Mechanical guns and projectors – Fluid pressure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-07
2001-10-09
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3643)
Mechanical guns and projectors
Fluid pressure
C102S501000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298841
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally a paintball gun and to light emitting ammunition, including fracturable projectile-type marking ammunition, and more specifically, to phosphorescent balls, such as paintballs, which provide a luminous trail when discharged from a paintball gun.
Exercises or recreational activities involving paintball guns have become quite popular. Participants arranged in teams shoot paintballs at targeted participants of opposing teams. When a paintball strikes a targeted participant, it fractures and splatters a filler material, marking the targeted participant. The marked participant is disqualified from further participation in the exercise or activity.
Paintball guns known in the prior art are effective only when used in adequate lighting. In adequate lighting, a user can easily observe the impact of a paintball, and possibly the trace of its path, and adjust his aim accordingly. This does not hold true, however, when used in the dark because the user cannot trace the path of the paintball and hence, cannot determine with any amount of accuracy whether a targeted participant has been hit.
A paintball gun capable of discharging luminous paintballs overcomes the foregoing disadvantage of known paintball guns. Paintball pellets capable of emitting light would provide a luminous tail.
None of the paintball guns known in the prior art, taken either singly or in combination, are seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is drawn generally to phosphorescent balls, having energy dispersing characteristics on impact with a target, for use with air-powered paintball guns. These phosphorescent balls include fracturable paintballs. More particularly, the instant invention is a phosphorescent ball for use with an exciter for exciting the ball to emit light and thus, provide a luminous trail when discharged from a paintball gun.
A phosphorescent ball according to the instant invention comprises a spherical pellet or capsule. The pellet or capsule may define an interior chamber with a fluid filler contained in the chamber. The capsule or pellet supports a phosphorescent material. The phosphorescent material may be supported by distributing the phosphorescent material in a fluid portion of the pellet or capsule. Accordingly, the phosphorescent material is intimately combined with non-phosphorescent pellet materials. The phosphorescent material absorbs light when exposed to a light source, and after the light source is removed, emits light.
The phosphorescent balls of the present invention are designed to be launched from air-powered guns, such as paintball guns, and have energy dispersing characteristics upon impact with a target. Energy may be dispersed from the phosphorescent balls in the same manner as conventional paintballs, that is, by fracturing the phosphorescent balls. Fracturable paintballs according to the present invention may include non-phosphorescent pigment material in combination with the phosphorescent material.
A phosphorescent ball being discharged from a paintball gun enters an exciter. Upon detecting the presence of a phosphorescent ball, the exciter is triggered to produce a substantially instantaneous, high intensity light. Light is absorbed by the phosphorescent material. After the light is removed, the phosphorescent material continues to emit light. Fracturable paintballs according to the instant invention, when discharged through the exciter, provide a luminous trail. The paintball gun, which may be provided in combination with the exciter and/or phosphorescent balls, includes a muzzle and a launching mechanism for sending a phosphorescent ball through the muzzle. Alternatively, the exciter and paintball gun may be unitarily made.
The present invention is also drawn to a paintball gun for discharging phosphorescent balls. The paintball gun has an exciter coupled thereto which is adapted to excite a phosphorescent ball so that the phosphorescent ball emits light and provides a luminous trail when discharged from said paintball gun.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide fracturable balls, such as paintballs, which provide a luminous trail when discharged from a paintball gun.
It is another object to provide a ball which emits light when exposed to, and subsequently removed from, a light source.
Another object is to provide a ball, such as a paintball, comprising a phosphorescent material or some other photon absorbing and emitting material.
It is yet another object to provide phosphorescent balls which emit different color light and thus, provide different color trails when discharged from a paintball gun.
It is a further object to provide a phosphorescent ball which emits a luminous trail when discharged from a paintball gun and, upon impact, fractures to splatter a luminous filler or paint therefrom.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an exciter together with fracturable balls; the exciter for exciting phosphorescent balls carrying photon absorbing and emitting material so as to emit light and thus provide a luminous trail when discharged from a paintball gun.
It is yet another object that the exciter be adapted to couple to a variety of paintball gun muzzles.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a paintball gun including the exciter, and phosphorescent balls for use therewith.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
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Cheng James S.
Cheng Richard T.
Jakel Kevin
Jordan Charles T.
MacMillian Sobanski & Todd, LLC
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