초록 ▼

An onboard combustion-gas-powered engine supplies power to a paintball marker or other projectile launcher by generating gas pressure pulses for propelling paintballs and other projectiles. The combustion gases produced by the engine can be allowed to rise in pressure within a confined volume of spa

An onboard combustion-gas-powered engine supplies power to a paintball marker or other projectile launcher by generating gas pressure pulses for propelling paintballs and other projectiles. The combustion gases produced by the engine can be allowed to rise in pressure within a confined volume of space before being released through a valve into a barrel for applying enhanced pressure pulses to the projectiles. A loading system is linked to a combustion accelerating system for automatically loading projectiles into the launcher.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of propelling paintballs from a paintball marker, comprising the steps of: providing a paintball marker with a barrel for containing a paintball to be propelled from said barrel, and for controlling the direction of propulsion of the paintball when the paintbal

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of propelling paintballs from a paintball marker, comprising the steps of: providing a paintball marker with a barrel for containing a paintball to be propelled from said barrel, and for controlling the direction of propulsion of the paintball when the paintball is propelled out from said barrel; loading a magazine with a plurality of paintballs, to be individually propelled from said paintball marker, wherein said magazine is operatively connected to said barrel at a breech location through which the plurality of paintballs, within said magazine, may be individually and sequentially introduced from said magazine into said barrel; positioning a piston within a cylinder head such that said piston is movable within said cylinder head between a retracted position and an extended position, and wherein said piston divides said cylinder head into a mixing chamber, defined upon a first side of said piston, for forming an air-fuel mixture to be combusted, and a combustion chamber, defined upon a second side of said piston, within which said air-fuel mixture is to be combusted; operatively mounting a first valve within said cylinder head so as to permit air to be ingested into said mixing chamber so as to form part of said air-fuel mixture within said mixing chamber; operatively associating a fuel injector with said mixing chamber so as to inject fuel into said mixing chamber and thereby form said air-fuel mixture together with said air ingested into said mixing chamber through said first valve; operatively mounting a second valve upon said piston so as to permit said air-fuel mixture to be conducted from said mixing chamber into said combustion chamber; disposing ignition means within said combustion chamber for igniting said air-fuel mixture within said combustion chamber; defining an exit port within said piston; and fixedly connecting a discharge conduit, to said piston such that said discharge conduit is movably disposed within said barrel between a retracted position, for uncovering said breech location of said magazine so as to permit a leading one of the paintballs, disposed within said magazine, to enter said barrel in preparation for propulsion from said barrel, and an extended position for covering said breech location of said magazine so as to prevent other ones of the paintballs, disposed within said magazine, from entering said barrel; and igniting said air-fuel mixture within said combustion chamber so as to initiate firing of said paintball marker and the propulsion of the leading one of the paintballs, disposed within said barrel, out from said barrel as a result of said discharge conduit being fluidically connected to said combustion chamber, through means of said exit port defined within said piston, for conducting combustion products from said combustion chamber into said barrel so as to propel the leading one of the paintballs, disposed within said barrel, out from said barrel. 2. The method of propelling a paintball from a paintball marker as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: positioning ignition means within said combustion chamber for igniting said air-fuel mixture within said combustion chamber; and positioning switch means within said mixing chamber of said cylinder head for activating said ignition means so as to initiate combustion of said air-fuel mixture within said combustion chamber, when said piston is moved to said extended position. 3. The method of propelling a paintball from a paintball marker as set forth in claim 2, further comprising the step of: using a spark plug as said ignition means. 4. The method of propelling a paintball from a paintball marker as set forth in claim 2, further comprising the step of: interposing an electronic ignition circuit between said switch means and said ignition means so as to activate said ignition means when said switch means is activated. 5. The method of propelling a paintball from a painthall marker as set forth in claim 4, further comprising the step of: interposing an adjustable delay circuit between said switch means and said electronic ignition circuit for adjustably delaying activation of said ignition means. 6. The method of propelling a paintball from a paintball marker as set forth in claim 2, further comprising the steps of: positioning a plunger within said cylinder head such that said plunger is movable between a retracted position and an extended position; mounting valve means upon said plunger for opening and closing said exhaust port defined within said piston when said valve means is respectively unseated from, and seated within, said exhaust port defined within said piston; using a latch means to operatively engage said plunger so as to releasably retain said plunger, and said valve means mounted upon said plunger, at said retracted position when said latch means is not actuated; operatively interposing first spring biasing means between said cylinder head and said plunger for moving said plunger, and said valve means mounted upon said plunger, to said extended position so as to cause said piston to move to said extended position and thereby contact said switch means in order to activate said ignition means, when said latch means is actuated so as to release said plunger, so as to initiate combustion of said air-fuel mixture within said combustion chamber; fixedly connecting a manual actuator to said plunger for moving said plunger, and said valve means mounted upon said plunger, to said retracted position against the biasing force of said first spring biasing means; and operatively interposing second spring biasing means between said cylinder head and said piston for moving said piston and said discharge conduit to said retracted position when said plunger and said valve means, mounted upon said plunger, have been moved to said retracted position by said manual actuator, whereby said valve means, mounted upon said plunger, can be seated within said exhaust port so as to close said exhaust port; and actuating said latch means so as to release said plunger, and said valve means mounted upon said plunger, so as to permit said first spring biasing means to move said plunger, and said valve means mounted upon said plunger, to said extended position so as to cause said piston to move to said extended position and thereby contact said switch means in order to activate said ignition means so as to initiate combustion of said air-fuel mixture within said combustion chamber. 7. The method of propelling a paintball from a paintball marker as set forth in claim 6, further comprising the step of: providing said plunger with an end face upon which combustion gases within said combustion chamber can act so as to cause said plunger, and said valve means mounted upon said plunger, to be moved toward said retracted position, against the biasing force of said first spring biasing means, whereby said valve means will be unseated from said exhaust port defined within said piston so as to open said exhaust port and thereby permit combustion gases from said combustion chamber to be conducted through said exhaust port and said discharge conduit so as to act upon a paintball, disposed within said barrel, in order to propel the paintball out from said barrel. 8. The method of propelling a paintball from a paintball marker as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the steps of: permitting said combustion gases, disposed within said combustion chamber and acting upon said end face of said plunger, to initially cause said plunger to be moved to said retracted position at which said plunger will be automatically engaged by said latch means; and after said combustion gases have been exhausted through said exhaust port, defined within said piston, and said discharge conduit so as to propel the paintball, disposed within said barrel, out from said barrel, said second spring biasing means will cause said piston to be moved to said retracted position so as to again permit said valve means, mounted upon said plunger, to be seated within said exhaust port, defined within said piston, whereby said paintball marker is ready to perform a new paintball propelling operation. 9. The method of propelling a paintball from a paintball marker as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the step of: providing said end face of said plunger with predetermined size dimensions so as to predetermine the threshold pressure of said combustion gases within said combustion chamber at which said plunger and said valve means, mounted upon said plunger, will be moved toward said retracted position, against the biasing force of said first spring biasing means, so as to permit said valve means to be unseated from said exhaust port defined within said piston so as to open said exhaust port and thereby permit combustion gases from said combustion chamber to be conducted through said exit port and through said discharge conduit so as to act upon a paintball, disposed within said barrel, in order to propel the paintball out from said barrel. 10. The method of propelling a paintball from a paintball marker as set forth in claim 6, further comprising the step of: providing said valve means with a predetermined configuration with respect to said exhaust port, defined within said piston, so as to control the flow of said exhaust gases from said combustion chamber through said exhaust port, defined within said piston, and into said discharge conduit and said barrel.