Patent Application
20220016516
The present improvement invention relates to projectile shooter and target games, and in particular to mechanically-integrated shooter and target games utilizing breath-activation of free-flying projectiles.
With the exception of the shooter and target game disclosed in PCT/RU97/00319 by Bznuni, the remaining relevant prior art games do not constitute mechanically-integrated shooter and target games utilizing breath-activation of free-flying projectiles. Unlike the above Bznuni game, such remaining relevant prior art games are based on non-mechanically-integrated remotely-located targets requiring a set-up process of affixing such a remote target to a stationary object of suitable distance from the player of the game and suitable height above the ground. The present inventor, Bznuni, now describes synergistic improvement features relating to the above prior art mechanically-integrated shooter and target game. Among other advantages, such improvement features firstly fulfill the modern game-play requirements of game feature flexibility, differing game-play difficulty levels and scoring readout data, and secondly support expanded pulmonary-related difficultly levels and corresponding readout data.
The above-identified prior art PCT patent application #PCT/RU97/00319 also by the present inventor describes a mechanically-integrated shooter and target game utilizing breath-activation of free-flying projectiles. The game includes an elongated air turret having an open interior pathway, an air input-end engaging the mouth of a user of the game and receiving a breath-induced air column, and an air-output end that engages with and inserts such air column into a base member of the game. The base member is designed and configured to be held by a player of the game and to redirect the air column toward a free-flying ball-shaped projectile located proximal to the base member. In this manner the redirected air column may launch the projectile toward a game-integrated ring-shaped target member located distal to the base member and affixed to a support member of the game. Among other advantages, a unique feature of the above prior art game, now improved by the present invention, is enablement of a player to maintain a free-flying state of the ball-shaped projectile while manipulating multiple sequential physical interactions between the ball-shaped projectile and a target member.
The aforementioned prior art game, has shortfalls, which include, for example, no player adjustability of the position of the target member relative to the base member, no user-selectable game-integrated target member affixed to a support member to enable interaction with differing such game-integrated target members, or some kind of scoring sensor affixed to the game and detecting physical interaction events occurring between a projectile and a game-integrated target member.
The present invention is an improved mechanically-integrated shooter and target game utilizing breath-activation of free-flying projectiles. More specifically, the game includes an elongated air turret having an open interior pathway, an air input-end engaging the mouth of a user of the game and receiving a breath-induced air column, and an air-output end which engages with and inserts such air column into a base member of the game. The base member is designed and configured to be held by a player of the game and to re-direct the air column toward a free-flying preferably ball-shaped projectile. In this manner, such redirected air column launches such projectile toward at least one user-selectable game-integrated target member affixed to a support member, thereby facilitating optional interaction with differing such game-integrated target members. The present invention further includes at least one of the synergistic-improvement features below which facilitate the modern game-play requirements of game feature flexibility, differing difficulty levels and scoring readout, as well as enhanced pulmonary-related difficulty options and related data for health or medical purposes.
1. A user-adjustable support member of the game enabling the position of the game-integrated target member relative to the base member and turret to be altered by a user of the game, which in turn alters the difficulty level of the game.
2. At least one game-integrated target member that is detachable from the support member of the game, such detachable target member comprising at least one of (a) a ring enabling a projectile to pass through such ring, (b) an open-bottom-basket enabling a projectile to pass through such basket, (c) a substantially 2-dimensional target surface preferably defining multiple target zones each indicating a score value, or (d) a 3-dimensional target structure preferably defining multiple target zones each indicating a score value.
3. At least one game-integrated target member that is affixed to a target selection member, such target selection member enabling at least one such target member to be positioned by a user of the game adjacent to the breath-induced air column so as to enable the projectile to physically interact with such selected target member.
4. At least one scoring sensor affixed to the game and detecting physical interaction events occurring between a projectile and a game-integrated target member, wherein the scoring sensor at least one of generates a sound, produces a light, produces viewable read-out data, stores data, or transmits data to a remote digital device, in each case responsive to said interaction events.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention an improved mechanically-integrated shooter and target game utilizing a breath-actuated free-flying ball-shaped projectile is provided. More specifically, and according to another embodiment, the game includes an elongated air turret having an air input-end engaging the mouth of a user of the game and receiving a breath-induced air column, and an air-output end which engages with and inserts such air into a base member of the game. The base member is designed and configured to be held by a player of the game and to redirect the air column toward a free-flying ball-shaped projectile. In this manner such redirected air column launches such projectile toward a game-integrated ring-shaped target member affixed to a user-adjustable support member of the game. The User-adjustable support member enables the position of the game-integrated target member relative to base member and turret be altered by a user of the game, which in turn alters game-play difficulty. Such altering of difficulty additionally enhances pulmonary-related exercise and performance evaluation capability.
The objects and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The foregoing discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications, and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
