Patent ID: 7076906

Claim:
An electronic grip frame for a paintball marker, comprising: a frame; a trigger, having a front side and a rear side, movably connected to the frame; the trigger being rotatable about a pivot axis; a prong connected to an emanating rearwardly away from the rear side of the trigger; a light emitter mounted to the frame and being capable of emitting light; a light detector mounted to the frame and positioned in parallel spaced apart relationship to the light emitter defining a elongated passage therebetween having a longitudinal centerline; the light detector being capable of detecting light emitted from the light emitter transversely through the elongated passage; the prong being movable along the longitudinal centerline between a depressed firing position between the light emitter and the light detector and a released non-firing position not between the light emitter and the light detector; the light emitter and light detector forming an optical sensor; the prong being movable along the longitudinal centerline upon rotation of the trigger about the pivot axis; and an electrical output connected to the optical sensor; the electrical output being capable of generating a first electrical signal indicative of the trigger at the released non-firing position where light from the light emitter is directly detected by the light detector and a second electrical signal indicative of the trigger at the depressed firing position where the presence of the prong in the elongated passage prevents light from the light emitter from directly being detected by the light detector.