GB2471337A - Dartboard Mount - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for attaching and positioning a dartboard on a wall or in a dartboard cabinet, comprises a backplate 200 for attaching to the rear surface of the dartboard 100 and a wall mount 300 for attaching to the wall. Magnets are distributed in a circular configuration on either the backplate 200 or the wall mount 300 to enable the dartboard 100 to be attached to the wall and to enable indexed rotational positioning of the dartboard 100 on the wall so that the dartboard 100 can be rotated when certain sectors get too worn by use.

Description

Dartboard Mount The present invention relates to apparatus for attaching and positioning a dartboard on a wall or within a dartboard cabinet. In particular it relates to apparatus which enables indexed rotational positioning of a dart board on a wall.

Darts is a well known and popular game in which aerodynamic projectiles (the darts) are thrown at a circular target (the dart board) and in which the points scored depend on the area on the darthoard on which the dart becomes embedded. Each dart usually comprises a shaft (or "body") having a sharpened point at one end for embedding in the dartboard and a flight or flight assembly consisting of a flight inserted into a shaft element at the other end to enable the dart to fly through the air towards the dartboard when thrown by the player.

Other types of darts exist such as darts with suckers or magnetic ends instead of points but these are less common.

The standard dartboard 100 (as shown in Figure 1) comprises a circular backboard 10 which is divided into twenty sectors by a framework of thin wires (known as a "spider" 20) emanating radially from the centre of the board to create a circular scoring area. Spider 20 may be constructed and affixed in a number of ways e.g. constructed of wires formed in circles and spokes or welded to form a single piece and then affixed either by the pre-formed spikes on the spider being driven into the dartboard surface, or more commonly by a spider without spikes being affixed by a plurality of staples driven into the board.

Alternatively the spider may be constructed of steel strips which may be pre-welded and the whole driven into the board or even individual elements can be driven into the board to form the spider. Both these latter are staple-free spiders which, whilst more expensive have the merit of providing minimal obstruction to the darts entering the board.

Better quality dartboards (such as that shown in Figure 1) have numbers formed on a wire number ring 30 which is held by a plurality of clips (usually four clips), evenly disposed around the perimeter of the board so that the ring may be readily removed and repositioned. The numbers 1-20 are distributed on number ring 30 around the circumference of backboard 10 with each number being aligned with a sector to indicate the score awarded when a dart lands in that sector. The highest scoring sector (the twenty sector) is at the top of the dartboard (i.e. at 12 o'clock if the dartboard were a clock).

The sectors are alternately coloured dark 40 or light 50 in order that they can better be distinguished and the convention is that the twenty sector is coloured dark. A series of circumferential wires on spider 20 (double ring 60 and triple ring 70) sub-divide sectors 40, 50 to create higher scoring areas, and smaller wire rings at the centre of spider 20 form the bull 80 and bull's eye 90.

Backboard 10 is formed of a material into which the point of a thrown dart can be embedded in order to score points. Better quality boards are formed of a natural fibre called "sisal", although other materials such as coiled paper may be used for cheaper boards. The wire spider is itself embedded into or laid over the board in order to form the scoring areas. Commonly, the dartboard is mounted in a dartboard cabinet which may have a scoreboard and/or doors for hiding the dartboard away when not in use.

It will be appreciated that darts players will aim for the higher scoring areas more often than they aim for the lower scoring areas and that the better the player, the more often the darts will become embedded in the higher scoring areas. This has the effect that the higher scoring areas of the dartboard (such as the sector scoring twenty points) become worn out more quickly than the lower scoring areas, particularly in the case of a dartboard used by professional darts players.

It is therefore advantageous to be able to remove the wire number ring, rotate the backboard, and replace the number ring such that a different (less worn) part of the board underlies the higher scoring areas.

The rotational symmetry of a dartboard and the nature of the game is such that the following rules must be observed if a dartboard is to be modified in the described manner: (i) The minimum angle through which the board can be rotated is 36° (that is, one tenth of a full 360° rotation) in order that board still has dark sectors at 12 and 6 o'clock (although amateur players at home might not object to having the light sectors at 12 and 6 o'clock).

(ii) The height of the dartboard above the floor cannot change; and (iii) The number ring must be replaced so that the "20" sector is at 12 o'clock on the dartboard.

It will be appreciated that the dartboard can be rotated through an angle which is an integral multiple of 36°, but notaftactionof36because_othenyisethebo&dwjJlno _____ aligned with dark sectors at 12 and 6 o'clock. This is referred to herein as "indexed rotational positioning".

There are a number of prior art devices which have sought to provide such indexed rotational positioning: 1. A conventional way to hang a dartboard on a wall is to embed a screw in the rear surface of the board and to attach a bracket to the wall with a slot for accepting the screw.

Provided the fit of the screw into the slot is sufficiently loose, the board can be rotated after it has been mounted on the bracket. However, there are a number of problems with this design. First, it is difficult to mount the dartboard on the wall because the dartboard obscures the bracket during the mounting process. Secondly, a loose fitting screw (either in the board or in the slot) can result in the dartboard rotating during the game. Thirdly, the rotational movement is not indexed and so it can be difficult to align the coloured sectors Of the board correctly.

2. In an attempt to address some of these problems, a bracket has been developed with a polygonal recess for accepting a polygonal (for example, 1 0-sided) mount which can be attached.to the back of a dartboard. Thus, in order to rotate a dartboard having this mounting system, it is lifted vertically out of the slot, rotated through an integral multiple of 36°, and then reinstalled in the slot. Thissolves the indexing problem but it is still extremely difficult to align the mount and the slot because both are obscured by the dartboard. In addition, for practical reasons the bracket has to be quite large to provide stability to the dartboard and thus the space needed to disengage the board to allow rotation is not available within a conventional size dartboard cabinet.

3. A rotational indexing mounting device has been developed in which the dartboard mount has a ratchet-type mechanism consisting of a plate having ten holes distributed around a circumference and a corresponding plate having ten pins for locating in the holes.

The pins can be disengaged from the holes by pushing the dartboard towards the wall to compress a spring in the mounting device, rotating the board and then releasing it to reengage the pins in the holes. However, this system is fairly complex and expensive to manufacture and has the practical disadvantage that the dartboard "gives" during play (that is, is liable to move towards the wall), particularly once the spring is worn.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for attaching and positioning a dartboard on a wall or in a dartboard cabinet, comprising: (a) a backplate for attaching to the rear surface of the dartboard; and (b) a wall mount for attaching to the wall, one of the backplate and wall mount having a first plurality of sites for attaching magnetically to at least one site on the other of the backplate and wall mount when said sites are aligned, the first plurality of sites being distributed on a circumference or circumferences of one or more notional circles on the back plate or the wall mount, whereby alignment of said sites enables indexed rotational positioning of the dartboard on the wall.

By way of example only, the apparatus could have a single magnet positioned at 12 o'clock on the wall mount. The backpLate could then be made of a magnetic material such as a steel pressing notched with 10 notches at 36° displacements such that each notch would clear the fixed wall mount magnet and the spaces, or teeth-like parts of the steel backplate would each cover the magnet and thus be capable of being attracted by the magnet. This arrangement would allow indexed rotational positioning but would be inexpensive to make.

In an alternative embodiment, said at least one site on the other of the backplate and wall mount comprises a second plurality of sites which is distributed on a circumference or circumferences of one or more notional circles on the other of the back plate or the wall mount. Thus, the backplate and the wall mount may have (preferably) an equal number of sites in a configuration to allow said sites to be attracted magnetically when the backplate and wall mount are suitably aligned.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the back plate and the wall mount each have ten sites thereon, as this enables the backplate to be rotated by 36° intervals relative to the wall mount. The simplest arrangement is for the sites in each case to be distributed around the circumference of a single notional circle on the wall mount and backplate respectively, but other patterns are possible. For example, the sites could be distributed around a notional outer circle (with the sites at 72°) and a notional inner circle (with the sites at the 36° sub-division of the outer circle sites). There could even be fewer than ten sites in each case; to reduce cost for example there could be only five sites enabling 72° rotation which, due to the disposition of the numbers round the board, would allow the rotation of more-used segments to lesser-used segments.

In a preferred embodiment, either the first plurality of sites or said at least one site or both are in the form of discrete points on the backplate and/or the wall mount. For example, such points could be formed from embedded magnets on the back-plate and steel on the wall mount. In an alternative embodiment however, either the first plurality of sites or said at least one site or both are formed by a plurality of radial lines on the radii of said notional circles on the backplate and/or the wall mount (resulting in a starburst' pattern).

The wall mount preferably also includes a support (such as a ledge or shelf) for supporting the backplate in use. This may be curved to accept a similarly curved part of the backplate.

The simplest arrangement is for the back plate and wall mount to be circular with similar diameters, and to provide a support which is curved to the same diameter (or at least not to a smaller diameter) as the wall mount and back plate.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus as defined above in combination with a darthoard.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for attaching and positioning a dartboard on a wall, comprising providing apparatus as defined above, attaching the wall mount to the wall, placing the dartboard on the wall so that the backplate and waIl mount are aligned, and optionally rotating the dartboard until the magnetic sites and the receptor sites are aligned.

A number of preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be illustrated, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of the front of a conventional dartboard; Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a wall mount in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a backplate in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 shows a number of views of a support shelf for the wall mount of Figure 2; and Figure 5 shows a cut-away view of the assembled apparatus of the present invention attached to a dartboard.

The configuration of a conventional dartboard as shown in Figure 1 has already been described above.

Turning to Figure 2, backplate 200 is formed of cast aluminium and comprises circular base unit 210 (having a diameter of 230mm) having central mounting hole 250 for screwing backplate 200 into the rear surface of dartboard 100. Backplate 200 has 10 holes therein distributed around circumferential ring 220 with the holes being spaced evenly at intervals of 36°, and each of these holes has a magnet 240 inserted therein so that the outer surface of each magnet 240 is flush with the outer surface of circumferential ring 220.

The underside of circumferential ring 220 forms a lip 260 which can be fitted into a ledge on the wall mount (described below).

Turning to Figure 3, wall mount 300 is formed of cast aluminium and comprises circular base unit 310 (having a diameter of 230mm) having central mounting hole 350 for screwing wall mount 300 into the wall. Wall mount 300 has 10 holes therein distributed --around circumferential ring 320 with the holes being-spaced evenly at intervals of 36°, and.

each of these holes has a magnet 340 inserted therein so that the outer surface of each magnet 340 is flush with the outer surface of circumferential ring 320. Screw holes 360 * are formed in wall mount 300 for attaching ledge 400 (not shown).

Figure 4 shows a number of views of curved ledge 400 for attaching to wall mount 300 (not shown). It can be seen that ledge 400 has back wall 410 and front wall 420 forming a channel for accepting lip 260 of backplate 200. In cross section, ledge 400 is U-shaped * although man alternative embodiment it could be H-shaped. Back wall 410 has two screw holes 430 formed therein for aligning with screw holes 360 on wall mount 300.

In use, backplate 200 is attached to the rear surface of dartboard 100 with central mounting hole 250 being as close as possible to the centre of dartboard 100 which is already supplied with the centre spot marked to facilitate alignment. In the first instance, backplate 200 should be attached so as to allow some relative rotation between backplate 200 and dartboard 100, for reasons which will be explained below.

Wall mount 300 is then attached to the appropriate place on the wall or inside a dartboard cabinet if required by means of a screw inserted through attachment hole 350. Wall mount 300 should be rotated until ledge 400 is atthe 6 o'clock position and then attached firmly to the wall using one or more of the fixing holes 350 to prevent rotation relative to the wall. * -In order to mount dartboard 100 on the wall, it is first necessary to fit lip 260 (on backplate 200) into the upper channel of ledge 400 (on wall mount 300). This can be done relatively easily because the relatively large dimensions and tolerances of lip 260 and ledge-400. In * * practice, it is easiest to angle the top of dartboard 100 towards the user so that the bottom is angled towards the wall. Dartboard 100 can then be lowered so as to engage lip 260 in the upper channel of ledge 400 and once this has been done the top of dartboard 100 can be moved towards the wall in order to bring into contact the outer surfaces of backplate 200 and wall mount 300.

Lip 260 on baseplate 200 co-operates with ledge 400 on wall mount 300 to provide easy first location of dartboard 100 on the wall or in a dartboard cabinet and provides a fail-safe' lest the magnetic attraction should for any reason fail thus preventing dartboard 100 from falling off the wall. Ledge 400 provides additional support to the dartboard which means that the magnets do not have to be so strong.

It will be appreciated that circumferential ring 220 of backplate 200 and circumferential ring 320 of wall mount 300 have the same diameter and that lip 260 and ledge 400 are arranged such that when they are engaged circumferential ring 220 and circumferential ring 320 are in alignment. Thus, dartboard 100 can be rotated in order to rotate backplate 200 relative to wall mount 300 until magnets 240 come into alignment with magnets 340 and are attracted thereto. This locks backplate 200 and wall mount 300 together, at which point dartboard 100 can continue to be rotated (because of the relatively loose initial attachment of backplate 200 to dartboard 100) until the "20" sector on dartboard 100 is at the 12 o'clock position. Dartboard 100 can then be carefully removed from the wall by pulling it away from the wall in order to disengage magnets 240 and magnets 340 (taking care not to rotate dartboard 100 relative to backplate 200) and at this point the screw through mounting hole 250 can be tightened in order to prevent any further relative rotation of dartboard 100 and backplate 200. One or more additional screws can then be inserted into the back of dartboard 100 using holes 230 to fix backplate 200 immovably to dartboard 100.

It is now possible to mount dartboard 100 on the wall simply by fitting lip 260 into the upper channel of ledge 400, flattening dartboard 100 against the wall in order to bring backplate 200 and wall mount 300 into contact, and then rotating dartboard 100 until the 20 sector is at the 12 o'clock position, at which point the magnets 240 and 340 will be in alignment and will attract one another in order to attach dartboard 100 to the wall.

It will be appreciated that it is now possible to rotate dartboard 100 relative to the wall by a series of 36° turns, by disengaging magnets 240 and magnets 340 and then bringing them into alignment again with the next magnet around circumferential rings 220 and 320.

Thus, when a particular sector (for example the "20" sector) becomes relatively worn after an extended period of play, this can be addressed by removing number ring 30 and reaffixing it so that the number "20" is aligned with a less worn dark sector 40 of the board. Dartboard 100 can then be gripped at its top and angled forward where it will be retained by the channel of ledge 400 and become disengaged from the attraction of magnets 240 and 340. Dartboard 100 may then be rotated so that a less worn sector is at the 12 o'clock position. Dartboard 100 can then be flattened against the wall at which point the magnets 240 and 340 will be in alignment and will attract one another in order to attach dartboard 100 firmly to the wall.

Claims (14)

1. CLAIMS1. Apparatus for attaching and positioning a dartboard on a wall or in a dartboard cabinet, comprising: (a) a backplate for attaching to the rear surface of the dartboard; and (b) a wall mount for attaching to the wall, one of the backplate and wall mount having a first plurality of sites for attaching magnetically to at least one site on the other of the backplate and wall mount when said sites are aligned, the first plurality of sites being distributed on a circumference or circumferences of one or more notional circles on the back plate or the wall mount, whereby alignment of said sites enables indexed rotational positioning of the darthoard on the wall.
2. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one site on the other of the backplate and wall mount comprises a second plurality of sites which is distributed on a circumference or circumferences of one or more notional circles on the other of the back plate or the wall mount.
3. 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein there are ten sites in the second plurality of sites.
4. 4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there are ten sites in the first plurality of sites.
5. 5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein either the first plurality of sites or said at least one site or both are in the form of discrete points on the backplate and/or the wall mount.
6. 6. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims I to 4, wherein either the first plurality of sites or said at least one site or both are formed by a plurality of radial lines on the radii of said notional circles on the backplate and/or the wall mount.
7. 7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the wall mount additionally comprises a support for supporting the backplate.
8. 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the support is curved about-the centre of said notional circles.
9. 9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, additionally comprising at least one clamp to additionally secure a dartboard to the wall.
10. 10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, additionally comprising a dartboard.
11. 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the backplate is attached to the rear surface of the dartboard.
12. 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein the dartboard has numbers which are movable relative to scoring sectors of the dartboard.
13. 13. A method for attaching and positioning a dartboard on a wall, comprising providing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, attaching the wailmount to the wall, placing the dartboard on the wall so that the backplate and wall mount are aligned, and optionally rotating the dartboard until the magnetic sites and the receptor sites are aligned..
14. 14. Apparatus for attaching and positioning a dartboard on a wall or in a dartboard cabinet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.