Shooting target launcher

Abstract

A shooting target launcher, associated components and methods. The launcher spins one or more helicopter-like shooting targets to launch the targets. A target connector receives the targets. The target connector is rotated about an axis of rotation to rotate the targets about the axis of rotation. The targets have fan blades that, when rotated, propel the target through the air.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shooting target launcher for launching a shooting target having a central hub and a plurality of fan blades extending radially outward from the central hub, the shooting target launcher comprising:
 a housing; and   a target connector supported by the housing and configured to receive the shooting target, the target connector being configured to be rotated about an axis of rotation to rotate the shooting target about the axis of rotation, the target connector being configured to engage the shooting target at a location on the shooting target that is radially outward of the central hub to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated.   
     
     
         2 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the target connector is configured to engage one or more of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated. 
     
     
         3 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 2 , wherein the target connector includes a blade engagement surface configured to engage one fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated. 
     
     
         4 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 3 , wherein the blade engagement surface is angled to generally correspond to a pitch angle of said one fan blade. 
     
     
         5 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 3 , wherein the blade engagement surface is a first blade engagement surface and said one fan blade is a first fan blade, and wherein the target connector includes a second blade engagement surface configured to engage a second fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated. 
     
     
         6 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the target connector is configured to apply a forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         7 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 6 , wherein the target connector is configured to engage one or more of the fan blades of the shooting target to apply the forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         8 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 7 , wherein the target connector includes a blade launch surface configured to engage one fan blade of the shooting target to apply the forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         9 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 8 , wherein the blade launch surface is angled to generally correspond to a pitch of said one fan blade. 
     
     
         10 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 8 , wherein the blade launch surface is a first blade launch surface and said one fan blade is a first fan blade, and wherein the target connector includes a second blade launch surface configured to engage a second fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to apply the forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         11 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the target connector includes a blade engagement surface and a blade launch surface, the blade engagement surface being configured to engage a first fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated, the blade launch surface being configured to engage the first fan blade or a different fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to apply a forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         12 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the target connector includes a plurality of petals circumferentially spaced apart about the axis of rotation, the plurality of petals configured to engage respective fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated. 
     
     
         13 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of petals is configured to facilitate retaining the shooting target with the target connector. 
     
     
         14 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of petals is configured to facilitate launching the shooting target off the target connector. 
     
     
         15 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 14 , wherein each petal is oriented at an angle to generally correspond to a pitch of the respective fan blades. 
     
     
         16 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 15 , wherein each petal includes a blade engagement surface and a blade launch surface, each blade engagement surface being configured to engage one fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated, each blade launch surface being configured to engage another fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to apply a forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         17 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 12 , wherein the target connector includes a nose portion sized and shaped to be received in a central opening of the central hub of the shooting target, the petals being disposed radially outward of the nose portion. 
     
     
         18 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 12 , wherein the target connector includes a base, each petal of the plurality of petals extending from the base. 
     
     
         19 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 18 , wherein the base includes one or more openings configured to permit air to flow therethrough and into an interior of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 1 , further comprising a target retainer configured to retain the shooting target with the target connector, the target retainer moveable between a retaining configuration where the target retainer is arranged to retain the shooting target with the target connector and a release configuration where the target retainer is arranged to permit the shooting target to fly off the target connector. 
     
     
         21 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 1 , further comprising a prime mover supported by the housing and configured to rotate the target connector about the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         22 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 21 , wherein the prime mover comprises an electric motor. 
     
     
         23 . A shooting target launcher for launching a shooting target having a plurality of fan blades, the shooting target launcher comprising:
 a housing; and   a target connector supported by the housing and configured to receive the shooting target, the target connector being configured to be rotated about an axis of rotation to rotate the shooting target about the axis of rotation, the target connector being configured to engage one or more of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated.   
     
     
         24 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 23 , wherein the target connector includes a blade engagement surface configured to engage one fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated. 
     
     
         25 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 24 , wherein the blade engagement surface is angled to generally match a pitch angle of said one fan blade. 
     
     
         26 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 25 , wherein the blade engagement surface is a first blade engagement surface and said one fan blade is a first fan blade, and wherein the target connector includes a second blade engagement surface configured to engage a second fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated. 
     
     
         27 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 23 , wherein the target connector is configured to apply a forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         28 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 27 , wherein the target connector is configured to engage one or more of the fan blades of the shooting target to apply the forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         29 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 28 , wherein the target connector includes a blade launch surface configured to engage one fan blade of the shooting target to apply the forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         30 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 29 , wherein the blade launch surface is angled to generally match a pitch of said one fan blade. 
     
     
         31 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 30 , wherein the blade launch surface is a first blade launch surface and said one fan blade is a first fan blade, and wherein the target connector includes a second blade launch surface configured to engage a second fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to apply the forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         32 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 23 , wherein the target connector includes a blade engagement surface and a blade launch surface, the blade engagement surface being configured to engage a first fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated, the blade launch surface being configured to engage the first fan blade or a different fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to apply a forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         33 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 23 , wherein the target connector includes a plurality of petals circumferentially spaced apart about the axis of rotation, the plurality of petals configured to engage respective fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated. 
     
     
         34 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 33 , wherein the plurality of petals is configured to facilitate retaining the shooting target with the target connector. 
     
     
         35 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of petals is configured to facilitate launching the shooting target off the target connector. 
     
     
         36 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 35 , wherein each petal is oriented at an angle to generally match a pitch of the respective fan blades. 
     
     
         37 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 36 , wherein each petal includes a blade engagement surface and a blade launch surface, each blade engagement surface being configured to engage one fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to drive rotation of the shooting target with the target connector as the target connector is rotated, each blade launch surface being configured to engage another fan blade of the plurality of fan blades of the shooting target to apply a forward axial force to the shooting target to push the shooting target forward off the target connector to launch the shooting target. 
     
     
         38 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 33 , wherein the target connector includes a nose portion sized and shaped to be received by the shooting target, the petals being disposed radially outward of the nose portion. 
     
     
         39 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 33 , wherein the target connector includes a base, each petal of the plurality of petals extending from the base. 
     
     
         40 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 39 , wherein the base includes one or more openings configured to permit air to flow therethrough and into an interior of the housing. 
     
     
         41 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 23 , further comprising a target retainer configured to retain the shooting target with the target connector, the target retainer moveable between a retaining configuration where the target retainer is arranged to retain the shooting target with the target connector and a release configuration where the target retainer is arranged to permit the shooting target to fly off the target connector. 
     
     
         42 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 23 , further comprising a prime mover supported by the housing and configured to rotate the target connector about the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         43 . The shooting target launcher of  claim 42 , wherein the prime mover comprises an electric motor.