Abstract:
A sport apparatus includes a frame, an electronic sport sensing device, and at least a connecting device to connect the electronic sport sensing device to the frame. The electronic sport sensing device has a circuit unit, a display unit electrically connected to the circuit unit, and at least a sensor unit electrically connected to the circuit unit. The sensor unit has an impact surface to produce a signal transmitted to the circuit unit for showing a message on the display unit when the impact surface receives an external force.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to an electronic game apparatus, and more particularly to a sport apparatus with electronic sensing device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Electronic sport game is popular nowadays because players can both have fun and exercise during the game. For a baseball or soccer game, it includes an electronic sensing blanket which is flexible and has several score blocks thereon. The electronic sensing blanket has sensors behind the score blocks to sense which block is hit. 
         [0005]    Usually, the electronic sensing blanket is fixed on a wall, and players throw or kick a ball to the blanket. When the ball hits the blanket, it will cause the hit portion warped that the sensor behind it will produce a signal and transmit it to a processor and show a result on a screen. The screen shows the score of the hit block for the game. The conventional electronic sensing blanket has several drawbacks, which are listed below:
       1. Even when the electronic sensing blanket is fixed on a wall, it still has false sensing. The flexible blanket cannot be totally attached to the wall, i.e. there are some gaps between the blanket and the wall so that deformation of the blanket will be different when different places are hit. Besides, long distances between the sensors and the processor will also affect the sensing result.   2. The conventional electronic sensing blanket has consistent blocks thereon, which means only one specific type of game is available with this blanket.   3. The conventional electronic sensing blanket has to be fixed on a wall so that the blanket can sense the location hit. In other words, places to play the game are limited.       
 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic sport sensing device, which has a stable sensing and is portable for mounting to any desired place. 
         [0010]    To achieve the objective of the present invention, an electronic sport sensing device includes a blanket, at least a sensor unit, and a display unit. The blanket has a circuit unit thereon and a plurality of couplers electrically connected to the circuit unit. The sensor unit is detachably fastened to the blanket and electrically connected to the couplers. The sensor unit has an impact surface. The display unit is electrically connected to the circuit unit of the blanket to show a message when the impact surface of the sensor unit receives an external force. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment, the electronic sport sensing device includes a blanket, in which the circuit unit is provided, having a plurality of couplers thereon electrically connected to the circuit unit, and the sensor unit is detachably mounted on the blanket and electrically connected to the couplers. 
         [0012]    In an embodiment, the frame includes a plurality of pipes, and the connecting device includes a connecting sheet with an end connected to the electronic sport sensing device that the connecting sheet is put around the pipe of the frame and fastened to secure the electronic sport sensing device to the frame. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the electronic sport sensing device and the frame in separation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the electronic sport sensing device and the frame in combination of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the frame of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the front cover of the electronic sport sensing device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of the front cover of the electronic sport sensing device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the rear cover of the electronic sport sensing device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the sensor unit of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the sensor unit of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing insulation between the up conductive layer and the low conductive layer; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a front view of the insulating layer of the sensor unit; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the up conductive layer of the sensor unit; 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a front view of the low conductive layer of the sensor unit; 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the first and second conductive pads of the sensor unit; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  is similar to  FIG. 8 , showing the sensor unit being hit by a ball to have a contact between the up and low conductive layers. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the present invention provides an electronic sport sensing device  100  and a frame  200 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the frame  200  is composed of several pipes  201 . The combination of the electronic sport sensing device  100  and the frame  200  form a sport apparatus. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7  show elements of the electronic sport sensing device  100  including a blanket  10 , a circuit unit  20 , a display unit  30 , and a plurality of sensor units  40 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6 , the blanket  10  includes a front cover  11  and a rear cover  12 . In the present invention, the front cover  11  is made of nylon, so it is flexible. The rear cover  12  is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is also flexible.  FIG. 4  shows the front cover  11  having a rectangular sheet  111  with a greater area and a plurality of connecting sheets  112  around the rectangular sheet  111 . The rectangular sheet  111  has a surface  111   a , on which plural rectangular connecting regions  111   b  are provided. Each of the connecting regions  111   b  has four conductive connectors at four corners thereof wherein two diagonal connectors are defined as first couplers  13 , and the other two diagonal connectors are defined as second couplers  14 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the circuit unit  20  is provided on a back side  11   a  of the front cover  11 . The circuit unit  20  has first wires  22 , which have ends connected to the first couplers  13 , and second wires  24 , which have ends connected to the second couplers  14 , and both of the first and second wires  22 ,  24  have the other ends connected to the display unit  30 . In the present invention, the first and second wires  22 ,  24  are flexible cables. They may also be a printed circuit or other relative devices. The display unit  30 , in the present invention, is a numeral displayer mounted on the blanket, however, it could also be any relative displayers mounted on a suitable place. 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  shows the rear cover  12  of the blanket  10  which has a rectangular sheet  121  and a plurality of connecting sheets  122  around the rectangular sheet  121 . Each of the connecting sheets  122  is provided with a hook Velcro device  15  on a surface  122   a  thereof and a loop Velcro device  16  neighboring to the hook Velcro device  15 . The connecting sheets  122 , the hook Velcro device  15 , and the loop Velcro device  16  form a connecting device of the blank  10 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the size and shape of the sensor units  40  are substantially the same as the connecting regions  111   b . Each of the sensor units  40  includes a front sheet  41 , a rear sheet  42 , an insulating layer  43 , an up conductive layer  44 , a low conductive layer  45 , two first conductive pads  46 , two second conductive pads  47 , two first couplers  48 , and two second couplers  49 . 
         [0032]    The front sheet  41  is flexible with an impact region  41   a , on which a specific pattern is printed on a side thereof. In the present invention, the impact region  41   a  is printed with a score number. “ 70 ” shown in  FIG. 7  is the score when a player hits this region and is shown on the display unit  30 . The front sheet  41  has four bores  41   b  at four corners thereof. 
         [0033]    The rear sheet  42  is flexible too with four bores  42   a  on four corners thereof. 
         [0034]    The insulating layer  43  is made of foam and is between the front sheet  41  and the rear sheet  42 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the insulating layer  43  has a plurality of openings  43   a . Four of the openings  43   a  at four corners of the insulating layer  43  are aligned with the corresponding bores  41   b  of the front sheet  41  and  42   a  of the rear sheet  42  respectively. 
         [0035]    The up conductive layer  44  is between the front sheet  41  and the insulating layer  43 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , the up conductive layer  44  includes a transparent base film  44   a , on which a conductive pattern  44   b  is printed. The base film  44   a  has four bores  44   c  at four corners also. The conductive pattern  44   b  has two conductive portions  44   d  around two diagonal bores of  44   c . The conductive pattern  44   b  does not reach the other two bores of  44   c  that it has insulating portions  44   e  at the bores  44   c.    
         [0036]    The low conductive layer  45  is between the rear sheet  42  and the insulating layer  43 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , the low conductive layer  45 , similar to the up conductive layer  44 , has a base film  45   a , on which a conductive pattern  45   b  and four bores  45   c  are provided. The conductive pattern  45   b  has two conductive portions  45   d  and two insulating portions  45   e  around the diagonal bores  45   c  respectively. The conductive patterns  44   b ,  45   b  of the up and low conductive layer  44 ,  45  are at opposite sides of the insulating layer  43 . The bores  44   c  of the up conductive layer  44  with the conductive portions  44   d  are aligned with the bores  45   c  of the low conductive layer  45  with the insulating portions  45   e , and the bores  44   c  of the up conductive layer  44  with the insulating portions  44   e  are aligned with the bores  45   c  of the low conductive layer  45  with the conductive portions  45   d.    
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , each of the first conductive pads  46  has an insulating portion  46   a , a conductive portion  46   b  on a top of the insulating portion  46   a , and a bore  46   c  through the insulating portion  46   a  and the conductive portion  46   b . Each of the first conductive pad  46  is received in the specific opening  43   a  of the insulating layer  43  to have the conductive portion  46   b  contacting the corresponding conductive portions  44   d  of the up conductive layer  44 . 
         [0038]    The second conductive pads  47  are the same as the first conductive pads  46  having an insulating portion  47   a , a conductive portion  47   b , and a bore  47   c . The second conductive pads  47  are received in the specific openings  43   a  of the insulating layer  43  to have the conductive portion  47   b  contacting the corresponding conductive portions  45   d  of the low conductive layer  45 . 
         [0039]    The first couplers  48  are electrically connected to the conductive pattern  44   b  of the up conductive layer  44  and the first couplers  13  of the blanket  10  respectively. Each of the first couplers  48  has a plastic head  48   a , a metallic body  48   b  connected to the head  48   a , and a metallic buckle  48   c . As shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the body  48   b  of the first couplers  48  is inserted into the bore  41   b  of the front sheet  41 , the bore  44   c  with the conductive portion  44   d  of the up conductive layer  44 , the bore  46   c  of the first conductive pad  46 , the bore  45   c  with the insulating portion  45   e  of the low conductive layer  45 , and the bore  42   a  of the rear sheet  42  in sequence, and then is coupled to the buckle  48   c  that the front sheet  41 , the up conductive layer  44 , the first conductive pad  46 , the low conductive layer  45 , and the rear sheet  42  are clipped by the head  48   a  and the buckle  48   c . The first couplers  48  are electrically connected to the conductive portions  46   b  of the first conductive pads  46  but the conductive pattern  45   b  of the low conductive layer  45  that the first couplers  48  electrically connect the conductive pattern  44   b  of the up conductive layer  44  to the first couplers  13  of the blanket  10  respectively. 
         [0040]    The second couplers  49 , the same as the first couplers  48 , each has a plastic head  49   a , a metallic body  49   b  and a metallic buckle  49   c . The body  49   b  is inserted into the bore  41   b  of the front sheet  41 , the bore  44   c  with the insulating portion  44   e  of the up conductive layer  44 , the bore  46   c  of the second conductive pad  47 , the bore  45   c  with the conductive portion  45   d  of the low conductive layer  45 , and the bore  42   a  of the rear sheet  42  in sequence, and then is coupled to the buckle  48   c  that the front sheet  41 , the up conductive layer  44 , the first conductive pad  46 , the low conductive layer  45 , and the rear sheet  42  are clipped by the head  49   a  and the buckle  49   c . The second couplers  49  electrically connect the conductive pattern  45   b  of the low conductive layer  45  to the second couplers  14  of the blanket  10  respectively via the second conductive pads  47 . 
         [0041]    The sensor units  40  of the present invention have the first and second couplers  48 ,  49 , and are engaged with the first and second couplers  13 ,  14  respectively to electrically connect the sensor units  40  to the connecting regions  111   b  of the blank  10  respectively. The sensor units  40  are also electrically connected to the display unit  30  via the circuit unit  20 . In a normal condition, the up conductive layer  44  and the low conductive layer  45  are separated by the insulating layer  43 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0042]    In operation, the sensor units  40  are mounted on the connecting regions  111   b  of the blank  10 , and then the blanket  10  is fastened to the frame  200 . The frame  200  is put in a suitable place to play a game. Player may throw (or kick) a ball  300  to the blanket  10 . When the ball  300  is hitting the blanket  10  on the impact surface  41   a  of one of the sensor units  40 , it will warp the very sensor unit  40  and cause the conductive pattern  44   b  of the up conductive layer  44  contacting the conductive pattern  45   b  of the low conductive layer  45  through the openings  43   a  of the insulating layer  43  that will produce a signal and show a specific score on the display unit  30 . 
         [0043]    The functions and advantages of the present invention are listed below: 
         [0044]    1. When the electronic sport sensing device  100  is applied when connected to the frame  200 , it has a better support from the frame  200 . Moreover, the frame  200  is a detachable structure that a better efficiency is given while being engaged and disengaged with the electronic sport sensing device  100 . 
         [0045]    2. The sport sensing device  100  is fastened to the frame  200  by the Velcro devices  15  and  16 , which is a fast and easy way to mount and dismount the electronic sport sensing device  100 . 
         [0046]    3. The electronic sport sensing device  100  is connected to the pipes  201  of the frame  200  via connecting members around it, and therefore the blanket  10  can give the sensor units  40  stable support in a tense condition, with which the sensor units  40  has proper detection while being hit. 
         [0047]    4. The sensor units  40  may be randomly mounted on the specific connecting regions  111   b  the blanket  10  that will create a new game or change the level of difficulty. 
         [0048]    5. The sensor units  40  are connected to the blanket  10  via buckles, which can be detached and attached efficiently. 
         [0049]    The description above is a few preferred embodiments of the present invention and the equivalence of the present invention is still in the scope of claim construction of the present invention.