Compressed Gas Projectile Accelerator for Expelling Multiple Projectiles at Controlled Varying Velocities

Abstract

A compressed gas projectile accelerator that includes a velocity adjustment mechanism and/or method configured to allow the compressed gas projectile accelerator to expel a plurality of projectiles between a first velocity setting and a second velocity setting. The velocity adjustment mechanism and/or method includes a velocity controller configured to allow the selective selection of velocity settings falling between the first velocity setting and the second velocity setting. The first velocity setting comprises an upper or maximum velocity setting and the second velocity setting comprises a lower or minimum velocity setting.

1 . A compressed gas projectile accelerator, comprising:
 a controller configured to dynamically expel projectiles within a range of velocity settings falling between an upper velocity setting and a lower velocity setting.   
   
   
       2 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is further configured to expel a plurality of projectiles at a plurality of velocities falling within said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       3 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 2 , where said controller is configured to expel a plurality of projectiles at a plurality of velocities in a controlled manner falling within said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       4 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 3 , where said controller is configured to expel a plurality of projectiles at a plurality of velocities assembled in one or more groups in a controlled manner falling within said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       5 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a tilt sensor connected with said controller, said controller being configured to control one or more operational parameters of said compressed gas projectile accelerator as a function of signals received from said tilt sensor. 
   
   
       6 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a breech sensor connected with said controller, where said controller is configured to control one or more operational parameters of said compressed gas projectile accelerator as a function of signals received from said breech sensor. 
   
   
       7 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a velocity sensor connected with said controller, where said controller is configured to control one or more operational parameters of said compressed gas projectile accelerator as a function of signals received from said velocity sensor. 
   
   
       8 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a distance sensor connected with said controller, where said controller is configured to control one or more operational parameters of said compressed gas projectile accelerator as a function of signals received from said distance sensor. 
   
   
       9 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is connected with a solenoid valve and is configured to control one or more operational parameters of said solenoid valve as a function of one or more velocity settings. 
   
   
       10 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary velocity controller configured to control one or more operational parameters of said compressed gas projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       11 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor connected with said controller, where said controller is configured to control one or more operational parameters of said compressed gas projectile accelerator as a function of signals received from said pressure sensor. 
   
   
       12 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a selector configured to control one or more operational parameters of said compressed gas projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       13 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller comprises a microprocessor based programmable controller. 
   
   
       14 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller comprises an electronic circuit board. 
   
   
       15 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller comprises an electronic circuit board configured to control one or more operational parameters to expel projectiles within said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       16 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to expel projectiles in a plurality of firing modes within said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       17 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 16 , where said firing modes are either pre-programmed or re-programmable. 
   
   
       18 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is automatically configured to enter a surrender fire mode where projectiles are expelled at a low velocity setting if a target is below a predetermined distance threshold. 
   
   
       19 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to place said compressed gas projectile accelerator in an energy saving mode if a tilt sensor senses said compressed gas projectile accelerator is positioned in a predetermined angular alignment relative to a reference point. 
   
   
       20 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to variably control a number of projectiles expelled in a group of projectiles. 
   
   
       21 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to automatically expel projectiles in a plurality of groups of projectiles and vary the velocity setting at which one or more of said groups of projectiles are expelled from said compressed gas projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       22 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to vary velocity settings of one or more projectiles in a group of projectiles being expelled from said compressed gas projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       23 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is connected with a tilt sensor and a distance sensor, where said controller is configured to automatically calculate one or more velocity settings within said range of velocity settings to expel projectiles at a target as a function of signals received from said distance sensor and said tilt sensor. 
   
   
       24 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 23 , where said controller is further configured to automatically calculate an angular alignment of said compressed gas projectile accelerator relative to a reference point as a function of said velocity settings. 
   
   
       25 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 24 , further comprising one or more indicators connected with said controller, where said controller is configured to guide a user to said angular alignment using said indicators. 
   
   
       26 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller controls said velocity settings as a function of readings determined from an array of sensors. 
   
   
       27 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to self select an operational firing mode. 
   
   
       28 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to combine different operational firing modes. 
   
   
       29 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to self select a velocity setting from said range of said velocity settings. 
   
   
       30 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to determine a proper velocity setting from said range of velocity settings as a function of a distance to target value. 
   
   
       31 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 30 , where the distance to target value is input by a user. 
   
   
       32 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 30 , where the distance to target value is obtained from a distance sensor connected with said controller. 
   
   
       33 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 30 , where said controller is further configured to determine a proper angular position for a barrel of said compressed gas projectile accelerator as a function of the distance to target value 
   
   
       34 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said controller is configured to expel a plurality of projectiles in arc shaped paths within said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       35 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 1 , where said compressed gas projectile accelerator is configured to expel a plurality of projectiles at diverse velocity settings chosen from within said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       36 . A method, comprising:
 configuring a compressed gas projectile accelerator to dynamically expel projectiles at a variety of selected velocity settings falling between an upper velocity setting and a lower velocity setting.   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising prohibiting the selection of a velocity setting above said upper velocity setting. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising controlling operation of a solenoid to control projectile velocity between said upper and lower velocity settings. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising setting a velocity setting as a function of a signal from a tilt sensor. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising setting a velocity setting as a function of a signal from a breech sensor. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising setting a velocity setting as a function of a signal from a distance sensor. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising setting a velocity setting as a function of a signal from a velocity sensor. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising setting a velocity setting with a selector. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising setting a velocity setting as a function of a reading from a pressure sensor. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising providing a firing sequence configured to control projectile velocity such that projectiles are expelled having multiple velocity settings within said upper and lower velocity settings. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising configuring said compressed gas projectile accelerator to include a plurality of firing modes. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising allowing a predetermined number of projectiles to be expelled relative to trigger activations. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising configuring said compressed gas projectile accelerator to fire projectiles in a group in response to a trigger pull. 
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising automatically selecting a distinct velocity setting for each projectile in said group. 
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising calculating an expelling angle of a barrel for selected velocity settings falling between said upper and lower velocity settings. 
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising configuring said compressed gas projectile accelerator to dynamically select a firing mode as a function of one or more sensed values. 
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51 , where said sensed value comprises a distance sensor signal. 
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 51 , where said sensed value comprises a tilt sensor signal. 
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising automatically entering a safety mode as a function of a sensed value. 
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 54 , where said sensed value comprises a distance sensor signal, where said safety mode comprises automatically setting a velocity setting to a low velocity setting as a function of said distance sensor signal. 
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 54 , where said sensed value comprises a sensed angular position of a barrel of said compressed gas projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 54 , where said safety mode comprises restricting said compressed gas projectile accelerator from expelling projectiles. 
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising configuring said compressed gas projectile accelerator to include a projectile lobbing mode. 
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 58 , where said projectile lobbing mode is configured to automatically expel at least one group of projectiles at varying velocity settings within said upper and lower velocity settings. 
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 58 , where said projectile lobbing mode comprises expelling projectiles in a collection of groups at velocity settings falling within said upper and lower velocity settings. 
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 58 , where said projectile lobbing mode comprises expelling projectiles with selected positions within a group at varying velocity settings. 
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising obtaining a distance to target signal from a distance sensor. 
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 62 , further comprising calculating one or more angles for a barrel position as a function of said distance to target signal. 
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 63 , further comprising calculating one or more sets of velocity settings corresponding to each said one or more angles. 
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising monitoring an angular position of said barrel and generating an indication to a user when said barrel reaches said one or more calculated angles. 
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising expelling projectiles at said calculated set of velocity settings corresponding to said one or more calculated angles. 
   
   
       67 . A compressed gas projectile accelerator, comprising:
 a compressed gas source;   a compressed gas releasing mechanism in communication with said compressed gas source for selectively releasing compressed gas to expel projectiles; and   a controller connected with said compressed gas releasing mechanism configured to selectively expel projectiles at a plurality of velocity settings falling within a range of velocity settings.   
   
   
       68 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , further comprising a selector for adjustably selecting a velocity setting in said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       69 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , further comprising a spreader mode module stored in said controller configured to expel a plurality of projectiles, where said plurality of projectiles are each assigned a distinct velocity setting 
   
   
       70 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , further comprising a auto-select mode module configured to automatically change firing modes as a function of a sensed value. 
   
   
       71 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 70 , where said sensed value comprises a tilt sensor signal. 
   
   
       72 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to expel projectiles in a projectile grouping mode. 
   
   
       73 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to determine one or more velocity settings for projectiles as a function of a distance determination. 
   
   
       74 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to determine one or more velocity settings for projectiles as a function of an angle determination of a barrel. 
   
   
       75 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to determine one or more angles of a barrel as a function of a velocity setting falling within said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       76 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to determine one or more velocity settings for projectiles from a velocity determination. 
   
   
       77 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to determine one or more velocity settings for projectiles from a pressure determination. 
   
   
       78 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to control and verify a number of projectiles expelled in a time setting. 
   
   
       79 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to expel projectiles in a group of projectiles, where each projectile in said group of projectiles is assigned a distinct velocity setting. 
   
   
       80 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to expel projectiles separated into groups falling within said range of velocity settings. 
   
   
       81 . The compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 67 , where said controller is configured to advise a user of calculated angular positions of a barrel such that projectiles are expelled from said barrel at a target in a lobbed manner. 
   
   
       82 . A kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator, comprising:
 a controller configured to allow the selection of a straight firing mode and a lobbing firing mode, where said controller is further configured to expel projectiles in a range of velocity settings.   
   
   
       83 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 82 , where said controller comprises an electronic circuit board. 
   
   
       84 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 82 , where said lobbing firing mode is operable to expel a group of projectiles. 
   
   
       85 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 84 , where each projectile in said group of projectiles is assigned a distinct velocity. 
   
   
       86 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 82 , further comprising a distance sensor connected with said controller. 
   
   
       87 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 86 , where said controller is configured to expel a group of projectiles at distinct velocity settings as a function of a distance signal generated by said distance sensor. 
   
   
       88 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 82 , further comprising a user control connected with said controller. 
   
   
       89 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 88 , where said controller is configured to expel projectiles in said range of velocity settings as a function of a distance to target value input with said user control. 
   
   
       90 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 82 , further comprising a tilt sensor connected with said controller. 
   
   
       91 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 90 , where said controller is configured to expel a group of projectiles as a function of a signal from said tilt sensor. 
   
   
       92 . The kit for retrofitting a compressed gas projectile accelerator of  claim 82 , where said controller is configured to automatically select a respective firing mode from a group of firing modes. 
   
   
       93 . A projectile accelerator, comprising:
 an electronic circuit board; and   a controller connected with said electronic circuit board configured to allow tool less selection of velocity settings from a range of velocity settings at which projectiles are expelled from a barrel.   
   
   
       94 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 93 , further comprising a sensor configured to permit determination of a velocity of a projectile exiting said projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       95 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 94 , where said electronic circuit board is adapted to adjust one or more operating parameters of said projectile accelerator as a function of said velocity. 
   
   
       96 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 93 , further comprising a sensor configured to permit determination of an angular position of said projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       97 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 96 , where said electronic circuit board is adapted to adjust one or more operating parameters of said electronic projectile accelerator as a function of said angle. 
   
   
       98 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 93 , further comprising a sensor configured to permit determination of a distance to a target. 
   
   
       99 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 98 , where said electronic circuit board is configured to adjust one or more operating parameters of said projectile accelerator as a function of said distance to said target. 
   
   
       100 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 93 , further comprising a sensor configured to permit determination of a breech status of said projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       101 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 100 , where said electronic circuit board is configured to adjust one or more operating parameters of said projectile accelerator as a function of said breech status. 
   
   
       102 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 93 , further comprising a sensor configured to permit determination of an operational pressure of said projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       103 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 93 , where said electronic circuit board is configured to adjust one or more operating parameters of said projectile accelerator as a function of said operational pressure. 
   
   
       104 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 93 , further comprising a sensor configured to permit determination of a number of projectiles expelled in a time setting from said projectile accelerator. 
   
   
       105 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 104 , where said electronic circuit board is configured to adjust one or more operating parameters of said projectile accelerator as a function of said number of projectiles expelled in said time setting. 
   
   
       106 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 93 , further comprising a user control configured alternatively to a sensor. 
   
   
       107 . A compressed gas projectile accelerator, comprising;
 a compressed gas source;   a compressed gas control mechanism in communication with said compressed gas source for selectively controlling compressed gas to expel a plurality of projectiles; and   a projectile velocity controller configured to selectively expel projectiles at a plurality of selected velocity settings falling within a range of velocity settings.   
   
   
       108 . A projectile accelerator, comprising:
 a compressed gas source;   a gas releasing mechanism in communication with said compressed gas source;   a trigger mechanism for selectively controlling said gas releasing mechanism; and   a controller associated with said gas releasing mechanism for allowing said projectile accelerator to be selectively controlled in a manner in which projectiles are expelled from said projectile accelerator between an upper velocity setting and a lower velocity setting, where said projectiles are capable of being expelled from said projectile accelerator in a straight fire mode and a lobbing fire mode.   
   
   
       109 . The projectile accelerator of  claim 108 , where said lobbing fire mode expels projectiles at controlled lower velocity settings such that projectiles travel along an arced shaped path. 
   
   
       110 . A circuit board for a compressed gas projectile accelerator, comprising:
 a firing module configured to operate said compressed gas projectile accelerator in a straight fire mode and a lobbing mode.   
   
   
       111 . The circuit board of  claim 110 , where said straight fire mode is configured to operate said compressed gas projectile accelerator in a semi-automatic mode, a fully-automatic mode, a ramp mode and a burst mode. 
   
   
       112 . The circuit board of  claim 110 , where said lobbing mode is configured to expel a group of projectiles at varying velocities within a range of velocities falling between an upper velocity limit and a lower velocity limit. 
   
   
       113 . The circuit board of  claim 112 , where each projectile in said group of projectiles is assigned a distinct velocity setting. 
   
   
       114 . The circuit board of  claim 110 , where said lobbing mode includes a progressive mode configured to expel a group of projectiles at varying velocities that increase and decrease in velocity within a range of velocities. 
   
   
       115 . The circuit board of  claim 110 , where said lobbing mode is configured to operate said compressed gas projectile accelerator in a semi-automatic mode, a fully-automatic mode, a ramp mode and a burst mode. 
   
   
       116 . A compressed gas projectile accelerator, comprising;
 a compressed gas source;   a compressed gas control mechanism in communication with said compressed gas source for selectively controlling compressed gas to expel projectiles; and   a tilt sensor configured to sense the angular position of said compressed gas projectile accelerator.