ES2404030B1 - BIOPLASTIC BALLS FOR THE PRACTICE OF WAR GAMES AND MILITARY TRAINING. - Google Patents

Abstract

Bioplastic balls for the practice of war games and military training. # The balls are made up of a spherical body made of a biodegradable material, and with a unit weight between 0.20 grams and 0.50 grams, for shooting with replicas of weapons type? Airsoft ?, comprising 100% biodegradable material: a biopolymer from 10% to 80% by weight, mineral powder from 20% by weight to 90% by weight and less than 3% of additives in ream. Biopolymers comprise starch and / or starch derivatives, petroleum derivatives, and polylactic acid (PLA).

Description

BIOPLASTIC BALLS FOR THE PRACTICE OF WAR GAMES AND MILITARY TRAINING. Object of the invention

The present invention refers to bioplastic balls for the practice of war games and military training, understanding as war games the sport called "Airsoft", which uses replicas of firearms, with the ability to shoot said balls, so that its impact does not harm the human being or are lethal to it. These balls are made of 100% biodegradable material, maintaining their ideal conditions of use during the shot.

Field of application of the invention.

This invention is applicable in the field of ammunition for sport and non-lethal shooting practice.

Background of the invention.

"Airsoft" is a real combat simulation sport, or war game, where replicas of firearms are used that shoot light balls, whose impact does not cause damage or are lethal on people. This quality of allowing the use of replicas of firearms very similar to real weapons and that the impacts of the ammunition are not harmful has spread this sport rapidly throughout the United States, Europe and Japan among other countries in the world.

Furthermore, this appearance of "realism" means that "Airsoft" is also used as military training by various armies.

The ammunition used is made up of spherical balls of light materials, whose weight per unit ranges between 0.2 and 0.50 grams, and equipped with an approximate diameter of 5 to 9 millimeters.

At first the balls were made of materials

petroleum-derived plastics, mainly PVC, but their character is not

biodegradable was causing a considerable problem. Indeed, the ammunition

used remains in the place of the practice of combat or war game,

mainly scenarios in nature and buildings intended for this use.

As these balls are difficult to collect once used and scattered

through the terrain, constitute a source of contamination and dirt

considerable, especially in natural areas, where they can

stay for hundreds of years.

There are balls of partially biodegradable materials, which easily degrade in the environment. These balls present the problem that their spherical constitution is more irregular and they are easily deformed, which is why they tend to get stuck inside the barrel of replica weapons, causing breakdowns and malfunction of said replicas.

In addition, these biodegradable balls that are currently used are made with materials that begin to decompose in contact with air. These biodegradable balls are supplied to the consumer in vacuum sealed containers and when the container is opened the balls have a limited time for use. This represents another problem, since relatively old balls tend to break prematurely within the mechanism and barrel of the replica, thereby jamming and eventually damaging the replica.

The document PCT W09964809 is known as "Replica of weapon" (LES TROIS PYLONES), and that describes a replica of weapon that includes: a substantially elongated part that carries the projectile ejection barrel, a downwardly angled part that serves as a handle and a receptacle to receive the magazine, the elongated part of the casing containing a projectile ejection mechanism and a drive mechanism religated to a trigger, and - a stock

mounted longitudinally movable on the elongated part of the housing to

load a projectile into the barrel and arm the ejection mechanism. This

replica weapon comprises an integrated means of control to locate, without

prior disassembly, the possible blocking place of a projectile in the butt

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and / or the casing, said control means being constituted on the one hand at the

less than the cylinder head and the transparent plastic casing.

This replica weapon seeks to solve the problem of jamming

balls inside the mechanism and barrel by means of the possibility of making a

visual inspection of the replica of the weapon to detect the jammed ball. This

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This solution would not have been necessary if the balls had properties

homogeneous and optimal construction for clean operation of the

replica, which is not possible with current biodegradable balls.

The applicant of the present invention is unaware of the existence

of antecedents that satisfactorily resolve the problem

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exposed.

Description of the invention

The bioplastic balls for the practice of war games and

military training, object of this invention, present some

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technical features designed to enable 100% biodegradation

in the environmental environment, providing conditions of use

optimal in replicas of weapons type "Airsoft" with which they are fired,

avoiding traffic jams inside said replica weapons.

Bioplastic balls for the practice of war games or

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military training are made up of a spherical body of a

biodegradable material with a unit weight between 0.20 grams and

0.50 grams, for shooting with replicas of "Airsoft" type weapons.

According to the invention, the balls comprise a

100% biodegradable biopolymer from 10% to 80% by weight, mineral powder

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20% by weight to 90% by weight and less than 3% additives in

ream.

These biopolymers exhibit programmed decomposition

in the environment that allows such balls to be totally harmless

to the environment, from the origin and its manufacture, to its decomposition.

Under normal composting conditions, 90% of the mass of

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Biopolymers biodegrade into gases, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and

water before the first six months, leaving a solid residue of

biomass of 10%. Thus, 100% biodegradability is achieved, complying

with this with the regulations in force.

Thus in one embodiment, the biopolymers comprise starch and / or

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derived from starch of vegetable origin.

Other biopolymers used of plant origin include:

derivatives of rubber, latex, starches and / or celluloses.

In other embodiments, the biopolymers used are also

obtained from algae, tomato cutin and chitosan from shells

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of crustaceans.

It is also foreseen that the biopolymers used

They include derivatives of petroleum. For example thermoplastics

biodegradable and biodegradable elastomeric polymers, such as rubber

synthetic among others.

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In another embodiment, the biopolymers comprise acid

polylactic (PLA)

The mineral powder comprises at least one compound a

choose from the following: carbonates and mineral salts, such as

calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or barium sulfate.

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The biopolymers mentioned have the advantage that they are

100% biodegradable in the environment due to the effect of

microorganisms, and fully compostable. This enables its total

neutral incorporation in a natural environment, if there is

contamination because the balls remain for a long period of time without

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decompose or because they dump polluting substances in said environment.

In all these cases, the biopolymers make it possible for the balls to

are manufactured with a stable and completely spherical shape, without burrs,

dents or deformations, thereby ensuring that the operation of the

the same in replica weapons is perfect. Biopolymers are

decompose rapidly in contact with microorganisms in the

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environment due to its total composting, and the mineral dust is totally inert

in such an environment.

In one embodiment, the balls have a unit weight of 0.2

grams, from 30% to 80% by weight of starch and starch derivatives, of

20% to 70% by weight of mineral powder and less than 3% of additives in

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resin.

In another embodiment, the balls have a unit weight of 0.25

grams, 10% to 60% by weight of starch derivatives, 40% to

90% by weight of mineral powder and less than 3% of additives in resin.

In a third embodiment, heavier, and intended to obtain

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a more precise trajectory, the balls have a unit weight

between 0.28 grams and 0.50 grams, from 10% to 50% by weight

of starch derivatives, 50% and 90% by weight of mineral powder and

less than 3% additives in resin.

These formulations to make the balls are also useful

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to make balls of other weights, such as 0.30 grams, 0.35 grams, 0.40

grams, 0.43 grams and 0.50 grams.

These 100% biodegradable balls meet the European standard

EN 13432: 2000 regarding recovery requirements by means of

composting and biodegradation. Compliance with this standard is due to

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biodegradable behavior of biopolymers once these balls are

spread in the environment after use.

The balls also comply with the international ISO standard

14855-1: 2005 on the determination of the aerobic biodegradation of

plastics and composting controlled disintegration.

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Preferred embodiment of the invention

In a preferred embodiment, a bioplastic ball for use as a projectile in a replica firearm, type "Airsoft", comprises a spherical body approximately 6 millimeters in diameter and 0.25 grams in weight. In this case, the ball comprises 50% by weight of starch derivatives and 50% by weight of mineral powder.

Once the nature of the invention has been sufficiently described, as well as an example of a preferred embodiment, it is stated for the appropriate purposes that the materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements

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Claims (2)

1.-Bioplastic balls for the practice of war games or military training, of the type formed by a spherical body of 5 a biodegradable material with a unit weight between 0.20 grams and 0.50 grams and a caliber between 5 and 9 millimeters, for firing with replicas of "Airsoft" type weapons, characterized in that they comprise a 100% biodegradable biopolymer consisting of : • polylactic acid (PLA), or 10 • tomato cutin, or

•

biopolymers obtained from algae, or

•

chitosan from crustacean shells, or

•

a combination of the above

10% to 80% by weight, mineral powder from 20% to 90% by weight and less than 3% resin additives. 2.-Balls, according to claim 1, characterized in that the mineral powder comprises at least one compound to be chosen from the following: carbonates and mineral salts, such as calcium carbonate, 20 sodium bicarbonate or barium sulfate.