U.S. patent application number 13/778498 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-05 for laser sight firing device mountable to an air gun.
The applicant listed for this patent is Ching-Li Tsai. Invention is credited to Ching-Li Tsai.
Application Number | 20130227872 13/778498 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49042009 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130227872 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tsai; Ching-Li |
September 5, 2013 |
Laser Sight Firing Device Mountable To An Air Gun
Abstract
A laser sight firing device is usable with an air gun, and
includes a firing unit disposed on the gun barrel, a sensing unit,
and a light emitter disposed on the firing unit. The firing unit
includes a tubular member, and a position-limiting member extending
from the tubular member. The tubular member has a tube wall formed
with an air discharge hole and defining a passage. The sensing unit
includes a piston disposed in the passage, a return mechanism
disposed between the piston and the position-limiting member, a
first chip module disposed on the piston, and a second chip module
disposed fixedly in the passage. When air current flows from the
air gun, the first chip module comes into contact with the second
chip module to activate the light emitter to emit light.
Inventors: |
Tsai; Ching-Li; (Chiayi
City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Tsai; Ching-Li |
Chiayi City |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
49042009 |
Appl. No.: |
13/778498 |
Filed: |
February 27, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
42/114 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 33/02 20130101;
F41G 1/35 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
42/114 |
International
Class: |
F41G 1/35 20060101
F41G001/35 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 5, 2012 |
TW |
101107312 |
Claims
1. A laser sight firing device adapted for use with an air gun, the
air gun having a main body, a gun barrel connected to the main
body, and a trigger unit connected to the main body and operable
for driving emission of a high-pressure air current from the main
body and through the gun barrel, the gun barrel having a muzzle
disposed at an end thereof distal from the main body, said laser
sight firing device comprising: a firing unit including a tubular
member adapted to be disposed removably on the gun barrel of the
air gun, said tubular member having a tube wall, a firing aperture
disposed at an end of said tube wall distal from the muzzle of the
air gun, and a passage defined by said tube wall and adapted to be
disposed between said firing aperture and the muzzle, said tube
wall having an air discharge hole formed therethrough, said firing
unit further including a position-limiting member extending from an
inner wall surface of said tube wall into said passage; a sensing
unit including a piston disposed movably in said passage and
adapted to be disposed between said position-limiting member and
the muzzle, a return mechanism connected between said piston and
said position-limiting member, a first chip module disposed on said
piston, and a second chip module disposed fixedly in said passage,
aligned with said first chip module, and adapted to be disposed
between said position-limiting member and the muzzle, said piston
being movable relative to said position-limiting member between a
non-contact position and a contact position, wherein, when said
piston is disposed at the non-contact position, said first and
second chip modules are spaced apart from each other, said piston
being adapted to be driven by the high-pressure air current to move
from the non-position to the contact position, so that the first
chip module comes into contact with said second chip module to
activate said second chip module to emit a sensing signal, and the
high-pressure air current flows out of said passage through said
air discharge hole, after which said return mechanism creates a
restoration force to return said piston from the contact position
to the non-contact position; and a light emitter disposed on said
tube wall of said tubular member for receiving the sensing signal
from said second chip module to emit light.
2. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said return mechanism is configured as a resilient member having
two ends connected respectively to said position-limiting member
and said piston.
3. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said return mechanism includes two magnetic members disposed
respectively on said position-limiting member and said piston for
repulsing magnetically each other.
4. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said firing unit further includes a stop member disposed on said
tube wall of said tubular member and adapted to be disposed between
said piston and the muzzle for preventing collision between said
piston and the muzzle.
5. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein
said inner wall surface of said tube wall is formed with an annular
groove, and said stop member is configured as a C-shaped ring
received within said annular groove.
6. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said tube wall of said tubular member further has a connecting
section adapted to be adjacent to the muzzle and adapted to be
connect with the gun barrel, said connecting section being adapted
to be threaded to an end of the muzzle.
7. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said tube wall of said tubular member further has a connecting
section adapted to be adjacent to the muzzle and adapted to be
connect with the gun barrel, said firing unit further including a
high-strength magnet adapted to attract magnetically an end of the
muzzle.
8. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
sensing signal is transmitted from said second chip module to said
light emitter in a wireless transmission manner.
9. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said tube wall of said tubular member is formed with a plurality of
guide holes in spatial communication with said passage.
10. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said firing unit further includes a contact member extending from
the inner wall surface of said tube wall of said tubular member
into said passage and adapted to be disposed between said
position-limiting member and the muzzle, said second chip module
being disposed on said contact member.
11. The laser sight firing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said second chip module is disposed on said position-limiting
member.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application
No. 101107312, filed on Mar. 5, 2012.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to a laser sight firing device, and
more particularly to a laser sight firing device that can be
mounted to an air gun to form a simulated gun assembly that is
operable to simulate a real shooting.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Referring to FIG. 1, a simulated gun 1 disclosed in
Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No. 320281 includes main body 11
having a compartment 111, a sleeve tube unit 12 disposed in the
compartment 111, and a trigger unit 13 exposed partially from the
compartment 111. The main body 11 further has a microswitch 112
disposed in the compartment 111, a gun barrel 113 extending from an
end of the main body 11, and a light emitter 114 disposed in the
gun barrel 113 and activatable by the microswitch 112. The sleeve
tube unit 12 includes a pneumatic tube 121, a resilient member 122
disposed on an end of the pneumatic tube 121 proximate to the gun
barrel 113, a valve rod 123 disposed in the pneumatic tube 121, and
a contact member 124 disposed on an end of the valve rod 123
proximate to the gun barrel 113. The trigger unit 13 includes a
trigger 131 exposed outwardly from the compartment 111, and two
movable members 132 disposed in the compartment 111 and connected
to the trigger 131.
[0006] Prior to firing, the pneumatic tube 121 is inflated to move
the valve rod 123 toward the gun barrel 113 to thereby compress the
resilient member 122. At the same time, the contact member 124 of
the valve rod 123 is obstructed by one of the movable members 132
nearer to the gun barrel 113 from moving away from the gun barrel
113.
[0007] Subsequently, the trigger 131 of the trigger unit 13 can be
operated to activate the movable members 132 to thereby release the
contact member 124 from the one of the movable members 132 nearer
to the gun barrel 113. Hence, due to the biasing action of the
resilient member 122, the contact member 124 is returned to its
original position at a highspeed so as to contact the microswitch
112. Upon contact between the contact member 124 and the
microswitch 112, the microswitch 112 sends a sensing signal to the
light emitter 114 so as to activate the light emitter 114 to emit
light.
[0008] As such, the aforesaid conventional simulated gun 1 can
cooperate with an electronic target (not shown) having a light
receiver for providing a safety firing training in a cost-effective
manner. However, the conventional simulated gun 1 suffers from the
following disadvantages:
[0009] (1) Complicated structure: the conventional simulated gun 1
includes a laser sight firing device having a large number of
components that are dispersed therein. Such a laser sight firing
device cannot be mounted removably to an air gun to constitute the
conventional simulated gun 1, thereby increasing the molding cost
of the simulated gun 1.
[0010] (2) Inconvenient assembly and disassembly: when repair and
maintenance of the laser sight firing device are required, since
the laser sight firing device is not an integral unit, it is
necessary to send the whole gun to the repair factory, and the
repair factory must disassemble the whole gun for repair and
maintenance. As such, the simulated gun 1 is not convenient to
repair and maintain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The object of this invention is to provide a laser sight
firing device that has a simple structure and that can be mounted
easily and conveniently to an air gun.
[0012] According to this invention, a laser sight firing device is
usable with an air gun, and includes a firing unit disposed on a
gun barrel, a sensing unit, and a light emitter disposed on the
firing unit. The firing unit includes a tubular member, and a
position-limiting member extending from the tubular member. The
tubular member has a tube wall formed with an air discharge hole
and defining a passage. The sensing unit includes a piston disposed
in the passage, a return mechanism disposed between the piston and
the position-limiting member, a first chip module disposed on the
piston, and a second chip module disposed fixedly in the passage.
When air current flows from the air gun, the first chip module
comes into contact with the second chip module to activate the
light emitter to emit light.
[0013] Since the laser sight firing device is configured as an
integral unit that has a simple structure and that can be mounted
removably to an air gun, it is convenient to repair and
maintain.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] These and other features and advantages of this invention
will become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a partially sectional side view of a conventional
simulated gun disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No.
320281 when a trigger is not operated, which includes a laser sight
firing device;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a partially sectional side view of the
conventional simulated gun when the trigger is operated;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a side view of a simulated gun assembly that
includes an air gun and the first preferred embodiment of a laser
sight firing device according to this invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the first preferred
embodiment, illustrating a non-contact position of a piston;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the first preferred
embodiment, illustrating two contact members;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating a
contact position of the piston;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating a
modified connection between the air gun and the laser sight firing
device;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating that two
second chip modules are disposed on a position-limiting member;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a sectional side view of the second preferred
embodiment of a laser sight firing device according to this
invention, illustrating a non-contact position of a piston;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but illustrating a
contact position of the piston;
[0025] FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating that the first or second
preferred embodiment can be disposed on an air gun configured as a
machine gun;
[0026] FIG. 12 is a side view illustrating that the first or second
preferred embodiment can be disposed on an air gun configured as a
pistol;
[0027] FIG. 13 is a sectional side view of the third preferred
embodiment of a laser sight firing device according to this
invention;
[0028] FIG. 14 is a sectional side view of the fourth preferred
embodiment of a laser sight firing device according to this
invention;
[0029] FIG. 15 is a side view illustrating that the third or fourth
preferred embodiment can be disposed on an air gun configured as a
rifle;
[0030] FIG. 16 is a side view illustrating that the third or fourth
preferred embodiment can be disposed on an air gun configured as a
machine gun; and
[0031] FIG. 17 is a side view illustrating that the third or fourth
preferred embodiment can be disposed on an air gun configured as a
pistol.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] Before the present invention is described in greater detail
in connection with the preferred embodiments, it should be noted
that similar elements and structures are designated by like
reference numerals throughout the entire disclosure.
[0033] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first preferred embodiment
of a laser sight firing device 2 according to this invention is
disposed on an air gun 3 for simulating a real shooting. In this
embodiment, the air gun 3 is configured as a rifle. The air gun 3
includes a main body 31, a gun barrel 32 connected to the main body
31, and a trigger 33 connected to the main body 31 and operable for
driving emission of a high-pressure air current from the main body
31 and through the gun barrel 32. The gun barrel 32 is formed with
a muzzle 321 at an end thereof distal from the main body 31.
[0034] With further reference to FIG. 5, the laser sight firing
device 2 includes a firing unit 21 disposed on the gun barrel 32, a
sensing unit 22 disposed in the firing unit 21, and a light emitter
23 disposed on the firing unit 21. The firing unit 21 includes a
tubular member 211 disposed removably on the gun barrel 32 of the
air gun 3. The tubular member 211 has a tube wall 210, a firing
aperture 213 defined by an end of the tube wall 210 distal from the
gun barrel 32, and a passage 212 defined by the tube wall 210 and
disposed between the firing aperture 213 and the muzzle 321. The
tube wall 210 has two air discharge holes 217 formed therethrough,
and a connecting section 214 adjacent to the muzzle 321 and
connected to the gun barrel 32. The firing unit 21 further includes
a position-limiting member 215 extending from an inner wall surface
of the tube wall 210 into the passage 212, two contact members 216
extending from the inner wall surface of the tube wall 210 into the
passage 212 and disposed between the position-limiting member 215
and the muzzle 321, and a stop member 218 disposed on the tube wall
210 of the tubular member 211 and in the passage 212. The
position-limiting member 215 is disposed to close the passage 212
such that the muzzle 321 is not in spatial communication with the
firing aperture 213, so as to prevent water vapor and dust from
moving from the firing aperture 213 into the air gun 3.
[0035] The sensing unit 22 includes a piston 221 disposed movably
in the passage 212 and disposed between the muzzle 321 and the
contact members 216, a return mechanism 222 connected between the
piston 221 and the position-limiting member 215, two first chip
modules 223 disposed on the piston 221, and two second chip modules
224 disposed respectively on the contact members 216. The first
chip modules 223 are aligned respectively with the second chip
modules 224. The return mechanism 222 has two end connected
respectively to the position-limiting member 215 and the piston
221.
[0036] The light emitter 23 is disposed on the inner wall surface
of the tube wall 210 of the tubular member 211, and is disposed
between the position-limiting member 215 and the firing aperture
213. It should be noted that, the air discharge holes 217 of the
firing unit 21 are disposed between the stop member 218 and the
contact members 216, so as to allow the high-pressure air current
to flow out of the passage 212 therethrough. Alternatively, the
number of the air discharge holes 217 may be increased or reduced.
The stop member 218 is disposed between the piston 221 and the
muzzle 321 for preventing collision between the piston 221 and the
gun barrel 32.
[0037] In this embodiment, the connecting section 214 of the laser
sight firing device 2 is threaded to the air gun 3 in such a manner
that the laser sight firing device 2 is sleeved on the gun barrel
32.
[0038] The piston 221 is movable relative to the position-limiting
member 215 between a non-contact position shown in FIG. 4 and a
contact position shown in FIG. 6. When the trigger 33 is not
operated, due to the biasing action of the resilient member 2222 of
the return mechanism 222, the first chip modules 223 on the piston
221 are spaced apart from the second chip modules 224 on the
contact members 216 by a predetermined distance. At this time, the
piston 221 is disposed in the non-contact position. With particular
reference to FIG. 6, when the trigger 33 is operated, a
high-pressure air current is sprayed out of the main body 31
through the gun barrel 32. When the high-pressure air current flows
from the muzzle 321 toward the firing aperture 213 along the
passage 212, it pushes and moves the piston 221 of the sensing unit
22 from the non-contact position toward the contact members 216, so
as to compress the resilient member 2222 and so as to move the
first chip modules 223 into contact with the second chip modules
224, respectively. At this time, the piston 221 is disposed at the
contact position, and upon contact between the first and second
chip modules 223, 224, a sensing signal is emitted from the second
chip modules 224 to the light emitter 23 in a wireless transmission
manner. When the light emitter 23 receives the sensing signal from
the second chip modules 224, it emits light toward a target object
(not shown).
[0039] On the other hand, when the piston 221 reaches the contact
position, the air discharge holes 217 are in fluid communication
with the muzzle 321 so as to allow for flow of the high-pressure
air current from the passage 212 and through the air discharge
holes 217 for discharging. Upon discharge of the high-pressure air
current, the piston 221 is no longer pushed pneumatically, and thus
is biased by the resilient member 222 to return to the non-contact
position. During return of the piston 221 to the non-contact
position, the stop member 218 can obstruct the piston 221 from
impact on the gun barrel 32. Alternatively, the number of the
contact members 216, the first chip modules 223, or the second chip
modules 224 may be increased or reduced. For example, if only one
contact member 216 is provided, it may be an annular flange
extending from the tube wall 210 of the tubular member 211.
[0040] If the laser sight firing device 2 is used together with the
air gun 3 to perform a shooting training, an electronic target (not
shown) having a light receiver associated with the light emitter 23
can be provided for showing the contact point of light to allow the
user to learn his or her shooting condition. Alternatively, the
second chip modules 224 and the light emitter 23 are electrically
connected to each other, so that the sensing signal is transmitted
electrically from the second chip modules 224 to the light emitter
23. That is, when the first chip modules 223 contact the second
chip modules 224, respectively, an electrical connection is
established therebetween for activating the light emitter 23.
[0041] In this embodiment, the tube wall 210 of the tubular member
211 has an annular groove (G) (see FIG. 6), and the stop member 218
is configured as a C-shaped ring, and is received within the
annular groove (G). The structure of the stop member 218 can be
changed as long as it can prevent collision between the piston 221
and the gun barrel 32. The connecting section 214 can be connected
to the gun barrel 32 in other manners. For example, instead of the
threaded connection, the firing unit 21 includes a high-strength
magnet 2142 disposed on the connecting section 214 for attracting
magnetically an end of the muzzle 321. In this manner, the laser
sight firing device 2 also can be sleeved on the gun barrel 32.
Alternatively, with further reference to FIG. 8, the contact
members 216 may be omitted from the firing unit 21, and the second
chip modules 224 maybe disposed on the position-limiting member
215.
[0042] FIG. 9 shows the second preferred embodiment of a laser
sight firing device 2 according to this invention, which is
different from the laser sight firing device 2 shown in FIG. 8 in
that, the return mechanism 222 includes two magnetic members 2223
disposed respectively on the position-limiting member 215 and the
piston 221 for repulsing magnetically each other. As such, the
piston 221 is biased to the non-contact position. With particular
reference to FIG. 10, through operation of the trigger 33 (see FIG.
3), the high-pressure air current sprayed from the air gun 3 can
overcome the repulsive magnetic force occurring between the
magnetic members 2223 to push and move the piston 221 to the
contact position. At this time, the first chip modules 223 on the
piston 221 come into contact the second chip modules 224 to
activate the light emitter 23 in a wireless transmission manner or
an electrical connection manner. When the high-pressure air current
is discharged through the air discharge holes 217, the piston 221
is no long pushed so as to allow the piston 221 to return to the
non-contact position by virtue of the repulsive magnetic force
between the magnetic members 2223.
[0043] With further reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the outer
appearance of the first or second preferred embodiment may be
designed to have the shape of a silencer to allow an assembly of
the laser sight firing device 2 and the air gun 3 to look more like
a real gun. The air gun 3 of the first or second preferred
embodiment may be configured as a rifle shown in FIG. 11 or a
pistol shown in FIG. 12.
[0044] FIG. 13 shows the third preferred embodiment of a laser
sight firing device 2 according to this invention, which is similar
to the first preferred embodiment. In this embodiment, the tube
wall 210 of the tubular member 211 is formed with a plurality of
guide holes 219 in spatial communication with the passage 212. With
the above structure, the laser sight firing device 2 looks like a
flash hider. Although the laser sight firing device 2 do not have
the flash-concealing function of a flash hider, when it is mounted
to an air gun 3 to form a simulated gun assembly, the user can be
used to operate the same during a real shooting.
[0045] FIG. 14 shows the fourth preferred embodiment of a laser
sight firing device 2 according to this invention, which is
different from the laser sight firing device 2 shown in FIG. 9 in
that, the tube wall 210 of the tubular member 211 is formed with a
plurality of guide holes 219 in spatial communication with the
passage 212.
[0046] The air gun 3 of the third or fourth preferred embodiment
may be configured as a rifle shown in FIG. 15, a machine gun shown
in FIG. 16, or a pistol shown in FIG. 17. The diameter of the
passage 212 of the firing unit 21 can be adjusted so as to be
fitted into various air guns 3, thereby increasing largely the
applicable range of the laser sight firing device 2.
[0047] To sum up, the laser sight firing device 2 of this invention
has the following advantages:
[0048] (1) Simple structure convenient to disassemble: the laser
sight firing device 2 can be sleeved on an air gun 3 so that, when
the air gun 3 is operated, the laser sight firing device 2 can emit
light. When the light emitting function is not required, the laser
sight firing device 2 can be removed easily from the air gun 3,
thereby resulting in convenience during use.
[0049] (2) Convenient to repair and maintain: when repair and
maintenance of the laser sight firing device 2 are required, since
the laser sight firing device is an integral unit, it is only
necessary to send the laser sight firing device 2 to the repair
factory for repair and maintenance. In other words, it is
convenient for the user and the repair factory to repair and
maintain the laser sight firing device 2.
[0050] (3) Two use selections: when the laser sight firing device 2
is mounted to the air gun 3, and when a magazine and bullets are
removed from the air gun 3, an assembly of the laser sight firing
device 2 and the air gun 3 functions as a simulated gun capable of
emitting light. Or, the laser sight firing device 2 may be replaced
with the magazine and the bullets, so that the bullets can be shot
from the air gun 3.
[0051] (4) High simulation degree: the laser sight firing device 2
may be shaped as a flash hider or a silencer, so as to maintain a
good outer appearance of the assembly of the laser sight firing
device 2 and the air gun 3. Furthermore, due to the presence of
such a device, the user can learn how the flash hider or the
silencer looks like, and feels that he or she is placed in a
simulated shooting field.
[0052] (b 5) Preventing accession of water vapor or dust into the
air gun 3: numerous precision mechanical components mounted within
the main body 31 of the air gun 3 are easily damaged when water
vapor or dust enters the main body 31. Since the laser sight firing
device 2 is provided with a position-limiting member 215 for
closing the passage 212, when it is mounted to the air gun 3, the
position-limiting member 215 can prevent water vapor or dust from
entering the main body 31, thereby increasing the service life of
the air gun 3.
[0053] (6) Increased applicable range: by changing the inner
diameter of the tubular member 211, the laser sight firing device 2
is suitable for various air guns 3. This results in a decrease in
the molding costs of the laser sight firing device 2 and the air
gun 3 and an increase in the applicable range of the laser sight
firing device 2.
[0054] With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that
numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore
intended that this invention be limited only as indicated by the
appended claims.
* * * * *