Patent Publication Number: US-8991828-B2

Title: Dartboard

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a dartboard, and more particular to a target block of the dartboard and its fabrication process, which simplifies the process to enhance the mass production of the dartboard. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     A conventional dartboard comprises a plurality of gradually decreased concentric circles and radially extending ribs which are intersected to define a plurality of sectional target areas, wherein a plurality of sectional dartboard blocks are fixed to the sectional target areas respectively. Accordingly, the surface of sectional target blocks located in the same fan-shaped radial strip have the same color, while the surface of the sectional target blocks located in different fan-shaped radial strips have different colors. In particular, the target blocks located in the same fan-shaped radial strip represent the same score, and the target blocks located in different fan-shaped radial strips represent different scores. However, the fan-shaped radial strips which are separated and distinguished according to two different colors and the scores shown thereon may be misjudged and thus cause some inconvenience. 
     Moreover, crevices may occur or increase in a conventional dartboard after darts are hit and removed from the dartboard over a long period of time, which may cause the dart tip cannot be fixed when it hits the dartboard and ultimately impacts on the score calculation. 
     In addition, sine the sectional target blocks are affixed to the sectional target areas respectively, the used sectional target block cannot be replaced by a new one. In other words, when one of the sectional target blocks is damaged, the entire dartboard must be replaced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The invention is advantageous in that it provides a fabrication process of a dartboard, which simplifies the process to enhance the mass production of the dartboard. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to a fabrication process of a dartboard, which improves the quality of the target block of the dartboard while being cost effective. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to a target block of the dartboard, wherein no crevice will be formed after the dart is hit and removed from the target block. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to a target block of the dartboard, wherein the target block can be removed and replaced from the dartboard. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to a target block of the dartboard, which does not require to alter the original structural design of the dartboard, so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the dartboard incorporating with the target block. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to a target block of the dartboard, wherein no expensive or complicated structure is required to employ in the present invention in order to achieve the above mentioned objects. Therefore, the present invention successfully provides an economic and efficient solution for making the dartboard with the target blocks. 
     Additional advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, and may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particular point out in the appended claims. 
     According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects and advantages are attained by a dartboard comprising a board frame and a plurality of target blocks coupled at the board frame. Each target block includes a block body, a predetermined amount of target materials, and a block panel. The block body has a material compartment and two openings aligning with the material compartment. The target materials are made of sisals and filled within the material compartment. The block panel is affixed to one of the openings of the block body to form a bottom panel of the respective block body so as to retain bottom of the target material within the material compartment of the block body. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the present invention comprises a fabrication process of a dartboard, comprising the steps of: 
     (a) configuring target materials in a bundle form to form a sisal bar, wherein the target materials are made of sisals; 
     (b) guiding the sisal bar to extend through one or more hollow block bodies, each of the block bodies having a material compartment and two openings aligning with the material compartment, wherein the sisal bar is filled with the material compartments of the block bodies; 
     (c) cutting the sisal bar at the two openings of each of the block bodies for fitting the target material in the material compartment of the block body; 
     (d) affixing a block panel to one of the openings of each the block body to a target block, wherein the block panel forms a bottom panel of the respective block body so as to retain bottom of the target material within the material compartment of the block body; and 
     (f) coupling the target blocks on a board frame to form the dartboard. 
     Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings. 
     These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dartboard according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a target block of the dartboard according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the fabrication process of the dartboard according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating the fabrication process of the dartboard according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an alternative mode of the target block of the dartboard according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a dartboard according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the dartboard comprises a board frame  10  and a plurality of target blocks  20  coupled at the board frame  10 . 
     According to the preferred embodiment, the board frame  10  comprises a plurality of concentric ribs  11  and radially extending rectilinear ribs  12  which are intersected with the concentric ribs  11  to form a plurality of receiving recesses  24  on the board frame  10 . 
     The target blocks  20  are disposed at the receiving recesses  24  of the board frame  10  respectively. Each of the target blocks  20  comprises a block body  21 , a predetermined amount of target materials  22 , and a block panel  23 . 
     The block body  21 , which is preferably made of plastic, has a material compartment  211  and two openings  212  aligning with the material compartment  211 . In particular, the material compartment  211  has an elongated structure that the two openings  212  are aligned with each other through the material compartment  211 . Accordingly, the block bodies  21  can be configured with different sizes, shapes, and cross sections corresponding to the size and shape of the receiving recess  24 . 
     The target materials  22  are made of sisals and filled within the material compartment  211  of the block body  21 . Accordingly, the target materials  22  are long sisal raw material being compressed and formed in a bundle configuration to form an elongated sisal bar to pass through the block body  21 . The sisal bar is then cut at the two openings  212  of the block body  21  for fitting the target material  22  in the material compartment  211  of the block body  21 . 
     The block panel  23  is affixed to one of the openings  212  of the block body  21  to form a bottom panel of the respective block body  21  so as to retain bottom of the target materials  22  within the material compartment  211  of the block body  21 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the block panel  23  is detachably coupled with the respective block body  21 . In other words, the block body  21  and the block panel  23  are two individual components before the target materials  22  are filled in the block body  21 . Therefore, after the target materials  22  are filled within the material compartment  211 , the block panel  23  is affixed to couple with the block body  21  and to close the respective opening  212  thereof. 
     Alternatively, an edge of the block panel  23 ′ is foldably coupled with an edge of the respective block body  21 ′ at one of the openings  212 ′ thereof. In other words, the block panel  23 ′ is integrated with the block body  21 ′ edge-to-edge, wherein the block panel  23 ′ forms a cover panel before the target materials  22  are filled in the block body  21 ′. Therefore, after the target materials  22  filled within the material compartment  211 ′, the block panel  23 ′ is folded to couple with the block body  21 ′ and to close the respective opening  212 ′ thereof, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     According to the preferred embodiment, each of the target blocks  20  further comprises an adhering element  24  to adhere the bottom of the target materials  22  to the block panel  23 . In other words, the bottom of the target materials  22  is adhered to the block panel  23  to retain the target materials  22  within the material compartment  211 . 
     Each of the target blocks  20  comprise a cushioning element  25  provided at the bottom of the target materials  22  to couple with the block panel  23 . According to the preferred embodiment, the cushioning element  25  can be made of rubber or EVA foaming material to form the cushion bottom of the target materials  22 . It is worth mentioning that the cushioning element  25  is provided at the inner side of the block panel  23 , wherein the adhering element  24  can be applied to the cushioning element  25  such that the bottom of the target materials  22  can be affixed to the block panel  23  with cushioning effect. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the present invention further provides a fabrication process of a dartboard, comprising the following steps. 
     (1) Configure the target materials  22  in a bundle form to form the sisal bar. 
     (2) Guide the sisal bar to extend through one or more hollow block bodies  21 . 
     (3) Cut the sisal bar at the two openings of each of the block bodies  21  for fitting the target materials  22  in the material compartment  211  of the block body  22 . 
     (4) Affix the block panel  21  to one of the openings  212  of each block body  21  to form the target block  20 . 
     (5) Couple the target blocks  20  on the board frame  10  to form the dartboard. In particular, the target blocks  20  are disposed at the receiving recesses  24  of the board frame  10  respectively. 
     According to the preferred embodiment, in the step (1), the target materials  22  are bundled by the following steps. 
     (1.1) Comb the long sisal raw materials used for the target materials, wherein bad sisal raw materials are picked and removed to ensure the quality of the target materials. 
     (1.2) Pack the raw materials by a hemp packing machine to compress and collect the raw materials in a bundle form so as to form the elongated sisal bar. It is worth mentioning that the amount of raw materials being bundled together is predetermined according to the cross sectional area of the block body  21 . In other words, the cross section of the sisal bar should match with the cross section of the block body  21 . 
     Accordingly, the tightness of the sisal bar impacts the dart shooting and pulling. If the sisal made target materials are too tight, the dart cannot be shot and pulled easily. It the sisal made target materials are too loose, the shot dart cannot station at the target block  20 . The moderate sisal can make the dart shoot and pull easily. It can expand to fill in the hole that is shot by the dart when the dart is pulled out, such that no crevice will be formed after the dart is hit and removed from the target block. The raw materials being wrapped and packed can produce the target blocks  20  with proper tightness via the hemp packing machine for easy shooting and pulling. 
     In the step (2), the sisal bar is slidably passing through a plurality of the block bodies  21 . Accordingly, the block bodies  21  are aligned with each other that the material compartments  211  of the block bodies  22  are aligned to from an elongated channel for the sisal bar passing therethrough. The numbers of block bodies  21  being aligned with each other depend on the length of the sisal bar. 
     In particular, the sisal bar is compressed that the cross section of the sisal bar is slightly smaller than the cross section of the block body  21 . Therefore, after the sisal bar is guided to pass through the material compartment  211  of the block body  21 , the sisal bar  21  will be expanded to bias against the inner wall of the material compartment  211  of the block body  21 , so as to ensure the target materials  22  being fitted in the material compartment  211  of the block body  21 . 
     As it is mentioned above, the sisal bar is slidably passing through two or more block bodies  21 . When the sisal bar is cut in the step (3), the semi-product of the target block  20  is formed. Accordingly, a predetermined number of the semi-products can be formed at the same time to enhance the mass production of the target blocks  20 . It is worth mentioning that the cross section of the block bodies  21  should be the same in order to enable the sisal bar passing therethrough. 
     In the step (4), the present invention further comprises the following steps. 
     (4.1) Apply the adhering element  24  to adhere the bottom of the target materials  22  to the block panel  23 . 
     (4.2) Provide the cushioning element  25  at the bottom of the target materials to couple with the block panel. 
     (4.2) Affix the block panel  23  to the block body  21  to enclose the respective opening  212  thereof. 
     (4.3) Trim the deckle edge of each of the target blocks  20  to avoid the partial lengthy sisals from protruding. 
     (4.4) Apply different colors on each target block  20  (e.g. applying red color on the red target block  20 ) to distinguish the different scoring blocks  20 . 
     Accordingly, the steps (4.1) and (4.2) can be formed in one single step of applying the adhering element  24  to the cushioning element  25  such that the bottom of the target materials  22  can be affixed to the block panel  23  with cushioning effect. 
     One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.