WO1983002563A1

WO1983002563A1 - A device for indicating the current score when participating in sport

Info

Publication number: WO1983002563A1
Application number: PCT/SE1983/000021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bengt Petersson
Original assignee: Bengt Petersson
Priority date: 1982-01-26
Filing date: 1983-01-26
Publication date: 1983-08-04
Also published as: GB2132904A; GB8403759D0; DE3328933T1; GB2132904B; SE446504B; SE8200399L; EP0112834A1

Abstract

A counting device to indicate a current score and intended to be worn by an individual participating in a sport. The device comprises annular indicator organs (1, 2) provided with symbols (5) to indicate the score and an organ (7) with a read-off point (15). The indicator organs can be moved in relation to the read-off point so that different symbols can be advanced to that position. The main part of the device consists of soft, flexible material, preferably being some form of textile material. The device thus forms a soft, flexible, annular loop having a circumference such that it may be worn around the wrist, for example.

Description

Title:

A device for indicating the current score when participating in sport

Technical field:

The present invention relates to devices for indicating the current score when participating in sport.

Participation in a wide range of sports and other physical activities requires scoring of different forms, usually the scoring of points in competitive sports such as racket sports, or the counting of laps when running or jogging and similar. A need has been identified for access to an aid to keep the scores up to date, for example in tennis where the scoring system is quite compl cated.

Background:

The aforementioned need has previously been noted, and various types of instrument have been introduced for use in connection with sport. Instruments have been introduced which were mounted on an item of sporting equipment, such as a golf club. This was found to be unsuitable, however, since the instrument influences the use of the item of sports equipment in an unfavourable fashion and is also easily damaged. Furthermore, items of sports equipment are not always used. Instruments have also been introduced which were designed to be worn by the sportsman or sportswoman. In this case the instruments resembled a wrist watch or pocket watch.

Technical problem:

The last-mentioned embodiment may be found to be acceptable in certain circumstances, although in other circumstances, especially when participating in energetic sports, the wearing of such an instrument may be inconvenient. Instruments of this kind have thus enjoyed very Limited use in connection with sports such as tennis, squash and other activities which demand a high level of physical condition. The solution: ^*

In an attempt to produce a counting device which^' can be worn without discomfort even when participating in an energetic sport, the counting device in accordance with the present invention has been executed in a soft, flexible material, preferably being a textile material. The main part of the device is executed in this material, and there are no true instrument component parts. The material is used to produce an annular loop having a c rcumference such that it may be worn around part of the body, preferably around the wrist;.

Advantages:

The device in accordance with the invention thus has the character of an item of clothing and entirely lacks the hard body which represents at least part of prioi—art devices. By avoiding additional weight and impacts from rapid movements of the body in this way, the result is a counting device which is comfortable to wear during all kinds of physical exercise.

Brief description of drawings:

The invention is described below on the basis of two typical embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows the device in accordance with the invention in perspective view as a first embodiment; Fig. 2 shows the device in accordance with the invention as a second embodiment; and Fig. 3 shows the device in accordance with the first embodiment as a section passing centrally through a band included in the device.

Best mode σf carrying out the invention:

As may be appreciated from the first embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the device in accordance with the invention is composed of indicator bands 1, 2 which are two in nur.ber in the examples shown, together with read-off positions 3, 4 which are also two in number. The indicator bands 1, 2 exhibit in sequence a number of indications 5 , intended to indicate to a sportsman or sportswoman the current score, such as the points

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OMPI position or similar information. The indicator device is designed to be worn by the individual parti ipating in the sport, whose arm 27 and hand 6 are shown in Fig. 1 as Lines made up of dots and dashes. The indicator device comprises a band holder 7 which is essentially annular in form and is designed to enclose the participant's arm 5 or, more precisely in the case of the example shown here, the participant's wrist. The band holder 7 may with advantage be executed in a soft, moisture-absorbent material, such as terry towelling or some other soft textile material, enabling it to serve at the same time as a sweat-band for the purpose of collecting perspiration and allowing perspiration to be wiped off on the outside of the band holder 7 .^'

As illustrated in the diagrammatic cross-section in accordance with Fig. 3, the band holder 7 is double-layered and is executed with a backing layer 8 designed to make close contact with the wrist and to form a basis for the two indicator bands 1 , together with a covering layer 9 designed to cover the indicator bands 1, 2 over a Large part of their circumference. As may be seen from the Figures, the bands are executed in the form of two endless loops and are made from an easily flexible material, for example an elasticated textile material such as elasticated tape. The indicator bands 1, 2 also extend at the associated indication point 3, 4 into and below the covering layer 1 through a first opening 10 and then continue between the two layers in a channel 11 , after which they emerge from the channel through a second opening 12 and are exposed as far as the indication points 3, 4 . The indicator points 1, 2 thus run in their own channel 11 which is separate from the others, said separation being provided by means of a central, annular seam 13 passing through the two layers 8, 9 making up the band holder 7 . The channels 11 are naturally closed along their outer edges, i.e. along the outer edges of the band holder 7 , either by making the the band holder 7 from material in the form of a Loop or by making it from material which is folded double and sewn along one of its long edges 14 .

The read-off points 3, 4 are executed in the form of a piece of flexible material bridging the two indicator bands 1, 2 , for example a textile material, leather or imitation leather. The read-off points 3, 4 may with advantage be executed in a rather more dimensionally stable manner than the rest of the device and may be provided each with its own read-off window 15 , which may with advantage be kept relatively dimensionally stable so as to facilitate reading the figures. The bridging piece is attached to the band holder 7 partly along its outer edges 16, 17 and partly along a seam 18 which defines the limit of the two read-off points. This seam 18 may with advantage be common with the seam 13 .

In the embodiment in accordance with Fig. 2, the indicator bands 19, 20 are the same as in the first embodiment, although the band holder is absent. In this case the read-off points 21, 22 are executed with a backing component 23 permitting the band to pass through the read-off points 21, 22 between the bridging piece 24 and the backing component 23 . Thus, in the second embodiment, the indicator bands 19, 20 are designed to be in direct contact with the wrist and as such must serve as the retaining organs and should preferably be elasticated so as to hold the device firm, and at the same time permitting one or two fingers of the hand to be inserted beneath the indicator band in the event of it requiring to be moved. The indicator band should exhibit relatively Low friction to the wrist and to the inner surfaces of the read-off points 21, 22 at the same time as the backing component 23 for the read-off points should exhibit greater friction on its surface facing the wrist so as to prevent the read-off points from being displaced when the device is in use.

Both of the embodiments described above are intended for use in connection with tennis in particular, this being determined by the selected indications 5, 25 appearing on the indicator bands 1, 2, 19, 20 . Thus, the following lists of indications could be selected for the indicator bands: Band I Band II

0 0

15 15

30 30

40 40

F F

0 0

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 8

9 9

One of the indicator bands 1, 19 is thus intended to show the position for one of the players, whereas the indicator band

2, 20 is intended to show the position for the other player, with the information being read, at each read-off point 3, 4, 21,

22 through the window 15 . Thus, the indication shown can be changed by imparting movement to displace each of the indicator bands in turn.. By imparting different relative movement to the two indicator bands, different indications may be displayed for the respective players, depending on the number of points scored.

The first group of indications 5, 25 from 0 - F shows the points position for the respective players in each game, whilst the following series of numbers from 1 - 9 relates to the points position in a so-called tie-break situation. This consecutive series of numbers may also be used to indicate the position reached in a game or set. However, this would require more than one indicator device per player, or else a design having a larger number of bands would have to be chosen if it were wished to keep abreast of more than just one or other of the alternative positions. As mentioned above, the indicator bands 1, 2 in the first embodiment are exposed over only a certain distance on the circumference of the band. This distance is thus the distance between the opening 12 in the channel 11 and one of the transverse edges 26 of the read-off points 3, 4 . It is preferable if this distance can be selected so as to assist in providing a simple indication of the necessary displacement of the band when changing from one position to another in a single step. The band in question is gripped close to the opening 12 by the thumb of one hand and by one or two fingers, and the band is then moved until the fingers make contact with the transverse edge 26 of the read-off points 3, 4 . This movement is greater than the division of the indications 5 due to the fact that account has been taken of elasticity in the indicator band 1, 2. In this way the numbers displayed can be changed without the need to look closely at the indication so as to ensure that it appears- at the centre ofthe display window 17, and the movement can be executed rapidly and simply after each ball has been played, possibly casting a rapid glance at the window 17 . In the embodiment in accordance with Figs. 1 and 3, the gripping action is made easier by executing the band holder 7 preferably in a relatively thick, deformable material which will yield when a finger is to be inserted beneath the band in question. In the embodiment in accordance with Fig. 2, a finger may be inserted easily beneath the band thanks to the give of the skin.

The indicator device in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for those applications in which the participant in the sport is wearing relatively tight-fitting clothing and requires complete freedom to move quickly without being weighed down by cumbersome accessories. The indicator device is thus executed in accordance with the invention in a light and comfortable material, preferably of the same nature as the other clothing being worn by the participant, for example some form of textile material, making the device particularly robust and sensitive.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments described

above and illustrated in the drawings, but may be modified within the context of the following Patent Claims. For example, the indicator device may easily be modified for use in other sports, in particular those sports having two players or teams, such as badminton or squash. In this case the indications are changed for indications of a kind which are specially suited to the sport in question. It is also conceivable for the device to be used by runners, joggers or similar athletes for the purpose of counting Laps. The device could also be used in other sports, such as golf, to keep the points position up to date.

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Claims

Patent Claims:

1. A device intended to be worn by an individual participating in sport, athletics or some other physical activity and to be used to indicate the current score or similar information, comprising a number of annular indicator organs (1, 2/19, 20) provided with a number of symbols* (5/25⁾ for indicating said score and an organ (7/21, 22) having at Least one read-off point (3, 4/24) for the indicator organs and connected to them so that they may be moved in relation to the read-off point so that different symbols can be advanced to that position, c h a r a c ¬ t r i z e d in that the main part of the device, which may be formed by the indicator organs (1, 2/19, 20) or by the read-off organ (3, 4/21, 22) or by the two organs together, consists of a soft, flexible material, preferably being some form of textile material, so that the device forms a soft, flexible , annular loop having a circumference such that it may be worn around some part of the body, preferably around the wrist.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the indicator organs (19, 20) constitute the main, part of the device and in that the read-off organ (21, 22) is in the form of a ring which extends all the way over the indicator organs and encloses them and exhibits at least one read-off window.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the read-off organ (7) is executed in the form of an annular organ which, Like the indicator organs (1, 2) is designed to extend all the way around said part of the body and is provided with a backing layer (8), which forms a base for the indicator organs (1, 2) and is designed to face inwards towards the part of the body, and with a covering layer (9) which is joined to the backing layer to the side of the indicator organs, so that between the backing layer and the covering layer is formed one channeL (11) for each of the indicator organs, through which they extend, and which exhibits the read-off positions preferably in the form of windows (15), whereby both the annular read-off organ and the annular indicator organs are executed in the form of strips of the soft, flexible material.

O.'.-PI 4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said channel (11) for each indicator organ ⁽1, 2⁾ exhibits at the associated read-off point (3,

4) a first opening (10) through which the indicator organ enters and a second opening (12) located at a certain distance from the read-off point through which the indicator organ exits, such that the indicator organ is exposed over a certain distance between said second open.ing and the read-off point. ^•

5. A device as claimed in Claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said distance, over which each indicator organ (1, 2) is exposed, is so arranged having regard for the elasticity of the indicator organ that a means for advancing the organ for the purpose of changing the indicated score is provided by gripping the indicator organ with the hand at said second opening and by imparting movement to it until contact is made with the bridging part of the read-off point (3, 4).

6. A device as claimed in Claim 5 for use in racket sports or similar, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the read-off organ (7) is executed in a soft, moisture-absorbent material which also serves as a sweat-band, in that the indicator organs (1, 2), the channels (11) and the read-off points (3, 4) are two in number, and in that the read-off points are in the form of a piece common to both indicator organs, which is attached to the read-off organ by means of stitching both on the outside of the indicator organs and between the indicator organs, in that the indicator organs are located side by side on one and the same read-off organ, in that the indicator organs are executed in an elasticated material, and in that the channels are limited in relation to each other by means of a central seam running all the way round between the two layers of the read-off organ.

7. A device as claimed in Claim 6 for use in conjunction with the game of tennis, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that one of the indicator organs (1/ 19) displays the points, game or set position of one of the players and the other indicator organ (2/ 20) displays the corresponding position of the other player, and in that the indications displayed on each indicator organ (5/ 25) show in sequence initially each points position 0, 15, 30 ... followed by a continuous numerical sequence, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... , representing either tie-break points or game or set position for each player.

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