Exciter for luminescent projectile
First Claim
1. An exciter energized by a power source and for use with a paintball gun for exciting paintballs to emit light, said exciter comprising:
- a tube;
a coupling for coupling said tube to the muzzle of a paintball gun so as to substantially coalign with the muzzle of the paintball gun; and
a light source supported adjacent said tube, said light source being arranged to emit light into said tube.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Light emitting rigid, fracturable projectile-type marking ammunition is disclosed. The marking ammunition is in the form of a phosphorescent paintball. An exciter is adaptable for use with paintball guns to excite the phosphorescent paintball to emit light. The exciter couples to the muzzle of a paintball gun. The light emitting paintball provides a luminous trail when discharged from the paintball gun. A paintball according to the instant invention comprises a spherical pellet or capsule defining an interior chamber, and a filler contained in the chamber. In one embodiment, the capsule is impregnated with a phosphorescent material. In an alternative embodiment, a phosphorescent material is mixed with the filler. The phosphorescent material absorbs light when exposed to a light source, and after the light source is removed, emits light. A paintball being discharged from a paintball gun enters the exciter. Upon detecting the presence of a paintball, the exciter is triggered to produce a high intensity light. Light is absorbed by the phosphorescent material. After the light is removed, the phosphorescent material continues to emit light. Paintballs according to the instant invention discharged through the exciter provide a luminous trail and thus, may be used effectively in the dark.
49 Citations
46 Claims
-
1. An exciter energized by a power source and for use with a paintball gun for exciting paintballs to emit light, said exciter comprising:
-
a tube; a coupling for coupling said tube to the muzzle of a paintball gun so as to substantially coalign with the muzzle of the paintball gun; and a light source supported adjacent said tube, said light source being arranged to emit light into said tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An exciter energized by a low voltage power source and for use with a paintball gun for exciting photon absorbing paintballs discharged from the paintball gun, said exciter comprising:
-
a housing; a tube passing through said housing, said tube having a substantially transparent region; a coupling for coupling said tube to the muzzle of a paintball gun and substantially in coalignment with the muzzle of the paintball gun; and an exciter circuit, comprising; a detector comprising a light source and a light sensor, said light source being arranged to emit light through said substantially transparent region of said tube, said light sensor being arranged to alternatively detect light emitted from said light source and detect an interruption in light emitted from said light source when a paintball passes between said light source and said light sensor; a high voltage generator connected to the low voltage power source and being configured to convert voltage from the low voltage power source to high voltage; a high voltage storage element connected to said high voltage generator; a flash bulb connected to said high voltage storage element, said flash bulb being supported adjacent said substantially transparent region of said tube; and a trigger connected to said high voltage storage element and said flash bulb, said trigger further being connected to said detector and being controlled by said detector to set off said flash bulb when said light sensor detects an interruption in light from said light sensor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
-
-
12. A paintball gun for use with a power source to discharge paintballs, said paintball gun comprising:
-
a muzzle; means for propelling a projectile for ejecting the projectile from said muzzle; an exciter energized by the power source, said exciter comprising; a tube; a light source supported adjacent said tube, said light source being arranged to emit light into said tube; and a coupling for coupling said tube to said muzzle so as to substantially coalign with said muzzle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
-
15. A paintball gun for use with a power source to discharge luminous paintballs, said paintball gun comprising:
-
a muzzle; means for propelling a projectile for ejecting the projectile from said muzzle; an exciter comprising; a housing; a tube passing through said housing, said tube having a substantially transparent region; and an exciter circuit, comprising; a detector comprising a light source and a light sensor, said light source being arranged to emit light through said substantially transparent region of said tube, said light sensor being arranged to alternatively detect light emitted from said light source and detect an interruption in light emitted from said light source when a paintball passes between said light source and said light sensor; a high voltage generator connected to a low voltage power source and being configured to convert voltage from a low voltage power source to high voltage; a high voltage storage element connected to said high voltage generator; a flash bulb connected to said high voltage storage element, said flash bulb being supported adjacent said substantially transparent region of said tube; and a trigger connected to said high voltage storage element and said flash bulb, said trigger further being connected to said detector and being controlled by said detector to set off said flash bulb when said light sensor detects an interruption in light from said light source; and a coupling for coupling said tube to said muzzle and substantially in coalignment with said muzzle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. A paintball gun for use with a power source adapted to excite paintballs to emit light, said paintball gun comprising:
-
a muzzle; means for propelling a projectile for ejecting the projectile from said muzzle; and an exciter coupled to said muzzle, said exciter being energizable by the power source, said exciter comprising; a light source, said light source being arranged so as to emit light toward a paintball upon discharging the paintball through said muzzle; a tube, said light source being supported adjacent said tube, said light source being arranged to emit light into said tube; and a coupling for coupling said tube to said muzzle of said paintball gun so as to substantially coalign with said muzzle of said paintball gun. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. An exciter energizable by a power source and for use with a paintball gun for exciting paintballs to emit light, said exciter comprising:
-
a tube removably attachable to the muzzle of a paintball gun so as to substantially coalign with the muzzle of the paintball gun; a light source supported adjacent said tube, said light source being arranged to emit light into said tube upon energizing said light source and discharging a paintball through said tube; a detector comprising an emitter-detector pair cooperatively arranged and configured to detect the passage of a paintball therebetween upon enabling said emitter-detector pair and discharging the paintball through said tube; and a trigger controllable by said detector to energize said light source. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A paintball gun for use with a power source to discharge luminescent paintballs, said paintball gun comprising:
-
a muzzle; means for propelling a projectile for ejecting the projectile from said muzzle; and an exciter energizable by the power source, said exciter comprising; a tube releasably coupled to said muzzle; and a light source supported adjacent said tube, said light source being arranged to emit light into said tube upon energizing said light source and discharging a paintball through said tube. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. A paintball gun for use with a power source in exciting luminescent paintballs, said paintball gun comprising:
-
a muzzle; means for propelling a projectile for ejecting the projectile from said muzzle; and an exciter removably coupled to said muzzle, said exciter being energizable by the power source, said exciter comprising; a light source, said light source being arranged so as to emit light towards a paintball upon energizing said light source and discharging the paintball through said exciter.
-
-
42. A paintball gun for use with a power source in exciting luminescent paintballs, said paintball gun comprising:
-
a muzzle; means for propelling a projectile for ejecting the projectile from said muzzle; an exciter, said exciter being energizable by the power source, said exciter comprising; a tube; a light source supported adjacent said tube, said light source being arranged to emit light into said tube upon energizing said light source and further upon discharging a paintball through said tube; and a coupling for removably coupling said tube to said muzzle. - View Dependent Claims (43)
-
-
44. A paintball gun for use with a power source in exciting luminescent paintballs, said paintball gun comprising:
-
a muzzle; means for propelling a projectile for ejecting the projectile from said muzzle; and an exciter removably coupled to said muzzle, said exciter being energizable by the power source, said exciter comprising; a detector; a high voltage generator; a high voltage storage element connected to said high voltage generator; a trigger connected to said high voltage storage element and said detector; and a flash bulb, said trigger further being connected to said flash bulb, said flash bulb being arranged so as to emit light towards a paintball upon activating said trigger by said detector and discharging a paintball through said exciter. - View Dependent Claims (45)
-
-
46. A paintball gun comprising:
-
a barrel having a forward, discharging end; means for propelling a projectile for ejecting the projectile from said muzzle; and a flash ring surrounding said forward, discharging end of said barrel.
-
Specification