Abstract:
The present document describes games using darts or arrows. More particularly, this description relates to targets and accessories used for new games.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/265,957, filed Dec. 2, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This description relates to the field of games using darts or arrows. More particularly, this description relates to targets and accessories used for new games. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a target for darts or arrows comprising one of:
   a) an area divided into a number of separate spaces equal to the number of cards of two complete decks of given playing cards;   b) an area divided into a number of separate spaces equal to the number of cards of a subset of two decks of given playing cards;   c) an area divided into 104 separate spaces, each space representing one card of two decks of 52 regular playing cards;   d) an area representing a pool table, the area comprising 16 spaces, each space representing one ball of a 16-ball set of American-style pool;   e) both
       i. a first area divided into 52 separate spaces, each space representing one card of a deck of 52 regular playing cards; and   ii. a second area divided into 9 separate spaces representing a tic-tac-toe game;   
       f) an area divided into 9 separate spaces representing a tic-tac-toe game; and   g) an area divided into 75 separate spaces, each space representing one ball of a 75-ball set of bingo balls.   
 
         [0013]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a target for darts or arrows comprising an area divided into 104 separate spaces, each space representing one card of two decks of 52 regular playing cards. 
         [0014]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a target for darts or arrows comprising an area representing a pool table, the area comprising 16 spaces, each space representing one ball of a 16-ball set of American-style pool. 
         [0015]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a case for holding darts, the case comprising: a lower portion comprising a curved side adapted to fit above a dart board; an upper portion mounted on the upper portion on which are located holes for holding the darts, the upper portion further comprising a scoreboard area. 
         [0016]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a target for darts or arrows comprising: a first area divided into 52 separate spaces, each space representing one card of a deck of 52 regular playing cards; and a second area divided into 9 separate spaces representing a tic-tac-toe game. 
         [0017]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a target for darts or arrows comprising an area divided into 9 separate spaces representing a tic-tac-toe game. 
         [0018]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a target for darts or arrows comprising area divided into 75 separate spaces, each space representing one ball of a 75-ball set of bingo balls. 
         [0019]    According to an embodiment, there is provided an actuator for rotating a target comprising: a frame comprising attachment holes for fixing the frame to a substantially vertical surface; a motor mounted to the frame; an interface between the motor and the target to impart a rotating motion to the target. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a schematic front view of a target for card games according to an embodiment; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic front view of a target for billiard, pool or snooker game according to another embodiment; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is an schematic view of a case and its options to add on a target according to another embodiment; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is mainly a schematic view of a target for billiard, pool or snooker game according to another embodiment; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a schematic front view of a target for combined game of cards and Tic-Tac-Toe according to another embodiment; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  gathers various views of the case of  FIG. 3  and its accessories; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  gathers various views of two different systems for rotating a target according to another embodiment; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a target for a Tic-Tac-Toe game according to another embodiment; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a schematic front view of a target for a bingo game according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0030]    It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a target  1  for playing cards with projectiles like a dart or an arrow. The target  1  is disk-shaped as is usual for a target for such projectiles. According to an embodiment, the target is a modified dart board or a specially-made board having the same size and materials as a regular dart board. In a right lower circle there is shown a side view of the target  1 . At left side is an operating face  3  for receiving the projectiles. The operating face  3  is made of a material like sisal fibers and adapted for receiving the projectiles. A thickness  102  of the target  1  is such that the target  1  is rigid enough so that the projectile enters the operating face  3  sufficiently to be held in place without passing through the target  1 . A height represents the diameter  104  of the target  1 . Optionally, a target can have two operating faces, a front one for playing a game and a back one for playing another game. 
         [0032]    Two sets of 52 cards each are printed on the operating face  3  of the target  1 . Each set comprises cards Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King in each of the four suits (Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs). Card images  106  are contiguously packed on the operating face  3  forming a pack, not numbered. When a projectile reaches the target  1  in the pack, the projectile reaches inevitably at least one card image  106 . Each card image  106  has the same dimensions as the others. Optionally, card image dimensions and placement vary depending on the value given to each associated card. The number of card images  106  is chosen in order to fill most of the area of the operating face  3  and to do that each card image  106  has a size which offers to a player a likelihood of not reaching a chosen card image  106  with a projectile. 
         [0033]    This target  1  allows playing of Poker, Black-Jack or other card games according to new rules. These new rules can be based on regular rules except that instead of drawing a card at random from a set, the player throws a projectile toward the operating face and gets, virtually, the card in which the projectile is driven. 
         [0034]    In a left lower circle there is shown a portion of a grid  2 . The grid  2  surrounds each card image  106  so that when a projectile reach a border area between two card images  106  or between the pack and a rest  108  of the target  1 , the projectile is clearly deflected toward only one card image  106  or outside the pack. The grid  2  is made of a triangular shaped wire. 
         [0035]    Although not shown the Figures are meant to include other types of given playing cards such as, but not limited to, tarot playing cards or other types of games such as dominoes. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an operating face  110  of a disk-shaped target  4  according to another embodiment. A realistic billiard table is printed on the operating face  110  comprising rails  112 , cushions  114 , pockets  116  and balls  118  on the bed  120 . In a left lower circle  122  there is shown a wire circle  124  with spikes  126 . The spikes  126  are to be driven in the operating face  110 . The wire circle  124  is to delimit the balls  118  and to clearly deflect a projectile inside the ball  118  or outside the ball  118 . To be most effective, the wire circle  124  is made of a triangular shaped wire. In a mid lower circle  128  there is shown a central wire circle  130  with spikes  126 . The spikes  126  are to be driven in the operating face  110 . The central wire circle  130  delimits a central area  132  in the ball  118 . Each of the balls  118  is surrounded by a wire circle  124  and comprises a central wire circle  130  inside for delimiting a central area  132 . 
         [0037]    This target  4  allows playing of billiard, pool or snooker according to new rules. These new rules can be based on regular rules except that instead of cuing a ball to a pocket, the player throws a projectile toward the operating face and puts virtually the ball which has been reached by the projectile in a pocket. Theses rules use the balls  118  and the central area  132  for the scoring, depending on the rating of each player or depending on periods of the games. 
         [0038]    Concurrently referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 6 , there are shown a case  134  and its options and its accessories. The case  134  comprises a lower portion  136  and an upper portion  138 . The lower portion  136  has a curved form  8 B for resting on a top of a disk shaped target. A notch  8 A is for receiving a blocker  16 , as seen on  FIG. 6 , for fixing the case  134  to the target. The upper portion  138  comprises a removable scoreboard  140 . The scoreboard  140  can slide through a slot  8 C on a side of the upper portion  138 . The scoreboard  140  is for keeping score in a regular darts game and can be replaced by a billiard scoreboard  7  or a Poker scoreboard  6 . Each one of the two faces of scoreboards can be used for two different games. On  FIG. 3 , the upper portion  138  is upon the lower portion  136  and can be used for marking a play. The case  134  being settled or mounted on a target. 
         [0039]    On an upper drawing on  FIG. 6 , there is shown the case  134  which has been dismounted from a target and which is put on table beside the target. The upper portion  138  is detached from the lower portion  136 , put on the table and leaned to the lower portion  136  by means of hooks  17 . That allows marking a game beside the target without disturbing the game. On a base  142  of the upper portion  138 , a groove  18  is present for receiving a marker or an adapted pen to write on the scoreboard  140 . Optionally, the upper portion can be coupled to the lower portion by a hinge or other means allowing setting and using the scoreboard  140  on a table or the like. Centering studs  144  extend from the bottom of the base  142  for being engaged in centering bores  146  located on the top of the lower portion  136  to center and engage the upper portion  134  with respect to the lower portion  136 . 
         [0040]    On a lower part of  FIG. 6 , there is shown a perspective from the top of the lower portion  136  of the case  134 . The lower portion  136  comprises a projectile container  148  for containing projectiles as a dart  14 . When the upper portion  138  is put on the lower portion  136 , the base  142  closes an opening  150  of the projectile container  148  closing the projectiles away from the sight of children especially. The lower portion  136  further comprises containers  15  for storing wings, a container  150  for storing the blocker  16 , a container  152  for storing the hooks  17  and a container  154  for storing an eraser  13 . In a closed position as shown on  FIG. 3 , every accessory can be stored in the case  134 . In the closed position, darts can be driven in holes  156  as well, for temporarily putting them in order, as shown on  FIG. 3 . 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a target  9  according to another embodiment. The target  9  is rectangular shaped as a real billiard table. The target  9  comprises real rails  158 , real rubber cushions  160  and real pocket  162  shaped in tree dimensions. The target  9  further comprises an operating face  164  with balls  166  printed thereon. Like the target  4 , the target  9  comprises wire circles  168  and central wire circles  170  driven in the operating face  164  for delimiting balls and central areas of balls. This target  9  allows playing billiard, pool or snooker according to new rules. A case  172  comprising a scoreboard  174  is mounted upon the target  9 . 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a target  12  with a case  10  mounted thereon. The target  12  is rectangular shaped and comprises an operating face  176 . The operating face  176  comprises a lower part  178  and an upper part  180 . On the upper part  180 , card images  182  are printed thereon and are disposed likely the card images  106  of the target  1  shown on  FIG. 1 . On the lower part  178 , a tic-tac-toe table is printed thereon. This target  12  allows playing Poker, Black-Jack or other card games, tic-tac-toe and combined games according to new rules. 
         [0043]    Referring to the upper part of  FIG. 7 , there are shown different views relating to an actuator  19 . The actuator  19  is an accessory to be installed under a disk-shaped target for the purpose of rotating the target around an axis normal to the operating face and crossing the center of the target. The target is driven by three rubber rolls  21  contacting the periphery of the target. The rollers  21  are driven in rotation by an electric motor comprised inside the actuator  19 . 
         [0044]    Referring to the lower part of  FIG. 7 , there is shown different views relating to an actuator  24  according to another embodiment. The actuator  24  comprises a frame  184  with holes  186  for fixing to a wall. An electric motor, not shown, installed into a body  25  drives a removable rotating plate  26  extending outside the body  25 . Rotating plate  26  can be installed and removed by a connector  27 . A target can be fixed to the rotating plate  26 . Such rotating targets offer a lot of possibilities of entertainment with projectiles and different types of target as previously described. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , there is shown a disk-shaped target  28  with an operating face on which a tic-tac-toe table is printed. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , there is shown a disk-shaped target  190  with an operating face on which 75 numbered balls  192  of Bingo game are printed. The target  190  is mounted on an actuator (motor) such as actuator  24  of  FIG. 7  for alternatively rotating the target  190  in clockwise and anticlockwise directions. Such a target  190  simulates a real bingo sphere. A player throws a projectile on the target, if the projectile reaches a ball  192 , the number printed on the reached ball  192  is given as it has been obtained by a real bingo sphere. 
         [0047]    It is understood that a person skilled in the art could envision a target made of wood, cardboard, paper, cellulose or other plant fiber, or product of chemical synthesis able to receive a dart or an arrow having a spike ahead. The target could also be adapted for receiving other types of dart or arrow having a magnet, hook and loop system, etc. Also the target could be an electronic picture produced by a system able to receive a virtual projectile and able to figure out the position of the impact of the projectile on the target. Such system could be operated on Wii, Xbox (Kinect), PSP, PlayStation, iPod, iPhone, regular desktop or laptop. 
         [0048]    While preferred embodiments have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made therein without departing from the essence of this disclosure. Such modifications are considered as possible variants comprised in the scope of the disclosure.