Removable magazines for projectile launchers and methods of operation

Abstract

Removable magazines for projectile launchers, combinations thereof, and methods of use. Such a magazine has a body configured to be slidingly received into a magazine receiver of a launcher, a projectile chamber inside the body for carrying projectiles, a cavity disposed inside the body for receiving a canister, and a puncture needle disposed at an upper end of the cavity by which the canister can be pierced to release a compressed gas. A canister seat is disposed at a lower end of the cavity and is adapted to be translatable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the canister seat is closer to the puncture needle in the extended position than in the retracted position. The canister seat translates in response to translation of a piercing plate, wherein the piercing plate is in a retracted position the canister seat is in the extended position thereof.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 747,658 filed Jan. 21, 2025, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINTINVENTOR

[0002] The present disclosure is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 19 / 023,866 filed Jan. 16, 2025, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 747,155 filed Jan. 20, 2025. The contents of these patent documents are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention generally relates to projectile launchers, their components, and their methods of operation. The invention more particularly relates to removable magazines for projectile launchers, combinations of a removable magazine with a projectile launcher, and methods of using removable magazines.

[0004] The term “air gun” is commonly used to refer to a projectile launcher that is configured as a gun and shoots a projectile by releasing an amount of compressed air, carbon dioxide (CO2), or other gas (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as gas as a matter of convenience) to propel the projectile upon actuating a trigger assembly, such as by pulling a finger trigger. In some air guns, the compressed gas is supplied by a canister carried on or within the gun, a charge of a predetermined quantity of the gas is released from the canister by means of the trigger assembly, and the compressed gas is conducted to a launching assembly to forcefully propel the projectile through a barrel of the gun.

[0005] Before the compressed gas can be utilized by the gun, the canister containing the gas must first be pierced. With some air guns, the canister is pierced during installation of the canister into the gun, in which case an issue arises as a result of a tendency for the compressed gas to leak from the pierced canister over time. Consequently, it is possible that the canister will contain little if any compressed gas when use of the air gun is needed. While posing a minor nuisance if the air gun is used for recreation, such a scenario can be a serious matter if the air gun is used for self-defense or law enforcement, for example, to launch a frangible projectile that contains an irritant, such as a pepper powder or pepper gel capable of serving as a non-lethal payload against an attacker or other intended target. Moreover, the user may be unaware of the lack of sufficient compressed gas until the trigger is pulled.

[0006] The necessity to separately supply and install projectiles and a compressed gas canister can be cumbersome and slow, again posing a serious matter if the air gun is used for self-defense or law enforcement. Some air guns, often in the general form of semi-automatic air pistols, have a removable magazine that holds both a compressed gas canister and a number of projectiles. The magazine is typically removably received within a grip of the air gun. A challenge with such designs, however, is to allow reloading of projectiles into the magazine without releasing unused compressed gas from the canister during such reloading.

[0007] In view of the above, it would also be desirable if a projectile launcher were available that was equipped with a removable magazine in which projectiles can be reloaded without losing unspent pressurized gas from a gas canister. It would be further desirable if such a magazine was configured to allow the canister to be pierced after installation of the canister, such as immediately prior to use, to ensure that the canister will contain a sufficient amount of compressed gas to propel a projectile even after extended periods of time after the canister was installed.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The intent of this section of the specification is to briefly indicate the nature and substance of the invention, as opposed to an exhaustive statement of all subject matter and aspects of the invention. Therefore, while this section identifies subject matter recited in the claims, additional subject matter and aspects relating to the invention are set forth in other sections of the specification, particularly the detailed description, as well as any drawings.

[0009] The present invention provides, but is not limited to, removable magazines for projectile launchers, combinations of a removable magazine with a projectile launcher, and methods of using removable magazines.

[0010] According to a nonlimiting aspect, a removable magazine is configured to be installed in a projectile launcher, carry and dispense projectiles to the projectile launcher, and carry a canister that contains a compressed gas for propelling the projectiles from the projectile launcher. The magazine has a body configured to be slidingly received into a magazine receiver of the projectile launcher so that a lower end of the body protrudes from the magazine receiver. The magazine further includes a projectile chamber inside the body for carrying the projectiles and a projectile feeder disposed in the projectile chamber for dispensing the projectiles to the projectile launcher. A canister cavity is disposed inside the body for receiving the canister, and a puncture needle is disposed at an upper end of the canister cavity by which the canister within the canister cavity can be pierced to release the compressed gas to a launching mechanism of the projectile launcher. A canister seat is disposed at a lower end of the canister cavity and is adapted to be translatable toward and away from the upper end of the canister cavity between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the canister seat is closer to the puncture needle in the extended position than in the retracted position. A piercing unit is located at the lower end of the body of the removable magazine. The piercing unit includes a base, a nub that protrudes from the base, and a piercing plate mounted to and retained on the nub to enable the piercing plate to translate toward and away from the base between an extended position of the piercing plate and a retracted position of the piercing plate. The canister seat translates in response to translation of the piercing plate, such that when the piercing plate is in the extended position thereof the piercing plate is spaced apart from the base and the canister seat is in the retracted position thereof, and such that when the piercing plate is in the retracted position thereof the piercing plate is adjacent the base and the canister seat is in the extended position thereof. The magazine further includes a canister release button reciprocably disposed on the piercing unit. The canister release button has a nonextended position that indicates that the canister is not engaged by the puncture needle and the canister release button has an extended position that indicates that the canister is engaged with the puncture needle. Depressing the canister release button causes the canister release button to translate from the extended position thereof to the nonextended position thereof to release the piercing plate from the retracted position thereof and travel to the extended position thereof and thereby disengage the canister from the puncture needle.

[0011] According to another nonlimiting aspect, a method of operating the removable magazine includes, with the removable magazine being outside the magazine receiver and the piercing plate of the piercing unit being in the extended position thereof, inserting the canister into the canister cavity such that a lower end of the canister is seated on the canister seat and a upper end of the canister is spaced apart from the puncture needle. The removable magazine is then installed into the magazine receiver, and the piercing plate is translated to the retracted position thereof to puncture the canister with the puncture needle and sealingly seat the upper end of the canister in a receiver socket surrounding the puncture needle.

[0012] According to yet another nonlimiting aspect, a combination is provided of a removable magazine as described above and a projectile launcher, wherein the removable magazine is received in the magazine receiver of the projectile launcher.

[0013] Technical aspects of magazines, combinations, and methods as described above preferably include the ability of the removable magazine to be reloaded without losing unspent pressurized gas from a canister installed in the magazine, and the ability of the canister to be pierced after installation of the canister, such as immediately prior to use, to ensure that the canister will contain a sufficient amount of compressed gas to propel a projectile even after extended periods of time after the canister was installed.

[0014] These and other aspects, arrangements, features, and / or technical effects will become apparent upon detailed inspection of the figures and the following description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a side view of a projectile launcher and removable magazine according to a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

[0016] FIGS. 2A and 2B are fragmentary side views that reveal interior components of the magazine of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2A shows the magazine with a compressed gas canister installed in the magazine and FIG. 2B represents the magazine being loaded with a projectile and the canister removed.

[0017] FIGS. 3A and 3B are rear perspective views showing the projectile launcher of FIG. 1 with the magazine installed, wherein FIG. 3A shows the projectile launcher in an initial state with the magazine installed but prior to a canister within the magazine being pierced by a puncture needle located within the magazine, and FIG. 3B represents the projectile launcher in an activation state in which a piercing unit located at a lower end of the magazine has been operated to cause the canister to be pierced by the puncture needle.

[0018] FIGS. 4A and 4B are rear perspective views of a lower end of the projectile launcher in the initial state of FIG. 3A, wherein FIG. 4A provides an exterior view of the piercing unit and FIG. 4B provides a fragmentary view that reveals interior components of the piercing unit.

[0019] FIGS. 5A and 5B are rear perspective views of the lower end of the projectile launcher in the activation state of FIG. 3B, wherein FIG. 5A provides an exterior view of the piercing unit and FIG. 5B provides a fragmentary view that reveals interior components of the piercing unit.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the lower end of the projectile launcher of FIGS. 3A and 3B, wherein the piercing unit of the magazine is shown in a canister release state.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of an upper end of the magazine revealing a valve assembly with which compressed gas within the canister can be delivered to a projectile launching mechanism within the projectile launcher of FIG. 1.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The intended purpose of the following detailed description of the invention and the phraseology and terminology employed therein is to describe what is shown in the drawings, which include the depiction of and / or relate to one or more nonlimiting embodiments of the invention, and to describe certain but not all aspects of what is depicted in the drawings, including the embodiment(s) depicted in the drawings. The following detailed description also identifies certain but not all alternatives of the embodiment(s) depicted in the drawings. As nonlimiting examples, the invention encompasses additional or alternative embodiments in which one or more features or aspects shown and / or described as part of a particular embodiment could be eliminated, and also encompasses additional or alternative embodiments that combine two or more features or aspects shown and / or described as part of different embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims, and not the detailed description, are intended to particularly point out subject matter regarded to be aspects of the invention, including certain but not necessarily all of the aspects and alternatives described in the detailed description.

[0023] Although the invention will be described hereinafter in reference to projectile launchers in the form of a semi-automatic hand pistol shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the teachings of the invention are more generally applicable to a variety of types of air guns and devices that operate to use a supply of compressed gas, such as air, CO2, or other (non-ignited) gases, to forcefully eject a projectile.

[0024] To facilitate the description provided below of the embodiment(s) represented in the drawings, relative terms, including but not limited to, “proximal,”“distal,”“anterior,”“posterior,”“vertical,”“horizontal,”“lateral,”“front,”“rear,”“side,”“forward,”“rearward,”“top,”“bottom,”“upper,”“lower,”“above,”“below,”“right,”“left,” etc., may be used in reference to the orientation of the magazine and / or the projectile launcher during its use and / or as represented in the drawings. All such relative terms are useful to describe the illustrated embodiment(s) but should not be otherwise interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0025] As used herein the terms “a” and “an” to introduce a feature are used as open-ended, inclusive terms to refer to at least one, or one or more of the features, and are not limited to only one such feature unless otherwise expressly indicated. Similarly, use of the term “the” in reference to a feature previously introduced using the term “a” or “an” does not thereafter limit the feature to only a single instance of such feature unless otherwise expressly indicated.

[0026] Turning now to the nonlimiting embodiment represented in the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a projectile launcher 10 as including a barrel 11 that defines a forward direction and a rearward direction of the project launcher 10. The projectile launcher 10 further includes a removable magazine 12 installable within a magazine receiver (magazine well) 13 inside a grip 14 of the launcher 10 by sliding the magazine 12 upwardly into the magazine receiver 13 through an opening in a lower end of the grip 14, and a magazine release button 16 by which the magazine 12 can be released and removed from the grip 14. Internal components of the launcher 10 not shown in FIG. 1 include a launching chamber from which projectiles are launched through the barrel 11 and a launching mechanism operative to launch the projectiles from the launching chamber. The launcher 10 also includes a trigger 15 and a grip safety 17 adapted to prevent the trigger 15 from being actuated (pivoted) unless released by the grip safety 17 by actuating (depressing) the grip safety 17 to cause it to rotate toward the grip 14. The grip safety 17 and grip 14 are ergonomically designed so that the grip safety 17 can be actuated as a result of a user grasping the grip 14 in the palm of their hand.

[0027] As best seen in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the magazine 12 has an outer body (e.g., an elongate shell) 12A that is shaped complementary to the magazine receiver 13 in the grip 14. A projectile feeder 19 is disposed inside a projectile chamber 18 sized to receive at least one, and preferably several projectiles 20, and a canister cavity 22 sized to receive a compressed gas canister 24 (sometimes also called a gas cartridge). In this example, the projectiles 20 are frangible spherical shells capable of containing an irritant, such as a pepper powder or gel, though other types of projectiles could be used. The canister 24 preferably contains compressed carbon dioxide (CO2), though any compressed gas suitable for operating the projectile launcher 10 could be used. An opening 26 through a side wall of the magazine 12 is sized and shaped to allow the canister 24 to be inserted into and removed from the canister cavity 22. A piercing pin, such as a puncture needle 40, is disposed at an upper end of the canister cavity 22 by which the canister 24 can be pierced to release the compressed gas to the launching mechanism of the launcher 10.

[0028] The projectile feeder 19 may be arranged in any suitable manner to store and selectively feed the projectiles 20 as ammunition in the projectile launcher 10. In this example, the projectile feeder 19 preferably includes a spring (not shown) and a follower (visible in FIGS. 2A and 2B) such that projectiles 20 can be loaded into the projectile chamber 18 by pressing the projectiles 20 down against the follower through an opening at an upper end of the magazine 12. The spring urges the follower and the uppermost projectile 20 in the projectile chamber 18 upwardly toward the upper end. When the projectile launcher 10 loads the uppermost projectile 20 into its launching chamber, the follower pushes the next projectile up to the opening. However, other projectile feeding mechanisms suitable for feeding the projectiles 20 into the launching chamber of the projectile launcher 10 when in its operative position can be used.

[0029] As also seen in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a movable canister seat 28 is disposed within the canister cavity 22 at a lower end thereof. The canister seat 28 translates up and down along a vertical axis of the canister cavity 22 in response to movement of a piercing plate 36, which is a component of a piercing unit 12B located at a lower end of the body 12A of the magazine 12. The piercing unit 12B further comprises a base 32 and a nub 34 that protrudes downward from the base 32. The piercing plate 36 is mounted to and retained on the nub 34 with posts 38A and 38B that are received in bores within the nub 34 to enable the piercing plate 36 to translate or reciprocate toward and away from the base 32, as represented in FIGS. 3A and 3B. As evident from FIGS. 3A and 3B, the lower end of the body 12A and the piercing unit 12B disposed at the lower end of the body 12A protrude from the magazine receiver 13 when the magazine 12 is installed in the receiver 13.

[0030] The canister seat 28 is disposed at an upper end of the post 38A so that translation of the piercing plate 36 toward and away from the base 32 causes the seat 28 to translate up and down within the cavity 22, and therefore toward and away from the upper end of the canister cavity 22 between a retracted position (FIG. 4A) and an extended position (FIG. 5A) wherein the canister seat 28 is closer to the puncture needle 40 in its extended position than in its retracted position. The piercing plate 36 can also be described as having an extended position and a retracted position, which are depicted in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, respectively. When the piercing plate 36 is in its extended position (FIG. 3A), the piercing plate 36 is spaced apart from the base 32 such that the nub 34 is exposed and the canister seat 28 is disposed closer to the lower end of the canister cavity 22 than when the piercing plate 36 is in its retracted position. When the piercing plate 36 is in its retracted position (FIG. 3B), the piercing plate 36 is adjacent the base 32 such that the nub 34 is concealed and the canister seat 28 are disposed closer to the upper end of the canister cavity 22 (and the puncture needle 40 thereat) than when the piercing plate 36 is in its extended position. The stroke length of the piercing plate 36 and the canister seat 28 is sufficient to shift an upper end 24A of the canister 24 upwardly against the puncture needle 40 at the upper end of the canister cavity 22.

[0031] As indicated in the drawings, the piercing plate 36 has two positions (extended in FIGS. 3A, 4A, and 4B, and retracted in FIGS. 3B, 5A, and 5B) corresponding to positions of the canister 24 within the magazine cavity 22 in which the canister 24 is not pierced and is pierced, respectively, by the puncture needle 40. As shown in FIGS. 3A, 4A, and 4B, when the piercing plate 36 is in its extended (lower) position, a canister release button 30 reciprocably disposed in the base 32 of the piercing unit 12B is in a nonextended (retracted) position to indicate that the canister 24 is in its lowermost position within the cavity 22 and is not engaged by the puncture needle 40. Such a configuration is referred to herein as an initial condition of the launcher 10. As shown in FIGS. 3B, 5A, and 5B, when the piercing plate 36 is in its retracted (upper) position, the canister release button 30 is in an extended position to indicate that the canister 24 is in its uppermost position within the cavity 22 and is engaged with (pierced by) the puncture needle 40. Such a configuration is referred to herein as an activation condition of the launcher 10. The button 30 interacts with the post 38A so as to extend and retract in response to the movement of the piercing plate 36. For example, the button 30 and piercing plate 36 may have interlocking features (not shown) so that the piercing plate 36 can only move when the button 30 is in its nonextended position (FIGS. 3A, 4A, and 4B). The button 30 extends to lock the piercing plate 36 in its retracted position when the piercing plate 36 is caused to travel to its retracted position (FIGS. 3B, 5A, and 5B). In this manner, after the canister 24 is installed in the magazine 12 and the magazine is installed in the grip 14, the canister 24 can be caused to be pierced by the puncture needle 40 by bumping or otherwise forcibly urging the piercing plate 36 upward into its retracted position. This ability of the canister 24 to be pierced after installation of the canister 24 in the magazine 12, such as immediately prior to use of the launcher 10, ensures that the canister 24 will contain a sufficient amount of compressed gas to propel a projectile even after extended periods of time after the canister 24 was installed.

[0032] As shown by FIG. 6, by manually depressing the button 30 to cause the button 30 to translate from the extended position thereof to the nonextended position thereof, the piercing plate 36 is released from its retracted position and free to travel to its extended position, thus disengaging the canister 24 from the puncture needle 40.

[0033] To load a compressed gas canister 24 into the canister cavity 22, the piercing plate 36 is placed in the extended position (FIGS. 3A, 4A and 4B)such that the canister seat 28 is retracted toward the lower end of the cavity 22 (i.e., shifted away from the puncture needle 40). The canister 24 can then be inserted into the canister cavity 22 between the puncture needle 40 and the canister seat 28, for example, through the opening 26 in the side wall of the magazine 12, with the upper end 24A of the canister 24 facing the puncture needle 40 and a lower end of the canister 24 placed on the canister seat 28 (FIG. 2A). The piercing plate 36 is then bumped or otherwise forcibly urged upward into its retracted position (FIGS. 3B, 5A and 5B), which forces the canister seat 28 upward and the upper end 24A of the canister 24 into a seated position within a receiver socket 56 surrounding the puncture needle 40, as shown in FIG. 7. In the position represented in FIG. 7, a seal (not shown) within the upper end 24A of the canister 24 is pierced by the puncture needle 40, such that the compressed gas inside the canister 24 can flow through the puncture needle 40 without leaking around the puncture needle 40, and a gas-tight seal is formed by a seal, such an O-ring 54 or other type of seal, between the canister 24 and the receiver socket 56. In this position, the piercing plate 36 and the canister release button 30 retain the gas canister 24 in its seated position inside the magazine 12 for use in the projectile launcher 10. In the seated position, the magazine 12 loaded with the canister 24 is ready for firing the projectile launcher 10 when in the operative position in the magazine receiver 13. When it is desired to remove the gas canister 24 from the magazine 12, for example to reload a spent canister with a new charged gas canister, the canister release button 30 is pressed to allow the piercing plate 36 to translate back to the extended position, which lowers the canister seat 28 away from the puncture needle 40, and the canister 24 can then be removed from the canister cavity 22 manually by the user.

[0034] With further reference to FIG. 7, the magazine 12 includes a gas valve assembly 58 that only opens when the magazine 12 is inserted and retained in the operative position in the projectile launcher 10 to prevent compressed gas in the canister 24 from escaping through the puncture needle 40 when the canister 24 is seated in the receiver socket 56 but not yet inserted into the operative position in the magazine receiver 13. The valve assembly 58 may be any valve arrangement sufficient to prevent the escape of the compressed gas from the magazine 12 prior to being inserted into the magazine receiver 13. In the nonlimiting embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a connecting chamber 65 fluidly connects the puncture needle 40 to a coupler opening 66 that is located at the outlet of the valve assembly 58 and is adapted to be engaged by a male coupler 68 of the launcher 10, such as an elongate nipple connector at the end of a gas supply channel(s) of the launching mechanism of the projectile launcher 10. A valve assembly 58 is disposed in the connecting chamber 65 and is equipped with a ball 52 and valve seat 60 so as to be operable to prevent gas flow through the connecting chamber 65 to the coupler opening 66. The valve assembly 58 further comprises a valve plunger 62 that urges the ball 52 against the valve seat 60 as a result of being biased, such as with a spring 64. Unless pressed away from the valve seat 60 by some other object, such as the male coupler 68, the ball 52 and any positive gas pressure from the canister 24 forces the valve plunger 62 against the valve seat 60 to form a gas-tight seal within the connecting chamber 65, thereby preventing the compressed gas from exiting through the coupler opening 66. However, when the canister 24 is in its seated position in the receiver socket 56 and the magazine 12 is in the operative position in the magazine receiver 13, a distal end of the male coupler 68 inserts into the coupler opening 66 and presses the ball 52 away from the valve seat 60. One or more gas channels (not shown) within the male coupler 68 allow the compressed gas to flow through the male coupler 68 and to the launching mechanism of the launcher 10. A seal is formed between the male coupler 68 and the coupler opening 66, such as by an O-ring 70 or other type of seal member, disposed around an inner wall of the coupler opening 66 to prevent escape of compressed gas between the male coupler 68 and the coupler opening 66. When the magazine 12 is removed from the magazine receiver 13, the male coupler 68 pulls out of the coupler opening 66 and disengages from the ball 52, which allows the spring 64 to urge the valve plunger 62 to reseal the ball 52 against the valve seat 60. Thus, the valve assembly 58 allows a charged canister 24 to be loaded and seated into the magazine 12 without losing any compressed gas to the surrounding environment. It also allows the magazine 12 to be removed from its operative position in the magazine receiver 13, for example to load or reload projectiles 20 into the projectile feeder 19 without losing an excessive amount of compressed gas from the gas canister 24.

[0035] As previously noted above, though the foregoing detailed description describes certain aspects of one or more particular embodiments of the invention, alternatives could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the projectile launcher 10, magazine 12, projectiles 20 and / or their components could differ in appearance and construction from the embodiments described herein and shown in the drawings, functions of certain components of the projectile launcher 10, magazine 12, and / or projectiles 20 could be performed by components of different construction but capable of a similar (though not necessarily equivalent) function, and various materials could be used in the fabrication of the projectile launcher 10, magazine 12, projectiles 20 and / or their components. As such, and again as was previously noted, it should be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to any particular embodiment described herein or illustrated in the drawings.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0022]The intended purpose of the following detailed description of the invention and the phraseology and terminology employed therein is to describe what is shown in the drawings, which include the depiction of and / or relate to one or more nonlimiting embodiments of the invention, and to describe certain but not all aspects of what is depicted in the drawings, including the embodiment(s) depicted in the drawings. The following detailed description also identifies certain but not all alternatives of the embodiment(s) depicted in the drawings. As nonlimiting examples, the invention encompasses additional or alternative embodiments in which one or more features or aspects shown and / or described as part of a particular embodiment could be eliminated, and also encompasses additional or alternative embodiments that combine two or more features or aspects shown and / or described as part of different embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims, and not the detailed description, are intended...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 747,658 filed Jan. 21, 2025, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINTINVENTOR

[0002] The present disclosure is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 19 / 023,866 filed Jan. 16, 2025, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 747,155 filed Jan. 20, 2025. The contents of these patent documents are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention generally relates to projectile launchers, their components, and their methods of operation. The invention more particularly relates to removable magazines for projectile launchers, combinations of a removable magazine with a projectile launcher, and methods of using removable magazines.

[0004] The term “air gun” is commonly used to refer to a projectile launcher that is configured as a gun and shoots a projectile by releasing an amount of compressed air, carbon dioxide (CO2), or other gas (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as gas as a matter of convenience) to propel the projectile upon actuating a trigger assembly, such as by pulling a finger trigger. In some air guns, the compressed gas is supplied by a canister carried on or within the gun, a charge of a predetermined quantity of the gas is released from the canister by means of the trigger assembly, and the compressed gas is conducted to a launching assembly to forcefully propel the projectile through a barrel of the gun.

[0005] Before the compressed gas can be utilized by the gun, the canister containing the gas must first be pierced. With some air guns, the canister is pierced during installation of the canister into the gun, in which case an issue arises as a result of a tendency for the compressed gas to leak from the pierced canister over time. Consequently, it is possible that the canister will contain little if any compressed gas when use of the air gun is needed. While posing a minor nuisance if the air gun is used for recreation, such a scenario can be a serious matter if the air gun is used for self-defense or law enforcement, for example, to launch a frangible projectile that contains an irritant, such as a pepper powder or pepper gel capable of serving as a non-lethal payload against an attacker or other intended target. Moreover, the user may be unaware of the lack of sufficient compressed gas until the trigger is pulled.

[0006] The necessity to separately supply and install projectiles and a compressed gas canister can be cumbersome and slow, again posing a serious matter if the air gun is used for self-defense or law enforcement. Some air guns, often in the general form of semi-automatic air pistols, have a removable magazine that holds both a compressed gas canister and a number of projectiles. The magazine is typically removably received within a grip of the air gun. A challenge with such designs, however, is to allow reloading of projectiles into the magazine without releasing unused compressed gas from the canister during such reloading.

[0007] In view of the above, it would also be desirable if a projectile launcher were available that was equipped with a removable magazine in which projectiles can be reloaded without losing unspent pressurized gas from a gas canister. It would be further desirable if such a magazine was configured to allow the canister to be pierced after installation of the canister, such as immediately prior to use, to ensure that the canister will contain a sufficient amount of compressed gas to propel a projectile even after extended periods of time after the canister was installed.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The intent of this section of the specification is to briefly indicate the nature and substance of the invention, as opposed to an exhaustive statement of all subject matter and aspects of the invention. Therefore, while this section identifies subject matter recited in the claims, additional subject matter and aspects relating to the invention are set forth in other sections of the specification, particularly the detailed description, as well as any drawings.

[0009] The present invention provides, but is not limited to, removable magazines for projectile launchers, combinations of a removable magazine with a projectile launcher, and methods of using removable magazines.

[0010] According to a nonlimiting aspect, a removable magazine is configured to be installed in a projectile launcher, carry and dispense projectiles to the projectile launcher, and carry a canister that contains a compressed gas for propelling the projectiles from the projectile launcher. The magazine has a body configured to be slidingly received into a magazine receiver of the projectile launcher so that a lower end of the body protrudes from the magazine receiver. The magazine further includes a projectile chamber inside the body for carrying the projectiles and a projectile feeder disposed in the projectile chamber for dispensing the projectiles to the projectile launcher. A canister cavity is disposed inside the body for receiving the canister, and a puncture needle is disposed at an upper end of the canister cavity by which the canister within the canister cavity can be pierced to release the compressed gas to a launching mechanism of the projectile launcher. A canister seat is disposed at a lower end of the canister cavity and is adapted to be translatable toward and away from the upper end of the canister cavity between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the canister seat is closer to the puncture needle in the extended position than in the retracted position. A piercing unit is located at the lower end of the body of the removable magazine. The piercing unit includes a base, a nub that protrudes from the base, and a piercing plate mounted to and retained on the nub to enable the piercing plate to translate toward and away from the base between an extended position of the piercing plate and a retracted position of the piercing plate. The canister seat translates in response to translation of the piercing plate, such that when the piercing plate is in the extended position thereof the piercing plate is spaced apart from the base and the canister seat is in the retracted position thereof, and such that when the piercing plate is in the retracted position thereof the piercing plate is adjacent the base and the canister seat is in the extended position thereof. The magazine further includes a canister release button reciprocably disposed on the piercing unit. The canister release button has a nonextended position that indicates that the canister is not engaged by the puncture needle and the canister release button has an extended position that indicates that the canister is engaged with the puncture needle. Depressing the canister release button causes the canister release button to translate from the extended position thereof to the nonextended position thereof to release the piercing plate from the retracted position thereof and travel to the extended position thereof and thereby disengage the canister from the puncture needle.

[0011] According to another nonlimiting aspect, a method of operating the removable magazine includes, with the removable magazine being outside the magazine receiver and the piercing plate of the piercing unit being in the extended position thereof, inserting the canister into the canister cavity such that a lower end of the canister is seated on the canister seat and a upper end of the canister is spaced apart from the puncture needle. The removable magazine is then installed into the magazine receiver, and the piercing plate is translated to the retracted position thereof to puncture the canister with the puncture needle and sealingly seat the upper end of the canister in a receiver socket surrounding the puncture needle.

[0012] According to yet another nonlimiting aspect, a combination is provided of a removable magazine as described above and a projectile launcher, wherein the removable magazine is received in the magazine receiver of the projectile launcher.

[0013] Technical aspects of magazines, combinations, and methods as described above preferably include the ability of the removable magazine to be reloaded without losing unspent pressurized gas from a canister installed in the magazine, and the ability of the canister to be pierced after installation of the canister, such as immediately prior to use, to ensure that the canister will contain a sufficient amount of compressed gas to propel a projectile even after extended periods of time after the canister was installed.

[0014] These and other aspects, arrangements, features, and / or technical effects will become apparent upon detailed inspection of the figures and the following description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a side view of a projectile launcher and removable magazine according to a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

[0016] FIGS. 2A and 2B are fragmentary side views that reveal interior components of the magazine of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2A shows the magazine with a compressed gas canister installed in the magazine and FIG. 2B represents the magazine being loaded with a projectile and the canister removed.

[0017] FIGS. 3A and 3B are rear perspective views showing the projectile launcher of FIG. 1 with the magazine installed, wherein FIG. 3A shows the projectile launcher in an initial state with the magazine installed but prior to a canister within the magazine being pierced by a puncture needle located within the magazine, and FIG. 3B represents the projectile launcher in an activation state in which a piercing unit located at a lower end of the magazine has been operated to cause the canister to be pierced by the puncture needle.

[0018] FIGS. 4A and 4B are rear perspective views of a lower end of the projectile launcher in the initial state of FIG. 3A, wherein FIG. 4A provides an exterior view of the piercing unit and FIG. 4B provides a fragmentary view that reveals interior components of the piercing unit.

[0019] FIGS. 5A and 5B are rear perspective views of the lower end of the projectile launcher in the activation state of FIG. 3B, wherein FIG. 5A provides an exterior view of the piercing unit and FIG. 5B provides a fragmentary view that reveals interior components of the piercing unit.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the lower end of the projectile launcher of FIGS. 3A and 3B, wherein the piercing unit of the magazine is shown in a canister release state.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of an upper end of the magazine revealing a valve assembly with which compressed gas within the canister can be delivered to a projectile launching mechanism within the projectile launcher of FIG. 1.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The intended purpose of the following detailed description of the invention and the phraseology and terminology employed therein is to describe what is shown in the drawings, which include the depiction of and / or relate to one or more nonlimiting embodiments of the invention, and to describe certain but not all aspects of what is depicted in the drawings, including the embodiment(s) depicted in the drawings. The following detailed description also identifies certain but not all alternatives of the embodiment(s) depicted in the drawings. As nonlimiting examples, the invention encompasses additional or alternative embodiments in which one or more features or aspects shown and / or described as part of a particular embodiment could be eliminated, and also encompasses additional or alternative embodiments that combine two or more features or aspects shown and / or described as part of different embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims, and not the detailed description, are intended to particularly point out subject matter regarded to be aspects of the invention, including certain but not necessarily all of the aspects and alternatives described in the detailed description.

[0023] Although the invention will be described hereinafter in reference to projectile launchers in the form of a semi-automatic hand pistol shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the teachings of the invention are more generally applicable to a variety of types of air guns and devices that operate to use a supply of compressed gas, such as air, CO2, or other (non-ignited) gases, to forcefully eject a projectile.

[0024] To facilitate the description provided below of the embodiment(s) represented in the drawings, relative terms, including but not limited to, “proximal,”“distal,”“anterior,”“posterior,”“vertical,”“horizontal,”“lateral,”“front,”“rear,”“side,”“forward,”“rearward,”“top,”“bottom,”“upper,”“lower,”“above,”“below,”“right,”“left,” etc., may be used in reference to the orientation of the magazine and / or the projectile launcher during its use and / or as represented in the drawings. All such relative terms are useful to describe the illustrated embodiment(s) but should not be otherwise interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0025] As used herein the terms “a” and “an” to introduce a feature are used as open-ended, inclusive terms to refer to at least one, or one or more of the features, and are not limited to only one such feature unless otherwise expressly indicated. Similarly, use of the term “the” in reference to a feature previously introduced using the term “a” or “an” does not thereafter limit the feature to only a single instance of such feature unless otherwise expressly indicated.

[0026] Turning now to the nonlimiting embodiment represented in the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a projectile launcher 10 as including a barrel 11 that defines a forward direction and a rearward direction of the project launcher 10. The projectile launcher 10 further includes a removable magazine 12 installable within a magazine receiver (magazine well) 13 inside a grip 14 of the launcher 10 by sliding the magazine 12 upwardly into the magazine receiver 13 through an opening in a lower end of the grip 14, and a magazine release button 16 by which the magazine 12 can be released and removed from the grip 14. Internal components of the launcher 10 not shown in FIG. 1 include a launching chamber from which projectiles are launched through the barrel 11 and a launching mechanism operative to launch the projectiles from the launching chamber. The launcher 10 also includes a trigger 15 and a grip safety 17 adapted to prevent the trigger 15 from being actuated (pivoted) unless released by the grip safety 17 by actuating (depressing) the grip safety 17 to cause it to rotate toward the grip 14. The grip safety 17 and grip 14 are ergonomically designed so that the grip safety 17 can be actuated as a result of a user grasping the grip 14 in the palm of their hand.

[0027] As best seen in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the magazine 12 has an outer body (e.g., an elongate shell) 12A that is shaped complementary to the magazine receiver 13 in the grip 14. A projectile feeder 19 is disposed inside a projectile chamber 18 sized to receive at least one, and preferably several projectiles 20, and a canister cavity 22 sized to receive a compressed gas canister 24 (sometimes also called a gas cartridge). In this example, the projectiles 20 are frangible spherical shells capable of containing an irritant, such as a pepper powder or gel, though other types of projectiles could be used. The canister 24 preferably contains compressed carbon dioxide (CO2), though any compressed gas suitable for operating the projectile launcher 10 could be used. An opening 26 through a side wall of the magazine 12 is sized and shaped to allow the canister 24 to be inserted into and removed from the canister cavity 22. A piercing pin, such as a puncture needle 40, is disposed at an upper end of the canister cavity 22 by which the canister 24 can be pierced to release the compressed gas to the launching mechanism of the launcher 10.

[0028] The projectile feeder 19 may be arranged in any suitable manner to store and selectively feed the projectiles 20 as ammunition in the projectile launcher 10. In this example, the projectile feeder 19 preferably includes a spring (not shown) and a follower (visible in FIGS. 2A and 2B) such that projectiles 20 can be loaded into the projectile chamber 18 by pressing the projectiles 20 down against the follower through an opening at an upper end of the magazine 12. The spring urges the follower and the uppermost projectile 20 in the projectile chamber 18 upwardly toward the upper end. When the projectile launcher 10 loads the uppermost projectile 20 into its launching chamber, the follower pushes the next projectile up to the opening. However, other projectile feeding mechanisms suitable for feeding the projectiles 20 into the launching chamber of the projectile launcher 10 when in its operative position can be used.

[0029] As also seen in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a movable canister seat 28 is disposed within the canister cavity 22 at a lower end thereof. The canister seat 28 translates up and down along a vertical axis of the canister cavity 22 in response to movement of a piercing plate 36, which is a component of a piercing unit 12B located at a lower end of the body 12A of the magazine 12. The piercing unit 12B further comprises a base 32 and a nub 34 that protrudes downward from the base 32. The piercing plate 36 is mounted to and retained on the nub 34 with posts 38A and 38B that are received in bores within the nub 34 to enable the piercing plate 36 to translate or reciprocate toward and away from the base 32, as represented in FIGS. 3A and 3B. As evident from FIGS. 3A and 3B, the lower end of the body 12A and the piercing unit 12B disposed at the lower end of the body 12A protrude from the magazine receiver 13 when the magazine 12 is installed in the receiver 13.

[0030] The canister seat 28 is disposed at an upper end of the post 38A so that translation of the piercing plate 36 toward and away from the base 32 causes the seat 28 to translate up and down within the cavity 22, and therefore toward and away from the upper end of the canister cavity 22 between a retracted position (FIG. 4A) and an extended position (FIG. 5A) wherein the canister seat 28 is closer to the puncture needle 40 in its extended position than in its retracted position. The piercing plate 36 can also be described as having an extended position and a retracted position, which are depicted in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, respectively. When the piercing plate 36 is in its extended position (FIG. 3A), the piercing plate 36 is spaced apart from the base 32 such that the nub 34 is exposed and the canister seat 28 is disposed closer to the lower end of the canister cavity 22 than when the piercing plate 36 is in its retracted position. When the piercing plate 36 is in its retracted position (FIG. 3B), the piercing plate 36 is adjacent the base 32 such that the nub 34 is concealed and the canister seat 28 are disposed closer to the upper end of the canister cavity 22 (and the puncture needle 40 thereat) than when the piercing plate 36 is in its extended position. The stroke length of the piercing plate 36 and the canister seat 28 is sufficient to shift an upper end 24A of the canister 24 upwardly against the puncture needle 40 at the upper end of the canister cavity 22.

[0031] As indicated in the drawings, the piercing plate 36 has two positions (extended in FIGS. 3A, 4A, and 4B, and retracted in FIGS. 3B, 5A, and 5B) corresponding to positions of the canister 24 within the magazine cavity 22 in which the canister 24 is not pierced and is pierced, respectively, by the puncture needle 40. As shown in FIGS. 3A, 4A, and 4B, when the piercing plate 36 is in its extended (lower) position, a canister release button 30 reciprocably disposed in the base 32 of the piercing unit 12B is in a nonextended (retracted) position to indicate that the canister 24 is in its lowermost position within the cavity 22 and is not engaged by the puncture needle 40. Such a configuration is referred to herein as an initial condition of the launcher 10. As shown in FIGS. 3B, 5A, and 5B, when the piercing plate 36 is in its retracted (upper) position, the canister release button 30 is in an extended position to indicate that the canister 24 is in its uppermost position within the cavity 22 and is engaged with (pierced by) the puncture needle 40. Such a configuration is referred to herein as an activation condition of the launcher 10. The button 30 interacts with the post 38A so as to extend and retract in response to the movement of the piercing plate 36. For example, the button 30 and piercing plate 36 may have interlocking features (not shown) so that the piercing plate 36 can only move when the button 30 is in its nonextended position (FIGS. 3A, 4A, and 4B). The button 30 extends to lock the piercing plate 36 in its retracted position when the piercing plate 36 is caused to travel to its retracted position (FIGS. 3B, 5A, and 5B). In this manner, after the canister 24 is installed in the magazine 12 and the magazine is installed in the grip 14, the canister 24 can be caused to be pierced by the puncture needle 40 by bumping or otherwise forcibly urging the piercing plate 36 upward into its retracted position. This ability of the canister 24 to be pierced after installation of the canister 24 in the magazine 12, such as immediately prior to use of the launcher 10, ensures that the canister 24 will contain a sufficient amount of compressed gas to propel a projectile even after extended periods of time after the canister 24 was installed.

[0032] As shown by FIG. 6, by manually depressing the button 30 to cause the button 30 to translate from the extended position thereof to the nonextended position thereof, the piercing plate 36 is released from its retracted position and free to travel to its extended position, thus disengaging the canister 24 from the puncture needle 40.

[0033] To load a compressed gas canister 24 into the canister cavity 22, the piercing plate 36 is placed in the extended position (FIGS. 3A, 4A and 4B)such that the canister seat 28 is retracted toward the lower end of the cavity 22 (i.e., shifted away from the puncture needle 40). The canister 24 can then be inserted into the canister cavity 22 between the puncture needle 40 and the canister seat 28, for example, through the opening 26 in the side wall of the magazine 12, with the upper end 24A of the canister 24 facing the puncture needle 40 and a lower end of the canister 24 placed on the canister seat 28 (FIG. 2A). The piercing plate 36 is then bumped or otherwise forcibly urged upward into its retracted position (FIGS. 3B, 5A and 5B), which forces the canister seat 28 upward and the upper end 24A of the canister 24 into a seated position within a receiver socket 56 surrounding the puncture needle 40, as shown in FIG. 7. In the position represented in FIG. 7, a seal (not shown) within the upper end 24A of the canister 24 is pierced by the puncture needle 40, such that the compressed gas inside the canister 24 can flow through the puncture needle 40 without leaking around the puncture needle 40, and a gas-tight seal is formed by a seal, such an O-ring 54 or other type of seal, between the canister 24 and the receiver socket 56. In this position, the piercing plate 36 and the canister release button 30 retain the gas canister 24 in its seated position inside the magazine 12 for use in the projectile launcher 10. In the seated position, the magazine 12 loaded with the canister 24 is ready for firing the projectile launcher 10 when in the operative position in the magazine receiver 13. When it is desired to remove the gas canister 24 from the magazine 12, for example to reload a spent canister with a new charged gas canister, the canister release button 30 is pressed to allow the piercing plate 36 to translate back to the extended position, which lowers the canister seat 28 away from the puncture needle 40, and the canister 24 can then be removed from the canister cavity 22 manually by the user.

[0034] With further reference to FIG. 7, the magazine 12 includes a gas valve assembly 58 that only opens when the magazine 12 is inserted and retained in the operative position in the projectile launcher 10 to prevent compressed gas in the canister 24 from escaping through the puncture needle 40 when the canister 24 is seated in the receiver socket 56 but not yet inserted into the operative position in the magazine receiver 13. The valve assembly 58 may be any valve arrangement sufficient to prevent the escape of the compressed gas from the magazine 12 prior to being inserted into the magazine receiver 13. In the nonlimiting embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a connecting chamber 65 fluidly connects the puncture needle 40 to a coupler opening 66 that is located at the outlet of the valve assembly 58 and is adapted to be engaged by a male coupler 68 of the launcher 10, such as an elongate nipple connector at the end of a gas supply channel(s) of the launching mechanism of the projectile launcher 10. A valve assembly 58 is disposed in the connecting chamber 65 and is equipped with a ball 52 and valve seat 60 so as to be operable to prevent gas flow through the connecting chamber 65 to the coupler opening 66. The valve assembly 58 further comprises a valve plunger 62 that urges the ball 52 against the valve seat 60 as a result of being biased, such as with a spring 64. Unless pressed away from the valve seat 60 by some other object, such as the male coupler 68, the ball 52 and any positive gas pressure from the canister 24 forces the valve plunger 62 against the valve seat 60 to form a gas-tight seal within the connecting chamber 65, thereby preventing the compressed gas from exiting through the coupler opening 66. However, when the canister 24 is in its seated position in the receiver socket 56 and the magazine 12 is in the operative position in the magazine receiver 13, a distal end of the male coupler 68 inserts into the coupler opening 66 and presses the ball 52 away from the valve seat 60. One or more gas channels (not shown) within the male coupler 68 allow the compressed gas to flow through the male coupler 68 and to the launching mechanism of the launcher 10. A seal is formed between the male coupler 68 and the coupler opening 66, such as by an O-ring 70 or other type of seal member, disposed around an inner wall of the coupler opening 66 to prevent escape of compressed gas between the male coupler 68 and the coupler opening 66. When the magazine 12 is removed from the magazine receiver 13, the male coupler 68 pulls out of the coupler opening 66 and disengages from the ball 52, which allows the spring 64 to urge the valve plunger 62 to reseal the ball 52 against the valve seat 60. Thus, the valve assembly 58 allows a charged canister 24 to be loaded and seated into the magazine 12 without losing any compressed gas to the surrounding environment. It also allows the magazine 12 to be removed from its operative position in the magazine receiver 13, for example to load or reload projectiles 20 into the projectile feeder 19 without losing an excessive amount of compressed gas from the gas canister 24.

[0035] As previously noted above, though the foregoing detailed description describes certain aspects of one or more particular embodiments of the invention, alternatives could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the projectile launcher 10, magazine 12, projectiles 20 and / or their components could differ in appearance and construction from the embodiments described herein and shown in the drawings, functions of certain components of the projectile launcher 10, magazine 12, and / or projectiles 20 could be performed by components of different construction but capable of a similar (though not necessarily equivalent) function, and various materials could be used in the fabrication of the projectile launcher 10, magazine 12, projectiles 20 and / or their components. As such, and again as was previously noted, it should be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to any particular embodiment described herein or illustrated in the drawings.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0022]The intended purpose of the following detailed description of the invention and the phraseology and terminology employed therein is to describe what is shown in the drawings, which include the depiction of and / or relate to one or more nonlimiting embodiments of the invention, and to describe certain but not all aspects of what is depicted in the drawings, including the embodiment(s) depicted in the drawings. The following detailed description also identifies certain but not all alternatives of the embodiment(s) depicted in the drawings. As nonlimiting examples, the invention encompasses additional or alternative embodiments in which one or more features or aspects shown and / or described as part of a particular embodiment could be eliminated, and also encompasses additional or alternative embodiments that combine two or more features or aspects shown and / or described as part of different embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims, and not the detailed description, are intended...

Claims

1. A removable magazine configured to be installed in a projectile launcher, carry and dispense projectiles to the projectile launcher, and carry a canister that contains a compressed gas for propelling the projectiles from the projectile launcher, the magazine comprising:a body configured to be slidingly received into a magazine receiver of the projectile launcher so that a lower end of the body protrudes from the magazine receiver;a projectile chamber inside the body for carrying the projectiles and a projectile feeder disposed in the projectile chamber for dispensing the projectiles to the projectile launcher;a canister cavity disposed inside the body for receiving the canister, the canister cavity having upper and lower ends;a puncture needle disposed at the upper end of the canister cavity by which the canister within the canister cavity can be pierced to release the compressed gas to a launching mechanism of the projectile launcher;a canister seat disposed at the lower end of the canister cavity, the canister seat being translatable toward and away from the upper end of the canister cavity between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the canister seat is closer to the puncture needle in the extended position than in the retracted position;a piercing unit located at the lower end of the body of the removable magazine, the piercing unit comprising a base, a nub that protrudes from the base, and a piercing plate mounted to and retained on the nub to enable the piercing plate to translate toward and away from the base between an extended position of the piercing plate and a retracted position of the piercing plate, the canister seat translating in response to translation of the piercing plate, wherein when the piercing plate is in the extended position thereof the piercing plate is spaced apart from the base and the canister seat is in the retracted position thereof, and wherein when the piercing plate is in the retracted position thereof the piercing plate is adjacent the base and the canister seat is in the extended position thereof; anda canister release button reciprocably disposed on the piercing unit, the canister release button having a nonextended position that indicates that the canister is not engaged by the puncture needle and the canister release button having an extended position that indicates that the canister is engaged with the puncture needle, wherein depressing the canister release button to cause the canister release button to translate from the extended position thereof to the nonextended position thereof releases the piercing plate from the retracted position thereof to travel to the extended position thereof and thereby disengage the canister from the puncture needle.

2. The removable magazine of claim 1, wherein the piercing plate is mounted to and retained on the nub with at least a first post that is received in at least a first bore within the nub to enable the piercing plate to translate between the retracted and extended positions thereof.

3. The removable magazine of claim 2, wherein the canister seat is disposed at an upper end of the first post so that translation of the piercing plate causes the canister seat between the retracted and extended positions thereof.

4. The removable magazine of claim 3, wherein the canister release button interacts with the first post so as to extend and retract in response to translation of the piercing plate.

5. The removable magazine of claim 1, wherein the piercing plate can only translate when the canister release button is in the nonextended position thereof.

6. The removable magazine of claim 5, wherein the canister release button extends to lock the piercing plate in the retracted position thereof when the piercing plate is caused to translate to the retracted position thereof.

7. The removable magazine of claim 6, wherein after the canister is installed in the magazine and the magazine is installed in the magazine receiver, the canister can be caused to be pierced by the puncture needle by forcibly urging the piercing plate to the retracted position thereof.

8. The removable magazine of claim 1, further comprising:a coupler opening disposed at an upper end of the magazine;a connecting chamber coupling the coupler opening with the puncture needle; anda gas valve assembly disposed in the connecting chamber between the coupler opening and the puncture needle, the gas valve assembly being configured to normally close the connecting chamber.

9. The removable magazine of claim 1, further comprising the canister disposed inside the canister cavity, the canister comprising a lower end and a upper end, the lower end of the canister being seated on the canister seat and the upper end of the canister having a seal that is pierced by the puncture needle when the canister seat is in the extended position thereof.

10. The removable magazine of claim 1, further comprising at least one projectile disposed inside the projectile chamber and engaged by the projectile feeder.

11. A method of operating the removable magazine of claim 1, the method comprising:with the removable magazine being outside the magazine receiver and the piercing plate of the piercing unit being in the extended position thereof, inserting the canister into the canister cavity such that a lower end of the canister is seated on the canister seat and an upper end of the canister is spaced apart from the puncture needle;installing the removable magazine into the magazine receiver; andtranslating the piercing plate to the retracted position thereof to puncture the canister with the puncture needle and sealingly seat the upper end of the canister in a receiver socket surrounding the puncture needle.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising inserting at least one projectile into the projectile chamber.

13. A combination of the removable magazine of claim 1 and the projectile launcher, wherein the removable magazine is received in the magazine receiver of the projectile launcher.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein the projectile launcher includes a male coupler fluidly coupled to the coupler opening of the removable magazine to open a gas valve assembly within the magazine.

Images