Projectile

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a projectile that interacts with a barrel to allow the projectile and the projectile's fluid to spin at approximately the same rate. In some embodiments the barrel is a rifled barrel and the projectile includes at least one fin. The projectile may also have its center of gravity rearward of its midpoint and/or its center of pressure. The projectile may also have its center of pressure forward of its midpoint and/or forward of its center of gravity. The center of gravity and center of pressure may also be at the same location as the midpoint, forward of the midpoint, or rearward of the midpoint.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to a projectile.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The following statements are intended to facilitate an understanding of the present disclosure. The statements are to be read in this light and should not be construed as admissions of prior art.

Some guns, such as paintball markers, are used in the recreational activity of paintball to shoot a projectile, such as a paintball, containing paint at an opponent. Typical paintball markers include a barrel (from which the projectile is discharged), a trigger, an intake for compressed air or gas, and a reservoir to hold a plurality of projectiles. Many paintball markers utilize barrels that are substantially smooth. However, some barrels may be rifled. A barrel may be rifled to create rotation of the projectile being shot from a paintball marker.

The present disclosure includes a projectile including a shell having a front end having a rounded surface and a rear end positioned rearward of the front end. The front end has an exterior profile and the rear end has an exterior profile that is substantially different in shape to the front end. The shell further includes an interior space having a front portion and a rear portion and a fluid positioned in the interior space of the shell. The shell further includes at least one fin extending into the fluid in the rear portion of the interior space. In some embodiments, the projectile has a center of gravity rearward of a midpoint of the projectile and rearward of a center of pressure of the projectile.

According to the present disclosure, a marker and projectile assembly is provided that comprises a projectile and a marker having a gun stock, a gun barrel coupled to the gun stock, and a pneumatic system for propelling the projectile forward through the gun barrel. The projectile has a forward portion including a front end of the projectile, a rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion and including a rear end of the projectile, a longitudinal midpoint positioned equidistant between the front and rear ends of the projectile, and a center of gravity of the projectile. The center of gravity is positioned rearward of the longitudinal midpoint.

According to the present disclosure, a projectile is provided that comprises a forward portion including a front end of the projectile, a rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion and including a rear end of the projectile, a longitudinal midpoint positioned equidistant between the front and rear ends of the projectile, a fluid positioned in an interior region of the projectile, and a center of gravity of the projectile. The center of gravity is positioned rearward of the longitudinal midpoint of the projectile.

According to the present disclosure, a projectile is provided that comprises a forward portion including a front end of the projectile, a rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion and including a rear end of the projectile, a longitudinal midpoint positioned equidistant between the front and rear ends of the projectile, a fluid positioned in an interior region of the projectile, and a center of gravity of the projectile. The center of gravity is positioned rearward of a center of pressure of the projectile.

Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a marker having a barrel configured to discharge a projectile;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a projectile suitable for use with the marker of FIG. 1 having a center of gravity rearward of a midpoint of the projectile and rearward of a center of pressure of the projectile;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the projectile of FIG. 2 having a rounded front end and a plurality of fins positioned on a rear end;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the projectile of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 of the projectile of FIG. 3 showing a center of gravity rearward of a midpoint of the projectile and rearward of a center of pressure of the projectile;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the plurality of fins;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the projectile of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the rear section of the projectile of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cross-section taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8 of the projectile of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a front view of the rear portion of the projectile of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the rear portion of the projectile of FIG. 3.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principals of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which are described below. The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. It will be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. The disclosure includes any alterations and further modifications in the illustrative devices and further applications of the principles of the disclosure which would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates. Unless otherwise indicated, the components in the drawings are shown proportional to each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As depicted in FIG. 1, a paintball marker 100 includes a stock portion 102, a frame or chassis 104, a receiver 106, a rifled barrel 10, a firing valve 110, 110′, and a magazine 112. Stock portion 102 includes a stock frame shoulder abutment 120, a shoulder abutment adjuster 122, a facial abutment 126, and facial abutment extension rods 130. Stock frame 102 includes an attachment element 132 having an insert adapter 134 which is adapted to cooperate with stock receiving portion 148 of frame 104 to secure stock portion 102 with frame 104. Frame 104 is depicted including a frame body 140 and a handle 142. Frame body 140 defines a magazine receiving portion 144, a barrel receiving portion 146, a stock receiving portion 148, and a receiver receiving portion 150. Additional details of suitable paintball markers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 11,280,576 to David A. Williams, titled “Rifled Barrel” and U.S. Pat. No. 9,574,844, to David A. Williams, titled “Paintball Marker with Interchangeable Firing Modes,” the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein. The projectiles disclosed herein are suitable with other barrels, such as traditional, smooth barreled, markers, etc.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, paintball marker 100 discharges and rotates projectiles, such as projectile 30 of FIG. 2 and projectile 30′ of FIG. 3, from rifled barrel 10. In some embodiments, projectile 30 has a forward portion 32 that is substantially different in shape than a rearward portion 34. Projectile 30 has a rear wall 44 and a cord length 49 that measures from rear wall 44 to a front wall 46. Projectile 30 has a center of gravity 50 that is positioned in rearward portion 34. According to the present disclosure, center of gravity 50 is preferably positioned rearward of a longitudinal midpoint 54 of projectile 30. For example, center of gravity 50 may be positioned approximately 20-40% of the cord length 49 of projectile 30 from rear wall 44. According to other embodiments, center of gravity 50 may be positioned at other distances inside and outside of this range from rear wall 44, such as 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, and more.

Projectile 30 has a center of pressure 52 that is positioned in forward portion 32. Center of pressure 52 is approximately 50-60% of cord length 49 of projectile 30 from rear wall 44. According to other embodiments, center of pressure 52 may be positioned at other distances inside and outside of this range from rear wall 44, such as 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65% and more. Center of gravity 50 is preferably positioned closer to rear wall 44 than center of pressure 52. Projectile 30 may also have its center of gravity 50 rearward of its midpoint 54 and/or its center of pressure 52. Projectile 30 may also have its center of pressure 52 forward of its midpoint 54 and/or forward of its center of gravity 50. Center of gravity 50 and center of pressure 52 may also be at the same location as midpoint 54, forward of midpoint 54, or rearward of midpoint 54.

Projectiles of other interior and exterior shapes, sizes, etc. may be provided with centers of gravity and centers of pressure as described herein. For example, such projectiles may be spherical, oblong, bullet-nosed, point-nosed, various combinations of tapers, cylinders, etc.

Projectile 30′ is a preferred embodiment of projectile 30. As shown in FIG. 3, projectile 30′ has a rearward portion 34′ that has a substantially flat rear wall 44′ and a forward portion 32′ that has a substantially flat front wall 46′. Flat front wall 46′ is substantially shorter in diameter than flat rear wall 44′. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, projectile 30′ has a cord length 49′ that extends from flat rear wall 44′ to flat front wall 46′. Forward portion 32′ and rearward portion 34′ can be made of different materials. For example, forward portion 32′ is solid and devoid of fluid, and in some embodiments, is composed of foam. Rearward portion 34′ can be made of plastic, such as polystyrene. Forward portion 32′ and rearward portion 34′ attach to one another via a first shell attachment collar 31′ and a second shell attachment collar 33′. First shell attachment collar 31′ is positioned forward from second shell attachment collar 33′. First and second collars 31′, 33′ bit into foam of forward portion 32′ when assembled. Rearward portion 34′ encloses a fluid 36′, such as liquid, powder, or powdered paint with or without an irritant, such as oleoresin capsicum.

As depicted in FIG. 5, in some embodiments, rearward portion 34′ has a bulb 48′ that extends into forward portion 32′. Bulb 48′ extends approximately halfway into forward portion 32′. Projectile 30′ has a center of gravity 50′ that is positioned in rearward portion 34′. Center of gravity 50′ is between 20-40% of cord length 49′ of projectile 30′, as measured from flat rear wall 44′. Further, projectile 30′ has a center of pressure 52′ that is positioned between 50-60% of cord length 49′ of projectile 30′, as measured from flat rear wall 44′. Center of pressure 52′ is located substantially in the center of bulb 48′. Other locations for center of gravity 50′ and center of pressure 52′ may be provided as discussed herein.

As depicted in FIGS. 6 and 8-12, rearward portion 34′ has a body 39′ and inner fins 38′ that protrude into fluid 36′ of projectile 30′. Inner fins 38′ are positioned adjacent to body 39′ of rearward portion 32′. The location, number, and shape of inner fins 38′ is not limited by the examples shown in FIGS. 3-12. Projectile 30′ further includes outer fins 42′ placed on outer surface 45′ of rearward portion 34′. Outer fins 42′ have a 15-degree tapered tail 43′ relative to longitudinal axis 47′ positioned adjacent to outer fins 42′ on rearward portion 34′.

Claims

1. A marker and projectile assembly including a projectile, anda marker having a gun stock,a gun barrel coupled to the gun stock, anda pneumatic system for propelling the projectile forward through the gun barrel, and the projectile havinga forward portion including a front end of the projectile,a rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion and including a rear end of the projectile,a longitudinal midpoint positioned equidistant between the front and rear ends of the projectile, anda center of gravity of the projectile, the center of gravity being positioned rearward of the longitudinal midpoint.

2. The marker and projectile assembly of claim 1, wherein the forward portion of the projectile is substantially hemispherical.

3. The marker and projectile assembly of claim 1, wherein the front end of the projectile is substantially flat.

4. The marker and projectile assembly of claim 1, wherein the projectile further includes a fluid positioned in the rearward portion of the projectile.

5. The marker and projectile assembly of claim 1, wherein an exterior profile of the forward portion of the projectile is substantially different than the exterior profile of the rearward portion of the projectile.

6. A projectile comprising: a forward portion including a front end of the projectile,a rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion and including a rear end of the projectile,a longitudinal midpoint positioned equidistant between the front and rear ends of the projectile,a fluid positioned in an interior region of the projectile, anda center of gravity of the projectile, the center of gravity being positioned rearward of the longitudinal midpoint of the projectile.

7. The projectile of claim 7, wherein the fluid is paint.

8. The projectile of claim 7, wherein the fluid is a liquid.

9. The projectile of claim 7, wherein the fluid is a powder.

10. The projectile of claim 7, wherein the fluid is positioned in the rearward portion of the projectile.

11. The projectile of claim 11, wherein a substantial majority of the fluid is positioned in the rearward portion of the projectile and a substantial minority of the fluid is positioned in the forward portion of the projectile.

12. The projectile of claim 7, wherein the rearward portion of the projectile further includes at least one fin protruding into the fluid.

13. The marker and projectile assembly of claim 7, wherein the forward portion of the projectile has a volume and the volume is substantially filled with foam.

14. A projectile comprising: a forward portion including a front end of the projectile,a rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion and including a rear end of the projectile,a longitudinal midpoint positioned equidistant between the front and rear ends of the projectile, a fluid positioned in an interior region of the projectile, anda center of gravity of the projectile, the center of gravity being positioned rearward of a center of pressure of the projectile.

15. The projectile of claim 17, further comprising a longitudinal midpoint positioned equidistant between the front and rear ends of the projectile, wherein the center of gravity of the projectile is positioned rearward of the longitudinal midpoint.

16. The projectile of claim 18, wherein the center of pressure is positioned forward of the longitudinal midpoint.

17. The projectile of claim 17, wherein the fluid is paint.

18. The projectile of claim 17, wherein the forward portion has a volume and a majority of the volume is devoid of fluid.

19. The projectile of claim 17, wherein an exterior profile of the forward portion of the projectile is substantially different than the exterior profile of the forward portion the projectile.

20. The projectile of claim 17, wherein the center of gravity is positioned approximately 20-40% of a cord length of the projectile from behind the longitudinal midpoint.