Abstract:
A game projectile dispensing device with a dispensing housing, a game projectile retaining member for retaining a plurality of game projectiles in a stack, first and second game projectile emission chutes, an actuating lever with a first arm for being engaged by a player and a second arm for engaging a game projectile whereby a player can press on the first arm of the actuating lever to induce the actuating lever to drive the lower-most projectile from the stack of game projectiles. A game projectile supply ramp can enable a player to select between emitting the game projectile from the first and second game projectile emission chutes. The game projectile supply ramp can be disposed below the game projectile retaining member whereby, when driven from the stack of game projectiles, a game projectile will drop onto the game projectile supply ramp for being dispensed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to dispensing arrangements. Stated more particularly, this patent discloses and protects a device for dispensing game projectiles to enable the practice and development of sports skills.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The ability to play a given sport with proficiency is an integral element to a player&#39;s enjoyment and success in playing the game. Of course, it will also be appreciated that practice and skill development are inherently necessary to improving one&#39;s proficiency in any sport including, for example, hockey. Even further, one knowledgeable in the art will be well aware that skill proficiency can be achieved most readily by the efficient and constructive use of the time that is dedicated to skill practice and development. As one would expect, therefore, athletes expend significant time and effort in honing their skills. For example, hockey players engage in countless repetitions of varied types of practicing passing, receiving, handling, and shooting.  
           [0003]    Advantageously, numerous prior art inventors and substantially innumerable coaches have contributed usefully to the present state of the art by providing drills, devices, and systems for enabling players to practice and improve their skills. For example, a number of devices have been disclosed for dispensing game projectiles, such as hockey pucks, for being handled and struck by a player. Such devices are of undeniable utility in their general ability for making game projectiles available to a user for being struck and otherwise handled.  
           [0004]    Unfortunately, however, these devices suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, prior art devices typically can dispense game projectiles in only one direction whereby they are suitable for players of only one type of hand dominance. Furthermore, even where the player&#39;s hand dominance corresponds to the design of the machine, the player may have difficulty practicing certain types of shots that would normally demand that the puck be dispensed from an opposite direction. By way of example, the same player may find the direction of puck dispensing to be proper when practicing slap shots but opposite to what he or she would want for practicing backhanded passes and shots. Even further, many dispensing devices of the prior art are unable to supply multiple hockey pucks or other game projectiles in a rapid and efficient manner without a need for electricity or other power.  
           [0005]    For these and further reasons, it is clear that there is a need for a device for dispensing game projectiles that overcomes one or more of the deficiencies left by the prior art. It is still more clear that a device for dispensing game projectiles that overcomes all of the known disadvantages of the prior art while providing a plurality of heretofore unrealized advantages thereover would represent a marked advance in the art.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    Advantageously, the present invention sets forth with the broadly stated object of providing a dispensing device for game projectiles that solves each of the problems left by the prior art while providing a number of heretofore unrealized advantages thereover.  
           [0007]    Stated more particularly, one basic object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device for game projectiles that can dispense game projectiles in more than one direction.  
           [0008]    A related object of the invention is to provide a game projectile dispensing device that can accommodate players of both hand dominances while allowing players of each hand dominance to strike projectiles with forehand and backhand striking movements.  
           [0009]    A further object of the invention is to provide a game projectile dispensing device that can retain and dispense multiple game projectiles to enable extended practice sessions to be carried out in an efficient and convenient manner.  
           [0010]    Yet another object of the invention is to provide a game projectile dispensing device that is durable in construction and reliable in performance.  
           [0011]    These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious both to one who reviews the present specification and drawings and to one who has an opportunity to make use of an embodiment of the present invention.  
           [0012]    In accomplishing the aforementioned objects, a most basic embodiment of the present invention for a game projectile dispensing device is founded on a dispensing housing with a first side and a second side. A game projectile retaining member, which can take the form of a game projectile retaining cylinder, can retain a plurality of game projectiles in a stack relative to the dispensing housing. A first game projectile emission chute can be disposed in the first side of the dispensing housing, and a second game projectile emission chute can be disposed in the second side of the dispensing housing. An actuating means, such as an actuating lever, can enable a player to cause a game projectile to be dispensed from the dispensing housing. A selection means, such as a game projectile supply ramp, can enable a player to select between emitting game projectiles through the first game projectile emission chute or through the second game projectile emission chute.  
           [0013]    Where the selection means comprises a game projectile supply ramp, it can be tiltable from a first orientation wherein it provides a ramp sloped toward the first game projectile emission chute and a second orientation wherein it provides a ramp sloped toward the second game projectile emission chute. To accomplish this, the game projectile supply ramp can be pivotally supported by at least a first axle rod. A control knob can be operably coupled to the first axle rod so that a player can rotate the control knob in a first rotational direction to cause the game projectile supply ramp to provide a ramp sloped toward the first game projectile emission chute and in a second rotational direction to cause the game projectile supply ramp to provide a ramp sloped toward the second game projectile emission chute.  
           [0014]    Where an actuating lever acts as the actuating means, it can be pivotable about a pivot axis and can have a first arm for being engaged by a player and a second arm for engaging a game projectile and inducing the game projectile to be dispensed from the dispensing housing. The second arm of the actuating lever can be generally L-shaped with a proximal leg of the L disposed generally perpendicularly to the first arm and a distal leg of the L disposed generally perpendicularly to the proximal leg and collinear with the first arm. The distal leg of the second arm can be disposed adjacent to the lower-most game projectile when the actuating lever is in a non-actuated orientation. Under such an arrangement, a player can press on the first arm of the actuating lever to cause it to pivot thereby inducing the distal leg of the second arm to drive the lower-most projectile from the stack of game projectiles. With this, the lower-most game projectile will be allowed to be dispensed from the dispensing housing.  
           [0015]    Where a game projectile supply ramp acts as the selection means, it can be disposed below the means for retaining the plurality of game projectiles. With this, upon being driven from the stack of game projectiles, a game projectile will drop onto the game projectile supply ramp for being dispensed from either the first game projectile emission chute or the second game projectile emission chute, depending on the orientation of the game projectile supply ramp. Where the game projectile is a hockey puck, it can drop onto the game projectile supply ramp on its edge whereby it will roll down the ramp and through the emission chute for being struck or otherwise manipulated by a player.  
           [0016]    The game projectile retaining member can have a body portion, a first end, a second end, and an open inner volume for retaining a plurality of game projectiles. Preferably, the game projectile retaining member will be removably and replaceably received relative to the dispensing housing. A base retainer member can be disposed at the first end of the game projectile retaining member for preventing game projectiles from being inadvertently dislodged from within its open inner volume. With this, the game projectile retaining member can be used in retrieving, retaining, storing, and dispensing game projectiles. The base retainer member can have an open mouth for allowing game projectiles to pass therethrough. Where the actuating means comprises a lever, the base retainer member can have an aperture disposed opposite to the open mouth for allowing the entry and operation of the actuating lever. Still further, a handle can be coupled to the body portion of the game projectile retaining member generally in line with the open mouth of the base retainer member for further ensuring that game projectiles do not fall during a carrying of the game projectile retaining member.  
           [0017]    With a plurality of embodiments of the present invention for a game projectile dispensing device described, one will appreciate that the foregoing discussion broadly outlines the more important features of the invention merely to enable a better understanding of the detailed description that follows and to instill a better appreciation of the inventors&#39; contribution to the art. Before an embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it must be made clear that the following details of construction, descriptions of geometry, and illustrations of inventive concepts are mere examples of the many possible manifestations of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    In the accompanying figures:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game projectile dispensing device according to the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the game projectile dispensing device of FIG. 1;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a game projectile retaining cylinder according to the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3A is a bottom plan view of the game projectile retaining cylinder of FIG. 3;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a game projectile supply ramp under the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of a game projectile dispensing housing half according to the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation of an actuating lever according to the present invention;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 7A is a partially dismantled and cross sectioned view in side elevation of a game projectile dispensing device according to the present invention in operation; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7B is a further partially dismantled and cross sectioned view in side elevation of the game projectile dispensing device in operation. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]    As is the case with many inventions, the present invention for a game projectile dispensing device is subject to a wide variety of embodiments. However, to ensure that one skilled in the art will be able to understand and, in appropriate cases, practice the present invention, certain preferred embodiments of the broader invention revealed herein are described below and shown in the accompanying drawing figures.  
         [0029]    With this in mind and looking more particularly to the accompanying figures, a preferred embodiment of the game projectile dispensing device is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1 where the device is designed particularly for dispensing hockey pucks. There, one sees that the game projectile dispensing device  10  is founded on a flat base portion  12 . A dispensing housing  14  is fixed to the base portion  12 , such as by being secured thereto or by being formed integrally therewith. A game projectile retaining cylinder  16  is removably and replaceably received relative to the dispensing housing  14  and can be lifted and held by a retaining handle  24 . An actuating lever  22  is pivotally retained relative to the dispensing housing  14  for dispensing game projectiles, which are not shown in this drawing, as will be discussed more fully below. Finally, a control knob  18  is rotatably retained relative to the dispensing housing  14  for controlling the supply orientation of a game projectile supply ramp  20  and thus the direction in which game projectiles are dispensed from the dispensing device  10 .  
         [0030]    Turning to FIG. 2, the game projectile dispensing device  10  is shown in an exploded view such that the dispensing housing  14  is shown to comprise first and second dispensing housing halves  14 A and  14 B that are secured together by a plurality of fasteners  30 . The actuating lever  22 , which is shown alone in FIG. 6, is interposed between the first and second dispensing housing halves  14 A and  14 B to pivot about a pivot axis  38 . The actuating lever  22  is biased to the non-pivoted position depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 by a coil spring  26 . A first arm  36  of the actuating lever  22  is generally straight and projects from between the dispensing housing halves  14 A and  14 B. An engaging notch  37  is disposed at a distal end of the first arm  36  for engaging a striking implement  200  as is shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. A second arm  34  of the actuating lever  22  is L-shaped with a proximal leg  39  of the L disposed generally perpendicularly to the first arm  36  and a distal leg  35  of the L disposed generally perpendicularly to the proximal leg  39  and collinear with the first arm  36 .  
         [0031]    The first and second dispensing housing halves  14 A and  14 B are essentially identical. As FIG. 5 shows relative to the first dispensing housing half  14 A, each housing half  14 A has a semicircular retaining wall  42  for receiving and retaining the game projectile retaining cylinder  16 . A support base  45  is fixed below the retaining wall  42  for supporting the game projectile retaining cylinder  16 . An angled slide wall  44  descends from the support base  45  and leads to a game projectile emission chute  46 . As FIGS. 1 and 2 show most clearly, the game projectile emission chute  46  extends entirely through each of the first and second dispensing housing halves  14 A and  14 B and thus entirely through the dispensing housing  14 .  
         [0032]    By combined reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and  4 , one sees that the game projectile supply ramp  20  is formed by a generally flat, rectangular base plate  34  that is fixed to first and second triangular side walls  29  and  31 . A first axle rod  32  projects from a first side wall  31  while a second axle rod  33 , which is coaxial with the first axle rod  32 , projects from a second side wall  29 . A retaining rod  40  is disposed through the second axle rod  33  while the first axle rod  32  has a flattened portion for engaging the control knob  18 . When the game projectile dispensing device  10  is fully assembled, the first and second axle rods  32  and  33  are sandwiched within corresponding notches in the first and second dispensing housing halves  14 A and  14 B. With that, the control knob  18  can be employed to control the orientation of the game projectile supply ramp  20  such that it could provide a ramp sloped toward either the side of the first dispensing housing half  14 A or toward the side of the second dispensing housing half  14 B as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0033]    As shown most clearly in FIGS. 3, 3A,  7 A, and  7 B, the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  has a base retainer member  25  coupled to what can be considered its first or base end. The base retainer member  25  has a cylindrical sidewall  28  that entirely surrounds the base end of the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  but that becomes only semicircular where it extends beyond the base end of the game projectile retaining cylinder  16 . A semicircular base plate  29  is fixed to the most distal end of the cylindrical sidewall  28 . With this, an open mouth  21  is left for allowing the dispensing of game projectiles as will be discussed more fully hereinbelow. Furthermore, an aperture  27  is provided in the cylindrical sidewall  28  and the base plate  29  opposite to the open mouth  21  for allowing the entry and operation of the actuating lever  22  as will also be discussed below.  
         [0034]    It will, of course, be appreciated that the game projectile dispensing device  10  and its constituent elements could be formed from a variety of materials and with a variety of dimensions. In this presently preferred embodiment wherein the game projectile dispensing device  10  is designed for dispensing hockey pucks  100 , the first and second dispensing housing halves  14 A and  14 B can be formed from gray anodized aluminum such that they will demonstrate the durability required for sports related applications and so that they will resist rust and corrosion. The game projectile retaining cylinder  16  and the base retainer member  25  can each be formed from a polymer, such as polyvinylchloride or PVC, while the retaining handle  24  can be formed from a metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum. The actuating lever  22  can be crafted from a metal, such as black anodized aluminum, and the game projectile supply ramp  20  and the first and second axle rods  32  and  33  can be formed from stainless steel. The control knob  18  can be plastic.  
         [0035]    The game projectile retaining cylinder  16  preferably will have an overall length of approximately 19 inches and an outside diameter of approximately 3.5 inches. The cylindrical sidewall  28  of the base retainer member  25  has an inside diameter of approximately 3.5 inches and an outside diameter of approximately 4 inches. The preferred game projectile supply ramp  20  can have an overall length of approximately 3 and ⅝ inches and a width of about 1 and ½ inches. The game projectile emission chute  46  can have a width of approximately 2 inches, and the angled slide wall  44  can be disposed at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from horizontal. The first arm  36  of the actuating lever  22  can have a length from the pivot axis  38  to its end of approximately 8 inches, and the engaging notch  37  can be disposed approximately 1 inch from the end of the first arm  36 . The proximal leg  39  of the second arm  34  can have a length from the pivot axis  38  to its end of 3 and ⅜ inches. The distal leg  35  preferably will have a length of 3 and ½ inches while its distal tip will be laterally spaced approximately 2 inches from the pivot axis  38 .  
         [0036]    Turning to FIGS. 7A and 7B, one sees an embodiment of the game projectile dispensing device  10  in operation. There, just the first dispensing housing half  14 A is shown, and the second dispensing housing half  14 B is removed for clarity. A plurality of game projectiles  100 , namely hockey pucks  100 , are retained in the game projectile retaining cylinder  16 , and the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  is retained and supported by the semicircular retaining wall  42 . The base retainer member  25  cups the hockey pucks  100  and rests on the support base  45  of the first dispensing housing half  14 A with the mouth  21  of the base retainer member  25  facing the angled slide wall  44  and the game projectile emission chute  46 . The distal leg  35  of the actuating lever  22  passes through the aperture  27 , and the most distal end of the distal leg  35  contacts the lower-most hockey puck  100 . A striking implement  200 , namely a hockey stick  200 , is engaged with the engaging notch  37  on the first arm  36  as the case would be where a player would employ the actuating lever  22  to dispense a hockey puck  100 .  
         [0037]    As FIG. 7B illustrates, the player can continue the process of dispensing a hockey puck  100  by pressing the first arm  36  of the actuating lever  22  downwardly with the hockey stick  200  thereby causing a pivoting of the actuating lever  22 . The distal leg  35  of the second arm  34  then drives the lower-most hockey puck  100  laterally through the mouth  21  of the base retaining member  25  whereupon it will pass by the angled slide wall  44  and drop into the game projectile emission chute  46 . If necessary to allow the hockey puck  100  to leave the mouth  21  of the base retaining member  25 , the actuating lever  22  can be pressed further whereupon the distal leg  35  of the second arm  34  will engage and lift the remaining hockey pucks  100  as FIG. 7B shows such that the lower-most hockey puck  100  will be better able to drop from the mouth  21  of the base retaining member  25 .  
         [0038]    Once the lower-most hockey puck  100  falls into the game projectile emission chute  46 , it will drop on its edge onto the base plate  34  of the game projectile supply ramp  20 . Since the hockey puck  100  is round, it will tend to roll down the game projectile supply ramp  20 , out of the game projectile emission chute  46 , and onto a surrounding ground surface. Once so dispensed from the game projectile dispensing device  10 , the hockey puck  100  can be struck or otherwise manipulated by the player with the hockey stick  200 . When one hockey puck  100  has been shot or otherwise disposed of, the player can readily dispense a second and further hockey pucks  100  by a simple operation of the actuating lever  22 .  
         [0039]    Advantageously, the player can control the direction in which the hockey puck  100  is dispensed from the game projectile dispensing device  10  by use of the control knob  18  to control the orientation of the game projectile dispensing ramp  20 . Where the player seeks to have the hockey puck  100  roll from the game projectile emission chute  46  to the side of the first dispensing housing half  14 A, he or she can rotate the control knob  18  counter-clockwise such that the game projectile dispensing ramp  20  will provide a ramp sloped toward the side of the first dispensing housing half  14 A. Where the player seeks to have the hockey puck  100  roll from the game projectile emission chute  46  to the side of the second dispensing housing half  14 B, he or she can rotate the control knob  18  clockwise until the game projectile dispensing ramp  20  provides a ramp sloped toward the side of the second dispensing housing half  14 A.  
         [0040]    It should be clear that, although the game projectile emission chute  46  is shown and described as a single passageway, it can be formed and/or considered to be two separate, opposed passageways. With this, as FIG. 2 shows, the game projectile emission chute  46  can be formed and described as a first game projectile emission chute  46 A disposed in the first dispensing housing half  14 A for enabling a game projectile to be dispensed from the first side of the dispensing housing  14  and as a second game projectile emission chute  46 B disposed in the second dispensing housing half  14 B for enabling a game projectile  100  to be dispensed from the second side of the dispensing housing  14 .  
         [0041]    Under this arrangement, the game projectile dispensing device  10  can accommodate players of left and right hand dominances. Furthermore, players of each hand dominance can practice forehand shots where, for example, the hockey puck  100  is dispensed from the side of the first dispensing housing half  14 A and backhand shots where, for example, the hockey puck  100  is dispensed from the side of the second dispensing housing half  14 B. A plurality of further advantages are derived from the ability of the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  to be removed and replaced relative to the dispensing housing  14 . For example, a player can lift and carry the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  to retrieve a number of hockey pucks  100  that have been dispensed by the game projectile dispensing device  10  and shot or otherwise manipulated. In doing so, the player can drop a plurality of hockey pucks  100  into the upper end of the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  to create a stack of hockey pucks  100 .  
         [0042]    Advantageously, the base plate  29  of the base retainer member  25  will retain the stack of hockey pucks  100  securely within the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  until they are to be dispensed as previously described. In this regard, one will note that the retaining handle  24  is disposed to the same side of the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  as the open mouth  21  of the base retainer member  25  such that hockey pucks  100  will not tend to slide through the open mouth  21  inadvertently. Additionally, the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  can be removed to allow for storage, packaging, and transportation of the game projectile dispensing device  10 . Still further, an entire stack of hockey pucks  100  or other game projectiles can be stored in and/or shipped with the game projectile retaining cylinder  16  and the game projectile dispensing device  10 .  
         [0043]    From the foregoing, it will be clear that the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments that merely exemplify the broader invention revealed herein. Certainly those skilled in the art can conceive of alternative embodiments. For instance, those with the major features of the invention in mind could craft embodiments that incorporate those major features while not incorporating all of the features included in the preferred embodiments.  
         [0044]    With the foregoing in mind, the following claims are intended to define the scope of protection to be afforded the inventors, and the claims shall be deemed to include equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. A plurality of the following claims express certain elements as a means for performing a specific function, at times without the recital of structure or material. As the law demands, these claims shall be construed to cover not only the corresponding structure and material expressly described in the specification but also equivalents thereof.