SHOOTING PRACTICE METHOD

The subject of the present invention is a target practice method, comprising a step of launching a target into a portion of space, a step of firing a projectile towards the target and a step of impact of the projectile on the target, characterized in that use is made of a projectile comprising a shell delimiting an internal volume containing a marking material and in that it involves a step of breaking the shell upon impact of the projectile on the target, thereby releasing the marking material.

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Description

The present invention more particularly relates to a target practice method and system. It also relates to a target and a device associating a target and a projectile for target practice.

A preferred application relates to the target launchers industry and the shooting techniques, including the industry of weapons and projectiles.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

The typical target practice discipline is that of Ball-Trap.

In the latter domain, devices launching targets often called clay pigeons are known. The shooter is equipped with a rifle associated with cartridges containing shots the calibre of which is adapted to the desired shooting. Both during training and competition, Ball-Trap practice consists in launching a clay pigeon that the shooter is trying to reach for the lead shots to dislocate it. Such dislocation provides a visual effect which enables the shooter and the public, if any, to confirm that the target has been reached. In some cases, the visual effect can be enhanced by using specific pigeons, containing a powdered material such as calcium carbonate. Upon breaking of the target, the powdered material is dissipated into the space surrounding the impact area, producing a cloud, possibly colored according to the color of the powdered material. The document US-A1-20020125643 also relates to such targets containing a marking material.

The visual effect produced by this technique is satisfactory but involves the use of many targets, the cost of which is relatively high as regards consumables, and the environmental impact of which, once the clay pigeons destroyed and strewn out on the ground, is not always negligible.

The present invention makes it possible to solve all or at least some of the drawbacks of the current techniques.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of embodiments, it particularly relates to a target practice method comprising a step of launching a target into a portion of space, a step of firing a projectile in the direction of the target and a step of impact of the projectile on the target.

Advantageously, this method is such that a projectile comprising a shell defining an interior volume containing a marker material is used and comprises a step of breaking the shell upon impact of the projectile on the target, so as to release the marking material

This provision makes it possible to use reusable targets since the projectile is caused to break. The visual effect is preserved because of the dynamic aspect of the operation of the invention: the movement of the target provides, upon impact, a distribution of the marker into space, and in particular over a broad surface the target and/or around it. While current techniques focus on the destruction of the target, the invention adopts the opposite approach.

According to a not restrictive method, the step of launching comprises rotating the target on its own. An advantage resulting from such aspect of the invention is that the impact point of the projectile is then the location of a motion having a tangential component at the surface of the target, in addition to the movement of the target along its launching trajectory. This causes a net increase in the marker release area.

Another aspect of the invention embodiments also relates to a target practice system, comprising a target and a projectile intended to impact the target, characterized in that the projectile comprises a shell delimiting an internal volume containing a marking material and in that the impact of the projectile on the target is so configured as to cause the breaking of the shell, thereby releasing the marking material. The system may also include a target launching machine.

Another aspect of embodiments of the invention relates to a shooting target. In a preferred case, the edge of the target has a lower density than the impact surface. While Ball-Trap targets are made of a single piece having the same density, the invention is in marked contrast, especially since it uses one or more less dense material(s) at the edge area, where a material having a higher density would naturally be placed for mechanical strength reasons. The target advantageously comprises a peripheral surface comprising an edge joining a first face and a second face and an impact surface formed on at least one of the first face and the second face, adapted to receive the impact of a projectile, with the edge of the target and the impact surface being made of different materials, with the density of the material(s) being lower than the density of the material(s) of the impact surface.

Another aspect of embodiments of the invention relates to a device comprising a target and a projectile.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the present invention will appear upon reading the following detailed description and referring to the appended drawings given as non-limiting examples and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective an example of a target used according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a possibility of mounting a portion of the target on the rest of the target.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative to the embodiment of FIG. 2 for mounting a portion of the target on the rest of the target.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along a diameter of the target according to the embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows in perspective another embodiment of the target and FIG. 5 is a sectional view along a diameter of the target.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show in perspective an embodiment of a launching machine which may form part of the present invention, with FIGS. 7 to 9 showing various operating phases of said machine.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before going into the details of embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures, optional characteristics which can be implemented in combination or alternatively are enumerated hereunder:

    • the own rotation speed of the target 1 is at least 300 rpm upon launching and/or at the time of impact;
    • use is made of a target 1, the peripheral surface of which comprises an edge 2 joining a first face 3 and a second face 4 and the step of impact is achieved through the contact of the projectile on an impact surface 8 formed on at least one of the first face 3 and the second face 4.
    • the edge 2 of the target 1 and the impact surface 8 are selected to be made of different materials.
    • the edge material(s) 2 is/are selected to have a density lower than the density of the material(s) of the impact surface 8;
    • the density of the material(s) of the impact surface 8 is selected to be above 500 kg/m3;
    • the density of the material(s) of the edge 2 is selected to be less than 275 kg/m3;
    • use is made of a target 1 comprising a target body 12 having a cylindrical shape, the surface of revolution of which forms the edge 2 and the impact surface 8 comprises, on at least one of the first face 3 and the second face 4, a disc-shaped area.
    • the diameter of the disc-shaped area is selected to be smaller than the diameter of the target body 12.
    • use is made of a target 1, the body 12 of which is made of polymer foam and at least a part of the impact surface 8 is obtained by cross-linking said foam;
    • at least a part of the impact surface 8 is formed by fixing a coating 10 on the target body 12;
    • the fixing is carried out with at least one fixing member 11 located on a face of the coating 10 opposite the face of the coating 10 forming at least partly the impact surface 8, and with at least one additional fixing member 13 formed on the target body 12;
    • the target comprises two coatings, each fixed to a different face and each associated with at least one fixing member, with the fixing members of the two coatings being so configured as to interlock in a space provided in the thickness of the target body.
    • the coating 10 is a plate of polymer material;
    • use is made of a target 1 comprising a belt, part of the periphery of which forms the edge 2 of the target 1 and surrounding a target heart 15 and the outer wall of the target heart 15 forms at least partially the impact surface 8.
    • the target heart 15 is so selected that it comprises a part for fixing one area of the belt 14 opposite the periphery part;
    • the heart 15 of the target comprises a central core 16 selected to have a thickness smaller than that of the fixing portion;
    • Young's modulus of the material(s) of the edge 2 is selected to be lower than that of the material(s) of the impact surface 8;

Young's modulus of the material(s) of the edge is less than 0.1 giga Pascal;

    • the coating is a sheet made of an elastomeric material;
    • Young's modulus of the material(s) of the impact surface 8 is selected to be greater than 0.8 giga Pascal.
    • the projectile marker is selected from a liquid dye and a powder;
    • the shell of the projectile is formed as a rigid shell made of polymer material or as a flexible shell, preferably made of gelatine.
    • the shell is formed as a smooth spherical casing.
    • the device comprises a target and a projectile comprising a shell defining an interior volume containing a marking material.
    • the target preferably has a peripheral surface comprising an edge joining a first face and a second face and an impact surface formed on at least one of the first face and the second face, adapted to receive the impact of a projectile, with the edge of the target and the impact surface being made of different materials, with the density of the material(s) being lower than the density of the material(s) of the impact surface.
    • the edge of the target is so configured as to absorb the impact energy of the projectile in a greater proportion than the impact surface.
    • the target and the projectile are so configured that the projectile absorbs over 60% of the energy generated by the impact of a projectile on the impact surface.

One aspect of the invention is related to the launching of a target into a portion of space. A launching machine is provided and one non-restrictive embodiment is shown in FIGS. 7-9.

In these figures, the machine 19 has a launching surface advantageously in the form of a plane 20 for receiving at least one target 1 in contact with one of the faces 3, 4 of the target 1. The launching plane 20 may be horizontal or inclined, in particular to vary the effects of the projection of the target and the area in space wherein the target is projected. For this purpose, the machine 19 may be provided with means enabling the inclination thereof. When a target 1 is on the launching plane 20, it is launched by an ejection device here in the form of an arm 21 mounted to rotate around an axis x2. In the example, the arm 21 is so configured as to be applied onto a part of the edge 2 of the target 1 to impart thereto kinetic energy enabling the launching. A cocking system can be used for the arm 21 and specifically a system as used in skeet machines for example involving a spring tensioned by motorization and released by control to produce a rapid rotation of the arm 21 during the launching phase. The machine 19 further comprises a peripheral application surface 22 of the target 1 capable of cooperating with the edge 2 of the target 1. The target 1 can thus be guided as it moves on the launching plane 20 until it is ejected. Besides, the surface 22 may constitute an adhesive area which enables, in a preferred embodiment, to give the target 1 an effective own rotation. The interest of such own rotation to produce a better visual technical effect will be examined subsequently. The shape of the application surface 22 is not limited but is preferably curvilinear, with a comma-shaped profile.

The components described above for the machine 19 are, in the case of FIGS. 7 to 9, mounted on a frame 23. The frame 23 may be hinged so as to provide the tilting means mentioned above and in particular have the capacity of a rotating articulation about at least one axis.

To allow the target practice with successive targets, the machine 19 advantageously comprises a plurality of targets stored in a charger 24. In the case shown, the charger 24 is substantially equivalent to those used to launch targets such as “clay pigeons” and therefor comprises at least one column 25 enabling to stack the targets 1 when storing these and includes a delivery area 26 at the bottom of the column(s) 25, so that, on command, a target 1 can be removed from the column 25 wherein it was stored to be directed toward the launching plane 20. This target motion 1 can be operated by gravity and/or via a push system.

The target 1 used in the invention may have different shapes and configurations. In view of the above with reference to launching machine 19, it is however advantageous for the target 1 to have an outer periphery in the form of an edge 2 having a substantially circular shape. In addition, the target 1 it advantageously comprises an axial symmetry along the axis along which it is given its own rotation. The symmetry may also be central, so that the target 1 is perfectly balanced about its center.

In addition, the target 1 is preferably reusable and it is not really affected by the impact of the projectile. This does not exclude that points of impact may still be visible after the shootings, but these alterations are advantageously of minor importance, so that the target can be used several times.

In general, the target 1 comprises a peripheral wall constituting the outer surface thereof and preferably having an edge 2, and a first face 3 and a second face 4. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of such type of target 1. In the illustrated case, the first and second faces 3, 4 are substantially flat but this case is not restrictive, as will be seen later with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 in particular. The edge 2 is advantageously in the form of the outer surface of a revolution cylinder. Thus, in the case of FIGS. 1 to 4, the target 1 has substantially the shape of a relatively flattened cylinder portion namely the height is smaller than the diameter thereof.

For example, both in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 and in the other embodiments, use can be made of a target 1 having a circular section with a diameter between 25 and 33 centimeters and a height (dimension in thickness) ranging from 25 to 50 millimeters.

Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the target 1 carries a body 12 preferably made of high or low density polymer foam. For example, polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride foams are satisfactory. The density of such foams is for example less than 275 kg/m3. A target 1 body 12 is thus formed, which gives resistance to the target 1 without being too rigid however, so as to limit the dangerousness of launching the target 1. Moreover, the crushing capacity of the target 1 as an elastic deformation at the edge 2 thereof can make it possible, in some embodiments, to accentuate the effect of the own rotation given by the launching machine 19.

The target body may be in one piece and made of a single material or several materials. For example, a multilayer body 12, including a central layer in the thickness of the body 12 and on each side of the central layer, a side layer made of a less dense material than the central layer can be provided.

At the same time, when considering the need for causing the breaking of a projectile upon the impact thereof on the target 1, the latter advantageously has an impact surface the design of which is defined so as to ensure the breaking thereof. More specifically, the impact surface 8 is advantageously so configured as to limit the absorption of the impact energy so that such energy is sufficiently reflected to the projectile to cause it to break, i.e. to exceed the breaking strength limit thereof. To achieve this, the impact surface 8 is, in the case of FIGS. 1 and 2, made of at least one coating 10, with each coating 10 possibly cooperating with one of the first and second faces 3, 4.

FIG. 1 shows that the coating 10 may have the shape of a disc which can be applied on one side 3, 4, at the center thereof, and define a rim 9 on the surface 3, 4 fitted so as to preserve a periphery which may be made of a less dense and/or less rigid material.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a coating 10 as a sheet made of a sufficiently flexible material to be easily positioned on the surface 3. In a preferred embodiment, the sheet is made of an elastomeric material which comprises both elastomeric polymer materials and natural materials, in particular rubber. The sheet can be fixed by any mechanical means or by gluing. The outer surface of the sheet thus formed is the entire or a part of the impact surface 8. Advantageously, the sheet material is so selected as to ensure a proper cooperation with the projectile.

In one embodiment, the projectile is in the form of a bead or a ball having a shell made of a flexible material and for example of gelatine. In this example, using an elastomeric coating 10 provides an increased friction capacity between the shell of the projectile and the impact surface 8 so as to facilitate the breaking of the shell. Furthermore, a coating 10 may be used so as to facilitate cleaning when the flexible material shell contains a liquid dye product such as paint. For this purpose, the surface of the impact surface 8 is preferably smooth. In this example, the coating 10 can be simply rubbed with a cloth to easily remove the paint deposited by the projectile. Alternately, the coating 10 may be a plate made of a rigid polymeric material attached to one of the faces 3, 4 or the other.

In the case of FIGS. 3 and 4, mounting is provided by fixing members cooperating with fixing members 11 on the inner face of the coating 10 and additional members 13 in the target body 12 or another portion of the target. The complementary members 13 advantageously comprise female cavities 12 formed in the target body while the members 11 are male portions which can be inserted into the cavities. At least one or more fixing member(s) 11 may be formed. In the illustrated case, at least four members are located at the four cardinal points, so to distribute the fixing effort on the target 1. The fixing members are inserted into the cavities and can be hung on the wall thereof. Besides, at least one fixing member 11 may have a pattern surface so as to increase the adherence effect in the complementary fixing member 13. This exemplary mounting may be completed or replaced by any other fixing and in particular glueing.

Alternately, FIG. 4 shows, in section, the result obtained in the embodiment of FIG. 3 with the passage of the fixing members 11 through the thickness of the target body 12. Such figure also shows that each face 3, 4 of the target 1 may be provided with a coating 10 so that the impact of the projectile can occur on both sides of the target 1. In this context, it may be advantageous to make the fixing members 11 of both coatings 10 cooperate. This is the meaning of the case illustrated wherein each coating 10 carries fixing members, on the one hand in the form of male rods, on the other hand in the form of rods having an inner conduit. The rods of the fixing members 11 of a coating 10 are so arranged that they can be inserted into the internal conduits of the fixing members of the other coating 10, on the opposite face. The target body 12 is thus trapped between the two coatings 10 placed on either side of the latter and being fixed together through the thickness as shown in FIG. 4. In the case where the coating 10 is a polymer material, it is advantageously a thermosetting polymer material. For example, the coating 10 may be made of the following materials: polycarbonate, polyamide or ABS. Still by way of example, the thickness of the coating 10 may, in any case, range from 0.5 to 3 millimeters and preferably be 1 millimeter.

Especially when projectiles with a marker in the form of liquid dye are used, a coating 10 having an outer surface of a dark color, preferably black may advantageously be used, which allows increasing the visual effect by contrast upon releasing the marker.

As stated above, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 provides for a rim 9 around the coating 10. The rim 9 may participate in the security of the target practice and avoid making the target too dangerous, more particularly if the coatings are rigid and have a density higher than the density of the target body 12. In this context, by way of example, it should be noted that the thickness of the rim may correspond to 10 to 30% of the diameter of the faces 3, 4 of the targets.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of the target 1 of the invention. In particular, FIG. 6 shows that at least one of the faces 3, 4 may not be flat and present, in particular in the example illustrated, a central cavity surrounded, at its periphery, by a portion of an impact surface 8 located at a higher level. This configuration can make it possible to limit the weight of the target 1 but also promote the breaking by providing surface elements having different orientations so as to avoid too tangential an application of the projectile on the considered side 3.4. In the case where the coating 10 is a polymer material, it is advantageously a thermosetting polymeric material. For example, the coating 10 may be made of the following materials: polycarbonate, polyamide or ABS.

The embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 comprises a belt 14 adapted to constitute a peripheral device for the rest of the target 1. Advantageously and in the example shown, the belt 14 has an annular shape, with the outer surface of the ring constituting the edge 2 while the inner surface of the ring allows cooperation with the rest of the target 1. The rest of the target 1 may include, as in the case illustrated, a heart 15 having a portion for cooperation with the belt 14 and a central portion called the “core” 16. In the case shown, the sheet 16 has a smaller thickness than the rest of the heart 15. The peripheral portion of the heart 15 comprises an enlargement 17 enclosing the core 16 and which may be used as a basis for receiving two wings 18 located on both sides of enlargement and each appearing at one of the first and the second faces 3, 4. The wings 18 are preferably substantially parallel and are used to cooperate with the sidewalls 2 of the belt 14 so that the two parts fit together to form an integral assembly.

In the case shown, the heart 15 is formed in one piece but this case is not restrictive. Similarly, the belt 14 is made of a single piece here, but could be made of several assembled parts.

Like in the embodiments illustrated above, the case of FIGS. 5 and 6 reveals the ability to select specific materials for forming the impact surface 8 relative to the surface of the edge 2. In particular, the heart 15 can be made of a denser material than the belt material 14 and/or a material having a higher Young's modulus than that of the belt 14. This provides an impact surface 8 promoting the reflection of the impact energy on the projectile to produce the breaking thereof when the rest of the target 1 and in particular the material located on the edge 2 thereof is less dense and/or more elastically deformable (less rigid) so as to limit the risk of accidents and promote the rotating by adhesion.

In all the cases mentioned above, one or more material(s) having Young's modulus lower than or equal to 0.1 GPa (gigapascal) can be selected. In addition to or separately, one or more material(s) can be selected for the impact surface 8 with Young's modulus higher than 0.8 GPa.

According to one possibility, the impact surface 8 is made of a polymer material and particularly of polyurethane. Such material is advantageously selected to have a Shore hardness above 90 and more preferably at least 99; it may be in the form of a plate at least 1 mm and preferably 1 mm plus or minus 10% in thickness.

Another embodiment of the target 1 which is not shown in the figures, consists, starting from a target 1 having a target body 12 substantially like in the cases of FIGS. 1 and 2, in executing the cross-linking of a portion of the surface of at least one of the first and second faces 3, 4, so as to harden said part and form an impact surface 8 absorbing less impact energy than the rest of the target body 12. A rim 9 may however be preserved around the impact surface 8 during the cross-linking phase by placing a mask on the surface to be protected during such cross-linking. The impact surface 8 is then formed directly in the target body 12, and advantageously in a polymer foam, but using a transformed material which has different mechanical properties from the rest of the target 1 and which in particular absorbs less impact energy than the rest of the target 1. Cross-linking is preferably executed on a depth corresponding to the thickness of the target body. The target 1 thus described ensures both efficiency and safety when launched and effective cooperation with the projectile. As a matter of fact, the impact surface 8 is preferably so configured in the previous examples as to absorb less impact energy than the edge 2 part of the target 1, so that the energy returned to the projectile is sufficient to cause the breaking of the shell and release the marker.

It should be noted that the various options for achieving the targets indicated above can be combined according to all associations of their characteristics.

According to the invention, the target 1 is caused to cooperate with a projectile not shown.

As previously indicated, in one embodiment, the projectile includes a marker in the form of a powdered material which may be for example calcium carbonate-based, whether colored or not. In this example, the shell containing the marker is advantageously a rigid shell and preferably a spherical shaped shell. Furthermore, the surface of the shell is advantageously smooth so as to facilitate the shooting accuracy although this may penalize the firing range. It should be noted here that the present invention advantageously relates to a target practice wherein the projectile is launched using a weapon that can be part of the present invention, with the distance between the weapon and the launched target ranging from ten to twenty meters and being preferably less than fifteen meters.

It is therefore preferred to increase the shooting accuracy rather than the range of the projectile. The rigid shell described above may for example be a polymer material with a thickness of less than one millimeter and advantageously between 0.5 and 1 mm and have a diameter between one and two centimeters and advantageously 1.5 centimeter. The shell is for example obtained using the following method: a powdered mixture of polyethylene glycol and calcium carbonate is placed in a mould having the desired shape for the projectile; the mould is heated so as to cause a peripheral melting of the mixture; heating is stopped after a time so configured as to enable the forming of a shell layer having the desired thickness after cooling (cooling may be forced, for example by quenching).

In another embodiment, the shell is made of a flexible material and for example of gelatine. It provides a coating delimiting the storage volume of the marker. This solution is particularly suitable, even though it is not limited to a marker of the liquid dye type. In this case, the projectile has a more flexible conformation and is caused to deform more easily upon impact on the target. The soft shell may be made of gelatine with a thickness of the same order as the thickness given for the case of rigid shells.

The projectile may be launched using a compressed gas operated gun which may for example operate with CO2 and using the expansion of the CO2 to perform the projection effort It may be guns or rifles.

The target practice method is as follows:

    • the shooter takes up one position, holding his/her arm in his/her hand, with the weapon being ready to launch a projectile as indicated above;
    • upon the shooter's order or using any other form of control, the machine launches a target 1 into a portion of space. The throw can be so configured as to expose essentially one of the first or second faces 3, 4 opposite the shooter, but any other angle is possible. When the target 1 is launched, the shooter tries to reach it using a projectile. If successful, thanks to the invention, a visual effect is immediately produced through the release of the marker. As a matter of fact, when impacted, the shell of the projectile breaks, so as to release the marking material which rapidly spreads, because of the dynamics of the target 1. This is preferably carried out while making sure that the target is not substantially deteriorated and in particular so that the impact energy is more widely used by the projectile than by the target 1, at least within a limit making it possible to break the projectile and not to degrade the target 1. For example, at least three quarters of the impact energy are absorbed by the projectile to facilitate the breaking of the shell;
    • the marker is released and spreads onto the target 1 at the impact surface 8 and/or in a portion of space. In the case of a marker like paint, the marking will be produced mostly on the target 1. In the case of a powder material, the marker tends to dissipate as a cloud in a three-dimensional portion of space. In all cases, the target 1 is advantageous rotated about its axis so that upon impact, a tangential effect occurs, which facilitates the distribution of the marker on a larger surface. Somehow, upon the impact, the point of impact follows a pseudo-cycloidal trajectory which produces such enlargement of the visual effect area.

The invention may be used for a target practice wherein the shooter tries to hit the target 1 several times. For example, the target 1 is thrown high enough to allow a repeated shooting. Each time the target is hit, the shooter scores one point. Thanks to the invention, the target 1 is not altered by impacts and advantageously its trajectory is not significantly changed. Thus, a launched target 1 can be shot at at least 5 times. In one embodiment of the invention, a system comprising several preferably aligned launching machines is provided. Optionally the machine may be coordinated with a sequencer capable of defining the firing order and intervals (for instance between 3 and 10 seconds) of the machines. A firing pattern is as follows: each machine launches a target in a direction which is specific thereto, with the launching being programmed over time not to start before the target of the previous throw is no longer accessible to the shooter. The throws allow up to 5 possible impacts. The player thus has the possibility to score up to 15 points. The number of shooters which can participate in a contest is in no way limited.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but applies to all the embodiments complying with the spirit thereof.

REFERENCES

1. Target

2. Edge

3. First face

4. Second face

5. Internal layer

6. First superficial layer

7. Second superficial layer

8. Impact surface

9. Edge

10. Coating

11. Fixing member

12. Target body

13. Additional fixing member

14. Belt

15. Heart

16. Core

17. Enlargement

18. Wing

19. Launching machine

20. Launching plane

21. Arm

22. Peripheral application surface

23. Frame

24. Charger

25. Column

26. Delivery area

Claims

1-26. (canceled)

27. A target practice method, comprising a step of launching a target into a portion of space, a step of firing a projectile towards the target and a step of impact of the projectile on the target, wherein use is made of a projectile comprising a shell delimiting an internal volume containing a marking material and in that it involves a step of breaking the shell upon impact of the projectile on the target, thereby releasing the marking material.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the step of launching comprises rotating the target on its own.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the own rotation speed of the target is at least 300 round per minutes (rpm) upon launching.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein use is made of a target, the peripheral surface of which comprises an edge joining a first face and a second face and wherein the step of impact is achieved through the contact of the projectile on an impact surface formed on at least one of the first face or the second face.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the edge of the target and the impact surface are selected to be made of different materials.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the edge material(s) is/are selected to have a density lower than the density of the material(s) of the impact surface.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the density of the material(s) of the impact surface is selected to be above 500 kg/m3.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein the density of the edge material(s) is selected to be less than 275 kg/m3.

35. The method according to claim 30, wherein use is made of a target comprising a target body having a cylindrical shape, the surface of revolution of which forms the edge and wherein the impact surface comprises, on at least one of the first face or the second face, a disc-shaped area.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the diameter of the disc-shaped area is selected to be smaller than the diameter of the target body.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein use is made of a target, the body of which is made of polymer foam and wherein at least a part of the impact surface is obtained by cross-linking said foam.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein at least a part of the impact surface is formed by fixing a coating on the target body.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the fixing is carried out with at least one fixing member located on a face of the coating opposite the face of the coating forming at least partly the impact surface, and with at least one additional fixing member formed on the target body.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein the coating is selected to be a plate of polymer material.

41. The method according to claim 30, wherein use is made of a target comprising a belt, part of the periphery of which forms the edge of the target and surrounding a target heart and wherein the outer wall of the target heart forms at least partially the impact surface.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the target heart is so selected that it comprises a part for fixing one area of the belt opposite the periphery part.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the target heart is so selected that it comprises a central core selected to have a thickness smaller than that of the fixing part.

44. The method according to claim 31, wherein Young's modulus of the material(s) of the edge is selected to be lower than that of the material(s) of the impact surface.

45. The method according to claim 31, wherein Young's modulus of the material(s) of the edge is selected to be lower than 0.1 giga Pascal.

46. The method according to claim 38, wherein the coating is selected to be in the form of a sheet of an elastomeric material.

47. The method according to claim 31, wherein Young's modulus of the material(s) of the impact surface is selected to be higher than 0.8 giga Pascal.

48. The method according to claim 27, wherein the marking material is selected among a liquid dye and a powder.

49. The method according to claim 27, wherein the shell of the projectile is formed as a rigid shell made of polymer material or as a flexible shell, preferably made of gelatine.

50. The method according to claim 27, wherein the shell is formed as a smooth spherical casing.

51. A target practice system, comprising a machine for launching a target and a projectile intended to impact the target, wherein the projectile comprises a shell delimiting an internal volume containing a marking material and in that the impact of the projectile on the target is so configured as to cause the breaking of the shell, thereby releasing the marking material.

52. The system according to claim 51, so configured as to implement the method according to claim 27.

Patent History
Publication number: 20160040966
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 7, 2013
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2016
Inventors: Jean-Michel Laporte (Biot), Jean-Marc Fouques (Claviers)
Application Number: 14/435,106
Classifications
International Classification: F41J 9/16 (20060101);