WO 2017/156309 Al 14 September 2017 (14.09.2017) P O P C T
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(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date WO 2017/156309 Al 14 September 2017 (14.09.2017) P O P C T (51) International Patent Classification: AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, F42B 12/40 (2006.01) F42B 12/76 (2006.01) BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, F42B 6/10 (2006.01) F42B 33/00 (2006.01) DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN, (21) International Application Number: KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, PCT/US20 17/02 1634 MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, (22) International Filing Date: NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, March 2017 (09.03.2017) RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, (25) Filing Language: English ZA, ZM, ZW. (26) Publication Language: English (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every (30) Priority Data: kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, 62/305,720 ' March 2016 (09.03.2016) US GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, (71) Applicant: MSATO, LLC [US/US]; 4 Cooper Ave., TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, Wallingford, CT 06492 (US). DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, (72) Inventor: O'ROURKE, Thomas; 4 Cooper Ave., SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, Wallingford, CT 06492 (US). GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). (74) Agent: SIGALE, Jordan, A.; Dunlap Codding, P.C., Published: P.O.Box 16370, Oklahoma City, OK 73 113 (US). — with international search report (Art. 21(3)) (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, (54) Title: PELLET SHAPED MARKING ROUND FOR AIR RIFLES AND PISTOLS (57) Abstract: A new and novel non- lethal pellet shaped marking round for use with air rifles or air pistols, which utilizes the technology and ballistics of a bullet-shaped pellet projectile, and is de signed to travel through a rifled barrel or a polygonal rifling barrel. Also disclosed is a novel non-lethal marking round pel let designed with grooves which imitate 102 the spiral caused by a rifled barrel while utilizing a smooth bore barrel. PELLET SHAPED MARKING ROUND FOR AIR RIFLES AND PISTOLS INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/305,720 filed March 9, 2016, the entire contents of all of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present disclosure generally relates to ammunition for air rifles, pistols, and similar devices thereof which are to be used in non-lethal and Force on Force training, competition, and target shooting. In particular, the present invention relates to a non-metal pellet shaped marking round for air rifles and air pistols, including, but not limited to airsoft electric guns (AEGs), gas blow-back pistols and rifles (GBBs) and High Pressure Air guns (HPAs). BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE [0003] As background, currently air rifles and air pistols use air pressure to shoot projectiles. Generally, those projectiles can be placed in three different categories. The first category includes BBs which are used with BB guns and BB rifles, which have with smooth bore barrels. BBs are made from steel, which is plated in copper or zinc so that there is no corrosion. BBs measure at 4.34mm to 4.39mm in diameter. There are some plastic BBs on the market that were created by some manufacturers for recreational purposes. The second category of projectiles includes BB pellets, which are used with BB rifles, which have smooth bore or rifled barrels. Generally, these pellets are made of lead, and are shaped similar to a badminton birdie with a weighted head and flared tails. The weighted head allows the pellet to have directional stability, while the flared tail causes aerodynamic drag, which keeps the head pointed straightforward to the line of flight, while also serving to slow down the projectile to make it non-lethal. Metal BB pellets can travel 1,100 feet per second, are designed to penetrate, and can be lethal. The third category of projectiles for use in air rifles and air pistols are plastic round pellets, which are generally 6mm to 8mm in diameter and are various weights, although 0.2 or 0.25 gram weighted plastic is used. These plastic round pellets have good range and accuracy, especially within the 0.2 to 0.25 gram weight range and are non-lethal. [0004] There have been attempts to create marking rounds for use with these air guns, but those prior attempts all utilize the round ball style projectiles. Generally, marking rounds are bullets, similar to BB pellets, which generally contain a luminescent liquid (or powder), and break up upon impact releasing the liquid or powder. The marking rounds are useful in ballistic training because they allow the shooter to see exactly where they hit the target. The shooter can utilize the target information to improve aim. [0005] The prior art teaches marking rounds that could be shot from air rifles and air pistols, but such marking rounds had consistently failed to survive being shot through the air rifles and air pistols, and so the current solution is inadequate. Generally, the marking round is heavily damaged and unable to fulfill its purpose of marking, which is to enable the shooter to use that information to obtain better aim. This is due to the make-up of the marking round, and the effect on the flight of the marking round. This inadequacy of the current marking rounds, for example, makes it extremely difficult for military and law enforcement trainees to see where they hit their opponent or target when using with conventional 6 mm plastic BB rounds. [0006] The biggest hurdle that trainees face is that these marking rounds utilize round ball shaped ammunition which travel down a smooth bore when shot. Currently, the plastic BB round backspins in a standard tightbore barrel due to Magnus effect, which increases the range of flight for the BB, but that backspin energy decreases substantially during flight; thus causing deviations to the trajectory. Alternatively, the plastic BB round is used with an air cushion channel barrel, which has improved accuracy and backspin energy, but still has its faults. Generally, the smooth bore of the rifle sends the marking round on a non-spiraling and unstable course. This is not a realistic model, and creates unreliable ballistics, which makes perfecting accuracy for trainees nearly impossible. Due to this, the air rifle and air pistol trainees do not receive ideal training, and there is a need for a more realistic training model. Thus, there is a need for a marking round that can be successfully shot from an air rifle and air pistol while remaining uncompromised until impact, and while also maintaining an adequate flight range and consistent traj ectory. Specifically, there is an additional need for a marking round that can be successfully shot from an air rifle or air pistol which remains uncompromised and can adequately and reliably mark at distances greater than 70 feet. This is especially important when the air rifle and air pistol are being used in training. [0007] The pellets disclosed in the prior art generally contain lead or other metals which are not environmental friendly. The lead and other metals are frequently ingested by animals and end up in waterways and water sources. Thus, there is a need for marking rounds which contain no lead or other contaminating metals. [0008] The present invention solves the prior shortcomings of the current marking rounds on the market. Specifically, the present invention discloses a new and novel non-lethal pellet shaped marking round for use with air rifles or air pistols. The present invention uses the technology and ballistics of a bullet-shaped pellet projectile. As an additional improvement over the prior art, the novel marking round pellet is designed to travel through a rifled barrel, micro-rifled barrel or a polygonal rifling barrel as opposed to current smooth bore air gun barrels. Alternatively, the novel marking round pellet is designed with grooves which imitate the spiral caused by a rifled barrel even though the pellet is being fired out of a smooth bore barrel. The pellet disclosed in present invention is also heavier than a standard marking round, being generally between 0.20 grams and 0.88 grams, however, this may vary. The heavier marking round allows for better breaking upon impact, and better ballistics training. The novel marking round pellet of the present invention is also made out of non-metal material which protects the environment by preventing ground contamination. [0009] In general, the novel non-lethal marking round pellet of the present invention utilizes a marking tip, which may contain chalk, gelatin based shell coating or sponge rubber type tip, and various other marking style tips, including, but not limited to wax with ink tips for either target shooting or force on force shooting.