Self resetting portable shooting target with selective hold

Abstract

A self-resetting portable target assembly that is configured with a housing design to withstand repeated impacts from projectiles striking the target assembly without adverse effect on the target assembly function, that includes a moveable target face that eschews active operations to move the target face between positions visible to a shooter and hidden from a shooter. The target assembly further comprises a user-controllable means for retaining the moveable target face in a first position in which the target face is hidden from view of a shooter and selectively releasable whereupon the target face returns to a second position in which the target face is visible to the shooter. An operator interface enables a remote operator to manage the state of a target retainer means which, in turn, holds the target face in a hidden position or releases the target for viewing by a shooter allowing the operator to simulate a pop-up target to the shooter.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A portable target assembly comprising:
 a housing having an interior portion, a top cover above the interior portion and an opening in the top cover;   a target face generally positioned externally of the housing generally above the top panel; and   a movement mechanism disposed within the interior portion of the housing, the movement apparatus having an elongate target arm pivotally coupled to the housing by a shaft disposed within the interior portion and adjacent to the opening, the target face being connected thereto at a first end and a counterweight being connected at an opposite end of the target arm such that the shaft is positioned therebetween, the movement mechanism configured to permit movement of the target face upon impact energy imparted by projectile moving along a downrange trajectory from a generally upstanding resting position to a deflected position upon impact energy imparted by a moving projectile striking the target face, the target face returning to the resting position from the deflected position by gravitational force acting upon the movement mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The target assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a holding apparatus configured to selectively retain the target face in the deflected position. 
     
     
         3 . The target assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a switch disposed outside of the interior portion and configured to enable a user to manage the state of the holding apparatus and thereby retain the target face in the deflected position or permit the target face to return to the resting position. 
     
     
         4 . The target assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the holding apparatus comprises a magnetic element positioned within the interior portion for contact with the movement mechanism when positioned in the deflected position, the magnetic element having magnetic and non-magnetic states selectable by the switch. 
     
     
         5 . The target assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the switch is wirelessly operably connected to the holding apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The target assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the movement mechanism is adjustable to enable movement of the target face when impacted by projectiles having differing impact energies. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The target assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the movement mechanism may be adjusted by altering the mass of the counterweight, altering the mass of the target face, altering the position of the counterweight or the target face in relation to the shaft, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The target assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an external deflector disposed on the top cover uprange of the opening. 
     
     
         10 . The target assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft coupling to the housing comprises low-friction bearings. 
     
     
         11 . The target assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a lateral shield extending into the interior portion from the opening proximate to the shaft and oriented to inhibit the projectile or a portion thereof from impacting the shaft coupling to the housing. 
     
     
         12 . A portable target assembly comprising:
 a housing having a front portion, an interior portion, and a top cover with an opening;   a shaft rotatably coupled to the housing and substantially disposed within the interior portion adjacent to the opening;   an elongate movable target arm connected to the shaft, the target arm being moveable by rotation of the shaft between a generally upright deployed position and a generally lowered, deflected position, a portion of the target arm extending through the opening to exterior of the housing;   a target face connected to the target arm adjacent to a first end and moveable therewith, the target face externally disposed from the interior portion;   a counterweight connected to the target arm adjacent to a second end opposite of the first end, the counterweight being disposed within the interior portion, and configured to permit movement of the target arm from the upright deployed position toward a deflected position upon impact with the target face of a projectile moving downrange along a trajectory, and restoring the target arm to the upright deployed position using gravitational forces acting on the counterweight; and   a user-controlled holding apparatus configured to retain the target arm in the deflected position until released by a user.   
     
     
         13 . The target assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a holding apparatus configured to selectively retain the target arm in the deflected position. 
     
     
         14 . The target assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the counterweight or the target face mass, or the counterweight or target face position in relation to the shaft, or a combination thereof, are adjustable to enable operation of the target assembly with projectiles imparting differing impact energies into the target face. 
     
     
         15 . The target assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a switch configured to enable a user to manage the state of the holding apparatus and thereby retain the target face in the deflected position or permit the target face to return to the resting position. 
     
     
         16 . The target assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the holding apparatus comprises a magnetic element positioned within the interior portion for contact with the target arm when positioned in the deflected position, the magnetic element having magnetic and non-magnetic states selectable by the switch. 
     
     
         17 . The target assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the switch is wirelessly operably connected to the holding apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The target assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising an external deflector disposed on the top cover uprange of the opening, the deflector having surfaces that are angled in relation to the projectile trajectory. 
     
     
         19 . The target assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a lateral shield extending into the interior portion from the opening proximate to the shaft and oriented to inhibit the projectile or a portion thereof from impacting the shaft coupling to the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The target assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the front panel is angled in relation to the projectile trajectory.