Combustion-powered paintball marker

Abstract

A paintball marker utilizing a combustible material as the means for propulsion, a pressurized fuel injection system providing a continuously fixed amount of fuel into the combustion chamber despite diminishing amounts of fuel as use continues, and a cooling assembly to dissipate excess heat from the combustion chamber after a combustion reaction is provided.

1 . A paintball marker apparatus adapted to launch paintballs using a fuel cell containing a quantity of combustible material, the apparatus comprising: 
 a marker body including a launching area and a combustion chamber;    a fuel injection system attached to the marker body, the fuel injection system adapted to regulate the flow of the combustible material from the fuel cell to the combustion chamber;    an ignition assembly adapted to ignite the combustible material in the combustion chamber to generate a combustion exhaust, wherein the launching area accepts the paintball and the combustion chamber directs the combustion exhaust to the launching area to launch the paintball.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a cooling assembly thermally connected to the combustion chamber, the cooling assembly adapted to draw off heat created by a combustion reaction within the combustion chamber.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , the cooling assembly further having a plurality of fins for increased surface area.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a feed port directing the paintball into a launching area such that the combustion pressure released from the combustion chamber motivates the paintball from the launching area.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the marker body further including bolt and sear mechanism for cocking the marker.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , 
 the marker body further including a bolt and sear mechanism to cock the paintball marker, the bolt including a blocking section movable to selectively obstruct the feed port.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the marker body further including a fuel cell retainer encasing the fuel cell.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , the fuel cell retainer attaching to the marker body proximate the fuel injection system.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the fuel injection system further comprising: 
 a schrader valve and a regulator maintaining a fixed pressure within the fuel injection system such that a fixed quantity of the combustible material is released from the fuel cell into the fuel injection system.    
   
   
       10 . A paintball marker apparatus adapted to launch a paintball using a combustible material supplied in a fuel cell, the apparatus comprising: 
 a release device sealably connectable to the fuel cell;    a fuel injection system adapted to provide a fixed quantity of the combustible material released from the fuel cell.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , the release device comprising: 
 a fuel adapter for sealing to the fuel cell; and    a fuel pin adapted to puncture the fuel cell providing the initial flow of the combustible material from the fuel cell.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , the fuel injection system comprising: 
 a schrader valve; and    a regulator maintaining a fixed pressure within the fuel injection system.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a fuel conduit providing a pathway for the fixed quantity of combustible material to flow to the combustion chamber.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a fuel inlet proximate the combustion chamber allowing the fixed quantity of combustible material into the combustion chamber.    
   
   
       15 . A method of operating a combustion-powered paintball marker apparatus adapted to launch paintballs, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a paintball marker with a launching area and a combustion area;    loading a paintball into the launching area;    providing an air-fuel mixture to the combustion chamber;    igniting the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber to create a combustion exhaust;    directing the combustion exhaust to the launching area.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 purging combustion by-products from the combustion chamber.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , the further comprising: 
 radiating excess heat from the combustion chamber.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , the further comprising: 
 providing a feed port opening for loading the paintball into the launching area; and    blocking the feed port opening after loading the paintball.    
   
   
       19 . A paintball marker apparatus adapted to launch paintballs using a fuel cell containing a quantity of combustible material, the apparatus comprising: 
 a marker body including a combustion chamber that directs combustion exhaust from a combustion reaction to launch the paintball; and    a cooling assembly thermally connected to the combustion chamber, the cooling assembly adapted to dissipate heat created by the combustion reaction within the combustion chamber.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the cooling assembly further having a plurality of fins for increased surface area.