Patent Application
20240060745
This invention relates generally to air guns. More particularly, this invention relates to a pneumatic firing valve design for an air gun.
Pneumatic air guns such as airsoft guns, bb guns, pellet guns, paintball guns, and the like, use firing valves to release high-pressure compressed gas into contact with the projectile to fire the projectile from the gun toward the target. The firing valves may include pins impacted by a hammer or they may be operated pneumatically through a solenoid valve or other mechanism. Unfortunately, conventional firing valves for air guns may require a large amount of force to actuate, may stay open too long, and may be inefficient and allow excess amounts of compressed gas to flow through the valve during the firing operation. What is needed is an air gun firing valve that opens and closes easily and provides an efficient use of the compressed gas during a firing operation.
According to various embodiments and principles of the present invention, a firing valve for an air gun comprises a substantially or completely balanced valve stem that requires very little pressure to operate (i.e., move from a closed to open position). The valve stem can be provided with a small amount of forward bias (e.g., spring or air bias) to close the firing valve, or it can be completely balanced with neither a forward nor rearward bias.
In one embodiment, a forward (or rearward) end of the valve stem is connected to a poppet valve that operates to selectively trap and release high-pressure compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area for the firing operation. A rearward (or forward) end of the valve stem preferably comprises a piston having a forward (or rearward) actuating surface in communication with an air port that receives compressed gas from a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve actuates the firing valve by directing a low-pressure gas to the actuating surface of the firing valve piston in response to a trigger pull.
The valve stem comprises an air through port extending from a forward end of the valve stem to a rearward end of the valve stem that permits high-pressure compressed gas from the firing operation to assist in closing the firing valve. When the firing valve is actuated, most of the compressed gas released through the firing valve travels through one or more air ports to the breech of the air gun to force a projectile from the barrel. However, some of the compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area releases rearward (or forward) through the air through port in the valve stem and provides a force on a rearward (or forward) surface area of the piston arranged at the rearward (or forward) end of the valve stem to close the firing valve.
By using some of the high-pressure gas from the firing operation to close the poppet valve, the firing valve can be closed even against actuating pressure operating from the solenoid valve. This permits the firing valve to be closed faster and thereby conserves compressed gas and operates the air gun more efficiently.
According to other aspects of the present inventive concepts, the firing valve can include a larger poppet valve compared to conventional firing valves. The larger poppet valve enables a quicker release of the high-pressure compressed gas through the firing valve.
Of course, the inventive principles are not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and various aspects, embodiments, and configurations of this invention are possible without departing from the principles disclosed herein. This invention is therefore not limited to any of the particular aspects, embodiments, or configurations described herein.
For example, the valve poppet (plug) could be moved closer to the barrel and/or a straighter path could be provided between the firing valve and the breech of the air gun to reduce or eliminate bends or turns between the firing valve and the breech. In one embodiment, the firing valve could be moved up into the air transfer port between the compressed gas storage area and the breech. In another embodiment, the firing valve could be arranged directly behind the breech in an extension of the breech chamber. Other embodiments could be used to reduce or eliminate air turns and improve efficiency.
Furthermore, the air gun could be made semi- or full-auto by adding an automatic loading function to the air gun. A separate solenoid could be provided, for instance to operate a bolt for the loading function. The separate solenoid could be open or closed biased depending on the desired operation of the bolt.
In addition, relative terms, such as forward, rearward, upper, lower, etc., could be swapped depending upon the orientation of the device or features without affecting the principles of the present inventive concepts. Numerous other changes or additions could be made to the air gun without departing from the principles of the present inventive concepts.
The foregoing and additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Embodiments of the present inventive concepts are shown in the accompanying drawings to illustrate various features, benefits, and configurations thereof. Additional features, benefits, and configurations will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on this disclosure, and all such features, benefits, and configurations are considered within the scope of the present invention. Various illustrative embodiments will now be described in further detail in connection with the accompanying drawing(s).
In the embodiment shown, a spring 144 provides a force on the rearward end of the valve stem 142 to bias the firing valve 140 in a closed position. This is to ensure the valve is in the closed/sealed position before pressurizing, and can also allow the valve to work reliably over a wide operating range and friction levels. The spring 144, however, can be replaced with an air chamber 152 that is pressurized to bias the valve 140 closed, or the bias can be removed entirely (such as by providing a vented air chamber 152 behind the valve stem 142) to provide a completely balanced valve stem 142.
A valve 140 for a pneumatic gun includes a valve stem 142 arranged through a compressed gas storage area 150 that is configured to store a quantity of high-pressure compressed gas for a firing operation. The high-pressure gas could, for example, be between 500 to 2500 psi. A valve plug (poppet valve) 146 is arranged on a forward end of the valve stem 140 and seals an air port 154 that is configured to communicate compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area 150 to a breech 102. A piston 148 is arranged on a rearward end of the valve stem 140. A forward end 148a of the piston 148 receives a quantity of low-pressure compressed gas from a solenoid or mechanical valve (not shown) to initiate the firing operation of the pneumatic gun 100 by moving the valve stem 142 and connected poppet valve 146 rearward, thereby unseating the valve plug 146 and opening the firing valve 140. The low-pressure compressed gas from the solenoid or mechanical valve could, for example be around approximately 100-250 psi, or less. An air through-port 141 is arranged through the valve stem 142 from a forward end of the valve plug 146 to the piston 148 and communicates high-pressure compressed gas from the firing operation to a rearward end 148b of the piston 148 to assist in closing the valve plug 146. A cylinder 160 is arranged in communication with the compressed gas storage area 150 and surrounds the valve stem 140 to stabilize the forward and rearward movement of the valve stem 140.
More specifically, in one embodiment, a forward end of the valve stem 142 is connected to or provides a poppet valve 146 that operates to selectively trap and release high-pressure compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area 150 for the firing operation. A rearward end of the valve stem preferably comprises a piston 148 having a actuating surface 148a in communication with an air port that receives compressed gas from a solenoid valve or mechanical valve (not shown). The solenoid valve (or mechanical actuating valve) actuates the firing valve 140 by directing a low-pressure gas to the actuating surface 148a of the firing valve piston 148 in response to a trigger pull.
The valve stem 140 comprises an air through port 141 extending from a forward end of the valve stem 140a to a rearward end of the valve stem 140b that permits high-pressure compressed gas from the firing operation to assist in closing the firing valve 140. When the firing valve 140 is actuated, most of the compressed gas released through the firing valve 140 travels through one or more air transfer ports 154 to the breech of the air gun 100 to force a projectile from the barrel 104, providing more air expansion in the desired direction. However, some of the compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area 150 releases rearward through the air through port 141 in the valve stem 140 and provides a force on a rearward surface area 148b of the piston 148 arranged at the rearward end 140b of the valve stem 142 to close the firing valve 140.
By using some of the high-pressure gas from the firing operation to close the poppet valve 146, the firing valve 140 can be closed even against the lower actuating pressure from the solenoid valve or mechanical actuating valve. This permits the firing valve 140 to be closed faster and thereby conserves compressed gas and operates the air gun 100 more efficiently.
According to other aspects of the present inventive concepts, the firing valve 140 can include a larger poppet valve 146 compared to conventional firing valves, and particularly as compared to conventional hammer-actuated firing valves. For instance, the poppet valve 146 could be approximately about 0.420 inches in diameter or larger. The larger poppet valve 146 enables a quicker and more efficient release of the high-pressure compressed gas around the valve plug 146 of the firing valve 140. An O-ring 162 is arranged on a rearward portion of the valve stem 142 within the cylinder 160 that communicates with the compressed gas storage area, and should be sized to counter-balance the poppet valve 146 and provide a substantially or completely balanced valve stem 142. For instance, if the poppet valve 146 is 0.420 inches in diameter, this O-ring 162 provides a sealing bore or sealing diameter that could be approximately about 0.400 inches in diameter.
Of course, the inventive principles are not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and various aspects, embodiments, and configurations of this invention are possible without departing from the principles disclosed herein. This invention is therefore not limited to any of the particular aspects, embodiments, or configurations described herein.
For example, as explained previously, a straighter path could be provided between the firing valve 140 and the breech 102 of the air gun 100 to reduce or eliminate bends or turns between the firing valve 140 and the breech 102. For example, the valve poppet (plug) 146 could be moved closer to the barrel 104 and/or a straighter path could be provided between the firing valve 140 and the breech 102 of the air gun 100 to reduce or eliminate bends or turns between the firing valve 140 and the breech 102. In one embodiment, the firing valve 140 could be moved up into the air transfer port 154 between the compressed gas storage area 150 and the breech 102. In another embodiment, the firing valve 140 could be arranged directly behind the breech 102, such as in an extension of the breech chamber 102. Other embodiments could also be used to reduce or eliminate air turns and improve efficiency.
Furthermore, the air gun could be made semi- or fully-automatic by adding an automatic loading function to the air gun. A separate solenoid could be provided, for instance to operate a bolt for the loading function. The separate solenoid could be open or closed biased depending on the desired operation of the bolt. Numerous other changes or additions could be made to the air gun without departing from the principles of the present inventive concepts.
Having described and illustrated principles of the present invention in various preferred embodiments thereof, it should be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles.
This application is a non-provisional of and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/399,335, filed Aug. 19, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63399335 | Aug 2022 | US |
