Abstract:
A display device or diagramming a play includes a housing. A recess of the housing receives a display panel filled with a layer of magnetic particles and on which an outline of a field of play, or a portion thereof, is drawn. A stylus has a tip end which, when brought into contact with, or in close proximity to, an outer surface of the panel attracts the magnetic particles to the underside to form an image visible to anyone looking at the panel. The user can create as many images as he needs to diagram a play for his team. When done, the user moves a magnetic band underneath the length of the panel to erase the display.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/697,109, filed Apr. 5, 2007, which is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/789,416 filed Apr. 5, 2006 from which priority is claimed, and is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention relates to the diagramming of plays for a team by a coach or trainer; and, more particularly, to a magnetic display for quickly and easily communicating a play to team members without the use of paper, pen, pencils, or markers. 
         [0004]    Everyone who watches sports on television has seen it. At a crucial point in a basketball game, a football game, or other sporting event, the coach calls a “time out” and assembles the team about him on the sideline of the court or field. With the team gathered around, the coach or one of his assistants takes out a display board, such as clipboard or a dry-erase board, along with an appropriate writing instrument, such as a pen, pencil, or marker, and diagrams an offensive play for the team to run, or a defensive set in anticipation of the opposing team&#39;s play. 
         [0005]    Typically, the display board includes a layout of at least a portion of the field of play (e.g. a basketball court, or one end of a football or soccer field, etc.), and the coach marks the players&#39; starting positions on the display board. Then, the coach diagrams instructions on the display board for each player with the writing instrument by drawing lines that represent a players movement from a starting position to a desired ending position. Usually, the resulting display board exhibits a myriad of straight and/or curved lines with many of the lines intersecting one another. If the coach makes a mistake or decides to diagram an alternate play, he must first erase the existing lines drawn on the display board by rubbing with an eraser or other cloth, or tearing off a used sheet of paper so there is a clean display board for drawing. This process uses up valuable coaching time during “time-outs”, which are of relatively short duration. In addition, if the display is not cleanly erased, any remaining lines denoting the previously delineated play can confuse the players and result in the improper execution of the newly diagrammed play or defense. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Briefly stated, the invention is a display device for use by coaches and others to quickly and easily diagram plays for their team, and to quickly “erase” the diagrammed play so another play can be diagrammed. The device is self-contained and does not require paper, pencils, pens, or magic markers or the like for diagramming the plays. 
         [0007]    The display comprises a lightweight, hand-held portable unit including a display panel or template on which is outlined the field of play, or a portion thereof, for a particular sport. Various fields of play, or portions of them, are outlined on the display panels of different devices so coaches for the respective sports will have a device readily available to them for diagramming plays for their sport. The drawing surface employs one of a plurality of magnetophoretic or magnetic display screens by which the user uses a stylus or the like to attract magnetic particles to the underside of the display screen. This allows illustration of player movement from an initial position through a sequence of moves to execute a desired play. When diagramming is complete, the user moves a slide or other device underneath the panel to de-magnetize the particles and erase the display. 
         [0008]    The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention as well as embodiments thereof will become more apparent from the reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the display device of the present invention for diagramming plays, a portion of the device being shown in section, and including a stylus for writing on the surface of the display; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the display device displaying one-half of a basketball court; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the display device displaying a portion of a football field; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the display device displaying a portion of a soccer field; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a display device; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a bottom of the display device; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a enlarged perspective view of a clip of the display device; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a top view of a second alternate embodiment of a display device; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a sectional view along A-A of  FIG. 8  of the second alternate embodiment of the display device; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is perspective view of a stylus of the second alternate embodiment of the display device; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is bottom view of the second alternate embodiment of the display device with the stylus engaging a lower surface of the display device. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , an embodiment of the present invention, generally referred to as a display device  10 , includes a generally rectangular case or housing  12  preferably made of a molded, lightweight, high-impact plastic material, and non-magnetic material. A molded handle  14  extends from one end of housing  12  for convenient lifting, holding and carrying of the display device  10 . The housing  12  includes a generally flat lower member  16  with side members  17  extending upwardly from the edges of the lower member  16 . A display panel  20  extends between the side members  17  to define a compartment within the housing  12 . A layer of magnetic particles  18  reside within in the compartment  19  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0024]    The display panel  20  and magnetic particles  18  interact to form images on the display panel  20 , preferably using a type of magnetophoretic phenomena. For example, the magnetic particles  18  can comprise either microcapsules of a magnetic material or a beehive cone of particles. A display device  10  using such magnetophoric phenomena allows a user to repeatedly form images on the display panel  20 , that can be readily erased without leaving a residual image. 
         [0025]    A template  21  on the display panel  20  represents a playing surface of a sport or athletic activity. The template  21  can be applied to the display panel  20  using any appropriate method, such as silk-screening, engraving, etching, printing, an adhesive label, or other suitable method. The template  20  can represent the playing surface of any sport or athletic activity, such as, baseball, soccer, basketball, football, tennis, volleyball, hockey, rugby, field hockey, lacrosse, cricket, dodgeball, or other sports. For example, the template  120  illustrated in  FIG. 2  represents half of a basketball court having a basket B, backboard BB, free throw line FL, three-point arc TP, and a portion of the center circle CC at the half-court of the basketball court. Three dots  28  representing different players are shown on the display. 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 3 , the template  220  represents a portion of a football field with lines L extending completely across the field at five-yard intervals, together with hash marks H on either side of the field, and along the side of the field (four marks in all) denoting each yard of play. Again, three dots  28  representing different players are shown on the display. 
         [0027]    In  FIG. 4 , the template  320  represents a soccer field with goals G at each end of the field, corner kick areas CK at each corner of the field, a goalie box GB, a penalty kick area PK, a center line CL, and a center circle CE. 
         [0028]    A writing instrument, preferably a stylus  24 , includes a magnetic tip  26  for writing on the display panel  20 . When not in use, the stylus  24  can be stored within a cavity  27  of the housing  12 . As a user brings the tip  26  into contact with or in close proximity to the outer surface of the display panel  20 , the tip  26  attracts the magnetic particles  18  to the inner surface of the display panel  20  with a magnetic field so that the particles  18  form an image (e.g., a dot  28 ) which is visible on the outer surface of the display panel  20 . In this way, the user can move the tip  26  of the stylus  24  about the display panel  20  to form a desired image. The user lifts the tip  26  from the display panel  20  to stop formation of the image. If the user then places the stylus against or adjacent another location on the display, he will create another dot, and can begin another image. For example, a desired image can include a straight line  30 , curved line  32 , dot  28 , an arrow  34  to indicate a direction of movement, words, such as, “block” or “pass” to indicate a particular activity, or any combination thereof. 
         [0029]    The image on the display panel  20  can be erased with a slide member  36  moveably mounted with a slot  37  of the housing  12  and positioned below the inner surface of the display panel  20 . The slide member  36  produces a magnetic field opposite to that created by the tip  26  of stylus  24  and repels the magnetic particles away from the inner surface of the display panel  20 , thereby erasing the display panel  20 . The display panel  20  is now “clean” and the user can use the stylus  24  to create a new image. The slide member  36  erases the display without the need for any other cleaning materials, such as an eraser, or a spray bottle and rag. 
         [0030]    The display device  10  is preferably made of plastic materials that provide both durability and can withstand exposure to elements that are present during both indoor and outdoor athletic activities. 
         [0031]    In an alternate embodiment ( FIGS. 5-7 ), the display device  10  does not include a handle  14 , but rather includes a clip  40  protruding from the lower surface of the display device  10 . The alternate embodiment also includes feet  42 , such as rubber or felt, that support the display device  10  when placed on a supporting surface. The feet  42  reduce slipping of the device on the supporting surface. In addition, the stylus  24  is attached to the display device  10  with a tether  44 , such as a cord, string, and the like. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIGS. 8-11 , a second alternate embodiment of the present invention, generally referred to as a display device  110 , includes a generally rectangular housing  112  preferably made of a molded, lightweight, high-impact plastic material, and non-magnetic material. The housing  112  is a generally flat panel defining a generally rectangular recess  114  within an upper surface  116  for receiving a display panel  420 . A clip  140  is attached to the housing  112  using appropriate fasteners  142 . The clip  140  can be used for securing various items to the housing  112 , such as papers. 
         [0033]    A layer of magnetic particles  118  resides within the display panel  420  that interacts with the display panel  420  to form images, preferably using a type of magnetophoretic phenomena. For example, the magnetic particles  118  can comprise either microcapsules of a magnetic material or a beehive cone of particles ( FIG. 9 ). In the embodiment of  FIGS. 8-11 , the display panel  420  is preferably a magnetophoretic film, such as the microcapsule film. The magnetophoretic film is preferably secured within the recess  114  with an adhesive, but any appropriate method can be used. A display device  110  using such magnetophoric phenomena allows a user to repeatedly form images on the display panel  420 , that can be readily erased without leaving a residual image. 
         [0034]    A template  421  on the display panel  420  represents a playing surface of a sport or athletic activity. The template  421  can be applied to the display panel  420  using any appropriate method, such as silk-screening, engraving, etching, printing, an adhesive label, or other suitable method. The template  421  can represent the playing surface of any sport or athletic activity, such as, baseball, soccer, basketball, football, tennis, volleyball, hockey, rugby, field hockey, lacrosse, cricket, dodgeball, or other sports. For example, the template  421  illustrated in  FIG. 8  represents a soccer field with goals G at each end of the field, corner kick areas CK at each corner of the field, a goalie box GB, a penalty kick area PK, a center line CL, and a center circle CE. 
         [0035]    A writing instrument, preferably a stylus  124 , includes a magnetic tip  126  for writing on the display panel  420 . A larger magnetic tip  127  positioned on the opposite end of the stylus  124  from the magnetic tip  126 , can be used to form larger images. A generally rectangular magnetic band  129  extends longitudinally along an outer portion of the stylus  124 . When not in use, the stylus  124  can be stored by removeably attaching the magnetic band  129  to the clip  140 . 
         [0036]    As a user brings the tip  126  into contact with or in close proximity to the outer surface of the display panel  420 , the tip  126  attracts the magnetic particles  118  to the inner surface of the display panel  420  with a magnetic field so that the particles  118  form an image (e.g., a dot  128 ) which is visible on the outer surface of the display panel  420 . In this way, the user can move the tip  126  of the stylus  124  about the display panel  420  to form a desired image. The user lifts the tip  126  from the display panel  420  to stop formation of the image. If the user then places the stylus  124  against or adjacent another location on the display, he will create another dot, and can begin another image. For example, a desired image can include a straight line  130 , curved line  132 , dot  128 , an arrow  134  to indicate a direction of movement, words, such as, “block” or “pass” to indicate a particular activity, or any combination thereof. 
         [0037]    The image on the display panel  420  can be erased with the magnetic band  129  of the stylus  124  by moving the magnetic band  129  along the lower surface of the housing  112 . The magnetic band  129  produces a magnetic field opposite to that created by the tip  126  of stylus  124  and repels the magnetic particles away from the inner surface of the display panel  420 , thereby erasing the display panel  420 . The display panel  420  is now “clean” and the user can use the stylus  124  to create a new image. The magnetic bar  129  erases the display panel  420  without the need for any other cleaning materials, such as an eraser, or a spray bottle and rag. 
         [0038]    The display device  110  is preferably made of plastic materials that provide both durability and can withstand exposure to elements that are present during both indoor and outdoor athletic activities. 
         [0039]    Changes can be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. For example, the template can be removeable and replaceable, such as an overlay.