Patent Application
20140251119
The present invention relates to projectile propelling systems or apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to ammunition magazines for firearms and paintball markers.
A conventional projectile propelling system, such as a firearm or a paintball marker, is able to fire or launch ammunition continuously as long as the ammunition is available. Ammunition, for example, can be bullet for hand guns or paintballs for a paintball guns. To enhance firing power, a type of projectile propelling system employs a magazine which houses ammunition. A conventional magazine is a special container loaded with ammunition in such a way that, when the magazine is attached to a firearm, the ammunition in the magazine can be sequentially loaded and locked into a firing chamber by the loading mechanism of the firearm before ammunition can be launched.
For an automatic or semi-automatic firing apparatus, a projectile chamber is fired when a trigger is pulled. As soon as a projectile is fired, a retract mechanism of a firearm, for example, reloads the next projectile or bullet from the magazine for the subsequent firing. As the firing speed increases, more ammunition is needed to maintain the firing power. When ammunition in the magazine depletes, the projectile propelling system stops firing until the empty magazine is replaced with a fully loaded magazine.
To supply and provide sufficient amount of ammunition, users or operators usually carry multiple loaded magazines with a finite amount of ammunition such as bullets or paintballs. When ammunition inside a magazine depletes, the user replaces the magazine by removing the empty magazine from the projectile propelling system such as a gun and reattaching a fully loaded magazine before a projectile can be fired. Projectile propelling is interrupted or halted during the process of replacing a magazine. To minimize firing interruption from magazine replacement, reducing the frequency of magazine replacement as well as minimum effort of magazine replacement is essential.
A problem associated with a conventional ammunition magazine is that it holds a limited amount of ammunition or projectiles.
One embodiment(s) of the present invention discloses a dual cylindrical-shaped magazine (“DCM”) capable of being coupled to a projectile launcher or a firearm such as a gun for supplying ammunition. The projectile launcher, in one embodiment, includes a receiver having a magazine well configured to couple to the DCM. The receiver of the projectile launcher, in one example, contains a propelling mechanism and an ammunition receiving port, wherein the propelling mechanism is used for launching a projectile. The ammunition receiving port, which may be situated at the bottom of the receiver, is used to couple to the DCM for receiving projectiles and/or ammunition. It should be noted that the projectile launcher can also be a gun or firearm, and the DCM carries firearm ammunitions such as bullet.
The DCM, in one aspect, includes two drum-shaped canisters, a magazine extender, and an ammunition supply port, wherein the ammunition supply port is located on the magazine extender which is situated between the two canisters. The DCM carries multiple projectiles wherein the projectiles are organized in such a way that a first portion of projectiles moves toward the receiver against gravity for supplying ammunition from the ammunition supply port of DCM to receiving port of receiver and a second portion of projectiles move in a direction parallel to the receiver for replenishing projectiles to the first portion of projectiles.
Additional features and benefits of the exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description, figures and claims set forth below.
Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various embodiments of the invention, which, however, should not be taken to limit the invention to the specific embodiments, but are for explanation and understanding only.
Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention is described herein in the context of a method, system and apparatus of providing ammunition to a projectile propelling system (“PPS”) via a dual-cylindrical magazine (“DCM”).
Those of ordinary skills in the art will realize that the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiment(s) is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other embodiments will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. Reference will now be made in detail to implementations of the exemplary embodiment(s) as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same reference indicators will be used throughout the drawings and the following detailed description to refer to the same or like parts.
References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “various embodiments,” “exemplary embodiment,” “one aspect,” “an aspect,” “exemplary aspect,” “various aspects,” etc., indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.
In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of the implementations described herein are shown and described. It will, of course, be understood that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions may be made in order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with application- and business-related constraints, and that these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be understood that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of engineering for those of ordinary skills in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
Various embodiments of the present invention illustrated in the drawings may not be drawn to scale. Rather, the dimensions of the various features may be expanded or reduced for clarity. In addition, some of the drawings may be simplified for clarity. Thus, the drawings may not depict all of the components of a given apparatus (e.g., device) or method. As used herein, the singular forms of article “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Also, the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
One embodiment(s) of the present application discloses a DCM which is capable of being used to supply projectiles to a launcher, PPS, or firearm. The projectile launcher or PPS, in one embodiment, includes a receiver configured to couple to the DCM. The receiver, in one example, contains a propelling mechanism and an ammunition receiving port, wherein the propelling mechanism is used for launching a projectile. The ammunition receiving port, which may be situated at the bottom of the receiver, is used to couple to the DCM for receiving projectiles and/or ammunition. It should be noted that PPS and/or projectile launchers are herein referred to as firearms, lethal weapon, non-lethal weapon, paintball markers, and/or tranquilizing guns.
The ammunition and/or projectile includes, but not limited to, bullet, paintball, delivery capsules, and the like. The paintballs usually include non-toxic, biodegradable, water soluble color substance wherein they leave colored marks upon breakage. A bullet, on the other hand, is generally made of cylindrical metal shell that can be expelled from a firearm, especially a rifle or handgun.
The DCM, in one aspect, includes two drum-shaped canisters, a magazine extender, and an ammunition supply port. The ammunition supply port is located on the magazine extender which is situated between the two canisters. The DCM carries multiple projectiles wherein the projectiles are organized in such a way that a first portion of projectiles moves toward the receiver traveling against gravity from ammunition supply port to receiving port of receiver. Second portion of projectiles moves in a direction parallel to the receiver and they are used to replenish projectiles to the first portion of projectiles.
Cylindrical canisters 102-104, in one embodiment, are structured in two cylinders with a height 112 and radius 116 capable of housing between 10 and 150 projectiles. Cylindrical canisters or canisters 102-104 can also be referred to as first canister and second canister, left canister and right canister, primary canister and secondary canister, or the like. Depending on the applications, height 112 and radius 116 can change based on specific requirements associated with PPS. The shape of cylindrical canisters 102-104 may also change to different shapes such as square or rectangular based on the applications.
Magazine base 110 is used to bridge canisters 102-104. In one aspect, magazine base 110 provides one or more ammunition channels for projectiles to move between canisters 102-104 or between canisters to extender 106. The projectiles, not shown in
Magazine extender 106, in one embodiment, is structured or attached on top of magazine base 110 and provides ammunition to a receiver of PPS via ammunition supply port 108. Depending on the type of PPS used, different configuration of extender 106 may be selected for coupling to a magazine well of PPS. For example, each PPS or projectile launcher includes an ammunition receiving port which is generally located in a magazine well. While the ammunition receiving port of a PPS receives a projectile from ammunition supply port 108 when they are aligned, the magazine well is used to lock DCM to the PPS via magazine extender 106. It should be noted that the terms “PPS,” “projectile launcher,” “paintball marker,” “paintball gun,” and “projectile gun,” are referring to a similar device and they can be used interchangeably.
During an operation, ammunition carriers 202-204 with fully loaded projectiles 206-208 in their chambers 220 rotate in a predefined direction to supply ammunition to a connected or coupled receiver. When carriers 202-204 rotate, projectiles such as paintballs 206-208 in chambers 220 are gently pushed or pressured in a first direction indicated by arrows 226-228. Upon exiting carriers 202-204 and entering extender 106 via ammunition base 110, projectiles such as projectile 216 moves in a second direction indicated by arrow 218. In one embodiment, the first direction indicated by arrows 226-228 and the second direction indicated by arrow 218 are approximately perpendicular with each other. It should be noted that carriers 202-204 can carry projectiles other than paintballs.
Receiving end 276 of chamber 220 is used to load projectiles such as paintballs or bullets. Each chamber 220, for example, may be able to hold from 2 to 10 projectiles depending on the applications. After loading, the projectiles move from receiving end 272 to dispensing end 276 in the chamber. In one embodiment, a pressure pedal is employed to each chamber 220 for gently pushing the projectiles in a predefined direction. The pressure pedals may be installed in the center portion of carrier 280-282.
Diagram 302 illustrates a dispensing wheel, which is situated between carrier 280 and the canister of DCM. In one aspect, dispensing wheel can be fabricated together with carrier 280 as a single device as shown in diagram 300. A function of dispensing wheel is to dispense one projectile at a giving time. Depending on the applications, dispensing wheel is used to guide or force projectiles such as paintballs 308 to move in a guided direction.
Diagram 304 is a top view of carrier 280. The top end of carrier 280 is also receiving end 272. Diagram 304 illustrates a twelve-chamber carrier capable of carrying a range of projectiles anywhere from 36 to 120 projectiles such as paintballs 310. In one example, paintballs 310 can be loaded through the top end or receiving end of carrier 280 and subsequently can be dispensed at dispensing end 276.
DCM is ammunition storage capable of storing or housing ammunition for a PPS or a firearm. DCM, in one embodiment, includes two canisters 102-104, base 110, extender 106, and ammunition supply port 108. Ammunition supply port 108 is placed or installed at extender 106 which is situated between two canisters 102-104. DCM, in one example, carries projectiles 206 in such a way that a first portion of projectiles moves toward a receiver against gravity for supplying projectiles while a second portion of projectiles move in a direction parallel to the receiver for replenishing projectiles 206 that depart from DCM.
The receiver, in one instance, contains a propelling mechanism for launching a projectile using, for example, compressed gas. The ammunition receiving port of receiver is configured to receive projectiles and is situated, for instance, at the bottom of the receiver. The receiver, in one example, is a paintball receiver containing a striker, a valve, and a launch chamber configured to launch a paintball. The receiver includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a front side, and a back side, wherein the top surface faces sky, the bottom surface faces ground, the front side launches projectile, and the back side faces user. Note that a projectile can be any types of substance delivery capsules such as paintballs, projectiles with fans, lethal delivery capsules, non-lethal delivery capsules, chemical delivery balls, and the like.
Two canisters 102-104 of DCM further include a left-side drum-shaped cylinder (“LDC”) 402 and a right-side drum-shaped cylinder (“RDC”) 404, wherein LDC and RDC are bridged by a magazine base 110. LDC 402 and RDC 404 are ammunition carriers which are similar to carriers 202-204 shown in
Each canister 102 or 104 of DCM includes a round-shaped ammunition carrier 402 or 404 able to rotate along its axis within the canister. Ammunition carrier 402 or 404 includes a range of six (6) to twenty (20) ammunition chambers 420 wherein each ammunition chamber or chamber 420 can hold a range of two (2) to ten (10) projectiles 206. The axes of chambers 420 are configured in parallel with the axis of ammunition carrier 402 or 404. Each of ammunition chamber 420 includes a loading opening 272 or for projectile entrance and a dispensing opening 276 for projectile departure. Note that loading opening 272 and dispensing opening 276 are the same as the receiving end and dispensing end, respectively.
DCM further includes rotating agitator(s) 406 and pressure pedals wherein the rotating agitator 406 coupled to ammunition carriers 402-404 is capable of spinning ammunition carriers 402-404 along their axes. In one embodiment, agitator or rotating mechanism 406 can be situated in the center of canister 102 or 104. Alternatively, agitator 406 may be installed in the middle of carrier 402 or 404. It should be noted that depending on the applications, carriers 402-404 may rotate in the same direction or in the different directions.
Each of the pressure pedals, in one embodiment, is gently coupled to an ammunition chamber and is configured to force the projectile or projectiles moving from loading opening 272 to dispensing opening 276 as indicated by arrows 430-436. DCM further includes a dispensing wheel (not shown in
DCM also includes an extractor 410 and canister selector 416 wherein extractor 410 is installed at each canister 102 or 104 for extracting single projectile at a given time. For example, extractor 410 extracts one projectile from a canister and guides it to base 110 via a channel 412. Canister selector 416 is used to select where a projectile should be allowed to move onto extender 106 from channels 412. Note that base 110 includes at least two channels 412 for facilitating movement of projectiles from canisters 102-104 to extender 106.
Base 110, in one embodiment, includes two channels 412 wherein one is used to channel projectiles from carrier 402 to extender, while another is used to channel projectiles from carrier 404 to extender 106. Canister selector 416, in one example, switches between carriers 402-404 or two channels 412 allowing projectiles to enter extender 106 in an alternate manner. Note that canister selector 416 can be simple conventional alternate switch such as a Geneva drive or a sophisticated electronic switching device.
During operation, when carriers 402-404 are loaded with projectiles via receiving end 272, chambers 420 within carriers 402-404 are filled with projectiles such as paintballs. For example, chamber 420a is filled with paintballs a, a1, and a2. When carrier 402 rotates or agitates in a direction indicated by arrow 450, carrier 404, in one aspect, rotates in an opposite direction as indicated by arrow 452. When carrier rotates, paintballs such as paintballs a and al move in a direction 432, the bottom layer of paintballs travel in a direction indicated by arrow 450 as shown in diagram 400. When carrier 450 rotates, a portion of paintballs such as paintball a, b, c, d, e, and s moves along ram 426 in a rotating direction indicated by arrow 450. When paintball s engages with extractor 410, paintball s moves from carrier 420 to channel 412 in base 110. Canister selector 416 selects a paintball such as paintball t to move into extender 106. Note that paintball y is about to move out of supply port 108 in a direction indicated by arrow 438 to a receiver (not shown in
When carriers 402 rotates in a predefined rate based on PPS used, paintballs 206 at exit end 276 of chambers 420 are ready to be dispensed from chambers 420 to ammunition extender 106. Paintballs in extender 106 such as paintballs (i.e., w, y, . . . ) move against gravity toward ammunition supply port 108 while paintballs (i.e., a1 and a2) move in a direction 432 approximately parallel with the receiver.
The set of pressure pedals 708, in one embodiment, includes twelve (12) pressure pedals wherein each of pressure pedal 708 is dedicated to a chamber. Each of pressure pedals 708, in one embodiment, includes a spring 702 and a follower 704. After chamber 220 is loaded with paintballs 206, a pressure pedal 708 is mounted from receiving end 272 whereby pressure pedal 708 gently pushes or follows paintballs 206 from receiving end 272 to dispensing end 276.
The set of pressure pedals 756, in one embodiment, includes twelve (12) pressure pedals wherein each of pressure pedal 756 is dedicated to a chamber. In one embodiment, each of pressure pedals 756 includes a pad 758 and rod 760. After chamber 220 is loaded with paintballs 206, a pressure pedal 756 is mounted from receiving end 272 whereby pressure pedal 756 is used to gently push paintballs 206 from receiving end 272 to dispensing end 276. In one aspect, the set of pressure pedals 756 is controlled by a screw rod 752 with a collar 754 located in the middle of carrier 202. With a predefined dispensing rate of paintballs exiting from carrier 202, pressure pedals 756 is calibrated in accordance with the rotation of screw rod 752 to provide adequate pressure on paintballs 206 as carrier 202 rotates.
Canister 102, in this embodiment, is used as a secondary or reserve storage for primary or dispensing canister 104. In one example, base 110 includes a replenishing channel which is used for replenishing projectiles from the reserve canister such as canister 102 to the dispensing canister such as canister 104. Canister 102, in one aspect, includes receiving end 872 which is opposite from receiving end 272 of canister 104. Similarly, canister 102 also includes a dispensing end 876 which is opposite from dispensing end 276 of canister 104. Base 110 includes a dispensing channel having a guide 810 used to guide paintball from base 110 to extender 106. The replenishing channel of base 110 is used to guide paintballs from canister 102 to canister 104 via an independent channel.
Upon releasing projectiles queued in a substantially vertical direction in a magazine extender through the ammunition supply port, a portion of projectiles in the chambers moves in a horizontal direction parallel with the receiver for replenishing released projectiles. Note that the vertical direction can be an upward direction against gravity. The process is able to apply a pressure to the projectiles in the ammunition chambers by pressure pedals.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skills in the art that based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from this exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention and its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention.
