Wireless scoring machine for epee and foil fencing

Abstract

A wireless scoring machine for epee and foil fencing is used to generate and receive radio signals transmitted through a traditional epee or foil for counting scores and displaying the scores, wherein the tip of the blade of an epee or a foil equipped with a conductive element electrically is connected to a radio transmitter box. When the tip is in contact with a body of a fencer, the conductive element and the body form a closed circuit to transmit electric power to actuate a radio transmitter to transmit radio signals followed by a radio receiver base station receiving the radio signals and continuously generating electric current to actuate a relay to enable a calculator to calculate the scores followed by displaying the scores.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

DESCRIPTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wireless scoring device, including calculating and displaying scores mechanism, for epee and foil fencing which receives radio signals transmitted through a traditional epee or foil for counting and displaying the scores, wherein the tip of an epee or a foil, the existing equipment requires no change, equipped with a conductive element is connected, via a traditional body power cord, to a radio transmitter box which is actuated to transmit the radio signals when in contact with an opponent so that a radio receiver base station receives the radio signals to enable a calculator to calculate and add the scores through a relay followed by displaying the scores.

2. Background of the Invention

Fencing, also called swordsmanship, is a sport, a martial art, and a lofty artistry. Recently, fencing is more and more popular because it is useful for building up one's strength, graceful deportment, and respectable spirit. Thus, fencing is selected as a formal athletic contest in many important sporting events while it is also a commendable exercise supported by many sponsors.

Traditionally, for fencing match or practice in epee or foil, scores are usually calculated by a wired scoring machine. In foil fencing, each of two fencers holds a foil having a blade with a conductive tip and a body power cord is extended rearward from each of the players via a reel to a physically wired scoring machine. When the tip of one player's foil is in contact with a conductive clothing of the other player, the blade and the conductive clothing form a circuit to transmit electric power to enable the wired scoring machine to calculate and add the scores accordingly. In epee fencing, it requires no conductive clothing, each of two fencers holds an epee having a blade with a conductive tip and a body power cord is extended rearward via a reel to a physically wired scoring machine. When the tip of one player's epee is in contact with the other player, the tip of the epee forms a closed circuit to transmit electric power to enable the wired scoring machine to calculate and add the scores accordingly.

The problem with the traditional scoring machine requires expensive reels, scoring indicators and a scoring machine for setting up a strip to be used in a match. They are not extremely portable and cost-effective.

The inventor has therefore attempted to develop a wireless scoring machine for epee and foil fencing to solve the problems that exist in the traditionally wired scoring machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a wireless scoring and displaying device for epee and foil fencing, which receives radio signals transmitted through a traditional epee or foil for counting and displaying the scores, wherein the tip of an epee or a foil, the existing equipment requires no change, equipped with a conductive element is connected, via a traditional body power cord, to the radio transmitter box, a component of the invention, which is actuated to transmit the radio signals when in contact with an opponent so that the radio receiver base station, a component of the invention, receives the radio signals to enable a calculator, a component of the invention, to calculate and add the scores through a relay, a component of the invention, followed by displaying the scores.

Based on the disadvantages of the traditionally wired scoring machine for fencing as described in the background of the invention, the present invention provides a wireless scoring and displaying device for epee and foil fencing with easy to setup, high portability and cost-effective benefits.

A traditional epee has a blade with a tip which provides an open circuit of OFF→ON function, and a fencer using an epee needs not wear conductive clothing, i.e. a metal guard while a traditional foil has a blade with a tip which provides a closed circuit of ON→OFF function, and a fencer using a foil needs to wear conductive clothing for calculating scores via an electrically wired connection.

However, when using the Wireless Scoring Machine for Epee and Foil Fencing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an epee or a foil fencer needs not wear any conductive clothing. The wireless transmitting means and the principle thereof is to build on top of the traditional conductive element on the tip of a blade of an epee or a foil and the traditional body power cord. When the tip is in contact with the body of a fencer, the conductive element and the body form a closed circuit to transmit electric power to actuate the radio transmitter box to transmit radio signals so that the radio receiver base station receives the radio signals and then generates electric current to actuate a relay for score calculation. Consequently, a calculator calculates and adds the scores via the relay followed by displaying the scores. Thus, the Wireless Scoring Machine for Epee and Foil Fencing according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a convenient calculating and displaying means without using any reel for epee and foil fencing.

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the diagram of a epee and a epee radio transmitter box.

FIG. 2 is the diagram of a foil and a foil radio transmitter box.

FIG. 3 is the diagram of a radio receiver base station and a calculator/displayer for both of the epee and foil radio transmitter boxes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the Wireless Scoring Machine for Epee and Foil Fencing embodiment is illustrated. As shown, the present invention is provided with a traditional epee (indicated as 1) in FIG. 1 or foil (indicated as 3) in FIG. 2, an epee radio transmitter box (indicated as 2) in FIG. 1 or a foil radio transmitter box (indicated as 4) in FIG. 2, a common radio receiver base station (indicated as 5) in FIG. 3, and a common calculator/displayer (indicated as 6) in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 1, the epee radio transmitter box (indicated as 2) is provided with a direct current power unit (indicated as 21) and a radio transmitter (indicated as 22). When the conductive element (indicated as 11) is in contact with the body of a fencer, it converts the open circuit into a closed circuit between the two power wires (indicated as 12 and 13) to actuate the radio transmitter (indicated as 22) to transmit radio signals.

Referring to FIG. 2, the foil radio transmitter box (indicated as 4) is provided with a direct current power unit (indicated as 41), a second direct current power unit (indicated as 42), a radio transmitter (indicated as 43), and a relay (indicated as 44), wherein the relay is an additional element than those in the epee radio transmitter box (indicated as 2 in FIG. 1). When the conductive element (indicated as 31) is in contact with the body of a fencer, it converts the closed circuit into an open circuit between the two power wires (indicated as 32 and 33). As the result of the open circuit (i.e. OFF), a closed circuit (i.e. ON) between the electrodes A and B is formed to actuate the radio transmitter to transmit radio signals.

Referring to FIG. 3, the radio receiver base station (indicated as 5) and the calculator/displayer (indicated as 6) embodiment of the present invention. The radio receiver base station is provided with a relay (indicated as 51), a radio receiver (indicated as 52) electrically connected to the relay, and a direct current power unit (indicated as 53) supplying electric power to the radio receiver and continuously the relay so that the radio receiver generates electric current to actuate the relay electrically connected to the calculator/displayer which is powered by a second direct current power unit (indicated as 61).

When the radio receiver (indicated as 52) in FIG. 3 receives radio signals transmitted from a radio transmitter (indicated as 22 in FIG. 1 or indicated as 43 in FIG. 2), the radio receiver generates electric current to actuate the relay (indicated as 51) in FIG. 3 so that an open circuit (i.e. OFF) between two electrodes D and E of the relay will be converted into a closed circuit (i.e. ON) between the electrodes D and F. Then, the input signals generated from an input terminal (indicated as 62) of the calculator/displayer (indicated as 6) are transmitted through the closed circuit (i.e. ON) between the two electrodes D and F for score calculation.

The present invention has been described with a preferred embodiment thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiment can be carried out without departing from the scope and the principle of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wireless scoring machine for epee and foil fencing comprises a set of two radio transmitter boxes (indicated as 2) in FIG. 1 or (indicated as 4) in FIG. 2, a common radio receiver base station (indicated as 5) in FIG. 3 and a common calculator/displayer (indicated as 6) in FIG. 3;

wherein the radio transmitter box (indicated as 2) in FIG. 1 is applied to epee fencing, and the radio transmitter box is provided with a direct current power unit (indicated as 21) and a radio transmitter (indicated as 22). When the conductive element (indicated as 11) is in contact with the body of a fencer, it converts the open circuit into a closed circuit between the two power wires (indicated as 12 and 13), and in turn actuate the radio transmitter to transmit radio signals;

wherein the radio transmitter box (indicated as 4) in FIG. 2 is applied to foil fencing, and the radio transmitter box is provided with a direct current power unit (indicated as 41), an additional direct current power unit (indicated as 42), a radio transmitter (indicated as 43), and a relay (indicated as 44). When the conductive element (indicated as 31) is in contact with the body of a fencer, it converts the closed circuit into an open circuit between the two power wires (indicated as 32 and 33), and cause an open circuit “OFF” between two electrodes A and C of the relay. As the result of the open circuit (i.e. OFF) in the relay, a closed circuit (i.e. ON) between the electrodes A and B is formed to actuate the radio transmitter to transmit signals;

wherein the radio receiver base station (indicated as 5) and the calculator/displayer (indicated as 6) in FIG. 3 are applied to both of the epee and foil radio transmitting boxes. The radio receiver base station is provided with a relay (indicated as 51), a radio receiver (indicated as 52) electrically connected to the relay, and a direct current power unit (indicated as 53) supplying electric power to the radio receiver and continuously the relay, the relay is also electrically connected to the calculator/displayer (indicated as 6) which is powered by a second direct current power unit (indicated as 61);

the wireless scoring machine for epee and foil fencing characterizes in that: when the radio receiver 52 of the radio receiver base station 5 receives radio signals transmitted by the radio transmitter 22 or 43 of the radio transmitter box 2 or 4, the radio receiver 52 generates electric current to actuate the relay 51 so that an open circuit “OFF” between two electrodes D and E of the relay 51 is converted into a closed circuit “ON” between the electrodes D and F, and input signals generated from an input terminal 62 of the calculator/displayer 6 are transmitted through the closed circuit “ON” between the two electrodes D and F so that the calculator/displayer 6 calculates and adds scores while displaying the scores to finish recording and displaying the scores.