Patent Application
20060011188
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to pneumatic paintball guns (“markers”) and their operating components. More particularly, this invention relates to a pneumatic paintball gun and the pneumatic components used to load a paintball into and fire it from the paintball gun.
2. Related Art
In the sport of paintball, it is generally desirable to have a marker that is as small and light as possible. Smaller and lighter markers increase a players' mobility. Players benefit from increased mobility by being able to move more quickly from bunker to bunker, making it easier to avoid being hit. Further, in the sport of paintball, the marker is treated as an extension of the body such that a hit to the marker counts as a hit to the player. It is desirable, therefore, to have a paintball gun with as small a profile as possible while substantially maintaining or improving performance characteristics of the marker, such as firing rate, accuracy, and gas efficiency. The size of the paintball gun is generally related to the size and number of operating components that must be housed within the paintball gun body.
It is further desirable to have a paintball marker that includes fewer, less complex, and less expensive, operating components and that can be more easily manufactured. The cost savings can then be passed on to the consumer. The industry is in need of a small, light, and inexpensive paintball marker that provides reliable and efficient operation.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a pneumatic paintball gun can include a body and a grip frame. The body and the grip frame can be formed separately or integrally, and are preferably formed from a molded plastic, rubber, or other rugged but relatively inexpensive material. The body preferably includes a chamber configured to receive a pneumatic assembly. The pneumatic assembly preferably provides several of the operating components of the paintball gun including a bolt, a compressed gas storage area, and a firing mechanism. A pneumatic assembly housing can be formed of metal, plastic, or a combination of materials and, in addition to housing the pneumatic components, can be configured to receive a barrel and a feed tube. A pneumatic regulator can also be provided and can, for example, be a vertical, in-line regulator or a bottom-mount regulator.
The bolt preferably includes a forward and a rearward piston surface area. A quantity of compressed gas is preferably selectively supplied and vented from a forward piston surface area through a mechanical or electro-pneumatic valving mechanism. The firing mechanism preferably consists of a sealing member arranged in selective communication with an outer surface of the bolt. One or more firing ports are preferably arranged in the bolt to communicate compressed gas through the bolt to launch a paintball. Compressed gas from the regulator can be supplied to the compressed gas storage area through a supply port. The flow of compressed gas into the compressed gas storage area can be restricted or prevented during a firing operation to increase gas efficiency of the paintball gun.
In operation, compressed gas is preferably supplied to the paintball gun from a compressed gas container through a pressure regulator. The compressed gas is preferably directed from the pressure regulator to the valving mechanism and to a supply port for feeding the compressed gas storage area. Compressed gas supplied to the valving mechanism is preferably transferred through the valving mechanism to the forward surface area of the bolt piston when the valving mechanism is in a neutral (non-actuated) position. This compressed gas acts on the forward bolt piston surface area to force the bolt into a rearward position. While the bolt is in a rearward position, a paintball is allowed to load into a breech of the paintball gun from the feed tube. In addition, while the bolt is rearward, the gas supply port is preferably allowed to rapidly transmit compressed gas into the compressed gas storage area.
A trigger mechanism is preferably configured to operate the valving mechanism. When the trigger is depressed, the valving mechanism is preferably actuated to vent compressed gas away from the forward piston surface area of the bolt. Compressed gas is preferably applied to a rearward surface area of the bolt piston. The rearward surface area of the bolt piston can be arranged, for example, in the compressed gas storage area or at a rearward end of the bolt. The compressed gas applied to the rearward surface area of the bolt piston can therefore be supplied from the compressed gas storage area or from a separate supply port. When the compressed gas is vented from the forward bolt piston surface area, the pressure applied to the rearward bolt piston surface area preferably causes the bolt to move to a forward position.
When the bolt transitions to its forward position, a sealing member of the firing mechanism preferably disengages from the bolt surface area, permitting compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area to enter the bolt firing ports and launch a paintball from the marker. In addition, with the bolt in the firing position, the flow of compressed gas into the compressed gas storage area can be restricted. This can be accomplished, for instance, by configuring a rearward portion of the bolt to reduce the area through which compressed gas travels from the supply port to the compressed gas storage area. Alternatively, the supply of compressed gas to the compressed gas storage chamber can be cut off completely to prevent compressed gas from entering the storage chamber during the firing operation. This can be accomplished, for instance, by closing off the gas supply port using sealing members on a rearward end of the bolt, using sealing members on a separate, independent piston, by pinching a gas supply tube, or using a separate valving mechanism.
The valving mechanism can be a solenoid valve (such as a three-way solenoid valve), a mechanical valve, or other valving mechanism. In the case of a solenoid valve, an electronic circuit is preferably provided to control the operation of the solenoid valve based on actuation of a trigger mechanism. A switch, such as a microswitch or other switching device, is preferably arranged in communication with the trigger to send an actuation signal to the electronic circuit in response to a pull of the trigger. A power source is also preferably provided to supply power to the electronic circuit and solenoid valve. The valving mechanism preferably vents compressed gas away from a forward bolt piston surface area in response to a firing signal from the circuit board. In the case of a mechanical valve, the mechanical valve preferably communicates with the trigger to vent the compressed gas away from the forward bolt piston surface area in response to a trigger pull.
In one embodiment, the bolt is preferably a free-floating bolt with balanced pressure applied to opposite ends of the bolt piston rod. This can be accomplished, for instance, by providing a vent channel from a rearward end of the bolt piston rod through to the forward end of the bolt. Alternatively, the chamber in communication with the rearward end of the bolt piston can be vented to atmosphere through a vent port arranged through the gun body.
Various other aspects, embodiments, and configurations of this invention are also possible without departing from the principles disclosed herein. This invention is therefore not limited to any of the particular aspects, embodiments, or configurations described herein.
The foregoing and additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, made with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
The accompanying drawings show the construction of various preferred embodiments incorporating principles of the present invention. Referring to
A pneumatic housing 115 is preferably arranged in the body 110 to house some or all of the pneumatic components, to receive a barrel (not shown), and to receive a feed tube 140. The pneumatic housing 115 is preferably a block or tube formed from a metal such as aluminum, but can be formed of any other metal, plastic, or other material that is sufficiently durable to perform its required functions. The grip 120 and foregrip 130 are preferably secured to the body 110 and the pneumatic housing 115 using screws or other fastening means. A plate 125 is also preferably provided and formed of a rigid material, such as metal, can also be arranged in the grip 120 to permit secure attachment of a tank receptacle (not shown) for connecting to a compressed gas tank.
The foregrip 130 preferably provides a regulator 132 for regulating a supply of compressed gas down to a desired operating pressure. In this embodiment, the desired operating pressure is between about 90 to 350 psi. A battery 122 can be arranged in the grip 120 along with a circuit board 150 and a solenoid valve 250. The solenoid valve 250 of this embodiment is preferably a normally-open, three-way solenoid valve.
A pneumatic assembly 200 is preferably arranged in the body 110 and can be connected to and/or include some or all of the pneumatic housing 115. The pneumatic assembly 200 preferably includes a compressed gas storage area 212, a pneumatic cylinder 220, and a guide chamber 214. A bolt 222 is preferably slidably arranged having a first piston surface area 226a located within a pneumatic cylinder 220 in a piston and cylinder assembly. The bolt 222 may further include a guide rod 221 that extends through substantially the entire pneumatic assembly 200.
The guide rod 221 can include a firing valve section 221a that communicates with a sealing member 232 to prevent compressed gas from entering the bolt 222 from the compressed gas storage area 212 when the bolt 222 is rearward. The guide rod 221 further preferably includes a rearward section 221b that slides back and forth within a guide chamber 214 to provide stability for the bolt and also to restrict or prevent the flow of compressed gas into the compressed gas storage area 212 from a supply port 216 when the bolt 222 is forward. A vent channel 228 may be provided through the bolt 222 and guide rod 221 to prevent back pressure from building up on a rearward end 222b of the bolt 222 and provide an essentially free-floating bolt arrangement. This reduces the amount of pressure required to recock the bolt 222. The vent channel also reduces the amount of force applied by a forward end 222a of the bolt 222 on a paintball, improves gas efficiency, and eliminates the need for a secondary pressure regulator. Alternatively, a vent channel (not shown) may be provided through the body 110 of the gun 100 to vent the rearward chamber area 214 to atmosphere.
With the bolt 222 in an open position, compressed gas from the regulator 132 is supplied to the compressed gas storage area 212 through the supply port 216. The sealing member 232 preferably communicates between an external surface of the bolt 222 along the firing valve section 221a and an inner wall of the pneumatic assembly 200 to prevent compressed gas from entering the bolt 222. The sealing member 232 can, for example, be arranged in a recess of the inner wall (or protrusion from the inner wall) of the pneumatic assembly 200 near a forward end of the compressed gas storage chamber 212.
Alternatively, for example, a bolt port can be arranged through the bolt 222, with an input disposed near a rearward end of the bolt 222, to communicate compressed gas from a rearward end of the compressed gas storage area 212 through the bolt 222 and into communication with a paintball when the bolt transitions to its forward position. In this embodiment, the sealing member 232 could be arranged on the bolt 222 near a rearward end of the compressed gas storage area 212 so as to prevent compressed gas from entering the bolt 222 from the compressed gas storage area 212 when the bolt 222 is open, but to permit compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area 212 to enter the bolt 222 when the bolt is closed.
The solenoid valve 250 preferably selectively supplies compressed gas to and vents compressed gas from the cylinder 220 through the port 218 to move the bolt 222. The solenoid valve 250 preferably comprises a normally-open configuration where compressed gas input into the solenoid valve 250 through an input port 254 is supplied via an output port 256 to the forward piston surface area 226a of the bolt 222 to hold the bolt 222 in an open position.
In response to a trigger pull, a firing signal is preferably sent from the circuit board 150 to the solenoid valve 250 to initiate a firing operation of the paintball gun 100. In response to the firing signal, the solenoid valve 250 preferably vents compressed gas away from the forward piston area 226a of the bolt 222. Pressure on an opposing surface area 226b of the bolt 222 thereby causes the bolt 222 to transition to a closed position, as shown in
Alternatively, the opposing surface area 226h can be arranged on a rearward end 222b of the bolt 222, with compressed gas supplied to the rearward end 222h of the bolt 222 through a separate supply channel (not shown). In this alternative embodiment, the vent channel 228 would be omitted to maintain pressure in chamber 214 to function as an air spring. The opposing surface area 226h could likewise be positioned anywhere else where it can receive a quantity of compressed gas to force the bolt 222 into a closed position when gas is vented away from the forward surface area 226a. The opposing surface area 226h preferably has a surface area less than that of the forward surface area 226a to prevent the bolt from moving forward until the compressed gas is vented away from the forward surface area 226a. Alternatively, a mechanical spring or other biasing member that provides a desired amount of force (preferably less than the amount of force created by the compressed gas on the forward surface area of the bolt 226a) could be used to force the bolt 222 into a closed position when compressed gas is vented away from the forward surface area 226a of the bolt 222.
Referring now to
Loading and firing operations of the pneumatic paintball gun 100 will now be described in further detail with reference to
Meanwhile, compressed gas from the regulator 132 is also supplied through a second output port 258 of the manifold 252 to a supply port 216, preferably arranged near a rearward end of the compressed gas storage area 212 in a bolt guide cylinder 235. While the bolt 222 is open, compressed gas from the supply port 216 is preferably permitted to rapidly fill the compressed gas storage area 212. A rearward piston surface area 226h of the bolt 222 is preferably arranged in or in communication with the compressed gas storage area 212. The forward bolt piston surface area 226a is preferably larger than the rearward surface area 226h. Thus, in its resting position (e.g., in the absence of a firing signal), the compressed gas supplied to the forward bolt piston surface area 226a holds the bolt 222 in an open position against pressure applied to a rearward bolt piston surface area 226h. With the bolt 222 in its open (e.g., rearward position), a paintball is permitted to drop from a feed tube 140 into a breech area 145 of the paintball gun 100.
A firing operation of the paintball gun 100 is preferably initiated in response to actuation of a trigger 102. The trigger 102 is preferably configured to initiate a firing operation of the paintball gun 100 through actuation of a microswitch 152 or other switching mechanism when pulled. Actuation of the switching mechanism 152 preferably causes the circuit board 150 to initiate a firing operation by transmitting one or more firing signals to the solenoid valve 250. In the embodiment illustrated in
In response to the firing signal, the solenoid valve 250 preferably vents compressed gas from the forward bolt piston area 226a. Pressure applied from the compressed gas storage area 212 to the rearward bolt piston area 226h thereby causes the bolt 222 to move to its forward position. As the bolt 222 transitions to its forward position, it forces a paintball that has been loaded in the breech area 145 forward into the rearward end of a barrel (not shown).
In addition, as the bolt 222 approaches its forward position, the channels 223 arranged along the external surface of the bolt 222 slide past the sealing member 232 and allow the compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area 212 to enter into the rearward portion of the cylinder 220. Compressed gas in the rear of the cylinder 220 flows through bolt ports 224 into contact with the paintball in the barrel to cause it to be launched from the gun 100. Also, as the bolt 222 approaches its forward position, a glide ring or sealing member 225a slides past the gas supply port 216 to respectively restrict or prevent the flow of compressed gas from the regulator 132 into the compressed gas storage area 212. This can improve the gas efficiency of the paintball gun 100.
Although the embodiment of
Yet other alternative embodiments of the present invention are shown in
The paintball gun 100B depicted in
Various other alternative embodiments are also contemplated. In particular, rather than use a portion of the bolt 222 to restrict or prevent compressed gas from entering the compressed gas storage area 212, other mechanisms could be used to provide this function. For example, a separate piston could be arranged to slide back and forth in the rearward bolt guide area to block or restrict the supply of compressed gas from the supply port 214 into the compressed gas storage area 212. In yet another potential embodiment, a mechanical, pneumatic, or electro-pneumatic pinching member could be provided to pinch a gas supply tube (e.g., tube 217) to prevent or restrict the flow of compressed gas into the compressed gas storage area 212 while the bolt 222 is in the forward position.
Further aspects of the present invention are illustrated in
A preferred circuit board 610 and sensor 612 arrangement for the paintball detection system 600 of
Operation of the paintball detection system 600 according to the foregoing embodiment will now be described in further detail with reference to
The detection system circuit board 610 therefore preferably communicates a signal to the paintball gun circuit board 150 to indicate either the presence or the absence of a paintball 101 in the breech area 145 of the paintball gun 100. In response to this signal, the paintball gun circuit board 150 can preferably be configured to either execute or refrain from executing a firing operation in response to a trigger pull. More specifically, if the detection system circuit board 610 indicates the absence of a paintball 101 from the breech area 145 of the paintball gun 100, the paintball gun circuit board 150 is preferably configured to refrain from executing a firing operation in response to a trigger pull. If a paintball 101 is detected in the breech area 145 of the paintball gun 100, however, the paintball gun circuit board 150 is preferably configured to execute the firing operation in response to a trigger pull.
Having described and illustrated various principles of the present invention through descriptions of exemplary preferred embodiments thereof, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that these embodiments can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from the inventive principles made apparent herein. The claims should therefore be interpreted to cover all such variations and modifications.
