RETRACTABLE PROJECTILE DEVICE AND METHOD
This application relates to a retractable device that takes the retractable leash concept and adapts it to a projectile. The tethered projectile can be advanced by the user by kicking, throwing, hitting, or any other method of advancing a projectile. When the user initially advances the projectile, for example by throwing, the momentum of the projectile overcomes the spring force and the projectile advances a certain distance relative to the force applied to it. Once the projectile' s momentum diminishes to a level below the spring force, the spring causes the spool to reverse direction and the slack is taken up and the projectile is retrieved.
This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/891,401 filed Feb. 23, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated by this reference.
BACKGROUNDThis application relates generally to a retractable projectile device. More specifically, this application relates to a retractable device that includes a tethered projectile that is advanced in some manner by the user and then the tethered projectile is drawn back to the device housing by a retracting mechanism. The device can be used in games for personal or competitive enjoyment.
SUMMARYRetractable devices that include a spring adapted to a spool mechanism are well known in the art when used for the purpose of a dog leash. Such mechanisms are known for the way that they allow for the excess leash to be taken up by the leash housing when the tension in the leash is less than that of the spring. This application relates to a retractable device that takes the retractable leash concept and adapts it to a projectile. The tethered projectile can be advanced by the user by kicking, throwing, hitting, or any other method of advancing a projectile. When the user initially advances the projectile, for example by throwing, the momentum of the projectile overcomes the spring force and the projectile advances a certain distance relative to the force applied to it. Once the projectile' s momentum diminishes to a level below the spring force, the spring causes the spool to reverse direction and the slack is taken up and the projectile is retrieved.
This automatically retrievable projectile can be used alone or it can be used in combination with various skill challenges whereby the projectile is adapted to potentially retrieve items that it comes in contact or knock over items that it comes in contact with.
The application discloses a retractable projectile device comprising: a strap; a housing adapted to said strap for retaining a retracting mechanism; and a projectile functionally tethered to said retracting mechanism.
The application also discloses a retractable projectile device that comprises strap means; retracting means adapted to said strap means; and projectile means functionally tethered to said retracting means and whereby the projectile means includes retrieving means such that the projectile means is able to retrieve an object that the projectile means comes in contact with.
The application further discloses a method of using a retractable projectile device, the method comprising: strapping the retractable projectile device to an object; advancing a projectile; and retracting the projectile.
The application further discloses a method of using a retractable device to retrieve an item of interest, the method comprising: strapping the retractable projectile device to the user; advancing a projectile toward an item of interest by some form of advancing means; and retrieving the projectile and the item of interest.
The application further discloses a method of using a retractable projectile device in a game, the method comprising: strapping the retractable projectile device to an object; advancing a projectile; and retracting the projectile.
The application further discloses a retractable projectile device comprising: a strap; a housing adapted to said strap for retaining a retracting mechanism, wherein the retracting mechanism comprises a spool that is used to hold a leash; a spring functionally adapted to said spool such that when the leash is pulled from the spool, the spring is put under tension and when the tension in the leash is below that of the spring, the tension in the spring is released and the spool is reversed and the leash is retracted back into the housing, and wherein the leash enters and exits the housing in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to and pointing toward the center of the spool; and, a bean bag type projectile functionally tethered to said retracting mechanism by attachment to said leash.
The drawings, when considered in connection with the following description, are presented for the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected.
Referring to
As may be seen more clearly in
The strap 11 can be made of a variety of materials such as elastic, Velcro™, rubber, plastic, or any other material that allows a user to securely attach the device 10 to the user ( e.g. wrist or shin) or some other object.
The leash 30 can be made of a variety of materials such as common rope, string, chord.
As shown in
Projectiles 40 of other forms are contemplated and include a projectile 40 with suction cups 43 about its front 41 and rear surface 42. See
Referring now to
Once, the projectile 40 makes contact with the item 51, the front surface 41 engages the surface 52 of the item and the two surfaces detachably bind to one another.
In a further embodiment, the projectile 40 does not have to include retrieving means and the user instead may use the projectile to knock specific targets down with retractable projectile device 10. In this embodiment, a cluster of objects are arranged and a player then picks and possibly announces the target in the cluster that he or she is electing to knock over. The cluster of objects would be so arranged so that certain targets would have a greater point value because the level of skill required to knock them down would be higher than others. If the player fails to knock down the intended target he or she would receive no points. If the player instead knocks down a different target or targets, the player would lose points.
The retractable projectile device 10 may also be used as a practice device for certain sports such as golf, tennis, baseball, or any other sport where the instant retraction of the projectile, in this case the ball associated with the given sport, would increase the efficiency and effectiveness of a given practice session. For example with golf, the projectile could be an actual golf ball that is fixedly attached to the leash 30. The user would then secure the device 10 to an object such as a grounded stake by the strap 11 or other means. The user would then hit the ball with a golf club and would thereby receive feedback on the quality of the shot based on the height, distance and direction of the ball. Once the leash 30 and ball retracted back to the housing 20, the user would be ready for the next shot.
While the present disclosure has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
1. A retractable projectile device comprising:
- a strap;
- a housing adapted to said strap for retaining a retracting mechanism;
- and a projectile functionally tethered to said retracting mechanism.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the projectile further comprises retrieving means at least on a portion thereof.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein in the retrieving means is selected from the group consisting of magnet, Velcro, a sticky semi-malleable material, and suction cup.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the projectile is spider shaped.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the projectile is a bean bag type material.
6. The device of claim 5 wherein the projectile includes retrieving means at least on a portion thereof.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein the retracting mechanism includes:
- a spool that is used to hold a leash;
- a spring functionally adapted to said spool such that when the leash is pulled from the spool, the spring is put under tension and when the tension in the leash is below that of the spring, the tension in the spring is released and the spool is reversed and the leash is retracted back into the housing.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein the leash enters and exits the housing in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to and pointing toward the center of the spool.
9. A method of using a retractable projectile device in a game, the method comprising:
- strapping the retractable projectile device to an object;
- advancing a projectile;
- and retracting the projectile.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of advancing a projectile includes advancing a projectile toward an item of interest by some form of advancing means and knocking down the item of interest.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the advancing means is throwing.
12. The method of claim 10 further comprising awarding points if the item of interest is knocked down.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein the projectile further comprises retrieving means at least on a portion thereof.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of advancing a projectile includes
- advancing a projectile toward an item of interest by some form of advancing means and retrieving the projectile and the item of interest attached to said projectile.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising awarding points if the item of interest is retrieved.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the projectile is a bean bag type material.
17. A retractable projectile device comprising:
- a strap;
- a housing adapted to said strap for retaining a retracting mechanism, wherein the retracting mechanism comprises a spool that is used to hold a leash; a spring functionally adapted to said spool such that when the leash is pulled from the spool, the spring is put under tension and when the tension in the leash is below that of the spring, the tension in the spring is released and the spool is reversed and the leash is retracted back into the housing, and wherein the leash enters and exits the housing in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to and pointing toward the center of the spool; and,
- a bean bag type projectile functionally tethered to said retracting mechanism by attachment to said leash.
18. The device of claim 17 wherein the projectile further comprises retrieving means at least on a portion thereof.
19. The device of claim 18 wherein in the retrieving means is selected from the group consisting of magnet, Velcro, a sticky semi-malleable material, and suction cup.
20. The device of claim 17 wherein the projectile is spider shaped.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 27, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 8, 2009
Inventor: Jean-Louis Darville (Burbank, CA)
Application Number: 11/946,004
International Classification: A63B 65/02 (20060101);