Racquet Game Scoring Arrangement

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The disclosure relates to game scoring devices and more particularly pertains to a new paddle game scoring arrangement that fits directly on or is integrally formed with a butt end or neck portion of the paddle in order to allow the user to quickly and easily keep track of game information, such as the score and service, while playing. In pickleball and similar paddle games, the game itself can move very quickly with frequent changes in score. Keeping track of the score can be challenging, especially in the midst of playing the game. An easily-accessible scoring device that could be used during play would help players minimize or avoid mental strain, confusion, and arguments relating to the game score.

The prior art relates to game scoring devices. The prior art, as best understood, does not disclose a paddle game scoring arrangement that fits directly on or is integrally formed with a butt end or neck portion of the paddle in order to allow the user to quickly and easily keep track of game information, such as the score and service, while playing.

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above in a paddle game scoring arrangement generally comprising a housing, a display arrangement, a plurality of labels, and an input arrangement. The housing is in the form of a rectangular box having a thickness substantially smaller than a length and width thereof. The display arrangement is disposed in the housing and designed to display the current score and service on a front face of the housing. The display arrangement includes: two individual user score displays to show the score of the user or the user's team; two individual opponent score displays to show the score of the user's opponent or user's opponent's team; and a service number display to show current service information. The plurality of labels is disposed on the front face and includes: a first label is disposed adjacent and to mark the user score displays; a second label is disposed adjacent and to mark the opponent score displays; and a third label is disposed adjacent and to mark the service number display. The input arrangement is designed to permit a user to input and change score and service numbers to display the current score and service on the display arrangement. The housing is sufficiently small to fit on or in the butt end or neck portion of a paddle and not substantially interfere with use of the paddle in a paddle game including pickleball, tennis, paddleball, or similar game that utilizes paddles or similar devices.

By positioning the paddle game scoring arrangement on or in the butt end or the neck portion, the paddle game scoring arrangement is advantageously very close to a user's hand because a user usually holds a paddle with two hands, wherein one hand is positioned at the top of the handle adjacent the neck portion and the other hand is positioned at the bottom of the handle adjacent the butt end. The user can therefore quite easily and instinctively reach the paddle game scoring arrangement with either hand.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the paddle game scoring arrangement may either be a standalone unit that can be attached by a user to an old paddle, or may be an integral part of a new paddle and sold as a complete unit, that is, with the paddle game scoring arrangement built into the butt end of the handle or the neck portion. In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the paddle game scoring arrangement may be made quite small with height, length, and width dimensions of about one inch or less to allow the paddle game scoring arrangement to fit onto or into the butt end or the neck portion yet not substantially interfere with the playing of the game. It should be understood that while a paddle is specifically mentioned herein, the term paddle is meant to include paddles, racquets, or other such handheld game devices for striking a ball, shuttlecock, or other game object. In addition, while examples of the paddle game scoring arrangement shown in the drawings are for use in the game of pickleball, the paddle game scoring arrangement could easily be used or designed and/or customized for use in other paddle or racquet games, such as tennis, badminton, and paddleball.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular tothereof, a new paddle game scoring arrangement embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeralwill be described. Before discussing the embodiments shown, it should be noted that the paddle game scoring arrangementshown inis an embodiment for use in the game of pickleball, wherein the scoring labels feature a “U” for “us,” that is, the user's team, a “T” for “them,” that is, the opponent's team, and an “S” for server or serve information. However, obvious variations could be made for other paddle or paddle games within the scope of the disclosure. In addition, for simplicity, not all identical parts or components are numbered in every figure.

As best illustrated in, the paddle game scoring arrangementis to be attached to a butt endor neck portionof a paddleor similar device. The paddle game scoring arrangementgenerally includes a housing, a display arrangement, a plurality of labels, and an input arrangement. The housingis in the form of a rectangular box having a thickness substantially smaller than a length and width thereof. The display arrangementis disposed in the housingand designed to display the current score and service on a front face of the housing. The display arrangementincludes: two individual user score displaysto show the score of the user or the user's team; two individual opponent score displaysto show the score of the user's opponent or user's opponent's team; and a service number displayto show current service information. The plurality of labels is disposed on the front face and includes: a first labelis disposed adjacent and to mark the user score displays; a second labelis disposed adjacent and to mark the opponent score displays; and a third labelis disposed adjacent and to mark the service number display. The input arrangementis designed to permit a user to input and change score and service numbers to display the current score and service on the display arrangement. The housingis sufficiently small to fit on or in the butt endor neck portionof a paddleand not substantially interfere with use of the paddlein a paddle game including pickleball, tennis, paddleball, or similar game that utilizes paddles or similar devices.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the paddle game scoring arrangementfurther includes an adhesive layerdisposed on a back face of the housingand designed to permit attachment of the housingto a butt end(see) or neck portion(see) of a paddle. In the case of attachment to the neck portion, while the paddle game scoring arrangementis technically attached to the playing surface of the paddle, it is sufficiently small and close to the handle portion to not impede or interfere with the use of the paddleto play pickleball.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment shown in, the paddle game scoring arrangementfurther includes an end capincluding an end facesurrounding and attached to the sides of the housingand side wallsextending from the end face and designed to fit snugly onto a butt endof a paddle. The end capcan be installed on new or existing paddles.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the paddle game scoring arrangementis in combination with a pickleball paddle, wherein the paddle game scoring arrangementis formed into a butt endportion (see) or a neck portionof the pickleball paddlein a recessed, integral manner.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment shown in, the two individual user score displaysand the two individual opponent score displayscomprise four scoring rollersdisposed in the housing. Each of the scoring rollersincludes an endless beltthat is rotatable on two rollersand has a set of numbers from zero to nine on the outer surface thereof. The housingincludes a rectangular aperturein the front face to permit a user to view a portion of each of the scoring rollers. The input arrangementincludes four thumb dialsdisposed at least partially in the housingand in operative engagement with a corresponding one of the scoring rollers. Each of the thumb dialsis individually rotatable on a rotatable shaft. The housingincludes dial apertures in the front face to permit a portion of each of the thumb dialsto project therethrough to permit a user to engage the thumb dialswith a thumb or finger and rotate the thumb dialsto thereby rotate the scoring rollersuntil a desired number is displayed in the center of the rectangular aperture.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the service number displayincludes a stationary platedisplaying a first server number thereon and a slidable coverdisplaying a second server number thereon. The slidable coveris designed and disposed to be slid into the housingto reveal the first server number and conceal the second server number, and to be slid out of the housing, such as into a cover slot, to conceal the first server number and reveal the second server number to permit a user to track which team or individual has the service.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the first labeland its corresponding scoring rollersare a first color. The second labeland its corresponding scoring rollersare a second color different from the first color. The third labeland the service number displayare a third color different from each of the first color and the second color. The housingis a fourth color different from each of the first color, the second color, and the third color. In accordance with at least one possible exemplary embodiment, the first labelcould be colored red, the second labelcould be colored blue, the third labelcould be colored yellow, and the housingcould be colored black. In addition, in accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the scoring rollerscould be colored a different color from all other components, such as a neutral color like white, and the numbers could be black or could be colored to match the color of the corresponding labels. For example, if the second labelrelating to the opponent's score is colored blue, then the numbers on the two related scoring rollerscould also be colored blue. Alternatively, the scoring rolleritself could be colored and the numbers could be a neutral color like white or black. For example, if the second labelrelating to the opponent's score is colored blue, then the two related scoring rollerscould also be colored blue with white or black numbers thereon. Essentially any color combination is possible that makes it easier for the user to keep score.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment shown in, the two individual user score displays, the two individual opponent score displays, and the service number displaytogether comprise a digital screendisposed in the housingand designed to show five individual numbers. The rectangular aperturepermits a user to view the digital screen. The input arrangementincludes five buttonsdisposed in the front face and designed to be pressed to change the value of a corresponding one of the five individual numbers.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.