Shooting target launcher
AssigneeAOB Products Company
InventorsMichael Lindsay, Daniel Jennings, Michael Cottrell, William A. Planck, Kyle Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims29
A shooting target launcher for launching a shooting target, the shooting target launcher comprising:
- a housing;
- a target connector configured to receive the shooting target, the target connector being configured to be rotated about an axis of rotation to rotate the shooting target for launching;
- and
- 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 launch off the target connector;
- wherein at least one of:
- i) the target retainer being configured to be moveable to the release configuration by rotation of the target connector;
- ii) the shooting target launcher being free of a prime mover dedicated for moving the target retainer between the retaining configuration and the release configuration;
- or
- iii) the target retainer being configured to be free of discrete control to move the target retainer to the release configuration when the target connector is rotating to rotate the shooting target for launching.
A shooting target launcher for launching a shooting target, the shooting target launcher comprising:
- a housing;
- a target connector 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;
- and
- 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, the target retainer being configured to be moved by the shooting target from the retaining configuration to the release configuration as the target connector receives the shooting target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.