SELF RESETTING COMPRESSED GAS VALVE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/733,102 entitled “SELF RESETTING COMPRESSED GAS VALVE” filed on Dec. 12, 2024. This application claims priority to and hereby incorporates by reference in its entirety U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/733,112 entitled “ACTUATION MECHANISM FOR COMPRESSED GAS VALVE OF AN AIRGUN” filed on Dec. 12, 2024. This application claims priority to and hereby incorporates by reference in its entirety U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63/733,062 entitled “COMPRESSIVELY SEALABLE MAGAZINE FOR AN AIR GUN” filed Dec. 12, 2024.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to air guns (e.g., pellet guns and paintball markers). More particularly, the present invention pertains to a main valve assembly for air guns (i.e., air driven projectile launchers).

Air guns (e.g., paintball guns, pellet guns, and projectile launchers) have main valve assemblies that completely empty a shot plenum of the air gun when a user fires or discharges the gun (e.g., pulls the trigger). Much of the energy stored in the compressed gas released from the shot chamber (i.e., shot plenum) is wasted because it escapes the shot chamber after peak pressure within the bullet chamber and barrel of the gun has been reached. The shot plenum must be completely refilled before the next shot if the gun is to have repeatable power and accuracy. The need to refill the shot plenum from empty reduces the rate of fire of the gun or the accuracy of the gun (i.e., a subsequent shot occurs at a reduced barrel pressure and results in a lower muzzle velocity) or a combination thereof. The complete evacuation of the compressed gas from the shot plenum also reduces the number of properly pressure regulated shots that may be obtained from the gun before the compressed gas source needs to be refilled or changed out for a fresh source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the present invention provide a main valve assembly for an air gun that is self resetting. The main valve assembly partially discharges a shot plenum when actuated. When actuated (i.e., when a user pulls a trigger of the gun), compressed gas pressure within the shot plenum is used to pull the main valve plunger back from an outlet of the shot plenum faster than a spring biasing the main valve plunger toward the outlet of the shot plenum can move the main valve plunger toward the outlet of the shot plenum. The spring can and typically will push the main valve plunger back into contact with the outlet of the shot plenum, sealing off the outlet of the main valve assembly before the user resets the trigger. When the user allows the trigger to reset, an inlet of the shot plenum is unblocked such that compressed gas can flow into the shot plenum via the inlet to refill the shot plenum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side cutaway view of an air gun including a self resetting main valve assembly according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 with the valve and switch in their forward positions.

FIG. 4 is a side cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 with the valve and switch in their forward positions.

FIG. 5 is a side cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 with the valve and switch in their forward positions.

FIG. 6 is a side cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 with the valve and switch in their rear positions during firing or discharge of the valve.

FIG. 7 is a side cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 with the valve and switch in their forward positions.

FIG. 8 is a side cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 with the valve in its forward position and the switch in its rear position showing the self reset of the main vale assembly.

FIG. 9 is a side cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 with the valve in its forward position and the switch in its rear position showing the self reset of the main vale assembly.

FIG. 10 is a side cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 with the valve in its forward position and the switch in its forward position showing the full reset and refill of the main vale assembly.

FIG. 11 is a an isometric cutaway view of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a side cutaway view of an actuation system for the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a side cutaway view of the switch of the main valve assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a side cutaway view of an alternative actuation system for the main valve assembly of FIG. 1 according to another embodiment of the invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to optional embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawing and in the description referring to the same or like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention.

To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein, a number of terms are defined below. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims.

As described herein, an upright position is considered to be the position of apparatus components while in proper operation or in a natural resting position as described herein. As used herein, the upright or vertical position of a gun or firearm is when assembled and held by a shooter, ready to shoot (i.e., fire or discharge), with the bore of the barrel of the gun extending generally horizontally or level along a longitudinal axis and the trigger extending generally downward. A muzzle of the gun is toward a forward end of the gun and any butt or stock of the gun is toward a rear end of the gun. Vertical, horizontal, above, below, side, top, bottom and other orientation terms are described with respect to this upright position during operation unless otherwise specified. The term “when” is used to specify orientation for relative positions of components, not as a temporal limitation of the claims or apparatus described and claimed herein unless otherwise specified. The terms “above”, “below”, “over”, and “under” mean “having an elevation or vertical height greater or lesser than” and are not intended to imply that one object or component is directly over or under another object or component.

The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without operator input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

The terms “coupled” and “connected” mean at least either a direct electrical or mechanical connection between the connected items or an indirect connection through one or more passive or active intermediary devices.

Referring to FIGS. 1-14, in one embodiment, an air gun 100 includes a main valve assembly 103 controlled by an actuation assembly 105. The air gun 100 further includes a trigger 133 and a barrel 135. The main valve assembly 103 includes a housing 107, a main valve 109 (e.g., main valve plunger), a spring 111, and a switch 113. The housing 107 forms a shot plenum 117 and a switch plenum 115. The shot plenum 117 has an inlet 119 and an outlet 150. The outlet 150 is fluidly connected to the barrel 135 (and the barrel 135 includes a chamber for a projectile) such that the barrel 135 receives the compressed gas from the shot plenum 117 via the outlet 150 when the compressed gas passes through the outlet 150. The shot plenum is 117 is configured to receive compressed gas via the inlet 119 and provide the compressed gas via the outlet 150. In one embodiment, the air gun 100 further includes the bulk compressed gas supply 151 (e.g., a compressed gas canister) and a regulator 153. The compressed gas is supplied to the shot plenum 117 via the inlet 119 from the bulk supply 151 via the regulator 153.

The main valve 109 has a forward position (see, for example, FIGS. 2-5, and 8-10) and a rear or rearward position (see, for example, FIGS. 6-7). In the forward position, the main valve 109 is pressed into or against the outlet 150 and seals the outlet 150, preventing compressed gas from exiting the shot plenum 117 via the outlet 150. The spring 111 biases the main valve 109 into the forward position of the main valve 109. The spring 111 presses against the main valve 109 and the switch 113 to push them away from one another, biasing the switch 113 rearward and the main valve 109 forward.

The switch 113 is configured to separate the shot plenum 117 from the switch plenum 115 when the main valve assembly 103 is assembled. The switch 113 is sealed to the housing 107 in at least one place and is configured to move longitudinally within the housing 107. The switch plenum 115 has a control port 131. The switch 113 has a forward position (see, for example, FIGS. 2-5 and 10) and a rear or rearward position (see, for example, FIGS. 6-9). In the forward position of the switch 113, compressed gas can flow into the shot plenum 117 via the inlet 119. In the rear position, the switch 113 blocks compressed gas from flowing into the shot plenum 117 via the inlet 119. At rest, before discharging (i.e., firing) the air gun 100, compressed gas in the switch plenum 115 biases the switch 113 into the forward position of the switch 113.

The control assembly or actuation assembly 105 is configured to selectively evacuate or vent the compressed gas from the switch plenum 115. In one embodiment, the actuation assembly 105 vents the switch plenum 115 to atmosphere (i.e., to the air outside the air gun 100). The actuation assembly 105 vents the switch plenum 115 via the control port 131 when the user pulls the trigger 133. In one embodiment, the actuation assembly 105 continues to vent the switch plenum 115 while the user keeps the trigger 133 pulled or depressed. The trigger 133, actuation assembly 105, and barrel are supported by the housing 107 when the air gun 100 is assembled. In one embodiment, the bulk supply 151 and regulator 153 are also supported by the housing 107 either directly, or via one or more structures of the air gun 100. The control port 131 is fluidly connected to the regulator 153 to provide compressed gas from the bulk supply 151 to the switch plenum 115. In one embodiment, pulling the trigger 133 blocks compressed gas from the regulator 153 from flowing into the switch plenum 115 and vents the switch plenum 115. In one embodiment, pulling the trigger 133 actuates a small valve within the actuation assembly 105 to vent the switch plenum 115, and the action of the small valve actuates a quick exhaust valve 155 or pneumatic sear poppet valve to rapidly deplete the switch plenum 115 such that the air pressure of the shot plenum 117 pushes the switch 113 and main valve 109 rearward faster than the spring 111 can move the main valve 109 forward, momentarily unseating the main valve 109 from the outlet 150. When the main valve 109 unseats from the outlet 150, the main valve 109 remains unseated from the outlet 150 until the forward pressure on the main valve 109 from the spring 111 overcomes rearward backpressure in the outlet 150. In this way, pressure is retained in the shot plenum 117 during firing such that it can be quickly refilled, and a consistent, metered amount of pressurized air is repeatably released to the outlet 150. It is contemplated that spring 111 may be a metal or plastic spring, or the spring 111 may be a gas spring that is permanently filled or refilled in each firing sequence. The quick exhaust valve 155 resets when the pressure between the switch plenum 115 and atmosphere is equal. The main valve 109 reset before the trigger 133 is released because the spring 111 reseats the main valve 109 in the outlet 150 regardless of the resetting (i.e., return to the forward position) of the switch 113. When the trigger 133 is released, the switch plenum 115 refills with compressed air, moving the switch 113 to its forward position such that the inlet 119 is unblocked by the switch 113 and the compressed gas from the regulator 153 can refill the shot plenum 117, fully resetting the main valve assembly 103 for a subsequent shot or discharge.

In one embodiment, an air gun 100 or air powered projectile launcher includes a main valve assembly 103 and an actuation assembly 105. The main valve assembly 103 includes a housing 107, a main valve (i.e., main valve plunger 109), a spring 111, and a switch 113. The housing 107 forms a shot plenum 117 and a switch plenum 115. The switch 113 separates the shot plenum 117 from the switch plenum 115 and is configured to move further into the shot plenum 117 in a forward position of the switch 113 and further into the switch plenum 115 in a rear or rearward position of the switch 113. The shot plenum 115 is filled through an inlet 119 and provides pressurized gas to a chamber (e.g., barrel 135) of the air gun 100 through an outlet 150 of the shot plenum 117. The main valve 109 (i.e., plunger) blocks the outlet 150 of shot plenum 115 in a forward position of the main valve 109 and allows compressed gas to pass through the outlet 150 of the shot plenum 115 when the main valve 109 is not in the forward position. The spring 111 biases the main valve 109 toward the forward position of the main valve 109. Compressed gas in the shot plenum 117 pushes the main valve 109 into or against the outlet 150 of the shot plenum 117 and the switch 113 rearward. Compressed gas in the switch plenum 115 holds the switch 113 in the forward position of the switch 113. The switch plenum 115 is filled and emptied via a control port 131 to actuate the main valve assembly 103.

When the gun 100 is fired or discharged, the main valve assembly 103 is actuated. When the compressed gas pressure in the switch plenum 115 is evacuated via the control port 131 (e.g., vented to atmosphere), the compressed gas pressure in the shot plenum 117 pushes the switch 113 rearward faster than the spring 111 can push the main valve 109 forward such that the seal between the main valve 109 and the outlet 150 of the shot plenum 117 is broken and compressed gas in the shot plenum 117 passes through the outlet 150 of the shot plenum 117. When the main valve 109 unseats from the outlet 150, the main valve 109 remains unseated from the outlet 150 until the forward pressure on the main valve 109 from the spring 111 overcomes rearward backpressure in the outlet 150. In this way, pressure is retained in the shot plenum 117 during firing such that it can be quickly refilled, and a consistent, metered amount of pressurized air is repeatably released to the outlet 150. It is contemplated that spring 111 may be a metal or plastic spring, or the spring 111 may be a gas spring that is permanently filled or refilled in each firing sequence. When the switch 113 is in the rear position, the switch 113 blocks the inlet 119 to the shot plenum 117 such that additional compressed gas cannot enter the shot plenum 117 via the inlet 119 to the shot plenum 117. After some, but not all, of the compressed gas has exited the shot plenum 117 via the outlet 150 of the shot plenum 117, the spring 111 pushes the main valve 109 back against the outlet 150 of the shot plenum 117 to seal the outlet 150 of the shot plenum 117. Thus, a metered amount of compressed gas can be passed through the outlet 150 of the main valve assembly 103.

To fully reset the main valve assembly 103, the switch plenum 115 is refilled with compressed gas via the control port 131 when the user releases the trigger 133. This moves the switch 113 forward to its forward position such that the inlet 119 to the shot plenum 117 is unblocked, and compressed gas can refill the shot plenum 117 via the inlet 119 to the shot plenum 117. Thus, the main valve assembly 103 is refilled and reset with the main valve 109 and switch 113 in their forward positions and the shot plenum 117 and switch plenum 115 filled with compressed gas. The main valve assembly 103 is thus ready for discharge (e.g., the air gun 100 or projectile launcher is recharged and ready to fire or discharge).

In one embodiment, the compressed gas is continuously supplied to the inlet 119 to the shot plenum 117 from a bulk supply 151 via a regulator 153. The switch plenum 115 is selectively filled with the compressed gas via the regulator 153 through the control port 131 of the switch plenum 115 and vented to the atmosphere via the control port 131 (to actuate the main valve assembly 103 and discharge the air gun 100 or projectile launcher).

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

It will be understood that the particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention may be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.

All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein may be made and/or executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of the embodiments included herein, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.