GB2488319A

GB2488319A - Weapon

Info

Publication number: GB2488319A
Application number: GB201103014A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Heikki Koivurova
Original assignee: SUOMEN BIATHLON Oy
Current assignee: SUOMEN BIATHLON Oy
Priority date: 2011-02-22
Filing date: 2011-02-22
Publication date: 2012-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2031-02-22
Also published as: GB201103014D0; GB2488319B

Abstract

A weapon for use in practice and competition shooting includes one or more frames (1), having an upper part (1 a), a lower part (1b), a right side, a left side, a rear part (1e), one or more butts (5) and one or more triggering devices (4). The weapon also includes weapon and display electronics (6a, 6b, 6ba).

Description

WEAPON

The invention relates to a weapon according to the preamble of claim 1.

s Recently at competition shooting events, the target and the shooter are often pictured at the same time. For instance, a television screen or a display at the competition site simultaneously shows two pictures: the shooter and the shooting target. This approach arises from the viewers' wish to simultaneously observe who the shooter is and how he/she succeeds in the shooting. Observing the shooting is particularly important for viewers of biathlon where penalty rounds are determined by misses.

One disadvantage of the above arrangement is that only one shooter can be observed at a time. At biathlon competitions there are often several shooters shooting at the same time. Whilst the viewers are interested in the success of their own favourite, the filming director will usually focus on the shooters who are leading the competition. This is a reason for the decreasing number of viewers at biathlon competitions, because viewers wishing to see less successful competitors will not attend live competitions. Due to the lower number of viewers, the income of promoters has decreased as the ticket receipts decrease.

When shooting with an electronic weapon, as recently adopted in competition and practice shooting, a separate display is required. The display is connected to the shooting target, typically by an electric cord. The display can be for example a computer or a display separately manufactured for shooting. The display is usually in its own rack beside the shooter. The shooting target has no direct connection to the weapon, the weapon is connected by an electric cord to the display or the computer.

One disadvantage of recent electronic shooting is indeed having that separate display or computer, which are expensive and awkward to transport to the shooting site. Furthermore, the cabling of the displays to the shooting target and the weapon includes many connectors causing disturbances. Also, connecting the cabling is slow work.

An object of this invention is that viewers watching shooting and shooters can observe hits and misses directly from the weapon. A further object is that, in a shooting competition, all shooters can shoot at the same target with the weapon communicating the hits. An additional object is to S make it possible to film only the shooter or shooters, in this way the camera technique becomes substantially simpler and cheaper.

The above disadvantages can be eliminated and the above objects achieved with a weapon according to the invention, which is characterised by what is stated in the characterising section of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The most important advantage of the present invention is that the shooter, and those observing the shooters, can see from the display element of the weapon if there was a hit or a miss. In this way the viewers are able to observe the results of all shooters during the competition. Furthermore when is filming with a camera, it is only necessary to film the shooter and his/her weapon, whereby several shooters can be filmed at the same time and shown on TV or some other display. Particularly, when shooting with an electronic weapon, the camera can film in front of the shooters and thus show several or all of the shooters in the same picture. An advantage of the present invention is also that no separate, expensive display and cabling are required. As a result the transport of competition gear is also easier and cheaper.

The weapon of the present invention has simple electronics, it includes weapon and display electronics, whereby the structure is reliable in use and inexpensive to manufacture. The weapon of the present invention has several different possibilities to show the shooting result by means of various functions of the display element or elements located in the weapon.

The shooting range of the weapon can be adjusted, the target size can be adjusted, different targets can be connected to different shootings e.g. in the so-called situational shooting. As the target patterns, it is possible to use the so-called normal' targets or alternatively figures, such as animals, an aeroplane, a combat vehicle, a good person, bad person etc. Furthermore, the weapon can be a rifle, a machine gun, a pistol, a bazooka etc. An additional advantage of the invention is that, in a shooting competition, all shooters can shoot at the same target, with the shooter's weapon communicating the hits. When using one target, the size of the shooting range decreases and the cabling becomes simpler. The result of the invented weapon can be conveyed via a radio or a cord to a result service or a desired site. It is evident that, by means of the weapon of the present invention, great cost savings are acquired in both practice and competition shooting.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures.

Fig.1 shows a perpendicular side view of a weapon according to the invention being a pistol.

Fig. 2 shows a perpendicular rear view of the weapon according to Fig. 1 i.e. seen from the shooting direction.

Fig. 3 shows a perpendicular side view of another weapon according to is the invention Fig. 4 shows a perpendicular rear view of the weapon according to Fig. 3.

The parts in the figures are designated as follows. A frame 1, which includes an upper part 1 a, a lower part 1 b, a right side 1 c, a left side 1 d, and a rear part le. A barrel 2. A trigger guard 3. A triggering device 4 being a trigger in the figure. A butt 5. The weapon includes weapon and display electronics; a display element 6, which includes a displayer 6a, a display 6b and a loudspeaker 6c. The display 6b includes a viewing surface 6ba, a joint element 6bb, a target pattern 6bc and a hit point 6bd. The weapon and display electronics are in the weapon frame, or directly attached to it.

The figures show an electronic weapon used in competition and practice shooting, and the weapon of the figures is a pistol. The weapon can also be a rifle or some other known weapon type. The invention is particularly intended for the use of an electronic weapon as it does not discharge bullets, whereby it is possible to film the shooting from the direction of the target.

The weapon of the present invention is by no means intended to be limited only to the above electronic weapon, because it is envisaged that it can also be employed in common so-called gunpowder and/or airguns.

Figs. 1-4 show that the weapon includes one or more display elements 6 for the shooter to see or hear the shooting result or feel it in his/her hand holding the weapon.

The display element 6 can operate for a limited time, e.g. such that a hit or a miss is visible for a predetermined time on the weapon display element 6. Another possibility is that there are several display elements 6 and they each show their own shots. In both cases, the viewers and judges can easily follow the shooting.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the display element 6 consists of one or more displayers 6a fastened or attached to the weapon, which is one or more light-generating elements, or an otherwise well visible is displayer 6a. The displayer 6a can be a light or some other equivalent, such as a LED light.

Figs. 1 and 2 show that both the right side 1 c and the left side 1 d of the weapon frame 1 include clearly protruding displayers 6a which are lights of hemispherical shape. There are five lights on both sides of the weapon in Figs. 1 and 2. The five displayers 6a of the weapon show hits e.g. in a biathlon competition.

Each displayer shows the hit of its own target e.g. with green light and misses with red. The displayers 6a depicted in Figs. 1 and 2 are well visible from different sides of the weapon as they are protruding.

Different from the figures, the display element 6 according to an embodiment of the invention may consist of one or more displayers fastened to the weapon that is one or more mechanical displayers. For example a visible part transferring with electricity or a part which vibrates the weapon, from which it is possible to observe if the shot was a hit or a miss. The mechanical part can have been coloured so as to be well visible. The vibration of the weapon can be arranged for example such that the weapon vibrates in case of a miss. By changing the vibration, it is possible to indicate the so-called clock position' of the shot, whereby the shooter knows to aim the next shot better.

According to an embodiment of the invention the display element 6 consists of one or more displayers 6a fastened to the weapon, which consist of several LEDs which form a colour-changing pattern. For example in the case of a hit the colour is green and in the case of a miss the colour is red.

Fig. 3 shows the displayers 6a installed around the barrel 2 of the weapon, which can be manufactured of LED lights or of light-conducting material.

Fig. 2 shows that the display element 6 consists of one or more devices fastened to the weapon giving a sound signal, such a loudspeaker 6c. In Fig. 2, the loudspeaker 6c is located on the side of the shooter in the rear part le of the weapon frame 1, whereby the shooter is well able to hear the message coming from the loudspeaker 6c. The sound message of the loudspeaker 6c can be for example hit, miss or notice on the hit position, e.g. a number.

Figs. 3 and 4 show that the display element 6 consists of one or more displays 6b fastened to the weapon. In the figures, the display 6b is on the left side id of the weapon, but its location can be in some other position on the weapon.

According to an advantageous structural arrangement, the display 6b is a liquid crystal display or equivalent, for example a rotatable or fixed display used in digital cameras. Fig. 4 shows that one or more viewing surfaces 6ba of the display 6b show one or more target patterns 6bc of which shot hit points 6bd are visible. Figs. 3 and 4 show that the display 6b is rotatably attached to the weapon with one or more joint elements 6bb.

According to an advantageous structural arrangement, the display rotates within the weapon frame 1, whereby it is protected during transport.

As invented, the display element 6 consists of the displayer 6a and/or the display 6b and/or the loudspeaker 6c. That is, the weapon can include several different display elements 6.

When using several weapons in shooting, it is envisaged that each weapon has its own weapon and display electronics, for which there are available one or more display elements in each weapon to see, hear or feel the shooting result of the weapon in question. Then, it is possible to shoot with several weapons at one target.

The weapon of the present invention can be manufactured with methods and machines known in weapon manufacturing, of materials known to be used in weapons.

It is evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited solely to the alternatives described above, but many modifications are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the enclosed claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A weapon for use in practice and competition shooting, which weapon includes one or more frames (1), which frame (1), has an upper part (la), a lower part (ib), a right side (ic), a left side (id), a rear part (le), one or more butts (5) and one or more triggering devices (4), characterised in that the weapon includes weapon and display electronics.
2. A weapon according to claims 1, characterised in that the weapon and display electronics are in the weapon frame (1) or directly attached to it.
3. A weapon according to claim 1, characterised in that each weapon has its own weapon and display electronics, for which weapon and display electronics there are available one or more display elements (6) in each Is weapon to see, hear or feel the shooting result, whereby it is possible to shoot with several weapons at one target.
4. A weapon according to claim 3, characterised in that the display element (6) consists of one or more displayers (6a) fastened to the weapon, which is one or more light-generating elements, such as a light or a LED light.
5. A weapon according to claim 3, characterised in that the display element (6) consists of one or more displayers fastened to the weapon, which is one or more mechanical displayers, such as a visible part transferring by electricity or a part vibrating the weapon, from which it is possible to observe if the shot was a hit or a miss.
6. A weapon according to claim 3, characterised in that the display element (6) consists of one or more devices giving a sound signal fastened to the weapon, such as a loud speaker (6c).
7. A weapon according to claim 3, characterised in that the display element (6) consists of one or more displays (6b) fastened to the weapon.
8. A weapon according to claim 7, characterised in that one or more viewing surfaces (6ba) of the display (6b) show one or more target patterns (6bc) from which shot hit points (6bd) are visible.
9. A weapon according to claim 7, characterised in that the display (6b) is rotatably fastened to the weapon with one or more joint elements (6bb).
10. A weapon according to any one of claims 1-9, characterised in that the display element (6) consists of the displayer (6a) and/or the display (6b) and/or the loudspeaker (6c).
11. A weapon for use in practice and competition shooting, substantially as described, with reference to the drawings, herein before.