EP3207329B1

EP3207329B1 - Modular shooting range

Info

Publication number: EP3207329B1
Application number: EP15790480.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jelle MOERLAND; Ramses DORTLAND; Arie PONSEN
Original assignee: Ingenieursbureau En Technische Handelsonderneming Autron BV
Current assignee: Ingenieursbureau En Technische Handelsonderneming Autron BV
Priority date: 2014-10-16
Filing date: 2015-10-16
Publication date: 2021-08-11
Anticipated expiration: 2035-10-16
Also published as: WO2016059221A1; DE202015105489U1; DK3207329T3; PL3207329T3; EP3207329A1; BR112017007808A2; BR112017007808B1; NL2013641B1; CA3002109C; CA3002109A1

Description

The present invention relates to a modular shooting range comprising a plurality of interconnecting units, each constituted by either a shipping container, a construction comprising shipping container parts, or an engineered construction.
Known shooting ranges generally comprise permanent facilities constructed on site. These shooting ranges may be either constructed outdoors or indoors. For outdoor shooting ranges permanent shooting stations, target areas, bullet stops, etc. are constructed on a large area of land. Although these outdoor shooting ranges are construed with safety being the primary consideration, still bystanders or participants may be hurt by bullets or the like flying around as these bullets may not be captured by a bullet trap system.
Indoor shooting ranges are usually construed inside a building structure like a bunker or the like. These indoor shooting ranges are typically closed, i.e. surrounded by walls capable of withstanding the impact of bullets fired. A disadvantage of such indoor shooting ranges is that they are stationary, and therefore non-flexible.
A known shooting range system is further disclosed in European patent application EP 2 698 480 . Here, two or more pre-engineered shipping containers are disclosed, wherein each shipping container constitutes a firing lane. That is, the length of the elongated shipping container is used as the firing direction, wherein a user shoots from one end inside the shipping container towards targets installed at the other end inside the shipping container. By aligning two or more pre-engineered shipping containers next to each other, multiple shooting lanes are construed such that multiple users are able to target practice at the same time.
The drawback of such a known shooting range system is that there is not enough flexibility for creating shooting range systems according to a variety of requirements.
Another shooting range is disclosed in WO 89/11076 , wherein quick-connection modules are provided, namely a ball-arrester module, one or more intermediate modules and a two-past firing/control module. There are tight sealing means along the connection walls of adjacent modules. In order to ventilate the shooting range, channels and fans are provided for introducing and spreading a flow of cold or hot air, i.e. blowing air into the shooting range.
As such, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a modular shooting range system which is flexible and non-stationary such that the modular shooting range system may be deployed in a relative short period of time, and according to a variety of pre-requirements.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for interconnecting units which may be connected to each other to form a single shooting range.
The object of the present invention is achieved in that there is provided a modular shooting range according to claim 1.
The present invention is based on the insight that a flexible, non-stationary modular shooting range is provided in case it is construed by a plurality of interconnecting units, i.e. one front unit, one bullet trap unit and a plurality of extension units. Using these different types of units, a modular shooting range may be construed of any length. As such, the modular shooting range is especially advantageous for situations where temporary or semi-permanent shooting ranges are desired, or where special trainings facilities are required. Further, the modular shooting range may be deployed in situations where an existing, indoor, shooting range is being renovated or otherwise cannot be used.
In accordance with the present invention, the interconnecting units are prefabricated units, meaning that these units merely need to be connected to each other for creating said shooting range. As such, in situ, i.e. on the place where the shooting range is to be created, each of the interconnecting units do not need to be assembled as such. The interconnecting units merely need to be connected to each other.
Once the interconnecting units are connected to each other, an air-tight shooting range is created. The advantage hereof is that the air flow from the conditioning system is laminar across the shooting range. This means that the flow rate is uniform over the width and the height of the shooting range.
The length of the modular shooting range may be extended or shortened by adding, or removing, extension units. Typically, the width of these shipping containers units are about 2 - 3 meters, such that the length of the modular shooting range system may be amended by lengths of these 2 - 3 meters.
The total length of the modular shooting range is usually around 20 - 50 meters, such that about 7 - 18 extension units may be interconnected via their open long sides to provide for such a total length.
An advantage of the modular shooting range according to the present invention is that even after the shooting range is installed, the length thereof may be amended by removing or adding extension units to the shooting range.
A further advantage of the present invention is that, due to the modular system and the use of either a shipping container, a construction comprising shipping container parts, or an engineered construction, the transport of the modular shooting range is made more simple. The units may be transported by ship, train, truck or the like.
An even further advantage of the modular shooting range according to the present invention is that the shooting range may be deployed or removed within a short period of time.
A yet further example of the present invention is that the shooting range may be adapted even when the shooting range has already been deployed. Due to the modularity of the whole system, adding an extension unit, for example, is made relatively simple.
In the context of the present application, at least substantially open at only one of the opposite long sides thereof means, in case of a shipping container for example, that one of the long sides of the shipping container is removed. This so called open long side is then used for connecting a further interconnecting unit using an open long side of that further interconnecting unit. The term at least substantially open at only one of the opposite long sides thereof further entails that the three sides which are considered not to be open, i.e. the opposite long side, and the two short sides, are substantially closed in such a way that bullets fired can not penetrate via these sides to the outdoors.
The so called closed sides of the interconnecting units may, for example, comprise a door, window, ventilation vent or the like. Such a door, window, ventilation vent is arranged to be bullet proof.
In an example, the interconnecting units are interconnected to each other via said open long sides in an air-tight manner.
Hereto, the interconnecting units may comprise a sealing member, such as a rubber or the like, along a circumference edge of the open long sides. In order to connect two adjacent interconnecting units, one of these two adjacent interconnecting units may be provided with the sealing member.
In another example, the interconnecting units each comprise coupling means for provided said air-tight coupling between said interconnecting units.
Various types of coupling means may be provided for creating the air-tight coupling between the interconnecting units, such as a bridge-clamp, twistlock, stacker, or the like.
In a further example, the front unit comprises an air ventilation system arranged for providing said shooting range with fresh air.
In yet another example, the air ventilation system is arranged for providing said fresh air uniformly distributed over a width, and height, of said shooting range.
Here, the air ventilation system may be arranged for providing said fresh air via a plenum space provided in a ceiling or wall of said front unit, in a continues flow.
The ventilation system may comprise a heating and/or air conditioning system and/or an air filtering system, optionally with additional fans, which can either cool or heat air that is directed into the interior of the modular shooting range via the plenum space. The air, and the gasses and particles generated through the use of the shooting range, may be removed from the interior of the shooting range and filtered using a filter and vents comprised in the bullet trap unit or in the back unit at the end of the shooting range. Such a ventilation system thus provides the shooting range with fresh air.
In an even further example, at least a substantial part of inner sides of two opposite short sides of at least one of said extension units are arranged with bullet resistant material and/or bullet proof material. Also the floor and ceiling of the extension unit may be arranged with bullet resistant material and/or bullet proof material.
It is noted that the extension units are always arranged to be bullet proof, which means that it is not possible for a bullet to penetrate the closed short sides to the outside. The advantage of at least a substantial part of inner sides of the two opposite short sides of the at least one of the extension units are arranged with bullet resistant material and/or bullet proof material is that the modular shooting range may be used for advanced shooting training.
For example, traditionally, a person shoots from one side of the shooting range, i.e. standing within the front unit, towards the bullet catcher present at the other side of the shooting range. Using the present example, a training sequence may be developed in which the person walks around in the shooting range, and not only shoots bullets towards the bullet catcher, but also to the side, i.e. towards the short sides of the extension units. This provides the benefit, amongst other, that more realistic real time scenario's may be trained.
As such, also the short sides of the extension units may be equipped with a bullet catcher.
A bullet resistant material is a material capable of stopping or considerable slowing down a bullet, a bullet fragment or similar high velocity projectiles.
A bullet resistant material may, for example, comprise rubber, synthetic rubber, synthetic materials, synthetic fibers or composite materials.
A bullet proof material is a material capable of stopping, deforming, fragmenting and/or deflecting a bullet, a bullet fragment or similar high velocity projectiles.
Bullet proof materials may be complex, such as aramid fibers, polyethylene fibers, poly-carbonate, carbon fiber and other composite materials, or they may be basic and simple, such as titanium or steel. The latter is, for example, already provided by the walls of a shipping container.
It may be advantageous to arrange the above mentioned sides with bullet proof material as, in practice, the available material does not provide complete protection against all types of bullets or bullet fragments and/or multiple hits in the same location. A bullet resistant material may be placed in front of the bullet proof material in order to prevent bullets or bullet fragments, caused by bullets fragmenting on impact on the bullet proof material, to be bounced back into the shooting range.
This thus provides for additional safety for the persons using the shooting range.
The inventors noted that an advanced shooting range is construed in case a user is able to freely move along the interior of the shooting range. As such, the user is not limited to the interior space provided by the one front unit. This provides the additional benefit that the user may be trained for situations in which he or she is needed to quickly turn, to their left or right, to shoot at targets not provided in the direction right in front of the front unit but also at angles varying from 90 degrees to 180 degrees to even 270 degrees or more in the horizontal plane. The shooting range is construed to safely withstand the impact of bullets or projectiles fired into the floor or into the ceiling, i.e. the floor and/or the ceiling may comprise a bullet catcher or bullet trap system.
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide for means to utilize moveable walls and/or walls that comprise a door opening, a window or the like with the purpose of extending the training possibilities and situations in which the user needs to practice. The walls are construed to be safely used inside a shooting range and may comprise bullet proof and/or bullet resistant materials.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide for means to install targets systems, for example reactive targets, static targets, projected targets, video targets and/or momentary targets in the module shooting range. For the operating of these target systems a computer system may be provided.
In an example, the bullet trap system comprises a rubber lamella trap or a steel lamella trap or a rubber block trap for dissipating and absorbing a velocity of said bullets fired.
The bullet trap system is arranged to change the forward inertia and velocity of the fired bullets or projectiles to an extent that allows gravity or mechanical deflection to force the bullets or projectiles to drop into a collecting bin or to absorb the fired bullets or projectiles.
According to the invention, the interconnecting units further comprise a back unit comprising coupling means for coupling said back unit to said bullet trap unit via a closed long side of said bullet trap unit, wherein said back unit comprises an air suction system arranged for suctioning air having gasses and particles generated through the use of the shooting range, out of the shooting range.
In an example, a utility unit comprises a generator for generating electrical energy wherein the utility unit comprises coupling means for coupling the utility unit to one or more interconnecting units for distributing the generated electrical energy over the shooting range. As such, electricity may be obtained in the interconnecting units due to the subsequent electrical coupling means.
In an example, the interconnecting units further comprise a utility unit comprising coupling means for coupling said utility unit to an interconnecting unit via a long side of said utility unit, wherein said utility unit comprises an generator for generating electrical energy.
Here, the coupling means of said interconnecting units may further be arranged for distributing said generated electrical energy over said shooting range. As such, an electrical connection between the interconnecting units is made via the coupling means. As such, electricity may be obtained in the front unit due to the subsequent interconnected units via their coupling means.
In a further example, the conditioning system is arranged to provide a pressure in said shooting range for sucking air out of said shooting range.
In yet another example, at least one of said interconnecting comprises solar panels for generating electrical energy.
In a further example, the interconnecting unit further comprise an advanced top unit having a connection cut out in the floor of said advanced top unit for connecting said top unit to one of said interconnecting units, wherein said one of said interconnecting units having a connection cut in the ceiling of said one of said interconnecting unit for connecting to said advanced top unit.
Here, the advanced top unit may be connected aligned with the interconnecting units, or may be oriented perpendicular to the interconnecting units.
The modular shooting range may comprise a plurality of advanced top units.
The advantage of an advanced top unit is that the shooting range may be used for simulating more advanced situations. As such, as user may freely move along the shooting range, move up to the advanced top unit, and perform any sort of target practice.
The advanced top unit may further be connected to any of the interconnecting units like the extension units, the back unit, the front unit, the bullet trap unit such that a modular shooting range is provided, which shooting range has two, or more, levels, i.e. floors.
In an example, the interconnecting units are each constituted by units having a same length, and/or different widths.
In a preferred example, the interconnecting units can be constructed with outer dimensions resembling an intermodal container.
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box. They are used to store and move materials and products in the global containerized intermodal freight transport system efficiently and securely. Intermodal indicates that the container can be moved from one mode of transport to another, for example from ship, to rail, to truck without unloading and reloading the contents of the container. Lengths of such containers may vary from 2.4 to 17.1 m (8 to 56 feet) and heights from 2.4 m to 2.9 m (8 feet to 9 feet 6 inches) or more.
In a further example, the length of said interconnecting units is between 2.4 to 17.1 m (8 to 56 feet), preferably around 12.2 m (40 feet) and/or the height of the interconnecting units is between 2.4 to 3.7 m (8 to 12 feet), preferably around 2.90 m (9 feet and 6 inches).
In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an interconnecting unit being a front unit to be used within a modular shooting range according to any of the above provided examples, said front unit being at least substantially open at one of the opposite long sides thereof, said front unit comprising coupling means for coupling one of said interconnecting units to said front unit via said open long side.
In a third aspect, there is provided an interconnecting unit being a bullet trap unit to be used within a modular shooting range according to any of the above provided modular shooting range examples, said bullet trap unit comprising a bullet trap system arranged for trapping bullets fired, said bullet trap unit being at least substantially open at one of the opposite long sides thereof, said bullet trap unit comprising coupling means for coupling one of said interconnecting units to said bullet trap unit via said open long side.
In a fourth aspect, there is provided an interconnecting unit being an extension unit to be used within a modular shooting range according to any of the above provided examples of an modular shooting range, said extension unit arranged for extending a length of said shooting range, each of said plurality of extension units being at least substantially open at both of the opposite long sides thereof, each extension unit comprising coupling means for coupling two of said interconnecting units to each of said extension units via said open opposite longs sides.
The extension unit may be provided with a folding or sliding door, in one of its opposite short sides thereof, wherein a vehicle like a car is able to enter said shooting range, via said door.
The advantage hereof is that advanced training schemes can be deployed using the modular shooting range according to the present invention.
In a fifth aspect, there is provided an interconnecting unit being a back unit to be used within a modular shooting range according to any of the examples provided above in relation with a modular shooting range comprising the back unit, said back unit comprising coupling means for coupling said back unit to said bullet trap unit via a closed long side of said bullet trap unit, wherein said back unit comprises an air suction system arranged for suctioning air having gasses and particles generated through the use of the shooting range, out of said shooting range.
One of the interconnecting units could be a utility unit to be used within a modular shooting range, said utility unit comprising a generator for generating electrical energy wherein the utility unit comprises coupling means for coupling said utility unit to an interconnecting unit via a long side of said utility unit and for distributing the generated electrical energy over the shooting range. As such, electricity may be obtained in the interconnecting units due to the subsequent electrical coupling means.
A further interconnecting unit being an advanced top unit could be used within a modular shooting range according to any of the above provided modular shooting range examples comprising the advanced top unit, said advanced top unit having a connection cut out in the floor of said advanced top unit for connecting said top unit to one of said interconnecting units, wherein said one of said interconnecting units having a connection cut in the ceiling of said one of said interconnecting units for connecting to said advanced top unit.
The expressions, i.e. the wording, of the different aspects comprised by the modular shooting range according to the present invention should not be taken literally. The wording of the aspects is merely chosen to accurately express the rationale behind the actual function of the aspects.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of the invention will be best understood from the following description referring to the attached drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals denote identical parts or parts performing an identical or comparable function or operation.
The invention is not limited to the particular examples disclosed below in connection with a particular type of modular shooting range or with a particular type subsequent interconnecting units.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is an example of an modular shooting range according to the present invention.
Figures 2a - 2f disclose each an example of an interconnecting unit to be used within the modular shooting range according to the present example, the interconnecting unit being a front unit, an extension unit, a bullet trap unit, a back unit, a utility unit and an advanced top unit.

Detailed description

Figure 1 discloses an example of an modular shooting range 1 comprised of a plurality of interconnecting units 2, 3, 4, said interconnecting units each constituted by either an elongated shipping container, a construction comprising shipping container parts, or an engineered construction. Typically, the length 11 of the shipping container is about 12 meters, and the width of the shipping container is about 2,4 meters. The length 11 is therefore measured in the elongated direction of the shipping container.
The modular shooting range 1 comprises a front unit (not shown) being at least substantially open at only one of the opposite long sides thereof, one bullet trap unit 4 comprising a bullet trap system 6 arranged for trapping bullets fired, said bullet trap unit being at least substantially open at only one of the opposite long sides thereof, and - a plurality of extension units 2 for extending a length of said shooting range, i.e. the shooting range length 12, each of said plurality of extension units being at least substantially open at both of the opposite long sides thereof.
Reference numeral 8 indicates one of the open long sides of one of the extension units 2, in which it is shown that the interconnecting units are connected to each other via their longer side, i.e. in their elongated direction.
The shooting range 1 is considered modular as the shooting range is construed by a plurality of (different) interconnecting units 2, 3, 4. In the present example, a single interconnecting unit 2, 3, 4 does not form a shooting range 1. Only if it is applied in conjunction with the other interconnecting units 2, 3, 4, a shooting range 1 is created.
The subsequent order of interconnected units is as followed. The first interconnecting unit is a front unit (not shown), wherein users 7 may gather, meet, and wherein booths may be incorporated, which boots are to be used during the target practice. Next, connected to the front unit a plurality of extension units 2 may be connected to form the effective length 12 of the shooting range 1, by connecting each extension unit 2 via their long side towards each other. As such, the exact length 12 of the shooting range 2 is also determined by the width 10 of the extension units 2. Finally, the bullet trap unit 4 is connected to the last extension unit 2.
The modular shooting range 1 is arranged as a closed area, i.e. encompassed by the walls of the interconnecting units 2, 3, 4, wherein targets 5 are places at the end of the bullet trap unit 4. As is shown in figure 1, the users 7 are able to freely move inside the interior of the interconnected units 2, 3, 4, i.e. within the modular shooting range 1. As such, often the extension units 2 may be equipped with a bullet resistant material 13 such that users are also allowed to shoot sideways, i.e. towards the short sides of the extension unit 2.
An advanced top unit 3 may be included in the modular shooting range 1, which advanced top unit 3 is to be installed on top of one or more extension units 2, the bullet trap unit 4, the front unit, or the like. The advanced top unit 3 may be aligned with these interconnecting units, or may be oriented perpendicular to these extension units. A connection cut out 9 may be provided in the floor of said advanced top unit for connecting said top unit to one of said interconnecting units, wherein said one of said interconnecting units having a connection cut in the ceiling of said one of said interconnecting unit for connecting to said advanced top unit.
As such, the advanced top units 3 may be equipped with a bullet resistant material 13 such that users are also allowed to shoot sideways, i.e. towards the long sides of the advanced top unit 3, or to shoot up or down towards the ceiling or the floor of the advanced top unit 3.
Figures 2a - 2f disclose each an example of an interconnecting unit and a utility unit to be used within the modular shooting range according to the present example, the interconnecting unit being a front unit, an extension unit, a bullet trap unit, a back unit, a utility unit and an advanced top unit
Figure 2a discloses a front unit 21 having an open long side 22 for connecting the front unit 21 to a further interconnecting unit. Figure 2b discloses an extension unit 2 having an open long side 8. Figure 2c discloses a bullet trap unit 4 arranged for trapping bullets fired. Figure 2d discloses a back unit 34, wherein said back unit comprises an air suction system arranged for suctioning air having gasses and particles generated through the use of the shooting range out of said shooting range via, for example, a ventilation vent 36. The back unit 34 has an open long side 35. Figure 2e discloses a utility unit 41 comprising a door 42, a generator 43, a maintenance room 44 and a storage room 45. Figure 2f discloses an advanced top unit 3.

Claims

Modular shooting range (1) comprised of a plurality of interconnecting units (2, 3, 4), said interconnecting units each constituted by an elongated shipping container, said interconnecting units comprising:
- one front unit (21) being at least substantially open at only one of the opposite long sides thereof, wherein said front unit comprises a conditioning system for providing an air flow in said modular shooting range,

- one bullet trap unit (4) comprising a bullet trap system (6) arranged for trapping bullets fired, said bullet trap unit being at least substantially open at only one of the opposite long sides thereof,

- a plurality of extension units (2) for extending a length of said shooting range, each of said plurality of extension units being at least substantially open at both of the opposite long sides (8) thereof,
wherein said interconnecting units are connected to each other via said open long sides, and wherein said plurality of extension units (2) are arranged between said front unit (21) and said bullet trap unit (4) thereby forming a substantially closed air-tight shooting range, characterized in that said interconnecting units further comprise a back unit (34) comprising coupling means for coupling said back unit to said bullet trap unit (4) via a closed long side of said bullet trap unit, wherein said back unit comprises an air suction system arranged for suctioning air having gasses and particles generated through the use of the shooting range out of said shooting range via a bullet proof ventilation vent in said closed long side of said bullet trap unit,
such that said air flow from said conditioning system is laminar across said shooting range.
Modular shooting range according to any of the previous claims, wherein said conditioning system is an air ventilation system arranged for providing said shooting range with fresh air.
Modular shooting range according to claim 2, wherein said air ventilation system is arranged for providing said fresh air uniformly distributed over a width and height of said shooting range.
Modular shooting range according to any of the previous claims, wherein at least a substantial part of inner sides of two opposite short sides of at least one of said extension units are arranged with bullet resistant material and/or with a bullet trap system.
Modular shooting range according to any of the previous claims, wherein at least one of said interconnecting comprises solar panels for generating electrical energy.
Modular shooting range according to any of the previous claims, wherein said interconnecting unit further comprise an advanced top unit (3) having a connection cut out (9) in the floor of said advanced top unit for connecting said top unit (3) to one of said interconnecting units (2), wherein said one of said interconnecting units having a connection cut in the ceiling of said one of said interconnecting unit for connecting to said advanced top unit.
Modular shooting range according to claim 6, wherein said advanced top unit is connected aligned with said one of said interconnecting units or is connected substantially perpendicular to said one of said interconnecting units.
Modular shooting range according to any of the claims 6 - 7, wherein said shooting range comprises a plurality of advanced top units.
Modular shooting range according to any of the previous claims, wherein a length of said interconnecting units is between 2.4 to 17.1 m, preferably around 12.2 m.
Modular shooting range according to any of the previous claims, wherein a height of said interconnecting units is between 2.4 to 3.7 m, preferably around 2.90 m.