Smart Parts, Inc.

Danial S Jones

William M Gardner, Jr

Hans Semelsberger

Edward S Telford

A volume restrictor can be provided for a pneumatic paintball gun to reduce the volume of compressed gas available within a compressed gas storage area for a firing operation of the paintball gun. In one embodiment, the volume restrictor includes a body having a forward end and a rearward end. A forward sealing member can be arranged on the forward end to seal around a bolt of the paintball gun. A rearward sealing member can be arranged on the rearward end of the body to seal against a rearward endwall of the compressed gas storage area. By placing the volume restrictor within the compressed gas storage area of the paintball gun, the volume of compressed gas available for a firing operation is reduced, thereby requiring an increased operating pressure to achieve the same paintball velocity. The increased chamber pressure can result in a shorter recharge time and less velocity drop off in successive shots. A set of volume restrictors can be provided to permit a user to selectively adjust the available volume of compressed gas in the compressed gas storage chamber. Other configurations of volume restrictors are also contemplated within this invention, for example, such as non-sealing volume restricting rings having various wall thicknesses.

Pneumatic paintball gun with volume restrictor

A paintball gun having a quick-removal assembly for readily removing a pneumatic assembly from a chamber of the paintball gun body preferably includes a lift cap hingedly connected to an end of the pneumatic mechanism. A lift pin is preferably connected to the lift cap and removably engaged within a pin receptacle of the paintball gun body. Lifting of the lift cap preferably withdraws the lift pin from the pin receptacle and enables the pneumatic assembly to be removed from the paintball gun. A self-venting mechanism can also be provided to safely release compressed gas stored in the pneumatic assembly from the paintball gun during removal of the pneumatic assembly. A latching mechanism can latch the lift cap in a forward and closed position until a user desires to remove the assembly from the paintball gun. Slots can be arranged in the lift cap to permit rearward movement of the lift cap and to cause the lift cap to move away from a body of the paintball gun to allow rotational movement of the lift cap about a hinged axis.

Paintball gun with readily-removable pneumatic assembly

A pneumatic assembly for a paintball gun preferably includes a bolt slidably arranged on a valve stem. The bolt is preferably moveable between an open and a closed position. The bolt preferably provides a firing mechanism for the paintball gun by permitting compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area to flow through the bolt to fire the paintball gun when the bolt is closed but preventing the transfer of compressed gas through the bolt when the bolt is open. An internal area of the valve stem can be arranged to communicate with the compressed gas storage area to increase the effective volume of the compressed gas storage area without increasing the size of the paintball gun. This can permit lower pressure operation of the paintball gun. A supply of compressed gas to the compressed gas storage area can be cut off during firing to improve gas efficiency.

Pneumatic assembly for a paintball gun

A pneumatic assembly for a paintball gun preferably includes a bolt slidable between an open and a closed position. The bolt preferably provides a firing mechanism for the paintball gun by permitting compressed gas to flow through the bolt to fire the paintball gun when the bolt is closed but preventing the transfer of compressed gas through the bolt when the bolt is open. This can be accomplished, for instance, by arranging a sealing member in communication with a surface of the bolt. A port is also preferably arranged through a lateral sidewall of the bolt at a predetermined location. The bolt preferably slides in relation to the sealing member such that when the bolt is open, the sealing member prevents compressed gas from flowing into the forward end of the bolt, but when the bolt is closed, compressed gas is permitted to flow into the forward end of the bolt to launch a paintball. The bolt is preferably controlled by using a control valve such as a three-way solenoid valve to operate a pneumatic piston. The piston can include a larger surface area on one end of the piston to selectively receive a supply of compressed gas from the solenoid valve and a smaller surface area receiving a constant supply of compressed gas. A single supply port in the pneumatic cylinder can be used to supply compressed gas to both the pneumatic piston and the compressed gas storage chamber. A supply of compressed gas to the compressed gas storage area can be cut off during firing to improve gas efficiency.

A paintball gun kit preferably includes a plurality of non-fully assembled paintball gun components packaged for retail sale to a consumer. Instructions are preferably provided to instruct the consumer how to assemble the paintball gun components into an operational paintball gun. The paintball gun components can be packaged together or separately. The paintball gun kit can include, for example, a body, a grip, and a pneumatic assembly. Various numbers and arrangements of components are contemplated. Various styles, materials, and colors of paintball gun components can also be provided consistent with the principles of the present invention.

Paintball gun kit

A bolt for a pneumatic paintball gun is preferably slidable between an open and a closed position. The bolt preferably provides a firing mechanism for the paintball gun by permitting compressed gas to flow through the bolt to fire the paintball gun when the bolt is closed but preventing the transfer of compressed gas through the bolt when the bolt is open. This can be accomplished, for instance, by arranging a sealing member in communication with a surface of the bolt. A port is also preferably arranged through a lateral sidewall of the bolt at a predetermined location. The bolt preferably slides in relation to the sealing member such that when the bolt is open, the sealing member prevents compressed gas from flowing into the bolt, but when the bolt is closed, compressed gas is permitted to flow into the bolt. The bolt is preferably controlled by using a control valve such as an electronic solenoid valve to operate a pneumatic piston. A fixed-volume compressed gas storage chamber can be provided to supply a controlled volume of compressed gas to a projectile during a firing operation of the paintball gun and thereby improve gas efficiency.

A pneumatic paintball gun preferably includes a body and a grip. The body preferably holds a pneumatic housing that contains the primary operating components of the paintball gun. The pneumatic housing preferably includes a pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly. The pneumatic piston is preferably coupled to a bolt for controlling movement of the bolt based on the supply and venting of compressed gas from the cylinder. Most preferably, a normally-open three way solenoid valve supplies compressed gas to a forward surface area of the piston to hold the bolt in an open position. In the open position, a paintball is permitted to load into a breech area of the paintball gun. In response to a trigger pull, the three-way solenoid valve is preferably configured to vent compressed gas away from the forward piston surface area. Pressure supplied to a rearward piston surface area preferably causes the bolt to close, moving the paintball into a barrel. The bolt is also preferably configured to operate as part of the firing valve, such that closing the bolt causes compressed gas to be released into contact with the paintball arranged in the barrel to launch it from the paintball gun. A paintball detection system can also be provided having a circuit board configured to fit in a recess formed in a breech section of the pneumatic housing.

Pneumatic paintball gun

A pneumatic paintball gun preferably includes a bolt having an interior chamber. The interior chamber of the bolt is preferably arranged to communicate with a compressed gas storage area to effectively increase the volume of compressed gas stored in the compressed gas storage area without increasing the size of the paintball gun.

Pneumatic paintball gun and bolt

A pneumatic assembly preferably includes a sealing member disposed between a compressed gas storage area and a compressed gas releasing area. A piston rod is preferably arranged in communication with the sealing member and disposed longitudinally in the pneumatic assembly extending between the compressed gas storage and compressed gas releasing areas. One or more vent channels are preferably formed in the piston rod, with one or more ribs arranged longitudinally through or between the vent channels. The ribs are preferably configured to maintain the sealing member within a sealing member retaining groove while compressed gas is being released from the compressed gas storage area to the compressed gas releasing area. A grip mounted circuit board arrangement can also be provided wherein a circuit board is configured to securely mount within one or more slots arranged in a grip frame of a paintball gun. The circuit board may include a solenoid valve and a trigger-actuated switch arranged on the circuit board. The paintball gun can further include an interchangeable external shell for housing the pneumatic assembly.

A quick exhaust valve is preferably constructed having a port connector, an input body, and an exhaust body. The input body and exhaust body are preferably arranged in a rotatable relationship with the port connector such that an input port of the input body can be arranged in a desired orientation with respect to a connected device and still permit communication between ports in the input and exhaust bodies and a port in the port connector.

Rotatable quick exhaust valve

A bolt assembly for a paintball gun preferably includes a valve stem having an output port that can supply compressed gas to a compressed gas storage chamber. A bolt is preferably slidably mounted on the valve stem to move between a forward and a rearward position. The bolt can include one or more bolt ports configured to communicate compressed gas from the compressed gas storage chamber to a forward end of the bolt for launching a paintball when the bolt is in the forward position. When the bolt is in a rearward position, the bolt ports preferably communicate compressed gas from the outlet port of the valve stem into the compressed gas storage chamber. A sealing member can be arranged on the valve stem in communication with the bolt to prevent compressed gas in the compressed gas storage chamber from entering a forward bolt chamber when the bolt is in the rearward position and to permit compressed gas to enter the forward bolt chamber through the bolt ports when the bolt is in the forward position. A flow control member is preferably slidably arranged on the valve stem and configured to permit a flow of compressed gas from the valve stem output port into the compressed gas storage chamber when the flow control member is in a first position and to restrict or prevent the flow of compressed gas from the valve stem output port into the compressed gas storage chamber when the flow control member is in a second position.

Bolt for pneumatic paintball gun

An improved apparatus and method for preventing accidental disconnection of a valve fitting from a compressed gas cylinder (tank) is provided. A valve safety device preferably includes a valve stem having a first threaded section. The first threaded section is preferably configured to engage threads in an internal section of a compressed gas storage device during insertion and reside within an internal portion of the compressed gas storage device following insertion. A non-threaded section is preferably arranged proximal to the first threaded section. One or more vents are preferably provided on the non-threaded section to provide for a safe release of compressed gas from the compressed gas storage device before the first threaded section can be removed from the compressed gas storage device.

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Ligonier, PA, United States of America

Danial S Jones