Patent Publication Number: US-2021172700-A1

Title: Soft projectile launcher

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2018/112726, filed Oct. 30, 2018, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201821430972.4, filed Aug. 30, 2018, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of competitive equipment and, in particularly, to a soft projectile launcher. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Nowadays, projectile launchers are mainly used for games and training, and the projectiles used are generally hard projectiles, such as BB projectiles or steel ball projectiles, which have great lethality under the action of the launcher, and cause great danger to people or animals. In some scenarios, such as during competitions, the risk of injury to people or animals caused by the launcher will increase if hard projectiles are used. The use of soft projectiles is an ideal choice. 
     However, the current launcher normally launches the wrongly loaded hard projectiles. For this reason, there is a need to propose a launcher with safety protection, ensuring normal launching of soft projectiles while preventing hard projectiles from being launched, to avoid the hard projectiles causing injury to people or animals. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the disclosure, there is provided a soft projectile launcher including a launching tube, a projectile entry tube, and a power assembly. The launching tube includes a power channel, a projectile loading channel, and a projectile exit channel connected in sequence. The projectile entry tube includes a projectile entry channel connected to the projectile loading channel and configured to provide a soft projectile to the projectile loading channel. The power assembly connected to a free end of the power channel and configured to provide power for launching the soft projectile. At least a part of at least one of the projectile entry channel, the projectile loading channel, or the projectile exit channel includes an elliptical channel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a soft projectile launcher consistent with embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the launcher in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of part of the structure in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the part in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     Main reference numbers: Launch tube  10 ; Power section  11 ; Projectile loading section  12 ; Projectile exit section  13 ; First projectile exit tube  131 ; Second projectile exit tube  132 ; Projectile entry tube  20 ; Power assembly  30 ; Compression chamber  31 ; Tube wall  311 ; Compression piston  32 ; Compression spring  33 ; Extension tube  34 ; Intake clearance  341 ; Projectile loading mechanism  40 ; Refill  41 ; Projectile inlet  411 ; Dial  42 ; Projectile moving gap  421 ; Pusher  422 ; Magazine  50 ; Projectile accommodation space  51 ; Housing  60 . 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some rather than all of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments conceived by those having ordinary skills in the art on the basis of the described embodiments without inventive efforts should fall within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same or similar meaning as generally understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terms “first” and “second,” etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature described with “first” or “second” may include at least one such feature explicitly or implicitly. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, as long as the technical solutions do not conflict with each other. 
     The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present disclosure. 
     Hard projectiles, such as BB projectiles or steel ball projectiles, have great lethality under the action of the launcher, and cause great danger to people or animals. To prevent the launcher from accidentally launching hard BB projectiles or steel ball projectiles, a soft projectile launcher with safety protection is proposed in the present disclosure, ensuring normal launching of soft projectiles while preventing hard projectiles from being launched normally, to reduce the risk of greater injury caused by the misuse of the hard projectile. 
     The main technical solution in the disclosure is a soft projectile launcher including a launching tube, a projectile entry tube, and a power assembly. The launching tube includes a power channel, a projectile loading channel, and a projectile exit channel that are connected in sequence. 
     The power assembly is connected to the free end of the power channel to provide power for launching the soft projectile. 
     The projectile entry tube includes a projectile entry channel, and is connected to the projectile loading channel to provide the soft projectile for the projectile loading channel. 
     At least a part of the projectile entry channel, the projectile loading channel, and/or the projectile exit channel is an elliptical channel. 
     In the technical solution of the present disclosure, at least a part of the projectile entry channel, the loading channel, and/or the projectile exit channel is configured as an elliptical channel to ensure that the soft projectile is launched normally, and to prevent the hard projectile from being launched normally. In the present disclosure, a soft projectile refers to a projectile that can be elastically deformed, such as a water-absorbing projectile, a soft plastic projectile, or a projectile made of another soft material. 
       FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a soft projectile launcher consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure.  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the launcher in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of part of the structure in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the part in  FIG. 3 . 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , the soft projectile launcher includes a launch tube  10 , a projectile entry tube  20 , and a power assembly  30 . As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the soft projectile launcher further includes a housing  60 . The housing  60  is used to mount the launch tube  10 , the projectile entry tube  20 , and the power assembly  30 . 
     The launch tube  10  includes a power section  11 , a projectile loading section  12 , and a projectile exit section  13  provided in sequence. The inside of the power section  11  is a power channel, the inside of the projectile loading section  12  is a projectile loading channel, and the inside of the projectile exit section  13  is a projectile exit channel. The power channel, the projectile loading channel, and the projectile exit channel are connected in sequence, arranged in a straight line and coaxially. At least a part of the projectile loading channel and/or the projectile exit channel is an elliptical channel. 
     In some embodiments, the power channel, the projectile loading channel, and the projectile exit channel are sequentially connected, which can be partially arranged non-coaxially. The power assembly  30  is connected to the power channel to launch the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel along the projectile exit channel. For example, the projectile loading channel is arranged coaxially with the projectile exit channel, but is arranged non-coaxially with the power channel. 
     In some embodiments, the power channel is arranged non-coaxially with the projectile loading channel, and the power assembly  30  is connected to the power channel to launch the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel along the projectile exit channel. 
     A part or all of the projectile loading channel and/or the projectile exit channel may be an elliptical channel. 
     In a manufacturing process, the power section  11 , the projectile loading section  12 , and the projectile exit section  13  can be formed as an integral part and can be casted in a mold to form the launch tube  10 . In some other embodiments, the power section  11 , the projectile loading section  12 , and the projectile exit section  13  can be separate parts and be connected to form the launch tube  10 . 
     The projectile entry tube  20  includes a projectile entry channel, which is connected to the projectile loading channel to provide the soft projectile for the projectile loading channel. In some embodiments, the inside of the projectile entry tube  20  is the projectile entry channel. The projectile entry tube  20  and the launch tube  10  are arranged perpendicular to each other, and the projectile entry channel and the projectile loading channel are arranged perpendicular to each other. In some embodiments, the projectile entry channel and the projectile loading channel may be not perpendicular to each other, and the projectile entry channel is configured to load the soft projectile into the projectile loading channel. In a manufacturing process, the projectile entry tube  20 , the power section  11 , the projectile loading section  12 , and the projectile exit section  13  can be formed as an integral part and can be casted in a mold to form a T-shaped structure. In some other embodiments, the projectile entry tube  20 , the power section  11 , the projectile loading section  12 , and the projectile exit section  13  can be separate parts and be connected to form a T-shaped structure. 
     In the present disclosure, the projectile entry channel, the projectile loading channel, or the projectile exit channel can be configured to only allow a single soft projectile to pass through, and not allow two or more soft projectiles to pass through side by side. 
     When the soft projectile enters the projectile loading channel via the projectile entry channel, the soft projectile may be elastically deformed in the projectile loading channel or the projectile exit channel, especially in the elliptical channel, to get stuck in the channel and close contacted to the wall of the channel. The power assembly  30  provides power acting on the soft projectile in the channel to launch the soft projectile smoothly along the projectile exit channel, thereby implementing the launching process. 
     In the present disclosure, the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel is launched along the projectile exit channel by the power assembly  30 . To ensure that the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel can be smoothly launched along the projectile exit channel, the projectile loading channel and the projectile exit channel are smoothly connected and arranged in a straight line and coaxially, or the projectile loading channel and the projectile exit channel are arranged in a smooth curve. The projectile loading channel and the projectile exit channel are smoothly connected to reduce the resistance at the boundary between the two, thereby ensuring that the soft projectile is launched while fully utilizing the power from the power assembly  30  to achieve a better launch effect. 
     In the present disclosure, the power assembly  30  is used to provide power to launch the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel. 
     In some embodiments, the power assembly  30  includes a compression chamber  31  and a compression piston  32 . The compression piston  32  moves along the inside of the compression chamber  31 , and is connected to the inner wall of the compression chamber  31  in an airtight and sliding fit. The compression chamber  31  is enclosed by a tube wall  311 , and the tube wall  311  is mounted on the housing  60 . One end of the compression chamber  31  opposite to the compression piston  32  is airtightly connected to the power channel to provide compressed air for the power channel. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 2 , one end of the compression piston  32  is connected to the housing  60  via a compression spring  33 . The spring force of the compression spring  33  acts on the compression piston  32 , and the compression piston  32  rapidly moves along the inside of the compression chamber  31 . The air in the compression chamber  31  is rapidly compressed under the squeezing action of the compression piston  32 , and the compressed air enters the power channel and pushes the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel to launch the soft projectile. 
     The soft projectile launcher of the present disclosure further includes an extension tube  34 . The extension tube  34  includes an extension channel. One end of the compression chamber  31  opposite to the compression piston  32  is airtightly connected to one end of the extension channel, and the other end of the extension channel is airtightly connected to the power channel. Further, the extension tube  34  extends into the projectile loading channel, the nozzle of the extension channel extends into the projectile loading channel, and the nozzle of the extension channel can be in close contact with the curved surface of the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel. An intake clearance  341  is formed at the edge of the nozzle of the extension channel in the projectile loading channel. 
     In some embodiments, the compression chamber  31  is airtightly connected to the power channel via the extension tube  34 , and the compressed air generated in the compression chamber  31  enters the power channel via the extension tube  34 , which is used to provide power for launching the soft projectile. Where, the compression chamber  31  is enclosed by the tube wall  311  to form a cylindrical shape, and is airtight and slidingly fitted with the compression piston  32 . In a manufacturing process, the compressed air inside the compression chamber  31  is guided into the power channel by using the extension tube  34  according to the actual situation. Where, the nozzle of the extension channel of the extension tube  34  can directly extend into the projectile loading channel, and the nozzle of the extension channel can be close contact to the curved surface of the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel. Thus, the compressed air directly aiming at the soft projectile to launch the soft projectile along the projectile exit channel, and to achieve a better launch effect. 
     In some embodiments, the nozzle of the extension channel may not be close contact to the curved surface of the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel, and external air can enter the extension channel by the projectile exit channel and/or the projectile entry channel, and can enter the compression chamber  31 . 
     In some embodiments, external air can enter the extension channel and the compression chamber  31  via a side of the tube wall  311  that is close to the compression piston  32 . An air inlet gap (not shown) is provided at the opening of the tube wall  311 . When the compression piston  32  moves away from the side of the extension tube  34 , external air can enter the compression chamber  31  via the air inlet gap. When the compression piston  32  compresses towards the extension tube  34 , the compression piston  32  is airtightly and slidingly fitted with the wall, i.e., the tube wall  311 , of the compression chamber  31 , to compress the air in the compression chamber  31 . 
     Further, in some embodiments, an intake clearance  341  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) is provided at the edge of the nozzle of the extension channel. When the compression piston  32  moves away from the side of the extension tube  34  under the action of external power, external air can enter the compression chamber  31  via the intake clearance  341 . When the external power is released, the compression piston  32  can rapidly compress the air in the compression chamber  31  under the action of the compression spring  33 , and the compressed air can enter the power channel via the extension channel and act on the soft projectile to launch the soft projectile. The external power in above embodiments may be electric power, and may be transmitted via a gear structure to enable the compression piston  32  to move away from the side of the extension tube  34 . 
     In some embodiments, compressed air is used as the power source, and acts on the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel to launch the soft projectile along the projectile exit channel. The soft projectile elastically deforms in the projectile loading channel or the projectile exit channel, especially in the elliptical channel, gets stuck in the channel, and airtightly fits with the wall of the channel. Then the compressed air can effectively act on the soft projectile for a long time to cause the soft projectile to be launched along the projectile exit channel with greater kinetic energy, thereby achieving farther and better launch effect. 
     In particular, when the projectile loading channel and/or the projectile exit channel is an elliptical channel, the soft projectile can deform elastically in the projectile loading channel or the projectile exit channel, and can be airtightly fitted with the wall of the channel with stronger airtightness, thereby causing the soft projectile launcher to achieve a better launch effect. 
     In some embodiments, the power assembly  30  may also be a striking mechanism. The striking mechanism directly strikes the soft projectile in the projectile loading channel to launch the soft projectile along the projectile exit channel. 
     In some embodiments, the soft projectile launcher further includes a projectile loading mechanism  40 , and a magazine  50 , which are mounted on the housing  60 . The projectile loading mechanism  40  includes a refill  41 , and a dial  42 . The refill  41  and the magazine  50  are enclosed to form a projectile accommodation space  51 . The projectile accommodation space  51  is used for storing the soft projectile. The dial  42  of the projectile loading mechanism  40  is used to load the soft projectile in the projectile accommodation space  51  into the projectile entry channel to cause the soft projectile to enter the projectile loading channel via the projectile entry channel. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the magazine  50  is mounted at the upper part of the projectile loading mechanism  40 . The refill  41  of the projectile loading mechanism  40  is used as a part of the bottom of the magazine  50 , and encloses the magazine  50  as a projectile accommodation space  51 . The soft projectiles in the projectile accommodation space  51  are gathered at the refill  41 . 
     The dial  42  is rotatably mounted at the bottom of the refill  41 . The dial  42  has at least one projectile moving gap  421  on the side, a projectile inlet  411  is formed at a position at the bottom of the refill  41  corresponding to one of the at least one projectile moving gap  421 , and the projectile inlet  411  is connected with the free end of the projectile entry channel. The size of the projectile moving gap  421  is equivalent to the size of the soft projectile. The bottom of the dial  42  extends outward to form a pusher  422 . The dial  42  can be rotated by rotating the pusher  422 . 
     Further, the wall surface of the projectile moving gap  421  is inclined, and the inclined wall surface of the projectile moving gap  421  can squeeze the soft projectile into the projectile inlet  411  when the dial  42  rotates. 
     In some embodiments, the magazine  50  and the projectile loading mechanism  40  are mounted on the housing  60 . The soft projectiles are gathered on the refill  41  and pushed into the projectile inlet  411  by the action of the dial  42 . Further, when the projectile entry channel is an elliptical channel, the soft projectile cannot easily enter the projectile entry channel. Thus, the wall surface of the projectile moving gap  421  is inclined. The pusher  422  drives the dial  42  to rotate, the inclined wall of the projectile moving gap  421  squeezes the soft projectile downwards, and the soft projectile is squeezed into the projectile entry channel at the projectile inlet  411 , to realize the loading of the soft projectile. The dial  42  is rotated to prevent the soft projectiles from gathering and being stuck, which facilitates the smooth entry of the soft projectiles into the projectile entry channel. 
     Further, in some embodiments, the projectile exit channel includes a first projectile exit channel and a second projectile exit channel, and the first projectile exit channel is airtightly connected with the projectile loading channel. The first projectile exit channel and the second projectile exit channel are airtightly connected via nested tube fitting. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the projectile exit section  13  includes a first projectile exit tube  131  and a second projectile exit tube  132 . The inside of the first projectile exit tube  131  is the first projectile exit channel, and the inside of the second projectile exit tube  132  is the second projectile exit channel. The first projectile exit tube  131  is connected to the projectile loading section  12 . In some embodiments, the first projectile exit tube  131  and the projectile loading section  12  are formed as an integral part, thereby causing the first projectile exit channel to be airtightly connected with the projectile loading channel. The first projectile exit tube  131  and the second projectile exit tube  132  are nested and airtightly connected. In some embodiments, an airtight gasket is provided between the first projectile exit tube  131  and the second projectile exit tube  132  to achieve an airtight connection effect. In some embodiments, the first projectile exit tube  131  and the second projectile exit tube  132  can be sealed by welding, or integrally formed. 
     In some embodiments, the projectile exit channel is divided into the first projectile exit channel and the second projectile exit channel, which can extend the moving distance of the soft projectile along the channel. In a manufacturing process, the projectile entry tube  20 , the power section  11 , the projectile loading section  12 , and the first projectile exit tube  131  can be integrally formed. The second projectile exit tube  132  is connected to the free end of the first projectile exit tube  131  to extend the moving distance of the soft projectile along the channel, thereby enhancing the launch effect. 
     The shape and the size of the first projectile exit channel of the first projectile exit tube  131  and the second projectile exit channel of the second projectile exit tube  132  can have various combinations. For example, the first projectile exit channel can be a round or an elliptical channel, and the second projectile exit channel can be a round or an elliptical channel. 
     In some embodiments, the first projectile exit channel is an elliptical channel, and the shape and the size of the second projectile exit channel are the same as those of the first projectile exit channel. 
     In some embodiments, compressed air is used as a power source. When the projectile exit channel is an elliptical channel, and the moving distance of the soft projectile along the elliptical channel is extended, the soft projectile can be airtightly fitted to the wall of the channel due to the elastic deformation of the projectile. The airtightness is strong, and the compressed air then has a longer action time on the soft projectile, that is, the compressed air has a greater impulse on the soft projectile, thereby causing the launched soft projectile to have greater kinetic energy to achieve a longer range and better launch effect. 
     Further, in some embodiments, to prevent a hard projectile from being normally launched in the soft projectile launcher, at least a part of the projectile entry channel is an elliptical channel together with the projectile loading channel and the projectile exit channel, to prevent the hard projectile from being normally launched. The hard projectile cannot enter the projectile loading channel via the elliptical channel of the projectile entry channel. Further, even if the hard projectile enters the projectile loading channel via the projectile entry channel, when the projectile loading channel or the exit channel is an elliptical channel, or the channel inside the launch tube  10  does not match the hard projectile, the hard projectile cannot be launched normally in the channel. 
     In the technical solution of the present disclosure, at least a part of the projectile entry channel, the projectile loading channel, and/or the projectile exit channel is configured as an elliptical channel. As such, soft projectiles are ensured to be launched normally, while hard projectiles are prevented from being launched normally. 
     It is intended that the above embodiments be considered as examples only and not to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other embodiments of the disclosure including any changes, modifications, replacements, combination, and simplification by the above-mentioned embodiments, and any other changes, modifications, substitutions, and combinations without departing from the spirit and principle of the disclosure should be considered as equivalent replacement methods, which are all within the scope of the disclosure.