Paintball gun with rearwardly removable pneumatic assembly

Abstract

A paintball gun having a rearwardly removable pneumatic assembly is provided. The pneumatic assembly preferably comprises a bolt and a bolt housing. A pneumatic cylinder is preferably arranged within a body of the paintball gun to receive the pneumatic assembly. A rearward opening is preferably provided in the body to provide access to the pneumatic cylinder for positioning and removal of the pneumatic assembly. The pneumatic assembly can be configured for removal with or without tools. In one embodiment, a cover plate can also be provided to cover the rearward opening in the body and prevent access to the pneumatic assembly until the cover plate is removed. A solenoid valve assembly is also provided having an upper and lower body section connected together through a tab and detent structure.

1 . A paintball gun having a removable pneumatic assembly, said paintball gun comprising:
 a body having an opening;   a pneumatic cylinder arranged in the body in communication with the opening; and   a removable pneumatic assembly configured to be arranged in and removed from the body through the opening, wherein said pneumatic assembly comprises a bolt and a bolt housing.   
   
   
       2 . A paintball gun according to  claim 1 , wherein the opening is arranged in a rearward end of the body. 
   
   
       3 . A paintball gun according to  claim 1 , wherein the pneumatic cylinder is removably attached within a chamber of the body. 
   
   
       4 . A paintball gun according to  claim 3 , wherein the pneumatic cylinder is mechanically coupled to an electronic control unit of the paintball gun. 
   
   
       5 . A paintball gun according to  claim 4 , wherein the electronic control unit comprises a solenoid valve. 
   
   
       6 . A paintball gun according to  claim 5 , wherein the solenoid valve comprises output ports pneumatically connected to the pneumatic cylinder. 
   
   
       7 . A paintball gun according to  claim 1 , wherein the pneumatic assembly further comprises threads to removably connect with mating threads in the pneumatic cylinder. 
   
   
       8 . A paintball gun according to  claim 1 , wherein the pneumatic cylinder comprises a compressed gas storage area and wherein the pneumatic assembly comprises a plurality of openings to receive compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area of the pneumatic cylinder. 
   
   
       9 . A paintball gun according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cover plate configured to be removably attachable to the body and cover the opening. 
   
   
       10 . A paintball gun according to  claim 9 , wherein the opening is in a rearward end of the paintball gun. 
   
   
       11 . A removable pneumatic assembly for a paintball gun, said pneumatic assembly comprising:
 a bolt housing having threads configured to be removably connectable to a pneumatic cylinder of the paintball gun;   a bolt slidably arranged in the bolt housing; and   one or more openings arranged through a sidewall of the bolt housing to receive compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area of the pneumatic cylinder.   
   
   
       12 . A pneumatic assembly according to  claim 11 , further comprising a tool receptacle arranged on a rearward end of the pneumatic assembly to receive a tool to thread and unthread the assembly into and from the pneumatic cylinder. 
   
   
       13 . A pneumatic assembly according to  claim 11 , further comprising an input port arranged through a sidewall of the bolt housing to convey compressed gas into the bolt housing and through the one or more openings into the compressed gas storage area. 
   
   
       14 . A pneumatic assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein an area within the bolt housing provides part of the compressed gas storage area when the pneumatic assembly is positioned within a paintball gun. 
   
   
       15 . A pneumatic assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the bolt housing comprises a gripping surface on the rearward end of the bolt housing to permit the pneumatic assembly to be removed from the paintball gun without tools. 
   
   
       16 . A solenoid valve assembly for a paintball gun, comprising:
 a lower body section having an input port;   an upper body section having an output port; and   wherein the upper and lower body sections are removably connected together using a tab and detent mechanism.   
   
   
       17 . A solenoid valve assembly according to  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of output ports arranged in the upper body section. 
   
   
       18 . A solenoid valve assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the solenoid valve assembly is configured to selectively supply compressed gas from the input port to one or more of the plurality of output ports. 
   
   
       19 . A solenoid valve according to  claim 18 , wherein the solenoid valve is configured to supply compressed gas to a first input port when the solenoid valve is deactuated. 
   
   
       20 . A solenoid valve according to  claim 19 , wherein the solenoid valve is configured to vent compressed gas from the first input port when the solenoid valve is actuated.