Electronically controlled gas-powered guns for firing paintballs

Abstract

An improved electronically controlled pneumatically operated paintball gun having more efficient air usage by means of a pneumatic piston valve with a directional tube vent. This pneumatic piston valve works on direct air pressure to open and close very quickly. The pneumatic piston valve has one moving part called the “piston valve”. The piston valve works as a double acting cylinder. At one end of the piston valve is a seal that presses up against a valve seat. When low pressure air is applied to the opposite side of the piston valve assembly, the force created from air pressure forces the piston seal against the valve seat, closing a high-pressure chamber. When low pressure air is allowed to be released, force created by air pressure shifts the valve and forces the seal away from the valve seat. When the valve is opened, air is released from the high pressure chamber into a directional tube positioned directly behind the paintball, forcing the air to travel in a straight line before the air impacts the paintball. After the ball has been fired, low-pressure air is again transferred back to the original side of the piston, forcing the seal and valve seat closed once again. A pneumatic valve controls the flow of low-pressure air to the piston valve assembly. The time needed to transfer air through the pneumatic valve is adjustable through a circuit board.

1 . An electronically controlled paintball gun for pneumatically propelling a paintball projectile through a gun barrel toward a remote target; the gun comprising: 
 an elongated tube aligned with said barrel;    a high pressure air chamber having an outlet aligned with said tube for directing high pressure air through said tube for propelling said paintball;    a piston configured for selectively opening and closing said high pressure air chamber outlet; and    a piston control chamber for causing said piston to open and close said outlet depending on whether pressure is applied to or released from said piston control chamber.    
   
   
       2 . In a compressed-gas electronically controlled gun for firing paintball projectiles through a barrel toward a remote target and having a breech aligned with the barrel for receiving each of the projectiles to be fired, a piston valve assembly for controlling pressurized gas for loading and propelling the projectiles; the assembly comprising: 
 an elongated tube aligned with said breech;    a moveable piston positioned at an open end of said tube adjacent a valve seat at said tube end;    a first gas chamber for receiving gas under low pressure for moving said piston into engagement with said valve seat;    a second gas chamber for receiving gas under high pressure while said piston is engaged with said valve seat; and    a third gas chamber for receiving gas under low pressure for moving said piston away from said valve seat to suddenly release said high pressure gas from said second gas chamber into said tube to propel said projectile out of said breech and through said barrel.    
   
   
       3 . The assembly recited in  claim 2  wherein said first, second and third gas chambers are controlled by an electronic actuator.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly recited in  claim 2  wherein said piston has a seal for engaging said valve seat.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly recited in  claim 2  further comprising a pneumatic valve for controlling gas flow into said first and third gas chambers.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly recited in  claim 5  wherein the time required to transfer gas into said first and third gas chambers may be adjusted.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly recited in  claim 2  wherein said gas comprises air.  
   
   
       8 . The assembly recited in  claim 2  wherein said tube is a circular cylinder.  
   
   
       9 . An electronically controlled paintball gun for pneumatically propelling a paintball projectile through a gun barrel toward a remote target; the gun comprising: 
 an elongated tube aligned with said barrel;    a high pressure air chamber having an outlet aligned with said tube for directing high pressure air through said tube for propelling said paintball;    a piston configured for selectively opening and closing said high pressure air chamber outlet; and    at least one piston control chamber for causing said piston to open and close said outlet depending upon whether said piston control chamber is filled with or drained of pressurized air.    
   
   
       10 . The paintball gun recited in  claim 9  further comprising a pneumatic valve for controlling air flow into said piston control chamber.  
   
   
       11 . The paintball gun recited in  claim 9  wherein said pneumatic valve is actuated electronically.