US 8,397,705 B2Granted

Pneumatic paintball marker

AssigneeDye Precision, Inc.

InventorsDavid J. DeHaan, Bryon E. Benini, Eric L. Roberts, William R. Wing, Eero K. Kaakkola

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A novel and unique pneumatic paintball marker having a variety of novel features, the first being an on/off compressed air control valve, positioned at the front of the marker below the barrel and adjacent to an in-line pressure regulator. Major innovations have been made in reducing the size and weight of the body of the marker, along with the construction of a new bolt assembly consisting of just four components and only one moving part. An anti-chop eye electronic system insures that the paintballs are in proper position, and rubber ball detents are optionally added to hold the paintballs in place prior to firing the marker, so that the paintballs will not roll out the barrel.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A pneumatic paintball marker configured to fire a paintball, said pneumatic paintball marker comprising:

a body member in the shape of a gun and having a longitudinal bore;
a trigger connected to said body member and configured to move between a firing position and a non-firing position;
a barrel extending from said body member and in flow communication with said longitudinal bore;
a bolt assembly housed in said bore and having a cap, a cylinder, and a bolt, said bolt being configured to translate longitudinally within said cap and said cylinder, said cylinder having forward and rear bolt stops, at least one of said forward and rear bolt stops having an inner surface, at least a portion of said inner surface having a smaller diameter than a portion of said cylinder disposed between said forward and rear bolt stops;
a sail extending radially from said bolt and being configured to hinder gas flow between said bolt and said cylinder;
a pneumatic regulation system configured to provide a first pneumatic pressure on said sail to translate said bolt towards said barrel when said trigger is in said firing position, said pneumatic regulation system further configured to provide a second pneumatic pressure against said sail that hinders said bolt from translating towards said barrel when said trigger is in said non-firing position;
and
one or more bumpers positioned in the proximity of said sail and between said bolt and said cylinder, said one or more bumpers being sized to enter at least one of said forward and rear bolt stops so as to contact said inner surface and decelerate said bolt by frictional forces between said one or more bumpers and said inner surface, said one or more bumpers preventing a bouncing of said bolt off said cylinder, thereby providing for a smoother operation of said pneumatic paintball marker for optimal flow of compressed gas and for improved paintball speed.

5 more elements

A pneumatic paintball marker configured to fire a paintball, said pneumatic paintball marker comprising:

a body member having a longitudinal bore;
a barrel extending from said body member and in flow communication with said longitudinal bore;
a bolt assembly housed in said bore and having a bolt and a cylinder, said bolt being configured to translate longitudinally within at least a portion of said cylinder, said cylinder having forward and rear bolt stops, at least one of said forward and rear bolt stops having an inner surface, at least a portion of said inner surface having a smaller diameter than a portion of said cylinder disposed between said forward and rear bolt stops;
a sail extending radially from said bolt and being configured to hinder gas flow between said bolt and said cylinder;
a pneumatic regulation system configured to provide a first pneumatic pressure on said sail to translate said bolt towards said barrel, said pneumatic regulation system further configured to provide a second pneumatic pressure against said sail that hinders said bolt from translating towards said barrel;
and
one or more bumpers positioned in the proximity of said sail and between said bolt and said cylinder, said one or more bumpers being sized to enter at least one of said forward and rear bolt stops so as to contact said inner surface and decelerate said bolt by frictional forces between said one or more bumpers and said inner surface so as to prevent said bolt from bouncing off said cylinder.

4 more elements

A pneumatic paintball marker configured to fire a paintball, said pneumatic paintball marker comprising:

a body member having a longitudinal bore;
a bolt assembly housed in said bore and having a bolt and a cylinder, said bolt being configured to translate longitudinally within at least a portion of said cylinder, said cylinder having forward and rear bolt stops, at least one of said forward and rear bolt stops having an inner surface, at least a portion of said inner surface having a smaller diameter than a portion of said cylinder disposed between said forward and rear bolt stops;
a sail extending radially from said bolt and being configured to hinder gas flow between said bolt and said cylinder;
and
one or more bumpers positioned in the proximity of said sail and between said bolt and said cylinder, said one or more bumpers being sized to enter at least one of said forward and rear bolt stops so as to contact said inner surface and decelerate said bolt by frictional forces between said one or more bumpers and said inner surface so as to prevent said bolt from bouncing off said cylinder.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/461,074Filed 1 May 2012 · continuation
Priority: 25 May 2004
Published: US 2012/0210992 A123 Aug 2012
Granted: 19 Mar 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

F41B 11/62
Characterised by the supply of compressed gas: with pressure supplied by a gas cartridge
F41B 11/71
Details not provided for in F41B11/50 or F41B11/60: electric or electronic control systems, e.g. for safety purposes
F41B 11/721
Valves; Arrangement of valves: for controlling gas pressure for both firing the projectile and for loading or feeding
F41B 11/724
Valves; Arrangement of valves: for gas pressure reduction

Family

Application60/574,361Us provisional application · filed 25 May 2004
PCT/US2005/018494Parent of this continuation · filed 25 May 2005
Application12/555,723Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Sep 2009
US 2012/0210992 A1Pre-grant publication · published 23 Aug 2012
US 8,186,338 B2Parent of this continuation
Application11/569,564Parent of this continuation
US 7,594,503 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2007/0215134 A1Published application
US 2010/0071679 A1Published application
US 8,397,705 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.