Self-healing targets, methods of manufacturing self-healing targets, and methods of utilizing self-healing targets

Abstract

Self-healing targets, methods of manufacturing self-healing targets, and methods of utilizing self-healing targets. The self-healing targets include a target body and a target zone. The target body is defined by a sheet of resilient polymeric body material and defines a front surface, which is configured to face toward a shooter, and a back surface, which is configured to face away from the shooter. The target zone is on the front surface of the target body and is at least partially defined by a surface feature of the target body to provide a visual indication of the target zone to the shooter. The methods of utilizing include impacting the target with a projectile to form a splatter mark and rejuvenating the target by coating the splatter mark with a coating material. The methods of manufacturing include forming a target body and forming a surface feature within the target body.

1 . A self-healing target for projectiles, the target comprising:
 a target body defined by a sheet of resilient polymeric body material, wherein the target body defines a front surface, which is configured to face toward a shooter, and a back surface, which is configured to face away from the shooter; and   a target zone on the front surface of the target body, wherein the target zone is at least partially defined by a surface feature that is defined within the target body to provide a visual indication of the target zone to the shooter.   
     
     
         2 . The target of  claim 1 , wherein the target body defines an average body thickness as measured between the front surface and the back surface, and further wherein the body thickness is at least 5 millimeters (mm) and at most 30 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The target of  claim 1 , wherein the target is rolled into an at least substantially tubular shape, wherein the tubular shape has a tube inner diameter of at most 20 cm. 
     
     
         4 . The target of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface is a smooth front surface, and further wherein a front surface porosity of the front surface is less than a bulk porosity of the target body. 
     
     
         5 . The target of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient polymeric body material defines a plurality of resilient polymeric body material particles bound together to define the target body. 
     
     
         6 . The target of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of resilient polymeric body material particles defines an average particle size of at least 0.1 mm and at most 2 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The target of  claim 1 , wherein the surface feature includes a recessed region that extends from the front surface and toward the back surface. 
     
     
         8 . The target of  claim 1 , wherein the surface feature includes a protruding region that extends from the front surface and away from the back surface. 
     
     
         9 . The target of  claim 1 , wherein the surface feature includes target zone surface texture that differs from a front surface texture of a region of the front surface that surrounds the target zone. 
     
     
         10 . The target of  claim 1 , wherein the target further includes a coating material that coats at least one of the front surface of the target body, a substantial portion of the front surface of the target body, and the target zone, and further wherein the coating material has a coating material color that differs from a body material color of the resilient polymeric body material. 
     
     
         11 . The target of  claim 1 , wherein subsequent to passage of the projectiles therethrough, the resilient polymeric body material is configured to at least substantially completely close holes formed therewithin as the projectiles pass therethrough. 
     
     
         12 . A method of utilizing the self-healing target of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 impacting the front surface of the target with a projectile to form a splatter mark on the front surface of the target; and   rejuvenating the target by coating at least the splatter mark with a coating material to cover the splatter mark with the coating material.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method further includes repairing the target. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the repairing includes removing a damaged region of the target body to define a repair hole within the target body and subsequently positioning a repair plug within the repair hole. 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a self-healing target for projectiles, the method comprising:
 forming a target body from a resilient polymeric material such that the target body defines a sheet of the resilient polymeric material that includes a front surface, which is configured to face toward a shooter, a back surface, which is configured to face away from the shooter, and an outer perimeter, which is defined around an exterior periphery of the front surface; and   forming a surface feature within the target body such that the surface feature defines a target zone on the front surface of the target body and provides a visual indication of the target zone to the shooter.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the forming the target body includes cutting the target body from a larger sheet of resilient polymeric material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the forming the surface feature includes manually defining the surface feature. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the forming the surface feature includes forming the surface feature utilizing a CNC router. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method includes molding the resilient polymeric material in a mold, wherein the forming the target body and the forming the surface feature are responsive to the molding. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method further includes coating the front surface of the target body with a coating material.