Abstract:
A paintball transfer apparatus and method for operating the apparatus to move a paintball enable a user to load a paintball into a paintball marker. The apparatus has an housing forming a cavity for storing paintballs, a path around the wall of the cavity that is shaped to guide paintballs, and a driver that rotates a roller within the cavity. Rotation of the roller moves paintballs along the path. The path may have one of a variety of shapes, such as circular or helical. The surface speed of the roller may be greater than the speed of the paintballs along the path. The roller may be made of a high friction material, and also may be a brush. The apparatus may be used to move paintballs within and about a marker, such as vertically upwards or downwards, or horizontally left or right.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is related to and claims priority to earlier filed U.S. provisional patent application 61/721,550, filed Nov. 2, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a paintball marker loading system and method. 
         [0003]    In the sport of paintball, a paintball marker is used to propel spherical paintballs towards a target and a paintball loader or hopper is used to hold a quantity of paintballs and to supply those paintballs to the paintball marker. It is advantageous to the player participating in the sport to make use of more fragile paintballs as these require less kinetic energy in order to break upon impacting the intended target, which effectively increases the range of the paintball marker. 
         [0004]    In traditional prior art systems the paintball loader is mounted above the paintball marker and gravity is used to encourage paintballs to transfer into the paintball marker. The problem with a loader of this type is that blockages often occur, and these blockages interrupt the continual supply of paintballs to the paintball marker. 
         [0005]    In more recent systems this problem has been addressed with the incorporation of various rotating devices into the paintball loader in order to push paintballs from the loader, compounding the effect of gravity and ensuring a continual supply of paintballs to the paintball marker. The problem with a loader of this type is that the rotating device can apply excessive amounts of force onto the queue or “stack” of paintballs and this force can cause fragile paintballs to fracture and break. 
         [0006]    In alternative paintball loaders rotating devices are also used to push paintballs against gravity and in this type of loader the amount of force applied to the stack of paintballs is significantly increased, thus increasing the chance of broken paintballs. 
         [0007]    For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a method of loading paintballs that reduces the force exerted upon the paintballs and is able to move the paintballs in any direction, without the need for a gravity based transfer system. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention is directed to an apparatus and a method of transferring paintballs to the paintball marker in a way that reduces the forces exerted upon the paintballs, facilitating the use of more fragile paintballs, and in a way that enables paintballs to be moved in any direction thus negating the need for a gravity based transfer system. 
         [0009]    A paintball transfer apparatus is configured for feeding paintballs into a feed tube connected to a paintball marker, or directly into the paintball marker. The paintball transfer apparatus has a housing or outer shell that has an inner surface (cavity wall) defining a cavity for storing paintballs, a path around the wall of the cavity that is shaped to guide paintballs, and a driver that rotates a roller within the cavity. Friction between the roller and paintballs moves the paintballs along the path. The apparatus may be used to move paintballs vertically upwards or downwards, or horizontally left or right or directions in between, without the aid of gravity. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the cavity of the housing and the roller are substantially cylindrical, and concentric. The roller has an inner surface that defines an inner chamber in which paintballs can be stored before they are moved to the space between the roller and the outer shell, where they travel along the path, and eventually out of the transfer apparatus. 
         [0011]    To allow paintballs to be dispensed from the paintball transfer apparatus into a paintball marker or a feed tube, an exit port is defined at an end of the path towards an upper end of the cavity at the upper end of the housing. The path and the exit port are dimensioned and configured so that a paintball can pass through the exit port. 
         [0012]    Rotation of the roller with respect to the housing causes relative movement of the outer surface of the roller and the cavity wall. When a paintball is positioned along the path and in contact with the outer surface of the roller and the cavity wall of the housing, this relative movement causes the paintball to be gently sandwiched in between and move along the path, and then out of the paintball transfer device through the exit port for loading into a marker. 
         [0013]    The orientation of the paintball transfer apparatus does not affect the movement of the paintballs along the path. When the paintballs are located along the path, they are held between the roller and the cavity wall of the housing Unlike a gravity-reliant paintball transfer apparatus, the ability of the roller to move paintballs along the path and towards the exit port is not diminished when the transfer apparatus is inverted or tilted, as may occur when a user is operating a paintball marker to which the paintball transfer is attached. 
         [0014]    The path may have one of a variety of shapes, such as circular or helical. The surface speed of the roller may be greater than the speed of the paintballs along the path. The roller may be made of a high friction material, and also may include a brush. 
         [0015]    A driver is provided to rotate the roller within the cavity. In one embodiment, the driver has an electric motor coupled to a motor gear. The motor can be actuated to rotate the drive gear, which in turn rotates a main drive gear adjacent to the lower surface of the roller. The main drive gear rotates the roller by way of a drive dog formed on the upper surface of the main drive gear that engages a drive dog on the roller. In one embodiment, the roller drive dog has one tooth that is received in the main drive dog, which has three teeth. 
         [0016]    To direct paintballs in the inner chamber towards the path, in one embodiment a base having a sloped upper surface is positioned above the main drive gear. Paintballs above the base and the main drive gear are urged outwardly towards the path, where the roller can engage them and move them along the path. 
         [0017]    Thus, paintballs in the inner chamber travel towards the path on the cavity wall. 
         [0018]    Rotation of the motor gear causes rotation of the roller relative to the outer shell, causing the paintballs to move along the path, and finally out of the exit port for use, such as for loading into a marker body for launching thereof. 
         [0019]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for loading paintballs that reduces the force exerted upon the paintballs and is able to move the paintballs in any direction, without the need for a gravity-based transfer system. 
         [0020]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus capable of providing a continual supply of paintballs to the paintball marker. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The novel features that are characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the invention&#39;s preferred embodiments, together with further objects and attendant advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a semi-transparent isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2A  shows a sectioned front elevational view through the line  2 A- 2 A of  FIG. 1  showing an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2B  shows a plan view of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3A  shows a sectioned front elevation, through the line  3 A- 3 A of  FIG. 3B , of an embodiment of the invention with roller and paintballs removed; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3B  shows a plan view of the embodiment of the invention of  FIG. 3A  with roller and paintballs removed; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of a possible drive configuration of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  shows a view of an embodiment of the roller of the present invention; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  shows a schematic view of the paintball transfer apparatus of the present invention in the preferred mounting location on a paintball marker. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0030]      FIGS. 1-6  show embodiments of the apparatus and the above method of the present invention. 
         [0031]    In  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A,  2 B,  3 A, and  3 B, the apparatus  100  has a housing  1 , such as in the form of a cylinder, the inner surface  2  of which forms a cavity wall that defines a cavity. The inner surface  2  contains a path in the form of a groove  5  shaped to accept the spherical shape of a paintball  4 . A roller  6  is arranged concentrically within the cylindrical outer shell  1  and is rotatable about a preferably longitudinal central axis. The distance between the deepest point  24  of the path/groove and the outer surface  7  of the roller  6  is arranged such that a paintball seated in the path is also in contact with the outer surface of the roller, as shown in  FIG. 2A . The present invention can be sized to accommodate paintballs of different diameters. The outer surface  7  of the roller has a sufficiently high coefficient of friction such that when the roller rotates about its axis any paintball  4  seated in the path/groove  5  is compelled to move along the groove in the direction of rotation as captured between the roller and the inside surface of the cylinder  1 . 
         [0032]    In this embodiment, the apparatus comprises a housing  1  that forms an essentially cylindrical cavity  2 , the base  3  of which is shaped in such a way, as best seen in  FIG. 2A , as to encourage paintballs  4  to roll toward the wall of the cavity. The housing  1  has an upper end  20  and a lower end  21 . Around the wall of this cylindrical cavity  2  is a path in the form of a helical groove  5  that is essentially semi-circular in cross section. Positioned along the centerline of the spherical cavity  2  is a cylindrical roller  6 , which has an outer surface  7  with a high coefficient of friction by virtue of the material, used to coat the surface and the surface finish of that material. The upper end  22  of the roller is adjacent to the upper end  20  of the housing  1 , and the lower end  23  of the roller is adjacent to the lower end  21  of the outer shell. The inner surface  6   a  of the cylindrical roller  6  defines an inner chamber  8  in which paintballs may be stored, and is shaped in order to facilitate the transfer of paintballs from the inner chamber of the roller to the outside of the roller. The cylindrical roller  6  is driven to rotate about its axis by means of an electric motor (discussed in more detail below) in a way that will be understood by those skilled in the art. The direction of rotation of the roller  6  is such that the roller pushes the paintballs into the helical path for movement upward toward exit port  9 . When the paintball transfer apparatus is tilted or inverted, the roller  6  is still capable of pushing paintballs  4  that are within the path  5  towards the exit port  9  and into the feed tube  18  for later use by a paintball marker, such for launching thereof. 
         [0033]    Paintballs  4  are capable of entering the cylindrical cavity  2  of the apparatus through the center of the cylindrical roller  6  and can accumulate therein. The lower end  23  of the roller  6  is asymmetric, as shown in the cross section in  FIG. 2A , allowing paintballs to enter the path  5 . The lower end  23  of the roller has an opening along its circumference defined by a raised lower edge  23   a.  Paintballs can pass through this opening from the inner chamber of the roller and then travel outwardly into the path in the cavity between an inner surface of the housing  1  and an outer surface of the roller  6 . 
         [0034]    The paintballs  4  in the cavity and at the bottom of the inner chamber  8  of the roller are forced to the wall of the cavity  5  by the paintball guiding base  3  (in this case a tapered shaped base) of the shell and the weight of the paintballs above them. As the roller is rotated, the high friction outer surface  7  of the roller  6  pushes paintballs  4  into and along the helical groove  5 . The paintballs  4  within the cylindrical roller  6  are agitated by the small protrusions from the inner surface of the roller  6  and fall into the space left vacant by the paintballs  4  that have been pushed into the helical groove  5 . As the roller  6  continues to rotate, the paintballs  4  travel along the helical groove  5  to an exit port  9  at the top of the apparatus  100 . 
         [0035]    The housing  1  and the roller  6  may be made from a wide range of materials such as plastic, metal, or similar materials or combinations thereof. The housing  1  and the roller  6  may be made of different materials or the same material. 
         [0036]    The high friction coefficient on the roller  6  may be obtained in various ways. For example, the inherent material properties of the material used to form the roller  6  may provide sufficient friction. Also, the roller  6  may be machined to have a rough surface by forming a knurled or grooved surface, for example. In another embodiment, the outer surface  7  of roller  6  surface can be coated with a high friction coating. The roller surface may also be in the form of a brush or may be rubber or other material that can provide the required frictional gripping. In some embodiments, the surface of the roller  6  may include portions having varying friction coefficients. The roller  6  and outer surface of the roller may be made of different materials or the same material. 
         [0037]    The roller  6  may have a contoured surface that engages the paintballs  4  to push them along the path rather than roll them along the path. 
         [0038]    The path on the surface of the cavity  5  may be shaped as a semi-circular groove in one embodiment, but it may take on any shape that is capable of contacting and moving a paintball  4 . For example, a path in the form of a V-notch groove would allow two-point contact of the paintballs  4  with the groove to support them as they travel. The path may even have a varying shape, as long as the path is capable of supporting and moving paintballs  4 . 
         [0039]    Also, the path may be helical or circular in some embodiments, or it may take any other form that allows the roller  6  to advance the paintballs  4 . The path may incorporate helical portions and circular portions, as well as portions that are non-circular and non-helical, or any combination of these. 
         [0040]    The paintballs  4  may be fed through the inner surface  6   a  into inner chamber  8  of the cylindrical roller  6  using gravity. Other mechanisms may be used to move the paintballs  4  from the inner chamber  8  of the inside of roller  6  to the path. Although the roller  4  is shown in  FIG. 2A  in a vertical orientation, the roller  4  and cavity of the housing  1  may be provided in another orientation that allows gravity to aid in moving the paintballs  4  toward the helical groove  5  in cooperation with the base and the inner surface of the roller  6 . 
         [0041]    Although the inner surface  6   a  of the cylindrical roller  6  is shown in  FIG. 2B  as a smooth surface, it may be contoured in a way that aids in directing the paintballs  4  from the inner surface  6   a  of the roller  6  to the groove  5 . Similarly, the base  3  is shown as having a single protrusion  3   a  to help direct the paintballs  4  to the groove  5 , but it may have a plurality of protrusions that aid in directing the paintballs  4  to the groove  5 . 
         [0042]    The roller  6  may be rotated by a drive mechanism.  FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of the paintball transfer apparatus  100  including the drive mechanism, generally referred to as  50 , for rotating the roller  6  within the housing  1 . The roller  6  has a roller drive dog  10  having one tooth  31 , which is shown in  FIG. 5 . The roller drive dog  10  is received in a slot  32 A between the teeth  32  of a three tooth drive dog  11 , which is an integral part of the main drive gear  12 . To rotate the drive dog  11 , the main drive gear  12  meshes with a motor gear  13  clamped or otherwise secured to the shaft  15  of an electrical motor  14 . The motor  14  may be driven by an electrical circuit on a printed circuit board (not shown) in a manner that is commonplace and well understood by those skilled in the art. The motor  14 , the motor gear  13 , and the main drive gear  12  are all fixed relative to the housing  1 . In  FIG. 4 , the motor gear  13  rotates about a motor gear axis, and the main drive gear  12  rotates about a main drive gear axis that is collinear with the axis of the roller  6 . 
         [0043]    Drive mechanisms other than an electric motor  14  can be used to rotate the roller  6  without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the drive mechanism  50  may be powered by compressed air, or may be hand operated. 
         [0044]    More or fewer teeth  32  may be used on the roller drive dog  10  and the drive dog  11 , but they must be configured so that they engage each other so that rotation of the motor  14  causes rotation of the roller  6 . 
         [0045]    Although not shown, the embodiment of  FIG. 4  can include a paintball guiding base  3  for directing the paintballs  4  within the inner chamber  8  into the path  5 , similar to the base  3  shown in  FIG. 2A . The paintball guiding base  3  is positioned above the drive dog  11  of the main drive gear  12 , but is rotatably secured to the housing  1 , so that the base  3  does not rotate with the main drive gear  12 . The base  3  is configured so that it does not interfere with engagement of the roller drive dog  10  with the drive dog  11  of the main drive gear  12 . In one embodiment, the center of the base  3  is fixed to a spindle that passes through the center of the main drive gear and prevents it from rotating with the roller  6 . 
         [0046]    The paintball transfer apparatus  100  may be secured to a variety of paintball markers  17 , as in  FIG. 6 , shows the paintball transfer apparatus  100  in its preferred location when secured to a paintball marker  17 . The housing  1  is fixed to a mounting adaptor  15 , which becomes an integral part of the paintball transfer apparatus  100  and which is arranged to fit neatly onto a compressed air cylinder  16  which is attached to, and provides the air supply for, a paintball marker  17 . Paintballs  4  are fed from the paintball transfer apparatus  100  into the feed neck  19  of the paintball marker  17  by means of a feed tube  18 . 
         [0047]    It can be seen that securing the present paintball transfer apparatus  100  to a paintball marker  17  can be accomplished without obstructing a user&#39;s access to components on the paint marker  17  itself, such as the trigger  33  or the barrel  32 . 
         [0048]    The paintball transfer apparatus  100  may be affixed to paintball markers  17  having designs other than the one shown. The paintball transfer apparatus  100  may be configured so that it feeds paintballs  4  directly into the paintball marker  17 , rather than indirectly through a feed tube  18 . 
         [0049]    Although the figures show a roller  6  and a cavity  5 , and associated path, that are substantially cylindrical, in some embodiments, it may be advantageous to move the paintballs along a path formed on an object other than a cylinder. For example, a path could be formed on a first surface, and a second surface could be positioned in facing relation with the first. Then a paintball  4  can be directed to the path on the first surface so that the paintball  4  is between the first and second surfaces. The first and second surfaces can be moved relative to each other to cause the paintball  4  to move along the path. The first and second surface could be substantially flat, or they could be formed of another geometrical shape. 
         [0050]    Although the figures show a roller  6  having an inner chamber  8  for storing paintballs  4  that can be fed into the path, it is possible to use other structures and methods to load paintballs  4  into the path. For example, another feeding mechanism could be placed adjacent to the path  5  and the roller  6 , so that the feeding mechanism independently feeds paintballs  4  into the path, and the roller  6  moves the paintballs  4  along the path  5  to the exit port  9 . In such an embodiment, the roller  6  is formed without an inner chamber  8 . 
         [0051]    It can therefore be seen that the paintball transfer apparatus  100  of the present invention provides a method and apparatus for moving paintballs  4  in any direction, without the need for a gravity-based transfer system. The present invention also provides a method and apparatus capable of providing a continual supply of paintballs  4  to a paintball marker  17 . 
         [0052]    The foregoing embodiments are described by way of example only. It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be covered by the appended claims.