Patent Application
20230415018
This disclosure relates generally to equipment for combat sports and games and, more specifically, to attaching targets to wearable items for tracking hits and scoring in combat sports and games.
Various types of combat sports and games are known in which part of game play involves hitting or tagging another player with a hand or other body part, or with an object, such as a foil. Such equipment systems are generally directed to helping identify whether (and maybe where) a hit has been made during play. In one example, types of sophisticated electronic scoring systems and suits for registering hits by sabers, swords, or foils are known in the sport of fencing. In another example, known systems may involve protective gear for electronically registering an opponent's strike in martial arts (e.g., taekwondo) when the opponent hits certain portions of the protective gear. In some systems, zoned sensors may help determine the location of a strike.
Many types of players and athletes enjoy the thrill of combat sports and may benefit from and enjoy such prior art equipment. However, such equipment may be too expensive for some players, too unwieldy, and/or may require significant set-up and break-down time. For at least these reasons, such systems may not be practical or desirable for casual or recreational players who want to be able to track hits and keep score in games of tag and/or in combat-style games. Despite the popular appeal of such games, the prior art has failed to provide a scoring system that allows for accurate, visual identification of a successful hit or tag by players. Accordingly, there is a need for improved equipment and for improved systems and methods for reliably and adjustably attaching targets for tag-type and combat-type games and sports.
An understanding of embodiments described in this disclosure and many of the related advantages may be readily obtained by reference to the following detailed description when considered with the accompanying drawings, of which:
Inventor(s) for this application have recognized that, in accordance with some embodiments described in this disclosure, some types of players may find it beneficial to wear components of a hit tracking system that allow for easy identification of whether and where a target has been hit (e.g., by another user) and its connection to a wearable device disengaged, and are relatively easy to affix to and remove from a player.
According to one aspect of this disclosure, a system, articles of manufacture, and methods are provided for playing a tag-type and/or combat-style game in which participants wear at least one target object that is releasably attached to their clothing and/or to one or more body parts. The players attempt, for example, to score points and/or register hits by striking a target object attached to another player with sufficient accuracy and/or force to detach the target object from the other player. In one example, a first player has at least one target sphere object connected using magnets to a spring clip or other wearable device affixed to the first player. A second player attempts, using their hand, foot, other body part, and/or using a thrown, launched, or shot object (e.g., a beanbag, a plastic ball, a foam-tipped arrow) to strike the target object attached to the first player with enough accuracy and/or force to overcome the magnetic force securing the target object to the wearable device affixed to the first player, thereby scoring a “hit.” In one variation, winning a game may require that a player score a minimum number of hits (i.e., detaching a minimum number of target objects from another player) or may alternatively require successful hits on all target objects attached to another player.
According to one or more embodiments a system for playing a tag-type and/or combat-style game may include a target object that may include a first connector including a first magnetic portion. The system also includes a wearable device that may include a second connector and the second connector may include a second magnetic portion. The target object may be configured in a solid three-dimensional shape. The first magnetic portion may be configured to connect magnetically to the second magnetic portion for releasably securing the target object to the wearable device. When connected magnetically to the second magnetic portion, the first magnetic portion is configured to release from the second magnetic portion when the target object is struck.
Implementations according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure may include one or more of the following features: wherein the wearable device is configured to be wearable by attaching to clothing or a body of a user; wherein the wearable device includes a clip (e.g., a spring clip; a grip-and-clip attachment) for attaching to clothing of a user; and/or wherein the wearable device includes at least one of: a belt, a glove, a bracelet, an anklet, and/or a wearable band.
Implementations according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure may include one or more of the following features: wherein the target object is at least 0.2 inches in its smallest dimension (e.g., for a spheroidal solid, the diameter may be in the range of 0.5 inches to 6 inches); wherein the target object is a solid figure; wherein the target object includes at least one solid shape (e.g., a cube, a cuboid, a prism, a pyramid, a platonic solid, a torus, a cone, a truncated cone, a ring, a cylinder, a star such as a solid having a star-shaped cross-section, a sphere); and/or wherein the target object is a rigid or semi-rigid object.
Implementations according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure may include one or more of the following features: wherein the target object is formed of a substantially rigid material; wherein the target object includes a compressible material; wherein the target object includes at least one of the following: a polystyrene material, injection-molded plastic, a polyethylene material, a foam material, a polyurethane material, a latex material, a silicone material, or a natural wood material; and/or wherein the target object does not include fabric, cloth, or a flag.
According to one or more embodiments a system may include a wearable device for attaching to a user's clothing, the wearable device including: a flexible clip body having a first portion connected by a transverse section to a second portion, the first portion, transverse section, and the second portion forming an interior space for receiving an edge of clothing; a security stud connected to an interior side of the first portion, the security stud including a stud shaft connected to a stud head that is wider than the stud shaft; a first opening in the second portion for receiving the stud head and any portion of fabric in the interior space when pressure is applied to bend the first portion and the second portion toward each other; a second opening, connected to the first opening, for receiving the stud shaft to secure the security stud and any portion of fabric in the interior space to the second portion when the pressure applied to bend the first portion and the second portion toward each other is removed; wherein a width of the second opening is less than a width of the first opening; and/or further comprising a snap-on target object including a recess portion for receiving the first portion of the wearable device to releasably secure the snap-on target object to the wearable device.
According to one or more embodiments a system may include a target object having a first connector; a wearable device having a second connector; and/or wherein the first connector is configured to connect to the second connector for releasably securing the target object to the wearable device, where the target object is configured in a solid three-dimensional shape.
Implementations according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure may include one or more of the following features: wherein at least one of the first connector and the second connector may include one of the following types of connecting means: hook-and-loop fasteners, buckles, clips, snaps, magnets, snap joints, and/or releasable adhesives; wherein the target object is a snap-on target object; wherein the first connector may include a recess portion corresponding to an edge portion of the second connector; wherein the first connector may include a female mating portion configured to connectively engage a male mating portion of the second connector; wherein the first connector is configured to releasably engage the second connector with a location fit or transition fit; and/or wherein the wearable device may include a flexible clip body for affixing the wearable device to an edge of clothing.
In accordance with some embodiments, as described in this disclosure, having a magnet in one or more connectors in a hit tracking system may allow for a desired magnetic attachment force to be identified and reliably achieved. Magnets may vary in size, shape, magnetic grade, the number of magnets, and/or magnetic flux output per unit volume, in order to achieve a desired attachment force between a target object and a wearable device in the system. In one example, stronger magnets with a stronger attachment force may be selected to make it more difficult for a user to remove another user's target object (e.g., striking with a hand, foot, or other object), or relatively weaker magnets may be used to make it easier for a user to dislodge a target object from another user. The magnetic attachment force may be adjusted by, for example, replacing one or more of the magnets in the target object and/or wearable device with another magnet having one or more different characteristics.
Referring now to
The example system 106 comprises an example spherical solid target object 107 (e.g., a foam ball) releasably connected to a spring clip device 108 for clipping to a user's clothing. As depicted in system 106, the spring clip device 104 may comprise a first magnet no for connecting to a second magnet 112. The second magnet 112 is shown by dashed lines to indicate it is embedded in the interior of the example solid target object 107 and may not ordinarily be visible to a user.
The target object may be of any size and material deemed desirable for a particular implementation. For example, where strikes at targets are to be delivered primarily by hands and/or feet, a softer material such as a foam material may be preferred. In another example, target objects of relatively larger sizes may be used to make it easier for one player to make contact with the target object and potentially dislodge it from an opponent; conversely, target objects of relatively smaller sizes may be used to make hits more difficult to achieve. Any combination of types, locations on a player, and/or numbers of target objects may be used as deemed desirable for a particular type of game.
Although magnets are discussed with respect to the example system of
Although spring clips are discussed with respect to the example system of
Although certain example numbers of target objects at certain example locations are depicted in the accompanying drawings, it should be appreciated that, in accordance with other embodiments, any number and/or type of wearable devices and/or any number and/or type of target objects may be placed at any location on a user as deemed desirable for a particular game or implementation.
Referring now to
It will be readily understood that each target object depicted in
Although certain embodiments are described in this disclosure with respect to hand-to-hand or close quarters combat or tag scenarios, it should be appreciated that, in accordance with other embodiments, the target objects may be used as targets in a game in which the players throw, launch, and/or shoot objects at each other to try to hit the target objects (instead of or in addition to trying to strike the target objects with their hands and/or feet). For example, a player may use foam-tipped arrows, foam discs, and/or other types of (relatively soft) missiles to try to hit and successfully knock target objects off another player to score hits.
Referring now to
In contrast to the system 100 of
Referring now to
The wearable device 502 further comprises, on a portion opposite the second mating portion, a first opening 508 and a second opening 510 connected to the first opening 508. The first opening 508 is configured to receive the stud head of the security stud 504, which is of a larger width than the shaft of the security stud 504. The second opening 510 is configured with a width suitable to receive the shaft but not the stud head, as explained further below.
According to some embodiments, the wearable device 502 may be attached to an edge or fold of clothing worn by a player by sliding the clothing into the interior of the wearable device 502 between the end of the security stud 504 and first opening 508. The fabric may then be attached to the wearable device 502 by a user pressing or bending the opposite sides of the wearable device 502 together so that the stud head of the security stud 504 passes through the first opening 508, thereby pushing the fabric through the first opening 508, and the shaft of the security stud 504 is slotted into the second opening 510. Once the pressure is released and the opposing sides try to move away from each other back to their original configuration, the stud head of the security stud 504 will be trapped (with the fabric that it pushed through) on the exterior side of the wearable device 502. The resultant friction and pressure will prevent the fabric from slipping back out of the interior of the wearable device, thereby attaching the wearable device 502 to a user.
An example of fabric being trapped by a clip device like wearable device 502 is depicted in
Referring again to
According to some embodiments, the snap-on target object 501 and the wearable device 502 of the example system 500 may be joined using a transition fit or interference fit to snap the target object 501 onto the second mating portion 506 of the wearable device 502. The target object and the wearable device engage with each other by a first lip of the wearable device and a second lip of the target object. In a manner similar to that used for attaching lids to plastic food containers, the second lip (of the target object) deforms when placed over the first lip (of the wearable device). The resulting pressure and friction helps to (releasably) seal the cover to the container.
According to some embodiments, a target object may connect to a wearable device by way of a detachable annular snap joint. The dimension of the bead and the return angle of the snap joint may be modified to make the joint easier or more difficult to separate.
Any processes described in this disclosure do not necessarily imply a fixed order to any depicted actions, steps, and/or procedures, and embodiments may generally be performed in any order that is practicable unless otherwise and specifically noted.
Numerous embodiments are described in this patent application and are presented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presently disclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the disclosed invention may be practiced with various modifications and alterations, including structural modifications. Although particular features of the disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understood that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they are described, unless expressly specified otherwise.
The present disclosure is neither a literal description of all embodiments nor a listing of features that must be present in all embodiments.
Neither the Title (as may be set forth at the beginning of the first page of this disclosure) nor the Abstract (as may be set forth at the end of this disclosure) is to be taken as limiting in any way the scope of the disclosed invention(s).
Throughout the description and unless otherwise specified, the following terms may include and/or encompass the example meanings provided below. These terms and illustrative example meanings are provided to clarify the language selected to describe embodiments both in the specification and in the appended claims, and accordingly, are not intended to be limiting.
The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “the embodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “some embodiments”, “one embodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but not all) disclosed embodiments”, unless expressly specified otherwise.
The terms “the invention” and “the present invention” and the like mean “one or more embodiments of the present invention.”
A reference to “another embodiment” in describing an embodiment does not imply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with another embodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referenced embodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.
The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise.
The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise.
The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise.
The term “herein” means “in the present disclosure, including anything which may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specified otherwise.
The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality of things (such as an enumerated list of things) means any combination of one or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the phrase at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel means either (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car, (v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, a car, and a wheel.
The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on”, unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describes both “based only on” and “based at least on.”
Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a feature as well as more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation such as “at least one widget” covers one widget as well as more than one widget), and where in a second claim that depends on the first claim, the second claim uses a definite article “the” to refer to the limitation (e.g., “the widget”), this does not imply that the first claim covers only one of the feature, and this does not imply that the second claim covers only one of the feature (e.g., “the widget” can cover both one widget and more than one widget).
Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise) inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a “step” or “steps” of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in the mere recitation of the term “process” or a like term. Accordingly, any reference in a claim to a “step” or “steps” of a process has sufficient antecedent basis.
When an ordinal number (such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on) is used as an adjective before a term, that ordinal number is used (unless expressly specified otherwise) merely to indicate a particular feature, such as to distinguish that particular feature from another feature that is described by the same term or by a similar term. For example, a “first widget” may be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a “second widget”. Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate any other relationship between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate any other characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term “widget” (1) does not indicate that either widget comes before or after any other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that either widget occurs or acts before or after any other in time; and (3) does not indicate that either widget ranks above or below any other, as in importance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of ordinal numbers does not define a numerical limit to the features identified with the ordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate that there must be no more than two widgets.
As used in this disclosure, a “user” may generally refer to any individual and/or entity that operates a device or system.
When a single device or article is described in this disclosure, more than one device or article (whether or not they cooperate) may alternatively be used in place of the single device or article that is described. Accordingly, the functionality that is described as being possessed by a device may alternatively be possessed by more than one device or article (whether or not they cooperate). Where more than one device or article is described in this disclosure (whether or not they cooperate), a single device or article may alternatively be used in place of the more than one device or article that is described. Accordingly, functionality that is described as being possessed by more than one device or article may alternatively be possessed by a single device or article. The functionality and/or the features of a single device that is described may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices that are described but are not explicitly described as having such functionality and/or features. Thus, other embodiments need not include the described device itself, but rather can include the one or more other devices that would, in those other embodiments, have such functionality/features.
A description of an embodiment with several components or features does not imply that any particular one of such components and/or features is required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present invention(s). Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no component and/or feature is essential or required.
Further, although process steps, algorithms or the like may be described or depicted in a sequential order, such processes may be configured to work in one or more different orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be explicitly described or depicted does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of processes described in this disclosure may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously despite being described or implied as occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is described after the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by its depiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated process is exclusive of other variations and modifications, does not imply that the illustrated process or any of its steps is necessary to the invention, and does not imply that the illustrated process is preferred.
While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various embodiments and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept.
The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in the art, an enabling description of several embodiments and/or inventions. Some of these embodiments and/or inventions may not be claimed in the present application but may nevertheless be claimed in one or more continuing applications that claim the benefit of priority of the present application. Applicant reserves the right to file additional applications to pursue patents for subject matter that has been disclosed and enabled but not claimed in the present application.
