Patent Publication Number: US-11035643-B2

Title: Toy gun

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is based on and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-248134 filed on Dec. 28, 2018, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a toy gun, specifically to an air gun. More specifically, the present invention relates to an air gun, a barrel used for the air gun, and a barrel catch to be attached to the air gun. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The toy gun is very likely to have barrel clogged with a bullet owing to the bullet molding failure. 
     In the general case, when the bullet is caught in the barrel, a stick-like member is inserted from the muzzle to remove the clogging bullet for resumption of the use. There may be the case that gas within the gas chamber is discharged owing to the failure resulting from removal of the clogging bullet. 
     For the purpose of avoiding the above-described problem, the toy gun is required to allow the user to easily remove the barrel unit from the toy gun body to perform the maintenance of the barrel by itself separately. 
     Unlike the present invention, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 6 (1994)-123594 titled “Electric toy gun and bullet support member used for the electric toy gun” aims at “providing the bullet support member that prevents the bullet from clogging halfway, and from falling down.” 
     Meanwhile, the barrel of the generally employed toy gun is rigidly attached to the mechanical frame of the toy gun body. It is known that the extended inner barrel may accelerate the bullet speed. However, it is not easy to replace the barrel. In the above-described circumstances, the toy gun that is different only in the barrel length has to be distributed as the toy gun of different model. 
     As an accessory of the generally employed toy gun, a silencer has been known. The real gun has a silencer serving as the noise eliminator. Meanwhile, the toy gun includes a fake silencer. The outer barrel of the toy gun has to be threaded for attachment of the fake silencer. This may deteriorate the appearance of the toy gun, and cause the joint part between the barrel and the silencer to have insufficient strength. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to allow easy replacement of the barrel of the toy gun. 
     The present invention provides a toy gun comprising: 
     a toy gun body, a barrel, and a barrel catch, 
     wherein the toy gun body includes a barrel attachment portion for attaching the barrel, the barrel attachment portion including a barrel catch housing portion for housing the barrel catch, the surface of the barrel catch housing portion having an opening from which a pressing portion as a part of the barrel catch is exposed, 
     wherein the barrel catch includes: a barrel through hole with a diameter larger than that of an outer circumference of the barrel, the barrel through hole allowing penetration of the barrel through its center; and a barrel fitting portion to which the barrel is fitted and attached on an inner circumference of a hole as an opposite portion of the pressing portion exposed from the opening, the barrel catch being housed in the barrel catch housing portion slidably in a direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion of the pressing portion, 
     wherein the barrel includes a barrel catch fitting portion fittable to the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch when penetrating the barrel through the barrel catch, and 
     wherein the barrel slidably penetrates the barrel through hole of the barrel catch in the direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion of the pressing portion of the barrel catch. 
     The present invention further provides the toy gun, wherein the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch has a curved convex cross section, and the barrel catch fitting portion of the barrel has a curved concave cross section that is fittable to the convex shape of the barrel fitting portion. 
     The present invention further provides the toy gun, wherein the barrel catch slidingly moves, and pressing the pressing portion to the barrel allows to release a fitting state between the barrel catch fitting portion of the barrel and the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch, and stopping pressing of the pressing portion to the barrel allows fitting between the barrel fitting portion and the barrel catch fitting portion to fix the barrel to the barrel catch. 
     The present invention further provides the toy gun, wherein the barrel is an outer barrel. 
     The present invention further provides the toy gun, wherein the barrel through hole has a diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel in the direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion. 
     The present invention further provides the toy gun, wherein the barrel attachment portion includes a barrel catch housing portion for housing the barrel catch, having a diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel catch in the direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion. 
     The present invention further provides the toy gun, wherein the barrel catch has flexibility. 
     The present invention provides a barrel catch through which a barrel is allowed to penetrate, and housed in a toy gun body, 
     wherein the toy gun body includes a barrel attachment portion for attaching the barrel, the barrel attachment portion including a barrel catch housing portion for housing the barrel catch, the surface of the barrel catch housing portion having an opening from which a pressing portion as a part of the barrel catch is exposed, 
     wherein the barrel catch includes: a barrel through hole with a diameter larger than that of an outer circumference of the barrel, the barrel through hole allowing penetration of the barrel through its center; and a barrel fitting portion to which the barrel is fitted and attached on an inner circumference of a hole as an opposite portion of the pressing portion exposed from the opening, the barrel catch being housed in the barrel catch housing portion slidably in a direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion of the pressing portion, 
     wherein the barrel includes a barrel catch fitting portion fittable to the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch when penetrating the barrel through the barrel catch, and 
     wherein the barrel slidably penetrates the barrel through hole of the barrel catch in the direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion of the pressing portion of the barrel catch. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel catch, wherein the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch has a curved convex cross section, and wherein the barrel catch fitting portion of the barrel has a curved concave cross section that is fittable to the convex shape of the barrel fitting portion. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel catch, wherein the barrel catch slidingly moves, and pressing the pressing portion to the barrel allows release a fitting state between the barrel catch fitting portion of the barrel and the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch, and stopping pressing of the pressing portion to the barrel allows fitting between the barrel fitting portion and the barrel catch fitting portion to fix the barrel to the barrel catch. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel catch, wherein the barrel is an outer barrel. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel catch, wherein the barrel through hole has a diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel in the direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel catch, wherein the barrel attachment portion includes a barrel catch housing portion for housing the barrel catch, having a diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel catch in the direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel catch, wherein the barrel catch has flexibility. 
     The present invention further provides a barrel which penetrates through a barrel catch to be housed in a toy gun body, 
     wherein the toy gun body includes a barrel attachment portion for attaching the barrel, the barrel attachment portion including a barrel catch housing portion for housing the barrel catch, the surface of the barrel catch housing portion having an opening from which a pressing portion as a part of the barrel catch is exposed, 
     wherein the barrel catch includes: a barrel through hole with a diameter larger than that of an outer circumference of the barrel, the barrel through hole allowing penetration of the barrel through its center; and a barrel fitting portion to which the barrel is fitted and attached on an inner circumference of a hole as an opposite portion of the pressing portion exposed from the opening, the barrel catch being housed in the barrel catch housing portion slidably in a direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion of the pressing portion, 
     wherein the barrel includes a barrel catch fitting portion fittable to the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch when penetrating the barrel through the barrel catch, and 
     wherein the barrel slidably penetrates the barrel through hole of the barrel catch in the direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion of the pressing portion of the barrel catch. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel, wherein the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch has a curved convex cross section, and the barrel catch fitting portion of the barrel has a curved concave cross section that is fittable to the convex shape of the barrel fitting portion. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel, wherein the barrel catch slidingly moves, and pressing the pressing portion to the barrel allows release a fitting state between the barrel catch fitting portion of the barrel and the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch, stopping pressing of the pressing portion to the barrel allows fitting between the barrel fitting portion and the barrel catch fitting portion to fix the barrel to the barrel catch. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel, wherein the barrel is an outer barrel. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel, wherein the barrel through hole has a diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel in the direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel, wherein the barrel attachment portion includes a barrel catch housing portion for housing the barrel catch, having a diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel catch in the direction defined by the pressing portion and the opposite portion. 
     The present invention further provides the barrel, wherein the barrel catch has flexibility. 
     As the pressing portion is pressed to the barrel, the barrel catch slidingly moves to release the fitting state between the barrel catch fitting portion of the barrel and the barrel fitting portion of the barrel catch. As a result, fixation between the barrel and the barrel catch is released. 
     As pressing of the pressing portion to the barrel is stopped, the barrel fitting portion is fitted to the barrel catch fitting portion to fix the barrel to the barrel catch. 
     According to the present invention, the barrel replacement may be easily performed, allowing the use of the long barrel, and the barrel unit with strength sufficient to carry the silencer. Furthermore, it is possible to diversify the product variation. 
     In the present invention, the barrel fitting portion formed on the barrel catch to be used for attaching the barrel to the toy gun has a curved convex cross section. Forming the barrel catch fitting portion of the barrel to have the curved concave cross section that is fittable to the convex shape of the barrel fitting portion allows the respective curved cross sections to be fitted. This makes it possible to attach the barrel fitting portion to the barrel catch fitting portion. As a result, a fitting member for fitting the barrel fitting portion to the barrel catch fitting portion is not necessary in addition to the barrel catch. 
     The barrel fitting portion and the barrel catch fitting portion have their substantially curved cross sections fitted for attachment by engagement between them, resulting in smooth fitting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a toy gun as an example of an embodiment according to the present invention in a state that a slide that covers the upper part of the toy gun including a barrel is pulled out, and the inside of the upper part is exposed; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention in a state that the slide that covers the upper part of the toy gun including the barrel is pulled out, the barrel catch (outer barrel catch) is pushed down, and the inside of the upper part is exposed; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention in a state that the slide that covers the upper part of the toy gun including the barrel, and the barrel (outer barrel) are pulled out, the barrel catch (outer barrel catch) is pushed down, and the inside of the upper part is exposed; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the barrel (outer barrel) and the barrel catch (outer barrel catch) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention before they are assembled; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the state that the barrel (outer barrel) and the barrel catch (outer barrel catch) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention are fitted to each other; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the state that the fitting state between the barrel (outer barrel) and the barrel catch (outer barrel catch) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention is released; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of a center part of a structure in which the barrel (outer barrel) and the barrel catch (outer barrel catch) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention are fitted to each other; 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 7  of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view of a center part of the structure in which the barrel (outer barrel) and the barrel catch (outer barrel catch) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention are released from the fitted state; 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken along line B-B of  FIG. 9  of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of the barrel (outer barrel) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view of a center part of the barrel (outer barrel) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a front view of the barrel (outer barrel) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is a front view of the barrel (outer barrel) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is an exploded perspective view of the barrel (outer barrel) of the toy gun as the example of the embodiment according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 16  is an assembly perspective view of the toy gun as an example of the embodiment according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     An example of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described referring to the drawings. 
     A toy gun  11  includes a toy gun body  12 , a barrel  21 , and a barrel catch  31  as an outer barrel catch. 
     The barrel  21  includes a cylindrical outer barrel  22  constituting an outer side of the barrel  21 , and a cylindrical inner barrel  23  constituting an inner side of the barrel  21 . A bullet to be fired from the toy gun  11  passes through the inner barrel  23 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 11 to 15 , the inner barrel  23  of the barrel  21  is attached inside the outer barrel  22  via a spring  25 . The spring  25  biases the inner barrel  23  to the rear end side of the toy gun  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3, 4, 15, 16  and the like, the barrel  21  includes a barrel catch fitting portion  24  on a halfway position of the shaft. The barrel catch fitting portion  24  constitutes a concave cross section portion of a lower half shaft part of the barrel  21  as a belt-like inwardly concave shape from the surface. The barrel catch fitting portion  24  has the curved concave cross section. The width of the lower half shaft part of the barrel  21  serves as a fitting portion. 
     The barrel catch fitting portion  24  is formed in the barrel  21  at a portion in abutment with the barrel fitting portion  34  as the outer barrel fitting portion formed in the barrel catch  31  upon insertion of the barrel  21  through the barrel catch  31 . The barrel catch fitting portion  24  is inwardly concave with the curved concave cross section. Therefore, the barrel catch fitting portion  24  may be fitted with the barrel fitting portion  34  with the substantially curved cross section. 
     The barrel  21  penetrates through a barrel through hole  32  formed in the barrel catch  31  as the outer barrel catch. The barrel through hole  32  has its diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel  21  in the direction defined by the pressing portion  33  and a opposite portion of the pressing portion  33 . The barrel  21  is slidable through the barrel catch in the direction defined by the pressing portion  33  and the opposite portion  33 . The barrel  21  and the barrel catch  31  may be configured to mutually slide in the direction defined by the pressing portion  33  and the opposite portion  33 . 
     A reference numeral  26  denotes a chamber. The chamber  26  is a member for holding a bullet prior to firing. The chamber  26  is fitted to the outer barrel  22  at a rear end of the toy gun. 
     The barrel unit is constituted by the outer barrel  22 , the inner barrel  23 , the spring  25 , the chamber  26 , and the like. 
     A reference numeral  261  denotes a chamber convex portion. As shown in  FIG. 15 , the chamber convex portion  261  is formed on a side part of the chamber  26  to be engaged with a notch  27  formed in the rear side of the muzzle of the outer barrel  22  of the barrel unit. 
       FIG. 11  is a side view of the barrel unit, and  FIG. 12  is a sectional side view of the barrel unit. The chamber  26  is inserted into the barrel  21  constituted by the outer barrel  22  and the inner barrel  23 . 
       FIG. 13  represents the state where the chamber convex portion  261  of the chamber  26  inserted into the barrel  21  is disengaged from the notch  27  of the outer barrel  22  in transition from the state as shown in  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 .  FIG. 14  represents the state where the chamber  26  is turned counterclockwise when seen from the operator in transition from the state as shown in  FIG. 13 . The chamber  26  then is ready for disengagement from the barrel unit. 
     The chamber  26  is inserted into the outer barrel  22  of the barrel unit by turning the chamber convex portion  261 , and hooked on the notch  27  of the outer barrel  22 . The chamber  26  is fixed to the outer barrel  22 . 
     A reference numeral  13  denotes a barrel attachment portion. A barrel attachment portion  13  is formed horizontally at the rear part of the barrel  21  attached onto the upper part of the toy gun body  12 . As  FIG. 3  shows, a base portion of the barrel  21  is horizontally inserted into the barrel attachment portion  13 , and fixed thereto. 
     A reference numeral  14  denotes a barrel catch housing portion. The barrel catch housing portion  14  is formed into a hole or a concave portion in the barrel attachment portion  13 . The barrel catch  31  is housed in the barrel catch housing portion  14 . 
     An opening  15  through which the pressing portion  33  as a part of the barrel catch is exposed is formed in the surface of the barrel catch housing portion  14  of the barrel attachment portion  13 . 
     The barrel catch  31  as the outer barrel catch has a wide ring-like shape having a curved cross section, and has the barrel through hole  32  with diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel  21  at the center. 
     The barrel  21  is inserted to penetrate through the center of the barrel catch  31 , and attached. The barrel  21  is attached to the toy gun body  12  together with the barrel catch  31 . 
     A reference numeral  33  denotes a pressing portion  33 . The pressing portion  33  partially constitutes the outer circumference of the ring-like barrel catch  31 . 
     A reference numeral  34  denotes a barrel fitting portion as the outer barrel fitting portion. The barrel fitting portion  34  has a shape fittable to the barrel catch fitting portion  24  of the barrel  21 . In this example, the barrel fitting portion  34  has a belt-like convex portion with a width of the inner diameter of the barrel catch  31 , substantially the same width as that of the barrel catch fitting portion  24 , and has a curved cross section. The barrel fitting portion  34  is formed on almost entire circumference of the inner diameter of the barrel catch  31  including the inner circumference of the hole as an opposite portion of the pressing portion  33 . The width of the barrel catch  31  by itself serves as the barrel fitting portion  34 . 
     The barrel catch fitting portion  24  of the barrel  21  is fitted to the barrel fitting portion  34  by engagement between the respective portions each with the substantially curved cross section on the inner circumference of the hole as the opposite portion of the pressing portion  33 . 
     The barrel catch  31  is housed in the barrel catch housing portion  14  slidably in a direction defined by the pressing portion  33  and the opposite portion. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 , the barrel through hole  32  has a diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel  21  in the direction defined by the pressing portion  33  and the opposite portion  33 . The barrel  21  is slidable in the direction defined by the pressing portion  33  of the barrel catch  31 , and the opposite portion. When the barrel  21  is inserted to penetrate through the barrel through hole  32 , a space S is formed below the pressing portion  33 . The barrel catch housing portion  14  has a diameter larger than that of the outer circumference of the barrel catch  31  in the direction defined by the pressing portion  33  and the opposite portion. The barrel catch  31  is slidable in the barrel catch housing portion  14  in the direction defined by the pressing portion  33  and the opposite portion. 
     The barrel catch  31  as the outer barrel catch has flexibility. 
     The pressing portion  33  is exposed from the opening  15  in the surface of the barrel catch housing portion  14 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 to 10 , as the pressing portion  33  is pressed down to the barrel  21 , the barrel catch  31  as the outer barrel catch slidingly moves from the state as shown in  FIGS. 1, 5, 7, 8  to the state as shown in  FIGS. 2, 6, 9, 10 . The space S is then generated below the barrel  21  at the opposite portion of the pressing portion  33 . Accordingly, the barrel catch fitting portion  24  of the barrel  21  is disengaged from the barrel fitting portion  34  of the barrel catch  31 . 
     By disengaging the barrel catch fitting  24  of the barrel  21  from the barrel fitting portion  34  of the barrel catch  31 , fixation between the barrel  21  and the barrel catch  31  is released. 
     As the fixation between the barrel  21  and the barrel catch  31  is released, the barrel  21  may be removed from the barrel attachment portion  13  of the toy gun body  12 . 
     By fitting the barrel fitting portion  34  to the barrel catch fitting portion  24  without pressing down the pressing portion  33  to the barrel  21 , the barrel  21  is fixed to the barrel catch  31 . At this time, the space S is formed below the pressing portion  33 . 
     This makes it possible to insert the barrel  21  into the barrel attachment portion  13  so as to be fixed to the toy gun body  12 . 
     In this embodiment, the barrel fitting portion  34  of the barrel catch  31  for attaching the barrel  21  to the toy gun body  12  has the belt-like shape with a width of the inner diameter of the barrel catch  31 , and has the curved convex cross section. The barrel catch fitting portion  24  of the barrel  21  is formed to have the curved concave cross section fittable to the convex portion of the barrel fitting portion  34 . Therefore, the barrel fitting portion  34  may be attached to the barrel catch fitting portion  24  by engagement between the respective portions each with substantially curved cross section. That is, each width of the barrel  21  and the barrel catch  31  serves as the fitting portion. Accordingly, besides the barrel catch  31 , an additional member for fitting the barrel fitting portion  34  to the barrel catch fitting portion  24  is not necessary. 
     The barrel  21  can be easily removed from the toy gun body  12 . As shown in  FIG. 16 , the barrel  21  may be replaced with various types of barrel units such as a short barrel unit  21 A, a long barrel unit  21 B, and a further longer barrel unit  21 C carrying the fake silencer. 
     Furthermore, the barrel fitting portion is attached to the barrel catch fitting portion by engagement between the respective portions each with substantially curved cross section. Therefore, those portions may be smoothly fitted. 
     In another example, the cross section of the concave to be formed in the barrel fitting portion (outer barrel fitting portion)  34  of the barrel catch (outer barrel catch)  31 , and the cross section of the convex to be formed in the barrel catch fitting portion  24  of the outer barrel  22  may be formed into a U-like shape. 
     The above-described cross sections may be arbitrarily formed so long as both the fitting portion (outer barrel fitting portion)  34  and the barrel catch fitting portion  24  are brought into the fitted state or released from the fitted state.