Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6758772?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-09-20 14:22:33
Document Index: 67965855

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'arts 10', 'arts 10', 'art 10']

Patent US6758772 - Darts - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA dart that resembles various U.S. military missiles such as Patriot and Bunker Buster missiles, for example. The dart includes a hollow elongate barrel section having a longitudinal axis and including generally conical opposed end portions integral therewith. The end portions thereof define threaded...http://www.google.com/patents/US6758772?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6758772 - DartsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6758772 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/446,505Publication dateJul 6, 2004Filing dateMay 29, 2003Priority dateMay 29, 2003Fee statusLapsedPublication number10446505, 446505, US 6758772 B1, US 6758772B1, US-B1-6758772, US6758772 B1, US6758772B1InventorsRobert Paul Chambers, Tim F. DodgenOriginal AssigneeRobert Paul Chambers, Tim F. DodgenExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (11), Referenced by (2), Classifications (5), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetDartsUS 6758772 B1Abstract A dart that resembles various U.S. military missiles such as Patriot and Bunker Buster missiles, for example. The dart includes a hollow elongate barrel section having a longitudinal axis and including generally conical opposed end portions integral therewith. The end portions thereof define threaded female end portions respectively. The dart further includes a plurality of elongate shaft sections each having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portions respectively so that the barrel section becomes disposed between the plurality of shaft sections. The plurality of shaft sections each further have a plurality of slits formed therein. The dart further includes a plurality of fin sections removably engageable with the plurality of slits respectively and for assisting the dart to maintain a predetermined flight trajectory. The dart may be painted with a variety of designs such as the American flag and camouflage, for example.
What is claimed as new and what is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. A dart comprising:
a hollow elongate barrel section having a longitudinal axis and including generally conical opposed end portions integral therewith and defining threaded female end portions respectively; a plurality of elongate shaft sections each having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portions respectively so that said barrel section becomes disposed between said plurality of shaft sections, one said plurality of shaft sections further having an opposed threaded female end portion, said plurality of shaft sections each further having a plurality of slits formed therein; a plurality of fin sections removably engageable with said plurality of slits respectively and for assisting said dart to maintain a predetermined flight trajectory, said plurality of fins being disposed outwardly from the longitudinal axis of said barrel section; and a tip section having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portion of said one shaft section. 2. The dart of claim 1, wherein said elongate barrel section has an outer surface having a plurality of substantially equally spaced grooves formed therein and between the end portions thereof.
3. The dart of claim 1, wherein the plurality of slits formed in said one shaft section extends from the threaded male end portion thereof to generally midway a length thereof.
4. The dart of claim 1, wherein another of said plurality of shaft sections has a non-threaded end portion with its plurality of slits extending therefrom to generally midway a length thereof.
5. The dart of claim 1, wherein one said plurality of fin sections has four sides integral with each other.
6. The dart of claim 1, wherein another said plurality of fin sections has five sides integral with each other.
7. The dart of claim 1, wherein said plurality of slits are substantially equally spaced apart about a perimeter of said plurality of shaft sections respectively.
8. A dart kit comprising:
a hollow elongate barrel section having a longitudinal axis and including generally conical opposed end portions integral therewith and defining threaded female end portions respectively; a plurality of elongate shaft sections each having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portions respectively so that said barrel section becomes disposed between said plurality of shaft sections, one said plurality of shaft sections further having an opposed threaded female end portion, said plurality of shaft sections each further having a plurality of slits formed therein and substantially equally spaced apart about a perimeter thereof respectively; a plurality of fin sections removably engageable with said plurality of slits respectively and for assisting said dart to maintain a predetermined flight trajectory, said plurality of fins being disposed outwardly from the longitudinal axis of said barrel section; and a tip section having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portion of said one shaft section. 9. The dart kit of claim 8, wherein said elongate barrel section has an outer surface having a plurality of substantially equally spaced grooves formed therein and between the end portions thereof.
10. The dart kit of claim 8, wherein the plurality of slits formed in said one shaft section extends from the threaded male end portion thereof to generally midway a length thereof.
11. The dart kit of claim 8, wherein another of said plurality of shaft sections has a non-threaded end portion with its plurality of slits extending therefrom to generally midway a length thereof.
12. The dart kit of claim 8, wherein one said plurality of fin sections has four sides integral with each other.
13. The dart kit of claim 8, wherein another said plurality of fin sections has five sides integral with each other.
14. A dart kit housed within a storage container and comprising:
a hollow elongate barrel section having a longitudinal axis and including generally conical opposed end portions integral therewith and defining threaded female end portions respectively, said barrel section has an outer surface having a plurality of substantially equally spaced grooves formed therein and between the end portions thereof; a plurality of elongate shaft sections each having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portions respectively so that said barrel section becomes disposed between said plurality of shaft sections, one said plurality of shaft sections further having an opposed threaded female end portion, said plurality of shaft sections each further having a plurality of slits formed therein; a plurality of fin sections removably engageable with said plurality of slits respectively and for assisting said dart to maintain a predetermined flight trajectory, said plurality of fins being disposed outwardly from the longitudinal axis of said barrel section; and a tip section having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portion of said one shaft section. 15. The dart kit of claim 14, wherein the plurality of slits formed in said one shaft section extends from the threaded male end portion thereof to generally midway a length thereof.
16. The dart kit of claim 14, wherein another of said plurality of shaft sections has a non-threaded end portion with its plurality of slits extending therefrom to generally midway a length thereof.
17. The dart kit of claim 14, wherein one said plurality of fin sections has four sides integral with each other.
18. The dart kit of claim 14, wherein another said plurality of fin sections has five sides integral with each other.
19. The dart kit of claim 14, wherein said plurality of slits are substantially equally spaced apart about a perimeter of said plurality of shaft sections respectively.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to darts and, more particularly, to darts that resemble various types of missiles used by the United States military.
PRIOR ART Many improvements have been made over the years for darts which are adapted to be thrown through the air from a first location to a target location, such as a dart board hung on a vertical wall. For the most part, these improvements have been generally satisfactory to provide more efficient arrangement of dart parts and to enhance the skills and accuracy of the users of the darts.
Improvements in darts typically center on the distribution of weight as the dart itself remains in a substantially streamlined form. Thus, the dart will encounter less air turbulence or other manifestations of the air which would otherwise adversely affect the trajectory of the dart as it is thrown through the air. The aim, of course, is to have trouble-free movement of the darts so that, as the skills of the user improve, the chances of anticipating greater scoring success increase. Moreover, the interest in the game of darts itself will be enhanced since knowledge of the improvements of the darts will stimulate the user to want to enter and play the game of darts with all comers.
While substantial improvements have been made over the years, there is still room for additional improvements to thereby enhance the skills of the users of the darts and to generate continued interest in the game of darts notwithstanding very long play periods which are characteristic of the game of darts. The present invention satisfies the need for additional improvements as will hereinafter be described.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide darts that resemble various U.S. missiles and to thereby invoke a patriotic spirit and sense of pride through their use. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by a dart including a hollow elongate barrel section having a longitudinal axis and including generally conical opposed end portions integral therewith. The end portions thereof define threaded female end portions respectively.
The dart further includes a plurality of elongate shaft sections each having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portions respectively so that the barrel section becomes disposed between the plurality of shaft sections. One of the plurality of shaft sections further has an opposed threaded female end portion. The plurality of shaft sections each further have a plurality of slits formed therein.
The dart further includes a plurality of fin sections removably engageable with the plurality of slits respectively and for assisting the dart to maintain a predetermined flight trajectory. The plurality of fins are preferably disposed outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the barrel section. A tip section preferably has a male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portion of the one shaft section.
The elongate barrel section may have an outer surface having a plurality of substantially equally spaced grooves formed therein and between the end portions thereof. The plurality of slits formed in one of the shaft sections preferably extends from the threaded male end portion thereof to generally midway a length thereof. Another one of the plurality of shaft sections may have a non-threaded end portion with its plurality of slits extending therefrom to generally midway a length thereof.
One of the plurality of fin sections may have four sides integral with each other. Alternately, another one of the plurality of fin sections may have five sides integral with each other. The plurality of slits may also be substantially equally spaced apart about a perimeter of said plurality of shaft sections respectively.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a dart resembling a missile, in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 3�3 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 4�4 in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing a storage container, in accordance with the present invention.
The dart of this invention is referred to generally in FIG. 1 by reference numeral 10 and is intended to resemble a U.S. military missile such as Bunker Buster, for example. It should be understood that the dart 10 may be modified to resemble other U.S. military missiles such as Patriots, Sidewinders and Cluster Bombs, for example, and should not be limited to resembling only Bunker Buster missiles.
The dart 10 includes an elongate barrel 11 section defining mid-region thereof. The barrel section 11 has oppositely disposed end portions 14, 15 that are generally conical or convex. Such end portions have an interior surface that is threaded for receiving shaft sections 12, 13, respectively. The barrel section 11 includes a plurality of substantially equally spaced grooves 19, which are formed substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis thereof. Shaft section 12 defines a rear portion of dart 10 and has a rear fin 17 connected thereto. Shaft section 13 is oppositely spaced from shaft section 12 and defines a front portion of dart 10. Front fin 18 is connected to shaft section 13 at one end portion thereof and a tip section 16 threadably engages shaft section 13 at an opposed end portion thereof.
Now referring to FIG. 2, rear fin 17 has four sides integral with each other and positioned in substantially four different quadrants. Shaft section 12 is shown as having a rear portion with a diameter slightly smaller than a front portion thereof. A threaded male end portion 23 is connected to the front portion of shaft section 12 and extends outwardly and forwardly therefrom. A plurality of slits 24 are formed in shaft section 12 and extend from the rear portion to generally midway thereof. Such slits 24 are substantially aligned with the four sides of fin 17 so that same can be slidably and removably inserted into slits 24.
The convex rear end portion 14 of barrel section 11 is threaded at an interior surface thereof and defines a threaded female end portion for receiving the threaded male end portion 23 of shaft section 12. As can be seen from the illustration, the threaded end portion 14 has a substantially smooth outer surface, unlike barrel section 11. Such a barrel section has a hollow interior 26 so that the weight of the dart 10 can be maintained within a suitable range for its intended application, as best shown in FIG. 3. Similarly, the convex front end portion 15 of barrel section 11 includes an interior threaded surface for defining a threaded female end portion that can receive the male threaded end portion 20 extending rearwardly from the front shaft section 13.
Such a shaft section 13 includes a front portion 21 which includes a plurality of substantially equally spaced grooves formed about an outer surface thereof and a threaded interior surface for defining a threaded female end portion. The shaft section 13 also includes a plurality of slits formed therein and extend from the threaded male end portion 20 to generally midway thereof. Such slits 22 are substantially aligned with the sides of the front fin 18. In particular, front fin 18 has four sides integral with each other, extending in substantially four different quadrants, and are substantially aligned with the plurality of slits 22 of shaft section 13 so that they may be slidably and removably inserted therein, as perhaps best shown in FIG. 4.
A tip section 16 includes a rear portion 25 which defines a threaded male end portion for engaging the threaded female end portion 21 of shaft section 13. The tip section 16 includes a generally conical or convex center portion having a greater diameter adjacent to the threaded male end portion 25 and a lesser diameter adjacent to its front portion 27. Such a front portion has a generally equal diameter throughout with a pointed tip for assisting the dart 10 to engage its intended target such as a dartboard, for example.
Now referring to FIG. 5, the present invention further includes a storage container 50 having a plurality of spaced pockets for receiving one or more darts 10 therein. The storage container 50 has a substantially rectangular shape and includes an elongated carrying handle having opposed end portions pivotally connected thereto so that a user may conveniently transport the storage container 50 and darts 10, as needed.
Of course, it should be understood that dart 10 may be coated with various colors and designs for more accurately resembling different United States military missiles or bombs. Furthermore, fins 17 and 18 may include a variety of different shapes and may have less than or more than four sides, as depicted in this preferred embodiment. For example, the sides of fins 17 and 18 may not be disposed in substantially different quadrants or perpendicular to each other. Rather, such sides may be spaced in the same quadrants and at non-perpendicular angles, as would be readily appreciated to one skilled in the art.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4021041 *Sep 12, 1975May 3, 1977Adolph E. GoldfarbThrow and catch toyUS4114884 *Feb 15, 1977Sep 19, 1978L.A. & E.W. Tunnicliffe LimitedDartsUS4457514Sep 30, 1982Jul 3, 1984Paxman Colin JDartsUS5324044 *Apr 24, 1992Jun 28, 1994Dart Mart, Inc.Dart assemblyUS5375850Apr 22, 1993Dec 27, 1994Pickett; Michael R.DartUS6585612 *Sep 11, 1998Jul 1, 2003Jochen WeissmannThrow dartUSD380784May 29, 1996Jul 8, 1997Great Lakes Dart Distributors, Inc.DartUSD381372Jan 23, 1996Jul 22, 1997Great Lakes Dart Distributors, Inc.DartUSD393665Apr 25, 1997Apr 21, 1998Great Lakes Dart Distributors, Inc.DartUSD395465Apr 25, 1997Jun 23, 1998Great Lakes Dart Distributors, Inc.DartUSD399539Nov 26, 1997Oct 13, 1998Great Lakes Dart Manufacturing, Inc.Dart* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6869374 *Feb 23, 2004Mar 22, 2005Keith E. LaneOutdoor dart gameUS7905488Feb 19, 2007Mar 15, 2011Fulgham Jake ATarget game* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification473/578International ClassificationA63B65/02, F42B6/00Cooperative ClassificationF42B6/003European ClassificationF42B6/00BLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionAug 26, 2008FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20080706Jul 6, 2008LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesJan 14, 2008REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedApr 12, 2005PAPatent available for license or saleRotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google