Mechanical guns and projectors – Fluid pressure – Having common supply to plural projector barrels
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2001-11-06
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3643)
Mechanical guns and projectors
Fluid pressure
Having common supply to plural projector barrels
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311681
ABSTRACT:
The present invention generally relates to a paintball gun for use in sporting and recreational activities, and specifically relates to a multi-port paintball gun.
Paintball guns which use pneumatic force to propel a projectile, specifically a “paintball”, at a target or opponent, are well known. A paintball is a fragile, generally spherical shell containing a colored, viscous, nontoxic paint. Paintball guns have long been used for recreation activities, as well as combat training purposes.
The present invention is specifically directed toward a recreational paintball gun, for example, for use in the popular recreational game known as simply “Paintball” or “Survival”, in which teams of competitors, or individual competitors, are supplied with paintball guns and a number of paintballs for use as ammunition. When a competitor is hit with a paintball fired from a gun, the paintball ruptures, leaving dramatic, colorful evidence of the hit, without substantially injuring the competitor. Such games have become enormously popular in recent years and improved variations of both paintball guns, and paintballs, have been developed. Conventional paintball guns typically fire paintballs using bursts of compressed air, CO
2
or nitrogen.
Notably, it is not uncommon for a quarter million balls to be fired in a single, large scale game of “Paintball”, indicating that a paintball launching device which facilitates rapid, high quantity discharge of paintballs would be desirable. This is one object of the present invention.
Paintball guns have been developed which enable rapid and successive firing of paintballs. These guns add to the level of excitement of the game by enabling an player to fire at several competitors which may be simultaneously approaching the player's flag or protected basecamp. Ideally, the successive firing gun will operate to rapidly discharge successive paintballs without need for the operator to reload the gun between successive shots. In general, successive firing paintball guns are operated by first feeding a supply of paintballs, i.e. a “round”, into a storage compartment or “magazine”. Individual paintballs descend along a feed path into a firing chamber and are successively discharged by the participant as needed. Firing of the gun is initiated by “cocking” a striker by use of a manual cocking pin, and pressing a trigger to cause a short burst of compressed air into the firing chamber holding the individual paintball, thereby propelling the paintball down a barrel of the gun and toward the target competitor.
One well known problem with conventional paintball guns with successive firing function is that individual paintballs do not always smoothly descend into the firing chamber, or they may roll move out of position. In some instances, the paintballs may become jammed as the operator attempts to fire the gun. It is known that such malfunction of the gun will sometimes cause the fragile paintballs to tear and spill liquid paint into the gun interior, resulting in frustration for the operator during the game where, as can be appreciated, timing is critical.
Although paintball guns have been developed with the object of correcting these and other problems with conventional paintball guns, there is still a need for an improved paintball gun which will add new variety and excitement to the game without merely improving on the successive firing function of conventional guns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, this is a primary object of the present invention. The present invention provides a useful paintball launching device which enables simultaneous expulsion of multiple paintballs by means of a single actuation thereof. In addition, the invention provides a launching device capable of launching multiple paintballs in a distinct, preselected discharge pattern, or alternatively, in a random discharge pattern.
Generally, the device comprises a launch head, a launching mechanism providing paintball expulsion means, and a controller. A plurality of ports are defined in said launch head, each port being adapted to receive a paintball.
In a preferred embodiment, the launch head includes one substantially planar face in which the ports are disposed in a selected pattern. For example, the multiple ports may be disposed in a side by side relationship within the face, with each port being substantially parallel to one another. Alternatively, the ports may be disposed at angles to one another, for example, at divergent or convergent angles to effect a wide dispersion or a relatively focused dispersion of paintballs respectively.
On the launch head face, the ports may define a generally linear pattern, a matrix pattern, a circular pattern or an angular pattern. Depth of the ports may be selected to provide a predictable range of flight of the paintballs. Each port pattern and port depth may provide distinct advantages in the playing field.
Other possible launch head designs are contemplated. For example, the launch head may be provided with a plurality of angulated faces with each face including one or more ports therein. Rather than a planar face, the launch head may include a concave or convex face having corresponding angulated ports.
One feature of the invention provides a launch head having a base member and a plurality of interchangeable cartridges adapted to be snap fitted to the base member. The base member may be adapted to engage two or more cartridges at a time.
The present invention is preferably pneumatically powered and includes means for coupling the device to a source of compressed gas. The source of compressed gas may be connected to the plurality of ports by means of a manifold integrated into the launch head.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 353853 (1994-12-01), Albritton
patent: D. 359529 (1995-06-01), Nguyen
patent: 5097816 (1992-03-01), Miller
patent: 5282455 (1994-02-01), Adamson et al.
patent: 5327878 (1994-07-01), Wittbrot
patent: 5448951 (1995-09-01), Olson
patent: 5727538 (1998-03-01), Ellis
patent: 5823173 (1998-10-01), Slonaker et al.
patent: 5881707 (1999-03-01), Gardner, Jr.
patent: 5896850 (1999-04-01), Sullivan, Jr.
patent: 5904133 (1999-05-01), Alexander et al.
patent: 5924413 (1999-07-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 6152125 (2000-11-01), Piper
First Shot PB, INC
Hackler Walter A.
Jakel Kevin
Poon Peter M.
LandOfFree
Multi-port paintball projector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Multi-port paintball projector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Multi-port paintball projector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2584184