Patent Publication Number: US-6910977-B2

Title: Waist and knee powered projectile propelling device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application refers back to Provisional Application No. 60/454,649 with a filing date of Mar. 17, 2003. 

   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a method and a device for propelling projectiles that can be used for amusement and competition in a game of target shooting. The device is adapted to be activated through movement of user&#39;s body, namely waist and knees. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Humans have been entertaining themselves through games and sports for thousands of years. Humans have always had a competitive spirit from the first hunting competition to modern professional sports. 
   There are many types of skill games such as darts, lawn dart, croquet, disk golf and bowling. All take skill and strategy. People are always looking for the next type of game to compete in. 
   There is still room for improvement in the art. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a device and game that consists of an elongated body or rod with a pendulum-like club hanging from one of its sides. The device has an adjustable strap that fastens the device to the user&#39;s body. It may have a handle at the opposite end of the club to aid in the replacing of clubs into the pivot and also for extra support while in operation, if needed. 
   The club is attached to the body of the devise by a pivoting means that locates the center of rotation and allows the club&#39;s head to spin in an orbit around the pivot axis. The plan of rotation is perpendicular to the rod of the device. The head of the club is fitted with a flat area that faces in the direction of motion and is used to strike the projectile forward when the device is in use. 
   The clubs are adapted to be replaced from the pivot with ease. This feature allows for quick replacements for clubs with different lengths and shapes needed to shoot accurately as target locations and degrees of difficulty change, and allows disassembly of the device for easy storage and handling when not in use. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     Without restricting the full scope of this invention, the preferred form of this invention is illustrated in the following drawings: 
       FIG. 1  shows the basic components of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  shows the individual components of the device broken down; 
       FIG. 3  displays the caster of the pivoting means; 
       FIG. 4  displays the club; 
       FIG. 5  shows the hub opening press fitting on the caster; 
       FIG. 6  shows a player using the device on their hips; 
       FIG. 7  shows a player using the device on their knees; 
       FIG. 8  shows the projectile holder; 
       FIG. 9  shows the method of use; and 
       FIG. 10  shows the path of the projectile. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The following description is demonstrative in nature and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention or its application of uses. 
   There are a number of significant design features and improvements incorporated within the invention. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the current invention is a device and a game. The device  1  is used to hit a projectile  120  towards a target  100 . 
   The main components of the device  1  consist of an elongated body or rod  5  with a pendulum-like club  20  hanging from one of its sides. It also has an elastic strap  15  and a hook mechanism  12  that fastens the device  1  to the user&#39;s body  40 . It has a handle  10  that at the opposite end of which the club  20  is positioned to aid in the replacing of clubs  20  onto the rod  5  and for extra support while in operation, if needed. 
   In the preferred embodiment, the rod  5  is about 2 feet long and ¾ in. in diameter and made of a light strong material such as aluminum. The rod  5  is contoured to fit a player&#39;s  45  body  40 , making it more ergonomic and easier to use. 
   The rod has a handle  10  on one end of it. The handle  10  is used in aid of replacing clubs  20  into the rod  5  and also for extra support while in operation, if needed. The handle  10  is a balled material made of a rubber or plastic that is soft yet provides a good grip. The handle is attached to the end of the rod  5  that is opposite the club  20 . 
   On the opposite end of the handle  10 , the rod  5  has a pivoting means  25 . In the preferred embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the rod  5  diameter is reduced to approximately ⅜ inch for the last ⅝ inch to form an axle  7 . On this axle  7  a caster  9  is attached through an attaching means such as welding. This caster  9 /axle  7  combination forms the pivoting means  25 . The caster  9  used can be a standard ball bearing type caster. 
   The rod  5  has an elastic strap  15 . One end of the elastic strap  15  is connected to the rod  5 . In the preferred embodiment, the strap  15  is looped  14  around the rod  5  with the end of the strap  15  attached to the strap  15  through an attachment means such as sewing, clips or heat press. The strap  15  is free to move up and down the rod for a better fit on the player&#39;s  45  body  40 . 
   A hook  12  is attached to the strap at the end of the strap  15  that is not attached to the rod  5 . This hook  15  is used by the player  45  to connect the device  1  to their body  40 . The strap  15  goes around the player&#39;s  45  body  40  and the hook  12  is hooked around the rod  5 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the club  20  consists of a round wheel-like hub  22  with a shaft  24  that connects to the club head  35 . The hub  22  of the club  20  has an opening  26  in the center. This opening  26  in the hub  22  is of a size that pressure fits onto the caster  9  of the pivoting means  25  as shown in FIG.  5 . This pressure fit holds the club  20  onto the pivoting means  25  of the rod  5  while allowing for quick and easy assembling and disassembling. The hub opening  26  is located in the center of rotation and allows the club&#39;s head  35  to spin in an orbit around the pivot axis. 
   The shaft  24  can be of different lengths. The different lengths change the speed and force of the rotation. The plane of rotation is perpendicular to the rod  5  of the device  1 . 
   The head  35  of the club  20  is fitted with a flat area  37  that faced in the direction of motion and is used to strike the projectile  120  forward when the device  1  is in use. The club heads  35  can be of different weights and sizes, which can change the force that is needed to rotate the club  20  and change the force with which the club  20  hits the projectile  120 . 
   Clubs  20  can to be replaced from the pivoting means  25  with ease. This allows for quick replacement for clubs  20  with different lengths and shapes used to shoot accurately as target locations and degrees of difficulty change. It also allows the disassembly of the device  1  for easy storage and handling when not in use. 
   This device  1  can be fastened and used in different places on the user&#39;s body  40 . The objective and method of operation remains the same. The idea is to add variety to the game and keep it interesting. 
   In the preferred embodiment, there are two main methods of using the device  1 . In the first as shown in  FIG. 6 , the player  45  places the rod  5  horizontally across the abdomen with its two ends extending to the sides of the player&#39;s  45  body  40 . The device  1  is secured with a strap  15  that straps around the user&#39;s back and holds the rod  5  from its two sides. The club  20  is located at one side of the operator&#39;s body  40 . The player  40  moves his hips in an up and down, back and forth method to transfer force to the club  20  to get the club  20  to rotate. The player  45  also use their knees to aid in generating the force to get the club  20  to rotate around the pivoting means  25 . 
   In the second method, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the player  45 , with his knees bent at an angle, has the rod  5  placed at the back of the legs at the vertex behind the knees. The player  45  can use one or two hands to keep the device  1  secure in place as the rod  5  is pulled forward against the legs using either the strap  15  that protrudes between the knees as a handle or by holding the contour part of the rod  5 . The pivoting club  20  is located at one side of the player&#39;s  45  body  40 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 8 , the projectile tee or holder  90  consists of an assembly of collapsible tubes  92  that are attached to a base  94  in one end and a support  96  for the projectile  120 , which in the preferred embodiment is in the shape of a ball at the other end. The support  96  can be set at different heights by compressing or stretching on the tube  92  assembly while standing upright at the base  94 . On top of the support there is a target holding means  98  such as a tab or screw that hooks and can set the projectile  120  at different angles by changing where the target holding means  98  is positioned at. 
   These two types of adjustments, namely height and angle of the projectile  120 , are very important settings for accurate shooting because they determine the position at which the projectile  120  is presented to the club&#39;s head  35 . 
   The projectile  120  can be of different shapes, but in the preferred embodiment it is a modified badminton shuttlecock. The projectile  120  can have Velcro on its tip to attach to a target  100 . The projectile  120  can be designed for indoor or outdoor play and can be different shapes and sizes. 
   The targets  100  can be of different types. The device  1  can also be used for long distance and altitude shooting competitions.  FIG. 2  displays a flat square target  100  with a printed image to add scoring to the game. 
   The method of use is shown in FIG.  9 . The player  45  wearing the device  1  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  would approach the holder  90  and adjust the height and angle at which the projectile  120  would sit on the holder  90 . 
   The holder  90  can be readjusted for an ideal position to be attained. With the club head  35  still held close to the projectile  120 , the player  45  makes a small twist of the waist that shifts the club&#39;s  20  plane of rotation slightly to the outside. 
   The player  45  can now start the rotation of the club  20  with the aid of their hand by twisting at the hub  22 . After this initial push, the club  20  rotation is kept going by repeated thrusting movements of waist and/or knees. The player  40  controls the speed at which the club  20  rotates with the intensity and frequency of their movements, therefore controlling the energy required to strike projectiles  120  towards the desired target  100 . 
   The player  45  rotates the club  20  in a perpendicular plane very close to the projectile  120  and builds to the speed necessary to make an accurate shot. When the time is right, the player  45  would twist the waist back to the original position in a quick, thrusting motion. If the elements of timing and motion are good, the club&#39;s head  35  would hit the projectile  120 , propelling it forward towards the target  100 . The quality of these two elements would be reflected in the accuracy of the shots; competition can easily be developed between players  45 . 
     FIG. 10  shows the flight of the projectile  120 . The club head  35  swings and hits the projectile  120 . The projectile  120  has to be hit in the head for a smooth travel in the air as it sits on the target holding means  98  of the holder  90 . This transfers force from the club head  35  to the projectile  120  causing the projectile  120  to leave the target holding means  98  and enter into the air. The projectile  120  arcs as its forward and upward momentum are stopped by air resistance and gravitational pull. This causes the projectile  120  to arc hopefully hitting the target  100 . 
   The target  100  can have different areas which are worth different points, much like a dart board or shuffleboard. The target  100  can be made of a material that will attach to the Velcro that is on the projectile  120 . The device  1  can also be used in a game that is similar to Frisbee golf. 
   ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT 
   In an alternative embodiment, the pivoting means can be a washer and bolt combination with the bolt being bolted to the end of the rod  5  to hold the club  20  on to the rod  5 . 
   In another embodiment, the device  1  is fastened by having the strap  15  loop around the player&#39;s  45  body  40  and connecting to the tightening means  65  such as some type of buckling mechanism. 
   CONCLUSION 
   The device is a great and challenging game that is easy to play but takes skill. It helps build coordination and skill. 
   Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the point and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. 
   As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
   With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
   Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.