Anti-chop eyes for a paintball marker
An anti-chop system for a pneumatic paintball marker that is automatically cleaned. The anti-chop eye system includes a transmitter and receiver arranged so as to sense the presence of a paintball within a breech using a beam of light. A moving member of the paintball marker automatically wipes at least one surface of the transmitter and/or receiver to remove contaminants such as paint, grease, dirt and the like. By automatically cleaning the anti-chop eye system, the reliability of the system is improved.
1. A pneumatic marker comprising:
a body member having a longitudinal bore;
a sensor system having a lens, the lens having at least a first surface and a second surface, the sensor system transmitting a signal through the first and second surfaces so as to sense a paintball within the bore, at least a portion of each of the first and second surfaces having complementary curved contours so that a path of a signal entering the lens is substantially parallel to a path of the signal exiting the lens; and
a moving member disposed in the bore and having an elongated member and a protrusion, the protrusion extending in a radial direction from the elongated member and circumscribing at least a portion of the elongated member so as to contact at least a portion of the first surface when the moving member moves from a first position to a second position.
2. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises a transmitter transmitting the signal through the first surface.
3. The pneumatic marker according to claim 2 , wherein the transmitter is an infrared light emitting diode.
4. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises a receiver receiving the transmitted signal through the first surface.
5. The pneumatic marker according to claim 4 , wherein the receiver is a photo-transistor.
6. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion contacts at least a portion of the second surface when the moving member moves from the first position to the second position.
7. The pneumatic marker according to claim 6 , wherein the second surface is disposed relative to the first surface so that the signal passes through the second surface.
8. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is disposed around the entire circumference of the moving member.
9. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the moving member is a bolt.
10. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises a transmitter, wherein the transmitter emits the signal through the lens.
11. The pneumatic marker according to claim 10 , wherein the lens is integral with the transmitter.
12. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the signal is interrupted when the paintball is positioned in the bore.
13. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the signal is a reflected signal and the signal is interrupted when the paintball is not positioned in the bore.
14. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the signal is modulated, and wherein the sensor system is programmed to distinguish the modulated signal from an interfering signal.
15. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises software, wherein the software processes the signal.
16. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 , wherein the signal has a wavelength of 940 nm.
17. The pneumatic marker of claim 1 further comprising an error reporting system to alert a user of a malfunctioning of the sensor system, thereby enabling the user to bypass the sensor system.
18. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 further comprising ball detents to retain the paintball in position within the bore.
19. The pneumatic marker of claim 18 , wherein the ball detents comprise rubber surfaces.
20. The pneumatic marker according to claim 1 further comprising a membrane pad having a plurality of buttons, the plurality of buttons comprising a first button that turns the anti-chop eye system on and off.
21. The pneumatic marker according to claim 20 further comprising one or more light signals that alert a user whether the first button is on.
22. The pneumatic marker according to claim 21 , wherein the one or more light signals comprise light emitting diodes.
23. The pneumatic marker according to claim 20 , wherein the body member comprises a handle enclosed by a frame, and wherein the membrane pad is fastened to the frame.
24. The pneumatic marker according to claim 23 , wherein the frame houses a circuit governing the sensor system.
25. A pneumatic marker comprising:
a body member having a longitudinal bore;
a transmitter;
a first lens disposed between the transmitter and the longitudinal bore, wherein the first lens includes an inner surface and an outer surface, at least a portion of the inner surface having a curved shape that generally matches at least a portion of the outer surface;
a receiver;
a second lens disposed between the receiver and the longitudinal bore; and
a bolt disposed in the bore and having a locally raised surface, the raised surface extending around at least a portion of the bolt so as to contact at least a portion of at least one of the first and second lenses when the bolt moves from a first position to a second position.
26. An antic-chop eye system for a pneumatic marker, comprising:
a breech member having an inner surface, an outer surface, and a longitudinal bore, at least a portion of the inner surface having a curved shape that generally matches at least a portion of the outer surface;
a transmitter configured to transmit light through the inner and outer surfaces of the breech member;
a receiver configured to receive at least a portion of the light transmitted through the inner and outer surfaces of the breech member;
a bolt disposed in the bore and having an outer circumference; and
an o-ring circumscribing the bolt and having an outer surface that extends beyond the outer circumference of the bolt so as to contact at least a portion of the inner surface of the breech member when the bolt moves from a first position to a second position,
27. The anti-chop eye system according to claim 26 , wherein the breech member is translucent.
28. The anti-chop eye system according to claim 26 , wherein the breech member is transparent.