Racquet game scoring arrangement

Abstract

A paddle game scoring arrangement includes a housing, a display arrangement, a plurality of labels, and an input arrangement. The display arrangement is designed to display the current score and service. 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.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A paddle game scoring arrangement configured to be attached to or formed integrally into a butt end or neck portion of a paddle comprising:
 a housing being in the form of a rectangular box having a thickness substantially smaller than a length and width thereof;   a display arrangement being disposed in said housing and configured to display the current score and service on a front face of said housing;   said display arrangement comprising:
 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; 
   a plurality of labels being disposed on said front face comprising:
 a first label being disposed adjacent and to mark said user score displays; 
 a second label being disposed adjacent and to mark said opponent score displays; and 
 a third label being disposed adjacent and to mark said service number display; 
   an input arrangement being configured to permit a user to input and change score and service numbers to display the current score and service on said display arrangement; and   said housing being 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 comprising pickleball, tennis, paddleball, or similar game that utilizes paddles or similar devices.   
     
     
         2 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer disposed on a back face of said housing and configured to permit attachment of said housing to a butt end or neck portion of a paddle. 
     
     
         3 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said two individual user score displays and said two individual opponent score displays comprise four scoring rollers disposed in said housing;   each of said scoring rollers comprises an endless belt being rotatable on two rollers and having a set of numbers from zero to nine on the outer surface thereof;   said housing comprises a rectangular aperture in said front face to permit a user to view a portion of each of said scoring rollers;   said input arrangement comprises four thumb dials disposed at least partially in said housing and in operative engagement with a corresponding one of said scoring rollers;   each of said thumb dials is individually rotatable on a rotatable shaft; and   said housing comprises dial apertures in said front face to permit a portion of each of said thumb dials to project therethrough to permit a user to engage said thumb dials with a thumb or finger and rotate said thumb dials to thereby rotate said scoring rollers until a desired number is displayed in the center of said rectangular aperture.   
     
     
         4 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 3 , wherein:
 said service number display comprises a stationary plate displaying a first server number thereon and a slidable cover displaying a second server number thereon; and   said slidable cover is configured and disposed to be slid into said housing to reveal said first server number and conceal said second server number, and to be slid out of said housing to conceal said first server number and reveal said second server number to permit a user to track which team or individual has the service.   
     
     
         5 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein:
 said first label and its corresponding scoring rollers are a first color;   said second label and its corresponding scoring rollers are a second color different from said first color;   said third label and said service number display are a third color different from each of said first color and said second color; and   said housing is a fourth color different from each of said first color, said second color, and said third color.   
     
     
         6 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said two individual user score displays, said two individual opponent score displays, and said service number display together comprise a digital screen disposed in said housing and configured to show five individual numbers;   said housing comprises a rectangular aperture in said front face to permit a user to view said digital screen; and   said input arrangement comprises five buttons disposed in said front face and configured to be pressed to change the value of a corresponding one of said five individual numbers.   
     
     
         7 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 1 , in combination with a pickleball paddle, wherein the paddle game scoring arrangement is formed into a butt end portion or a neck portion of said tennis paddle in a recessed, integral manner. 
     
     
         8 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising an end cap comprising an end face surrounding and attached to the sides of said housing and side walls extending from said end face and configured to fit snugly onto a butt end of a paddle. 
     
     
         9 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein:
 said two individual user score displays and said two individual opponent score displays comprise four scoring rollers disposed in said housing;   each of said scoring rollers comprises an endless belt being rotatable on two rollers and having a set of numbers from zero to nine on the outer surface thereof;   said housing comprises a rectangular aperture in said front face to permit a user to view a portion of each of said scoring rollers;   said input arrangement comprises four thumb dials disposed at least partially in said housing and in operative engagement with a corresponding one of said scoring rollers;   each of said thumb dials is individually rotatable on a rotatable shaft; and   said housing comprises dial apertures in said front face to permit a portion of each of said thumb dials to project therethrough to permit a user to engage said thumb dials with a thumb or finger and rotate said thumb dials to thereby rotate said scoring rollers until a desired number is displayed in the center of said rectangular aperture.   
     
     
         10 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein:
 said service number display comprises a stationary plate displaying a first server number thereon and a slidable cover displaying a second server number thereon; and   said slidable cover is configured and disposed to be slid into said housing to reveal said first server number and conceal said second server number, and to be slid out of said housing to conceal said first server number and reveal said second server number to permit a user to track which team or individual has the service.   
     
     
         11 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein:
 said first label and its corresponding scoring rollers are a first color;   said second label and its corresponding scoring rollers are a second color different from said first color;   said third label and said service number display are a third color different from each of said first color and said second color; and   said housing is a fourth color different from each of said first color, said second color, and said third color.   
     
     
         12 . The paddle game scoring arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein:
 said two individual user score displays, said two individual opponent score displays, and said service number display together comprise a digital screen disposed in said housing and configured to show five individual numbers;   said housing comprises a rectangular aperture in said front face to permit a user to view said digital screen; and   said input arrangement comprises five buttons disposed in said front face and configured to be pressed to change the value of a corresponding one of said five individual numbers.