Patent Application
20170370684
The proposed invention relates to target systems and more particularly to a portable target system that presents a threat/shoot target that must be impacted by a user selectable number of projectiles to cause the threat/shoot target to move out of the user's field-of-view. Uniquely, the system also presents a no threat/no shoot target that must not be impacted by any projectile. When the no threat/no shoot target is impacted by a projectile, the threat/shoot target does not move out of the shooter's field-of-view even when the threat/shoot target is impacted by the same projectile.
Properly training military, civilian and law enforcement personnel (shooters) in the correct and accurate use of firearms requires target systems that mimic events and encounters they are likely to experience in a real-life firearms confrontation.
The target systems of today do not present these real-life scenarios to the shooters during training. These systems employ a threat/shoot target with a sensor and when the threat/shoot target is impacted by a user selectable number of projectiles, the control electronic circuitry within the system causes a positioning drive system to move the threat/shoot target out of the shooter's FOV.
More specifically, when a projectile hits the target, the target does not distinguish between non-vital anatomical regions, e.g., a region that represents a person's shoulder, and vital anatomical regions, e.g., a region that represents the person's chest or head. Said another way, the target produces the same reaction and moves out of the shooter's FOV in exactly the same manner, irrespective of whether a vital or a non-vital anatomical region was hit by the projectile. These systems are in the public domain at present but not in a configuration wherein the threat/shoot target alone must be accurately impacted by projectiles and a no threat/no shoot target positioned in close proximity to the threat/shoot target must never be impacted by a projectile.
The above referenced target systems have several serious training deficiencies. First and most importantly, they do not allow the FI to evaluate the ability of the shooter to accurately engage a threat/shoot target that should be impacted by a projectile, when there is a no threat/no shoot target that should not be impacted by a projectile positioned near the threat/shoot target. Additionally, the systems of today do not alert the FI and shooter as to the reason the threat/shoot target did not move out of their field-of-view when the shooter sent a projectile at the threat/shoot target, i.e. did their projectile miss the threat/shoot target entirely or did the projectile erroneously impact the no threat/no shoot target?
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.
The invention described herein provides a portable target apparatus that overcomes the before-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known target devices and methods of this general type and comprises a unique target training system that moves a threat/shoot target out of a shooter's field-of-view only when the threat/shoot target alone is impacted by a user selectable number of projectiles and also presents a no threat/no shoot target located near the threat/shoot target is not to be impacted by any projectiles. When the no threat/no shoot target is impacted by any projectiles the threat/shoot target does not move out of the shooter's field-of-view even when the projectile also impacts the threat/shoot target.
Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.
The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The term “providing” is defined herein in its broadest sense, e.g., bringing/coming into physical existence, making available, and/or supplying to someone or something, in whole or in multiple parts at once or over a period of time.
The term “projectile” should be understood to mean any of a number of rapidly moving objects that may cause physical discomfort, harm or death when they impact a human body. These can include, but are not limited to, a hard-nosed bullet or soft-nosed training bullet fired from a firearm, an arrow launched from a tension bow, a knife that is thrust or thrown, etc. In the following treatise, the word “projectile” is used for clarity.
The term “lateral” should be understood to mean in a direction corresponding to a plane transverse and in line with the plane of the threat/shoot target and no threat/no shoot target.
“FOV” is the abbreviation for the term field-of-view and describes the area visible to the shooter.
Additionally the term “shooter” is intended to define the person using the firearm or projectile launcher with the intention to accurately impact only the threat/shoot target and not impact the no threat/no shoot.
The term “FI” is an abbreviation for the term Firearms Instructor and defines the person operating the invention and who, by using a remote control, programs the number of projectile impacts the threat/shoot alone must sustain before the threat/shoot moves out of the shooter's field-of-view. The FI can also cause the threat/shoot, after moving to a position out of the shooter's field-of-view, to remain out of the shooter's field-of-view for a selectable time interval by use of an adjustable time control on the front of the control electronics unit.
The term “light” is intended to mean any one of a number of visible indicators including a simple incandescent lamp, a high-intensity strobe, an LED or an arc light; the light having a distinct color. Additionally, but not referenced in the text, the indicator may also be an audible tone or a vibration device.
The proposed invention is comprised of a “threat/shoot target” (hereinafter known as the Primary Target) positioned in the FOV of the shooter. Positioned near to the Primary Target is a “no threat/no shoot target”, (hereinafter known as the Secondary Target) that simulates an innocent bystander positioned in close proximity to the Primary Target or additionally may represent a selective area target that should not be impacted by a projectile as will be described herein.
The FI may program the control electronics unit of the invention such as to require the shooter to impact the Primary Target with a user selectable number of projectiles before the Primary Target moves out of the shooter's FOV. This capability is in the public domain, but not in a configuration wherein the Primary Target alone must be accurately impacted by projectiles and the Secondary Target must never be impacted by a projectile, as will be described herein.
The present invention is unique in the ability to provide several important and new firearms training capabilities. As an example, when only the Primary Target is impacted by a projectile the present invention alerts the shooter by extinguishing a light for a time interval e.g. 200 milliseconds.
Additionally when a projectile aimed at the Primary Target is errant and erroneously impacts the Secondary Target the light extinguishes for a noticeably different time interval e.g. 500 milliseconds.
Additionally, the electronic circuitry that counts the number of projectile impacts on the Primary Target does not count the projectile impact on the Primary Target when the Secondary Target is impacted by the same projectile.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the present invention, a portable target apparatus including the Primary Target and the Secondary Target located near the Primary Target. The Primary Target is connected to a control electronics circuit that senses when the Primary Target is impacted by at least one projectile. A second independent control electronics circuit is coupled to the Secondary Target and senses when the Secondary Target is impacted by at least one projectile. A position drive system is attached to the Primary Target and is operable to retain the Primary Target in a position within the shooter's FOV until only the Primary Target is impacted by a user selectable number of projectiles and the Secondary Target is not impacted by any projectiles. The position drive system then moves the Primary Target out of the shooter's FOV for a user determined time interval and then returns the Primary Target into the shooter's FOV for further training.
The present invention provides a novel and efficient portable target apparatus designed primarily for use in firearms training to properly train a shooter to impact only one target, namely the Primary Target, with a user selectable number of projectiles and to never impact the Secondary Target with any projectiles. The portable target apparatus includes engagement portions, e.g. the Primary Target that should be impacted by projectiles, and non-engagement portions, e.g. the Secondary Target that should not be impacted by projectiles.
The engagement portions of the Primary Target may represent the entire human body area of a person that should be impacted by a projectile. The non-engagement portions of the Secondary Target may also represent the entire human body of a person that should not be impacted by a projectile in any area at any time.
Alternately a Secondary Target may be manufactured with one or more aperture. The aperture represent anatomically sensitive locations on a human body, such as the center of mass of the body and/or the head areas of the human body. The location of the aperture correspond to the area a projectile must pass thru on the Secondary Target without impacting the Secondary Target itself. The projectile, after passing thru the aperture in the Secondary Target, impacts only the Primary Target that, in this example, is positioned directly behind the Secondary Target. This embodiment requires the shooter to accurately pass the projectile thru the aperture to demonstrate having made an accurate impact on the anatomical area of the Secondary Target as defined by the aperture in the Secondary Target.
Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention provide the shooter with multiple levels of visual feedback such as when only the Primary Target is accurately impacted by a projectile; when the Secondary Target alone is impacted by a projectile and when the Primary Target and the Secondary Target are impacted by the same projectile.
More specifically, the portable target apparatus includes a Primary Target that moves from the position within the shooter's FOV, to the position out of the shooter's FOV, only when the Primary Target alone is accurately impacted by a user selectable number of projectiles.
In one embodiment, the portable target apparatus is configured such that when the Primary Target is in the position within the shooter's FOV, a light illuminates alerting the shooter to the presence of the Primary Target. A user selectable number of projectile impacts to only the Primary Target will cause the Primary Target to move out of the shooter's FOV and extinguish the light.
When using multiple portable target systems, each with a user defined colored light, another training capability is available to the FI. As an example, the FI may position portable target systems at distances of 15, 25 and 75 yards from the shooter, each having a red colored light. Additionally in this example, portable target systems may be positioned at 20, 100 and 200 yards, each having a white colored light. Lastly portable target systems with yellow colored lights may be positioned at 50, 125 and 300 yards. With the shooter ready and all the portable target systems in the shooter's FOV and the various colored lights visible, the FI can indicate a sequence of colors, such as “red”/“yellow”/“white” requiring the shooter to engage the portable target systems with red colored lights first, yellow colored lights next and white colored lights last, until all the Primary Targets have been successfully engaged and moved to the position out of the shooter's FOV and all the colored lights have extinguished. Various colors, including but not limited to red, white, blue, green, amber and yellow may be used to increase the firearms training challenge.
In another example, when the FI has programmed the control electronics unit to require the shooter to accurately impact the Primary Target with more than one projectile, a projectile impact to only the Primary Target will cause the Primary Target to remain in the position within the shooter's FOV and the colored light to be extinguished for a time interval e.g. 200 milliseconds, indicating to the shooter that they made an accurate projectile impact on only the Primary Target.
But because the Primary Target did not move to the position out of the shooter's FOV, the shooter immediately recognizes that he/she must continue to engage the Primary Target with more projectiles and not impact the Secondary Target, until such time as the Primary Target does move to the position out of the shooter's FOV. The number of projectile impacts required to move the Primary Target to the position out of the-shooter's FOV, corresponds to the count number programmed into the control electronics unit using the remote control.
In this embodiment, a projectile impact to the Secondary Target will cause the Primary Target and Secondary Target to remain in the shooter's FOV and the light to be extinguished for a discernably longer time interval e.g. 500 milliseconds, than was visible to the shooter when the projectile impacted only the Primary Target e.g. 200 milliseconds. This indicates to the FI and shooter that the shooter made an inaccurate projectile impact on the Secondary Target, even when the projectile also impacts the Primary Target.
Additionally, in this example, the control electronics unit recognizes the inaccurate impact on the Secondary Target and the Primary Target impact counter within the control electronics unit does not count down 1 digit as when the Primary Target alone has been accurately impacted by a projectile. Further combinations may be provided and are within the scope of the invention.
In addition, embodiments of the invention provide a means for the FI to input a selectable delay time interval by use of a rotatable adjustment control located on the front of the control electronics unit that, after the Primary Target moves from the position within the-shooter's FOV to the position not in the shooter's FOV, will cause the Primary Target to remain out of the shooter's FOV until the selectable delay time interval has expired and to then return the Primary Target back into the shooter's FOV. This capability is in the public domain but not in a configuration wherein the Primary Target alone must be accurately impacted by projectiles and the Secondary Target must never be impacted by a projectile.
A portable target apparatus has been disclosed that features a Primary Target that must be accurately impacted by a user defined number of projectiles in order to move the Primary Target from the position within the shooter's FOV to a position not within the shooter's FOV. It is envisioned that the portable target apparatus will be used primarily in firearms training. This unique training capability provides the FI and shooter with a visual indication as to when the Primary Target only was accurately impacted by a projectile and additionally a distinctly different visual indication when the Secondary Target was erroneously impacted by a projectile.
The Secondary Target may be manufactured with apertures that correspond to anatomically sensitive areas of the human body. In this configuration, the Primary Target is positioned directly behind the Secondary Target and when the shooter accurately sends a projectile at the Secondary Target and the projectile passes thru the aperture in the Secondary Target and does not impact any area of the Secondary Target, the projectile impacts only the Primary Target. The system then indicates to the shooter that they made an accurate hit on only the Primary Target by means of the light extinguishing for a time interval such as 200 millisecond time interval, and that the shooter would have correctly impacted those anatomical areas of a human body that correspond to the aperture in the Secondary Target.
A projectile impact on any area of the Secondary Target is indicated to the shooter wherein the light extinguishes for a different time interval such as 500 milliseconds and alerts the shooter that the projectile incorrectly impacted the Secondary Target.
In addition, embodiments of the invention provide the FI with the ability to alter the number of projectile impacts that must impact the Primary Target only, before the Primary Target moves out of the shooter's FOV. This capability is in the public domain but not in a configuration wherein the Primary Target alone must be accurately impacted by projectiles and the Secondary Target must never be impacted by a projectile.
Other features of the invention have been disclosed that include using various colored lights to require the shooter to engage the Primary Targets on multiple portable target apparatus with colored lights, in a defined sequence of colors before engaging Primary Targets on other portable target apparatus with different colored lights.
These capabilities are novel in the firearms training field as presenting training scenarios that the shooter may experience in a real-life firearms confrontation i.e. multiple threat/shoot targets at various distances from the shooter.
These capabilities are not intended to be limited to the particular details disclosed herein. While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. The figures of the drawings are not drawn to scale.
The following numbered components appear at various locations on the drawings:
The accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.
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Although the invention as illustrated and described herein is embodied in a portable target apparatus, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention.
Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods, techniques, devices, and materials are described, although any methods, techniques, devices, or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures.
Referring now to (
A preferred embodiment of a portable target apparatus, as shown in (
The Primary Target 12 is operable in conjunction with a position drive and indicating light control circuitry 26 and a position drive assembly 24 to move from the Primary Target 12 from the position within the shooter's FOV (
In a preferred embodiment, the Primary Target 12 and the Secondary Target 14 are made of a material, such as polymer, capable of withstanding the force of a projectile 18 by allowing the projectile 18 to pass thru the Secondary Target 14 and also pass thru the Primary Target 12 without causing significant damage to either the Primary Target 12 or Secondary Target 14.
In one embodiment (
In a preferred embodiment, the position of the Primary Target 12 within the shooter's FOV is an upright and vertical position. The position not within the shooter's FOV is a non-vertical, non-upright position that is visually distinct from the upright position, such as a horizontal position, or the like.
In one embodiment (
In the preferred embodiment, the shooter is required to miss the aperture 22 in the Secondary Target 14 to cause a projectile 18 to pass thru the aperture 22 and to impact only the Primary Target 12 positioned directly behind and in alignment with the Secondary Target 14. Each impact of a projectile 18 will extinguish the colored indicating light 20 for a predetermined time interval e.g. 200 milliseconds. When the user selectable number of projectiles 18 passes thru aperture 22 and impact only the Primary Target 12, the Primary Target 12 will move to a position out of the shooter's FOV and the colored indicating light 20 will extinguish.
Advantageously, when the shooter impacts the non-engagement portion of the Secondary Target 14 with a projectile 18 the Primary Target 12 will remain in the position within the shooter's FOV. Impacts on the Secondary Target 14 also extinguish the colored indicating light 20 for a discernably longer period of time e.g. 500 milliseconds, providing the shooter with a visual indication that the Secondary Target 14 was impacted by a projectile 18 and giving reason as to why the Primary Target 12 did not move to the position out of the shooter's FOV and the colored indicating light 20 did not extinguish.
In one embodiment, the Secondary Target 14 may be located at various lateral distances from the Primary Target 12, e.g., obscuring none or obscuring only a portion of the Primary Target 12 as depicted in (
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The operation of the control electronics unit 50 will now be discussed. (
The position of the Primary Target 12 is assumed to be in the upright position within the shooter's FOV and the colored indicating light 20 is illuminated as depicted in (
The Primary sensor 28 when mechanically stressed, as is the case when the Primary Target 12 is impacted by a projectile 18, generates a signal, either by an electronics or mechanical means, that then travels through the Primary cable 30 to the control electronics unit 50 containing Primary Pulse Generator PPG136. Primary Pulse Generator PPG136 then generates a positive 5 millisecond timed pulse and when transitioning from positive back to zero, activates Primary Pulse Generator PPG240 generating a positive 10 millisecond timed pulse. When transitioning from positive back to zero the 10 millisecond timed pulse causes a count control 44 to reduce its count register by 1 count i.e. count down by 1 digit, from the total counts programmed into the count control 44 by a remote control 46. As in this example, the count control 44 is programmed using the remote control 46 to require the shooter to accurately impact only the Primary Target 12 with 1 projectile 18 to cause the Primary Target 12 to move to the position not within the shooter's FOV. When the count control 44 counts down by 1 digit from the programmed count of 1, the count control in turn sends a signal to the position control and indicating light circuitry 26 that sends a signal to the position drive assembly 24 to cause the Primary Target 12 to move to the position not within the shooter's FOV as depicted in (
As in another example, the position of the Primary Target 12 is assumed to be in the upright position within the shooter's FOV and the colored indicating light 20 illuminated as depicted in (
When the colored indicating light 20 is extinguished for the predetermined time interval of 200 milliseconds, and the Primary Target 12 does not move out of the shooter's FOV, the shooter knows he/she must engage the Primary Target 12 with additional projectile 18 impacts to cause the Primary Target 12 to move to the position not within the shooter's FOV and fully extinguish the colored indicating light 20.
The aforementioned and described sequence of events occurs when the shooter accurately sends a user defined number of projectiles 18 that impact only the Primary Target 12. When the shooter inaccurately sends a projectile 18 and impacts the Secondary Target 14 or impacts both the Primary Target 12 and Secondary Target 14 with the same projectile 18, the following sequence of events occur.
The Secondary sensor 32 when mechanically stressed, as is the case when the Secondary Target 14 is impacted by a projectile 18, generates a signal either by an electronics or mechanical means to travel through the Secondary cable 34 to the control electronics unit 50 containing a Secondary Pulse Generator SPG 38 that generates a positive 500 millisecond timed pulse. If the Primary Target 12 was also impacted by the same projectile 18, the Primary sensor 28 is activated and sends a signal to the Primary Pulse Generator PPG 136 by the aforementioned sequence of events that generates a positive 5 millisecond timed pulse. When the Primary Pulse Generator PPG136 times out the positive 5 millisecond pulse while transitioning back to zero attempts to activate Primary Pulse Generator PPG240, but Primary Pulse Generator PPG240, is prevented from generating a 5 millisecond signal to send to the count control 44 because a hold off signal 48 from Secondary Pulse Generator SPG 38 has the time interval of 500 milliseconds. The 500 millisecond pulse from Secondary Pulse Generator SPG 38 also causes the position drive and colored indicating light control circuitry 26 to extinguish the colored indicating light 20 for the 500 milliseconds. This action demonstrates to the shooter that the Secondary Target 14 was incorrectly impacted by the projectile 18 and additionally that the shooter did not completely miss the Primary Target 12 and/or the Secondary Target 14.
The advantages of the proposed invention are obvious to those schooled in the art of training individuals to correctly and accurately employ firearms. The invention alerts both the FI and shooter when the Primary Target is in their FOV by illuminating a colored indicating light and indicates when an accurate projectile impacts the Primary Target alone by extinguishing the colored indicating light for a predetermined time interval e.g. 200 milliseconds.
When the correct number of projectile impacts on only the Primary Target equal the number programmed into the control electronic unit the Primary Target moves out of the shooter's FOV and the colored indicating light extinguishes.
Most importantly, the invention also alerts the FI and shooter when an inaccurate projectile impact has been made on the Secondary Target by extinguishing the colored indicating light for a longer time interval e.g. 500 milliseconds than was observed when the Primary Target alone was impacted by a projectile and additionally prevents the count control within the control electronic unit from indexing down one digit.
A further advantage of the present invention over prior art is appreciated when a section of the Secondary Target is removed forming an aperture that corresponds to the anatomical area the shooter must impact on a human threat so as to cause immediate physiological and mental incapacitation, such as the critical area of the head containing the brain, that when impacted by a projectile, prevents the human threat from harming either the shooter or innocent bystanders.
When the present invention is configured with an aperture in the Secondary Target, the shooter is visibly alerted when the projectile does not pass thru the aperture. In this example, when the projectile misses both the Primary Target and Secondary target, the colored indicating light remains fully on. This action has the training advantage of alerting the shooter that the projectile missed both the Primary Target and the Secondary Target. But when the projectile does not pass thru the aperture and impacts any area of the Secondary Target, the invention extinguishes the colored indicating light for the noticeably different time interval e.g. 500 milliseconds, than the colored indicating light extinguished when only the Primary Target alone is impacted by a projectile e.g. 200 milliseconds, thus indicating to the shooter that the projectile impacted the Secondary Target in an area (such as the shoulder) that would not have immediately incapacitated the threat human. This is a critical indication for the training of the shooter as it alerts the shooter that the projectile impact on the human threat was not in a critical area that would have been incapacitating to the threat human and by missing the critical area the threat human would continue to function and harm the shooter or innocent bystanders. The shooter immediately recognizes that additional accurate projectile impacts on only the Primary Target are required.
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/231,537 filed on Jul. 10, 2015 and titled, “A unique Pop-Up/Pop/Out Motor Driven Target”, sections of the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
