US 5,419,565 AGranted

Electrical device for detecting the location and speed or force of impact with a target

OwnerTheodore J. Gordon, Thomas A. Gordoninventors

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Abstract

An electro-mechanical detection system for measuring the point of impact of a missile such as a sports projectile on a target and for measuring the velocity and force of impact. The detection system is contained in a large plastic envelope, on which a target is displayed and in one embodiment, the detector is a wire or plastic grid that is instrumented to measure changes in stress in the individual grid elements that occur when the missile impacts the target. In another form of this invention, the detector is embedded in an elastomeric mat contained within the plastic envelope with electrical conductors within the mat subject to movement in a magnetic field when the mat compresses in response to the impact of a missile on the target. In either form of the invention, suitable electronic circuitry is used to convert the signals generated at impact to a display.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A detection system for determining the point of impact of a projectile on a target comprising:

lines generally arranged in rows and columns to form a matrix;
said lines extending in a predetermined pattern across a target;
an elastomeric enclosure for said lines for retaining said lines in said predetermined position, said enclosure providing a surface for a target;
means including each of said lines for producing an electric signal upon impact on said elastomeric enclosure and deflection of each said line upon impact of a projectile and indicating means for reporting the electric signal from each deflected line to permit determination of the impact point of a projectile on a target;
and
wherein the means including each of said lines produces an electric signal whose magnitude varies with the magnitude of deflection of each line thereby to provide matrix coordinates of the impact point and magnitude of the electric signal proportional to the velocity of impact of the mass of the projectile.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.