Patent Publication Number: US-11033795-B1

Title: Scoreboard

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a device or an apparatus for displaying scores in a sporting event. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a scoreboard for displaying scores in sporting events or other recreational events. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Volley ball such as court style and beach volley ball, and racket and paddle sports have huge numbers of recreational participants. Some of the more popular racket and paddle sports include tennis, racquetball, badminton, ping pong, etc. A common problem encountered by recreational players and score keeper is losing track of the score. Various mechanical and electrical scoreboards have been developed and are available for indicating or displaying the score during sporting events. Most of these scoreboards are large in size and permanent fixtures in stadiums or playing fields. The increased interest on organized sports at community levels, as well as sports in more casual situations in neighborhood parks and community playing fields, has resulted in a need for portable, easy to use, scoreboards with simple procedure for tracking and efficiently display the score. 
     Several devices have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include a scoreboard that is capable of addressing the foregoing discussed issues. 
     Applicant believes that a related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,898,393 filed by Kris Phillip McMillan describes a wall-mounted scoreboard. Kris reference discloses a wall mounted scoreboard configured to be used in a home or commercial establishment. The scoreboard includes a back cover, a cover panel and a display panel. The back cover has a front open face and the cover panel is applied over the front face of the back cover. The display panel is interposed between the back cover and the cover panel. The display panel has changeable indicators arranged in information blocks that are in registry with the windows in the cover panel. The cover panel includes graphics which display a designator for each information block, the designators corresponding to game data. The scoreboard includes a wireless receiver and a control. The wireless receiver receives status information broadcast wirelessly from a game in progress and the control causes the display panel to display the status information thereon within the information blocks. However, Kris reference lacks to provide a simple solution and an efficient scoreboard construction for tracking and displaying score. 
     Another related reference is U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,506 filed by Colin T. Brown describes a scoreboard device. Colin reference discloses a display device for displaying numerical results of athletics and/or games and the like. The display unit includes at least one array of printed circuit board for displaying numerals which can be controlled by electrical signals derived from a clock generator in the control unit so as to produce a rising or falling numerical value corresponding to the time which has accumulated or lapsed depending on the activity. However, the electrical based display device of Colin reference is not suitable for use in home establishment or recreational events. 
     Other documents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a scoreboard for sporting events or other recreational events. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a scoreboard for indicating or displaying single digit score, double digit score and number of games won with a simple procedure. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive and portable scoreboard. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a scoreboard suitable for both indoor and outdoor events or games. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a scoreboard comprising a base member, a support member disposed above the base member and a plurality of cards arranged in at least three stacks, said stacks aligned in spaced relation along the length of said support member, said cards in a first stack have numbers from zero through nine sequentially to indicate a number of games won, said cards in a second stack have single digit numbers sequentially to indicate single digit score, and said cards in a third stack have two-digit numbers sequentially to indicate two-digit score. 
     Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing any limitations thereon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  exemplarily illustrates a perspective view of a scoreboard  10  in an embodiment of the present invention. The scoreboard  10  comprising a base member  16 , a support member  14  disposed above the base member  16  and a plurality of cards  12  arranged in at least three stacks ( 28 ,  30 , and  32 ) is illustrated. A plurality of ring members  24  is aligned in spaced relation along a length of an upper portion of the support member  14 , a plurality of cards  12  having indicia  26  are suspended from the ring members  24 , is also illustrated. 
         FIG. 2  exemplarily illustrates an isometric view of the scoreboard  10  in an embodiment of the present invention. The base member  16  receiving the support member  14  is illustrated. 
         FIG. 3  exemplarily illustrates a front view of the support member  14  with a plurality of cards  12  in an embodiment of the present invention. The support member  14  comprising a cavity  20  at a bottom portion is illustrated. 
         FIG. 4  exemplarily illustrates a top view of the base member  16  in an embodiment of the present invention. The base member  16  comprises a bracket member  18  with a mating member  22  that attaches to the cavity  20  of the support member  14  is illustrated. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-4 , where the present invention is generally referred with numeral  10 , it can be observed that a scoreboard  10  for scoring sporting events or other recreational events is disclosed. 
     The scoreboard  10  includes a support member  14  disposed above a base member  16 . A plurality of ring members  24  are aligned along the length of an upper portion of the support member  14 . A plurality of cards  12  having indicia  26  are suspended from the plurality of ring members  24 . The plurality of cards  12  are arranged in at least three stacks ( 28 ,  30 , and  32 ) and have at least one fastening aperture  36  adjacent to a first end of each of a plurality of cards  12 . The plurality of ring members  24  are positioned through each of the at least one fastening aperture  36 . The plurality of cards  12  hang from the plurality of ring members  24  so that the plurality of cards  12  may be rotated or flipped around the support member  14  to permit alternate displays of the indicia  26  on the plurality of cards  12 . 
     In one embodiment, each stack ( 28 ,  30 , and  32 ) is disposed along the length of the support member  14 . The three stacks ( 28 ,  30 , and  32 ) of the plurality of cards  12  comprise a first stack  28 , a second stack  32  and a third stack  30 . In one embodiment, the first stack  28  and the second stack  32  are aligned in along the length of the support member  14 . The second stack  32  comprises an upper open surface conforms to the shape of the third stack  32 . The third stack  32  is disposed within the upper open surface of the second stack  32 . In one embodiment, the support member  14  of the scoreboard  10  defines a plurality of holes to receive and assemble the three stacks ( 28 ,  30 , and  32 ) of cards  12 , via the plurality of ring members  24 . The plurality of ring members  24  is threaded through each of these holes. This prevents lateral movement of the plurality of ring members  24  along the length of the support member  14  of the scoreboard  10 . 
     In one embodiment, the plurality of cards  12  in the first stack  28  have numbers zero through nine sequentially. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards  12  in the first stack  28  are configured to indicate a number of games won. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards  12  in the second stack  32  have single digit numbers from zero through nine sequentially. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards  12  in the second stack  32  are configured to indicate single digit score. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards  12  in a third stack  30  have two-digit numbers sequentially. In one embodiment, the cards  12  in the third stack  30  are configured to indicate two-digit score. 
     In one embodiment, the plurality of ring members  24  may be fixedly attached to a portion of the support member  14  of the scoreboard  10  to prevent free rotation of the plurality of ring members  24  around the support member  14 . The support member  14  comprises a cavity  20  at its bottom portion. The base member  16  comprises a bracket member  18  with a narrow cavity  34  and a mating member  22  that detachably attaches to the cavity  20  and holds the support member  14  in position. In one embodiment, the support member  14  is affixed to the base member  16  by any other suitable conventional fastening mechanism. 
     In one embodiment, the plurality of cards  12  may be one-sided for one side display option or may be dual-sided for two-sided display option. In a dual-sided embodiment, each of the plurality of cards  12  has a front face and a back face. In this embodiment, some of the plurality of cards  12  have indicia  26  on both the front face and the back face. The numbers on the front face are one number lower in sequence than the number on the corresponding back face of each of the plurality of cards  12  so that the same score may be viewed from opposite directions in each stack. 
     In one embodiment, the scoreboard  10  is made of at least one a material selected from a group including, but not limited to, metal, plastic, aluminium, wood or composite. In one embodiment, the plurality of cards  12  are constructed of plastic, styrene plastic, metal, plain or laminated paper, plain or laminated cardboard or any other suitable material. The cards plurality of cards  12  may be clear or opaque, colored or white. In one embodiment, the indicia  26  include lettering and numbers, which are sized and shaped to fit on a face of the plurality of cards  12  and are easily visible from a distance. In one embodiment, the scoreboard  10  may be 7 inches in height, 5 inches length and ¼ inches in width. In another embodiment, the base of scoreboard  10  may be 5 inches deep and 12 inches in length. In yet another embodiment, the dimension of the scoreboard  10  may vary according to the preference of the end user. In another embodiment, the scoreboard  10  comprises square, rectangular or any other shape. In one embodiment, the plurality of ring members  24  is made of at least one a material selected from a group including, but not limited to, metal, plastic, aluminum, wood or composite. Being that the present invention can be made of these materials it is easy to move or transport and easy to store as well as the present invention may be light weight. There may be a light weight box that aids in the storing and further the transporting of the dissembled scoreboard  10 . 
     Advantageously, the present invention could be used for effectively displaying scores for any sporting events or recreational events such as court style sports or any other sporting events. The scoreboard  10  allows a scorekeeper to accurately display the score, and easily observe the movement of players to either side of a court. The scoreboard  10  eliminates the need of having two large cards side by side to show scores above 10. Further, in dual-sided display option, once players switch sides, the portable frame could be easily interchanged or even rotated, thereby eliminating the need of flipping of the cards from the starting position. It can be appreciated that the present invention is easy to assemble and dissemble for easy storing or easy transporting. When storing the scoreboard  10 , it may be stored in a box or container of the likes. The box also allows for easy transporting of the scoreboard  10 . 
     The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.