Locker dart game system

Abstract

Magnetic locker darts with a grip region of length equal to the width of a human thumb provide throwing accuracy while minimizing contact with other locker contents. The target is a decal that can be attached to the inside of a metal locker door or other metal appliance.

1 .A dart comprising: 
 a) a magnet;    b) a nose section containing 
 i) a tip retainer having a first diameter and a hollow portion containing the magnet;  
 ii) nose barrel having a second diameter less than the first diameter, and  
 iii) a nose taper running from the first diameter adjacent to the tip retainer to the second diameter adjacent to the nose barrel;  
   c) a barrel, having an axis, a tip end within the nose barrel of the nose section and a tail end;    d) a plurality of fins attached to the tail end of the barrel, the fins having a first section closest to the tip end of the barrel, the first section extending from the barrel to a radial distance from the barrel axis equivalent to one half of the first diameter;    wherein a grip section is defined between the nose taper to the first portion of the fins; and    wherein the length of the grip section is approximately 22 millimeters.    
   
   
       2 . The dart of claim  1 , wherein the magnet is a rare-earth magnet.  
   
   
       3 . The dart of  claim 2 , wherein the overall length of the dart is approximately 59 millimeters.  
   
   
       4 . The dart of  claim 3 , wherein the ratio of the overall length of the dart to the length of the grip section is between 2:1 and 3:1.  
   
   
       5 . The dart of claim  1 , wherein the magnet is a rare-earth magnet in the form of a right circular cylinder having an axis coincident with the axis of the barrel.  
   
   
       6 . The dart of claim  1 , wherein the first diameter is approximately 11 millimeters and the second diameter is approximately 7 millimeters.  
   
   
       7 . The dart of claim  1 , wherein the grip section is between 20 millimeters and 24 millimeters.  
   
   
       8 . A magnetic dart, comprising: 
 a) a dart axis;    b) a rare-earth magnet in the form of a right circular cylinder having an axis coincident with the dart axis and a diameter of between 6 and 12 mm;    c) a radially symmetrical one-piece metal nose section divided proceeding tail-ward into a tip retainer, a nose taper, and a nose barrel, wherein the magnet is held and partially enclosed by the retainer, and the nose barrel is hollow, and wherein the length of the nose section is between 16 and 22 mm;    d) a one-piece plastic tail section having a length between 33 and 45 mm, comprising an axially symmetrical and essentially solid stem and 4 radial fins equally spaced azimuthally, wherein the stem is divided proceeding tail-ward into a tail barrel segment that is partially inserted into the nose barrel segment and an essentially conical tail barrel taper, and each fin is divided proceeding tail-ward into a fin expansion segment, a fin mid-segment, and a fin contraction segment; and    e) a grip region having a length between 16 and 29 mm including the nose taper, the nose barrel, and the portion of the tail section that is tip-ward of the fin mid-segment.    
   
   
       9 . A magnetic dart game system, comprising: 
 a) a dart having a blunt magnetic tip and a grip area, the overall length of the dart being less than 71 mm and ratio of the length of the grip area to the overall length of the dart being between approximately 1:2 and 1:3; and    b) a target containing essentially no ferromagnetic material; and    c) a surface of a locker made essentially of ferromagnetic material, to which the target adheres so as to allow the target and the locker surface to receive and retain the dart.    
   
   
       10 . The magnetic dart game system of  claim 9 , wherein the target is a printed plastic decal that adheres to the locker surface by static electricity.  
   
   
       11 . The magnetic dart game system of  claim 9 , wherein the target is a printed plastic decal that adheres to the locker surface by an adhesive.  
   
   
       12 . The magnetic dart game system of  claim 9 , wherein the dart and the target are sold in a package that contains no ferromagnetic material to which the target could be attached to receive and retain the dart.