Paint ball gun kit assembly

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6532949
  • Patent Number
    6,532,949
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, June 19, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 18, 2003
    21 years ago
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)
Number Name Date Kind
5727538 Ellis Mar 1998 A
5878736 Lotuaco, III Mar 1999 A
5881707 Gardner, Jr. Mar 1999 A
5890479 Morin Apr 1999 A
5967133 Gardner, Jr. Oct 1999 A
6003504 Rice et al. Dec 1999 A
6035843 Smith et al. Mar 2000 A
6065460 Lotuaco, III May 2000 A
6138656 Rice et al. Oct 2000 A
6142136 Velasco Nov 2000 A
6343599 Perrone Feb 2002 B1
6349711 Perry et al. Feb 2002 B1
6360736 Juan Mar 2002 B1
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
WO 0075594 Dec 2000 WO