Soft impact projectile launcher

Abstract

A soft impact projectile launcher including a launching mechanism that creates a burst of air or air pressure in order to launch a projectile. The launching mechanism includes an outer cylinder and a spring-loaded piston configured to generate the burst of air. The projectile launcher may also include a projectile reservoir and a loading member that positions projectiles for launching. The projectile launcher can launch projectiles that are made from a superabsorbent polymer and consist of mostly water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A projectile launcher comprising:
 an outer housing comprising a grip portion;   a slide that is movable relative to the outer housing between a rearward position and a forward position;   a barrel having a loading end and a muzzle end;   a reservoir configured to house a plurality of projectiles, the reservoir having an opening that permits communication with the barrel to permit a projectile to move from the reservoir to the barrel;   a launching mechanism having a first portion and a second portion in sealed, sliding engagement with one another and cooperating to define an air chamber, the first portion configured to be moved to a cocked position by the slide, a launch spring biasing the first portion of the launching mechanism away from the cocked position, wherein the movement of the first portion from the cocked position under the biasing force of the launch spring reduces a volume of the air chamber to create a burst of air capable of launching a projectile from the barrel, wherein the second portion includes a loading member that selectively blocks the opening of the reservoir, wherein the second portion moves with movement of the slide toward the cocked position such that the loading member unblocks the opening of the reservoir to permit a projectile to move from the reservoir through the opening to the barrel.   
     
     
         2 . The projectile launcher of  claim 1 , further comprising a trigger mechanism configured to release the first portion of the launching mechanism from the cocked position and a barrel closure mechanism comprising at least one shutter member that normally blocks a muzzle end of the barrel, wherein the at least one shutter member is moved to an open position to unblock the barrel when the trigger is actuated. 
     
     
         3 . The projectile launcher of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one shutter member comprises a pair of shutter members that move away from one another to the open position to unblock the barrel. 
     
     
         4 . The projectile launcher of  claim 3 , wherein the barrel closure mechanism comprises a pair of angled arms, each of which engages a respective one of the pair of shutter members, wherein the angled arms are movable with the trigger mechanism to move the pair of shutter members to the open position. 
     
     
         5 . The projectile launcher of  claim 1 , further comprising a stop mechanism configured to inhibit release of the first portion of the launching mechanism from the cocked position when the slide is in the rearward position. 
     
     
         6 . The projectile launcher of  claim 5 , further comprising a trigger mechanism configured to release the first portion of the launching mechanism from the cocked position, wherein the stop mechanism comprises a stop member configured to selectively inhibit movement of the trigger mechanism, wherein the stop member is normally biased toward a stopping position in which movement of the trigger mechanism is inhibited, wherein when the slide is in the rearward position, the stop member is permitted to move to the stopping position and when the slide is in the forward position, the slide contacts and moves the stop member away from the stopping position such that movement of the trigger mechanism is permitted. 
     
     
         7 . The projectile launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the slide is biased toward the forward position by a biasing member. 
     
     
         8 . The projectile launcher of  claim 1 , further comprising a receiver positioned within the reservoir and surrounding the opening, the receiver comprising a blocking portion having a first height and a receiving portion having a second height that is less than the first height. 
     
     
         9 . A projectile launcher comprising:
 an outer housing comprising a grip portion configured to be grasped by a user;   a barrel;   a projectile configured to move through the barrel, the projectile constructed from a superabsorbent polymer;   a reservoir portion configured to store the projectile, the reservoir portion capable of communicating with the barrel to permit the projectile to move from the reservoir portion to the barrel;   a launching mechanism comprising:
 an outer cylinder that is capable of fluid communication with the barrel; 
 a piston movable within the outer cylinder and configured to generate air pressure within the outer cylinder for launching the projectile from the barrel. 
   
     
     
         10 . The projectile launcher of  claim 9 , further comprising a barrel closure mechanism configured to prevent objects from entering the barrel through a muzzle end of the barrel, the barrel closure mechanism comprising at least one shutter member that selectively blocks the barrel. 
     
     
         11 . The projectile launcher of  claim 10 , further comprising a trigger that is operable to release the piston from a cocked position, and wherein actuation of the trigger causes the barrel closure mechanism to unblock the portion of the barrel. 
     
     
         12 . The projectile launcher of  claim 9 , further comprising a positioning mechanism having a blocking portion that is normally biased to a position in which the blocking portion is located within the barrel to inhibit the projectile from moving past the blocking portion. 
     
     
         13 . The projectile launcher of  claim 12 , wherein the outer cylinder is operably coupled to a loading member that moves into and out of a portion of the barrel in order to permit a projectile to move from the reservoir portion to the barrel, wherein the loading member pushes the projectile past the blocking portion of the positioning mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The projectile launcher of  claim 13 , wherein the loading member moves out of a portion of the barrel when the piston is moved to a cocked position, allowing the projectile to enter the barrel. 
     
     
         15 . The projectile launcher of  claim 9 , further comprising a slide, a trigger mechanism and a stop mechanism, the slide having a first position and engaging the piston, the slide being movable away from the first position to move the piston to a cocked position relative to the outer cylinder, a trigger mechanism that releases the piston from the cocked position and a stop mechanism configured to inhibit actuation of the trigger mechanism when the slide is not in the first position. 
     
     
         16 . The projectile launcher of  claim 9 , wherein the projectile is spherical in shape. 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a projectile comprising:
 producing an unloaded pellet, the pellet comprising a superabsorbent polymer;   loading the unloaded pellet with a liquid which increases the size of the pellet and produces a loaded projectile, the loaded projectile consisting of equal to or greater than approximately 50% of the liquid;   packaging the loaded projectile in a container configured to hold multiple projectiles and further configured to protect the projectile from outside forces.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the loaded projectile consists of equal to or greater than approximately 95% water. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the unloaded pellet and the loaded projectile are spherical in shape and have diameters of approximately 2 millimeters and 12 millimeters, respectively. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the container is made of a rigid plastic material.