilize a spotter who can provide information after each shot.
• an individual can only determine their accuracy after firing several shots, evaluating the target and then shooting another series of rounds repeating the process. It would be preferable if the individual could aim the weapon, shoot and then know instantly whether the target was hit in the desired location without removing their eye from the sight. This would allow the individual to maintain their line of fire for the next series of shots. If this were the case, training times could be decreased, the amount of projectiles fired would be less and the amount of additional equipment and cost associated therewith could be reduced. Consequently, the overall cost of training individuals such as Policemen and Military personnel could be significantly reduced.
• the present invention is a training device for target shooting.
• the device contains a semi-rigid support having a forward side and a back side and a flexible material stretched over the forward side of the semi-rigid support.
• the forward side has a first marking
• the back side has an affixing means for attaching the semi-rigid support to a shooting target.
• the flexible material has a second marking such that when the flexible material is penetrated by a projectile, the flexible material tears away from the semi-rigid support exposing the first marking.
• the first and second markings are identifiably different to the user. It is the partial or complete removal of the flexible material that exposes the first marking of the semi-rigid support and alerts the shooter that the training device has been hit. This has the advantage of being able to be seen at a distance away from the training device.
• the semi-rigid support is made of a soft material that allows passage of a high speed projectile without significant deformation of the support.
• This semi-rigid support can be made of material such as a polymer or cardboard.
• the flexible material that covers the semi-rigid support is latex.
• the first marking is a different color than said second marking.
• the marking could be the same or different colors and display one or more geometric figures. These distinguishable geometric figures on the flexible material are different than the one or more geometric figures on the semi-rigid support.
• the affixing means is an adhesive or an adhesive tape.
• Another aspect of the invention is a method of training an individual to shoot a weapon.
• This method comprises the steps of affixing one or more training devices described above to a standard paper target at locations of interest and having the individual shoot at the training devices on the paper target.
• the target device is hit by a projectile, the first marking on the semi-rigid support is exposed providing immediate feedback to the individual while simultaneously shooting the weapon.
• target shooting or “shooting” as used herein refers to the discharging of a weapon wherein a projectile is directed at a target either for pleasure or for training purposes to increase accuracy.
• Shooting includes the use of weapons that discharge bullets utilizing gun powder or those that utilize compressed gas to discharge BBs or pellets as well as those that discharge arrows such as long bows, compound bows, crossbows and the like.
• affixing refers to methods known to those skilled in the art for affixing one object to another.
• affixing the training device to an existing paper target or other object for target shooting purposes Such methods would include for example, double sided tape affixed to the back side of the target training device or adhesive applied directly to the back side of the training device with a protective cover that can be removed to expose the adhesive for affixing to a paper target.
• a distance away or “a significant distance away” as used herein refers to the distance between the individual discharging the weapon and the target on which the training device is affixed. This distance can range from 15 to 150 feet and can be any specific distance within that range such as 25, 50, 75, 100 or 150 feet and includes longer distances of 50 to 200 yards.
• flexible material refers to a material that can be stretched over the semi-rigid support without easily distorting the support from its generally planar shape and having the ability, when penetrated, to return to its unstretched form exposing the semi-rigid support below. This is similar to what occurs when a balloon that is stretched over a surface is ruptured and the balloon material retracts to its original size exposing the surface beneath.
• a flexible material for use with the present invention having this quality could be latex.
• the present invention is a training device for target shooting.
• the device comprising a semi-rigid support having a forward side and a back side, wherein the forward side has a first marking and wherein the back side has an affixing means for attaching the semi-rigid support to a shooting target and a flexible material stretched over the semi-rigid support having a second marking such that when the flexible material is penetrated by a projectile the flexible material tears away from the semi-rigid support exposing the first marking wherein the complete or partial removal of the flexible material can be identified at a distance away from the training device.
• the semi-rigid support of the training device comprises a forward side, or the side which is presented to the shooter, a back side which contains an affixing means that allows the user to affix the training device to a variety of targets that may be selected by the shooter.
• the training device is made of a semi-rigid material that allows easy passage of a projectile through both the forward and back sides.
• the training device may be made of a material, for example a light weight polymer or cardboard.
• the training device could be prepared in a variety of shapes such as a triangle, a square, a circle, an oval, a rectangle or any other shape desired having any of a number of images that may be printed on the forward side's surface of interest to the shooter. These images can be different from those images produced on the flexible material stretched over the semi-rigid support or they may be the same image of differing color or they may be different images of differing color.
• the purpose for these distinguishing markings or images is to allow the user to identify when the target is hit without removing his/her eye from the weapon site and to adjust their aim and continue shooting.
• the flexible material can be any material known to those skilled in the art that can be stretched over a semi-rigid support, does not substantially deform the semi-rigid support and when torn or ruptured in its stretched form by a projectile, retracts or relaxes to its unstretched form exposing the semi-rigid support below.
• a material could be for example rubber or latex.
• the flexible material could be provided in a different color that the semi-rigid material over which it is stretched so that when torn or ruptured exposes the different colored semi-rigid material below.
• the flexible material could have an image on its surface that is not on the semi-rigid support or that is different from the image on the semi-rigid support so that when torn the user sees that the image on the target device disappear or that the markings/images have changed color or design.
• the shooter removes one or more training devices from their packaging.
• the target used for training is prepared to accept the training devices of the present invention.
• the protective coatings are removed from the adhesive strips on the back side of each device and the devices are positioned as desired on the target.
• the target containing the training devices is then placed at a desired distance from the shooter. When in position the shooter can commence shooting at the training devices.
• the target device is hit the flexible membrane tears exposing part or all of the semi rigid support below. Since the pattern and or color of the markings on the semi-rigid support and the flexible material are different, the shooter is able to immediately identify if the target was hit without removing is aim from the line of sight and can adjust that aim and continue shooting.
• the training device of the present invention provides the shooter with immediate information as to the shot recently taken allowing them to maintain their aim, applying the information obtained from their last shot and adjusting the their aim prior to taking the next shot. This can all be done without the visual assistance of binoculars or a spotter and allows the user to maintain his line of sight readjust his/her aim and firing another shot without relaxing their weapon, or removing their weapon from their aim on the target.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Related Parent Applications (1)

Related Child Applications (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=63522528

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2018
  • 2018-03-12 WO PCT/US2018/022066 patent/WO2018169888A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2018-03-12 US US16/493,392 patent/US20200240753A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

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