초록 ▼

A reusable paint dispersing grenade of the type employed in paint ball games is constructed in such a manner as to avoid the use of any combustible materials, and also to avoid the requirement for access to a source of compressed air for operation. The paint grenade of the invention has a hollow, fl

A reusable paint dispersing grenade of the type employed in paint ball games is constructed in such a manner as to avoid the use of any combustible materials, and also to avoid the requirement for access to a source of compressed air for operation. The paint grenade of the invention has a hollow, fluid-tight casing defining an enclosed cavity that is divided internally into a marking paint chamber, a first propellant component chamber, and a second propellant component chamber. The propellant component chambers are each filled separately with propellant components, but remain isolated from each other until the paint dispersing grenade is used. At that time the propellant components chemically react with each other in a noncombustible manner to produce a quantity of gas under pressure. The expanding gas produced by the chemical reaction builds to a pressure sufficient to break a paint seal in the casing or a gas seal initially separating the gas from the paint, whereupon the gas under pressure forces the paint out through one or more paint expulsion ports. The device may be recharged with marking paint and the chemically reactive propellant components any number of times.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A reusable paint grenade comprising a rigid, reusable casing defining a hollow cavity therewithin and defining at least one paint ejection port and a plunger port and said hollow cavity is subdivided into a paint storage chamber, a first propellant compartment storage chamber, and a second propel

1. A reusable paint grenade comprising a rigid, reusable casing defining a hollow cavity therewithin and defining at least one paint ejection port and a plunger port and said hollow cavity is subdivided into a paint storage chamber, a first propellant compartment storage chamber, and a second propellant component storage chamber,a fluid-tight paint/propellant barrier separating said paint storage chamber from said first propellant component storage chamber, a fluid-tight propellant component isolation barrier separating said first and second propellant component storage chambers from each other, first and second propellant components located respectively in said first and second propellant storage chambers, and said first and second propellants, when mixed react without combustion to form a gas that is under pressure in said casing, a plunger mounted in said casing and projecting from said plunger port and directed toward said second component storage chamber, whereby depression of said plunger into said casing breaches said propellant component isolation barrier, and a breachable paint seal separating said paint storage chamber from said at least one paint ejection port. 2. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 1 further comprising a flexible paint storage envelope located within said propellant cavity to define said paint storage chamber therewithin, and said paint storage envelope has opposing ends, a first of which forms said fluid-tight paint/propellant barrier and the other of which forms said rupturable paint seal.3. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 2 further comprising a propellant cartridge having a first portion located adjacent said paint storage envelope, and a second portion located adjacent said plunger, and said propellant component isolation barrier extends across and is located within said propellant cartridge, thereby defining said first and second propellant storage chambers within said propellant cartridge.4. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 3 wherein said plunger is equipped with a sharp cutting element directed toward said propellant cartridge and toward said propellant component isolation barrier therewithin, whereby depression of said plunger into said casing drives said cutting element through said propellant component isolation barrier thereby bringing said propellant components into contact with each other.5. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 4 further comprising a spring that biases said plunger cutting element toward said propellant cartridge.6. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 1 further comprising a plunger-restraining device that is releaseably attachable to said plunger to limit movement of said plunger toward said second propellant component storage chamber.7. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of paint ejection ports as aforesaid, and said rupturable paint seal is positioned between said paint storage chamber and all of said paint ejection ports.8. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 1 further comprising a propellant cartridge located in said hollow cavity and said propellant cartridge includes a cup having a mouth opposite a floor that forms said fluid-tight paint/propellant barrier, and said fluid-tight propellant isolating barrier extends across said cup between said mouth and said floor, whereby said first propellant component storage chamber is formed within said cup between said floor thereof and said propellant isolating barrier, and further comprising a paint storage liner located within said hollow cavity to define said paint storage chamber therewithin, and said paint storage liner has opposing ends, one of which is closed by said floor of said cup and the other of which is provided with said breachable paint seal.9. A reusable paint grenade comprisinga hollow casing defining a cavity therewithin which is formed by releaseably engageable body members, and which has at least one paint expulsion port and a plunger port, a movable fluid-tight paint/propellant barrier within said hollow casing that delineates a paint storage chamber from a first propellant component storage chamber within said cavity, a paint seal between said paint storage chamber and said at least one paint expulsion port, a fluid-tight propellant component isolation barrier within said hollow casing that delineates a second propellant component storage chamber from said first propellant component storage chamber within said cavity, a plunger that is mounted within said cavity and which protrudes from said plunger port of said casing and which is directed toward said second propellant component storage chamber, a first propellant component located within said first propellant component storage chamber, a second propellant component located within said second propellant component storage chamber, and a quantity of paint located within said paint storage chamber, whereby said plunger is depressible externally from said casing to breach said propellant component isolation barrier, whereupon said first and second propellant components contact each other and chemically react to expand against said movable fluid-tight paint/propellant barrier, thereby breaching said paint seal. 10. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 9 wherein one of said propellant components is comprised of an acid and the other of said propellant components is comprised of a base so that when said propellant components contact each other they react chemically to create a gas under pressure.11. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 10 wherein said one of said propellant components is comprised of acetic acid and said other of said propellant components is comprised of sodium bicarbonate.12. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 10 wherein said paint is located within said hollow cavity between said paint seal and said paint/propellant barrier and further comprising a cup forming said first propellant component storage chamber and located in said hollow cavity and having a floor that forms said movable fluid-tight paint/propellant barrier and a mouth opposite said floor.13. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 12 further comprising a propellant packet secured across said mouth of said cup, and said packet is formed with a rupturable skin that serves as said fluid-tight propellant component isolation barrier.14. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 12 wherein said plunger carries a piercing member that pierces said skin of said packet when said plunger is advanced into said hollow cavity.15. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 9 wherein said releaseably engageable body members have mutually engageable threads formed therein with a fluid-tight O-ring seal entrapped between said body members.16. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 9 further comprising a plurality of paint ejection ports as aforesaid, and said breachable paint seal is rupturable and is positioned between said paint storage chamber and all of said paint ejection ports.17. A reusable paint grenade comprising:a rigid reusable casing defining a hollow cavity therewithin and formed of first and second mating, releaseably engageable casing body members and including at least one paint ejection port and a plunger access port in said casing, a paint/propellant separation barrier located within said hollow cavity and which subdivides said hollow cavity into a marking paint chamber filled with an incompressible volume of marking paint and a propellant mixing chamber containing a first propellant component and said propellant mixing chamber is sealed fluid tight from said marking paint chamber, a fluid-tight propellant component separation barrier defining within said hollow cavity a second propellant component chamber containing a quantity of a second propellant component and sealed fluid-tight from said propellant mixing chamber, and wherein, when said first and second propellant components contact each other, they react noncombustively to produce a gas that exerts pressure upon said paint/propellant separation barrier, a plunger projecting from said plunger access port and directed toward said second propellant component chamber, whereby rapid advancement of said plunger into said second propellant component chamber unseals said second propellant component chamber and said propellant mixing chamber from each other, thereby allowing said propellant components to mix together to produce an expanding gas that exerts sufficient pressure upon said paint/propellant separation barrier to breach said paint seal, thereby causing said marking paint to be ejected from said casing through said at least one paint ejection port. 18. A reusable paint grenade according to claim 17 wherein said first propellant component is comprised of vinegar and said second propellant component is comprised of baking soda.