GB2200732A - Shooting game apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A target for receiving infrared radiation from a simulated weapon (Fig. 2 not shown) is in the form of a transparent shell 36. Radiation passes through the shell 36 to a reflector 43 and thence to a photosensor, e.g. a pair of photocells 17. The target may be carried on the head of a player by means of a suitable headpiece (Fig. 3, not shown). The reflector 43 is so shaped in relation to the shell 36 that a beam of radiation (e.g. infrared) from the weapon of another player will be detached virtually regardless of its direction of impingement on the target. The number of 'hits' on the target is counted, and a visual or audible indication of the count is given to the wearer of the target. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SHOOTING GAME APPARATUS Shooting game apparatus is known which comprises an imitation weapon adapted to emit a beam of radiation and a target associated with means for responding to the impingement of the beam on the target to indicate that a "hit" has been scored. It may be arranged for such a game to be played by several players by providing each with a target to be worn on his body and equipping him with an imitation weapon adapted to emit a beam of radiation. Conveniently, each player's imitation weapon and target may be interconnected by a cable so as to have a common electrical circuit.

Such a game apparatus is disclosed in United States Patent No. 3 466 761 in which the target is arranged to be worn on a helmet. The means for indicating a hit serves to emit a sound or cause a light to flash.

Disadvantages of the known apparatus is that the target may be intentionally or accidentally obscured when the player turns his head, and the indication of a hit may go unnoticed if the player does not hear or see the warning signal.

Various proposals made herein, several of which constitute separate and independent aspects of the invention, overcome these or other disadvantages of the known appartus.

According to one proposal, the target takes the form of a cylindrical body intended to be worn with the axis of the cylinder generally vertical, and through which may pass radiation reaching the target at any angle within a generally horizontal plane. A reflector within the housing is so shaped as to reflect the radiation onto photoresponsive means within or adjacent the housing.

By arranging for the target to be carried at a level above the top of the head of the player, it cannot be obscured simply by turning the head. The shape of the target may be modified, and conveniently includes a transparent shell.

According to another, independent, proposal, the target is associated with means which strike or tap the head of the player following the scoring of a hit on the target.

According to a further proposal, the target is associated with a lamp or other device which emits a pulsating light, the frequency of which is increased following the scoring of each "hit".

The apparatus may be used for playing a game for amusement, or may be used for training purposes.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a player holding a an imitation weapon adapted to emit a beam of radiation and referred to herein as a gun, and wearing a headpiece incorporating a target, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the gun, Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the headpiece and target assembly, Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of some of the components of the gun, Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of other components of the gun, Figure 6 is a section through part of the target assembly, Figure 7 is a section through another part of the target assembly, and Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the circuit used in the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings and to Figure 1 in particular, the invention is embodied in a game apparatus including a gun 1 coupled by a cable 3 to a headpiece incorporating a target assembly 2 provided with a target proper 35. The gun is adapted to emit a beam of radiation (in this embodiment in the form of infrared--radiation), and the target assembly incorporates a "hit" indicating device to indicate when a beam of such radiation emitted by a weapon used by another player impinges upon the target.

It will be appreciated that certain aspects of the invention may be applied to a construction in which the target may be worn in other positions on the body, or in which the target is not connected to a weapon. Other aspects of the invention- may be applied to a target which is not worn in use. In the illustrated embodiment, part of the hit indicating device is incorporated within the gun, but this is not essential.

The gun includes an outer casing moulded in two parts from plastics material. Housed within the casing are the operating components, the main ones of which are shown in Figure 2, reference conveniently being made to Figure 8 which shows the electrical circuitry and components. The gun includes a compartment for a battery of cells 6, a main onloff switch 5, a switch 7 including contacts 23 and 24 operated by a trigger 21, an infrared luminescent element 12 and a lens 28 for forming radiation emitted by the element 12 into a beam, and a speaker 18. The main circuitry is provided on a printed circuit board 64 which includes a single chip microprocessor (CPU).

In more detail, the electricity supply from the battery 6 is controlled by the main on/off switch 5 having a knob projecting through the casing to its outer side. When the switch 5 is first closed, the microprocessor causes the speaker 18 to generate an audible game starting signal and light a lamp or light-emitting diode 19 visible through a hole 20 in the casing. Connected in circuit with the LED 19 is a bulb 41 in the target assembly, as will be described later. The current supply to-the LED 19 a-nd bulb 41 from amplifier 14 is pulsed so as to cause the light emitted to flash. The trigger 21 is biased towards its forward position by a tension spring 22. Depressing the trigger against the force of the spring closes the switch 7 consisting of contacts 23, 24.A signal is supplied to the microprocessor which supplies a signal having a duration of 550 microseconds to a modulation circuit 10 which modulates the signal by a frequency of 58 KHz to produce a signal which is amplified in a circuit 11 to cause the element 12 to emit infrared radiation for a period of 35.2 microseconds.

Devices for emitting infrared radiation and control means therefor are well known per se and need not be described in detail.

At the same time, the microprocessor generates a signal which is amplified to cause the speaker 18 to produce a sound simulating that of a shot. A filter circuit 13 is also activated by the microprocessor and causes the amplifier to make the sound appear to echo.

The diameter of the beam of radiation produced by the element 12 and lens 28 may be reduced in order to require the player to aim with greater accuracy by interposing a perforated screen between the element and lens, as shown in Figure 4. The screen, which has an aperture 27b, is provided on one arm of a lever 27, the other arm 27a of which projects through an opening 26 in the casing for adjustment- by the player's finger. Pivots 27c are located in a bearing support formed by cooperating projections on the respective housing components.

Means is provided to allow the hit indicating device incorporated in the target assembly to be immobilised at the instant that a beam is emitted by the associated gun, -thereby. to-prevent a hit being reeorded-whenradiation from the beam gun is reflected back to the target. As shown in Figure 5, this means includes a switch 8 which, when closed, supplies a signal to the microprocessor to cause it to negate the hit recording function while a signal is present at the input to the demodulation circuit 10. The switch 8 includes a pair of contacts 31 and 32, which are closable by a projection 30a on a shaft 30 which passes through the housing and is provided externally of the casing with a knob. A sprung detent 30b cooperates with depressions 29a in an arcuate surface 29 to hold the shaft 30 in either of its two operating positions. When the switch 8 is open, the hit indicating device will respond to a beam emitted by the associated beam gun for testing purposes, but it will not do so when the switch is closed.

The headpiece comprises a pair of stiff belts 57, one of which passes around the forehead of the player and the other over the crown of his head, and a rubber belt 59 which passes around the back of the head. The belts are fastened at one end to a housing of the target assembly 2. The ends of the belts 57 remote from the target fit into an attachment 58 having pins 58a which penetrate through holes in the belts. The rubber belt 59 is secured to a buckle portion of the attachment 58.

The target assembly 2 is provided at its upper end with the target 35. The target includes a frusto-conical or cylindrical transparent plastics shell 36 fitted into an opening of the housing. An end wall 37 fits into an opening at the upper end of the shell, and supports a conical mirror 43. Mounted within the lower end of the shell, or within the housing, is a photosensor including (in the illustrated embodiment) a pair of photocells 17 mounted at a predetermined angle on the casing of a- - preamplifier 16. The reflector 43 is so shaped that beams of radiation passing through the shell and striking it at any angle within a predetermined range are reflected onto the photosensitive device. The preamplifier 16 may be of any commercially available type, for example that sold by Sony- Corporation as Part No.

CX20106A. The end piece 37 may be made of transparent material so that light rays impinging substantially axially thereof may pass through the reflector 43, thereby ensuring that a beam will be detected virtually regardless of its direction of impingement. Although the target is conveniently frusto-conical in shape, it may be of any other shape, for example spherical, provided that the beam of radiation impinging thereon within a predetermined angular range may pass through to the reflector.

Mounted in the lower part of th-e housing is a lamp glass 40 shielding the bulb 41 which is mounted on a support plate 42. As mentioned above, upon closure of the switch 5, electrical pulses are supplied to the bulb to cause it to flash at regular intervals while the game is in progress.

The radiation falling on the photo-detector is demodulated by the pre-amplifier 16 to determine whether the radiation has a frequency of 58 KHz in order to ascertain whether the radiation is being received from the gun 1 or that of another player. In this event, the microprocessor records a hit and causes the speaker 18 to generate a suitable sound. Simultaneously, the rate at which the lamp 41 is made to flash is increased.

Each time that a beam from a gun 1 is received by the -target,-thescore recorded by the microprocessor is-increased by unity. and the bulb 41 made to flash faster so as to indicate to the player and his competitors the criticality of his condition. Conceivably, the lamp could be replaced or supplemented by a numerical display.

The central part of the housing is provided internally with supports 2b for pivots 45 on a unit 44. A striker 46 projects from a slider 52 which is slidable within a transversely extending channel within the housing of the unit. The striker thus supported within the housing of the unit penetrates through an opening in the side wall 2a of the housing of the target assembly. Mounted within the housing of the unit is a motor 47 which is energised following recordal of a hit to drive in rotation a cam 51 through gearing 47a and 48. The cam is located within a circular cut-out of a slider 52. A tension spring 56 connected between hooks- 54 and 55 on the unit and frame 2a biases the unit towards the position in which the striker penetrates through the opening 39. As the cam rotates, the striker is caused to oscillate and tap the head of the player once or a predetermined number of times.Resistance to movement of the striker results in the unit swinging about its pivot away from the player's head to avoid risk of injury.

In order to play effectively and interestingly by using the beam gun and the light beam detection mechanism as described above, the count of a previously predetermined number is stored in the CPU and a plurality of players play a shooting game. In this embodiment of the present invention, the count is previously set so that the game is over for each player following six "hits" on his target. When one player suffers six hits, the speaker 18 emits a sound indicating a game-over condition by means of a sound control mechanism means of the CPU 4. -As a result, the bulb 40 and the luminescent emission device are put out or dimmed. Thereafter, even if the trigger switch 7 is operated, no infrared rays are emitted.

However, if the power switch 5 is closed, a warning tone to remind the splayer to switch off is generated for about 20 seconds. Alternatively, switch means may be provided to open the circuit automatically.

Claims (9)

1. A target assembly adapted to be worn on the person, including a target through which radiation may pass to a reflector positioned to reflect the radiation onto a photoresponsive means located at one end of the target, the surface of the target substantially coinciding with a surface of revolution.

2. A target assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of the target is substantially cylindrical.

3. A target assembly as Claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of the target is frusto-conical.

4. A target assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the surface of the target is polygonal incross-section.

5. A target assembly adapted the be worn by a player including means responsive to radiation impinging upon a target to cause a striker to impact upon the body of the player.

6. A target assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the target assembly includes a housing in which is pivotally supported a block having a guideway for the striker, and operating means within the block to cause the striker to reciprocate in the guideway.

7. A target assembly and means for attaching the target assembly to the head of a player, said assembly including a target including a hollow shell enclosing or partially enclosing photoresponsibe means, and being located generally above the level of the crown of the head of the player.

8. A game apparatus including a target and means responsive to radiation falling upon the target, means for counting the number of times radiation impinges upon the target, and means for providing to the player a visual or audible indication of the count.

9. A game apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings.