Device for securing a lighting apparatus to a paintball mask

A device 10 for securing a lighting apparatus 11 to a paintball mask to promote night paintball includes a base member 12, a light support member 14 extending forward from an upper portion of the base member 12, a light positioning member 16 extending forward from a lower portion of the base member 12, the light support and light positioning members 14 and 16 cooperating to secure and position the lighting apparatus 11 with the base member 12 to focus light in a predetermined direction, a stabilizing clip 18 extending rearward from a lower portion of the base member 12, and a pair of apertures 20 disposed through opposing upper portions of the base member 12, the apertures 20 ultimately receiving therethough a support belt 72 that cooperates with the stabilizing clip 18 to maintain the position of the device 10 relative to the paintball mask during play of a night paintball game. An armband device 100 is used to identify night paintball players and the teams to which the players belong. The armband device 100 includes a deformable wrap member 106 having first and second ends 102 and 104 that are ultimately joined together via velcro hooks and loops are similar detachable securing members. The device 100 further includes a transparent pocket 120 disposed upon the wrap member 106 so as to be visible to other paintball players after the wrap member 106 is positioned about the players arm. The transparent pocket 120 removably receives a chemical light 128 that shines through the pocket thereby identifying the player during a night paintball game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the figures an in particular to FIGS. 1 - 4 , a device for securing a lighting apparatus to a paintball mask (not shown) is denoted by numeral 10 . The device 10 is fabricated from low density polyethylene or similar material that is light weight, relatively deformable, and capable of supporting a lighting apparatus 11 (not part of the device 10 , see FIGS. 5 - 7 ) and functioning in any outdoor temperature or weather condition. A typical lighting apparatus 11 is manufactured by Princeton Tech, Inc., a company located in New Jersey. The device 10 can be an integrally molded unit or an assembly of discrete components. The device 10 includes a substantially “T” configured base member 12 , a light support member 14 , a light positioning member 16 , a stabilizing clip 18 and a pair of belt receiving apertures 20 . The light support member 14 is joined to a first or front, upper mid-portion 22 of the base member 12 . The light support member 14 is configured and dimensioned to perpendicularly extend from a planar front wall 23 of the base member 12 , a distance that facilitates the removable securing of the lighting apparatus 11 to the device 10 . The light support member 14 includes an extension portion 21 and a substantially cylindrical portion 24 integrally joined thereto. The cylindrical portion 24 has an axial dimension that allows the cylindrical portion 24 to be snugly inserted between cooperating mounting members 25 of the lighting apparatus 11 . The cylindrical portion 24 includes an aperture 26 therethrough and a plurality of ridges 28 arcuately disposed upon a lower portion 30 . The aperture 26 is axially centered through the cylindrical portion 24 and includes a diameter sized to snugly receive a securing bolt (not shown) that extends through the mounting members 25 of the lighting apparatus 11 and the aperture 26 thereby removably joining the lighting apparatus 11 to the support member 14 ; the position of the securing bolt ultimately being maintained by a securing nut (not shown) threaded upon one end of the bolt. The ridges 28 of the cylindrical portion 24 are configured and dimensioned to engage with a cooperating portion of the lighting apparatus 11 to minimize movement of the lighting apparatus 11 in relation to the device 10 when the device 10 is in operation. To reduce the weight of the device 10 , the extension portion 21 of the light support member 14 includes a pair of opposing recesses 32 that form upper and lower walls 34 and 36 having relatively small lateral dimensions when compared to corresponding longitudinal dimensions. Further, the recesses 32 extend to similar depths to form a rib 38 having a relatively small lateral dimension separating the two recesses 32 . The rib 38 is positioned perpendicularly to the base member 12 at a mid-portion of the extension portion 21 . The light positioning member 16 protrudes from a front, lower mid-portion of the base member 12 a perpendicular distance relatively shorter than the perpendicular distance separating the base member 12 and the aperture 26 of the cylindrical portion 24 . The light positioning member 16 has a relatively square shaped configuration, when taking a side elevation view of the device 10 (see FIG. 4 ), and includes an outer wall 40 that is configured and dimensioned to engage a corresponding portion of the lighting apparatus 11 that promotes stability when the device 10 is operated. The outer wall 40 provides a surface that orientates the lighting apparatus such that an emitted beam of light is upwardly angled. More specifically, a lower portion 42 of the outer wall 40 protrudes slightly farther from the base member 12 than does an upper portion 44 of the outer wall 40 . When the lighting apparatus 11 is attached to the light support member 14 and allowed to pivot (see FIG. 6 ), the lighting apparatus 11 engages the lower and upper portions 42 and 44 of the outer wall 40 such that the light 46 of the lighting apparatus 11 is angled opposite to the base member 12 in a generally upward direction. The light positioning member 16 further includes a pair of opposing recesses 48 configured and dimensioned to provide a rib 50 longitudinally aligned with the rib 38 of the light support member 14 , the rib 50 being capable of supporting the lighting apparatus 11 during operation of the device 10 . The recesses 48 are relatively large and form side walls 52 having a relatively small surface area thereby minimizing the quantity of material forming the light positioning member 16 to further reduce the weight of the device 10 . The stabilizing clip 18 is integrally joined to a back, bottom mid-portion 54 of the base member 12 . The stabilizing clip 18 is configured and dimensioned to receive a player selected, cooperating lower portion of the paintball mask to prevent the bottom portion 54 of the device 10 from moving while the device is being used and without obstructing the vision of the player. Further, the clip 18 and lower mask portion positions the device such that the lighting apparatus 11 illuminates an area of safety in a forward direction relative to the player. The clip 18 includes a lower member 56 that is substantially perpendicular to the front wall 23 and extends upward to form an angled portion 58 that includes an end portion 57 having a planar engagement wall 59 which removably contacts a vertical mid-portion of a planar back wall 60 of the device 10 . The lower member 56 and angled portion 58 are sized to removably receive the cooperating paintball mask portion, and are configured to generate sufficient “grasping” force to maintain the mask portion within the stabilizing clip 18 irrespective of the movement of the mask. To facilitate the insertion of the cooperating mask portion into the clip 18 , the end portion 57 of the clip 18 includes a lifting ridge 62 that allows a finger to separate the engagement wall 59 of the angled portion 58 from the back wall 60 of the device 10 thereby providing the required space for insertion. The belt receiving apertures 20 are horizontal disposed at opposing ends of the top portion of the “T” configured base member 12 . The apertures 20 have a substantially elongated “slot” configuration and are orientated such that the longitudinal axes form an acute angle with a top wall 64 of the base member 12 . Further, the aperture 20 orientation includes upper portions 66 of the apertures 20 being positioned closer to side walls 68 of the base member 12 than corresponding lower portions 70 of the apertures 20 . The aperture 20 orientation may be reversed such that the upper portions 66 of the apertures 20 are positioned farther from the side walls 68 than corresponding lower portions 70 . The aperture 20 orientation allows a support belt 72 to insert through the device 10 , and maintains the position of the device 10 relative to the belt 72 irrespective of the magnitude of movement between the device 10 and belt 72 . In operation, a device 10 for securing a lighting apparatus 11 to a paintball mask receives a support belt 72 through opposing apertures 20 , and receives a portion of the paintball mask in a stabilizing clip 18 thereby attaching the device 10 to the paintball mask. A cylindrical portion 24 of a light support member 14 is positioned between and secured to mounting members 25 of the lighting apparatus 11 . A light positioning member 16 of the device 10 engages and orientates the lighting apparatus 11 such that an emitted beam of light is angled in a generally upward direction. The position of the lighting apparatus 11 is maintained by a tightened securing bolt and nut and a series of ridges 28 upon a lower portion of the cylindrical portion 24 engaging a corresponding portion of the lighting apparatus 11 thereby allowing an user of the device 10 to play night paintball in a safe manner. Night paintball may be played indoors or outside upon a playing area of substantial size with established boundaries and features such as bunkers, pallets, barrels, or other structures that promote the play of paintball. The game of night paintball includes substantially the same game objective (all players on a first team are struck with paintballs “shot” by players of a second team before all players on the second team are struck with paintballs shot by players of the first team), field judges or referees, and equipment used to play day paintball. The equipment used in day paintball includes a safety mask (manufactured by J.T. U.S.A., Inc.) that protects a players face and ears, a paintball gun (manufactured by Pursuit Marketing, Inc. located in Schiller Park, Illinois) that propels a spherical paintball a predetermined distance with sufficient force to collapse an outer paintball shell and splatter paint therein upon striking an opposing player, and armbands or clothing for identifying different teams. The added equipment required for night paintball includes the above described lighting apparatus 11 and securing device 10 for attaching the lighting apparatus 11 to the safety mask, a luminescent paintball and a luminescent armband or similar means for player identification in the dark. The luminescent paintball is fabricated substantially the same as a standard paintball used in a game of paintball played during daylight hours. The shell of the luminescent paintball may be translucent, transparent or dyed. The typical daylight paintball is manufactured by R. P. Scherer, Inc. To convert the standard paintball to a luminescent paintball for night paintball use, one of three methods may be utilized: 1) A glow powder is disposed within a transparent, gelatin material of the spherical shell; 2) the glow powder is adhered to an exterior portion of the spherical shell via an adhesive well known to those of ordinary skill, thereby coating the outer surface of the shell; or 3) the glow powder is mixed with the liquefied substance that is disposed inside the spherical shell. The glow powder is a commercially sold, nontoxic, non-radioactive phosphorus based powder such as stromium with a preferred particle size of 125 to 500 mesh pass, although a particle size outside the stated range can be used, but with a resultant light intensity less than preferred. The glow powder should be capable of producing light for up to at least eight hours. Alternatively, there may be an occasion that will require the glow powder to produce light for substantially less than eight hours. The glow powder glows in the dark after being exposed to a preselected light for a predetermined period of time which corresponds to a time period that the powder is required to glow. These parameters are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The luminescent armband is essentially a standard armband used in daylight paintball competition with the addition of a luminous powder and standard screen print ink mixture configured thereupon to form images, letters, words or symbols. The preferred powder to ink mixture is such that two parts of ink are combined with one part of powder, although this ratio may vary when armband visibility parameters change. The powder is a non-toxic, non radioactive, stromium based powder having a particle size preferably in the range of 125 to 500 mesh, although sizes outside the stated range may be used but with less than desired results. The powder has a photo-storage capability that, upon being charged by a light, will provide the glow required to identify a player from a minimum predetermined distance. The powder-ink mixture is applied to an armband and allowed to dry. The powder-ink mixture is then charged for a predetermined period of time by exposure to a preselected light. The exposure time and type of light correspond to the required glow time which ultimately depends upon the time to play a game of night paintball. Ultraviolet light is the light of preference and the exposure time is generally between twenty minutes and twelve hours depending on the amount of time to prepare and play a game of night paintball. Generally, the more players and/or teams participating, the longer the time to prepare and play, and the greater the exposure time required. After the armbands are glowing, the night paintball players wrap or slide the armbands upon their arm or other body portion designated by the paintball park officials thereby establishing teams based upon colors, symbols, images, or names printed on the armband. An alternative to using an armband, is substituting therefor a chemical light that is ultimately positioned in a transparent pocket on the outside of a standard armband. The chemical light would have a preselected color to identify a player as belonging to a particular team. Referring now to FIGS. 8 - 11 , perspective views of an armband device 100 showing opposing first and second ends 102 and 104 secured together and separated are depicted, and front and back elevation views of the armband device 100 are also shown. The armband device 100 is capable of identifying paintball players during day or night paintball games. The armband device 100 includes a wrap member 106 fabricated from a deformable material including but not limited to nylon, polyester, plastic, cotton, rubber and elastic fabrics. The wrap member 106 includes an outer or first side wall 108 having a first end portion 110 with a first securing member 112 joined thereto, and an inner or second side wall 114 having a second end portion 116 with a second securing member 118 joined thereto. The first and second securing members 112 and 118 facilitate the adjustable joining of the first and second end portions 110 and 116 of the wrap member 106 to allow the deformable wrap member 106 to be positioned around a players arm such that the paintball player may be visually identified by another paintball player thereby establishing the team of the player wearing the armband device 100 . The armband device 100 further includes a transparent pocket 120 fabricated from “clear” plastic or similar material, and joined to a mid-portion 122 of the outer side 108 of the wrap member 106 such that a cavity 124 is formed between the pocket 120 and the wrap member 106 with an upper edge portion 126 of the pocket 120 remaining unsecured relative to the wrap member 106 thereby allowing an identifying member 128 to be removably received by the pocket 120 . The identifying member 128 includes chemical lights or similar luminescent products, or cards with ordinary paint or luminescent material such as glow powders or paints disposed thereupon. An alternative to the transparent pocket 120 and identifying member 128 is to print an identifying logo or symbol on the outer side 108 of the wrap member 106 near the visible mid-portion 122 of the member 106 as depicted in FIG. 12 . The identifying symbol would be luminescent when utilizing the armband for night paintball. The first and second securing members 112 and 118 include Velcro® “hook” and “loop” materials that are detachably joined together to secure the relative position of the armband device 100 when the device 100 is wrapped around the arm of a paintball player. The hook 112 or loop 1118 material may cover a portion or all of the respective side walls 108 and 114 of the wrap member 106 that the material is joined to so long as the quantity of covered surface facilitates the adjustable securing of the armband device 100 around the arm of the paintball player irrespective of the size of the arm. The hook and loop materials are joined to the side walls 108 and 114 of the wrap member 106 via glue, stitched thread 130 or similar material joining techniques well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The foregoing description is for purposes of illustrating only and is not intended to limit the scope of protection accorded this invention. The scope of protection is to be measured by the following claims, which should be interpreted as broadly as the inventive contribution permits.