Magnetic display for use by coaches and trainers of various sports

Abstract

A display device ( 10 ) for diagramming a play includes a housing ( 12 ) having a handle ( 14 ) for lifting and carrying the housing. A bottom ( 16 ) and sides of the housing form a recess is filled with a layer ( 18 ) of magnetic particles and a display panel ( 20 ) on which an outline of a field of play, or a portion thereof, is drawn. The panel fits over the layer. A stylus ( 24 ) has a tip end ( 26 ) which, when brought into contact with, or in close proximity to, an outer surface of the panel attracts the magnetic particles to the underside of the form an image ( 28 - 32 ) visible to anyone looking at the panel. The user can create as many images as he needs to diagram a play for his team. When done, the user draws a slide ( 36 ) underneath the length of the panel to erase the display.

1 . A display device for diagramming a play for a player or team, comprising:
 a housing;   a display panel attached to the housing and defining a compartment within the housing, the display panel having a template representing a playing surface for an athletic activity;   a plurality of magnetic particles within the compartment; and   a writing instrument that can engage the display panel to create an image representing a players position and movement during a play, the writing instrument creating a magnetic field drawing the magnetic particles to an inner surface of the display panel where they are visible by the player.   
   
   
       2 . The display device of  claim 1 , the writing instrument comprising a stylus having a magnetic tip which, when brought into contact with, or in close proximity to, an outer surface of the display panel attracts the magnetic particles to the inner surface of the display panel to form an image visible to the player looking at the panel. 
   
   
       3 . The display device of  claim 1 , further comprising a slide member moveably attached to the housing and positioned adjacent the inner surface of the display panel so that the slide member moves along the inner surface of the display panel to remove the magnetic particles from the display panel. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for erasing the display on the panel. 
   
   
       5 . The display device of  claim 4 , the erasing means comprising a slide member moveably attached to the housing and positioned adjacent the inner surface of the display panel so that the slide member moves along the inner surface of the display panel to remove the magnetic particles from the display panel. 
   
   
       6 . The display device of  claim 1 , in which a drawing surface provided by the display panel employs magnetophoretic phenomena to produce the display. 
   
   
       7 . The display device of  claim 1 , the housing comprising a handle for lifting and carrying the device. 
   
   
       8 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the template is a playing surface selected from the group consisting of baseball diamond, soccer field, basketball court, football field, tennis count, volleyball court, hockey rink, rugby field, field hockey field, lacrosse field, cricket field, or dodgeball court. 
   
   
       9 . A display device for diagramming a play for a player or team, comprising:
 a housing;   a display panel attached to the housing and defining a compartment within the housing, the display panel having an image of at least a portion of a field of play; and,   a plurality of magnetic particles within the compartment;   a diagramming means by which a user diagrams a play to be performed on the field of play including indicating the starting position of at least one player on the field of play and his movements subsequent to the start of play on the field of play, the diagramming means creating a magnetic field drawing the magnetic particles to a surface of the display panel where they are visible by the player, with the particles depicting the player and his movements.   
   
   
       10 . The display device of  claim 9 , the diagramming means comprising a stylus having a tip which, when brought into contact with, or in close proximity to, an outer surface of the display panel attracts the magnetic particles to the inner surface of the display panel to form an image visible to the player looking at the panel. 
   
   
       11 . The display device of  claim 9 , further comprising means for erasing the display on the panel. 
   
   
       12 . The display device of  claim 11  in which the erasing means includes a slide member movable over the inner surface of the display panel to remove the magnetic particles from the display panel. 
   
   
       13 . The display device of  claim 9  in which a drawing surface provided by the panel employs magnetophoretic phenomena to produce the display. 
   
   
       14 . The display device of  claim 9 , the housing comprising a handle for lifting and carrying the device. 
   
   
       15 . The display device of  claim 9  wherein the image is a field of play selected from the group consisting of baseball diamond, soccer field, basketball court, football field, tennis count, volleyball court, hockey rink, rugby field, field hockey field, lacrosse field, cricket field, or dodgeball court. 
   
   
       16 . A method of diagramming a play for a player or team on a display device, comprising:
 providing a housing;   providing a display panel attached to the housing defining a compartment within the housing, the display panel having a template representing a playing surface for an athletic activity;   providing a plurality of magnetic particles within the compartment; and   providing a writing instrument;   moving the tip of the writing instrument along the display panel to create an image by drawing the magnetic particles to an inner surface of the display panel where they are visible by the player or team;   creating an image on the display panel with the writing instrument that represents a player or a teams movement about the playing surface during a play.   
   
   
       17 . The method of diagramming a play for a player or team on a display device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a slide member moveably attached to the housing and positioned adjacent the inner surface of the display panel; and   moving the slide member along the inner surface of the display panel to remove the magnetic particles from the display panel.   
   
   
       18 . The method of diagramming a play for a player or team on a display device of  claim 1 , wherein the template is a playing surface selected from the group consisting of baseball diamond, soccer field, basketball court, football field, tennis count, volleyball court, hockey rink, rugby field, field hockey field, lacrosse field, cricket field, or dodgeball court. 
   
   
       19 . The method of diagramming a play for a player or team on a display device of  claim 1 , in which a drawing surface provided by the display panel employs magnetophoretic phenomena to produce the display