BOLT FOR PNEUMATIC PAINTBALL GUN

Abstract

A bolt assembly for a paintball gun preferably includes a valve stem having an output port that can supply compressed gas to a compressed gas storage chamber. A bolt is preferably slidably mounted on the valve stem to move between a forward and a rearward position. The bolt can include one or more bolt ports configured to communicate compressed gas from the compressed gas storage chamber to a forward end of the bolt for launching a paintball when the bolt is in the forward position. When the bolt is in a rearward position, the bolt ports preferably communicate compressed gas from the outlet port of the valve stem into the compressed gas storage chamber. A sealing member can be arranged on the valve stem in communication with the bolt to prevent compressed gas in the compressed gas storage chamber from entering a forward bolt chamber when the bolt is in the rearward position and to permit compressed gas to enter the forward bolt chamber through the bolt ports when the bolt is in the forward position. A flow control member is preferably slidably arranged on the valve stem and configured to permit a flow of compressed gas from the valve stem output port into the compressed gas storage chamber when the flow control member is in a first position and to restrict or prevent the flow of compressed gas from the valve stem output port into the compressed gas storage chamber when the flow control member is in a second position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of various potential embodiments, made with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of a paintball gun, shown with a bolt thereof in an rearward (open) position, according to certain principles of the inventions disclosed in applicant's earlier applications;

FIG. 2 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of the paintball gun of FIG. 1, shown with the bolt is disposed in a forward (closed) position;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional perspective view of the pneumatic paintball gun illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of a paintball gun constructed according to an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of a paintball gun constructed according to yet another embodiment;

FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are a somewhat schematic perspective, cross-sectional side, and bottom plan view, respectively, illustrating a paintball detection system arrangement in a breech section of a paintball gun;

FIG. 9 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a circuit board and sensor system for the paintball detection system configured for arrangement in the breech section of the paintball gun illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8;

FIG. 10 is a somewhat schematic perspective cross-sectional view of a pneumatic assembly capable of use in the paintball gun of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a paintball gun body having an interchangeable external shell;

FIG. 12 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of a paintball gun body with an interchangeable external shell, as shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13A is a somewhat schematic top view of a paintball gun grip frame configured to receive a grip-mounted circuit board;

FIG. 13B is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view of the paintball gun grip frame of FIG. 13A, illustrating a slot configured to receive a grip-mounted circuit board;

FIG. 13C is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view of the paintball gun grip frame of FIG. 13A, illustrating a grip-mounted circuit board arranged in the slot of FIG. 13B;

FIG. 14 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional perspective view of a paintball gun having a grip-mounted circuit board with a solenoid valve arranged thereon;

FIG. 15 is a somewhat schematic side view of a circuit board for a paintball gun having a solenoid valve and trigger-actuated microswitch arranged thereon;

FIG. 16 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional perspective view of a paintball gun having the paintball detection system of FIGS. 6-9, illustrating a method of mounting the paintball detection system;

FIG. 17 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of a paintball gun body having an improved bolt configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention, with the bolt arranged in a rearward (open) position;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged, somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of the paintball gun body of FIG. 17, shown with the bolt arranged in a transitional position, with the flow control member arranged in a closed position;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged, somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of the paintball gun body of FIGS. 17 and 18, shown with the bolt arranged in a forward (closed) position and the flow control member arranged in a closed position; and

FIG. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of a selected portion of the paintball gun body of FIG. 19, focusing on the flow control member.

Claims

1. A bolt assembly for a paintball gun, comprising: a valve stem comprising a port for supplying compressed gas to a compressed gas storage chamber;a bolt slidably mounted on the valve stem and comprising one or more bolt ports configured to communicate compressed gas from the compressed gas storage chamber to a forward end of the bolt for launching a paintball;a sealing member arranged in communication with the bolt, wherein the sealing member is configured to prevent compressed gas in the compressed gas storage chamber from entering a forward bolt chamber when the bolt is in a first position and to permit compressed gas to enter the forward bolt chamber through the bolt ports when the bolt is in a second position; anda flow control member slidably arranged on the valve stem and configured to permit a flow of compressed gas from the valve stem port into the compressed gas storage chamber when the flow control member is in a first position and to cut off or restrict the flow of compressed gas from the valve stem port into the compressed gas storage chamber when the flow control member is in a second position.

2. A bolt assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a biasing member applying a force to a surface of the flow control member to bias the flow control member toward the second position.

3. A bolt assembly according to claim 2, wherein the bolt applies a force to a surface of the flow control member to drive it toward the first position.

4. A bolt assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve stem further comprises a tapered forward end that extends at least halfway into the forward bolt chamber when the bolt is in a rearward position.

5. A bolt assembly according to claim 4, wherein the tapered forward end of the valve stem extends at least substantially through an entire length of the forward bolt chamber when the bolt is in the rearward position.

6. A bolt assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bolt assembly is arranged in a pneumatic housing of a paintball gun.

7. A bolt assembly according to claim 6, wherein the valve stem is rigidly affixed to the pneumatic housing.

8. A bolt assembly according to claim 6, wherein the pneumatic housing comprises a supply port that supplies compressed gas into an input port of the valve stem.

9. A bolt assembly according to claim 8, wherein the port of the valve stem receives compressed gas from the valve stem input port and supplies it to the compressed gas storage chamber through the bolt ports.

10. A bolt assembly according to claim 2, where the biasing member is a spring arranged on the valve stem that communicates with a rearward facing surface of the flow control member.

11. A bolt assembly for a paintball gun, comprising: a valve stem configured to be arranged in a fixed relationship with respect to a paintball gun during operation of the paintball gun, said valve stem comprising: an inlet port configured to receive compressed gas from a compressed gas supply during operation of the paintball gun;an outlet port configured to supply compressed gas from the inlet port into a compressed gas storage area of the paintball gun during operation of the paintball gun; anda transfer port configured to transfer compressed gas from the inlet port to the outlet port;a bolt slidably mounted on the valve stem and configured to slide between a first position and a second position during operation of the paintball gun;one or more bolt ports arranged through a sidewall of the bolt, wherein during operation of the paintball gun, the bolt ports are located in proximity to the compressed gas storage area and configured to slide at least partially across a sealing member arranged on the valve stem to release compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area from the paintball gun; anda flow control member arranged in proximity to the outlet port of the valve stem, wherein said flow control member restricts or prevents the supply of compressed gas from the outlet port into the compressed gas storage area when the bolt is arranged in the second position.

12. A bolt assembly according to claim 11, wherein the flow control member is slidably arranged on the valve stem and configured to move between an open and a closed position.

13. A bolt assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the flow control member toward the closed position.

14. A bolt assembly according to claim 13, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring arranged on a rearward portion of the valve stem.

15. A bolt assembly according to claim 11, wherein the bolt is configured to hold the flow control member in an open position when the bolt is in its first position, and wherein compressed gas is supplied from the outlet port into the compressed gas storage area through the one or more bolt ports.

16. A bolt assembly for a paintball gun, comprising: a bolt slidably mounted in a pneumatic housing of a paintball gun and configured to move between a first and a second position during operation of the paintball gun; anda separate flow control member configured to move between an open and a closed position, wherein during operation of the paintball gun, the flow control member operates as a valving mechanism to permit compressed gas to enter a compressed gas storage area of the paintball gun when in the open position and to restrict or prevent compressed gas from entering the compressed gas storage area of the paintball gun when in the closed position.

17. A bolt assembly according to claim 16, wherein the flow control member is slidably arranged in the paintball gun in proximity to a compressed gas port, and configured to slide between an open position in which the output port can freely transmit compressed gas to a compressed gas storage area and a closed position in which the flow control member occludes the compressed gas port to restrict or prevent the supply of compressed gas into the compressed gas storage area of the paintball gun.

18. A bolt assembly according to claim 17, further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the flow control member toward the closed position.

19. A bolt assembly according to claim 18, wherein the bolt is configured to hold the flow control member in an open position when the bolt is in the first position.

20. A bolt assembly according to claim 16, wherein the bolt is slidably mounted on a valve stem and comprises a plurality of bolt ports configured to slide at least partially across a sealing member arranged on the valve stem to release compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area; and wherein the flow control member is slidably mounted on a portion of the valve stem and configured to occlude an output port arranged in the valve stem when the flow control member is in the closed position.