Grip routed gas supply for a paintball gun

Abstract

A pneumatic paintball gun preferably includes an upper body and a rear hand grip. The upper body preferably houses a pneumatic assembly that provides the primary operating components of the paintball gun. The pneumatic assembly preferably includes a bolt piston and a bolt. The pneumatic piston is preferably coupled to the bolt for controlling movement of the bolt. The rear hand grip preferably includes a supply port for receiving compressed gas directly into the rear hand grip from a compressed gas supply. A transfer path can be arranged internally within the rear hand grip to transfer compressed gas from the supply port to the operating components of the paintball gun. The transfer path can, for instance, be a tube, a flexible hose, or another transfer mechanism. Compressed gas from the transfer path can be supplied to a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve can transfer compressed gas to the bolt piston to operate the bolt during operation of the paintball gun.

1 . A pneumatic paintball gun, comprising: 
 a rear hand grip comprising a compressed gas supply port configured to receive compressed gas from an external compressed gas source directly into the rear hand grip;    an input port configured to receive compressed gas from the rear hand grip. wherein said compressed gas is to be supplied to one or more pneumatic components within the paintball gun; and    a transfer path configured to route the compressed gas from the supply port to the input port.    
     
     
         2 . A paintball gun according to  claim 1 , wherein the transfer path is a tube arranged within the rear hand grip.  
     
     
         3 . A paintball gun according to  claim 2 , wherein the tube is flexible.  
     
     
         4 . A paintball gun according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pneumatic components is a solenoid valve.  
     
     
         5 . A paintball gun according to  claim 4 , wherein the solenoid valve is configured to transfer compressed gas to a surface area of a piston to control a loading or firing operation of the paintball gun.  
     
     
         6 . A paintball gun according to  claim 5 , wherein the piston is a bolt piston coupled to a bolt and wherein compressed gas is transferred through the solenoid valve to the bolt piston to operate the bolt.  
     
     
         7 . A paintball gun according to  claim 6 , wherein the bolt further acts as a firing mechanism such that as the bolt moves forward, the bolt releases compressed gas from the paintball gun through the bolt.  
     
     
         8 . A paintball gun according to  claim 1 , wherein compressed gas from the input port is supplied to a compressed gas storage area of the paintball gun.  
     
     
         9 . A paintball gun according to  claim 5 , wherein the pneumatic piston comprises a second surface area arranged in communication with the compressed gas storage area.  
     
     
         10 . A paintball gun according to  claim 1 , further comprising a regulator attached to a bottom of the rear hand grip and connected to the supply port to supply the compressed gas into the paintball gun through the rear hand grip.  
     
     
         11 . A rear hand grip for a paintball gun, comprising: 
 a connection mechanism for connecting the rear hand grip to a compressed gas supply; and    a supply port configured to receive compressed gas from the compressed gas supply directly into the rear hand grip with no external hoses.    
     
     
         12 . A rear hand grip according to  claim 11 , further comprising a transfer path configured to transfer compressed gas from the supply port to an input port of the paintball gun.  
     
     
         13 . A rear hand grip according to  claim 12 , wherein the transfer path comprises a tube connected to the supply port.  
     
     
         14 . A rear hand grip according to  claim 13 , wherein the tube comprises a flexible hose.  
     
     
         15 . A rear hand grip according to  claim 11 , further comprising a threaded connection mechanism arranged in a rearward portion of the hand grip to permit connection to a paintball gun body and to a removable internal pneumatic assembly of the paintball gun.  
     
     
         16 . A pneumatic paintball gun, comprising: 
 an upper body having an internal chamber configured to receive a pneumatic assembly;    a pneumatic assembly arranged within the internal chamber, said pneumatic assembly comprising a bolt and a bolt piston;    a rear hand grip connected to the upper body through one or more connection mechanisms, said rear hand grip comprising a supply port configured to receive compressed gas directly into the rear hand grip; and    a transfer path arranged within the rear hand grip and configured to transfer compressed gas from the supply port to the upper body of the paintball gun.    
     
     
         17 . A pneumatic paintball gun according to  claim 16 , wherein the paintball gun does not have any external tubes or hoses for supplying compressed gas to the paintball gun.  
     
     
         18 . A pneumatic paintball gun according to  claim 16 , wherein the rear hand grip is connected to the upper body using a connection mechanism that also attaches to a removable component of the pneumatic assembly.  
     
     
         19 . A pneumatic paintball gun according to  claim 16 , wherein the rear hand grip further comprises a connection mechanism for connecting to a compressed gas regulator.  
     
     
         20 . A pneumatic paintball gun according to  claim 16 , further comprising a solenoid valve configured to receive compressed gas from the transfer path and to supply compressed gas to the bolt piston to operate the bolt.