Mechanical guns and projectors – Element – Trigger or releasing mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-06
2004-02-24
Ackun, Jacob K. (Department: 3712)
Mechanical guns and projectors
Element
Trigger or releasing mechanism
C124S065000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06694963
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to pneumatic paintball guns (“markers”). More specifically, this invention relates to pneumatic paintball guns that use electronic circuitry to control one or more paintball gun operations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Paintball is a fast-paced game, and players must be able to fire quickly and accurately to be victorious. Until recently, paintball was played with purely mechanically-operated pneumatic markers. With the introduction of electronic paintball guns, however, a new age in paintball technology was born. Along with electronic control came the ability to precisely control the timing of gun operations. Precise electronic timing enabled much higher firing rates than previously considered possible. The electronic circuitry also made it possible to program these paintball guns with varying firing modes such as semi-auto, 3 or 6 shot burst, turbo, and even full-auto modes. In addition, the extremely light triggers made possible by use of a trigger-actuated microswitch made it possible for users to easily reach high firing rates even in pure semi-automatic mode.
FIGS. 1A-1C
are schematic illustrations of two representative conventional electronic paintball guns and a block diagram of a conventional electronic circuit for controlling those guns, respectively. More specifically,
FIG. 1A
is a schematic cross-sectional view of a representative conventional electro-pneumatic paintball gun
100
A.
FIG. 1B
is a schematic cross-sectional view of a representative conventional electronic sear-type gun
100
B.
FIG. 1C
is a schematic block diagram of an electronic control system
170
, such as used to operate the conventional electronic paintball guns
100
A,
100
B of
FIGS. 1A and 1B
, respectively.
Referring to
FIGS. 1A-1C
, the electronic control system
170
of each of these paintball guns
100
A,
100
B is similar in its primary components. A trigger
118
is configured to actuate a microswitch
128
when pulled. In response to the trigger pull, the microswitch
118
sends a signal to an electronic control circuit
130
to initiate a firing sequence. The electronic control circuit
130
in turn sends a signal to a solenoid operated mechanism
132
to carry out the firing operation.
Referring specifically to
FIG. 1A
, a conventional electro-pneumatic paintball gun
100
A includes a body
110
and a trigger/grip frame
120
housing a trigger
118
. An electronic control circuit
130
is typically mounted in the grip frame
120
either in the grip handle
122
or a receiving tray
124
. A power source (battery)
126
supplies power to the electronic control circuit
130
. A trigger-actuated microswitch
128
is arranged in electrical communication with the electronic control circuit
130
, and a solenoid actuated valve
132
A is electrically connected to the electronic control circuit
130
.
In operation, when an operator pulls the trigger
118
, the trigger contacts and actuates the microswitch
128
, sending a signal to the electronic control circuit
130
. The electronic control circuit
130
responds by sending one or more firing signals to a solenoid of the solenoid actuated valve
132
A to control a firing operation of the paintball gun
100
A. During the firing operation, the solenoid actuated valve
132
A directs compressed gas to a pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly
140
. More specifically, pneumatic pressure directed to the piston and cylinder assembly
140
from the solenoid actuated valve
132
drives the piston
140
A forward. A hammer
145
, connected to the piston
140
A, is also driven forward until it strikes a firing pin
144
of a firing valve
142
to fire the paintball gun
100
A.
Referring to
FIG. 1B
, a conventional electronic sear-type paintball gun
100
B also typically includes a body
110
, a trigger/grip frame
120
housing a trigger
118
, and an electronic control circuit
130
powered by a power source
126
. A trigger-actuated microswitch
128
is also arranged in electrical communication with the electronic control circuit
130
. Unlike the electro-pneumatic paintball gun
100
A of
FIG. 1A
, however, the electronic control circuit
130
of a conventional electronic sear-type paintball gun
100
B is connected to a solenoid-operated sear releasing mechanism
132
B.
In operation, a pull of the trigger
118
in the electronic sear-type paintball gun
100
B closes the microswitch
128
, sending an actuation signal to the electronic control circuit
130
. The electronic control circuit
130
, in turn, sends one or more firing signals to a solenoid of the solenoid-operated sear releasing mechanism
132
B to fire the paintball gun. In particular, in response to the firing signals from the electronic control circuit
130
, the solenoid drives a rod that contacts and releases the sear
134
from a hammer
145
. Releasing the sear
134
allows spring pressure to drive the hammer
145
forward to strike a firing pin
144
of a firing valve
142
and fire the paintball gun
100
B.
Using a trigger-actuated microswitch to initiate the firing sequence provides an increased ease of firing and a corresponding increase in the maximum achievable firing rate as compared to conventional mechanically-actuated paintball guns. Unfortunately, however, electronic trigger systems of conventional electronic paintball guns have several problems.
Among other problems, conventional electronic paintball guns must be set to a safe mode or turned off completely before the trigger is rendered inactive. Otherwise, the gun will fire if anything presses against the trigger. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the electronic trigger on many electronic guns can be too easily adjusted. Unfortunately, this means that the trigger may be made so sensitive that simply jostling the gun will cause it to fire. The trigger may be made so light, for example, that the paintball gun may fire unintentionally when set down or bumped. During non-game time, accidental firing presents a serious safety issue if a barrel plug is not in place; and, at the very least, becomes inconvenient for a player who must clean out the barrel when a plug is in place. During game time, unintentional firing may result in the accidental elimination of the player themselves or a teammate. It is therefore desirable to have a trigger mechanism that protects against accidental firing.
At the same time, however, another problem with conventional electronic triggers is that if the trigger is made too difficult to actuate, the force and motion required to fire the paintball marker will adversely affect the accuracy of the marker, as well as the speed with which the marker can be fired.
It would be desirable to have a way to permit extremely easy intentional actuation of an electronic trigger system, while at the same time more effectively preventing accidental actuation of the triggering mechanism. The industry would be benefited by an electronic paintball gun having a trigger assembly that is easy to fire at a rapid firing rate, yet difficult to fire accidentally.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of this invention, a touch trigger optimizes accuracy of a paintball gun because only a very light contact by an operator is required to fire the paintball marker. In contrast to some competition firearms, which have a “hair trigger” that requires very little force to move the “hair” required to activate the firearm, the touch or “air” trigger, according to a preferred embodiment of this invention, preferably activates without requiring any trigger movement, and instead requires only slight contact with the user's skin or a specialized glove, for instance, to actuate. Accordingly, a marker constructed to implement various principles of the present invention can be held still while firing. Rapid fire is also optimized because the trigger does not need to move.
According to another aspect of this invention, safety can be improved by configuring the trigger to respond only to the touch of the person holding the gun. In this configuration, neither jostling
Ackun Jacob K.
Marger Johnson & McCollom
Smart Parts, Inc.
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