Abstract:
A paintball marker conversion unit includes a projectile staging mechanism and adapter. The adapter couples the projectile staging mechanism to a conventional paintball marker with a particular barrel configuration. Different adapters can be used to couple the projectile staging mechanism to different conventional paintball markers with different barrel configurations. Thus, the projectile staging mechanism may coupled with various paintball markers provided a proper adapter is utilized to match a particular barrel configuration. The paintball marker conversion unit allows a conventional paintball marker to fire projectiles other than paintballs.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/885,102 filed on Jan. 16, 2007 and incorporates it by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This application relates to paintball markers and, more particularly, to a paintball marker conversion unit to allow a paintball marker to fire projectiles other than paintballs. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Paintball markers are widely used in various recreational environments, such as simulated war games where the intent to shoot at an opposing player with a paintball, thus marking the opposing player with a particular paint color. Paintball markers using compressed air or gas for power are well known. Typically paintball markers are pneumatically powered, i.e., compressed air or gas powered, and mechanically operated markers are pneumatically powered. 
         [0004]    Paintball markers are manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes and have different types of internal mechanisms or actions therein. The internal mechanism or action is housed in a receiver of the marker. A magazine for holding a plurality of paintballs is connectable to the marker. Such markers include all elongated barrel, which extends from the receiver and from which the projectile is discharged, and a trigger housing connected to the receiver. The trigger housing carries a trigger mechanism, which includes a manually operated trigger for controlling the discharge of projectiles from the marker. 
         [0005]    The sportsman that enjoys paintball markers may also have an interest in small caliber pneumatically powered projectile conveyors as well. The ammunition fired by a small caliber pneumatically powered projectile conveyors includes, but is not limited to, .177 caliber BBs, .177 caliber pellets, .25 caliber ball bearings, 6 mm airsoft rounds, and other small caliber ammunition. These various types of ammunition can be fired pneumatically, as well as mechanically. Because there is a plurality of small caliber ammunition that can be fired pneumatically, there arises a need for a universal device that can fire a wide range of projectiles pneumatically. 
         [0006]    The sportsman wishing to use a small caliber, pneumatically powered, projectile conveyors has a need for the increased versatility of a device that can fire a plurality of types of projectiles. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a paintball marker, a projectile staging mechanism, and an adapter comprise an apparatus able to fire a plurality of different types and sizes of projectiles. The paintball marker, which would have its standard barrel removed, includes a pneumatically-powered firing mechanism, and an input for receiving paintballs. The projectile staging mechanism, which receives and subsequently fires the plurality of different projectiles, attaches to the paintball marker in the place of the removed standard barrel. An adapter fits between the paintball marker and the projectile staging mechanism to mount or attach the paintball marker to the projectile staging mechanism. 
         [0008]    In a specific embodiment, a paintball marker conversion unit includes a projectile staging mechanism having a barrel with a projectile inlet hole position along a sidewall of the barrel. The projectile staging mechanism has an attachment end. An adapter has first and second ends where the first end is selectively removeably coupled to the attachment end of the projectile staging mechanism and the second end is configured to selectively removeably couple to a paintball marker. The adapter further has a tube with a first end slideably engaging the barrel of the projectile staging mechanism and a second end configured to engage the paintball marker when the adapter is coupled to the paintball marker. When a trigger of the paintball marker is activated the tube moves forward to generally seal the projectile inlet hole and allow pressurized gas from the paintball marker to discharge the projectile out of the barrel. 
         [0009]    The first and second ends of the adapter may be threaded. In addition, the adapter may include a retaining ring to rotatingly fix the adapter to the attachment end of the projectile staging mechanism. In so doing, the projectile staging mechanism can be fixed at a desired rotational angle relative to the paintball marker. 
         [0010]    The projectile staging mechanism may include a magazine well for receiving and retaining a magazine suitable for holding projectiles. In that regard, the magazine well may include a magazine retaining mechanism that is selectively moveable to release a magazine retained in the magazine well. In one example, the magazine retaining mechanism includes a lever and oppositely disposed buttons. Either the lever or the two buttons may be operated to release a magazine from the magazine well. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment of the paintball marker conversion unit the barrel has a first diameter and the tube has second diameter. The first diameter is greater than the second diameter such that the tube may slide inside of the barrel, such as when the projectile is fired out of the projectile staging mechanism. In another embodiment, the first diameter is less than the second diameter such that the tube slides over of the barrel such as when the projectile is fired out of the projectile staging mechanism. 
         [0012]    In one embodiment, sometimes referred to as an indirect drive embodiment, the adapter includes a bias member, such as a spring, that is operatively couple to the tube so as to bias the tube toward the paintball marker. This arrangement creates an essentially airtight seal between the tube and paintball marker when the adapter is coupled to the paintball marker. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment, sometimes referred to as an direct drive embodiment, the tube has a threaded end that couples to a bolt of the paintball marker when the adapter is coupled to the paintball marker. As such, the tube and bolt move together when the paintball marker is fired. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a paintball marker conversion unit mounted to conventional paintball marker. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a disassembled perspective view of the paintball conversion unit and conventional paintball marker of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3A  is a partial cross-sectional view of the paintball marker conversion unit and conventional paintball marker of  FIG. 1  shown with a projectile in the barrel and the tube fully retracted. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3B  is a partial cross-sectional view of the paintball marker conversion unit and conventional paintball marker of  FIG. 3A  shown with the tube contacting the projectile and covering the projectile inlet hole. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3C  is a partial cross-sectional view of the paintball marker conversion unit and conventional paintball marker of  FIG. 3A  shown with the tube in its forward most position and the projectile traveling down the barrel. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3D  is cross-sectional view of the tube contacting the projectile and covering the projectile inlet hole. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a disassembled perspective view of the magazine with a three-way release mechanism. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the magazine of  FIG. 4  taken along line  5 - 5 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 6A  is a cross-sectional view of the magazine of  FIG. 5  taken along line  6 A- 6 A of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 6B  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 6A  showing the magazine retaining mechanism in a released position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7A  is a partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a paintball marker conversion unit and conventional paintball marker shown with a projectile in the chamber and the tube fully retracted. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7B  is a partial cross-sectional view of the paintball marker conversion unit and conventional paintball marker of  FIG. 7A  shown with the tube contacting the projectile and covering the projectile inlet hole. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7C  is a partial cross-sectional view of the paintball marker conversion unit and conventional paintball marker of  FIG. 7A  shown with the tube in its forward most position and the projectile traveling down the barrel. 
           [0028]      FIG. 8A  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the tube sliding over the barrel just prior to covering the projectile inlet hole. 
           [0029]      FIG. 8B  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the tube sliding over the barrel and covering the projectile inlet hole. 
           [0030]      FIG. 8C  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the tube sliding over the barrel and the projectile advancing down the barrel. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a paintball marker conversion unit  10  is mounted to a conventional paintball marker  12  from an original equipment manufacturer. To mount the paintball marker conversion unit  10  to the paintball marker  12 , the stock barrel (not shown) that came with the conventional paintball marker  12  is unscrewed and in its place an adapter  14  is screwed in. The paintball marker conversion unit  10  includes a projectile staging mechanism  16  that screws onto the other end of the adapter  14 . Paintball marker  12  has a firing mechanism, which includes a bolt  18  ( FIG. 2 ) that is activated by compressed gas to fire projectiles. Typically, paintballs are fed to the paintball marker  12  through projectile port  20 . With the adapter  14  and projectile staging mechanism  16  in place, the projectiles are fed directly into projectile staging mechanism  16  instead of through projectile port  20 . 
         [0032]    The projectile staging mechanism  16  can be coupled to a wide variety of conventional paintball markers—and not just those shown and described herein—so long as the appropriate adapter  14  is used. Because both ends of the adapter  14  are threaded, it is a relatively quick and easy process to couple and uncouple the projectile staging mechanism  16  to different paintball markers. In the end, the consumer needs to purchase only different adapters  14 , instead of different projectile staging mechanisms  16 , if he or she desires to utilize a different paintball marker  12 . Although the ends of adapter  14  are shown and described has being threaded, the ends of the adapter  14  may alternatively have other ways of connecting to the projectile staging mechanism  16  and the paintball marker  12 . By way of example, but not limitation, the ends may have quick disconnect mechanisms similar to those used on pneumatic tools. Such an arrangement would permit the operator to quickly disconnect one paintball marker  12  from the adapter  14  and attached a different paintball marker  12  without using any tools. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3A , an indirect drive embodiment of projectile staging mechanism  16  of the present invention is illustrated. A receiver  22  is the main housing for the components of the direct drive embodiment of projectile staging mechanism  16 . One end of adapter  14  is threaded and is screwed into receiver  22  of the indirect drive embodiment of projectile staging mechanism  16 . The threaded mating surface between adapter  14  and receiver  22  allows the entire indirect drive embodiment of projectile staging mechanism  16  to be rotated and fixed at any angle relative to the longitudinal firing axis of paintball marker  12  thereby offering a variety of different shooting styles/options for the operator. For example, the projectile staging mechanism  16  can be rotated or angled to allow magazine  24  to feed in a vertical, horizontal, or other angular position. The projectile staging mechanism  16  is threaded onto adapter  14  until the desired angle between the projectile staging mechanism  16  and the paintball marker  12  has been achieved, then a retaining ring  26  on adapter  14  is tightened against projectile staging mechanism  16  to hold projectile staging mechanism  16  at the desired angle. 
         [0034]    The projectile staging mechanism  16  includes a barrel  28  and a tube  30 . Tube  30  and barrel  28  work in concert to facilitate firing of a projectile. In this embodiment, tube  30  is coupled to tube bolt adapter  32 , which abuts bolt  18  of paintball marker  12  to create a pressure seal therewith. As such, when bolt  18  moves forward, so does tube  30 . A recuperator spring  42  and recuperator spring guide  44  bias the tube bolt adapter  32  to a rearward position ( FIG. 3A ) but not necessarily into bolt  18 . Recuperator spring  42  returns the tube  30  to its pre-firing position. When the trigger of paintball marker  12  is pulled, the paintball marker&#39;s recoil spring forces bolt  18  forward, and thusly tube  30  forward. With further reference to  FIGS. 3B and 3D , barrel  28  includes a projectile inlet hole  34  from which projectiles  35  are received from the magazine  24 . The diameter of tube  30  may be larger or smaller than barrel  28 . When tube  30  is brought forward by bolt  18 , tube  30  slides along an interior surface of the barrel  28  (in the case where tube  30  has a smaller diameter than barrel  28 ) and over projectile inlet hole  34  to create an airtight seal therewith. Projectile inlet hole  34  is located in the sidewall of the barrel  28  to receive projectiles  35  being held in the magazine  24 . The tight seal enables essentially all of the compressed gas to fire the projectile  35  out of the projectile staging mechanism  16 . At rest, bolt  18  is held to the rear until the operator pulls the trigger. When the trigger is pulled, bolt  18  is released and propelled forward toward the muzzle via a compression spring (not shown). Bolt  18  and tube  30  travel forward to advance the next projectile  35  presented in barrel  28 . Then, the paintball marker  12  releases compressed gas to propel the round out of barrel  28 . Advantageously, the tube  30  pushes the projectile forward and seals the projectile inlet hole  34  prior to the release of the compressed gas. Consequently, essentially all of the compressed gas is available to fire the projectile  35  with greater force than if the projectile inlet hole  34  was left unsealed. Once bolt  18  and tube  30  has traveled approximately one inch, the bolt  18  depresses a main valve in paintball marker  12  thereby releasing a fixed quantity of high-pressure gas, just as it would if it were firing a standard paintball projectile. The compressed gas travels through bolt  18  and then tube  30 . The gas exits the end of tube  30  where it impacts and accelerates the projectile  35  down barrel  28 . See  FIG. 3C . The compressed gas also acts against bolt  18  and tube  30  causing them to recoil rearward and return to their rest position until the whole process is started over again when the operator pulls the trigger. 
         [0035]    Different barrels may be used with the projectile staging mechanism  16  to accommodate the different sized projectiles thus making the projectile staging mechanism  16  a multi-caliber system. Barrel  28  can be readily removed and replaced by a different barrel simply by unscrewing it from a barrel-retaining device  36 , which is secured to the end of front barrel support  38 . Besides threads, barrel-retaining device  36  may also be secured via an O-ring that is compressed by barrel retaining device  36  and a flange  40  on the front end of the barrel  28 . 
         [0036]    The magazine  24  may be any commercial off the shelf device. Different magazines may be used to accommodate different sized projectiles. Such projectiles may include, but are not limited to, .177 caliber BBs, .177 caliber pellets, .25 caliber ball bearings, 6 mm airsoft rounds, and any other small caliber ammunition. The term “magazine” can also include any type of feed mechanism referred to as a “drum,” “stick magazine,” “box magazine,” “gravity feed,” or any such similar term. 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3A-6B , the magazine well  46  holds the magazine  24  in position to correctly present the leading projectile  35  in magazine  24  into the projectile staging mechanism  16 . Magazine well  46  not only holds the magazine  24 , but also secures or retains it in position via a magazine retaining mechanism  48 . Magazine retaining mechanism  48  provides the operator with two different options for releasing magazine  24  from the magazine well  46 . The first option removing the magazine  24  is to activate the lever  50 . Lever  50  is biased to its rest position via a compression spring  51 , which engages lever  50  in a cutout in magazine  24  and thus prevents its removal from magazine well  46 . The second option removing the magazine  24  is to push either of the magazine release buttons  52  located on either side of magazine well  46 . Magazine release buttons  52  can be captured via an hourglass shaped rod  54  that runs from either side of magazine well  46 . Magazine release buttons  52  can be biased to their rest position, i.e., the centerline of magazine well  46 , via compression springs  56 . When either of the magazine release buttons  52  are pushed hour-glass shaped rod  54  moves toward center line of magazine well  46  where the increasing diameter of the hour-glass shaped rod  54  applies a downward force onto a rearward protruding arm  58  of lever  50 . This downward force on lever  50  disengages magazine  24  from the magazine well  46 . 
         [0038]    Referring now to  FIG. 7A , a direct drive embodiment of projectile staging mechanism  16  of the invention is illustrated. All aspects of this embodiment are similar to that of projectile staging mechanism  16  in  FIGS. 2 and 3A  with differences noted below. The direct drive embodiment of projectile staging mechanism  16  utilizes a tube  30  like the indirect drive embodiment of projectile staging mechanism  16  ( FIG. 2 ); however, in this particular embodiment tube  30  and tube bolt adapter  32  are not biased toward bolt  18  via a recuperator spring. Instead, tube bolt adapter  32  removeably connects, by threads for example, to and moves with bolt  18 . Because tube bolt adapter  32  is connected to bolt  18 , a recuperator spring is not required. In the direct drive embodiment, the relationship between tube  30  and barrel  28  are the same as in the indirect drive embodiment of projectile staging mechanism  16 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 7B  shows the direct drive embodiment with the tube  30  brought forward by bolt  18  and slid over the rearward end of barrel  28  and over projectile inlet hole  34  to create an airtight seal therewith.  FIG. 7B  is similar to  FIG. 3B  for the indirect embodiment.  FIG. 7C  shows the tube  30  at its forward most position and the compressed gas pushing the projectile  35  down the barrel  28 .  FIG. 7B  is similar to  FIG. 3C  for the indirect embodiment. 
         [0040]    The embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3A and 7A , illustrate the tube  30  with a diameter smaller than barrel  28 . As such, tube  30  slides along the interior surface of barrel  28  when the paintball marker  12  is fired. As mentioned above, in other embodiments the diameter of tube  30  may be larger than the diameter of barrel  28 . In that situation, the tube  30  would slide along an exterior surface of the barrel  28 .  FIGS. 8A-8C  illustrate this configuration. Other than the increased diameter of the tube  30 , the structural and operational aspect of the paintball marker conversion unit  10  remain largely unchanged. As shown in  FIG. 8B , the tube  30  covers up projectile inlet hole  34  of barrel  28  to create an essentially airtight seal. In addition, because the tube  30  slides along the exterior surface of the barrel  28 , the tube  30  does not contact the projectile  35  during the firing process. 
         [0041]    While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of embodiments and while these embodiments have been described in some detail, it is not the intention of the Applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications other than those specifically mentioned herein will readily appear to those skilled in the art.