Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6532949
-
Patent Number
6,532,949
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, June 19, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, March 18, 200321 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Jordan; Charles T.
- Zerr; John W.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 124 58
- 124 73
- 124 74
- 124 75
- 124 77
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An electro-pneumatically operated kit assembly is provided for connection to a paint ball gun body, the kit assembly having a trigger initiating a programmed electrical control unit which actuates a first solenoid valve to move a hammer to open an air distribution path to allow pressurized air into the barrel to fire a paint ball sitting within the barrel of the gun body. The first solenoid valve then closes and a second solenoid valve opens to move a bolt away from the path of projectile storage path to release the next single paint ball into the barrel to await another trigger actuation. The first solenoid valve controls the movement of the hammer while the second solenoid valve controls the movement of the bolt so that the hammer and bolt move independently from each other.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a kit assembly adaptable for a connection to a paint ball gun body to change a mechanical pneumatically powered paint ball gun to an electro-pneumatic powered paint ball gun.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Paint ball guns are widely used in various recreational environments, such as simulated war games wherein it is the intent to shoot an opposing member with the paint ball gut and hit the opposition with the paint ball.
Paint ball guns using compressed air or gas are well known. Until recently, most paint ball guns were mechanical pneumatically powered guns. The entry of electro-pneumatically powered paint ball guns provided a more consistently top performing device for the recreational market. An electro-pneumatic paint ball gun provides improved performance with less component malfunctions than the mechanical-pneumatic paint ball gun. The electro-pneumatic paint ball gun shoots faster and more consistently in a lighter and more compact package than the mechanical pneumatic paint ball guns.
The cost to purchase the new electro pneumatically powered paint ball guns can be high. It would therefore be desirable to provide a paint ball kit assembly which could be simply retrofitted onto an existing paint ball gun body that would change a mechanical pneumatically powered paint ball gun into an electro-pneumatically powered paint ball gun easily and at a significant cost savings. The current electro-pneumatically powered paint ball guns are specifically manufactured to fit with a specific paint ball gun body. The electro-pneumatic system on existing electro-pneumatically powered paint ball guns can not be easily adapted to the current “over and under” bore design of the mechanical-pneumatically operated paint ball guns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention addresses the aforementioned concerns by providing an electro-pneumatically operated paint ball kit assembly for connection to a paint ball gun body and especially a paint ball gun body having an “over and under” bore design. A paint ball gun body has a barrel for receiving a paint ball and a cylindrical bore located parallel to the barrel and directly below the barrel. There is a through passageway between the barrel and the bore. A feed inlet connected to a supply of paint balls is open to the barrel. The electro-pneumatically operated kit assembly comprises a moveable bolt configured for disposition and movement within the barrel for selectively sealing and unsealing the feed inlet. A first valve means is provided for positioning the bolt to seal the feed inlet when the first valve means is deactivated and to unseal the feed inlet when the first valve means is activated. The electro-pneumatically operated assembly further comprises a moveable hammer configured for disposition and movement within the cylindrical bore and for selectively sealing and unsealing the through passageway. A second valve means is provided for positioning the hammer to seal the through passageway when the second valve means is deactivated, and to unseal the through passageway when the second valve means is activated. Means is provided for selectively activating each of the first and second valve means independently.
Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and
FIG. 1
is a side elevation view of the paint ball gun assembly according to the present invention showing certain interior components in phantom;
FIG. 2
is a sectional view taken along lines
2
—
2
in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a sectional view taken along lines
3
—
3
in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a side elevational view of the paint ball gun assembly according to the present invention connected to a paint ball gun body shown in phantom;
FIGS. 5A-E
illustrate the movement of a pneumatically activated bolt and hammer sequence of the paint ball gun assembly when the trigger is pulled.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 4
, the paint ball kit assembly
10
includes a handle frame
12
having a hollow interior
14
for housing an electrical source such as a battery
16
. The assembly further includes a pivotally mounted trigger
18
, a microswitch
19
and a programmed circuit board
20
. The microswitch
19
is activated by the pull of the trigger
18
and thereby actuates the programming cycle as specified in the programmed circuit board
20
.
The assembly further includes a bolt
22
having a generally cylindrical configuration and positioned on one end of a rod
24
which is slidably secured in a center cylindrical aperture
70
in a first cylinder
26
. The rod
24
has a piston
25
on the other end. The rod
24
is extendable beyond the first cylinder
26
. A second cylinder
28
having an associated rod and hammer
30
,
32
, respectively, are positioned parallel and below the cylinder
26
and bolt
22
. The hammer
32
is connected to the rod
30
at one end. The other end of the rod
30
is slidably secured to a piston
27
within a center cylindrical aperture
74
in the second cylinder
28
such that the rod
30
is extendable beyond the second cylinder. The piston, rod and hammer
27
,
30
,
32
, respectively have reciprocal movement relative to cylinder
28
. As will be discussed hereinafter the bolt
22
has reciprocal movement for selectively opening and closing an access inlet
29
into the gun body
50
for a paint ball. The hammer
32
has reciprocal motion to selectively open and close a fluid passageway
60
for the high pressure gas to pass into the barrel
52
and thereby propel the paint ball out of the gun.
The paint ball kit assembly
10
further includes an air passage distribution system
36
having separate solenoid valves
38
,
40
for independent air distribution control to the bolt
22
and hammer
32
respectively. Each cylinder includes air passageways communicating with the air passage distribution system
36
to selectively move the associated rod along with its bolt or hammer. Cylinder
26
has a center cylindrical passageway
70
and offset passageway
72
communicating with each other via path
71
and with the rod
24
, as shown in FIG.
2
. Cylinder
28
has a center cylindrical passageway
74
and an offset passageway
76
communicating with each other via path
75
and with rod
30
as shown in FIG.
3
. The center cylindrical passageway
70
and
74
also slidably receive rod
24
and
30
respectively. The paint ball kit assembly
10
further includes an air supply regulator
41
and a supply line
42
communicating to the air passage distribution system
36
. An air supply line fitting
43
connects the regulator
41
to the supply line
42
.
The paint ball kit assembly
10
is connected to a typical paint ball gun body
50
by a retaining bolt
51
as seen in FIG.
4
. The paint ball gun body
50
has an axially extending first bore or barrel
52
for receiving cylinder
26
and its associated bolt
22
and rod
24
. The bore
52
communicates with a paint ball hopper
54
connected to a supply reservoir (not shown) of paint balls via a feed inlet
29
. The bore
52
also has an open end
56
for the paint ball exit upon firing. The gun body
50
includes a second axially extending bore
58
essentially parallel to the bore
52
. An air passage
60
communicates bore
58
with the bore
56
. A valve assembly
62
is normally closed to block the flow of air through passageway
60
. The valve assembly
62
is open to allow the flow through passage
60
when hammer
32
is actuated and displaces the valve assembly
62
from its seat
63
. A source of compressed air (not shown) is connectable to an air inlet
66
of the gun body
50
.
Solenoid valves
38
and
40
selectively open and close the air distribution passages
36
to either retract or extend the bolt
22
and hammer
32
respectively relative to their respective cylinders
26
,
28
and to route exhaust air through ports
39
. The bolt
22
and hammer
32
move independently and are each controlled and actuated by their individual solenoid valve. Solenoid valve
38
controls the movement of bolt
22
and solenoid valve
40
controls the movement of the hammer
32
. Pressurized air regulated to a predetermined pressure by the pressure regulator
40
is sent to the air passage distribution system
36
via the supply line
42
. When solenoid valve
38
is deactivated or “off”, the bolt
22
and its associated rod
24
are in the extended position. The regulated air from the supply line
42
moves through the air passage distribution system
36
and flows through center aperture
70
of the cylinder
26
and against one side of piston
25
to extend bolt
22
. When solenoid
38
is activated, the bolt
22
and associated rod
24
are retracted by distributing the regulated pressurized air through passageway
72
and connecting path
71
to pressurize the other side of piston
25
.
Similarly, the hammer
32
is extended and retracted by distributing the regulated pressurized air into cylinder
28
. When solenoid valve
40
is deactivated or “off”, the hammer
32
is in a retracted position as shown in FIG.
1
. The hammer
32
is retracted by directing the regulated pressurized air from supply line
42
to cylinder
28
through passageway
76
and connecting path
75
to pressurize one side of piston
27
. Then solenoid valve
40
is activated the pressurized air is distributed into passageway
74
and against the other side of piston
27
to extend the hammer
32
and its associated rod
30
. Exhaust ports
39
are provided to exhaust the air from the cylinders
26
,
28
.
FIGS. 5A through 5E
show the sequence of movements of the bolt
22
and hammer
32
during the firing process. The air supply regulator
41
of the assembly
10
is connectable to the air inlet
66
of the gun body
50
at passageway
67
. Before the trigger
18
is pulled, the paint ball gun is at rest as shown in
FIG. 5A
, wherein the solenoid valve
38
for the bolt
22
is “off” or deactivated so that the bolt
22
is in its forward or extended position covering the paint ball inlet
29
. Solenoid valve
40
for the hammer
32
is also “off” or deactivated. The hammer
32
is in its retracted position when solenoid valve
40
is deactivated.
When the trigger
18
is pulled, switch
19
is activated to send an electrical impulse to the programmed circuit board
20
. The program in the circuit board
20
actuates solenoid valve
40
for hammer
32
. Solenoid valve
40
directs regulated air from the supply line
42
and through the air passage distribution system
36
into the center passageway
74
of cylinder
28
. The hammer
32
extends forward (the direction of arrow in
FIG. 5B
) by the pneumatic force on the rod
30
and hammer
32
. The forward movement of hammer
32
unseats valve assembly
62
and allows the compressed air through passage
60
and into the barrel
52
. If a paint ball is located within the bore or barrel
52
, the force of the compressed air ejects the paint ball from the gun.
After the hammer
32
has cycled forward to unseat the valve assembly
62
to allow the passage
60
between the bore
58
and the barrel
52
to open, the program in the circuit board
20
immediately deactivates solenoid valve
40
. As shown in
FIG. 5C
, when the solenoid valve
40
to the hammer is deactivated. The regulated pressurized air is routed through passageway
76
and connecting path
75
against piston
27
so that the hammer
32
retracts to again close the air passageway
60
. During this time the solenoid valve
38
to the bolt
22
has remained deactivated so that the bolt
22
remains in an extended position.
Once the passageway
60
is again closed, the program in the circuit board
20
activates solenoid valve
38
which causes the bolt
22
to retract as shown by the arrow in FIG.
5
D. As the bolt
22
retracts, the paint ball inlet
29
is unseated to allow a paint ball to drop within the bore
52
. When the solenoid valve
38
is activated the regulated air from the supply line
42
and into the air passage distribution system
36
is directed through the offset passage
72
and connecting path
71
in cylinder
26
. The air pressure moves the piston
25
of the rod
24
along with the bolt
22
to the retracted position.
After a paint ball has dropped into the barrel/bore
52
of the gun body
50
, the program in the circuit board
20
deactivates solenoid valve
38
. With the solenoid valve
38
in the “off” position, the regulated pressurized air is routed in the air passage distribution system
36
to be directed into the center passageway
70
of cylinder
26
. The air pressure forces the piston
25
, rod
24
and bolt
22
to the extended position as indicated by the arrow in FIG.
5
E. The bolt
22
extends forward to close the inlet
29
. At this time, the bolt
22
also positions the paint ball for firing when the trigger
18
is again activated. This cycle is the same “ready” condition as shown in
FIG. 5A
so that the firing process can be repeated.
Other optional features may be provided such as a mechanical on/off switch
80
to disengage the circuit board
20
to provide a safety switch for the paint ball gun. A low power LED signal
82
may also be available to warn the user when the battery
16
charge is low. Another option is a sensor
84
which senses whether the bolt
22
is fully forward after loading a paint ball in the barrel
52
, such as in the position shown in FIG.
5
E. If the bolt
22
is not fully forward, the sensor
84
will signal the programmed circuit board
20
to recycle the bolt
22
before allowing pressurized air through passageway
60
and into the barrel
52
. This prevents damage to the barrel if a paint ball has not fully loaded into the barrel
52
, but has been caught between the feed inlet
29
and barrel
52
.
The invention provides for a kit assembly that can be easily connected to a paint ball gun body having an “over and under” bore design to change a mechanical pneumatically powered paint ball gun into the more compact and better performing electro-pneumatically powered paint ball gun.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.
Claims
- 1. An electro-pneumatically operated kit assembly for connection to a paint ball gun body, said body having a first bore for receiving a paint ball, a second bore with a through passageway therebetween, a feed inlet open to the first bore and communicating with a supply of paint balls, said assembly comprising;a first and second rod; a moveable bolt connected to one end of the first rod and configured for disposition in the first bore and for selectively sealing and unsealing the feed inlet; a moveable hammer connected to one end of the second rod and configured for disposition in the second bore and for selectively sealing and unsealing the through passageway between said first and second bores; means for selectively moving the bolt within the first bore and means for selectively moving the hammer within the second bore, wherein said bolt and hammer move independently relative to each other, wherein the means for selectively moving the bolt and hammer comprises a gas distribution system having a pair of solenoid valves, one of the pair of solenoid valves adapted for selectively directing pressurized air to one side or other side of said first rod for driving said bolt between an extended and retracted position, and the other of the pair of solenoid valves adapted for selectively directing pressurized air to one side or other side of said second rod for driving said hammer between an extended and retracted position.
- 2. The kit assembly of claim 1 further comprising a programmable circuit adapted for operating said pair of solenoid valves.
- 3. The kit assembly of claim 2, further comprising a trigger communicating with a switch for activating said programmable circuit.
- 4. The kit assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pressure regulator connectable to a supply of pressurized gas.
- 5. The kit assembly of claim 4, further comprising a gas supply line from the pressure regulator to the gas distribution system.
- 6. The kit assembly of claim 1, wherein the bolt has gas passages allowing gas to pass through the bolt to propel the paint ball through the first bore.
- 7. The kit assembly of claim 1, wherein another end of the first rod is slidably connectable within a first cylinder.
- 8. The kit assembly of claim 7, wherein the first cylinder has an axial length and a concentric passageway extending the axial length of the first cylinder and an offset passageway communicating with the concentric passageway, wherein said concentric and offset passageways communicate with said gas distribution system.
- 9. The kit assembly of claim 1, wherein another end of the second rod is slidably connectable with a second cylinder, wherein the second cylinder has an axial length and a concentric passageway extending the axial length of the second cylinder and an offset passageway communicating with the concentric passageway, wherein said concentric and offset passageways communicate with said gas distribution system.
- 10. An electro-pneumatically operated kit assembly for connection to a paint ball gun body, said body having a barrel for receiving a paint ball, a cylindrical bore parallel to said barrel and a through passageway therebetween, a feed inlet open to the barrel and communicating with a supply of paint balls, and assembly comprising:a moveable bolt configured for disposition and movement within the barrel and for selectively sealing and unsealing the feed inlet; first valve means for positioning the bolt to seal the feed inlet when the first valve means is deactivated and to unseal the feed inlet when the first valve means is activated; a moveable hammer configured for disposition and movement within the cylindrical bore and for selectively sealing the unsealing the through passageway; second valve means for positioning the hammer to seal the through passageway when the second valve means is deactivated and to unseal the through passageway when the second valve means is activated; means for selectively activating each of the first and second valve means independently.
- 11. The kit assembly of claim 10 wherein the means for selectively activating the first and second valve means includes a programmed electronic circuit.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
WO 0075594 |
Dec 2000 |
WO |