ELECTRICAL CONTROL UNIT FOR PAINTBALL GUN

• US 20070169766A1
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Parts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smart Parts Incorporated
• Inventors: Gardner, Adam, Hensel, Edward, Gardner, William, Smith, David, Gaston, Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 124/77
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/52 the projectiles being loosely held in a magazine above the gun housing, e.g. in a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/57 Electronic or electric systems for feeding or loading F41B11/53 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/62 with pressure supplied by a gas cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/71 Electric or electronic control systems, e.g. for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/721 for controlling gas pressure for both firing the projectile and for loading or feeding

Abstract

An electrical control unit preferably can control operation of a paintball gun having a solenoid valve with an input port that receives compressed gas from a compressed gas supply and an output port connected to a pneumatic mechanism. For instance, the electrical control unit can contain a network of electronic components configured to receive an input signal from a trigger-actuated switch and send a signal to the solenoid valve. The solenoid valve can, for instance, direct compressed gas to and/or from the pneumatic mechanism to operate a bolt or firing valve connected to the pneumatic mechanism in response to the signal from the electrical control unit.

Claims

1. An electrical control unit for controlling the operation of a paintball gun comprising a solenoid valve that directs compressed gas through the solenoid valve to a pneumatic piston coupled to a pneumatic mechanism during operation of the paintball gun, said electrical control unit comprising:

a power supply connection that receives power from a power supply;

an electrical timing circuit configured to receive electrical power from the power supply and to control a launching sequence of the paintball gun; and

wherein said electrical timing circuit is configured to send a signal to a solenoid valve to direct a flow of compressed gas through the solenoid valve to the pneumatic piston to control an operation of the paintball gun.

2. An electrical control unit according to claim 1, wherein the pneumatic piston is coupled to a bolt to control a loading operation of the paintball gun.

3. An electrical control unit according to claim 1, wherein the pneumatic piston is coupled to a firing valve to control a firing operation of the paintball gun.

4. An electrical control unit according to claim 1, wherein the solenoid valve is a three-way solenoid valve.

5. An electrical control unit according to claim 1, wherein said electrical control unit is at least partly arranged on a circuit board configured to fit within a grip of the paintball gun.

6. An electrical control unit according to claim 3, further comprising a trigger-actuated switch configured to initiate the firing operation of the paintball gun in response to a trigger pull.

7. An electrical control unit according to claim 2, wherein compressed gas from the solenoid valve drives the bolt to an open position.

8. An electrical control unit according to claim 3, wherein compressed gas from the solenoid valve causes the firing valve to open.

9. An electrical control unit according to claim 1, wherein the electrical timing circuit comprises a network of electronic components that control a launching sequence by sending one or more energizing pulses to the solenoid valve.

10. An electrical control unit according to claim 9, wherein the paintball gun comprises a plurality of solenoid valves and wherein the electrical timing circuit is configured to send electrical signals to the solenoid valves in a timed sequence to operate the paintball gun.

11. An electrical control unit for controlling operation of a paintball gun, comprising:

an electronic circuit board sized and shaped to mount within the paintball gun; and

a timing circuit arranged on the electronic circuit board and configured to send one or more timed signals to one or more solenoid valves arranged in the paintball gun, wherein said one or more solenoid valves direct compressed gas through the one or more solenoid valves to one or more pneumatic mechanisms to operate a bolt and a firing valve of the paintball gun.

12. An electrical control unit according to claim 11, wherein the electrical timing circuit comprises a network of electronic components that control a launching sequence of the paintball gun by sending one or more energizing pulses to the one or more solenoid valves.

13. An electrical control unit according to claim 11, wherein the electronic circuit board is configured to mount within a grip or body of the paintball gun.

14. An electrical control unit according to claim 11, further comprising an electrical switch configured to be actuated in response to a trigger pull of the paintball gun, wherein the timing circuit generates the one or more timed signals in response to actuation of the electrical switch.

15. An electrical control unit according to claim 11, wherein the timing circuit controls a firing operation of the paintball gun by causing one of the one or more solenoid valves to direct compressed gas through the solenoid valve to one of the one or more pneumatic mechanisms coupled to the firing valve to drive the firing valve to an open position.

16. An electrical control unit for controlling one or more operations of an electronic paintball gun, said electrical control unit comprising:

a power supply connection for receiving power from an electrical power supply arranged in the paintball gun; and

an electrical timing circuit located within the body or grip of the paintball gun when operably arranged within the paintball gun, said timing circuit receiving power from the electrical power supply and sending timing signals to a solenoid to control a firing sequence during operation of the paintball gun.

17. An electrical control unit according to claim 16, wherein the electrical timing circuit comprises a network of electronic components that generate and transmit the timing signals to the solenoid.

18. An electrical control unit according to claim 16, wherein said solenoid operates a solenoid valve to convey compressed gas to a pneumatic piston to drive a bolt.

19. An electrical control unit according to claim 16, wherein said solenoid operates a solenoid valve to convey compressed gas to a pneumatic piston to drive a firing valve.

20. An electrical control unit according to claim 19, wherein the pneumatic piston is coupled to the firing valve.