GB2403161A

GB2403161A - Laminated archery target

Info

Publication number: GB2403161A
Application number: GB0409844A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Robin Cox
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-05-03
Filing date: 2004-05-04
Publication date: 2004-12-29
Also published as: GB0409844D0; GB0310243D0

Abstract

A target, especially for archery, comprises a laminated body formed from a plurality of generally vertical layers 12 of plastic foam material. The plastic foam material may be neoprene, polyvinylchloride/nitrile, polyethylene, polyester or polyether material. The lamination layers may be of varying thicknesses. A portion of the target 13, in particular the bull or equivalent is removable for replacement by a new portion. Additional layers 14 of plastic foam may be provided in the region of the bull. The target may be provided in the shape of an animal (Fig. 3).

Description

24031 61

TARGET

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a target and is especially, but not exclusively, related to an archery target.

Apart from being made of straw, some other types of archery target are made from plastics foam material, either of single or multi-block construction or of horizontally-laminated construction.

These know types of target are known as 2 dimentional targets but other types of target are known as 3-dimensional targets and are usually in the form of life size animal shapes.

Again, these three-dimensional targets can be made of plastics foam material, or indeed any other suitable material, but are usually of onepiece construction.

2s Disadvantages associated with the known types of archery targets discussed above include poor arrow retardation and/or difficult arrow extraction and high production costs.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a target, such as an archery target, which over comes the disadvantages associated with the known types of archery targets discussed above.

Accordingly, the invention resides in a target s comprising a laminated body including a plurality of generally vertical layers of plastics foam material.

The term "generally vertical" is used in the sense that, in use of the target, the laminated layers of the target body lie in generally parallel vertical planes. Thus, an arrow piercing the target will pass generally normally into at least some of those layers.

Preferred plastics foam materials for the layers include neoprene, polyvinylchloride/nitrile, polyethylene, polyester and polyether materials, which provide the best arrow stopping and extraction performance.

The layers of the laminated body of the target may be of varying thicknesses, preferably graduated and preferably in the main scoring area, to enhance retardation of an arrow piercing the target and/or removal of the arrow from the target.

A portion of the target, such as a bull region or other main scoring area, may be removable and replaceable with a new one when damaged or otherwise worn after prolonged use.

In an embodiment of target to be described in more detail herein below, the body of the target is provided as a silhouette of a target animal, such as a deer.

For animal silhouette targets, the preferred scoring area, usually in the region of the virtual heart and lungs of the animal, is provided with additional layers of plastics foam. As indicated above, such scoring area may be replaceable.

In any event, and depending upon particular usage of the target, the laminated body layers may be provided in any combination of thicknesses, density and/on additional layers.

The front surface of the target may be of any suitable colour to aid overprinting with, say, an animal silhouette and/or scoring area, either after or prior to forming the target in the shape of the silhouette of the animal in question.

The layers of the laminated body of the target may, during manufacture, may be secured together by any suitable means, for example, adhesive or hot melt techniques, depending upon the particular materials to be used and, under certain circumstances, the environment in which the target is to be used. 3()

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, preferred embodiments of archery target in accordance therewith will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: s Figure 1 is a vertical section of a first embodiment of archery target; Figure 2 is a vertical section of a second embodiment of archery target; Figure 3 is a further embodiment of archery target constructed as a silhouette of a target animal namely, a deer; Figure 4 is yet a further embodiment of archery target, again in the form of a silhouette of a deer; and Figure 5 is a diagrammatic section of the target shown in Figure 4.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing which is not to scale, an archery target comprises a generally vertically 2s laminated body, indicated generally at 1, including a plurality, in this case, six, of layers 2 of a plastics foam or other expanded plastics material.

Preferred materials are those listed above.

The body 1 is formed in the silhouette of a deer, as shown in Figure 3.

In use of the target, the layers 2 of the laminated body 1 lie in generally vertical planes.

As shown in Figure 3, the target 20 in the form of the deer silhouette is provided with a scoring area 30 located over the virtual heart and lung region of the deer.

In Figure 2, a second embodiment of archery target is shown, which corresponds with the target of Figure 3, in that the body 11 has a portion 13 which is thicker than the remainder of the body in the region of the scoring area 30.

lS As in the case of the first embodiment of target described above with reference to Figure 1, the body ll of the second embodiment shown in Figure 2 comprises layers 12 of a plastics foam material lying in generally parallel vertical planes. 2()

However, the thicker body portion 13 is provided at the rear of the body 11, in the region of the scoring area 30, by two additional layers 14 of plastics foam material.

In Figure 4, the target 40 is again in the form of a silhouette of a deer and is supplied with a scoring area 50 located over the virtual heart and lung region of the deer.

In Figure 5 a section of the body 21 of the target 40 is shown, which again comprises a plurality of vertical, laminar layers 22 of a plastics foam or other suitable expanded plastics material.

S However, in this embodiment, the target area 50 is in the form of a plug 50 comprising a body 23 and an annular rim 24. The body 23 and rim 24 of the plug 50 are also of laminated foam or expanded plastics material the same or similar to that of the remainder of the target body 21. Also, the target area plug 50 can be removed and replaced, when damaged or otherwise worn by prolonged use, with the body 23 and rim 24 fitting in respective recesses 25 and 26 in the target body 21. The plug 50' is removable by its being pushed out from behind the target body 21, when required to be replaced.

As indicated above, certain materials for the laminated layers 2, 12 and 22 of the target bodies 1, 11 and 21 described above in relation to the accompanying drawings, provide optimum arrow stopping and extraction performance, such materials including neoprene, polyvinylchloride/nitrile, polyethylene, polyester and polyether materials.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides a target capable of enhanced arrow retardation and arrow extraction, whilst also providing a lifelike, full-size target of an animal which is lightweight and easily stored and handled, as well as being made at reduced production costs.

Claims

1. A target comprising a laminated body including a plurality of generally vertical layers of plastics s foam material.

2. A target according to claim l, wherein the plastics foam material comprises neoprene, polyvinylchloride/nitrile, polyethylene, polyester or polyether material.

3. A target according to claim l or 2, wherein the layers of the laminated body vary in thickness.

4. A target according to claim 3, wherein the thicknesses of the layers are graduated, preferably in a main scoring area of the target.

5. A target according to any preceding claim, wherein a portion of the target, such as a bull region or other main scoring area, is removable for replacement by a new portion.

6. A target according to any preceding claim, wherein the body of the target is provided as a silhouette of a target animal, such as a deer.

7. A target according to any preceding claim, wherein Lhe preferred or main scoring area comprises additional layers of plastics foam. n

8. A target according to any preceding claim, wherein the front surface of the target body is of a colour which aids overprinting with, say, an animal silhouette and/or scoring area, either after or prior to forming the target in the shape of the silhouette of the animal in question.

9. A target according to any preceding claim, wherein the layers of the laminated body of the target have been, during manufacture, secured together by adhesive or a hot melt technique.

10. A target substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.