High performance launcher of short projectiles with piston nozzle spring

Abstract

A toy projectile launcher having a projectile container, a cocking slide, and a housing is disclosed. The projectile container contains projectile holders that are adapted to hold a projectile, such as a foam dart. The cocking slide can be moved forward and backward. The housing houses a launch barrel and an air piston assembly. When the cocking slide is moved backward the air piston barrel moves backward, and a projectile holder is moved into a firing position. The foam dart is held in place by a resilient stopper. When the cocking slide is moved forward an air nozzle engages a surface of the resilient stopper and advances through the projectile holder, pushing the foam dart into the launch barrel. An airtight seal is formed between the launch barrel and air piston assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy projectile launcher, comprising:
 a cylinder containing a plurality of projectile holders, each projectile holder configured to contain a loaded projectile, wherein the cylinder includes a plurality of resilient projectile stoppers, wherein each resilient projectile stopper abuts a portion of a respective projectile loaded in a respective projectile holder;   a cocking slide that is adapted to be moved forward and backward; and   a housing, the housing having disposed therein:
 a launch barrel; 
 an air piston assembly, the air piston assembly including an air piston barrel having an air nozzle disposed on a front portion thereof, a plunger element, and a compression spring; 
   wherein the cylinder, the launch barrel, and the air piston assembly are each coupled to the cocking slide;   wherein, when the cocking slide is moved backward from a forward position to a backward position:
 a front portion of the air piston barrel moves backward and pushes the plunger element to compress the compression spring against a rear wall of the housing, wherein the plunger element and compression spring are held in place by a latching mechanism; and 
 a projectile advancement mechanism engages the cylinder and advances a next projectile holder containing a loaded projectile into a firing position in front of the air piston barrel; and 
   wherein, when the cocking slide is moved forward from the backward position to the forward position:
 the front portion of the air piston barrel moves forward, forming an internal air chamber between the front portion of the air piston barrel and the plunger element; and 
 the air nozzle moves forward to form an airtight seal between the air piston barrel and the launch barrel, 
 wherein a front portion of the air nozzle engages a trailing surface of one of the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers, 
 wherein, upon said engagement by the front portion of the air nozzle, the one of the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers flexes outward to allow the front portion of the air nozzle to extend through the next projectile holder, 
 wherein the front portion of the air nozzle pushes the loaded projectile in the next projectile holder from the next projectile holder into the launch barrel, and 
 wherein the front portion of the air nozzle connects to the launch barrel to form an airtight seal between the air piston barrel and the launch barrel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the front portion of the air nozzle pushes the loaded projectile from the next projectile holder into a firing position in front of the airtight seal between the launch barrel and the air piston barrel. 
     
     
         3 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the plunger element is sized to form an airtight seal with an internal surface of the air piston barrel. 
     
     
         4 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 3 , wherein the plunger element incorporates a resilient O-ring to form the airtight seal between the plunger element and the internal surface of the air piston barrel. 
     
     
         5 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 3 , wherein the internal surface of the air piston barrel has incorporated thereon a resilient ring, wherein the resilient ring forms an airtight seal between the plunger element and the internal surface of the air piston barrel. 
     
     
         6 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers comprises a plurality of S-shaped cantilever springs. 
     
     
         7 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the latching assembly is coupled between the plunger element and a trigger assembly, wherein the trigger assembly is adapted to be pulled backward by a user of the toy projectile launcher. 
     
     
         8 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 7 , wherein, when the trigger assembly is pulled backward, the coupling of the latching assembly between the plunger element and trigger assembly is released, and the plunger element is pushed forward by the compression spring to expel air from the internal air chamber through the air nozzle disposed on the front portion of the air piston barrel behind the loaded projectile in the firing position. 
     
     
         9 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the projectiles are foam darts. 
     
     
         10 . A toy projectile launcher, comprising:
 a cylinder containing a plurality of projectile holders, each projectile holder configured to contain a loaded projectile, wherein the cylinder includes a plurality of resilient projectile stoppers, wherein each resilient projectile stopper abuts a portion of a respective projectile loaded in a respective projectile holder;   a cocking slide that is adapted to be moved forward and backward; and   a housing, the housing having disposed therein:
 a launch barrel; 
 a launch barrel interface section coupled to the launch barrel; and 
 an air piston assembly, the air piston assembly including an air piston barrel having an air nozzle disposed on a front portion thereof, a plunger element, and a compression spring; 
   wherein the cylinder, the launch barrel, and the air piston assembly are each coupled to the cocking slide;   wherein, when the cocking slide is moved backward from a forward position to a backward position:
 a front portion of the air piston barrel moves backward and pushes the plunger element to compress the compression spring against a rear wall of the housing, wherein the plunger element and compression spring are held in place by a latching mechanism; and 
 a projectile advancement mechanism engages the cylinder and advances a next projectile holder containing a loaded projectile into a firing position in front of the air piston barrel; and 
   wherein, when the cocking slide is moved forward from the backward position to the forward position:
 the front portion of the air piston barrel moves forward, forming an internal air chamber between the front portion of the air piston barrel and the plunger element; and 
 a front portion of the air nozzle forms an airtight connection with the launch barrel via an airtight seal between the launch barrel interface section and the front portion of the air nozzle, 
   wherein the front portion of the air nozzle engages a trailing surface of one of the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers,   wherein, upon said engagement by the front portion of the air nozzle, the one of the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers flexes outward to allow the front portion of the air nozzle to extend through the next projectile holder,   wherein the front portion of the air nozzle pushes the loaded projectile in the next projectile holder from the next projectile holder into the launch barrel interface section.   
     
     
         11 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 10 , wherein the front portion of the air nozzle pushes the loaded projectile from the next projectile holder into a firing position in the launch barrel interface section in front of the airtight seal between the launch barrel interface section and the air nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 11 , wherein the launch barrel interface section has a rounded taper at a rear trailing interior edge thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 12 , wherein the air nozzle has incorporated thereon an O-ring around an outer circumference of the air nozzle, wherein the O-ring of the air nozzle forms a seal around an internal circumference of the launch barrel interface section. 
     
     
         14 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 10 , wherein the plunger element is sized to form an airtight seal with an internal surface of the air piston barrel. 
     
     
         15 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 14 , wherein the plunger element incorporates a resilient O-ring to form the airtight seal between the plunger element and the internal surface of the air piston barrel. 
     
     
         16 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 14 , wherein the internal surface of the air piston barrel has incorporated thereon a resilient ring, wherein the resilient ring forms an airtight seal between the plunger element and the internal surface of the air piston barrel. 
     
     
         17 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers comprises a plurality of S-shaped cantilever springs. 
     
     
         18 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 10 , wherein the latching assembly is coupled between the plunger element and a trigger assembly, wherein the trigger assembly is adapted to be pulled backward by a user of the toy projectile launcher. 
     
     
         19 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 18 , wherein, when the trigger assembly is pulled backward, the coupling of the latching assembly between the plunger element and trigger assembly is released, and the plunger element is pushed forward by the compression spring to expel air from the internal air chamber through the air nozzle disposed on the front portion of the air piston barrel behind the loaded projectile in the firing position. 
     
     
         20 . The toy projectile launcher of  claim 10 , wherein the projectiles are foam darts. 
     
     
         21 . A cylinder for use with a projectile launcher, the projectile launcher having a launch barrel,
 an air piston barrel, and an air nozzle, the cylinder comprising:   a front element including a plurality of projectile holders, wherein each of the plurality of projectile holders is configured to hold a projectile;   a rear element; and   a plurality of resilient projectile stoppers, each resilient projectile stopper corresponding to one of the plurality of projectile holders,   wherein each resilient projectile stopper has a front surface that is maintained at least partially inside of a corresponding projectile holder and abuts and is in direct contact with a rear surface of a projectile held in the corresponding projectile holder so as to maintain the projectile within the corresponding projectile holder;   wherein each of the plurality of projectile holders has a front opening and a rear opening through which the air nozzle of the projectile launcher can extend,   wherein each resilient projectile stopper has a trailing surface configured to be engaged by the air nozzle and, in response to the engagement, to flex away from the corresponding projectile holder and allow the air nozzle to extend through the corresponding projectile holder and push the projectile out of the corresponding projectile holder and into the launch barrel of the projectile launcher, and   wherein an outer diameter of the air nozzle is substantially equal to an inner diameter of the corresponding projectile holder so as to maintain an airtight seal from the launch barrel to the air piston barrel.   
     
     
         22 . The cylinder of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 at least one notch incorporated on the rear element, the at least one notch adapted for engagement with a hook element of an advancement block of the projectile launcher,   wherein, upon engagement between the hook element and the notch, the cylinder rotates to advance a next projectile holder into a firing position within the projectile launcher.   
     
     
         23 . The cylinder of  claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of spring assemblies, each spring assembly anchoring one or more of the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers to the cylinder. 
     
     
         24 . The cylinder of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers are composed of a resilient thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         25 . The cylinder of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers are S-shaped cantilever springs. 
     
     
         26 . The cylinder of  claim 21 , wherein the cylinder is removable from the projectile launcher. 
     
     
         27 . The cylinder of  claim 21 , wherein the projectiles are foam darts. 
     
     
         28 . The cylinder of  claim 21 , wherein the cylinder comprises a unitary assembly that holds the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers. 
     
     
         29 . A toy projectile launcher, comprising:
 a cartridge containing a plurality of projectile holders, each projectile holder configured to contain a loaded projectile, wherein the cartridge includes a plurality of resilient projectile stoppers, wherein each resilient projectile stopper abuts a portion of a respective projectile loaded in a respective projectile holder;   a cocking slide that is adapted to be moved forward and backward; and   a housing, the housing having disposed therein:
 a launch barrel; 
 an air piston assembly, the air piston assembly including an air piston barrel having an air nozzle disposed on a front portion thereof, a plunger element, and a compression spring; 
   wherein the cartridge, the launch barrel, and the air piston assembly are each coupled to the cocking slide;   wherein, when the cocking slide is moved backward from a forward position to a backward position:
 a front portion of the air piston barrel moves backward and pushes the plunger element to compress the compression spring against a rear wall of the housing, wherein the plunger element and compression spring are held in place by a latching mechanism; and 
 a projectile advancement mechanism engages the cartridge and advances a next projectile holder containing a loaded projectile into a firing position in front of the air piston barrel; and 
   wherein, when the cocking slide is moved forward from the backward position to the forward position:
 the front portion of the air piston barrel moves forward, forming an internal air chamber between the front portion of the air piston barrel and the plunger element; and 
 the air nozzle moves forward to form an airtight seal between the air piston barrel and the launch barrel, 
 wherein a front portion of the air nozzle engages a trailing surface of one of the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers, 
 wherein, upon said engagement by the front portion of the air nozzle, the one of the plurality of resilient projectile stoppers flexes upward or downward to allow the front portion of the air nozzle to extend through the next projectile holder, 
 wherein the front portion of the air nozzle pushes the loaded projectile in the next projectile holder from the next projectile holder into the launch barrel, and 
 wherein the front portion of the air nozzle connects to the launch barrel to form an airtight seal between the air piston barrel and the launch barrel.