U.S. patent application number 11/607483 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-05 for paintball marker.
This patent application is currently assigned to AJ Acquisitions I LLC. Invention is credited to Michael J. Wood.
Application Number | 20070151549 11/607483 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38092840 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070151549 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wood; Michael J. |
July 5, 2007 |
Paintball marker
Abstract
A paintball marker has a pressurized gas source; a trigger that
opens a trigger pilot valve assembly in communication with the
pressurized gas source; a fill valve assembly in communication with
the trigger pilot valve and the pressurized gas source; and a
firing chamber in communication with the fill valve assembly
comprising a bolt that releases pressurized gas to fire a paintball
when a pressure in the firing chamber reaches a critical firing
pressure.
Inventors: |
Wood; Michael J.; (Newnan,
GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VOLPE AND KOENIG, P.C.
UNITED PLAZA, SUITE 1600
30 SOUTH 17TH STREET
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Assignee: |
AJ Acquisitions I LLC
Sewell
NJ
|
Family ID: |
38092840 |
Appl. No.: |
11/607483 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60741501 |
Dec 1, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
124/73 ;
124/74 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B 11/723
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
124/073 ;
124/074 |
International
Class: |
F41B 11/00 20060101
F41B011/00 |
Claims
1. A paintball marker comprising: a pressurized gas source; a
trigger that opens a trigger pilot valve assembly in communication
with the pressurized gas source; a fill valve assembly in
communication with the trigger pilot valve and the pressurized gas
source; a firing chamber in communication with the fill valve
assembly comprising: a bolt that releases pressurized gas to fire a
paintball when a pressure in the firing chamber reaches a critical
firing pressure.
2. The paintball marker of claim 1 wherein the trigger pilot valve
assembly comprises: a trigger pilot valve chamber that receives a
volume of gas received from the pressurized gas source through a
trigger pilot valve chamber inlet, said trigger pilot valve chamber
having a trigger pilot valve chamber outlet; and a trigger pilot
valve poppet that is movable between a seated position in which the
trigger pilot valve poppet prevents pressurized gas from escaping
from the trigger valve chamber and an unseated position in which
the trigger pilot valve poppet allows pressurized gas to escape
from the pilot valve chamber to the fill valve assembly.
3. The paintball marker of claim 2, further comprising: a follower
that is activated by pulling the trigger and upon activation moves
the trigger pilot valve poppet to the unseated position.
4. The paintball marker of claim 3, wherein the follower moves
between a depressed position corresponding to activation and a rest
position to which the follower is biased and comprises: a
protrusion that contacts the trigger when the trigger is pulled; a
pin, in communication with the protrusion that, when the trigger is
pulled, contacts the trigger pilot valve poppet and in so doing,
moves the trigger pilot valve poppet to the unseated position.
5. The paintball marker of claim 4, wherein the pin extends within,
is axial within, and is smaller than, the trigger pilot valve
chamber outlet.
6. The paintball marker of claim 5, wherein the trigger pilot valve
chamber outlet comprises a trigger pilot valve chamber outlet
tapered lip that contacts the trigger pilot valve chamber poppet
when the trigger pilot valve chamber outlet poppet is in the seated
position.
7. The paintball marker of claim 1, wherein the fill valve assembly
comprises: a fill valve chamber that receives a volume of gas
received from the pressurized gas source through the fill valve
chamber inlet, said fill valve chamber having a fill valve chamber
outlet; and a fill valve poppet that is movable between a seated
position in which the fill valve poppet prevents pressurized gas
from escaping from the trigger valve chamber and an unseated
position in which the trigger pilot valve poppet allows pressurized
gas to escape from the pilot valve chamber to a firing chamber.
8. The paintball marker of claim 7, further comprising a fill valve
piston that moves from a rest to a release position under pressure
from air from the trigger pilot valve assembly.
9. The paintball marker of claim 8, wherein the fill valve piston
comprises a piston pin that contacts the trigger pilot valve poppet
and in so doing moves the trigger pilot valve poppet to the
unseated position.
10. The paintball marker of claim 9, wherein the piston pin extends
within, is axial within, and is smaller than, the fill valve
chamber outlet.
11. The paintball marker of claim 10, wherein the fill valve
chamber outlet comprises a fill valve chamber outlet tapered lip
that contacts the fill valve chamber poppet when the fill valve
chamber outlet poppet is in the seated position.
12. The paintball marker of claim 1, wherein the bolt is biased
towards a rear of the marker, and is movable towards a front of the
marker when pressurized gas is received in the firing chamber from
the fill valve assembly; wherein movement of the bolt towards a
front of the marker expands the volume of the firing chamber; and
wherein further build-up of gas pressure within the firing chamber
results in firing a paintball when a pressure in the firing chamber
reaches a critical firing pressure.
13. The paintball marker of claim 12, wherein the bolt comprises a
forward-biased spool slidably contained axially therein; wherein
when additional pressure builds within the firing chamber when the
volume of the firing chamber expands, said additional pressure
drives the spool toward the rear of the marker until the pressure
in the gas chamber reaches a critical firing pressure, at which
point the spool is driven so far toward the rear of the marker that
the spool opens a passage through the bolt through which the
pressurized gas can escape, said escaping gas firing a paintball
from the marker.
14. The paintball marker of claim 13 wherein the forward bias of
the spool is adjustable.
15. The paintball marker of claim 14, wherein the forward bias of
the spool is adjustable by hand.
16. The paintball marker of claim 14, wherein the forward bias of
the spool is adjustable using a hand tool.
17. The paintball marker of claim 14, wherein the forward bias of
the spool is an adjustable spring.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application 60/741,501 filed Dec. 1, 2005, which is incorporated by
reference as if fully set forth.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a paintball marker or
marker used in the sport of paintball.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Paintball is a sporting game having two teams usually trying
to capture one another's flag. The players carry compressed gas
markers, referred to herein as either "compressed gas markers" or
"paintball markers," that shoot generally spherical paint-filled
gelatin sphere projectiles commonly referred to as paintballs.
During play, players advance towards the opposing team's base with
the objective of capturing the opposing team's flag, without being
hit by a paintball fired from an opposing player's marker. When the
paintball hits a player, a "splat" of paint is left on the player
and the player is usually eliminated.
[0004] Compressed gas markers (launching mechanisms) using
compressed gas or air for firing projectiles are well-known.
Paintball markers have two basic mechanisms that work in
conjunction to fire a paintball from the marker. One of these
mechanisms loads a paintball into the breech of a paintball marker,
and usually involves a bolt that reciprocates from a loading
position that accepts a paintball into the breech, to a firing
position. A valving system releases compressed gas from a source of
compressed gas to fire the paintball from the marker.
[0005] Paintball marker action falls into two categories: the "open
bolt" action and the "closed bolt" action.
[0006] In the open bolt action, a marker body has one or two
chambers (upper and lower). The upper chamber houses the bolt. The
lower chamber houses a hammer and a valve, such as a pin type or
poppet valve, also referred to as an exhaust or firing valve. The
bolt moves during firing and returns to the loading (open) position
after firing, in most cases by "blow back" gas pressure, thus the
term "open bolt." A spring biases the bolt and/or hammer forward.
The bolt and hammer are sometimes connected by a mechanical linkage
that moves them in concert. When the bolt is cocked in the loading
position, the hammer is held in place such as by a sear. Releasing
the sear by actuation (pulling) of the trigger allows the hammer
and bolt to move forward by spring force. A further valve controls
the opening and closing of a flow passage between a high pressure
chamber (not required for all open bolts) and the upper chamber and
bolt. The bolt, in the firing position, is in alignment with the
flow passage of the valve. In the firing position, the hammer
impacts the valve, releasing high pressure compressed gas through
the flow passage and bolt to fire the paintball.
[0007] In the closed bolt action, the bolt and hammer are arranged
to move independently, thereby allowing for less "bounce" or "kick"
when the marker is fired, since the bolt is not moving when the
valve releases compressed gas. The "closed bolt" action is referred
to as such because the bolt remains in the firing position, and
paintballs are already chamber, before a mechanism such as a hammer
opening the valve. In a closed bolt action paintball marker, a
projectile is already chambered, and when the trigger is pulled,
the hammer releases to strike the valve and send gas through the
bolt, firing a paintball.
[0008] A cross sectional side view of an illustrative prior art
closed bolt mechanically cocking, or "automatically cocking,"
compressed gas marker 200 is shown in FIG. 1. The closed bolt
compressed gas marker 200 has a marker body 202 having an upper
chamber or breech 204 and a lower chamber 206. The lower chamber
206 houses firing components, including a cocking rod 208 which
projects rearwardly from the marker body, and has a hammer 210 at
its forward end. The hammer 210 is biased forward by a cocking
spring 212 in the rear of the lower chamber 206.
[0009] A firing valve 214 in the lower chamber 206 has a stem 216
facing the hammer 210, and a valve seat 218 on the opposite side of
the firing valve 214. The firing valve 214 is normally a
spring-biased poppet valve, as is known in the art. A high pressure
chamber 240 receives compressed gas under pressure from a
compressed gas source (not shown) adjacent the seat 218. Generally,
in the sport of paintball, the source of high pressure compressed
gas is a compressed gas tank.
[0010] The upper chamber 204 houses a bolt 220 having an aperture
222 therethrough. The bolt 220 is attached to a back block 224.
Projectiles 226, such as paintballs, are received in the upper
chamber 204 via an infeed opening 227.
[0011] A ram 228 is provided as a means for reciprocating the back
block 224. The ram 228 performs as a pneumatically operated piston,
and is connected to the back block 224 via a linking rod (not shown
but known in the art). A valve 232, generally of the "three-way"
variety, positioned at a forward portion of the marker 200, is used
to control the supply compressed gas to move the ram 228. In
mechanically operating markers, a trigger 234 housed in a trigger
frame 248 is mechanically linked to the valve 232. Actuating
(pulling) the trigger 234 mechanically operates the three-way valve
232, allowing compressed gas to move the ram 228 which in turn
moves the linking rod and back block 224 rearward, placing the bolt
in a loading position.
[0012] The cocking rod 208 moves rearward with the back block 224,
which catches the rear end of the cocking rod 208 during the back
block's rearward movement. By movement of the cocking rod 208, the
hammer 210 is placed in a "cocked" position, with sear 236 holding
hammer 210 in a cocked position. When the trigger is pulled and the
sear 236 is released, it operates the three-way valve 232, which
allows compressed gas to contact the rearward portion of the ram
228. The back block 224 moves forward, biasing the bolt 220 to a
firing position. Pulling (actuating) the trigger 234 moves the sear
236 away from the hammer 210. The hammer 210 is now released for
forward motion and the spring 212 biases the hammer 210 forward to
hit the valve stem 216. Upon contact by the hammer 210, the firing
valve 214 opens to send compressed gas through the bolt 220, and
the projectile 226 is fired. The bolt 220 will remain in the firing
position (closed bolt) until the next firing operation is initiated
by the trigger. A compressed gas marker 10 of the closed bolt
"automatically cocking" closed bolt action type is described in
detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,822. While a mechanically operated
paintball marker of the "automatically cocking" closed bolt type is
shown, electronic closed bolt markers are available that operate
with electronically operated trigger or valving systems.
[0013] While the markers described above may be adequate for the
average paintball player, they may not meet the needs of all
paintball games. For example, with the growth in paintball's
popularity, people with no or little exposure would like to play
paintball without investing the money to purchase the necessary
equipment. Recreational paintball facilities service these novice
paintball players with rental paintball markers (guns) as generally
described above. As is the condition of all things "rental" (cars,
apartments, boats), these markers get a lot of use, and often
abuse, and thus usually have a shorter usable lifespan than the
same marker in the hands of a more seasoned owner.
[0014] The marker body, barrel, and regulator are all the most
damaged parts of the paintball marker. The traditional regulator is
of particular note because it is disproportionately expensive
compared to the entirety of the marker, and yet it's critical to
the marker's function, as its adjustability controlled the speed at
which the marker fires the paintballs.
[0015] A need has thus developed for a paintball marker that has an
increased lifespan under duress, but does not have a substantial
loss of function.
SUMMARY
[0016] To that end, the inventive paintball marker comprises a
pressurized gas source; a trigger that opens a trigger pilot valve
assembly in communication with the pressurized gas source; a fill
valve assembly in communication with the trigger pilot valve and
the pressurized gas source; and a firing chamber in communication
with the fill valve assembly comprising a bolt that releases
pressurized gas to fire a paintball when a pressure in the firing
chamber reaches a critical firing pressure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of a prior art
marker.
[0018] FIGS. 2-7 show sequential cross-sectional views through the
paintball marker.
[0019] FIG. 8 shows another cross-sectional view through the
inventive marker.
[0020] FIGS. 9-11 show sequential cross-sectional views of the
trigger pilot valve of the paintball marker.
[0021] FIGS. 12-14 show sequential cross-sectional views of the
fill valve of the paintball marker.
[0022] The Figures show certain features that would be understood
by a person of ordinary skill in the art, and thus are not
described in greater detail. Further, the Figures show the flow of
compressed gas through the marker as shading or dashed lines with
arrows.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0023] FIGS. 2-8 show a paintball marker 10 having several
components common in paintball markers. The marker 10 has a gun
body 11 and trigger frame 22, which may be separate but joined
pieces, or a single cast piece. The gun body 11 has a breech 16
which chambers paintballs 14 for firing. A projectile infeed tube
18 guides paintballs 14 into the breech 16. The infeed tube 18 may
be attached to a projectile hopper or loader (not shown) mounted on
top of the marker 10. A barrel 19 of a usable length may be
permanently or removably attached to the gun body 11, such as by
threaded engagement. This threaded engagement may be preferable for
rental situations in which the barrel may be more likely to be
damaged.
[0024] A trigger frame 22 has a grip portion 24 and a trigger guard
26 that protects the trigger 20, and may also house assemblies,
such as a power source such as a battery and electronic control
circuitry (not shown to add clarity to the drawing) for operation
of components of the marker. As shown, however, the frame 22 houses
only the trigger pilot valve assembly 30 and fill valve assembly
50.
[0025] A pressurized gas source not shown) engages the marker 10 at
opening 12. The compressed gas source supplies compressed gas
though the trigger frame 22 to drive the paintball 14 from the
barrel 19. As can be seen from the FIGS., the preferred embodiment
for this marker 10 uses no traditional regulator to regulate the
compressed gas pressure to the marker 10. How the inventive marker
eliminates the traditional regulator will now be explained.
[0026] The pressurized gas passes from the opening 12 through a
passage 13a to both the trigger pilot valve assembly 30 and the
fill valve assembly 50: FIGS. 9-14 show detailed views of each of
these assemblies. The trigger pilot valve assembly 30 allows a
minimal force in direction A on the trigger 20 to drive valves
discussed below that release a relatively high pressure gas
(between 400-1200 PSI) from the pressurized gas source to fire a
paintball 14.
[0027] The trigger pilot valve assembly 30 does this by working in
conjunction with the fill valve assembly 50. Before a user pulls
the trigger 20, the marker 10 is at rest as shown in FIGS. 2, 9,
and 12. At rest, a trigger pilot valve chamber 34 and a fill valve
chamber 54 fill with pressurized gas from the pressurized gas
source. In both chambers respective poppets 35, 55 seat to block
chamber outlets 37, 57. These outlets preferably have a lip 37a,
57a surrounding them. The lips 37a, 57a discourage dry ice
build-up, since pressurized carbon dioxide is the commonly used
pressurized gas. The small lips 37a, 57a have a width of around
0.10 inches, which greatly minimizes the possibility of dry ice
building up thereon.
[0028] Returning to the trigger pilot valve/fill valve interaction,
when a user pulls the trigger 20, the trigger 20 drives the
forwardly biased follower 32 rearward as shown in FIGS. 3-6, 10,
and 13. The follower 32's pin 32a extends through the seal 32b
(preventing compressed gas from venting through vent 82) to drive a
poppet pin 35a that extends through the pilot valve outlet 37. The
poppet pin 35a unseats the pilot valve poppet 35. Once unseated,
the air from the pilot valve chamber 34 travels through the pilot
valve outlet 37 through passage 13b to the fill valve assembly
50.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 13, once at the fill valve assembly 50, the
pressurized gas received from the pilot valve assembly 30 drives
the larger surface area end 52a of piston 52 to the right. As the
piston 52 shifts to the right, shoulder 52c engages with o-ring
52d, which prevents compressed air (from compressed gas source
through passage 56) on the right hand side of the piston 52 from
releasing to atmosphere through passage 13e.
[0030] The piston 52's continued rightward movement drives the
piston pin 52b through the fill valve outlet 57 to unseat the fill
valve poppet 55. This fill valve poppet 55 preferably seats over
the fill valve outlet 57 against the lip 57a in a manner similar to
that in the pilot valve assembly 30. As long as the trigger 20 is
pulled, compressed gas continues to flow through the fill valve
assembly 50 into the fill valve chamber 54 through fill valve
outlet 57, passage 13c, and into the firing chamber 70, which
allows for repetitive firing of paintballs 14 from the marker 10.
Before discussing specifically how this gas fires the paintballs 14
what happens to this gas, and how it fires the paintball 14, the
gun body 11's components will be described.
[0031] The gun body 11 comprises a firing chamber 70 in which a
bolt 72 slides between a rearwardly spring 73 biased position
(FIGS. 2, 3,4, 7, and 8) and a forward position (FIGS. 5 and 6).
Movement of the bolt 72 to the forward position is limited by a
shoulder 72a that engages a stop 11a.
[0032] A spool 74 located within the bolt 72 slides between an
adjustable spring 75 biased plunger 90 that moves between its
forward position (FIGS. 2, 3, 4) and rear position (FIG. 6). A
manual or tool operated screw 76 can be moved within the gun body
11 to adjust the bias of the spring 75 and thus also the bias of
the spool 74. This adjustment thus controls the speed at which the
paintball fires. (See FIG. 8 that shows the screw further biasing
the spring 75 forward.)
[0033] Returning to the gas received in the gun body 11 from the
fill valve assembly 50, FIGS. 5 and 6 show the progression of the
bolt 72 and spool during the last steps of firing the paintball 14.
As show in FIG. 5, compressed gas fills the firing chamber 70 and
overcomes the bias of bolt spring 73, pushing the bolt forward,
preferably when the pressure in the firing chamber reaches about 20
PSI. Movement of the bolt 72 to the forward position allows
compressed gas to fill the firing chamber 70 in the area 70a
previously occupied by the bolt spring 73.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 6, this additional compressed gas builds
and drives the spool 74 to the rear of the marker overcoming the
plunger 90's forward bias. When the pressure in the firing chamber
70 moves the spool 74 rearward to the point where the o-ring 74b
passes the opening 72c in the bolt 72, the high pressure gas in the
firing chamber 70 escapes out the hollow passage 77 within the bolt
72, driving the paintball 14 out of the barrel 19.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 7, after firing, the spool 74 shifts
forward with its o-ring 74b cutting off further gas flow through
the bolt 72. The spool 74 returns to its forwardly-biased position
within the bolt 72 and excess gas within the firing chamber 70
preferably vents down passage 13c and out vent hole 13e. (FIGS. 7
and 14 show this venting through from the firing chamber 70 and the
fill valve assembly 50.)
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, upon release of the trigger 20,
the follower 32 biases forward closing the flow of compressed gas
through the trigger valve pilot assembly 30 to the fill valve
assembly 50. The follower 32's forward movement opens a vent
passage for compressed gas in the passage 13b and trigger valve
pilot assembly 30; this vent passage allows compressed gas to flow
through passages 82c, 82b, 82a, and finally vent through vent
82.
[0037] It is critical that the compressed gas be delivered to the
firing chamber 70 quickly because if it is not, the user would feel
a delay between trigger 20 movement and paintball 14 firing. In
practice, approximately 15 SCI of compressed gas are used per shot.
Since the firing chamber volume is fixed by its geometry, the
pressure at which the marker shoots will remain constant regardless
of the propellant temperature.
[0038] The advantage of this firing system is that it needs no
regulator. The speed of paintballs 14 leaving the marker 10 can be
adjusted by simply adjusting screw 76, inwards to decrease the
chamber volume and increase the pressure in the firing chamber 74
(and thus the velocity of the paintballs fired) or outwards to
reduce the pressure and velocity.
[0039] Other advantages of this marker, particularly in the rental
setting are as follows. First, Either or both of the trigger frame
22 and the gun body 11 can be cast formed, which eliminates the
more intricate and expensive molding processes required in most
markers. For increased durability, the trigger frame 22 and gun
body 11 can be of a single piece, eliminating fasteners and
connectors normally found in the two piece markers. Second, many,
if not all of the assemblies, are removable and replaceable. A
replaceable barrel was mentioned above, but other assemblies, such
as the bolt, spool, trigger pilot, fill valve, adjustment screw,
and trigger could be replaced. This would be preferable to
purchasing a new marker, particularly in the rental setting, where
replacing markers may decrease profits. Third, the market can be
designed without outside plumbing.
[0040] Certain dimensions are shown on the drawings that are
presently preferred, it being understood that other dimensions may
be more effective.
* * * * *