Abstract:
An integrated paintball marker having an integrated hopper in the marker body. The integrated hopper is connected by a sliding mechanism and provides for a center of gravity closer to the user&#39;s hand as well as reduced extremities for targeting by other players or for catching on foreign objects. The hopper is removable from the body using a connector and lock system that is separate from the exit port and which allows positioning on the marker while blocking the exit port from the hopper compartment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/652,461, filed Feb. 11, 2005. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     RESERVATION OF RIGHTS 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to intellectual property rights such as but not limited to copyright, trademark, and/or trade dress protection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of paintball products. In particular, the present invention relates specifically to the integration of a paintball hopper into the body of the paintball marker to lower the center of gravity and reduce the feed length of the paintball path from the hopper into the launching chamber. 
     2. Description of the Known Art 
     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, paintball hoppers are utilized to feed paintballs to the breech of the paintball marker. Patents disclosing information relevant to paintballs, markers, and hoppers include U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,794, issued to Johnson on Jan. 25, 2005 entitled Paintball filling system; U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,822, issued to Styles on Jul. 20, 2004 entitled Electropneumatic paintball gun, method of making and operating, and retrofit kit assembly; U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,322, issued to Rice et al. on May 25, 2004 entitled Paintball feed system; U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,909, issued to Tiberius et al. on Mar. 9, 2004 entitled Semi-automatic-firing, compressed-gas gun; U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,982, issued to Cherry on Dec. 9, 2003 entitled Cocking knob and striker arrangement for gas-powered projectile firing device; U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,366, issued to Johnson on Nov. 11, 2000 entitled Paintball filling system; U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,165, issued to Bhogal on Dec. 30, 2003 entitled Paintball gun; U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,945, issued to Martinez, Jr. on Jun. 10, 2003 entitled Method for manufacturing a projectile containing chemiluminescent compounds; U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,432, issued to Rushton, et al. on Nov. 19, 2002 entitled Paintball hopper; U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,872, issued to Tiberius et al. on Nov. 19, 2002 entitled Semi-automatic firing compressed-gas gun; U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,975, issued to Gallegher et al. on May 2, 2000 entitled Paintball container; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,383 issued to Tippmann, Sr., et al. on Mar. 3, 1998 entitled Impeder for a gun firing mechanism with ammunition feeder and mode selector. Each of these patents is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,909, issued to Tiberius et al. on Mar. 9, 2004 entitled Semi-automatic-firing, has the following description in its abstract: “A paintball gun is sized and designed to appear like and operate in a manner similar to a conventional gun. A dual-action firing bolt moves forward, assisting in launching a projectile, under cast pressure. The bolt then releases the compressed gas to carry the projectile down the barrel. Return springs operate to move the bolt and its valves to a ready-to-fire position. Similarly, trigger actuation mechanisms are spring-actuated to return to the ready-to-fire position. A removable magazine stores projectiles and propellant. The magazine is small enough to fit into a handle of a pistol. A user may selectively release just the projectile portion of the magazine, in order to leave the propellant undisturbed until fully expended. The magazine can be completely removed without substantial loss of propellant.” 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,432, issued to Rushton, et al. on Nov. 19, 2002 entitled Paintball hopper, has the following description in its abstract: “A paintball hopper for connection to a paintball launcher or marker has a counter which includes a flexible potentiometer extending into a transfer conduit that connects to the paintball launcher or marker. The hopper has a reservoir shaped for movement of the paintballs toward the transfer conduit. The hopper has a nose with slanted surfaces that are deflection engineered to enhance the deflectability of paintballs directed at the user. The counter mechanism includes a timer and an LCD display so the user can see how many paintballs have been launched and monitor time. The hopper also includes an agitator to agitate the paintballs in the reservoir.” 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,872, issued to Tiberius et al. on Nov. 19, 2002 entitled Semi-automatic firing compressed-gas gun, has the following description in its abstract: “A paintball gun is sized and designed to appear like and operate in a manner similar to a conventional gun. A dual-action firing bolt moves forward, assisting in launching a projectile, under cast pressure. The bolt then releases the compressed gas to carry the projectile down the barrel. Return springs operate to move the bolt and its valves to a ready-to-fire position. Similarly, trigger actuation mechanisms are spring-actuated to return to the ready-to-fire position. A removable magazine stores projectiles and propellant. The magazine is small enough to fit into a handle of a pistol. A user may selectively release just the projectile portion of the magazine, in order to leave the propellant undisturbed until fully expended. The magazine can be completely removed without substantial loss of propellant.” 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,383 issued to Tippmann, Sr., et al. on Mar. 3, 1998 entitled Impeder for a gun firing mechanism with ammunition feeder and mode selector, has the following description in its abstract: “An ammunition feed mechanism for an automatic or semiautomatic weapon which includes a mechanism for retarding the cyclic feeding of ammunition into the chamber of the weapon. The mechanism for retarding the cyclic feeding of ammunition includes an impeder which engages the bolt of the weapon. The ammunition feed mechanism also includes a magazine having a ramped bottom which directs ammunition projectiles to an exit therein where the ammunition projectiles are fed into the chamber of the weapon. The magazine includes a plurality of curved projections in the bottom which define a plurality of spaces into which the ammunition projectiles are received. The plurality of curved projections also guide the ammunition projectiles through the exit.” 
     Additional prior art is also known. As shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings, it is also currently known to use a separate exterior hopper  14  to feed a paintball  10  into an internal loading area  18  of a separate paintball marker body  16 . The majority of prior art designs utilize separate paintball hoppers  14  that are self contained units using a neck extension  20  which is friction fit connected into an external feed neck  22  located on the top or the side of the paintball marker body  16 . Clamping grips have also been used on the external feed neck  22 . This extended construction which locates the mass of the paintball hopper  14  and any contained paintballs  10  in an extended position above the marker provides a greatly expanded profile  24  which presents a larger target for opposing players. Furthermore, this upward neck extension  20  and  22  and the associated extended mounting of the external hopper  14  causes a higher center of gravity which results in a reduction of control when aiming the marker  16 . Thus, the prior art teaches paintball markers and hopper having inherent problems such that an improved hopper and marker are needed to overcome these limitations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an improved integrated hopper paintball marker. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a paintball marker is provided using an integrated hopper located within the body of the marker that accepts a random orientation of paintballs and directs them to the loading chamber. 
     Of particular note is a marker body encasing both a launching device and a random orientation interior hopper. The unique construction uses an interior hopper compartment having a ramped bottom wall in proximity to the launching area. This is in contrast to the prior art that uses either a fixed orientation magazine, or a random orientation exterior hopper. Fixed orientation magazines take a long time to load such that they are not easily reloaded in the field. Random orientation exterior hoppers have bottom walls outside of the marker body such that the hopper is distal from the loading port. In contrast to the prior art, the present invention has a quick load interior magazine construction that lowers the center of gravity of the marker for increased accuracy. Further inventive aspects are found in the unique separation of the connection from the ball path area and in the angled nature of the connection so that the hopper may gravity direct paintballs to the loading port. 
     Also of note is the shortened length of the loading port that flowably connects the interior hopper compartment to the launch area. 
     Yet another advantage is found in the lower hopper compartment wall ramping upward from a position above the loading port. 
     A still further advantage is found in the marker body having a filling port for loading paintballs into the interior hopper compartment and a covering lid hinged to the marker body. 
     Another advantage is found in the interior hopper compartment having a hopper wall defining a bottom chute encouraging a serial arrangement of the paintballs. 
     One very unique advantage is found in the use of a hopper connector that provides for downwardly angling the interior hopper compartment toward the launch area. 
     Additional advantages are found in the hopper connector being adapted to secure the interior hopper compartment to the launching device in a flow prohibiting position that blocks the advancement of the paintball from the interior hopper compartment to the launch area and yet also providing a flowable position. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent by reviewing the following detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following drawings, which form a part of the specification and which are to be construed in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals have been employed throughout wherever possible to indicate like parts in the various views: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a prior art paintball marker. 
         FIG. 2  shows an isometric view of an integrated hopper paintball marker. 
         FIG. 3  shows an enlarged view of the integrated hopper mounted on the launching body. 
         FIG. 4  shows a cut away view of the integrated hopper to body connection. 
         FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of one half of the launching body, the integrated hopper, the hopper lid, and the flexible lock catch. 
         FIG. 6  shows an exploded view with the integrated hopper and pressure supply cover disconnected from the launching body. 
         FIG. 7  shows a cutaway view of the launching body. 
         FIG. 8  shows a left side view of the integrated hopper body. 
         FIG. 9  shows a back view of the integrated hopper body. 
         FIG. 10  shows a right side view of the integrated hopper body. 
         FIG. 11  shows a front view of the integrated hopper body. 
         FIG. 12  shows a top side view of the integrated hopper body. 
         FIG. 13  shows a bottom view of the integrated hopper body. 
         FIG. 14  shows a cutaway view of the lock in a raised position. 
         FIG. 15  shows a cutaway view of the lock in a lowered position. 
         FIG. 16  shows a cutaway view of the hopper in a flow prohibiting position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 through 16  of the drawings, one exemplary embodiment of the present invention is generally shown as an integrated paintball marker  100 . The integrated paintball marker  100  has a marker body  102  including a launching body  110  and a random orientation integrated hopper  136 . Several unique advantages are provided by the launching body  110  and the random orientation integrated hopper  136  of the present invention. 
     The launching body  110  includes a front barrel  102 , a downward extending grip  104  housing a trigger  106 , and a launching pressure supply  108  extending off of the back  109  of launching body  110 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  7 , the interior of the launching body  110  houses a launching device  112  adapted to launch a paintball  10  from a launching area  114 .  FIG. 5  provides a cutaway view with the launching device  112  removed for clarity of the launching area. The typical moving bolt and pressurized gas release launching device is adapted for use in this marker. Various other types of launching devices are well known as shown by the prior art patents that are incorporated into this specification. Thus, any of these different types of launching devices may be utilized and this invention is not meant to be limited to a particular type of launching device. 
     Paintballs  10  are loaded into the launching device  112  at the launching area  114  using a gravity feed from the random orientation integrated hopper  136  through a short length loading port  116 . The present invention provides advantages in the preferred embodiment because the loading port  116  is less than the prior art&#39;s typical inch and half or more of length of the feed neck  20 / 22  above the bolt area  18  in most previous marker designs. Several unique approaches are also found in the construction of the gravity angled connection  118  and the random orientation integrated hopper  136  construction directing paintballs to this loading port  116 . 
     The random orientation integrated hopper  136  is directly mounted to the launching body  110  using an angled sliding hopper connection  118 . This is unique in both the integration of the random hopper  136  into the launching body  110  and the method of connecting the random hopper  136  to the launching body  110 . Typical prior art hoppers that allow for quick load and random orientation use a completely separate hopper construction that is connected using the neck connection as previously noted. This results in the separate hopper  14  being located distally from the launching area  18 . In contrast, the present invention provides a proximal placement of the bottom wall  149  of the quick load random hopper  136  in relation to the launching area  114 . Furthermore, this invention provides unique characteristics by integrating the hopper  136  into the launching body  110  of the marker  100  such that the hopper  136  does not provide a catching type of extension above the marker  100 . This sleek design reduces the projections so that the marker  100  does not have the tendency to catch on other items. This construction also lowers the center of gravity of the marker  100  for increased accuracy. Further inventive aspects are found in the unique separation of the connection  118  from the ball path area and in the angled nature of the connection  118  so that the hopper  136  may gravity direct paintballs  10  to the loading port  116 . 
     The integrated interior hopper compartment  136  is constructed with a hopper wall  138  defining a body area  140  enclosing the containment area  142 . The body area  140  has a front nose  144  and a bottom chute  146 . The bottom chute  146  defines the ball guide  148  which directs the paintballs  10  to the exit area  178  defining the exit port  180  that releases the paintballs  10  from the hopper  136 . The bottom chute  146  also has chute tabs  150  which engage the slide fingers  120  on the launching body  110 . 
     The body area  140  has side walls  158 , end wall  160 , and the top wall  162  defining the shape of the body area  140 . At the end wall  160  of the body area  140  is the filling area  164  which includes a filling port  166  defined by a port rim  168  having a catch lip  170 . Note the large opening that provides for quick efficient random filling of this hopper. No known prior art design has integrated the random orientation hopper to provide this type of construction. 
     The top wall  162  has a connector area  172  with a hopper connector  174  using a connection post  176  to connect to the removable filling lid  182 . The removable filling lid  182  has a spanning body  184  across a circular side rim  186 . The side rim  186  has a catch lip  188  that engages the catch lip  170  on the filling port rim  168  to hold the lid  182  in a closed position. Release tabs  190  are provided at various locations around the filling lid  182  to allow the user to open the filing lid  182 . 
     A lid connector  192  connects the filling lid  182  to the top wall  162 . The lid connector  192  forms a hinge  194  by connecting a lid attachment  196  to the hopper attachment  198  using a flexible span  200 . The lid attachment snaps onto the connection post  176  at the connector area  172 . 
     The present invention uses a unique hopper  136  to launching body  110  construction that allows for movement of the hopper to provide for opening and blocking of the paintball path from the hopper&#39;s main compartment exit port  180  into the loading port  116  of the launching body  136 . A flow allowance position  202  is provided when the exit port  180  and the loading port  116  are aligned. A flow prohibiting position  204  is provided when the exit port  180  and the loading port  116  are mis-aligned. These positions may be easily understood by reviewing the sliding nature chute tabs  150  and the slide finger  120  of the hopper connection  118 . 
     The hopper connection uses chute tabs  150  on the random orientation integrated hopper  136  which engage the slide fingers  120  on the launching body  110 . The set of slide fingers  120  are mounted above a slide base  122  to slidably engage the random orientation integrated hopper  136 . Upon insertion of the random orientation integrated hopper  136  into the launching body  110 , the random orientation integrated hopper  136  slides along the hopper connection  118  until the ramped edge  154  engages the exterior ramp  127  of the lock body  126 . At this point, the friction of the slide  120 / 150  and the friction of the lock body  126  against the bottom of the chute  146  will hold the random orientation integrated hopper  136  in position so that the exit port  180  and the loading port  116  are mis-aligned. This allows the marker  100  to be carried with a full hopper  136  without the concerns of spilling paintballs  10  or an accidental launch of a ball  10  from the marker  100 . 
     A simple forward push on the hopper  136  in relation to the launching body  110  will then overcome the friction of the slide  120 / 150  to put the hopper  136  in a flow allowance position  202  on the launching body  110 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the launching body  110  houses a lock  124 . The lock  124  has a flexible lock body  126  mounted using a rotatable lock support  132  and a sliding lock support  134 . This allows the flexible lock body  126  to move between a raised position  130  and a lowered position  131 . Upon insertion of the random orientation integrated hopper  136  into the launching body  110 , the random orientation integrated hopper  136  slides along the hopper connection  118  until the ramped edge  154  engages the exterior ramp  127  of the lock body  126 . Then, additional forward force on the random orientation integrated hopper  136  pushes on the ramped insertion edge  154  of the hopper lock extension  152  to flex the lock body  126  into the downward position  131  so that the random orientation integrated hopper  136  can continue its forward movement. Once the hopper lock extension  152  is past the locking extension  128  on the lock body  126 , the catch edge  156  of the integrated hopper body  136  engages the blocking edge  129  of the flexible lock body  126  to hold the hopper  136  in position on the launching body  110 . The exit port  180  and the loading port  116  are now aligned and the hopper  136  is in the flow allowance position  202 . Also note that the angled nature of the sliding connection  118  provides for gravity feeding of the paintballs to the loading port  116 . 
     The hopper  136  may be removed by pressing down on the lock body  126  to release the hopper lock extension  128  from the lock body  126 . This allows for quick insertion and removable of the hopper body  136  from the launching body  110 . 
     Reference numerals used throughout the detailed description and the drawings correspond to the following elements:
         paintball  10     separate exterior hopper  14     separate paintball marker body  16     internal loading area  18     neck extension  20     external feed neck  22     expanded profile  24     integrated paintball marker  100     marker body  102     grip  104     trigger  106     launching pressure supply  108     back  109     launching body  110     launching device  112     launching area  114     loading port  116     hopper connection  118     slide fingers  120     slide base  122     lock  124     flexible lock body  126     exterior ramp  127     locking extension  128     blocking edge  129     raised position  130     lowered position  131     rotatable lock support  132     sliding lock support  134     random orientation integrated hopper  136     hopper wall  138     body area  140     containment area  142     front nose  144     bottom chute  146     ball guide  148     chute tabs  150     hopper lock extension  152     ramped insertion edge  154     catch edge  156     side walls  158     end wall  160     top wall  162     filling area  164     filling port  166     port rim  168     catch lip  170     connector area  172     hopper connector  174     connection post  176     exit area  178     exit port  180     filling lid  182     spanning body  184     side rim  186     catch lip  188     release tabs  190     lid connector  192     hinge  194     lid attachment  196     hopper attachment  198     flexible span  200     flow allowance position  202     flow prohibiting position  204         

     From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention well adapted to obtain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure. It will also be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.