Patent Publication Number: US-7216641-B2

Title: Loading system for paintball guns

Description:
This invention relates to devices used in the sport of paintball, and in particular loading systems for paintball guns. 
   BACKGROUND 
   The sport of paintball has become increasingly popular since its inception in the early 1980&#39;s. Adapting paint marker guns previously used for marking trees and livestock, players have developed a series of informal and formal games in which opposing individuals or teams seeks to score points either through hitting a competitor with a “shot” or by hitting targets. Players may also act out military-style fantasy games in a safe manner through the sport of paintball. Because of the fast-paced excitement of the game, the sport of paintball has become popular worldwide, with millions of participants, organized events, and even professional leagues. As with many other sports, with improvements to paintball guns, gun loading systems and protective equipment, advances in technology have enhanced both the enjoyment and safety of the sport of paintball. 
   For casual and advanced players, the typical set of gear used in a game includes a paintball gun, paintball ammunition, and protective clothing and eyewear. Such paintball guns are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,609 to Tippman and U.S Pat. No. 4,936,282 to Dobbins et al. Typically, paintball guns include a semi-automatic loading system comprising a paintball reservoir on the top of the gun into which paintballs are poured, and which operates as ammunition storage. Individual rounds are fed from the paintball reservoir into the firing chamber of the gun either by gravity feed or by a motorized feeder. Motorized feeders are especially popular with advanced players as the number of rounds that can be fed per minute is greatly increased over gravity-fed loader systems, allowing the player to take more shots in a given period of time. Thus, the ability to load and fire a paintball gun rapidly is a highly desirable feature of equipment for use in the sport. 
   In preparation for a game, players will fill the paintball reservoir on the gun with paintballs. Advanced players, and especially those in competitions will also carry additional paintballs, typically in portable plastic canisters or tubes, adapted to fit onto a belt worn by the player. Once the player uses up the paintballs in the paintball reservoir, they will add additional paintballs by opening a portable canister and then pouring the contents into the paintball reservoir. This type of reloading system requires time to open a paintball canister and the hopper and then pour the contents into the gun. This process of manual reloading means that during reloading, the process of opening lids and pouring paintballs occupies the player&#39;s attention. Therefore, during reloading it is awkward to fire the paintball gun, and the player is especially vulnerable to attack by other players. As the game of paintball frequently involves fast play and intense action, these distractions and down time place a player who is engaged in the process of reloading at a distinct disadvantage relative to their opponents. Further, reloading often must be done at inconvenient times such as when the player is under attack, or in the middle of an offensive tactical maneuver. 
   Additionally, pouring paintballs from a portable canister into a hopper is not a precise operation, and prone to errors such as the spilling of paintballs on the ground. Spilled paintballs are invariably discarded, as there is not time to retrieve them during the course of play. In addition, spilling paintballs results in a reduction in the number of shots a player has to use in a game. Similarly, once the lid has been opened on a prior art paintball canister, their is risk of spilling the entire contents of the canister, requiring the player to spend more time reloading, and resulting in further waste of ammunition. U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,157 to Parks is directed toward the problem of spilling paintballs. The Parks patent discloses a portable canister with a petal-shaped valve on one end that opens as the canister is inserted into a compatible valve type opening on a paintball reservoir, which also opens as the canister is inserted. When the paintballs from the canister have flowed into the paintball reservoir, the canister is withdrawn and the opening on the paintball reservoir closes. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention is to provide a paintball loading system that overcomes problems in the prior art. 
   The present invention provides in one embodiment, a loading system for a paintball gun. The system comprises a paintball reservoir having an outlet at a bottom thereof adapted for connection to a paintball gun such that paintballs contained in the reservoir will flow through the outlet from the reservoir into the paintball gun for firing. An inlet opening is defined in an upper portion of the reservoir, and a door is operative to cover the inlet opening when in a closed position, and movable to an open position. A paintball canister has an opening, and a lid operative to cover the opening in the canister when in a closed position, and movable to an open position. The canister and reservoir are configured such that the canister can be engaged with the reservoir with the door and lid in respective open positions such that paintballs in the canister can flow into the reservoir. A releasable lock is operative to maintain the canister in engagement with the reservoir. 
   In a second embodiment the invention provides a loading system for a paintball gun. The system comprises a paintball reservoir having an outlet at a bottom thereof adapted for connection to a paintball gun such that paintballs contained in the reservoir will flow through the outlet from the reservoir into the paintball gun for firing. An inlet opening is defined in an upper portion of the reservoir, and a door operative to cover the inlet opening when in a closed position, and movable to an open position, and a door bias element exerts a door bias force on the door. A paintball canister has an outlet opening, and a lid operative to cover the outlet opening when in a closed position, and movable to an open position, and a lid bias element exerts a lid bias force on the lid. The canister and reservoir are configured such that the canister can be moved into engagement with the reservoir, and such that engaging the canister with the reservoir moves the door and lid to respective open positions such that paintballs in the canister can flow into the reservoir. A releasable lock is operative to maintain the canister in engagement with the reservoir. 
   The loading system of the invention provides a portable paintball canister that removably attaches rapidly and easily to a paintball reservoir on a paintball gun, and which is left in place on the paintball reservoir until it is empty. As paintballs are fired, they exit from the bottom of the paintball reservoir and paintballs flow from the canister into the reservoir. When the paintball canister is empty, it can be removed, leaving the reservoir still at least partially filled with paintballs, and the gun therefore still loaded. At that time the paintball canister can be removed, and replaced immediately, or removed and then replaced later, but prior to the reservoir running empty, in a two stage operation. This provides flexibility to the shooter as to when he must reload, and allows him to choose when to do so. 
   The apparatus is conveniently configured such that inserting portable canister in the opening in the paintball reservoir automatically opens the lid of the canister and the door of the paintball reservoir, allowing paintballs to flow freely into the reservoir, and prevents the waste of paintballs due to spilling. The portable paintball canister is held in place by the attachment mechanism. 
   Conveniently, the apparatus comprises a sensor that detects when the canister is empty, and then causes the canister to eject. The door on the paintball reservoir will close to prevent spillage of paintballs. Alternatively or in addition the sensor can alert the player when the portable canister is empty, notifying the shooter that he should replace it with a full canister sometime soon. A system of sensors can be provided to detect the level of paintballs in the loader chamber. The sensors can be adapted to provide a visible or audible warning to a player that the paintball reservoir is nearly empty or at a predetermined level. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best understood in conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of one embodiment of a loading system of the present invention with a hinged lid on the canister and showing the paintball canister adjacent to the reservoir prior to insertion into the sleeve on the reservoir; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic end view of the sleeve on the reservoir in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic top view of the sleeve on the reservoir in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 4-6  are schematic side views of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the paintball canister moving progressively further into the sleeve; 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the paintball canister fully engaged in the sleeve; 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic side view of an alternate embodiment of a loading system of the present invention with a sliding lid on the canister and showing the paintball canister adjacent to the reservoir prior to insertion into the reservoir; 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 8  showing the paintball canister fully engaged in the sleeve; 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic side view of an alternate embodiment of a loading system of the present invention with a sliding lid on the canister and a sliding door on the reservoir, and showing the paintball canister adjacent to the reservoir prior to insertion into the reservoir; 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 9  showing the paintball canister fully engaged in the sleeve. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1-7  schematically illustrate a loading system  1  for a paintball gun. The system comprises a paintball reservoir  2  having an outlet  4  at a bottom thereof adapted for connection to a paintball gun such that paintballs contained in the reservoir  2  will flow through the outlet  4  from the reservoir  2  into the paintball gun for firing. 
   An inlet opening  6  is defined in an upper portion of the reservoir  2 , and a door  8  is operative to cover the inlet opening  6  when in a closed position, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and is movable to an open position, illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . In the illustrated embodiment the reservoir  2  comprises a sleeve  10  defining the inlet opening  6  at an inner end thereof, and the door  8  is attached to the reservoir  2  by a door hinge  12  such that when in the closed position the door  8  covers an inner end of the sleeve  10 , and when in the open position the door  8  moves into the reservoir  2 . A door bias element, conveniently a spring inside the door hinge  12 , exerts a door bias force DF on the door  8  toward the closed position. 
   A paintball canister  14  is open at one end thereof, and a lid  16  is operative to cover the open end of the canister  14  when in a closed position as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and the lid  16  is movable to an open position, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . In the illustrated embodiment the canister  14  comprises a lid hinge  18  extending laterally from a body of the canister  14 , and the lid  16  is attached to the open end of the canister  14  by the lid hinge  18 . A lid bias element, conveniently a spring inside the lid hinge  18 , exerts a lid bias force LF toward the open position. 
   A releasable lid latch  20  is operative to maintain the lid  16  in the closed position against the lid bias force LF. As best seen in  FIGS. 4-7 , the lid latch  20  defines a lip notch  26 , and a plunger notch  28 , and the lid latch is biased outward from the canister  14 . When the lid  16  is moved against the lid bias force LF to the closed position, a lip  30  extending from the lid  16  engages the lip notch  26  and the lid latch maintains the lid  16  in the closed position against the lid bias force LF. 
   The sleeve  10  comprises a hinge groove  22  therein such that during engagement of the canister  14  with the reservoir  2  the canister  14  is inserted into the sleeve  10  such that the lid hinge  18  moves along the hinge groove  22 . A similar latch groove  24  in the sleeve  10  substantially opposite the hinge groove  22  allows the lid latch  20 , during insertion, to move along the latch groove  24 . 
   As seen in  FIG. 3 , the hinge groove  22  and latch groove  24  are tapered from a wider portion at outer ends thereof to a narrower portion at inner ends thereof, such that during insertion precise alignment of the lid hinge  18  and lid latch  20  with their respective grooves  22 ,  24  is not required, and during insertion the canister  14  will rotate in the sleeve  10  to the proper orientation as the lid hinge  18  and lid latch  20  move along the tapered grooves  22 ,  24 . 
     FIGS. 4-7  show the canister  14  being inserted progressively further into the sleeve  10 . In  FIG. 4  the lid has just contacted a plunger  32  mounted on the reservoir. The plunger  32  is biased toward the center of the sleeve  10 , and as the canister  14  is inserted further, the lid  16  bears against the sloped surface of the plunger  32  and pushes it inward. 
   In  FIG. 5  the plunger is still bearing against the lid  16  and lug  34  on the lid hinge  18  has just contacted lug  36  on the door hinge  12 . In  FIG. 6  the lug  34  bears against the lug  36  and pushes the door  8  toward the open position, and the plunger  32  has just passed the edge of the lid  16  and so bears against the lid latch  20 . Thus movement of the canister  14  further into the sleeve  10  pushes the lid latch  20  against the plunger  32 . The inward bias force on the plunger  32  is greater than the outward bias force on the latch  20 , and so the plunger  32  pushes the lid latch  2   o  inward and the lip  30  is released from the lip notch  26 , and moves to the open position as illustrated in  FIG. 7  in response the lid bias force LF. Engaging the canister  14  with the sleeve in the reservoir  2  thus automatically moves the door  8  and the lid  16  to their open positions so that paintballs can flow from the canister  14  into the reservoir  2 . 
   In an alternate embodiment, the lid bias force LF could be substantially greater than the door bias force, such that when the lid latch  20  was released, the lid bias force was great enough to move the lid  16  into contact with the door  8  and move the door  8  and lid  16  to the open position. In such case the lugs  34 ,  36  on the door hinge  12  and lid hinge  18  would not be required. 
   In the position illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the plunger  32  engages the plunger notch  28  and prevents the canister  14  from moving out of the sleeve  10 , thereby providing a lock operative to maintain the canister  14  in engagement with the sleeve  10  on the reservoir  2 . 
   The player operating the paintball gun can then fire paintballs, drawing paintballs out the outlet  4  at the bottom of the reservoir  2 , and thus allowing paintballs from the canister  14  to flow through the cooperating openings from the canister  14  into the reservoir  2  until all the paintballs in the canister  14  have flowed into the reservoir  2 . At that time the player can remove the empty canister  14 , and replace it with a full canister, all the while maintaining his ability to fire the paintball gun because ammunition is still present in the reservoir  2 . 
   The plunger  32  is movable such that the canister  14  can be released from engagement by moving the plunger  32  out of the plunger notch  28 . A lever that is manually operated could readily be provided, to move the plunger  32  and allow the player to manually remove the canister  14 , however in the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the system is configured to automatically eject the canister  14  when it is empty. 
   A sensor  40  is provided that is operative to send a sensor signal when the level of paintballs in the reservoir  2  has dropped below a desired level. The sensor  40  can be an LED photoreceptor, electromechanical switch, or like sensor such as are well known in the art. The sensor  40  is connected through a circuit board or the like to a solenoid  42  operative to receive the sensor signal and operative to move the plunger  32  out of the plunger notch  28  in response to the sensor signal. An ejection bias force is exerted against the canister  14  when the canister  14  is engaged with the reservoir  2 . This ejection bias force is at least partially provided by the door bias force DF which is urging the canister  14  out of the sleeve  10 , and further ejection bias elements can be provided if required, as discussed below. Thus when the level of paintballs in the reservoir  2  falls below the desired level, the sensor  40  triggers the solenoid  42  which draws the plunger  32  out of the plunger notch  28  and the canister  14  is ejected. The door  8  moves to the closed position in response to the door bias force DF so that paintballs don&#39;t spill out the inlet opening  6 . 
   Ejecting the empty canister  14  automatically advises the player that it is time to insert a full canister  14 , and also saves time in that it is not necessary to remove the empty canister prior to replacing it with a full one. Instead of automatically ejecting the canister  14  when empty, the sensor can instead, or in addition, provide a visible or audible alarm. Further sensors  40  can be provided and configured to warn a player that his ammunition is at any one of a given number of different levels. 
     FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate an alternate embodiment  101  of the loading system of the invention where the lid  116  is slidably attached to the canister  114  by flanges  115 . The reservoir  102  comprises a short sleeve  110  defining the inlet opening  106  and the door  108  is attached to the reservoir  102  by the door hinge  112  such that when in the closed position the door  108  covers an inner end of the sleeve  110 , and when in the open position the door  108  moves into the reservoir  102 . The door bias force DF is exerted on the door  108  toward the closed position, and the lid bias force LF in this embodiment is exerted on the lid  116  toward the closed position by a lid bias element  117 . 
   To engage the canister  114  with the reservoir  102 , the canister  114  is inserted into the inlet opening  106  of the reservoir  102 , and during engagement the lid  116  bears against the reservoir  102  at a bottom edge of the outer end of the sleeve  110  and slides toward the open position illustrated in  FIG. 9  as the canister  114  is inserted. Inserting the canister  114  into the sleeve  110  causes the canister  114  to bear against the door  108  and move it to the open position of  FIG. 9 . When fully engaged, the canister  114  is locked to the reservoir  102  by a pivoting latch member  160  that engages a latch peg  162  extending from the wall of the canister  114 . Alternatively the latch member  160  could be oriented to engage a notch in the wall of the canister in order to keep the outer surface of the canister  114  smooth such that same does not catch on clothing etc. 
   A sensor  140  is provided that is operative to send a sensor signal when the level of paintballs in the reservoir  102  has dropped below a desired level. The sensor  140  triggers a solenoid  142  operative to move the latch member  160  off the latch peg  162  in response to the sensor signal. An ejection bias force is exerted against the canister  114  when the canister  114  is engaged with the reservoir  102 . This ejection bias force is at least partially provided by the door bias force DF which is urging the canister  114  out of the sleeve  110 , and in this embodiment also by the lid bias force LF which is also urging the canister  114  out of the sleeve  110 . Further ejection bias elements  164  can be provided as required. Thus when the level of paintballs in the reservoir  102  falls below the desired level, the sensor  140  triggers the solenoid  142  and the canister  114  is ejected. The door  108  moves to the closed position in response to the door bias force DF 
     FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate another alternate embodiment  201  of the loading system of the invention where the lid  216  is slidably attached to the canister  214  by flanges  215 . The reservoir  202  comprises a sleeve  210  extending into the interior of the reservoir  202  and defining the inlet opening  206  in a bottom portion thereof. The door  208  is slidably attached to the bottom of the sleeve  210  by flanges  213  such that when in the closed position the door  208  covers the inlet opening  206  in the bottom of the sleeve  210 , and when in the open position the door  208  moves toward the inner end of the sleeve  210 . The door  208  may be mounted on the inside or the outside of the sleeve  210 , and the illustration is schematic only. The door bias force DF is exerted by the door bias element  209  on the door  208  toward the closed position, and the lid bias force LF in this embodiment is exerted on the lid  216  toward the closed position by a lid bias element  217 . 
   To engage the canister  214  with the reservoir  202 , the canister  214  is inserted into the inlet opening  206  of the reservoir  202 , and during engagement the lid  216  bears against the reservoir  202  at a bottom edge of the outer end of the sleeve  210  and slides toward the open position illustrated in  FIG. 9  as the canister  214  is inserted. Inserting the canister  214  into the sleeve  210  causes the canister  214  to bear against the door  208  and move it to the open position of  FIG. 10 . When fully engaged, the canister  214  is locked to the reservoir  202  by a pivoting latch member  260  that engages a latch peg  262  extending from the wall of the canister  214  or a recess in the wall of the canister  214 . The opening in the canister  214  is aligned with the inlet opening  206  of the reservoir, and paint balls can flow into the reservoir  202 . 
   It is generally desirable to fill paintball canisters to full capacity such that the paintballs do not shake and make noise during the game. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 10 and 11 , filling to full capacity may be difficult through the opening in the canister wall under the lid  216 . The canister  214  therefore has an open end and a pop-in top  270  fitted to seal the open end allowing filling through the open end of the canister  214  in a conventional manner. 
   A sensor  240  is provided that is operative to send a sensor signal when the level of paintballs in the reservoir  202  has dropped below a desired level. The sensor  240  triggers a solenoid  242  operative to move the latch member  260  off the latch peg  262  in response to the sensor signal. An ejection bias force is exerted against the canister  214  when the canister  214  is engaged with the reservoir  202  and is at least partially provided by the door bias force DF which is urging the canister  214  out of the sleeve  210 , and in this embodiment also by the lid bias force LF which is also urging the canister  214  out of the sleeve  210 . Further ejection bias elements  264  can be provided as required. Thus when the level of paintballs in the reservoir  202  falls below the desired level, the sensor  240  triggers the solenoid  242  and the canister  214  is ejected. The door  208  moves to the closed position in response to the door bias force DF. 
   The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.