US-12618634-B2 - Muzzle flash simulator and method for generating light trail

US12618634B2US 12618634 B2US12618634 B2US 12618634B2US-12618634-B2

Abstract

Disclosed are a muzzle flame simulator and a method for generating a light trail. The muzzle flame simulator includes a projectile passage, a projectile sensor, a controller, and at least one simulating flame light source. The projectile passage is disposed inside the muzzle flame simulator. The projectile sensor is coupled to the controller and configured to send a trigger signal to the controller in response to detecting a projectile passing through the projectile passage. The controller includes a signal generator circuit, which is configured to output at least two preset periodically changing control signals. The controller is configured to start the signal generator circuit in response to detecting the trigger signal. The at least one simulating flame light source is coupled to the controller, the simulating flame light source each at least includes two illuminating components that are configured to periodically emit light based on the control signals.

Inventors

Shuxi Xu

Assignees

SANGTIAN TECHNOLOGY(SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230807
Priority Date: 20230527

Claims (14)

1 . A muzzle flame simulator, wherein the muzzle flame simulator is installed at a muzzle of a toy air gun, comprising: a projectile passage disposed inside the muzzle flame simulator, the projectile passage being coaxial with a projectile flight trajectory; a projectile sensor coupled to a controller and configured to send a trigger signal to the controller in response to detecting a projectile passing through the projectile passage; the controller comprising a signal generator circuit, wherein the signal generator circuit is configured to output at least two preset periodically changing control signals, and the at least two preset periodically changing control signals are respectively configured to control brightness, an on state, and an off state of at least two illuminating components with different colors; and the signal generator circuit is a digital signal generator circuit or an analog signal generator circuit; and at least one simulating flame light source coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one simulating flame light source each comprises the at least two illuminating components with different colors, and the at least two illuminating components are configured to periodically emit light of different colors and different intensities to the projectile based on the at least two preset periodically changing control signals, the light of different colors and different intensities are used to form a corresponding light trail based on a projectile flight trajectory; wherein the controller is configured to start the signal generator circuit in response to detecting the trigger signal sent by the projectile sensor to enable the signal generator circuit to output the at least two preset periodically changing control signals and further enable the at least two illuminating components with different colors periodically emit light of different colors and intensities to the projectile based on the at least two preset periodically changing control signals; wherein for each of the at least two preset periodically changing control signals, the control signal contains a positive voltage signal, a duration of the positive voltage signal is calculated by a formula: 3 ⁢ T 2 ⁢ n T represents a period of the control signal, T is less than 0.1 seconds, n represents the number of colors of the illuminating components, and n is greater than 1; wherein a phase difference between two adjacent control signals among the at least two preset periodically changing control signals is calculated by a formula: 360 ⁢ ° n .
2 . The muzzle flame simulator of claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least two preset periodically changing control signals, a proportion of the duration of the positive voltage signal to a period of the control signal remains constant.
3 . The muzzle flame simulator of claim 2 , wherein the period of the control signal is less than time of an afterimage phenomenon on eyes.
4 . The muzzle flame simulator of claim 2 , wherein the at least two preset periodically changing control signals have a same period.
5 . The muzzle flame simulator of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two the control signal has a waveform of any one or any combination of a rectangular wave, a triangular wave, or a sine wave.
6 . The muzzle flame simulator of claim 1 , wherein the toy air gun may be any one of a toy gun, a ball-bearing (BB) gun, a soft-projectile gun, a water-projectile gun, an air BB gun, a soft-air gun, or a paintball gun.
7 . The muzzle flame simulator of claim 1 , wherein the number of control signals is equal to the number of colors of illuminating components in a simulating flame light source.
8 . A method for generating a light trail, applicable to a muzzle flame simulator, wherein the muzzle flame simulator comprises: a projectile passage disposed inside the muzzle flame simulator, the projectile passage being coaxial with a projectile flight trajectory; a projectile sensor coupled to a controller and configured to send a trigger signal to the controller in response to detecting a projectile passing through the projectile passage; the controller comprising a signal generator circuit, wherein the signal generator circuit is configured to output at least two preset periodically changing control signals, and the controller is configured to start the signal generator circuit in response to detecting the trigger signal sent by the projectile sensor to control the signal generator circuit to output the at least two preset periodically changing control signals; and at least one simulating flame light source coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one simulating flame light source each comprises the at least two illuminating components with different colors, and the at least two illuminating components with different colors are configured to periodically emit light of different colors to the projectile based on the at least two preset periodically changing control signals to form a light trail; wherein the method comprises: generating, by the projectile sensor, a trigger signal in response to detecting a projectile passing through a projectile passage inside the muzzle flame simulator; starting the signal generator circuit in response to detecting, by the controller, the trigger signal sent by the projectile sensor, to output at least two preset periodically changing control signals, wherein the at least two preset periodically changing control signals are respectively configured to control brightness, an on state, and an off state of the at least two illuminating components with different colors; and the signal generator circuit is a digital signal generator circuit or an analog signal generator circuit; and periodically emitting, by the at least two illuminating components with different colors of each of the at least one simulating flame, light of different colors and intensities to the projectile based on the at least two preset periodically changing control signals, to form a corresponding light trail based on a projectile flight trajectory; wherein for each of the at least two preset periodically changing control signals, the control signal contains a positive voltage signal, a duration of the positive voltage signal is calculated by a formula: 3 ⁢ T 2 ⁢ n T represents a period of the control signal, T is less than 0.1 seconds, n represents the number of colors of the illuminating components, and n is greater than 1; wherein a phase difference between two adjacent control signals among the at least two preset periodically changing control signals is calculated by a formula 360 ⁢ ° n .
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein for each of the at least two preset periodically changing control signals, in each period, a proportion of the duration of a positive voltage signal to a period of the control signal remains constant.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the period of the control signal is less than time of an afterimage phenomenon on eyes.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least two preset periodically changing control signals have a same period.
12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the at least two the control signal has a waveform of any one or any combination of a rectangular wave, a triangular wave, or a sine wave.
13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the toy air gun may be any one of a toy gun, a ball bullet (BB) gun, a foam dart blaster, a gel ball blaster, an air BB gun, a soft-air gun, or a paintball gun.
14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the number of control signals is equal to the number of colors of illuminating components in a simulating flame light source.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to and the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 202310613377.3, filed May 27, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to the field of toy gun fittings, and in particular to a muzzle flame simulator and a method for generating a light trail. BACKGROUND At present, in an airsoft survival game/wargame, in order to simulate a muzzle flame effect of a real gun or to facilitate observation of a projectile flight trajectory, a muzzle flame simulator for a toy gun is often used to light up the projectile flight trajectory by a simulating flame light source on the muzzle flame simulator, or a tracer charger is used to light up by an ultraviolet lamp a tracer projectile that can absorb light energy such that the tracer projectile up can continue to glow for a while after the tracer projectile leaves the tracer charger, so as to achieve the purpose of displaying the projectile flight trajectory. However, the traditional muzzle flame simulator usually has a single color with a single effect and requires the use of the tracer projectile to produce a luminous effect, which is costly. SUMMARY In a first aspect, a muzzle flame simulator is provided. The muzzle flame simulator is installed at a muzzle of a toy air gun. The muzzle flame simulator includes a projectile passage, a projectile sensor, a controller, and at least one simulating flame light source. The projectile passage is disposed inside the muzzle flame simulator and coaxial with a projectile flight trajectory. The projectile sensor is coupled to a controller and configured to send a trigger signal to the controller in response to detecting a projectile passing through the projectile passage. The controller includes a signal generator circuit, the signal generator circuit is configured to output at least two preset periodically changing control signals, and the at least two preset periodically changing control signals are respectively configured to control brightness, an on state, and an off state of at least two illuminating components with different colors. The signal generator circuit is a digital signal generator circuit or an analog signal generator circuit. The at least one simulating flame light source is coupled to the controller, where the at least one simulating flame light source each includes the at least two illuminating components with different colors. The at least two illuminating components are configured to periodically emit light of different colors and different intensities to the projectile based on the control signals, the light of different colors and different intensities are used to form a corresponding light trail based on a projectile flight trajectory. The controller is configured to start the signal generator circuit in response to detecting the trigger signal sent by the projectile sensor to enable the signal generator circuit to output the at least two preset periodically changing control signals and further enable the at least two illuminating components with different colors periodically emit light of different colors and intensities to the projectile based on the control signals. In a second aspect, a method for generating a light trail is provided. The method for generating the light trail is applicable to a muzzle flame simulator. The muzzle flame simulator is installed at a muzzle of a toy air gun. The muzzle flame simulator includes a projectile passage, a projectile sensor, a controller, and at least one simulating flame light source. The projectile passage is disposed inside the muzzle flame simulator and coaxial with a projectile flight trajectory. The projectile sensor is coupled to a controller and configured to send a trigger signal to the controller in response to detecting a projectile passing through the projectile passage. The controller includes a signal generator circuit, the signal generator circuit is configured to output at least two preset periodically changing control signals, and the at least two preset periodically changing control signals are respectively configured to control brightness, an on state, and an off state of at least two illuminating components with different colors. The signal generator circuit is a digital signal generator circuit or an analog signal generator circuit. The at least one simulating flame light source is coupled to the controller, where the at least one simulating flame light source each includes the at least two illuminating components with different colors. The at least two illuminating components are configured to periodically emit light of different colors and different intensities to the projectile based on the control signals, the light of different colors and different intensities are used to form a corresponding light trail based on a projectile flight trajectory. The controller is configured