Patent Application
20090050128
This invention relates to the field of soft projectile launching toys. More specifically the present invention comprises a bow-type soft projectile launcher.
Projectile launchers have long been known as novelty items. These launchers typically fire potatoes, vegetable slices, marshmallows, tennis balls, and the like. Some are spring loaded, while others use pistons to compress a charge of air. They typically fire a small projectile which can be used in “mock combat” games without actually injuring the target. These devices have also found application other than as novelty items. Some have been used to fire marking projectiles in the veterinary and timber industries. Others have been used as pill injectors for treating horses and cows. Thus, although such projectile launchers are most often viewed as novelty items, their applications may be much broader.
Particularly, in mock combat situations it is desirable to limit the type of projectiles that may be “fired” from a projectile launcher to reduce the risk of injury. One particular concern in the field of novelty projectile launchers is the use of “improvised projectiles.” Users of the launcher often attempt to use the launchers to launch hard projectiles which could cause injury
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a projectile launcher which cannot be used to launch dangerous improvised projectiles and otherwise limits the risk of injury associated with the use of the projectile launcher.
The present invention comprises a bow-type projectile launcher for launching soft projectiles. The projectile launcher features a pump assembly having a cylinder and piston. The piston is attached to a bow string so that a pressure charge is generated when the user draws and releases the bow string. The pressure charge is released into a chamber which contains a soft projectile. A removable magazine is provided for containing a plurality of soft projectiles. A magazine receiver is provided for attaching the removable magazine to the projectile launcher.
In the preferred embodiment, the pump cylinder has vents in the wall so that the pump assembly can deliver a more sudden pressure pulse to the soft projectile. The vents allow the piston to achieve greater velocity before compressing air into a pressure charge. The preferred embodiment further includes a muzzle projecting outwardly from the chamber and a muzzle brake with a plurality of brake vents. The brake vents prevent a user from inhaling a soft projectile through the muzzle of the projectile launcher.
The present invention is shown in its assembled state in
Projectile launcher 10 also includes grip 20 and limbs 22 and 24 which project outward away from grip 20. Bow string 50 attaches to the ends of limb 22 and limb 24. Bow string 50 also attaches to pump grip 14. Bow string 50 transmits the stored energy of limbs 22 and 24 to pump assembly 12 when bow string 50 is drawn and then released.
Vents 18 on cylinder 16 serve a useful purpose which will now be considered in greater detail. When piston 36 is drawn back and then released, air within cylinder 16 provides resistance to the movement of piston 36 back into cylinder 16. As the air is compressed it offers even more resistance. Vents 18 allow compressed air to escape out of cylinder 16 while piston 36 gains velocity traveling through cylinder 16. Thus, vents 18 shorten the length of time the pump takes to accomplish a compression stroke and shorten the length of time over which the pressure charge is discharged into the chamber. This feature allows the pump to create a more “sudden” pressure pulse and launch the projectile further than if no vents were used.
Turning now to
Barrel 26 is fluidly connected with projectile discharging orifice 48 extends away from chamber 40. Muzzle brake 28 is attached to barrel 26. Muzzle brake 28 has brake vents 30. Vents 30 are formed by flanges that extend outwardly away from the bore of barrel 26. Slots are provided between the flanges in the wall of barrel 26 to let air pass from the bore of barrel 26, through the slots in barrel 26, and then between the flanges of muzzle brake 28. Muzzle brake 28 is a safety feature of the present invention. This feature prevents the user from placing their mouth around the muzzle of the projectile launcher and inhaling the soft projectile or discharging a pressure charge into the user's lungs. Brake vents 30 prevent the user from creating suction on the muzzle. If the user inhales through the end of muzzle brake 62, air will simply filter through brake vents 30. If the user puts the muzzle in a person's mouth, the pressure charge will be diverted through brake vents 30 and will not be forced into the person's lungs.
Magazine receiver 32 is positioned adjacent to projectile receiving orifice 44. Magazine receiver 32 is configured to receive the open end of removable magazine 34. Turning to
The reader will also notice that magazine receiver 32 allows for the detachment and quick removal of said magazine during reloading. To remove magazine 34, the user simply grasps magazine 34 and pulls it out of magazine receiver 32. The other end of magazine 34 is closed with cap 42. Cap 42 includes a one-way valve. The one-way valve allows the vacuum caused by drawing back piston 36 to pull a projectile from magazine 34 into chamber 40, but would prevent the pressure charge from being expelled through cap 42 when launching the projectile. Thus, although the pump pressurizes the magazine vessel, the one-way valve in the cap forces the pressure charge to exit out the barrel of the projectile launcher behind the projectile.
Turning to
With the components of projectile launcher 10 now described, the user will appreciate how the launcher is used. The user first loads magazine 34 with soft projectiles 52. The open end of magazine 34 is inserted into magazine receiver 32. When held upright, chambered projectile 54 comes to rest on apex 56 in chamber 40 (the same result may be accomplished by the vacuum generated by the draw-back of string 50 and piston 36 even if the projectile launcher is not held upright as shown in
The preceding description contains significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. It should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. As an example, many different bow-type launchers could be designed incorporating the elements of the present invention. Such variations would not alter the function of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.
