GB2602684A - Dartboard and dartboard wire - Google Patents

Abstract

A dartboard comprises a front surface 28 divided into one or more scoring segments by a wire structure 20. The wire structure 20 comprises a first part 22, that sits proud of the front surface 28 with an isosceles triangle cross-section, and a second part 24 that is inserted below the front surface 28 and has a right-angled triangle cross-section. The second part 28 may push sisal fibres 30 of the dartboard only to one side of the wire structure 20, leaving the sisal fibres 30 located on another side of the wire structure 20 substantially unaffected.

Description

Dartboard and dartboard wire

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a dartboard and dartboard wire. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a dartboard and dartboard wire that seeks to provide an improved dartboard scoring surface.

Background of the Invention

Darts is a well-known game in which projectiles, or darts, are thrown at a dartboard which is divided into various scoring segments. A typical dartboard is divided into 20 numbered segments scoring from 1 to 20, double and triple rings that extend across the 20 numbered segments, an inner bullseye worth 50 points, and an outer bullseye worth 25 points. The higher scoring segments, i.e. the inner and outer bullseye, and the double and triple areas of the 20 numbered segments, are quite small in area. Traditional methods for dividing the dartboard into various scoring segments have included wires being stapled into the scoring surface of the dartboard. The wires have traditionally had a circular cross section, which can result in a dart striking the wire bouncing out, and failing to score a player any points. The staples may also be struck by darts resulting in further bounce outs. The staples may be a particular problem on a board which includes double and triple rings, and inner and outer bullseyes, which are smaller, higher scoring areas. Compared to the small areas being targeted, the staples may take up a significant part of that scoring area, thereby resulting in potentially higher scoring darts experiencing bounce outs, with an even greater negative effect on the score of a player.

Higher quality dartboards may replace the traditional wire and staple arrangement with a web of wires which have a bevelled edge being directly inserted into the board. The wires may have a cross-section with a bevelled front and matching bevelled rear surface. The bevelled front surface may be exposed and sit proud of the scoring surface of the board. The bevelled rear surface may be inserted into, and surrounded by, the scoring surface of the dartboard. Such an arrangement may be advantageous over the traditional circular cross-section wires and staples arrangement, with a smaller area of the scoring surface obstructed, and also the angled outer surface that sits above the scoring surface promoting deflection of a dart rather than bounce outs.

Typically, dartboards are constructed of large numbers of sisal fibres compressed together, with one side of the fibres being secured against the backboard of the dartboard, and the other side of the fibres being exposed and presenting the scoring surface of the dartboard. The needle of darts thrown at the board push into the compressed sisal fibres, which then hold the dart in position. The insertion of wires with a bevelled rear surface into the sisal fibres of the scoring surface further compresses the sisal fibres in the vicinity of the wires. Particularly when a small scoring area is being defined, for example the bullseye or a treble section, the additional compression may make the scoring surface less receptive to receiving and/or holding darts. This may increase bounce-outs, and/or result in a scoring surface with an inconsistent feel.

The present invention seeks to mitigate the above-mentioned problems.

Alternatively or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide an improved dartboard and dartboard wire arrangement.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides according to a first aspect, a dartboard comprising a front surface divided into one or more scoring segments by a wire structure, wherein the wire structure comprises a first part which sits proud of the front surface and a second part which is inserted below the front surface, and the first part has an isosceles triangle cross-section, and the second part has a right-angled triangle cross-section.

The dartboard may comprise a front surface comprising compressed fibrous material, for example sisal. The fibrous material is oriented such that the front surface of the dartboard comprises the compressed ends of the fibrous material, such that a dart pushes apart the fibrous material when thrown into the dartboard. The fibrous material extends towards the front surface from a back surface of the dartboard. The right-angled triangle of the second part may comprise a side which extends parallel to the fibrous material. The compression of fibres by the second part will be biased towards the other side of the right-angled triangle extending below the front surface of the dartboard. One side of the second part may extend below the front surface of the dartboard at an angle perpendicular to the front surface.

Such an arrangement will result in the wire structure compressing the front surface of the dartboard in biased way, i.e. with compression being higher on one side of the wire structure compared to the other side of the wire structure. Therefore, when the wire structure is dividing the front surface into a small area, such as in the bullseye area or triple ring, the wire may be placed such that the small area is less compressed than a larger area to the other side of the wire structure.

The wire structure may further comprise a third part, the third part extending between and connecting the first part and the second part. The third part may be partially or fully inserted below the front surface of the dartboard. The third part may have a rectangular cross section. The third part may increase the security with which the wire structure is inserted into the front surface of the dartboard. The third part may increase the structural rigidity of the wire structure.

Whilst a first part, second part, and third part have been described, the skilled person will appreciate that the first part, second part, and third part may all form part of the same unitary body.

The wire structure may be ring-shaped, such that a ring shape is created on the front surface of the dartboard. The wire structure may define an inner bullseye ring, an outer bullseye ring, one part of a triple ring, or one part of a double ring. The dartboard may comprise a plurality of ring shaped wire structures, such that the inner bullseye ring, outer bullseye ring, the triple ring, and the double ring, are each defined on the front surface of the dartboard. Radial wire dividers may be inserted into the dartboard to define the numbered radial segments, most typically dividing the front surface into 20 radial scoring segments. The radial wire dividers may comprise a first part which sits proud of the front surface of the dartboard, with a cross-section matching that of the wire structure. The radial wire dividers may comprise a second part that is inserted below the front surface of the dartboard, with a cross-section that matches the first part of the radial wire dividers. Such an arrangement will compress the front surface of the dartboard in an even way to either side of the radial wire dividers. The radial wire dividers or the wire structure may comprise one or more notches where the radial wire dividers and the wire structure cross over, such that -4 -radial wire dividers and wire structure extend a consistent height away from the front surface of the dartboard. Such an arrangement presents a more attractive and neat finish to the dartboard.

As will be appreciated by a skilled person, an isosceles triangle has at least two sides of equal length. An equilateral triangle has three sides of equal length, and is therefore an isosceles triangle. The first part may have an equilateral triangle cross-section. The vertex angle of the isosceles triangle may be the point of the wire furthermost from the front surface of the dartboard. The vertex angle may be an acute angle For example, the vertex angle may be 60 degrees or less.

The wire structure may comprise one or more anchoring arms. An anchoring arm may be arranged to extend through the dartboard, for example into a backboard of the dartboard. An anchoring arm may be located away from the scoring segment of the dartboard, for example outside the double ring of a traditional dartboard. An anchoring arm may extend from part of the wire structure which divides one scoring segment from another scoring segment For example, an anchoring arm may extend from an inner or outer bullseye ring.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is also provided a wire structure for dividing the front surface of a dartboard into one or more scoring segments, wherein the wire structure comprises a first part arranged to sit proud of the front surface of the dartboard and a second part arranged to be inserted below the front surface of the dartboard, and the first part has an isosceles triangle cross-section, and the second part has a right-angled triangle cross-section.

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention. For example, the first aspect of the invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the second aspect of the invention and vice versa.

Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which: -5 -Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a dartboard according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a wire structure according to a second embodiment of the invention, and Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a wire structure according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 shows a dartboard 10 which has been divided into a series 12 of twenty numbered scoring segments, an inner bullseye, and outer bullseye, a triple ring, and a double ring. The scoring layout is conventional, and the dartboard is divided into those segments by a plurality of wire structures 20 in the form of rings which at least partially define the inner bullseye, outer bullseye, triple ring, and double ring, and radial wire dividers which extend outwardly from the outer bullseye ring Figure 2 shows a cross section of a wire structure 20 in more detail. The dartboard 10 comprises a collection of sisal fibres 30 which extend approximately perpendicular to a backboard (not shown) to a front surface 28. The front surface 28 presents the open ends of the collection of sisal fibres 30, which allow a dart thrown at the board to pierce the front surface 28 and become lodged in the sisal fibres, holding the dart in place. The wire structure 20 comprises a metal band with a first part 22, a second part 24, and a third part 26. The first part has a cross-section in the shape of an isosceles triangle, and extends away from the front surface 28 of the dartboard 10.

In this embodiment, the isosceles triangle is an equilateral triangle, but the skilled person will appreciate that other isosceles triangles could be used. The second part 24 has a cross-section in the shape of a right-angled triangle. The third part 26 has a rectangular cross-section, and is an elongate rectangle extending from the base of the first part 22 to the base of the second part 24. Whilst a first part 22, second part 24, and third part 26 are described, all three parts comprise a single structure, and the skilled person will appreciate that the terminology relating to the three parts is chosen to most clearly describe the shape of the wire structure 20. The base of the first part 22 and the base of the second part 24 are the same width, and the same width as the -6 -third part 26. The sides of the third part 26 extend perpendicular to the front surface 28, and approximately parallel to the sisal fibres 30. As can be seen, one side of the right-angled triangle of the second part 24 extends in line with one side of the third part 26, parallel to the sisal fibres 30. As such, when inserted into the sisal fibres, the point of the second part 24 pushes the sisal fibres 30 only to one side of the second part 24. This compresses the sisal fibres only to one side of the wire structure 20, leaving the sisal fibres located on the other side of the wire structure substantially unaffected. The unaffected side is chosen to be the smaller area being at least partially defined by the wire structure 20, i.e, a double, triple or bullseye segment.

Figure 3 shows a wire structure 20, with a number of notches 32 cut into the second part 24 and third part 26, to allow radial wire dividers to mesh with the wire structure 20 whilst still presenting a consistent wire height extending above the top surface 28. The wire structure 20 is shown as a strip, which may be rolled and or extruded from metal, the strip then being joined end to end, for example by spot welding, to create a ring.

Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein.

Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments. -7 -

Claims (1)

1. Claims I. A dartboard comprising a front surface divided into one or more scoring segments by a wire structure, wherein the wire structure comprises a first part which sits proud of the front surface and a second part which is inserted below the front surface, and the first part has an isosceles triangle cross-section, and the second part has a right-angled triangle cross-section 2. A dartboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wire structure further comprises a third part, the third part extending between and connecting the first part and the second part.3. A dartboard as claimed in claim 2, wherein the third part is at least partially inserted below the front surface of the dartboard.4. A dartboard as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the third part has a rectangular cross section.5. A dartboard as claimed in any preceding claim 1, wherein one side of the second part extends below the front surface of the dartboard at an angle perpendicular to the front surface.6. A dartboard as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first part has an equilateral triangle cross section.7. A dartboard as claimed in any of claims Ito 5, wherein the vertex angle of the isosceles triangle of the cross section of the first part is the point of the wire structure furthermost from the front surface of the dartboard.8. A dartboard as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vertex angle is an acute angle.9. A dartboard as claimed in claim 8, wherein the vertex angle is 60 degrees or less.10. A dartboard as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the wire structure comprises one or more anchoring arms.11. A wire structure for dividing the front surface of a dartboard into one or more scoring segments, wherein the wire structure comprises a first part arranged to sit proud of the front surface of the dartboard and a second part arranged to be inserted below the front surface of the dartboard, and the first part has an isosceles triangle cross-section, and the second part has a right-angled triangle cross-section.