Scoreboard

A scoreboard for displaying scores in a sporting event or other recreational event is disclosed herein. The scoreboard comprises a base member, a support member, a plurality of cards and a ring member. The support member is disposed above the base member. The plurality of cards is arranged in at least three stacks along the length of said support member. Each of said cards defining at least one fastening aperture and indicia. The ring member is threaded through each of the fastening apertures in the cards and the support member. The scoreboard allows a scorekeeper to accurately display the score, and easily observe the movement of players to either side of a court. The scoreboard is simple in construction, easy to use, and eliminates the need of handling two large cards side by side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a device or an apparatus for displaying scores in a sporting event. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a scoreboard for displaying scores in sporting events or other recreational events.

2. Description of the Related Art

Volley ball such as court style and beach volley ball, and racket and paddle sports have huge numbers of recreational participants. Some of the more popular racket and paddle sports include tennis, racquetball, badminton, ping pong, etc. A common problem encountered by recreational players and score keeper is losing track of the score. Various mechanical and electrical scoreboards have been developed and are available for indicating or displaying the score during sporting events. Most of these scoreboards are large in size and permanent fixtures in stadiums or playing fields. The increased interest on organized sports at community levels, as well as sports in more casual situations in neighborhood parks and community playing fields, has resulted in a need for portable, easy to use, scoreboards with simple procedure for tracking and efficiently display the score.

Several devices have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include a scoreboard that is capable of addressing the foregoing discussed issues.

Applicant believes that a related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,898,393 filed by Kris Phillip McMillan describes a wall-mounted scoreboard. Kris reference discloses a wall mounted scoreboard configured to be used in a home or commercial establishment. The scoreboard includes a back cover, a cover panel and a display panel. The back cover has a front open face and the cover panel is applied over the front face of the back cover. The display panel is interposed between the back cover and the cover panel. The display panel has changeable indicators arranged in information blocks that are in registry with the windows in the cover panel. The cover panel includes graphics which display a designator for each information block, the designators corresponding to game data. The scoreboard includes a wireless receiver and a control. The wireless receiver receives status information broadcast wirelessly from a game in progress and the control causes the display panel to display the status information thereon within the information blocks. However, Kris reference lacks to provide a simple solution and an efficient scoreboard construction for tracking and displaying score.

Another related reference is U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,506 filed by Colin T. Brown describes a scoreboard device. Colin reference discloses a display device for displaying numerical results of athletics and/or games and the like. The display unit includes at least one array of printed circuit board for displaying numerals which can be controlled by electrical signals derived from a clock generator in the control unit so as to produce a rising or falling numerical value corresponding to the time which has accumulated or lapsed depending on the activity. However, the electrical based display device of Colin reference is not suitable for use in home establishment or recreational events.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a scoreboard for sporting events or other recreational events.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a scoreboard for indicating or displaying single digit score, double digit score and number of games won with a simple procedure.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive and portable scoreboard.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a scoreboard suitable for both indoor and outdoor events or games.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a scoreboard comprising a base member, a support member disposed above the base member and a plurality of cards arranged in at least three stacks, said stacks aligned in spaced relation along the length of said support member, said cards in a first stack have numbers from zero through nine sequentially to indicate a number of games won, said cards in a second stack have single digit numbers sequentially to indicate single digit score, and said cards in a third stack have two-digit numbers sequentially to indicate two-digit score.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings,FIGS. 1-4, where the present invention is generally referred with numeral10, it can be observed that a scoreboard10for scoring sporting events or other recreational events is disclosed.

The scoreboard10includes a support member14disposed above a base member16. A plurality of ring members24are aligned along the length of an upper portion of the support member14. A plurality of cards12having indicia26are suspended from the plurality of ring members24. The plurality of cards12are arranged in at least three stacks (28,30, and32) and have at least one fastening aperture36adjacent to a first end of each of a plurality of cards12. The plurality of ring members24are positioned through each of the at least one fastening aperture36. The plurality of cards12hang from the plurality of ring members24so that the plurality of cards12may be rotated or flipped around the support member14to permit alternate displays of the indicia26on the plurality of cards12.

In one embodiment, each stack (28,30, and32) is disposed along the length of the support member14. The three stacks (28,30, and32) of the plurality of cards12comprise a first stack28, a second stack32and a third stack30. In one embodiment, the first stack28and the second stack32are aligned in along the length of the support member14. The second stack32comprises an upper open surface conforms to the shape of the third stack32. The third stack32is disposed within the upper open surface of the second stack32. In one embodiment, the support member14of the scoreboard10defines a plurality of holes to receive and assemble the three stacks (28,30, and32) of cards12, via the plurality of ring members24. The plurality of ring members24is threaded through each of these holes. This prevents lateral movement of the plurality of ring members24along the length of the support member14of the scoreboard10.

In one embodiment, the plurality of cards12in the first stack28have numbers zero through nine sequentially. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards12in the first stack28are configured to indicate a number of games won. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards12in the second stack32have single digit numbers from zero through nine sequentially. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards12in the second stack32are configured to indicate single digit score. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards12in a third stack30have two-digit numbers sequentially. In one embodiment, the cards12in the third stack30are configured to indicate two-digit score.

In one embodiment, the plurality of ring members24may be fixedly attached to a portion of the support member14of the scoreboard10to prevent free rotation of the plurality of ring members24around the support member14. The support member14comprises a cavity20at its bottom portion. The base member16comprises a bracket member18with a narrow cavity34and a mating member22that detachably attaches to the cavity20and holds the support member14in position. In one embodiment, the support member14is affixed to the base member16by any other suitable conventional fastening mechanism.

In one embodiment, the plurality of cards12may be one-sided for one side display option or may be dual-sided for two-sided display option. In a dual-sided embodiment, each of the plurality of cards12has a front face and a back face. In this embodiment, some of the plurality of cards12have indicia26on both the front face and the back face. The numbers on the front face are one number lower in sequence than the number on the corresponding back face of each of the plurality of cards12so that the same score may be viewed from opposite directions in each stack.

In one embodiment, the scoreboard10is made of at least one a material selected from a group including, but not limited to, metal, plastic, aluminium, wood or composite. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards12are constructed of plastic, styrene plastic, metal, plain or laminated paper, plain or laminated cardboard or any other suitable material. The cards plurality of cards12may be clear or opaque, colored or white. In one embodiment, the indicia26include lettering and numbers, which are sized and shaped to fit on a face of the plurality of cards12and are easily visible from a distance. In one embodiment, the scoreboard10may be 7 inches in height, 5 inches length and ¼ inches in width. In another embodiment, the base of scoreboard10may be 5 inches deep and 12 inches in length. In yet another embodiment, the dimension of the scoreboard10may vary according to the preference of the end user. In another embodiment, the scoreboard10comprises square, rectangular or any other shape. In one embodiment, the plurality of ring members24is made of at least one a material selected from a group including, but not limited to, metal, plastic, aluminum, wood or composite. Being that the present invention can be made of these materials it is easy to move or transport and easy to store as well as the present invention may be light weight. There may be a light weight box that aids in the storing and further the transporting of the dissembled scoreboard10.

Advantageously, the present invention could be used for effectively displaying scores for any sporting events or recreational events such as court style sports or any other sporting events. The scoreboard10allows a scorekeeper to accurately display the score, and easily observe the movement of players to either side of a court. The scoreboard10eliminates the need of having two large cards side by side to show scores above 10. Further, in dual-sided display option, once players switch sides, the portable frame could be easily interchanged or even rotated, thereby eliminating the need of flipping of the cards from the starting position. It can be appreciated that the present invention is easy to assemble and dissemble for easy storing or easy transporting. When storing the scoreboard10, it may be stored in a box or container of the likes. The box also allows for easy transporting of the scoreboard10.