The present disclosure is related to targets, and more particularly to targets having a printing surface.
A target is often used when shooting, propelling, or hurling an object for sport or hobby. Such objects include bullets, arrows, darts, ballistic balls (“BBs”), pellets, rocks, balls, and other similar objects. Some of these objects are often propelled by a firearm, such as a pistol, rifle, air gun, or shotgun. Other objects are propelled by a sling, sling shot, bow, or are hurled manually.
One type of target is made from a sheet of paper and includes a printed image. Probably the most common printed image on a target includes a pattern of concentric rings, known as a “bullseye.” Other targets include objects, such as used cans, cardboard boxes, glass bottles, clay targets (also known as “clay pigeons”), or a variety of other target objects.
Such targets are often used during target practice, such as to improve the accuracy of a hunter or marksman. Targets are also used during competitions to determine the accuracy of the marksman. In these situations, the accuracy of the shot is determined by whether or not the target is hit by the object, and if hit, by how closely the target it hit to a preferred location on the target, such as the bullseye.
Existing targets, such as paper targets, often suffer from a number of problems. For example, paper targets are easily torn. They are also sometimes damaged by rain and water. In addition, wind can easily cause paper targets to wave or otherwise move, making it difficult to determine the accuracy of a shot. These and other disadvantages in the art are solved by some embodiments according to the present disclosure.
A target or display system includes a face member that defines a printing surface upon which an image is printed. In some embodiments, a target has a general shape of an animal profile, and the printed image is an image of the animal. A side wall extends from the face for added strength and stability.
One aspect is an apparatus including a face member, a side wall, and an image. The face member has a first edge that at least partially surrounds the face member. The side wall has a second edge and a third edge. The side wall is connected to the first edge of the face member at the second edge of the sidewall. The image is located on the printing surface of the face member.
Another aspect is a method of forming a target. The method includes obtaining a sheet of material; heating the sheet of material; using a mold to define a face member, side wall member, and flange member from the heated sheet of material; cooling the sheet of material after defining the face member, side wall member, and flange member; removing an excess portion of the flange member; and printing an image on the sheet of material.
Yet another aspect is a target comprising a face member, an image, a side wall, and a flange. The face member has a substantially planar printing surface and a first edge at least partially surrounding the face member. The first edge has a shape of an animal. The image is located on the printing surface of the face member and includes the likeness of the animal. The side wall has a second edge and a third edge. The sidewall is connected to the first edge of the face member at the second edge of the sidewall. The side wall extends from the first edge. The third edge has a shape of the animal. The flange member has a fourth edge and a fifth edge. The flange member is connected to the third edge of the sidewall at the fourth edge of the flange member. The flange member extends from the third edge in a direction substantially parallel with a plane of the printing surface.
There is no requirement that an arrangement, system, or method disclosed herein include all features characterized herein to obtain some advantage according to this disclosure.
In the illustrated embodiment, target 100 includes face 102, side wall 104, and flange 106. Face 102 includes printing surface 110, interior surface 112, and edge 114. Side wall 104 includes edge 120 and edge 122. Flange 106 includes edge 130 and edge 132.
Face 102 is a substantially planar member with printing surface 110 and interior surface 112. Interior surface 112 is opposite printing surface 110. Face 102 includes edge 114. In the illustrated embodiment, edge 114 surrounds face 102 and has the general shape of a rabbit. In some embodiments, an image is printed on printing surface 110. In some embodiments, the image is a dot and one or more concentric circles to form a bullseye. In other embodiments, the image includes a picture, graphic, or drawing. In other embodiments, the image includes a picture, graphic, or drawing including a bullseye. An example image is shown in
Side wall 104 is connected to edge 114 at edge 120. Side wall 104 extends from edge 120 to edge 122. In the illustrated embodiment, edges 120 and 122 have the general shape of a rabbit, similar to edge 114. In one embodiment, side wall 104 extends perpendicular to face 102. In other embodiments, side wall 104 includes a draft or a taper. The draft allows target 100 to take up less space when stacked with other targets of the same shape.
Flange 106 is connected to edge 122 at edge 130. Flange 106 extends from edge 130 to edge 132. In the illustrated embodiment, edges 130 and 132 have the general shape of a rabbit, similar to edges 114, 120, and 122. In one embodiment, flange 106 is substantially parallel to a plane P1 passing through face 102 (shown in
One of the benefits of target 100 is improved strength and stability. Some of this strength and stability is provided by side wall 104 and flange 106. For example, if target 100 is placed in a windy environment, side wall 104 and flange 106 will act to prevent or at least reduce movement and deformation of target 100. In contrast, conventional paper targets are prone to undesirable waving or flapping in the wind.
In one embodiment, target 100 is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Some types of PVC have been found to be beneficial in that they are thermoformable in desired shaped for targets. Some types of PVC can withstand repeated shots from an object, such as a bullet, without shattering or fracturing. For example, a bullet can pierce the PVC material, leaving a hole sized approximately the outer profile of the bullet, while the PVC material is resistant to cracking or fracturing around the hole. Alternative embodiments of target 100 are formed of high impact polystyrene (HIPS), polyethylene, wood, paper, cardboard, metal, or metal alloys.
Examples of possible dimensions of example target 100 are as follows. H1 is the overall height of target 100. H1 is typically in a range from about 1 inch to about 60 inches, and preferably from about 4 inches and about 12 inches. W1 is the overall width of target 100. W1 is typically in a range from about 1 inch to about 60 inches, and preferably from about 4 inches to about 12 inches. D1 is the width of flange 106. D1 is typically in a range from about 0.01 inches to about 12 inches, and preferably from about 0.1 inches to about 1 inch. D2 is the thickness of target 100 from face 102 to flange 106. D2 is typically in a range from about 0.01 inches to about 24 inches, and preferably from about 0.25 inches to about 1 inch.
The illustrated example of target 100 includes side wall 104 having a draft angle A1. In the illustrated embodiment, angle A1 is measured from a line B perpendicular to the plane of flange 106. A1 is typically in a range from about 0 degrees to about 45 degrees, and preferably from about 2 degrees to about 5 degrees. One of the benefits of the draft is that is allows multiple targets 100 to be stacked, such as shown in
D3 is the thickness of the material of face 102. In one embodiment, side wall 104 and flange 106 has roughly the same material thickness as face 102. In another embodiment, the thickness of side wall 104 is less than the thickness of face 102 because side wall 104 is formed by stretching the material of that region, resulting in a thinner side wall 104. D3 is typically in a range from 0.001 inches to about 0.08 inches, and preferably from about 0.012 inches to about 0.025 inches. Other embodiments include other materials having different thicknesses.
In the illustrated embodiment, graphic 142 is a photographic image of a rabbit. In other embodiments, a wide variety of other graphics 142 can be used. Examples include photographs or drawings of animals such as game animals, people, places, or things. Other embodiments include text, slogans, logos, or advertisements. As described herein, image 140 is selected from a set of available images in some embodiments. In another embodiment, image 140 is a custom image provided by the customer.
In some embodiments, image 140 also includes bullseye 144 including dot 146 and one or more concentric circles 148. Bullseye 144 provides an identifiable location on target 100 (shown in
In some embodiments, target 200 also includes perforation 214. Perforation 214 allows hang tag 210 to be removed prior to use. For example, hang tag 210 is used to hang one or more targets 200 on a display rack in a store. After target 200 is purchased, the user removes hang tag 210 by ripping along perforation 214, and discarding hang tag 210. After removing hang tag 210, target 200 is then used.
To illustrate the space savings, a percentage can be defined. Consider the situation in which a first target is going to be stacked with a second target. The first target has a thickness. When the second target is stacked with the first, the second target adds only a percentage of the thickness to the stack. In one example embodiment, the percentage of the thickness that is added by the second target is in a range from about 5% to about 95%, and preferably from about 50% to about 90%.
In such an example, each additional target 100 that is added to stack 250 increases the depth of stack 250 only about 20% of D2 to about 50% of D2. As a result, if ten targets 100 are able to be 80% nested (such that 20% of the thickness is not nested), D5 is equal to D2+(9×0.20) D2, which is equal to 2.8×D2. Therefore, the draft of side walls 104 provides a considerable space savings for storage, shipping, and display of stack 250.
Stock 402 is provided to thermoformer 404. Thermoformer 404 includes a heater and a former. The heater heats stock 402 to a temperature at which the stock 402 becomes elastic and flexible. In some embodiments, the stock 402 is heated to a temperature at or above the material's glass transition temperature. Next, stock 402 is moved into the former of thermoformer 404, where it is molded into the desired shape. A mold is included in thermoformer 404, which is made of a material such as aluminum, wood, epoxy, or other metals or metal alloys. Stock 402 is applied to the mold where it is formed to the mold and cooled. In one embodiment, thermoformer 404 is a vacuum thermoformer that applies a suction to stock 402 to form stock 402 to the shape of the mold. In other embodiments, forming occurs by pressure forming, twin-sheet forming, drape forming, free blowing, and sheet bending. If desired, a single thermoforming operation can be used to form multiple targets from a single section of stock 404.
After stock 402 has passed through thermoformer 404, it can then be trimmed, such as with cutter 406. In one embodiment, cutter 406 includes a trimming die. The trimming die is formed to have the desired shape of edge 132 (e.g., shown in
After targets 100 (e.g., shown in
After a target has been completed, the target can be stacked and/or packaged for delivery. This can be performed manually or automatically using an automated stacking and/or packaging machine.
In an alternate embodiment, stock 402 is preprinted, such that a printing process with printer 408 is not necessary. In another embodiment, printing is done by printer 408 prior to forming and cutting. In another embodiment, cutting with cutter 406 is performed prior to forming with thermoformer 404, or other forming method. In another embodiment, stock is printed with printer 408 and then cut with cutter 406, and a separate forming step is not required. In another embodiment, printing 408 is performed in multiple steps. One example includes printing an image on the target in a first step, and then selectively printing a second image at a subsequent time. An example of a second image is a bullseye, such as described with reference to
Web server 504 is a computing system configured to serve a web site for ordering targets 100. An example web site is illustrated with reference to
A customer can access a web site using customer computing system 506. Customer computing system 506 operates web browser software that enables customer computing system 506 to request a web site from web server 504 and to display the web site from data received from web server 504. The customer uses customer computing system 506 to obtain information about available products from web server 504 and to place an order for one or more products from web server 504.
In another possible embodiment, customer computing system 506 accesses a web site provided by retailer computing system 508. Retailer computing system 508 then redirects the customer to web server 504 where information about a target 100 is provided to the customer, or where an order for targets 100 is placed. The customer computing system 506 is then redirected back to the retailer computing system 508 where the order is completed or additional information is available. This embodiment is beneficial, for example, when a retailer wants to allow customers the ability to purchase products directly from a manufacturer, while still making it appear that the customer is making a purchase from the retailer.
Once an order has been placed through web server 504, web server 504 communicates the order information to manufacturer computing system 510. In one embodiment, manufacturer computing system 510 operates a web service that receives the order information and supplies the order information to manufacturing line 400. Manufacturing line 400 automatically manufactures the products identified in the order. In another embodiment, a message is communicated from web server 504 to manufacturer computing system 510, such as via an e-mail message. The e-mail message is read by the manufacturer, and the order is processed and manufactured accordingly.
Various additional data communication can also occur across system 500. For example, a confirmation is sent from manufacturer computing system 510 to customer computing system 506 after an order has been completed and has been shipped. As another example, order statistics or invoices are provided by web server 504 to retailer computing system 508. Various other data storage and communication services can also be provided, as desired.
Examples of computing systems include computers, data processing devices, hand held computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants, or other devices having a processing unit, memory, and a communication device.
Example screen shot 552 requests that the customer select the desired shape for a target. In this example, four shapes are available, such as a rabbit shape 554, squirrel shape 556, bust shape 558, or rectangular shape 560. Various other shapes are provided in other embodiments, including a square, circle, oval, triangle, or other multi-sided shapes. The customer selects the desired shape by using an input device, such as a keyboard or mouse of customer computing system 506 (shown in
In the illustrated example screen shot 570, the desired image is chosen by entering the file name and file location into image identifier field 572, or by selecting browse button 574 and searching the file system of customer computing system 506 to select the desired image. Upload button 576 is then selected to upload the image from customer computing system 506 to web server 504 (e.g., shown in
The above examples of user interface 550 are provided only as examples of possible user interface displays that could be provided by web server 504, but it is recognized that a wide variety of alternatives exist, all of which are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In addition, none of the features of user interface 550 that are illustrated and described are required by all embodiments.
Other embodiments of target 100 are ordered through other known methods. For example, target 100 can be ordered through the mail, such as from a catalog, or a telephone order can be placed. Other methods of ordering products are known in the art and need not be described in detail herein.
Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to targets, it is recognized that there is no requirement that the targets described be actually used as targets. Rather, various other uses of these products are also possible, such as for signs or displays. In one example the word “SALE” is printed on the target, which is used to advertise a yard sale, garage sale, or bargain sale at a retail store. In another example, a customer orders a sign having a custom image of his son printed on it, and uses the sign to cheer on and encourage his son during the sporting event. These and other uses of the “targets” described herein are all within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. It is noted that all of the features characterized herein need not be incorporated within a given arrangement for the arrangement to include improvements according to the present disclosure.