NON-LETHAL PROJECTILE LAUNCHER WITH SPLIT RECEIVER |
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申请号 | US12362820 | 申请日 | 2009-01-30 | 公开(公告)号 | US20090194088A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2009-08-06 |
申请人 | Dennis J. Tippmann, JR.; Bryce A. Carrico; | 发明人 | Dennis J. Tippmann, JR.; Bryce A. Carrico; | ||||
摘要 | A non-lethal projectile launcher (such as a paintball marker) having a clamshell type receiver. One side of the receiver may be split into a front portion and a rear portion that can be independently detached from the other side. This allows the rear portion to be detached to provide access to internal components without requiring removal of the entire side of the receiver. | ||||||
权利要求 | What is claimed is: |
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说明书全文 | This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/025,194 filed Jan. 31, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for launching projectiles. In one aspect, the invention relates to a split clam-shell receiver for a projectile marker that provides easy access to internal components. In another aspect, the invention relates to a connection between a gas inlet line and valve assembly. In a further aspect, the invention provides a mechanism for maintaining the alignment of a valve assembly with a sleeve surrounding the valve assembly. Devices that fire frangible projectiles are known in the art. For example, marking guns (commonly known as paintball guns or paintball markers) typically use compressed gas or combustible fuel to propel frangible projectiles that break upon impact. The frangible projectiles commonly have a gelatinous or plastic shell designed to break upon impact. Typically, the shells are filled with marking material, such as paint or an immobilizing material, such as a noxious chemical. These types of devices have a wide variety of applications. For example, a popular recreational use is in paintball games, in which opposing sides attempt to seek out and “shoot” one another with paintballs. Frangible projectiles have also been used to segregate cattle within a herd. Likewise, law enforcement personnel employ frangible projectiles with immobilizing materials for crowd control. From time to time, internal components of the device need to be accessed for maintenance purposes. This requires disassembly of the device, which can be cumbersome and time consuming. According to one aspect, the invention provides a paintball marker (or other projectile launcher) having a clam shell-type receiver. In some embodiments, one side of the clam shell receiver may include multiple portions. For example, the side may have a front portion and a rear portion that may be independently decoupled from the other side. This may be used to allow access to different internal components of the paintball marker. According to another aspect, the invention provides a connection between a gas inlet line and valve assembly. In one embodiment, an external surface of the valve may include a cone-like shape that is mated to fit in inverted flare connection on the gas inlet line. According to a further aspect, the invention provides a mechanism for maintaining the alignment of a valve assembly with a sleeve surrounding the valve assembly. The present disclosure will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings which are given as non-limiting examples only, in which: Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Components in the Figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the invention, and such exemplification is not meant to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. In the example shown, the marker 100 includes a barrel 102 with a muzzle end 104 and a breach end 106. The breach end 106 of the barrel 102 may include threads ( As shown, the marker 100 includes a tank adaptor 114 adapted to be in fluid communication with a supply of compressed gas or combustible fuel, such as a canister of carbon dioxide or propane, for example. In this example, the tank adaptor 114 is attached to the bottom of the receiver's 108 grip 120. It should be appreciated, however, that the tank adaptor 114 may be located anywhere on the marker 100, so as to provide the marker 100 with a supply of compressed gas or combustible fuel. Embodiments are contemplated in which the tank adaptor 114 could be optional. For example, the receiver 108 may include a port that allows for remote installation of a canister of compressed gas or combustible fuel. In the example shown, a conduit 116 allows flow between the gas tank adaptor 114 and a valve assembly 118 (as best seen in As shown, the receiver 108 includes a grip portion 120 that is dimensioned for a user to grasp. In the example shown, an optional foregrip 122 is attached to the receiver 108 so a user may grasp with his/her other hand to steady the marker 100. By way of another example, the marker 100 may be formed without a grip 120. For example, the marker 100 may be shaped like a rifle in which the user holds the marker 100 via the receiver 108 and buttstop. In this example, an optional rail 129 is attached to the top of the receiver 108 for mounting accessories, such as a scope, handle, site, etc. Although this example shows a picatinny rail, it should be appreciated that other types of rails or other accessories could be attached to the top of the receiver 108. As discussed below, a portion of the receiver 108 may be detached to provide access to internal components without requiring removal of the rail 129. Likewise, as discussed below, the receiver 108 can be opened to access internal components without removing the tank adaptor 114. In the example shown, the receiver 108 is of the clamshell type with a first side 124 (the left side in this example) and a second side 126 (the right side in this example). The term “clamshell type receiver” means a receiver that is split approximately along the receiver's longitudinal axis into a first side and a second side. In the example shown, the first side 124 and the second side 126 extend longitudinally along the entire length of the receiver 108. The first side 124 and second side 126 are coupled together in this example using a plurality of bolts 128 and 131. It should be appreciated that other types of fasteners may be used to couple the first side 124 and the second side 126 together. In this example, the first side 124 of the receiver 108 is split into a front portion 130 and a rear portion 132 that can each be detached from the second side 126. In the example shown, the rear portion 132 may be detached from the second side 126 by removing bolts 128. The front portion 130 could then be detached from the second side 126 by removing bolts 131. Although this example shows five bolts 128 connecting the rear portion 132 to the second side 126, it should be appreciated that more or less bolts 128 could be used. By splitting the first side 124 of the receiver 108, the user may detach only the rear portion 132, if desired, to provide access to internal components for maintenance, installation of accessories, or other purposes. As best seen in Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, from the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of the present disclosure and various changes and modifications may be made to adapt the various uses and characteristics without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as set forth in the following claims. |