Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20060086347?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=6,666,377
Timestamp: 2015-07-04 06:12:03
Document Index: 133404992

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 6', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 4', 'art 6']

Patent US20060086347 - Paintball loader - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA paintball loader, more specifically a paintball loader which rapidly and forcibly feeds paintballs to a paintball marker, comprises a rotor body (9) having at least one rotor fin (10), and a drive motor (7) for rotating said rotor body (9) in a first direction. The paintball loader has a central outlet...http://www.google.com/patents/US20060086347?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20060086347 - Paintball loaderAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20060086347 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 11/258,100Publication dateApr 27, 2006Filing dateOct 26, 2005Priority dateOct 26, 2004Also published asDE602004027635D1, EP1653189A1, EP1653189B1, EP2221570A2, EP2221570A3, EP2221570B1, US7568478, US8171925, US8820307, US20090266349, US20120216785, US20140366859Publication number11258100, 258100, US 2006/0086347 A1, US 2006/086347 A1, US 20060086347 A1, US 20060086347A1, US 2006086347 A1, US 2006086347A1, US-A1-20060086347, US-A1-2006086347, US2006/0086347A1, US2006/086347A1, US20060086347 A1, US20060086347A1, US2006086347 A1, US2006086347A1InventorsDaniel HedbergOriginal AssigneeDaniel HedbergExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManReferenced by (17), Classifications (4), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPaintball loader
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a paintball marker 100 equipped with a paintball loader 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The paintball loader 1 is attached to the lower part of a paintball container 2, and has a central outlet 5 leading out of the container 2. The paintball loader 1 is attached to the top side of a the paintball marker 100, which is illustrated as an example only. The paintball marker 100 includes a marker body 101 and a compressed gas cylinder 102 which typically is arranged to the rear end of the paintball marker 100. The paintball marker 100 further comprises a barrel 104 and a handgrip 105. The paintball marker 100 also comprises a trigger 106 and an inlet tube 107 which is connected to the central outlet 5 of the paintball loader 1. The inlet tube 107 receives paintballs from the paintball loader 1 and leads to a firing chamber in the interior of the marker body 101. FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic perspective view of a paintball loader of FIG. 1. The loader has a base part 4, adapted to act as a lower limitation of the container 2. The base part 4 is enclosed by a rim 19, and has a bottom surface 20 sloping inwardly towards the centrally located outlet 5. The base part 4 is connected to a control part 6 adapted to support a drive motor 7 and a spring holder 8 (shown in FIG. 4) containing a spring member 3 (also shown in FIG. 4). A transmission wheel (not shown) is connected to the shaft of the drive motor, and protrudes through an opening in the base part 4. By arranging the drive motor and spring holder separately from the container, access and maintenance of these components is facilitated. Moreover these parts are kept away from the paintballs which minimizes the risk for subjecting them to the fluid inside the balls. An abutment body 11 is rotatably arranged in the base part 4, making contact with the base part 4 along its outside. For example, the abutment body 11 is adapted to be snap fitted into a flange formed in the base part 4. The abutment body 11 is provided with an abutment fin 12 having rounded shape in order to facilitate the pushing of paintballs towards the rotational axis of the abutment body 11. Further, the abutment body 11 has an input opening 13 extending through the rotational axis and communicating with the outlet 5. On top of the abutment body a rotor body 9 is rotatably arranged. For example, a pin 15 projects along the rotational axis of the abutment body 11, and the centre of the rotor body 9 is provided with a small hole, which is adapted to receive the pin 15. Preferably, a plain bearing is also arranged to reduce any friction. The rotor body has a plurality of, in the illustrated case six, rotor fins 10, and an outer perimeter 16, which surrounds and connects to the tips of the rotor fins 10. Each rotor fin 10 is adapted push a paintball in a circular motion along the perimeter 16. The radius of the rotor body 9 including the rotor fins 10 determines the number of paintballs possible to push forward simultaneously, and also the distance between each paintball and the rotational axis. The rotor fins 10 can be ridged, made of e.g. plastic, or be flexible to some extent, made of e.g. rubber. The rotor fins may also be formed by brushes or the like, in particular in a case where the abutment body is fixedly arranged. In the illustrated embodiment the rotor fins 10 have a rounded shape with the rotor tips being curved in the direction of the rotation. The rotor fins are also projected upwardly from the center of the rotor body 9. In this way an interaction between the rotor fins 10 and the sloping bottom 20 is achieved that forces a paintball inwardly and downwardly towards the axis of rotation. This forcing inwardly and downwardly is further enhanced by an inclination of the rotor fins 10 in a forward direction in the sense of the rotation, with the upper edge 21 of each rotor fin 10 being located in a more advanced position than the lower edge 22. In this way the rotor fins 10 have a forward inclination which in a preferred embodiment of the invention constitutes an angle of approximately 25 degrees in relation to the rotational plane of the rotor 9. The rotor fins 10 in FIG. 2 are further formed to make contact with a paintball on its radially outer half, i.e. on the half facing away from the rotational centre of the rotor body 9. Thereby, the resulting force of the rotor fin on the paintball has a component directed radially inwards, i.e. towards the rotational centre of the rotor body 9. The perimeter 16 is on its underside provided with drive teeth 17 which, in assembled state, engage the transmission wheel. By transmitting the power of the drive motor 7 in this way a reliable operation is achievable. Of course, the drive teeth can be arranged differently on the rotor body, and can for example extend radially from the rotor body, like a conventional cog wheel. Moreover, other transmission techniques may be used. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the assembled paintball loader 1 of FIG. 2. The figure shows how a paintball 24 is located in a space 14 formed between one of the rotor fins 10′ and the abutment fin 12, and that the input opening 13 is located so as to connect this space 14 with the outlet 5. FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the assembled paintball loader 1 of FIGS. 2 and 3, partly cut away. FIG. 4 shows the rotor body 9 on top of the abutment body 11 in the container 2. Further FIG. 4 illustrates the control part 6 with the drive motor 7 and the spring holder 8 containing the spring member 3, here comprising a leaf spring 30 attached in one end to a fix axis 31 in the spring holder 8, and in the other end to the inside of a cylinder 32 surrounding the spring 30. The cylinder is rotatably arranged in the spring holder 8. A wire 33 is connected with one end to the outside of cylinder 32, and with the other end to the abutment body 11, so that, when the abutment body is rotated, the wire 33 is wound up on it, to thereby rotate the cylinder 32, loading the spring 30. The wire 33 further extends through a small hole 34 (not shown) in a transfer actuator 35 which is arranged between the abutment body 11 and the spring member 3. The wire 33 is provided with a knot or a thickening 37 between the spring member 3 and the hole 34. The transfer actuator 35 is connected to a drive motor switch 36 fixedly arranged in relation to the control part 6. The transfer actuator 35 and the drive motor switch 36 constitutes a stopping means. Referring to FIG. 1-4, the operation of the paintball loader 1 will now be explained. The loader 1 is connected to the marker 100 by attaching the central outlet 5 to the inlet tube 107 with an attaching device such as a clamp (not shown). The majority of the paintballs 24 in the container 2 now rest on top of the rotor body 9 and rotor fins 10, while a few of the paintballs drop down into the compartments formed between the rotor fins 10. The rotor body 9 is rotated by the drive motor 7, via the transmission wheel and drive teeth 17, and a space 14 big enough for containing a paintball 24 is formed between the abutment fin 12 and one of the rotor fins 10′. The interaction between the abutment fin 12 and a rotor fin 10 of the rotor body 9, by movement of one or both fins towards the other fin, pushes the paintballs from the space 14 into the input opening 13 and the central outlet 5. The abutment fin 12 has an angular projecting from the abutment body which ensures that the paintball 24 is pushed into the input opening. After the paintball 24 has entered into the input opening 13, another space 14 forms between the abutment fin 13 and the next rotor fin 10″, and another paintball, located in an adjacent compartment is sequentially grasped by the abutment fin 12 and pushed into the central outlet 5 through the input opening 13. Additional paintballs located in the container 2 are drawn downwardly by gravity and fill the vacated compartments. With the assistance of gravity and the pressure between the balls in the central outlet 5, the paintballs pass through central outlet 5 and reach the inlet tube 107 of the paintball marker 100. When the inlet tube 107 and central outlet 5 are filled with balls, no more paintballs can be pushed into the outlet 5. As the drive motor continues to drive the rotor body 9, a ball will then be clamped between a rotor fin 10 and the abutment fin 12, and will press the abutment fin 12 in the rotational direction of the rotor body 9. This movement is transferred to the loading of the spring member 3, via the wire 33 that is winded onto the abutment body 11. The force of the spring member 3 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the pressure between the paintballs and securing that no paintballs are broken because of the force of the spring member. When the wire 33 is almost completely wound up on the abutment body 11 (typically after around five turns of the abutment body 11), the knot 37 of the wire 33 reaches the transfer actuator 35. Since the hole 34 of the transfer actuator 35 is too small to allow the knot 37 to pass through it, the knot 37 forces the transfer actuator 35 to operate the switch 36 and turn off the drive motor 7. When a user of the paintball marker 100 wishes to shoot paintballs, the trigger 106 is squeezed, which actuates the compressed gas cylinder 102 to release bursts of compressed gas, thereby shooting paintballs entering the paintball marker through inlet 107. As paintballs leave the inlet 107, further paintballs will be pushed into the outlet 5 by the spring loaded abutment means. The accumulated energy in the spring member 3 is thus released, and as more balls are pushed into the outlet the abutment fin 11 is forced to rotate in the counter-direction of the rotational direction of the rotor body 9. As the spring action is an immediate mechanical action, activated as soon as the paintballs in the inlet 107 start to move, paintballs will promptly be supplied to the marker as soon as firing commences. Further, as soon as the spring member 3 starts to rotate, the position of the wire attachment to the cylinder 32 is again moved, and the switch 36 is operated to turn on the drive motor 7. For a while, the rotor 9 and the abutment body 11 are rotated in opposite directions, cooperating to quickly force balls out of the container 2 and through the inlet 107. This decreases the centripetal force having effect upon the paintballs and the risk for breakage is reduced. When the user ceases fire, paintballs are again prevented from moving through the outlet 5, and the rotor 9 will again start to move the abutment body 11 in its counter direction. When the spring member 3 is loaded, the drive motor will stop. Alternatively, in case of a long burst, when the spring member has released all its energy, the abutment body 11 comes to a standstill. The rotor body 9 will then continue to rotate, and push paintballs out through the outlet 5 as described above. While FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, also other embodiments are feasible within the scope of the claims of the invention. For example, while in the shown embodiment the upper rotating body is the rotor, and the lower rotating body is the abutment, this relationship can be reversed. Also, the abutment body is not necessarily rotatable, regardless of if it located on top of or below the rotor. Thus, the claims are intended to cover also an embodiment where a rotating body with at least one fin is arranged beneath a fixed body with at least one abutment fin. The claims are also intended to cover an embodiment where a rotating body with at least one fin is arranged on top of a fixed abutment body, such as a suitably formed ridge in the base part 4. Further, the abutment body 11 can be provided with several abutment fins 12 which each, in the sense of the rotation, is arranged adjacently behind an input opening 13. Such an embodiment allow a faster forcing of paintballs down the central outlet 5. Preferably the input openings 13 and abutment fins 12 are distributed around the abutment body 11 so that two pairs of an abutment fin 12 and a rotor fin 10 not are allowed to interact simultaneously and press two paintballs into the central outlet 5 at the same time. In this way jamming of paintballs in the central outlet and possible breakage of the paintballs can be avoided. It is also possible to arrange a separate drive motor for rotating the abutment body. The original drive motor could in such an embodiment lack stopping means making it constantly rotate the rotor body, as long as the paintball marker is turned on, while the abutment body could be driven in the opposite direction. This would minimize the centrifugal force that the paintballs are subjected to. Possibly the arrangement with the spring member would in such an embodiment need to allow the rotation of the abutment body also after that the spring member has reached its full load and in that case there would most likely not be any need of stopping means. It is also possible to have an arrangement with two separate drive motors driving the rotor body 9 and the abutment body 11, respectively, in opposite directions. In this case the spring member 3 may not be required, although this is still preferred. It should be understood that a number of modifications of the above described embodiment of the invention is possible within the scope of the invention according to the following claims. For example, also use of different types of springs, such as coil springs or cup springs, are within the scope of the invention. The stopping means can further be designed in a number of different ways. For instance, instead of the transfer actuator 35 operated by the wire 33, the spring holder 8 can be arranged slideably in the control part 6, so that it is movable towards the abutment body 11 when the wire is completely wound up. The holder 8 can then be connected to the drive motor switch, so that such movement turns the drive motor off. As a further alternative, the drive motor 7 can be torque limited, i.e. designed to shut off as soon as the applied torque exceeds a given threshold. Such a drive motor would only run as long as the paintballs are pushed through the outlet 5, or the abutment body 11 rotates with the rotor 9. As soon as the spring is loaded, and the rotor is prevented to move any further, the torque will increase and the drive motor stop. This embodiment may actually be preferred, as it does not rely on any intermediate elements to turn off the drive motor. As soon as there is a risk of damaging a paintball (increased torque), the drive motor turns off. However, such a torque limited drive motor is of course more expensive. Finally, another feasible embodiment of the invention is a paintball loader wherein the rotor body comprises the bottom of the container. By having such an embodiment, the number of structural components can be decreased since no separate bottom of the container is needed. Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7654255Oct 6, 2006Feb 2, 2010Kee Action Sports I LlcSelf-regulation paintball agitator systemUS7841328Jul 19, 2007Nov 30, 2010Procaps LpPaintball gun loading methods and apparatusUS7854220 *May 9, 2007Dec 21, 2010Terry NeumasterStretchable tension paintball agitator with deflecting arms and displacement tipsUS8047190Oct 22, 2008Nov 1, 2011Dye Precision, Inc.Paintball loaderUS8104462Nov 3, 2008Jan 31, 2012Kee Action Sports I LlcDifferential detection system for controlling feed of a paintball loaderUS8118016Apr 30, 2010Feb 21, 2012GI Sportz Inc.Paintball gun loading methods and apparatusUS8251050Jul 11, 2008Aug 28, 2012Kee Action Sports I LlcMagnetic drive bypass system for paintball loaderUS8356589 *Feb 17, 2009Jan 22, 2013Gi Sportz, Inc.Paintball loaderUS8375929Sep 29, 2008Feb 19, 2013Kee Action Sports I LlcDevice for storing projectile balls and feeding them into the projectile chamber of a gunUS8746225Jan 30, 2012Jun 10, 2014Kee Action Sports I LlcPaintball loader drive systemUS8950386 *Jan 23, 2012Feb 10, 2015Daniel Hedberg Development AbBall feeding arrangementUS20090211562 *Feb 17, 2009Aug 27, 2009Karnis NicholasPaintball loaderUS20110067681 *Jan 26, 2010Mar 24, 2011Kee Action Sports I LlcPaintball loader removable drive systemUS20120103316 *Oct 31, 2011May 3, 2012Dye Precision, Inc.Paintball loaderUS20140053821 *Jan 23, 2012Feb 27, 2014Daniel Hedberg Development AbBall feeding arrangementUSRE45490Nov 27, 2012Apr 28, 2015G.I. Sportz, Inc.Paintball gun loading methods and apparatusWO2009015393A2 *Jul 28, 2008Jan 29, 2009Kee Actions Sports I LlcPaintball loader removable drive system* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification124/51.1International ClassificationF41B11/53Cooperative ClassificationF41B11/53European ClassificationF41B11/52Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionAug 14, 2007ASAssignmentOwner name: DYE PRECISION, INC., CALIFORNIAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:FX AIRGUNS AB;REEL/FRAME:019697/0268Effective date: 20070625Feb 11, 2008ASAssignmentOwner name: FX AIRGUNS AB, SWEDENFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:FX DEVELOPMENT AB;REEL/FRAME:020500/0568Effective date: 20070215Owner name: FX DEVELOPMENT AB, SWEDENFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HEDBERG, DANIEL;REEL/FRAME:020494/0041Effective date: 20070131Sep 7, 2010CCCertificate of correctionFeb 4, 2013FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Mar 6, 2015ASAssignmentOwner name: KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR, LLP, CALIFORNIAFree format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:DYE PRECISION, INC.;REEL/FRAME:035154/0546Effective date: 20150113RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services