TRIGGER GUARD PUNCTURE MECHANISM

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/643,971 filed May 8, 2024, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present subject matter relates to a puncture mechanism to puncture a pressurized gas cartridge for a projectile launcher, and more particularly, to a puncture mechanism activated by a trigger guard.

BACKGROUND

Puncture mechanisms for high pressure gas containers are known in the art. While such mechanisms, according to the prior art, provide a number of advantages, they nevertheless have certain limitations. The present disclosure seeks to overcome certain of those limitations and other drawbacks of the prior art, and to provide new features not heretofore available. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present disclosure is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY

According to certain aspects of the present disclosure, the disclosed subject technology relates to a puncture mechanism for a cartridge containing high pressure gas within a pneumatic launcher.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, the pneumatic launcher having a handle connected to a frame, the puncture mechanism comprising: a trigger guard connected to the launcher and surrounding a trigger of the launcher, the trigger guard moving from a normal position to an actuated position; a pivot arm that is pivotally connected to the launcher, and that is actuated by the trigger guard, the pivot arm moving from a normal position to an actuated position; a puncture needle in the launcher, wherein when the trigger guard moves from the normal position to the actuated position the puncture needle moves in the launcher toward the gas cartridge, and wherein the trigger remains surrounded by the trigger guard when the trigger guard is in the normal position and when the trigger guard is in the actuated position; and, a bias member biasing one of the pivot arm and the trigger guard to normal position.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, the pneumatic launcher having a handle connected to a frame, the puncture mechanism comprising: a trigger guard surrounding a trigger of the launcher and having a first end slidingly connected to the frame of the launcher, and a second end slidingly connected to the handle of the launcher, wherein the trigger guard moves from a first normal position to a second actuated position; and, a puncture needle in the launcher that moves from a first position outside the gas cartridge, to a second position piercing the gas cartridge, and wherein the puncture needle moves from its first position to its second position when the trigger guard moves to the actuated position.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, the pneumatic launcher having a handle connected to a frame, the puncture mechanism comprising: a trigger guard surrounding a trigger of the launcher, the trigger guard having a first end connected to the frame of the launcher, and a second end connected to the handle of the launcher, wherein the trigger guard moves from a first normal position to a second actuated position upon actuation of the trigger guard by a user, and wherein the gas cartridge is pierced when the trigger guard moves to the actuated position; and, a bias member operably engaging the trigger guard to move the trigger guard to the first normal position after it has been moved by the user to the actuated position.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the trigger guard is slidingly connected to the launcher.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the trigger guard has a track to receive a follower of the pivot arm.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the track is linear and is open to a trigger area.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the pivot arm comprises a follower arm having a follower, an engagement arm, and a pivot member.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the pivot member engages a receiver in the frame to allow the pivot arm to pivot about the pivot member.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the follower of the pivot arm is a cam follower that mates with a track in the trigger guard.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the cam follower comprises a roller members that moves linearly within the track of the trigger guard from a first position, wherein the trigger guard is in the normal position, to a second position, wherein the trigger guard is in the actuated position.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the trigger guard has a first end slidingly connected to the frame of the launcher, and a second end slidingly connected to the handle of the launcher.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein a first male member extends from the first end of the trigger guard and slidingly mates with an opening in the frame, and wherein a second male member extends from the handle to slidingly engage a female receiver at the second end of the trigger guard.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, further comprising a pivot arm pivotally connected to the launcher, wherein the trigger guard actuates the pivot arm when the trigger guard moves from the normal position to the actuated position.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the pivot arm actuates the puncture needle to move the puncture needle from its first position to its second position.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, further comprising a pivot arm and a puncture needle, wherein when the trigger guard is moved to its actuated position it actuates the pivot arm, which pivots, and which engages the puncture needle to move the puncture needle to puncture the gas cartridge.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the pivot arm comprises a follower arm having a follower, an engagement arm, and a pivot member, and wherein the pivot member engages a receiver in the frame to allow the pivot arm to pivot about the pivot member.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, wherein the trigger guard has a track, wherein the follower of the pivot arm moves linearly within the track of the trigger guard from a first position, wherein the trigger guard is in the normal position, to a second position, wherein the trigger guard is in the actuated position.

The disclosed technology further relates to a puncture mechanism for piercing a gas cartridge of a pneumatic launcher, further comprising a puncture needle in the launcher that moves from a first position outside the gas cartridge, to a second position piercing the gas cartridge, and wherein the puncture needle moves from its first position to its second position when the trigger guard moves to the actuated position.

It is understood that other embodiments and configurations of the subject technology will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various configurations of the subject technology are shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the subject technology is capable of other and different configurations and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the scope of the subject technology. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To understand the present disclosure, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which embodiments of the disclosures are illustrated and, together with the descriptions below are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, and serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a projectile launcher having a trigger guard puncture mechanism, according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the projectile launcher of FIG. 1 having a trigger guard puncture mechanism, according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a trigger guard puncture mechanism in a normal unactuated position, according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a trigger guard puncture mechanism in an unactuated position, according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a trigger guard puncture mechanism returned to the unactuated position following an actuation, according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a projectile launcher having a trigger guard puncture mechanism, according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a projectile launcher having a trigger guard puncture mechanism, with a portion of the launcher housing removed, according to the present disclosure.

In one or more implementations, not all of the depicted components in each figure may be required, and one or more implementations may include additional components not shown in a figure. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure. Additional components, different components, or fewer components may be utilized within the scope of the subject disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this disclosure is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the disclosure to the embodiments illustrated. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments as one of ordinary skill in the relevant art would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Further, descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the present disclosure. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the present disclosure may be practiced and to further enable those of ordinary skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined solely by the appended claims and applicable law.

Generally, this disclosure describes embodiments of a puncture mechanism 8 to puncture a pressurized gas cartridge 20 for a projectile launcher 10.

Referring now to the figures, and initially to FIGS. 1-2 and 5-7, there are shown various embodiments of a launcher 10 for a projectile 12. In one embodiment, the launcher 10 has a handle 14 connected to a frame 16. Within the frame 16 is a barrel 18 and a cartridge 20 that contains high pressure gas to provide the propellant to accelerate a bolt 22 to fire a projectile 12 from the barrel 18 of the launcher 10. The high pressure gas is retained within the cartridge 20 until a puncture mechanism 8 punctures a seal 50 on the cartridge 20 to release the gas. The launcher also has a trigger 24 to initiate the process for firing the projectile 12, and a trigger guard 26. In the various embodiments shown, the puncture mechanism 8 has a trigger guard 26 that is used to initiate the process for releasing the high pressure gas from the cartridge 20 that is transferred from the cartridge 20 through piping 28 to an air chamber 30 to provide the propellant for ultimately propelling the bolt 22 toward the opening in the barrel 18 to fire the projectile 12.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5 and 7, in one embodiment, the cartridge 20 containing the high pressure gas is located within the frame 16 of the launcher 10. The cartridge 20 may be inserted into a cartridge opening 32 and fixed into position the frame 16 with a cartridge holder 34. The cartridge 20 has a seal 50 at the opening thereof that retains the high pressure gas within the cavity 52 of the cartridge 20.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3-7, the trigger guard 26 is slidingly connected to the launcher 10. The trigger guard 26 has a first end 36 that slidingly engages the frame 16, and a second end 38 that slidingly engages the handle 14. In one embodiment, a male member 40, such as a shaft 40, extends from the first end 36 of the trigger guard 26, and slidingly mates with an opening 42, such as a bore 42, in the frame 16. Further, in one embodiment, a male member 44 extends from the handle 14 to slidingly engage a female receiver 46 at the second end 38 of the trigger guard 26. The reverse structure at either the first end 36 and/or the second end 38 of the trigger guard 26, however, may also be utilized. Further, other mating structural members may be utilized in place of the male/female relationship shown in the figures. This sliding engagement of the trigger guard 26 with the launcher 10 allows the trigger guard 26 to move from a first normal or unactuated position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, to a second actuated position, as shown in FIG. 4. Following movement of the trigger guard 26 to the actuated position of FIG. 4, once a force from the user on the trigger guard 26 is released, a bias member 48, such as a spring 48, forces the trigger guard 26 back to the unactuated positon as shown in FIG. 5 via engagement of the trigger guard 26 with a pivot arm 54 as described herein.

As best shown in FIGS. 3-7, in one embodiment, the puncture mechanism 8 generally comprises the trigger guard 26, a pivot arm 54, a puncture needle 56 and a bias member 48. Between the first end 36 and the second end 38 of the trigger guard 26, the trigger guard 26 has a track 58 to receive a follower 60 of the pivot arm 54. In one embodiment the track 58 is linear and is open to the trigger area 62, however the track 58 may have side rails 64 to assist in slidingly retaining the pivot arm 54 within the track 58 as the trigger guard 26 moves from the normal position to the actuated position, and then back to the normal position.

In one embodiment, the pivot arm 54 comprises a follower arm 66 having a follower 68, an engagement arm 70 and a pivot member 72. In one embodiment the follower arm 66 is on one side of the pivot member 72, and the engagement arm 70 is on the other side of the pivot member 72. The pivot member 72 may comprise a shaft 72 that engages a receiver 74 in the frame 16 and which allows the pivot arm 54 to pivot about the pivot member 72. The follower 68 may comprise at least one cam follower such as roller members 76. In one embodiment, the roller members 76 are rotationally connected to the follower arm 66 and are retained in the track 58 by the side rails 64, but allowed to move linearly within the track 58 from a first position as shown in FIG. 3, wherein the pivot arm 54 is also in its first position and wherein the trigger member 26 is in the normal position, to a second position as shown in FIG. 4, wherein the pivot arm 54 is also in its second position and wherein the trigger guard 26 is in the actuated position. Further, the roller members 76 are retained within the track 58 as the pivot arm 54 and roller members 76 return from the second position to the first position, and as the trigger guard 26 returns from the actuated position to the normal position, as shown in FIG. 5.

Moving the trigger guard 26 from the normal position to the actuated position (i.e., from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4) causes the pivot arm 54 to pivot about its pivot member 72 to its second position to move the puncture needle 56. As shown in FIGS. 4-6, in one embodiment, the puncture needle 56 has a first end 80 and a second end 84. The first end 80 has a bore 86 with an opening 88 that is in fluid communication with an air passage 90. In the second position of the pivot arm 54, the engagement arm 70 pushes on the second end 84 of the puncture needle 56 to linearly move the puncture needle 56 from having its first end 80 being adjacent but outside the seal 50 of the cartridge 20, to piercing the seal 50 and placing the first end 80 of the puncture needle 56 within the cavity 52 of the cartridge 20. Thus, as is shown, the puncture needle 56 moves linearly within a bore 82 from a first position, shown in FIG. 3, to a second position, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. When the first end 80 of the puncture needle 56 has pierced the seal 50 and is within the cavity 52 of the cartridge 20, the high pressure gas within the cartridge can flow through the bore 86 in the puncture needle 56 and into the air passage 90. Once the puncture needle 56 is moved to the second position whereby the first end 80 of the puncture needle 56 is within the cavity 52 of the cartridge 20, the puncture needle 56 generally stays in that position even though the pivot arm 54 pivots back to its first position and is no longer engaged with the puncture needle 56. The high pressure air generally flows through the bore 86 and the air passage 90, and into the piping 28 shown in FIG. 7 to the air chamber 30 for providing propellant for firing the projectile 12.

Once the user releases the trigger guard 26, the bias member 48 forces the pivot member 54 from its second position, shown in FIG. 4, to its first position, shown in FIG. 5. And, simultaneously, as the pivot member 54 moves from the second position to the first position, it moves the trigger guard 26 from the actuated position shown in FIG. 4 to the normal position shown in FIG. 5.

The embodiments detailed hereinabove may be combined in full or in part, with any alternative embodiments described.

A reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically stated, but rather “one or more.” The term “some” refers to one or more. Underlined and/or italicized headings and subheadings are used for convenience only, do not limit the subject technology, and are not referred to in connection with the interpretation of the description of the subject technology. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various configurations described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the subject technology. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the above description.

Numerous modifications to the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the disclosure. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the disclosure.

Several alternative embodiments and examples have been described and illustrated herein. A person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate the features of the individual embodiments, and the possible combinations and variations of the components. A person of ordinary skill in the art would further appreciate that any of the embodiments could be provided in any combination with the other embodiments disclosed herein. Additionally, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and “fourth” as used herein are intended for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the embodiments in any way. Further, the term “plurality” as used herein indicates any number greater than one, either disjunctively or conjunctively, as necessary, up to an infinite number. Additionally, the term “having” as used herein in both the disclosure and claims, is utilized in an open-ended manner.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” preceding a series of items, with the terms “and” or “or” to separate any of the items, modifies the list as a whole, rather than each member of the list (i.e., each item). The phrase “at least one of” does not require selection of at least one item; rather, the phrase allows a meaning that includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or at least one of any combination of the items, and/or at least one of each of the items. By way of example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” or “at least one of A, B, or C” each refer to only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and/or at least one of each of A, B, and C.

To the extent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in the description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Phrases such as an aspect, the aspect, another aspect, some aspects, one or more aspects, an implementation, the implementation, another implementation, some implementations, one or more implementations, an embodiment, the embodiment, another embodiment, some embodiments, one or more embodiments, a configuration, the configuration, another configuration, some configurations, one or more configurations, the subject technology, the disclosure, the present disclosure, other variations thereof and alike are for convenience and do not imply that a disclosure relating to such phrase(s) is essential to the subject technology or that such disclosure applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an aspect or some aspects may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa, and this applies similarly to other foregoing phrases.

A reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically stated, but rather “one or more.” The term “some” refers to one or more. Underlined and/or italicized headings and subheadings are used for convenience only, do not limit the subject technology, and are not referred to in connection with the interpretation of the description of the subject technology. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various configurations described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the subject technology. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the above description. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.”

While this specification contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of particular implementations of the subject matter. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

The title, background, brief description of the drawings, abstract, and drawings are hereby incorporated into the disclosure and are provided as illustrative examples of the disclosure, not as restrictive descriptions. It is submitted with the understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the detailed description, it can be seen that the description provides illustrative examples and the various features are grouped together in various implementations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

It will be understood that the present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the Claims are not to be limited to the details given herein. Accordingly, while the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the disclosure and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.

Further, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects described herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims and to encompass all legal equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirements of the applicable patent law, nor should they be interpreted in such a way.