Compressed gas-powered projectile accelerator

• US 8,272,373 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kore Outdoor Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kee Action Sports LLC (Kore Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Masse, Robert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVID, MICHAEL D
• Application Number:
  US12/503,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20100154767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 124 71- 77
• US Class Current: 124/76
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/57 Electronic or electric systems for feeding or loading F41B11/53 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/71 Electric or electronic control systems, e.g. for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/72 Valves; Arrangement of valves
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/721 for controlling gas pressure for both firing the projectile and for loading or feeding
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/723 for controlling gas pressure for firing the projectile only
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/73 Sealing arrangements; Pistons

Abstract

A pneumatic assembly for a paintball gun is provided. The pneumatic assembly includes a valve stem, and a bolt slidably mounted on the valve stem. The bolt includes at least one bolt port arranged through a sidewall of the bolt. A sealing member is provided on the valve stem in communication with an inner surface of the bolt. The bolt slides from a rearward position to a forward position along the valve stem. Compressed gas flows through the bolt port and through the bolt aperture to fire a projectile when the bolt is in the forward position. A paintball gun incorporating the pneumatic assembly is also provided.

Claims

1. A pneumatic paintball gun, comprising:

a bolt slidably mounted in a cylinder on a bolt guide positioned in the cylinder, the cylinder configured to receive compressed gas and to supply the compressed gas to the bolt to control movement of the bolt, said bolt comprising a port configured to communicate compressed gas from a chamber to a forward end of the bolt for launching a paintball;

a sealing member arranged in communication with the bolt, wherein the sealing member is configured to prevent compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area from entering the bolt port when the bolt is in a first position and to permit compressed gas to be released into the bolt port when the bolt is in a second position;

a supply port for supplying compressed gas to the compressed gas storage area;

a solenoid valve configured to supply compressed gas to a forward surface area of the bolt to hold the bolt in an open position;

wherein the solenoid valve is configured to vent compressed gas from the forward surface area of the bolt to allow the bolt to move to a closed position and to allow the release of compressed gas from the compressed gas storage chamber through the bolt port to fire the paintball gun.

2. A bolt for a paintball gun, comprising:

a substantially hollow cylindrical body;

one or more ports disposed through a sidewall of the body at a predetermined location along the bolt; and

wherein said bolt is configured to be slidably arranged on a valve stem with a sealing member communicating with an internal surface of the bolt, and wherein the sealing member prevents compressed gas from escaping from the paintball gun through the bolt when the bolt is in a first position and allows compressed gas to be released from the paintball gun through the bolt when the bolt is in a second position.

3. A bolt for a paintball gun, comprising:

an external surface of the bolt, wherein the external surface is configured to communicate with compressed gas supplied to a pneumatic cylinder to operate the bolt;

a bolt guide positioned in the cylinder, the bolt at least partially arranged on the bolt guide and slidable along at least a portion of the bolt guide; and

a plurality of bolt ports arranged through a lateral sidewall of the bolt and configured to selectively transfer compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area to an internal area of the bolt for release from the bolt by sliding past a sealing member in a pneumatic assembly of the paintball gun.

4. A bolt assembly for a paintball gun, comprising:

a bolt stem configured to extend longitudinally in a chamber of the paintball gun;

a bolt comprising a substantially cylindrical body, said bolt being slidably mounted on the bolt stem to move between a first position and a second position, said bolt further comprising one or more bolt ports disposed through a lateral sidewall of the bolt, wherein said one or more bolt ports are configured to selectively transmit compressed gas from the compressed gas storage into a forward area of the bolt to launch a paintball from the paintball gun; and

a sealing member arranged in communication with a sidewall of the bolt, wherein the sealing member is configured to prevent compressed gas from entering the forward area of the bolt when the bolt is in a loading position.

5. A pneumatic paintball gun, comprising:

a bolt, having first and second portions, the second portion having a larger diameter than the first portion, slidably mounted in a cylinder,

the cylinder configured to receive compressed gas and to supply the compressed gas to the second portion to control movement of the bolt,

the bolt comprising a port configured to communicate compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area of the gun to a forward end of the bolt for launching a paintball;

a bolt guide positioned in the cylinder, the bolt at least partially arranged on the bolt guide and slidable along at least a portion of the bolt guide;

a sealing member arranged in communication with the bolt, wherein the sealing member is configured to prevent compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area from entering the bolt port when the bolt is in an open position and to permit compressed gas to be released into the bolt port when the bolt is in a closed position;

a supply port for supplying compressed gas to the compressed gas storage area;

a solenoid valve configured to supply compressed gas to a forward surface area of the second bolt portion to hold the bolt in an open position;

wherein the solenoid valve is configured to vent compressed gas from the forward surface area of the second bolt portion to allow the bolt to move to a closed position and to allow the release of compressed gas from the compressed gas storage chamber through the bolt port to fire the paintball gun.

6. A compressed gas-powered gun, comprising:

a bolt having an aperture therethrough slidably mounted in a cylinder, the cylinder configured to receive compressed gas and to supply the compressed gas to the bolt to control movement of the bolt, said bolt comprising including a hole configured to communicate compressed gas from a rearward portion of the cylinder to a forward end of the bolt for launching a projectile;

a bolt guide positioned in the cylinder, the bolt at least partially arranged on the bolt guide and slidable along at least a portion of the bolt guide;

a sealing member arranged in communication with the bolt, wherein the sealing member is configured to prevent compressed gas from the rearward portion of the cylinder from passing through the hole into the aperture when the bolt is in a rearward position and to permit compressed gas to pass through the hole into the aperture when the bolt is in a forward position;

a gas supply passage for supplying compressed gas to the cylinder;

a solenoid valve configured to allow compressed gas from a compressed gas supply to act upon a forward portion of the bolt to move the bolt to a rearward position.

7. A bolt for a compressed gas-powered gun, comprising:

a cylindrical body having an aperture therethrough;

one or more holes disposed through a sidewall of the body at a predetermined location along the bolt; and

wherein said bolt is configured to be slidably arranged on a guide with a sealing member communicating with an internal surface of the bolt, and wherein the sealing member prevents compressed gas from escaping from the gun through the bolt when the bolt is in a rearward position and allows compressed gas to be released from the gun through the bolt when the bolt is in a forward position.

8. A bolt for a compressed gas-powered gun, comprising:

an external surface, wherein the external surface is configured to communicate with compressed gas supplied to a cylinder to operate the bolt;

a bolt guide positioned in the cylinder, the bolt at least partially arranged on the bolt guide and slidable along at least a portion of the bolt guide; and

at least one hole arranged through a lateral sidewall of the bolt and configured to selectively transfer compressed gas from a rearward portion of a passage configured to receive compressed gas from a compressed gas supply to an internal area of the bolt for release from the bolt by sliding past a sealing member.

9. A bolt assembly for a compressed gas-powered gun, comprising:

a guide configured to extend longitudinally in a chamber of the compressed gas-powered gun;

a bolt comprising a substantially cylindrical body, said bolt being slidably mounted on the guide to move between a rearward position and a forward position, said bolt further comprising one or more holes disposed through a lateral sidewall of the bolt, wherein said one or more holes configured to selectively transmit compressed gas from a rearward portion of the chamber into a forward area of the bolt to launch a projectile from the compressed gas-powered gun; and

a sealing member arranged in communication with a sidewall of the bolt, wherein the sealing member is configured to prevent compressed gas from entering the forward area of the bolt when the bolt is in a rearward position.

10. A compressed gas-powered gun, comprising:

a bolt, having first and second portions, the second portion having a larger diameter than the first portion, slidably mounted in a cylinder, the cylinder configured to receive compressed gas and to supply the compressed gas to the bolt to control movement of the bolt, the bolt comprising a hole configured to communicate compressed gas from a rearward portion of the cylinder to a forward end of the bolt for launching a projectile;

a bolt guide positioned in the cylinder, the bolt at least partially arranged on the bolt guide and slidable along at least a portion of the bolt guide;

a sealing member arranged in communication with the bolt, wherein the sealing member is configured to prevent compressed gas from the rearward portion of the cylinder from entering the bolt port when the bolt is in a rearward position and to permit compressed gas to be released into the hole when the bolt is in a forward position;

a supply port for supplying compressed gas to the cylinder;

a solenoid valve configured to supply compressed gas to a forward surface area of the bolt to move the bolt to an open position, wherein compressed gas is vented from the forward surface area of the bolt to allow the bolt to move to a forward position and to allow the release of compressed gas through the bolt hole to fire the compressed gas-powered gun.

11. A pneumatic assembly for a compressed gas-powered gun, comprising:

a guide disposed longitudinally in the pneumatic assembly, said guide comprising a portion capable of transmitting a quantity of compressed gas from a source of compressed gas, said portion further comprising one or more holes for communicating the compressed gas with an exterior of the guide; and

a bolt slidably arranged on the guide, said bolt moveable between a rearward position and a forward position, wherein said bolt comprises an aperture selectively in fluid communication with a rearward portion of a passage configured to receive compressed gas from a source of compressed gas and in fluid communication with the portion of the guide through the hole.

12. A compressed gas-powered gun, comprising:

a bolt slidably mounted in a passage, said bolt having one or more first surface areas and one or more second surface areas, said bolt comprising a bolt hole configured to communicate compressed gas to a forward end of the bolt for launching a projectile;

a bolt guide positioned in the passage, the bolt at least partially arranged on the bolt guide and slidable along at least a portion of the bolt guide;

a sealing member positioned in a fixed relationship with respect to the passage and arranged in communication with an inner surface of the bolt, wherein the sealing member is configured to prevent compressed gas from the rearward portion of the passage from entering the bolt hole when the bolt is in an open position and to permit compressed gas to be released into the bolt hole when the bolt is in a forward position;

a supply port arranged to supply compressed gas to the passage, wherein compressed gas supplies a force on the first surface area of the bolt to urge the bolt towards the rearward position wherein compressed gas acting on the first surface area of the bolt provides a rearward force greater than the forward force acting on the second surface area of the bolt; and

a solenoid valve arranged to supply compressed gas to the first surface area of the bolt.

13. A compressed gas-powered gun comprising:

a pneumatic assembly comprising a bolt and a guide arranged in a single longitudinal passage of the compressed gas gun;

a bolt guide positioned in the passage, the bolt at least partially arranged on the bolt guide and slidable along at least a portion of the bolt guide;

said bolt comprising one or more first surface areas and one or more second surface areas, said bolt further providing at least a portion of the firing mechanism of the compressed gas gun;

a passage that receives compressed gas from a source of compressed gas and is configured to provide compressed gas to one or more of the second surface areas of the bolt to provide a forward force on the bolt when the passage receives compressed gas; and

a solenoid valve configured to selectively supply compressed gas to one or more of the first surface areas to provide a rearward force on the bolt that is greater than the forward force.

14. The compressed gas-powered gun according to claim 13, further comprising:

a sealing member arranged on the guide in a fixed position with respect to the passage and communicating with a surface of the bolt to selectively prevent compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area from entering a forward bolt hole when the bolt is in an rearward position and to allow compressed gas from a rear portion of the passage to enter the forward bolt hole when the bolt is in a forward position.

15. A compressed gas-powered gun, comprising:

a bolt and guide arranged in a single longitudinal passage of the compressed gas-powered gun;

a rear portion of the passage configured to selectively supply compressed gas to the bolt when the a rear portion of the passage receives compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area to provide a forward force on the bolt; and

a solenoid valve that selectively supplies compressed gas to the bolt to provide a rearward force on the bolt sufficient to overcome the forward force on the bolt; and

,

a sealing member arranged on the guide in a fixed position with respect to the passage and communicating with a surface of the bolt to selectively prevent compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area from entering a forward bolt hole when the bolt is in an rearward position and to allow compressed gas from a rear portion of the passage to enter the forward bolt hole when the bolt is in a forward position.