Anti-chop eyes for a paintball marker

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pneumatic marker comprising:
 a body member having a longitudinal bore; and   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.   
     
     
         2 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal is interrupted when the paintball is positioned in the bore. 
     
     
         3 . 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. 
     
     
         4 . 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. 
     
     
         5 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving member is a bolt. 
     
     
         6 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 1  further comprising a transmitter transmitting the signal through at least the first surface. 
     
     
         7 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 1  further comprising a receiver receiving the transmitted signal through the first surface. 
     
     
         8 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 1  further comprising a moving member disposed in the bore. 
     
     
         9 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 1  further comprising 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 elongated member moves from a first position to a second position. 
     
     
         10 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 9 , wherein the protrusion contacts at least a portion of the second surface when the elongated member moves from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         11 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 9 , wherein the protrusion is disposed around the entire circumference of the elongated member. 
     
     
         12 . A pneumatic marker comprising:
 a body member having a longitudinal bore;   a transmitter; and   a first lens disposed between the transmitter and the longitudinal bore, the first lens including 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.   
     
     
         13 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 12  further comprising:
 a receiver; and 
 a second lens disposed between the receiver and the longitudinal bore. 
 
     
     
         14 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 13  further comprising 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. 
     
     
         15 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 13 , wherein the first lens and the second lens are disposed on opposite sides of the bore. 
     
     
         16 . 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; and   a receiver configured to receive at least a portion of the light transmitted through the inner and outer surfaces of the breech member.   
     
     
         17 . The anti-chop eye system according to  claim 16  further comprising a bolt disposed in the bore and having an outer circumference. 
     
     
         18 . The pneumatic marker according to  claim 17  further comprising 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. 
     
     
         19 . The anti-chop eye system according to  claim 16 , wherein the breech member is translucent. 
     
     
         20 . The anti-chop eye system according to  claim 16 , wherein the breech member is transparent.