Abstract:
There is disclosed a paintball marker of a type having a pneumatic system ( 8 ) integrated into the framework ( 1 ) of the marker for the delivery of a pressurised gas supply through a regulator ( 15 ) to a drive system ( 26/27 ) for firing a paintball. The marker includes at least one pressure sensor ( 21 ) disposed in a manner and position to measure the operating gas pressure at a selected location within the marker.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to paintball markers. More particularly although not exclusively it discloses improvements related to pressure measurement in pneumatically powered paintball markers. 
       CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0002]    This application claims priority to currently pending Australian Patent Application 2012903190; filed 26 Jul. 2012; titled IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSURE SENSING IN PAINTBALL MARKERS. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0003]    None 
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0004]    None 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A paintball marker (a.k.a. paintball gun) may broadly be considered as a large pneumatic valve. This valve is opened to allow a short blast of compressed gas to fire a paintball. The design of the valve differs greatly as does the choice of control. It can vary from mechanical means to solenoid piloted systems. The velocity at which the paintball or similar projectile is fired is usually controlled by the pressure of the gas (using a gas regulator or similar), or the valve dynamics (using the control system), or a combination of both. 
         [0006]    In the case of current state of the art, feature rich and electronically controlled paintball markers it is common to control the velocity and overall operation of the paintball marker by adjusting the gas pressure. For this reason details of the pressure used within the marker and the reliability or consistency of this pressure may be of intense interest to a user. 
         [0007]    The user however usually finds measurement of internal pressures difficult. Most manufacturers have developed tools which can be installed into the paintball marker for the express purpose of measuring these pressures. In every case this has involved an adaptor of some type connected to a conventional gauge to measure the pressure. In some cases one can cycle the marker and watch the behaviour of the gauge to determine (qualitatively) the performance characteristics of the marker. Paintball marker models are also becoming more compact and pneumatic systems are becoming more integrated into the system. For instance, external hoses are increasingly replaced by internal drilling or hoses. This makes pressure measurement by prior art means more difficult. 
         [0008]    The gas pressure data is useful in two forms; static and dynamic. The static pressure held in the system while the marker is at rest (waiting to be fired) gives an indication of the pressure required to perform the job of firing the paintball. When it is compared against a standard or historic data this can give an indication of the efficiency or effectiveness of the system. Dynamic data measurement taken during the cycling action of the paintball marker can provide information about the individual parts and their effectiveness. For example the value to which the pressure drops during a cycle can be used to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the regulator supplying the pressure. 
         [0009]    The useful feedback of this information can be in many forms, the most simple is the feedback of the pressure measurements via a digital readout. A more complex application would be feedback to a microprocessor where the data gathered could be compared with historic or standard trends to draw conclusions and these conclusions used to provide feedback. For example, during a cycle the firing valve is opened by the control system. While the valve is open a pressure drop will be observed over the system. Dynamic measurement of the pressure drop will yield a pressure minimum value as well as a time taken to reach and recover from that minimum. When compared against a standard predetermined set of values conclusions may be drawn regarding the flow of the firing valve (pressure drop rate) and the effectiveness of the supply regulator (pressure recovery rate). This data could be fed back to the user directly in the form of messages such as: pressure regulator requires servicing (because the regulator effectiveness data is low), or valve requires servicing (because the valve flow appears to be low). 
         [0010]    In accordance with the invention the usefulness of this data can be increased by comparing the data gathered from the pressure sensor with other operating data such as the signals sent and received by the control system. In this manner a sophisticated system of data gathering and feedback can be implemented. For example, the current system may use an optical beam sensor for the purpose of monitoring the paintball or projectile (to ensure it is in place) and the action of the reciprocating part (firing bolt) used to fire the paintball. A measurement of the time taken between sending the cycle signal to the solenoid valve, the time taken for the bolt to pass the beam sensor, and the behaviour of the pressure profile during that time may be used to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of any part of the system. In this way different sensors may be combined to provide a more complete picture of the overall system. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    It is therefore an object of the invention to augment the pressure information available to a user by providing an improved means for measuring internal operating pressures of the marker at one or more locations. 
         [0012]    It is a further object to integrate pressure sensors into the framework of the marker for the purpose of measuring and/or processing data on gas pressure. 
         [0013]    It is a further object to use said measured internal operating pressure to provide meaningful feedback to a user. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Accordingly, in one broad form this invention discloses a paintball marker of a type having an pneumatic system for delivery of a pressurised gas supply through a regulator to a drive system for firing a paint ball wherein said marker includes at least one pressure sensor or transducer disposed at a position to measure the operating gas pressure at a selected location within said marker. 
         [0015]    Preferably said at least one pressure sensor is located downstream of the regulator. 
         [0016]    It is further preferred that said at least one sensor is located in a manifold downstream of the regulator and upstream of said drive system 
         [0017]    It is further preferred that said at least one sensor is mounted and sealed by means of a sensor board in communication with a control board having a OLED or LCD module for display of information to a user. 
         [0018]    It is further preferred that both static and dynamic operating pressures are measured. 
         [0019]    In another broad form the invention discloses a means of using said measured internal operating gas pressure in combination with other operating data to provide a meaningful feedback to the user. 
         [0020]    Preferably said other operating data may include but is not limited to signals sent and received by a control system of the marker. Such signals may include a measurement of the time taken between sending a cycle signal to a solenoid valve and the time taken for the firing bolt to pass an optical beam sensor. 
         [0021]    Preferably said other operating data may also include the time taken to reach and recover from a pressure drop measured during a firing cycle when the firing valve opened by the control system. 
     
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
         [0022]    Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional elevation view of a paintball marker in accordance with said invention, 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is an assembly view of the paintball marker of  FIG. 1 , 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a detailed view of the air manifold for the paintball marker of  FIG. 1 , 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a transducer flow chart for a paintball marker pneumatic system with one air regulator, and 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a transducer flow chart for a second embodiment of a paintball marker pneumatic system with two air regulators. 
       
    
    
       [0028]    Referring first to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  the paintball marker comprises a main body or framework indicated generally as  1 , a barrel  2 , a front handgrip  3 , a rear handgrip  4 , a feed tube  5  from a paintball loader (not shown) and a trigger  6 . High pressure air is delivered to the system using a standard air delivery port  7 . This air travels through a channel or hole in the grip frame  8  until it reaches the rear section of a manifold  9  and is allowed in through the hole  10 . Air passes through a high pressure passage  11 , into a connecting hole in the front section of the manifold  12 . This high pressure air is then directed through the hole  13  to another channel  14  leading to an air regulator  15 . The regulated air output (of the order of 100 psig) is referred to here as low pressure, and is directed into an outlet chamber  16 . This regulated air is directed through a hole  17  into the front part of the manifold  12  and into a low pressure passage  19 . This low pressure hole feeds regulated air through outlet hole  19 A to the firing chamber input  22 , and through the transducer input  22 A to the sensor board mounted pressure transducer  21 . The solenoid valve input hole  23 , delivers air to the solenoid  20 , which allows switching between two different air paths ( 24  and  25 ), which in turn deliver air to the front and rear of the pneumatic ram or drive system ( 26  and  27  respectively). The operation of the solenoid valve  20 , and processing of data from the pressure transducer(s) is controlled by a printed circuit board (or control board)  28 , powered by a battery  29 . 
         [0029]    The pneumatic ram is configured so that when air is switched between ports  26  and  27 , the air in the firing chamber  32  is released to fire a paintball. The combination of pneumatic ram  26 / 27  and firing chamber  32  may be referred to as a drive system. 
         [0030]    With this embodiment the manifold is preferably constructed in two parts with a connecting  0 -ring seal  30 . 
         [0031]    An infrared or visible light sensor  31  is connected to the control board  28 , for the main purpose of determining if a paintball is loaded correctly, allowing the system to adjust the control behaviour if a ball is not loaded correctly. 
         [0032]    In accordance with the invention a pressure transducer  21  is positioned in the manifold  9  downstream of the regulator  15  and upstream of the drive system  26 / 27 . It is mounted and sealed by means of a sensor board  21 A which is in communication with the control board  28 . The control board preferably has an OLED module for the purpose of displaying information to the user including sensor status. As the design and construction of the sensor_board is known art within the capabilities of a skilled technician (e.g. PNE Electronics of Auburn New South Wales Australia) it will not be described in detail. 
         [0033]    Preferably the transducer  21  is positioned downstream from the inline regulator  15  and/or upstream from the pneumatic ram  26 / 27  or firing chamber  32 . This allows the transducer  21  to measure both static pressure and dynamic behaviour of both the regulator  15  and pneumatic ram  26 / 27  or firing chamber  32 . 
         [0034]    If the system has multiple regulators or solenoid valves, then multiple transducers should preferably be used. 
         [0035]    Information from the transducer may be correlated with other data sources which may include an infrared sensor  31  in the firing system. 
         [0036]    During static usage, the pressure transducer(s)  21  will report the pressure output of regulator(s)  15  in the system. During dynamic usage, that is during a firing cycle, air will be drawn away by one of the pneumatic devices downstream (in this case the pneumatic ram control  26 / 27 , or a firing chamber  32 ). During this dynamic stage, there will be a pressure drop (during load) and a recovery (after load is removed). The collection and processing of this data can be used to provide the following information:
       Pressure drop rate of change: the rate of change of pressure drop is an indication of the flow in the downstream load   Pressure drop minimum value: the minimum value may be correlated with both load and regulator performance   Pressure drop response time: the time taken between signal and observed pressure drop is an indication of the pneumatic load performance.   Recovery rate of change: similar to pressure drop rate of change, this is an indicator of regulator performance   Comparison of pre shot pressure, and post shot pressure (static) whereby the difference between these two values is a measurement of regulator consistency       
 
         [0042]    In accordance with the invention the electronics system is configured to record these values, and check them against expected values. If they are outside expected values, the system will draw conclusions and suggest them to the user. For example, if the recovery response time is too slow, the user may be advised that their regulator(s) require maintenance. 
         [0043]    With the arrangement shown in  FIG. 4  high pressure air  7  is regulated by a single air regulator  15 . A transducer  21  is mounted downstream to measure both the pressure in the system at rest, and also the dynamic pressure (represented by a double headed arrow). Regulated air is split between the solenoid valve  20  used for controlling the firing sequence and also the pneumatic firing chamber  32 , which is the reservoir used for the firing of the paintball. 
         [0044]    The arrangement shown in  FIG. 5  is preferably used if the pressure required in the pneumatic firing chamber  32  is different to the pressure required for the solenoid actuating system  20 . High pressure air  7  is regulated by regulator  15 A, the output of which is delivered to the firing chamber  32 , the first pressure transducer  21 A and the input to the second air regulator  15 B. As shown in  FIG. 5  regulated air from the second air regulator  15 B is delivered to both a second pressure transducer  21 B and the solenoid valve  20  for controlling the firing sequence. 
         [0045]    The currently preferred form of pressure sensor (transducer) used with the described embodiments is a MS11-0330-11 manufactured by Merit Sensors USA. The invention however is not limited to this and may extend to any other suitable device. 
         [0046]    It will thus be appreciated that this invention at least in the form of the embodiment described provides novel and useful improvements to paintball markers. Clearly however the example described is only the currently preferred form of the invention and a wide variety of modifications may be made which would be apparent to a person skilled in the art. For example the sensor could be mounted with or without a sensor board. The transducer could be a piezo, resistive or any other type of pressure transducer. The sensor would have a method of feeding back the information to the user, a control system, or a separate module. The sensor could also be placed in positions downstream of the regulator other than that described in the embodiment. In the case of marker configurations that use multiple regulators sensors downstream of each regulator could be used to perform the functions described above. Where multiple pressures are to be measured for different sections of the marker a separate sensor may be used for each pressure or region. While the described embodiment refers to the use of air the scope of the invention is to be taken as covering any suitable gas such as for example CO2 or N2. Further, although the embodiment described uses an internal pneumatic system integrated into the framework of the marker the scope of the invention is not so limited and extends to partially or completely external pneumatic systems.