Abstract:
A paint ball gun is disclosed including a forward mounted gas supply system. The gas supply systems includes a straight or bent direct connection between the low pressure portion of the paintball gun and the gas cylinder and includes a gas cylinder securing and support assembly. The bent direct connections attach to the gas cylinder and the securing and support assembly is attached to the gun handle and can also include a socket surrounding a major portion of the cylinder. In the straight configurations, the securing and support assembly includes the socket and optionally a support arm attached at the gun handle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a paint ball gun apparatus having a front mounted gas cylinder that allows a user to position the gun closer to the user&#39;s eye for superior aiming and control. 
     More particularly, the present invention relates to a paint ball gun apparatus including a barrel assembly, a paint ball firing/trigger assembly, a paint ball feed assembly, and a gas supply assembly, where the gas supply assembly includes an expansion chamber positioned in from of the trigger assembly and connected to a front mounted a gas cylinder, where the front mounting allows a user to position the gun closer to his/her body for improved handling, control, aiming and firing. The gas supply assembly can also include a gas transfer member interposed between the expansion chamber and the cylinder and a cylinder holding assembly connected to a bottom of the trigger grip assembly to support the front mounted gas cylinder. The present invention also relates to methods for making and using same. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Numerous types of paint ball guns have been developed and used in a variety of manners, such as in simulated war games. These paint ball guns are generally powered by CO 2  cartridges or cylinders which, generally, propel the paint balls at a specified velocity, such as three hundred (300) feet per second out of the gun barrel. In general, the prior art paint ball guns include a typical firearm type mechanism including a bolt, spring and cocking handle. The prior art paint ball guns have the gas cylinder mounted behind the handle interfering with the user&#39;s ability to get the gun close to his/her body for accurate aiming and more controlled firing. Examples of prior art paint guns can be found in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,386,113, 6,378,367, 6,371,099, 6,367,465, 6,352,032, 6,305,941, 6,280,080, 6,276,354, 6,273,080, 6,233,928, 6,226,915, 6,223,658, 6,213,112, 6,199,286, 6,142,137, 6,142,136, 6,138,656, 6,109,252, 6,062,208, 6,003,547, 6,003,504, 5,993,215, 5,988,153, 5,967,916, 5,947,100, 5,931,342, 5,927,261, 5,896,850, 5,850,826, 5,791,325, 5,778,868, 5,676,548, 5,673,679, 5,669,369, 5,630,406, 5,599,187, 5,597,164, 5,595,165, 5,590,886, 5,572,982, 5,515,838, 5,505,188, 5,494,024, incorporated herein by reference. 
     Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved paint ball gun having a front disposed gas cylinder which allows the user to hold the gun closer to the user&#39;s body for better aiming and more controlled firing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a paint ball gun including a front disposed gas cylinder. 
     The present invention also provides a paint ball gun apparatus including a barrel assembly, a paint ball firing/trigger assembly, a paint ball feed assembly, and a gas supply assembly having a forward mounted gas cylinder. 
     The present invention also provides a paint ball gun apparatus including a barrel assembly, a paint ball firing/trigger assembly, a paint ball feed assembly, and a gas supply assembly having an expansion chamber including a connector designed to detachably receive a gas cylinder, where the cylinder depending vertically downward from the connector. 
     The present invention also provides a paint ball gun apparatus including a barrel assembly, a paint ball firing/trigger assembly, a paint ball feed assembly, and a gas supply assembly having an expansion chamber, a forward mounted gas cylinder, a transfer connector interposed between the chamber and the cylinder and a support member attached to the trigger assembly for supporting the cylinder. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention can be better understood with reference to the following detailed description together with the appended illustrative drawings in which like elements are numbered the same: 
     FIG. 1 depicts a prior art paint ball gun having a traditional gas supply assembly, where a gas cylinder is mounted at a rear of the gun; 
     FIG. 2A depicts a preferred embodiment of a paint ball gun having a front mounted gas cylinder; 
     FIG. 2B depicts the gun of FIG. 2A having a reservoir attached thereto; 
     FIG. 3A depicts another preferred embodiment of a paint ball gun having a front mounted gas cylinder; 
     FIG. 3B depicts the gun of FIG. 3A having a reservoir attached thereto; 
     FIG. 3C depicts an alternate construction of the gun of FIG. 3A; 
     FIG. 4A depicts another preferred embodiment of a paint ball gun having a front mounted gas cylinder; and 
     FIG. 4B depicts the gun of FIG. 4A having a reservoir attached thereto. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventor has found that a paint ball gun can be constructed with a front mounted gas cylinder and gas cylinder connection assembly that allows a user the ability to hold the gun closer to his/her body for improved handling, aiming, firing and maneuvering. The inventor has also found that the gun can include a combined hopper/feeder as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/187,386 filed Jul. 1, 2002, incorporated herein by reference. The invention also found that the gun can include locking connections between the feed tube on the gun and the hopper or hopper feeder or optionally between the feed tube, a hollow connector and the hopper or hopper/feeder as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/117,673 filed Apr. 5, 2002, incorporated herein by reference. 
     The present invention broadly relates to a paint ball gun including a front mounted gas cylinder and gas transfer assembly. The gun includes a barrel assembly, a handle/trigger assembly, a paint ball feed assembly, and a gas delivery system, where the gas delivery system includes an expansion chamber extending downward from the barrel assembly and a connector for receiving a gas cylinder. The gas delivery system can also include an elbow-shaped transfer member interposed between the expansion chamber and the gas cylinder. The gas delivery system can also include a securing assembly connected to a bottom of the handle assembly and designed to support and secure the gas cylinder to the gun. 
     The paint ball guns of this invention can also include a dispenser having a first locking connector, a closed end and an opened end, where the open end includes a detachable cover. The gun also includes a connecting member having a second locking connector, where the two locking end are designed to lockingly secure the dispenser to the connecting member with sufficient locking force to decrease or eliminate the dispenser falling off of the gun during training exercises or games. The paint ball guns of this invention can also security tighteners for further securing the hopper to the gun feed tube with or without the connecting member. The paint ball guns of this invention can also include a combined hopper/feeder including an outer shell, an interior designed to hold paint balls, a first aperture having a lip for filling the hopper/feeder apparatus with paint balls, a second aperture having a paint ball dispensing tube depending from a center portion of the apparatus and a retractable closing assembly located at an upper portion of the dispensing tube for preventing paint balls from entering the depending tube until the closing assembly is retracted. 
     Suitable materials out of which the dispenser can be constructed include, without limitations, metals, plastics, composites, ceramics, or the like, or mixtures or combinations thereof. Preferably, the dispenser is constructed out of plastics or composites or mixtures or combinations thereof. Suitable metals include, without limitation, aluminum and its alloys such as aluminum-magnesium alloys or the like, titanium, steel or other iron alloys, copper and its alloys such as bronze, brass or the like, or any other metal or its alloys and mixture or combinations thereof. Suitable plastics include, without limitation, polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, polyhexylene, polystyrene, polyalphamethylstyrene, or the like or copolymers thereof, acrylics, urethanes, polyesters, thermoplastics, thermal setting resins, thermoplastic elastomers, liquid crystal polymers, polyalkyleneoxides, or any other structural plastic suitable for making a durable paint ball dispenser. Suitable composites includes, without limitation, polymer matrices selected from the plastics listed above reinforced by a fiber such as carbon fibers, polyamides such as Kevlar, boron-nitride fibers, glass fibers, or the like or mixture or combination thereof. 
     Suitable material out of which the dispenser covers can be made include, without limitation, elastomers such as natural or synthetic rubbers or the like, urethanes rubbers, silicon rubbers or any other resilient and shock absorbing materials or mixtures or combinations thereof. 
     Suitable locking connections include, without limitations, threaded connections comprising a male threaded connector and a female threaded connector, clip rings, cotter pins, snap fittings including a lip and an groove, quick disconnects such as used in water holes, or any other locking connection assembly or combinations thereof. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a prior art paint ball gun assembly, generally  1 , is shown to include a barrel assembly  3  having a barrel  5  and a hollow, paint ball feeding tube  7  extending upward from the barrel  104 . The gun  100  also includes a handle/trigger assembly  9  and a gas delivery system  11 . The gas deliver system  110  includes an expansion chamber  13 , a gas transfer line  15 , a gas cylinder connector  17  and a gas cylinder  19 . As can be seen, the gas cylinder  118  is rear mounted and in this configuration tends to interfere with handling, maneuvering, aiming and firing the gun. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2A&amp;B, a preferred embodiment of a paint ball gun of this invention, generally  200 , is shown to include a barrel assembly  202 , a handle/trigger assembly  240 , and a gas delivery assembly  260 . The barrel assembly  202  includes a barrel  204  and a hollow, paint ball feed tube  206  extending upward from the barrel  204  towards its handle end  208 . The feed tube  206  includes a female connector  210  at its distal end  212 . As shown in FIG. 2B, the gun  200  also includes a paint ball dispenser  214 , where the dispenser  214  includes an open top  216  having a lip  218 , a paint ball reservoir  220 , a cover  222  designed to engage the lip  218  so that the top  216  can be closed after the dispenser  214  is filled with paint balls (not shown), and a paint ball dispensing neck  224  depending from a lower central region  226  of the dispenser  214  and having a male connector  228  at this distal end  230  adapted to engage the female connector  210  of the feed tube  206 . The dispenser  214  further includes a slidable paint ball stop  232  shown in its closed state, which is designed to prevent paint balls from entering the neck  224  until the stop is moved using its nob  234  to its open state in a slot  236 . The reservoir  220  of the dispenser  214  is substantially spherical in geometry. 
     The handle/trigger assembly  240  includes a grip  242 , a trigger guard  244  and a trigger  246 . The handle/trigger assembly  240  also includes a support member  248  having a slot  250  attached to a bottom end  252  of the grip  242 . The gas delivery assembly  260  includes an expansion chamber  262  (an outside  261  of which functions as a secondary grip), a gas cylinder  264  and an elbow shaped gas transfer member  266  interposed therebetween. The transfer member  266  is attached to the gun barrel assembly  202  by bolt  268  which extends from an aperture  270  extending up through the transfer member  266  and engaging the barrel  204  at a position  272 . The transfer member  266  also includes a gas cylinder connector  274  adapted to engage a top  276  of the gas cylinder  264  and a gas transfer conduit  278  adapted to deliver gas in the gas cylinder  264  to the expansion chamber  262  for ultimate use in firing paint balls out of the barrel  204 . Alternately stated, the conduit  278  places the gas cylinder  264  in fluid communication with the expansion chamber  262 , where fluid communication means that gas can flow from the cylinder  264  to the chamber  262  when the top  276  of the cylinder  264  is inserted into the connector  274 . The gas delivery system  260  also includes a brace  280  pivotally mounted in the slot  250  of the support member  248  of the handle/trigger assembly  240 . The brace  280  is mounted in the slot  250  by a bolt  282  passing through an aperture  284  in a brace mount  286  to engage a nut (not shown) on the other side of the brace mount  286 . The brace mount  286  can pivot and slide in the slot  250  so that the brace can be conformed to the angle of the gas cylinder  264  before being tightened into place by the nut. The brace  280  also includes three threaded nobs  288  (two of which are shown) that thread through threaded apertures  290  in a strap portion  292  of the brace  280 . The nobs  288  are designed to engage an outer wall  294  of the gas cylinder  264  at three points  296  (only one of which is shown). The brace  280  and the nobs  288  are designed to secure the gas cylinder  264  in place during use and to decrease stress on the transfer member  266  and the expansion chamber  262 . Without the brace and nobs and because of the forward disposition of the cylinder, the gas cylinder could be subject to considerable impact forces that could result in dislodgment of the gas cylinder, damage to the cylinder, damage to the transfer member, damage to the expansion chamber or any combination of these adverse affects. 
     Although the brace of FIGS. 2A-B is shown to have a rigid strap with nobs designed to engage the gas cylinder at three places, the brace can be a flexible strap with a traditional belt like fastener or the brace can be a flexible strap having a hook and loop fabric fastener as shown in FIGS. 3A-B. Of course, any other type of brace can be used as well provided that the brace supports and secures the forward mounted gas cylinder to the gun. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2A-B, another preferred embodiment of a paint ball gun of this invention, generally  300 , is shown to include a barrel assembly  302 , a handle/trigger assembly  340 , and a gas delivery assembly  360 . The barrel assembly  302  includes a barrel  304  and a hollow, paint ball feed tube  306  extending upward from the barrel  304  towards its handle end  308 . The feed tube  306  includes a threaded female connector  310  at its distal end  312 . As shown in FIG. 2B, the gun  300  also includes a paint ball dispenser  314 , where the dispenser  314  includes an open top  316  having a lip  318 , a paint ball reservoir  320 , a cover  322  designed to engage the lip  318  so that the top  316  can be closed after the dispenser  314  is filled with paint balls (not shown), and a paint ball dispensing neck  324  depending from a lower central region  326  of the dispenser  314  and having a threaded male connector  328  at this distal end  330  adapted to detachably and lockingly engage the female connector  310  of the feed tube  306 . The dispenser  314  further includes a slidable paint ball stop  332  shown in its closed state, which is designed to prevent paint balls from entering the neck  324  until the stop is moved using its knob  334  to its open state in a slot  336 . The reservoir  320  of the dispenser  314  is substantially spherical in geometry. 
     The handle/trigger assembly  340  includes a grip  342 , a trigger guard  344  and a trigger  346 . The handle/trigger assembly  340  also includes a support member  348  having a slot  350  attached to a bottom end  352  of the grip  342 . The gas delivery assembly  360  includes an expansion chamber  362  having an elbow bend  364  near its distal end  366  (an outside  368  of which functions as a secondary grip) and a gas cylinder  370 . The distal end  366  includes a gas cylinder connector  372  adapted to engage a top  374  of the gas cylinder  370  and a gas transfer conduit  376  adapted to deliver the gas in the gas cylinder  370  to the expansion chamber  362  for ultimate use in firing paint balls out of the barrel  304 . The gas delivery system  360  also includes a brace  380  pivotally mounted in the slot  350  of the support member  348  of the handle/trigger assembly  340 . The brace  380  is mounted in the slot  350  by a bolt  382  passing through an aperture  384  in a brace mount  386  to engage a nut (not shown) on the other side of the brace mount  386 . The brace mount  386  can pivot and slide in the slot  350  so that the brace can be conformed to the angle of the gas cylinder  370  before being tightened into place by the nut. The brace  380  includes a strap portion  388  having a hook and loop fastener  390 , where the strap portion  388  is designed to fit around and engage an outer wall  392  of the gas cylinder  370  and the fastener  390  secures the strap  388  in place. The brace  380  is designed to secure the gas cylinder  370  in place during use and to decrease stress on the expansion chamber  362 . Without the brace and because of the forward disposition of the cylinder, the gas cylinder could be subject to considerable impact forces that could result in dislodgment of the gas cylinder, damage to the cylinder, damage to the expansion chamber or any combination of these adverse affects. 
     Looking now to FIG. 3C, an alternate gun  300  construction is shown to include an integrated expansion chamber housing and attached gas cylinder holder  394  having a cylinder socket  396  adapted to receive, hold, secure and protect the gas cylinder  370 , which is attached to or integral with the bottom end  352  of the grip  342  via tab  397 . The socket  396  can include rubber bumpers or O-rings  398  to further hold and secure the gas cylinder  370  within the socket  396 . The integrated expansion chamber and holder  394  also includes the cylinder connector  372  and the gas conduit  376 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3A-B, another preferred embodiment of a paint ball gun of this invention, generally  400 , is shown to include a barrel assembly  402 , a handle/trigger assembly  440 , and a gas delivery assembly  460 . The barrel assembly  402  includes a barrel  404  and a hollow, paint ball feed tube  406  extending upward from the barrel  404  towards its handle end  408 . The feed tube  406  includes a female connector  410  at its distal end  412 . As shown in FIG. 3B, the gun  400  also includes a paint ball dispenser  414 , where the dispenser  414  includes an open side  416  having a lip  418 , a closed side  419 , a paint ball reservoir  420 , a cover  422  designed to engage the lip  418  so that the open side  416  can be closed after the dispenser  414  is filled with paint balls (not shown), and a paint ball dispensing neck  424  depending from a lower central region  426  of the dispenser  414 , where the neck  424  includes a male connector  428  at this distal end  430  adapted to engage the female connector  410  of the feed tube  406 . The dispenser  414  further includes a slidable paint ball stop  432  shown in its closed state, which is designed to prevent paint balls from entering the neck  424  until the stop is moved using its knob  433  through a slot  434  to its open state. The dispenser  414  of FIGS. 4A-B is banana-shaped. The gun  400  also includes a connecting member  436  interposed between the feed tube  406  and the dispenser neck  424  having a threaded female connector  437  associated with its first end  438 a and a male connector  439  associate with its second end  438   b.  The female connector  437  is designed to detachably and lockingly engage the male connector  428  of the dispenser  414 , while the male connector  439  is designed to detachably and lockingly engage the female connector  410  of the feed tube  406 . 
     The handle/trigger assembly  440  includes a grip  442 , a trigger guard  444  and a trigger  446 . The handle/trigger assembly  440  can optionally include a support member  448  attached to a bottom end  450  of the grip  442 . The gas delivery assembly  460  includes an expansion chamber  462  (an outside  464  of which functions as a secondary grip), a gas cylinder connector  466 , a gas cylinder socket  468  and a gas cylinder  470 . The connector  466  is adapted to engage a top  472  of the gas cylinder  470  and includes a gas transfer conduit  474  adapted to deliver the gas in the gas cylinder  470  to the expansion chamber  462  for ultimate use in firing paint balls out of the barrel  404 , when a user pulls the trigger  446 . The socket  468  extends vertically downward from the expansion chamber  462 , but can be angle toward the handle assembly is desired. The optional support member  448  is adapted to detachably or permanently attach to an upper portion  476  of the socket  468  to add additional structural support to the socket  448  as needed or desired. Again, the socket  468  can include rubber bumpers or O-rings  478  to further hold and secure the gas cylinder  470  within the socket  468 . 
     All references cited herein are incorporated by reference. While this invention has been described fully and completely, it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to its preferred embodiments, from reading this description those of skill in the art may appreciate changes and modification that may be made which do not depart from the scope and spirit of the invention as described above and claimed hereafter.