Paintball loader systems

Abstract

A paintball loader system designed to efficiently deliver paintballs to a paintball gun. The drive mechanism is a screw-type design comprising a resilient auger. A microcontroller is programmed to automatically adjust the rotation of the auger based on data from multiple sensor points within the loader. The auger is mounted such that both rotational axial movements are enabled during operation. The axial movement of the auger is used to maintain a constant force on the paintballs awaiting loading within the paintball gun.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application is a continuation of, and is related to and claims priority from, application Ser. No. 12 / 058,619, filed Mar. 28, 2008, entitled “PAINTBALL LOADER SYSTEMS”, which prior application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 909,373, filed Mar. 30, 2007, entitled “PAINTBALL LOADER SYSTEMS”, and, prior provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 989,720, filed Nov. 21, 2007, entitled “PAINTBALL LOADER SYSTEMS”, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by this reference and are not admitted to be prior art with respect to the present invention by the mention in this cross-reference section.BACKGROUND[0002]This invention relates to paintball loader systems. More particularly, it relates to providing paintball loader systems to efficiently deliver paintballs to a paintball gun (also known as paintball markers).[0003]The game of paintball involves participants utilizing paintball ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system that provides high loading speeds while reducing paintball breakage during loading. It is another object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system that provides high loading forces while reducing point loads on surface of the paintballs.

[0009]It is another object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system that maintains a substantially constant loading on a paintball “stack” extending to the paintball gun. It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system that assists in removing debris from the paintball storage compartment of the loader. It is another object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system that can be disassembled for cleaning without the use of tools.

[0010]It is another object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system that utilizes a lightweight auger and that adjusts the rotation of the auger in response to the firing rate of the paintball gun. It is another object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system that utilizes a resilient auger to control force loads on the paintballs during loading. It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system that reduces transfer loads between paintballs by reducing the length of the paintball “stack”. It is another object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system that relocates stored paintballs from poor loading positions to favorable loading positions.

[0015]Additionally, it provides such a paintball loader system, wherein such at least one operating conditions detector comprises at least one resistance detector structured and arranged to detect resistance to conveyance of the at least one paintball toward such at least one ball passage. Also, it provides such a paintball loader system, further comprising: at least one debris catcher structured and arranged to catch paintball-related debris occurring within such at least one paintball storage compartment during use; and at least one debris passage structured and arranged to pass such paintball-related debris from such at least one paintball storage compartment to such at least one debris catcher, and restrict passage of the paintballs from such at least one paintball storage compartment to such at least one debris catcher; wherein operation of such at least one rotatable auger moves the paintballs toward such at least one ball passage and assists movement of such paintball-related debris to such at least one debris catcher; and wherein a reduction of such paintball-related debris adjacent the paintballs during delivery to the at least one paintball gun is achieved.

[0020]In accordance with another preferred embodiment hereof, this invention provides a paintball loader system comprising: at least one paintball storer structured and arranged to store paintballs; at least one ball passage structured and arranged to pass the paintballs between such at least one paintball storer and at least one paintball gun; at least one rotatable conveyer structured and arranged to convey the paintballs from such at least one paintball storer to such at least one ball passage; at least one rotational mount structured and arranged to rotatably mount such at least one rotatable conveyer within such at least one paintball storer; and at least one rotator structured and arranged to rotate such at least one rotatable conveyer; wherein such at least one rotatable conveyer comprises at least one rotation-derived-force exerter structured and arranged to exert at least one rotation-derived force on at least one paintball during such rotation; and wherein such at least one rotation-derived-force exerter comprises at least one axial-direction propeller structured and arranged to propel the at least one paintball toward such at least one ball passage along at least one axial direction of such at least one rotatable conveyer, and at least one rotation-derived-force limiter structured and arranged to limit such at least one rotation-derived force; and at least one rotational-characteristics controller structured and arranged to control rotational characteristics of such at least one rotatable conveyer; wherein such at least one rotational-characteristics controller comprises at least one operating conditions detector structured and arranged to detect operating conditions of such at least one rotatable conveyer; and at least one rotational-characteristics adjuster structured and arranged to adjust such rotational characteristics of such at least one rotatable conveyer based upon such operating conditions; wherein such at least one rotational-characteristics adjuster comprises at least one rotational-speed adjuster structured and arranged to adjust rotational speed of such at least one rotatable conveyer, and at least one rotational-direction adjuster structured and arranged to adjust rotational direction of such at least one rotatable conveyer means; and wherein such at least one operating conditions detector comprises at least one resistance detector structured and arranged to detect resistance to such at least one axial-direction propeller, and ball-passage-flow sensor structured and arranged to sense flow of the at least one paintball in such at least one ball passage means; and at least one debris catcher structured and arranged to catch paintball-related debris occurring within such at least one paintball storer during use; and at least one debris passage structured and arranged to pass such paintball-related debris from such at least one paintball storer to such at least one debris catcher, and restrict passage of the paintballs from such at least one paintball storer to such debris catcher; wherein operation of such at least one rotatable conveyer moves the paintballs toward such at least one ball passage and assists movement of such paintball-related debris to such at least one debris catcher; and wherein a reduction of such paintball-related debris adjacent the paintballs during delivery to the at least one paintball gun is achieved.

[0034]In accordance with another preferred embodiment hereof, this invention provides a paintball loader system comprising: at least one paintball storage compartment to store paintballs; at least one ball passage structured and arranged to pass the paintballs between such at least one paintball storage compartment and at least one paintball gun; at least one rotating conveyor to convey the paintballs from such at least one paintball storage compartment to such at least one ball passage; at least one catch tray structured and arranged to catch ball-associated debris occurring within such at least one paintball storage compartment during use; and at least one debris passage structured and arranged to pass such ball-associated debris from such at least one paintball storage compartment to such at least one catch tray, and restrict passage of the paintballs from such at least one paintball storage compartment to such at least one catch tray; wherein operation of such at least one rotating conveyor moves the paintballs toward such at least one ball passage and assists movement of such ball-related debris to such at least one catch tray; and wherein a reduction of paintball-related debris adjacent the paintballs during delivery to the at least one paintball gun is achieved.

Problems solved by technology

Electronically controlled guns are generally capable of very high rates of fire, so much so that the limiting factor in firing speed is typically the rate at which “paint” can be loaded into the gun.

Often a player will experience missed shots or skipped shots due to a hopper not keeping up with the operation of the gun.

A significant problem with high-speed loading of paintballs is the controlled application of forces on the paintball.

High loading velocities are generally associated with the application of high levels of force to the paintballs.

The inherent fragility of the paintballs limits the maximum level of force that can be concentrated on the surface of the ball without breakage.

An additional problem related to high-speed loading of paintballs is the need for consistent feeding of paintballs into the gun, without interference or interruption.

Occasionally, a paintball will break within the hopper hindering the operation.

The closed construction of conventional hoppers makes cleaning both difficult and time-consuming.

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