Patent Application
20120060814
The present invention relates to paint ball guns. More specifically, the present invention relates to paint ball and/or projectile propelling systems.
With increasing popularity of paintball tournaments as well as professional trainings such as military and sports competitions, more accurate and realistic looking paintball guns or markers are in demand. For example, the success of training or competition depends on how quickly an operator of a paintball marker can eliminate opponents by hitting them with paintballs or paint projectiles. A problem associated with a conventional paintball marker or gun is that the accuracy of paintball marker is relatively poor partially due to the traditional design of the paintball guns or markers.
A conventional paintball gun or marker, for example, channels pressurized gas to the firing mechanism from bottom side of a marker. A typical gas tank or canister is mounted underneath the grip with a hose circles around the trigger. The gas tank, which is typically mounted below the paintball gun or receiver, can be bulky and heavy at an awkward location which can hamper maneuver or movement of an operator.
Another problem associated with a conventional paintball marker or gun with a gas tank mounted underneath of the receiver is that handling of a typical paintball gun deviates from handling of a real gun whereby using paintball marker as firearm training exercise degrades the effectiveness of military and/or police field training.
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a paintball assembly capable of channeling pressurized air or gas via an air line or pipe inside of the paintball assembly using a transfer rod. The assembly includes a main valve, an air pipe, a bolt, a hammer, and a U-shaped rod. While the main valve is configured to propel a paintball utilizing pressurized gas, the air pipe supplies and channels the pressurized gas to the valve. The bolt guides or pushes the paintball into a firing chamber, and the hammer manages or controls the main valve for propelling the paintball upon pulling of the trigger. The U-shaped rod is used to synchronize the movement of the bolt and the hammer. In one embodiment, the U-shaped rod is configured in such a way that at least a portion of the U-shaped rod is structured around the air pipe to reduce contact with the air pipe.
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 retrofitting a paintball propelling device with a receiver capable of facilitating optional paintball feed mechanisms.
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.
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a retrofit kit providing flexible paintball loading mechanism for a paintball gun. In one embodiment, the retrofit kit includes a right side portion of a receiver, a left side portion of the receiver, and a bottom removable adapter. The right side portion of a receiver having a first feed hatch is able to receive paintballs through an upper loading mechanism. The left side portion of the receiver, after coupling with the right side portion of the receiver to form a receiver, is capable of coupling to a barrel as well as a pressured gas container. The bottom removable adapter, in one embodiment, facilitates to receive paintballs via a bottom feeding mechanism. In one example, the kit further includes a right grip portion capable of coupling to the right side portion of the receiver and a left grip portion capable of coupling to the left side portion of the receiver for gripping.
Right side receiver 102, in one embodiment, includes an opening 106 for top loading or top feed paintballs and a cut-out area 111 configured to couple to a bottom feed adapter. Opening 106, in one aspect, can be selectively closed by a hatch, a cover, or a door when the top feed mechanism of paintballs is not used. Paintballs are considered as ammunition for the paintball gun or marker and they, for example, are round or spherical shaped capsules containing dye substances. Upon an impact of a paintball, the paintball leaves a colored marker. The bottom feed adapter, which is not shown in
Grip or handle 104, in one embodiment, is an optional component facilitating gripping and/or handling. Depending on the applications, grip 104 may or may not be mounted. Applications may vary depending on which existing paintball marker is to be retrofitted. When grip 104 is desirable, grip 104 can be mounted onto right side receiver 102 using mounting holes 108-110. It should be noted that fasteners such as screws and bolts can be used to secure grip 104 onto right side receiver 102 via holes 108-110. Grip 104 is fabricated or casted with solid or rigid materials capable of facilitating handling comfort. The solid or rigid materials include wood, rubber, metal, aluminum, polymers, alloy, composite plastics, and the like.
It should be noted that various other features such as knock-outs 156 and grooves 152 are relating to aesthetic and/or other functional valves whereby they do not alter the underlying concept of the exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention if the shape of knock-outs or a groove changes.
Left side receiver 202, in one embodiment, includes a cut-out area 211 configured to couple to a bottom feed adapter. The bottom feed adapter, not shown, couples to both right side receiver 102 and left side receiver 202. The adapter, which will be discussed more detail later, includes a bottom feed port 112 capable of facilitating bottom feed mechanism of paintballs. Left side receiver 202 further includes various holes 216 for fastening purposes.
Left side portion of grip 204, in one embodiment, is an optional component facilitating hand gripping and/or handling. Depending on the applications, grip 204 may or may not be mounted onto left side receiver 202. When left side portion of grip 204 is desirable, left side portion of grip 204 can be mounted onto left side receiver 202 using mounting holes 208-210. It should be noted that fasteners such as screws and bolts may be used to secure grip 104 onto left side receiver 202 via holes 208-210. Left side portion of grip 204 can be fabricated or casted with solid or rigid materials capable of facilitating hand holding or griping. The solid or rigid materials include wood, rubber, metal, aluminum, polymers, alloy, composite plastics, and the like.
Bottom feed port 112, in one embodiment, is an opening having a predefined dimension that allows conventional paintballs to pass through. When bottom feed adapter 322 is coupled to a bottom feed magazine (not shown in
Bottom feed adapter 322, in one embodiment, is coupled to left and right sides of receiver to form a complete receiver that is capable of retrofitting an existing paintball marker or gun. Various attaching elements 330 are used to fasten bottom feed adapter 322 to left and right side receiver. It should be noted that the dimension of bottom feed adapter may vary depending on the applications.
Projectile propelling system 532 includes hammer or striker, in-line valve, and a bolt. In one embodiment, various traditional projectile propelling systems may be retrofitted with embodiments of the present disclosed retrofit kit whereby the retrofitted paintball guns are able to accept loading from the bottom feed as well as the top feed. When an operator pulls the trigger of a paintball marker, the pressure unlatches the hammer from the bolt and the projectile (i.e., paintball) is propelled.
An advantage of employing the disclosed embodiments of retrofit kit is to allow a paintball operator to pick and choose whether the paintballs should be fed from top, bottom, or both. For example, embodiments of the present invention allow existing paintball guns to be retrofitted to accept a bottom feed paintball mechanism. The existing paintball guns may include, but not limited to, Tippmann 98™, Tippmann A5™, Tippmann X7™ Tippmann X7 Phenom™, BT Combat™, BT Delta™, BT SWAT™, BT4™, US Army Alpha Black™, US Army Project Salvo™, US Army Carver One™, and Valken SW-1™
In one embodiment, a retrofit assembly for a paintball propelling device includes a first solid side, a second solid side, and a third removable solid side. The first solid side includes a first feed hatch configured to receive paintballs through a first feeding mechanism. The retrofit assembly, in one embodiment, further includes a first grip portion couple to the first solid side for gripping. The first solid side is a right side portion of a receiver capable of catapulting a paintball in response to a launching mechanism. The first feed hatch is operable to couple to a feeder elbow capable of receiving paintballs fed by gravitational force. The feeder elbow, for example, is able to couple with a hopper capable of containing multiple paintballs. The hopper is generally situated in such a way that paintballs can be fed to the chamber of receiver via gravity.
The second solid side is coupled to the first solid side to form a receiver which is further configured to couple with a barrel. The retrofit assembly may further include a second grip couple to the second solid side for gripping. The second solid side is a left side portion of the receiver capable of catapulting a paintball in response to a launching mechanism. The first and second solid sides can be fabricated by aluminum, zinc, alloy, composite materials, or pressure resistance plastics. The first feeding mechanism includes a hopper situated approximately above the receiver and feeds paintballs to the receiver with a gravitational force. The second feeding mechanism includes a magazine situated approximately below the receiver and pushes paintballs in a direction opposite of gravity to the receiver for launching.
The third removable solid side coupled to the receiver and capable of facilitating to receive paintballs via a second feeding mechanism. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a third removable solid side is a bottom feed adapter, wherein the bottom feed adapter is able to couple to a bottom feed magazine. The third removable solid side can also be made by aluminum, zinc, alloy, composite materials, and/or pressure resistance plastics. In one aspect, the bottom feed magazine generates a loading force to push a paintball in a direction against gravity into the receiver for launching the paintball. The third removable solid side includes an optical light emitting component capable of providing a light signal(s) in accordance with firing a paintball from the receiver.
It should be noted that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a retrofit kit having a receiver capable of facilitating top and bottom feed systems. The receiver can be formed by three (3) separate components, namely a right side receiver 102, a left side receiver 202, and a bottom feed adapter 322 as illustrated above. The receiver, however, does not have to be formed by three (3) components. For example, depending on the applications, the receiver may be formed by one (1) or two (2) components. In an exemplary embodiment, a receiver may be formed by two (2) components, such as a top half receiver and a bottom half receiver wherein the bottom half receiver containing a bottom feed port. Alternatively, a receiver having a top feed hatch and a bottom feed port may be manufactured with one (1) single fabrication process. It should be further noted that the receiver for retrofitting can also be formed with more than three (3) components.
The retrofit assembly further includes a feed switch coupled to the receiver and configured to selectively switch between the first feeding mechanism and the second feeding mechanism. In addition, the receiver is able to couple to a compressed air tank used to propel a paintball into a trajectory.
An advantage of using the embodiments of the present invention is to allow an operator to have a clear line of fire without obstruction such as a hopper.
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a paintball assembly capable of channeling pressurized air or gas via an air line or pipe inside of the paintball assembly using a transfer rod. The assembly includes a main valve, an air pipe, a bolt, a hammer, and a U-shaped rod. While the main valve is configured to propel a paintball utilizing pressurized gas, the air pipe supplies and channels the pressurized gas to the valve. The bolt guides or pushes the paintball into a firing chamber, and the hammer manages or controls the main valve for propelling the paintball upon pulling of the trigger. The U-shaped rod is used to synchronize the movement of the bolt and the hammer. In one embodiment, the U-shaped rod is configured in such a way that at least a portion of the U-shaped rod is structured around the air pipe to reduce contact with the air pipe.
Projectile propelling system 532 includes valve 902, bolt 904, hammer 906, air pipe 908, and rod 910. Valve 902, which has also been referred to as main valve, in-line valve, switch, et cetera, is able to launch, propel, throw, or hurl a paintball over a distance using a combination of cocking mechanism and firing mechanism using pressurized gas. Valve 902 controls pressurized gas supplied from air pipe 908 and channels the pressurized gas to propel a paintball over a distance via a barrel. A function of valve 902 is to switch on and/or off pressurized gas in response to the position of trigger.
Valve 902, in one embodiment, is structured in two cylindrical portions including an extended cylindrical portion 903. While main valve 902 controls the pressurized gas, extended cylindrical portion or extended portion 903 provides a track or direction to bolt 904 and provides directional guidance for the movement of bolts 904. Note that valve 902, extended portion 903, bolt 904, and hammer 906 are all axially aligned with the breech end of a barrel. Top surface 926 of valve 902 also coincides with the top orientation of receiver 102.
Air pipe 908 includes several sections wherein a first end is used to coupled to top surface 926 of valve 902 and the second end is used to connect to gas inlet 912 located at back end 922. A first body section of air pipe 908, which is adjacent to the first end of air pipe 908, moves away from the top surface of valve 926 in a perpendicular direction. A second body section of air pipe, which is adjacent to the first body section, is situated in parallel or substantially parallel to the top surface of valve 926. It should be noted that the second body section of air pipe 908 is placed in parallel or substantially parallel with the cylindrical axis of valve 902. A third body section of air pipe 908, which is situated adjacent to gas inlet 912, is configured to couple between the second body section and the second end of air pipe 908. Air pipe 908, in one aspect, is made of solid materials, such as copper, aluminum, nickel, alloy, plastic, composite, metal, and the like.
Transfer rod 910, in one embodiment, is structured in a U-shape or at least a portion of the rod is structured in a U-shape. The U-shaped rod is used to synchronize the movement between bolt 904 and hammer 906. The terms “transfer rod” and “U-shaped rod” are hereinafter referred to the same rod. U-shaped rod 910 includes two ends and several body sections. The first end of U-shaped rod 910 is coupled to bolt 904 and the second end of U-shaped rod 910 is fastened with hammer 906. A first body section of U-shaped rod 910, which is adjacent to the first end of U-shaped rod 910, moves onto the top surface of valve 926 leading away from bolt 904. The U-shaped section of U-shaped rod 910 is used to minimize, reduce, or avoid direct contact with air pipe 908 whereby it can facilitate the movement of bolt 904 and hammer 906 without interfering with air pipe 908. The second body section of U-shaped rod 910, which is adjacent to hammer 906, is used to connect to the second end of U-shaped rod 910. Not that U-shaped rod 910 can be made by any solid or rigid materials, such as metal, copper, aluminum, nickel, alloy, plastic, composite, and the like.
An advantage of employing the embodiment(s) of present invention is that both air pipe 908 and U-shaped rod 910 pass through the top surface of valve 926 without interfering with each other thereby the embodiment(s) allows a user to use a gas source from back end 922.
During an operation, hammer 906, paintball (not shown in
A paintball assembly, in one embodiment, includes valve 902, air pipe 908, bolt 904, hammer 906, and U-shaped rod 910. Valve 902 is configured to propel a paintball using pressurized gas. Valve 902, in one example, is an in-line cylindrical valve having a main cylindrical body and an extended portion 903, wherein the extended portion 903 guides movements or horizontal movement of bolt 904. While bolt 904 is operable to guide the paintball into a firing chamber, hammer 906 is capable of striking valve 902 to release sufficient amount pressurized gas to propel a paintball for a predefined distance.
Air pipe 908 has a first end and a second end, and is able to channel the pressurized gas to valve 902. For example, the first end of air pipe 908 is connected to top surface of valve 902 and the second end of air pipe 902 is connected to a gas source or gas inlet. Note that air pipe 908 is configured to be routed inside of assembly capable of transferring pressurized gas from, for instance, a carbon dioxide canister to valve 902.
U-shaped rod 910 is coupled to bolt 904 and hammer 906, and is configured to synchronize movement of the bolt and the hammer. For example, U-shaped rod 910 has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of U-shaped rod 910 is fastened to bolt 904 and the second end of U-shaped rod 910 is coupled to hammer 906. In one embodiment, U-shaped rod 910 is configured in such a way that at least a portion of U-shaped rod 910 is structured around air pipe 908 to reduce and/or avoid physical friction with air pipe 908. Note that during the cocking and firing actions, U-shaped rod 910 moves to synchronize the movements 1106 of bolt 904 and hammer 906.
The paintball assembly, in one example, is also configured to include a shoulder stock capable of containing a gas source(s). The gas source may be a nitrogen tank, a carbon dioxide (CO2) canister, and/or a compressed air canister. In an alternative example, the paintball assembly may also include a gas source which is mounted beneath the assembly.
Paintball assembly 1504 shows a receiver, a shoulder stock 1510, a stock 1510, a compressed air container 704, a barrel 708, and a gas line 706. In one embodiment, an operator can selectively choose which gas sources to use. For example, the operator can select container 704 as the gas source when canister 1512 is empty. Alternatively, operator can combine the gas sources from container 704 and canister 1512 to reinforce the pressure of gas.
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.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/882,190, filed on Sep. 14, 2010 in the name of the same inventor and entitled “OPTIONAL LOADING MECHANISM CAPABLE OF RETROFITTING PAINTBALL ASSEMBLY,” hereby incorporated into the present application by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12882190 | Sep 2010 | US |
| Child | 12987036 | US |
