Valve assembly for a projectile launching system
View Patent ↗A valve assembly may include a housing assembly with an expansion chamber. The assembly may also include a bolt movably positioned in the expansion chamber with a longitudinal through hole and a radially disposed through hole. The bolt may have first, second, and third positions. In first position and third positions, the expansion chamber may be sealed from the longitudinal through hole and the radially disposed through hole. In the second position, the expansion chamber may be fluidly coupled to these holes. The assembly may include an orifice to fluidly couple the expansion chamber to a first bolt surface. The assembly may include a stem that sits within the longitudinal through hole of the bolt when the bolt is in the first position. The assembly may also include a sealing member to selectively seal or fluidly couple the expansion chamber and the orifice.
1 . A valve assembly, comprising:
a housing assembly;
an expansion chamber configured to receive a pressurized gas source and positioned inside of the housing assembly;
a bolt with a first bolt end and a second bolt end, wherein the bolt is slidably positioned in at least part of the expansion chamber and movable from a first position to a second position relative to the housing assembly, the bolt also movable from the second position to a third position relative to the housing assembly, the bolt having a longitudinal through hole from the first bolt end to the second bolt end;
at least one radially disposed through hole extending from a radially outer bolt surface to the longitudinal through hole, wherein the translation of the bolt relative to the housing assembly from the first position to the second position fluidly couples the expansion chamber with the at least one radially disposed through hole, wherein the translation of the bolt relative to the housing assembly from the second position to the third position fluidly seals the expansion chamber from the at least one radially disposed through hole;
an orifice configured to allow a passage of a gas from the expansion chamber to a first bolt surface;
a stem coupled to the housing assembly, wherein the stem is configured to at least partially sit within the longitudinal through hole of the bolt when the bolt is in the first position; and
a sealing member, wherein the sealing member is configured to seal the expansion chamber from the orifice, the sealing member having a first sealing member position sealing the orifice from the expansion chamber, the sealing member having a second sealing member position fluidly coupling the orifice and the expansion chamber.
2 . The valve assembly of claim 1 further comprising a spring to at least partially assist the movement of the bolt from the second position to the third position.
3 . The valve assembly of claim 2 , wherein the spring circumferentially surrounds the bolt.
4 . The valve assembly of claim 2 , wherein the spring is in a neutral state when the bolt is in the first position.
5 . The valve assembly of claim 4 , wherein the spring is not in contact with one or both a housing assembly lip or a first bolt lip when the bolt is in the first position.
6 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bolt further comprises only one radial seal positioned between the first bolt end and an intermediate bolt section.
7 . The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the bolt comprises a first bolt lip and a second bolt lip wherein the one radial seal is positioned along the second bolt lip.
8 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising no more than two radial seals positioned on the radially outer bolt surface.
9 . The valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the radial seals is positioned between the first bolt end and an intermediate bolt section.
10 . The valve assembly for a projectile launching system of claim 1 , wherein the housing assembly comprises a first body and an intermediate body removably coupled to the first body, wherein the expansion chamber is at least partially defined by the first body and the intermediate body.
11 . The valve assembly for a projectile launching system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is selectively positioned between the first sealing member position and the second sealing member position with a solenoid.
12 . The valve assembly for a projectile launching system of claim 11 , wherein the solenoid is removably coupled to the housing assembly at least partially forming the expansion chamber.
13 . A valve assembly, comprising:
a housing assembly defining an expansion chamber therein configured to receive a pressurized gas source and defining a central bore, the expansion chamber having a distal portion distal of the central bore and a proximal portion proximal of the central bore;
a bolt with a first bolt end, a second bolt end and an intermediate bolt body arranged therebetween, the first bolt end comprising a main body defining a first bolt surface and having a radially outer bolt surface, wherein the bolt is slidably positioned in at least part of the expansion chamber and movable from a first position to a second position relative to the housing assembly, the bolt having a longitudinal through hole extending from the first bolt end to the second bolt end, the bolt having a first bolt lip at the first bolt end and a second bolt lip distal of the first bolt lip and a circumferential groove immediately proximal to the second bolt lip, wherein a seal is arranged in the circumferential groove and is configured to contact an inner surface of the central bore when arranged therein;
a spring arranged on the intermediate bolt body and engaging the second bolt lip at a proximal end thereof and a distal surface of distal portion of the expansion chamber at a distal end thereof;
at least one radially disposed through hole extending from the radially outer bolt surface to the longitudinal through hole and arranged between the first bolt lip and the second bolt lip, wherein the translation of the bolt relative to the housing assembly from the first position to the second position fluidly couples the expansion chamber with the at least one radially disposed through hole;
an orifice configured to allow a passage of a gas from the proximal portion of the expansion chamber to the first bolt surface to advance the bolt along the central bore;
a stem coupled to the housing assembly, wherein the stem is configured to at least partially sit within the longitudinal through hole of the bolt when the bolt is in the first position; and
a sealing member having a first sealing member position sealing the orifice from the proximal portion of the expansion chamber and a second sealing member position fluidly coupling the orifice and the proximal portion of the expansion chamber,
wherein, when the sealing member is in the second position, gas passes through the orifice to act on the first bolt surface to advance the bolt along the central bore and when the seal arranged in the circumferential groove moves out of the central bore, gas from the distal portion of the expansion chamber passes proximally of the seal and to and through the plurality of radially disposed through holes and distally through the bolt.
14 . The valve assembly of claim 13 , wherein the spring is in a neutral state when the bolt is in the first position.
15 . The valve assembly of claim 14 , wherein the spring is not in contact with one or both a housing assembly lip or a first bolt lip when the bolt is in the first position.
16 . A valve assembly, comprising:
a housing defining an expansion chamber and having a central bore at a proximal end for receiving a first end of a bolt and a bolt bore at a distal end for receiving a second end of the bolt, the housing defining an orifice arranged at a proximal end of the central bore and providing fluid communication between a proximal portion of the central bore and the expansion chamber;
the bolt arranged in the housing and configured to articulate within the central bore and the bolt bore from a first position to a second position, the bolt comprising:
a longitudinal through hole extending throughout a length thereof;
a first seal arranged on the first end and configured for sealingly engaging the central bore;
a second seal arranged on the second end and configured for sealingly engaging the bolt bore; and
a plurality of radially disposed through holes extending therethrough to the longitudinal through hole within the bolt; and
a seal configured to selectively seal the orifice.
17 . The valve assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first seal defines a first annular area and the second seal defines a second annular area and the first annular area is larger than the second annular area.
18 . The valve assembly of claim 17 , wherein, when the bolt is in the second position, the first seal is arranged outside of the central bore providing direct fluid communication between the expansion chamber and the central bore.
19 . The valve assembly of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of radially disposed through holes are proximal of the first seal.