Sports shooting target and corresponding launching device and apparatuses

Abstract

A launching device for launching a sports shooting target made of a biodegradable material includes a launching head configured such that a hub portion of the target can be positioned on the launching head. The launching head includes a plurality of pivotally mounted retaining, claw members that are configured to be able to pivot between a first state, in which the claw members retain the hub portion of the target to the launching head and a second state, in which the claw members release the hub portion of the target from the launching head, where the device is provided with a longitudinally displaceable shaft or rod that is functionally connected to the claw members such that a longitudinal displacement (B, D) of the shaft results in said pivotal movement of the claw members. Launching head rotating means is configured to rotate the launching head and to accelerate the launching head from substantially zero rotational speed to a maximum rotational speed, at which maximum rotational speed of the launching head, the hub portion of the target is released from the launching head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A launching device for launching a sports shooting target made of a biodegradable material, the target having a rotational axis (z) and attachment means configured for releasable attachment of the target to a launching head of a launching device, where the target is provided with trajectory stabilizing means that are configured to stabilize the trajectory of the target by gyro effect caused by rotation about said rotational axis (z) which stabilizing means further function as propelling means that cause forward movement of the target along its trajectory due to the rotation about said rotational axis (z), when the target is rotating, where said stabilizing means comprises a fan comprising fan blade that rotates in unison with the target, when the target rotates, such that the stabilizing means both provides sad stabilizing gyro effect and forward propulsion (movement) of the target along a chosen trajectory where: (a) the sports shooting target comprises a hub portion configured for releasable attachment to a corresponding portion of a launching head of a launching device, which portion of the launching head, when the target is attached to it, can rotate said target and release it from the launching device, when a desired terminal rotational speed has been reached; (b) the hub portion is provided with an inner circumferential surface facilitating release of the target from said portion of the launching head and defining an inner space; (c) the target comprises a plurality of concentric ring members arranged about the rotational axis (z) of the target at different distances (r 5 , r 6 , r 7 ) from the rotational axis (z) and outside the hub portion; and (d) the stabilizing means comprises first fan blades that extend radially from the hub portion to the ring member provided at the largest distance from the rotational axis (z) and second fan blades that extend radially between two adjacent ring members, the launching device comprising:
 a launching head configured such that the hub portion of the target can be positioned on the launching head, where the launching head comprises a plurality of pivotally mounted retaining, claw members that are configured to be able to pivot between a first state, in which the claw members retain the hub portion of the target to the launching head and a second state, in which the claw members release the hub portion of the target from the launching head, where the device is provided with a longitudinally displaceable shaft or rod that is functionally connected to the claw members such that a longitudinal displacement (B, D) of the shaft results in said pivotal movement of the claw members, whereby a longitudinal displacement (B, D) of the shaft from a first longitudinal position of the shaft to a second longitudinal position of the shaft makes the claw members pivot between said first state and said second state and/or vice versa, where the device is provided with shaft operating means configured to displace the shaft in such a manner that the claw members pivot between said first and second states and launching head rotating means configured to rotate the launching head and to accelerate the launching head from substantially zero rotational speed to a maximum rotational speed, at which maximum rotational speed of the launching head, the hub portion of the target is released from the launching head.   
     
     
         2 . The launching device according to  claim 1 , where said pivotal movement of the retaining claw members is obtained by engagement of an inner guide member that is fixedly attached to said longitudinal shaft in the launching head and a correspondingly shaped recess or extension in the retaining claw members, and where an outer portion or extension of the claw members are in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the launching head, such that when the longitudinal shaft is displaced in the positive z-direction, the retaining claw members are forced to pivot between the state where they retain the hub portion of the target to the launching head, and the state where they release the hub portion of the target from the launching head. 
     
     
         3 . The launching device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a first motor comprising a rotational axle and configured to rotate the launching head upon which the target can be placed; and wherein the launching head comprises:
 an inner guide member fixedly connected to the rotational axle and provided with a circumferentially extending guide recess or groove formed for engagement with an inwardly extending protrusion on the retaining claw members;   an outer guide member comprising an inner space that surrounds the inner guide member, which outer guide member is configured to undergo a longitudinal displacement (D) relative to the inner guide member and to rotate in unison with the inner guide member, where the outer guide member on a wall portion of the inner space is provided with a circumferentially extending recess or groove formed for engagement with an outer extension of the retaining claw member; and   a plurality of retaining claw members, each provided with an inner protrusion in engagement with said circumferentially extending guide recess or groove on the inner guide member and an outer protrusion in engagement with said circumferentially extending recess or groove;   whereby a longitudinal displacement (D) of the outer guide member relative to the inner guide member will cause the retaining claw members to pivot between said two states.   
     
     
         4 . The launching device according to  claim 1 , where the device comprises longitudinal displacement means configured to displace said outer guide member in a direction (D) relative to said inner guide member, where the longitudinal displacement means comprises:
 a longitudinal displacement motor or similar means operatively connected to the shaft or rod via a rotation-to-displacement mechanism that converts a rotational movement provided by the longitudinal displacement motor to a longitudinal displacement (D); and   a laterally extending plate member functionally connected to the outer guide means such that a longitudinal displacement (D) of the plate member causes the outer guide member to undergo a longitudinal displacement relative to the inner guide member;   where said shaft or rod is connected to the laterally extending plate member.   
     
     
         5 . The launching device according to  claim 1 , where the outer guide means is configured to be able to undergo said longitudinal displacement as well rotation in unison with the inner guide member. 
     
     
         6 . The launching device according to  claim 5 , where the outer guide member is rotatably connected to the laterally extending plate member via a ball bearing. 
     
     
         7 . The launching device according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining claw members comprise an upper section and a lower section, the upper section comprising a retaining claw and extending above a line connecting the center points of the inner extension and the outer extension of the claw member and the lower section extending below said line, where the retaining claw member has its center of gravity located on the line, where the launching device is configured such that when the retaining claw members release the target from the launching head, the line forms an angle with the longitudinal rotational axis R of the launching head of substantially 90 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The launching apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising one or more launching devices, the launching apparatus further comprising:
 for each of said launching devices at least one magazine or container configured to contain the plurality of targets;   for each of said launching devices means configured to transfer a target to the launching head of the launching device;   for each of said launching devices a pivot mechanism operated by pivot operating means such that the launching device can be pivoted to a desired launching angle relative to horizontal that is desired for a specific application of the apparatus;   control means configured to control one or more of the following functions of the apparatus: loading of a target onto the launching head, starting rotating the launching head with the target thereon and accelerating it to a final desired rotation speed at which the target can be released from the launching head, adjusting the pivot angle of the launching devices; sensor means configured to determine if the desired final rotational speed of the launching head has been reached and if this is the case instructing the control means to effect the release of the target by pivoting the retaining claw members to the state in which the target is released from the launching head.   
     
     
         9 . The launching apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising programmable control means configured to control the operation of the functions of the apparatus and the functions of the one or more launching devices provided in the apparatus, the programmable control means comprising a control unit, such as a microcontroller,
 where the control unit is configured to receive control signals from a user control panel, control signals from a user programming interface and a release process activation signal from a user interface, such as a pedal; and   where the control unit is configured to provide control signals for controlling functionalities f the apparatus, where said control signals comprise one or more of the following:
 a first control signal controlling rotation of the magazines of the apparatus, such that a desired magazine is positioned correctly for loading a target onto the launching head of a specific launching device; 
 a second control signal controlling displacement of the target receiving tray between a position, in which a target is picked up from the magazine above the tray and a position, in which the target can be loaded onto the launching head; 
 a third control signal controlling the elevation angle (γ) of the launching device; 
 a fourth control signal controlling initiation of the release procedure of the target; 
 a fifth control signals controlling the azimuth angle (δ) of the launching device; 
 a sixth control signal that indicated if the desired final rotational speed of the launching head has been reached and hence, that the target can be released from the launching head; 
 a seventh control signal providing the control unit with user definable information from a user control panel; 
 an eighth control signal providing the control unit with programming information from a user programming interface that allows a user to program functionalities of the apparatus; and 
 a ninth control signal providing, the control unit with a trigger signal that initiates the release procedure of the launching device. 
   
     
     
         10 . The launching apparatus according to  claim 9 , where one or both of the eighth and ninth control signals are provided to the control unit by wireless communication. 
     
     
         11 . The launching apparatus according to  claim 9 , where the control unit is configured to provide and/or receive a control signal to/from other launching apparatuses according to the invention, such that a chain of interconnected launching apparatuses according to the invention can be set up. 
     
     
         12 . A method of launching targets for skeet shooting and similar sport shooting activities, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one launching apparatus according to  claim 8 ;   providing the plurality of targets;   loading said targets into a magazine of the launching apparatus(es);   from the magazine of each specific of said launching apparatus(es) loading a target onto the launching head(s) of one or more launching devices of the one or more of said apparatus(es);   adjusting the elevation angle (γ) of each individual launching device to a desired elevation angle value;   adjusting the azimuth angle (δ) of each individual launching device to a desired azimuth value;   define a final rotational speed of the launching head of each individual launching device at which rotational speed the target shall be released from the specific launching head;   by means of a user operable means, such as a pedal, initiating the release procedure for the target located on the launching head of the specific launching device.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , where a plurality of functionally interconnected launching apparatuses are provided and the steps are executed for each individual of said plurality of launching apparatuses. 
     
     
         14 . A hand-held launching apparatus configured to launch the target according to  claim 1 , the hand-held launching apparatus comprising the launching device, where the hand-held launching apparatus further comprises:
 control means configured to control one or more of the following functions of the apparatus: starting rotating the launching head with the target thereon and accelerating it to a final desired rotation speed at which the target can be released from the launching head;   sensor means configured to determine if the desired final rotational speed of the launching head has been reached and if this is the case instructing the control means to effect the release of the target by pivoting the retaining claw members to the state in which the target is released from the launching head; and   user-operating trigger means configured to start the rotation of the launching head.