摘要 |
<p>Apparatus for synchronizing the aiming and firing of the solid projectile gun of a microballistic printer or the like. In the preferred embodiment, a microphone acoustically coupled to an inlet used to supply pressurized air to the ball gun senses the pressure drop occurring in the ball gun pressure chamber when a ball is fired. The microphone output is used by the ball gun control system to determine when the ball has left the ball gun, allowing the ball gun to be redirected at a new target location. In alternative embodiments of the invention, a microphone disposed adjacent the muzzle of the ball gun and an optical detector are respectively used to sense when a ball has been fired.</p> |