Paintball delivery system

Abstract

A paintball delivery system which includes a container configured to receive, hold and facilitate delivery of paintballs to a paintball marker, and a drive system at least partially housed within the container. The container includes a first chamber configured to hold paintballs, and a second chamber which includes a cavity facilitating advancement of a paintball to a paintball marker along a predefined path. The drive system includes an auger which has an axle and a helical blade, the helical blade defining multiple pockets along the longitudinal length of the auger. The auger is positioned proximate to the second chamber and the cavity therein to facilitate advancement of paintballs to the paintball marker. The drive system also includes a motor configured to selectively operate the auger, and actuation means for selectively operating the motor to in turn operate the auger.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 748,038, filed on Dec. 7, 2005, and entitled “PAINTBALL DELIVERY SYSTEM,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by this reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. The Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention generally relates to sporting equipment and, more particularly, to paintball systems. [0004] 2. The Relevant Technology [0005] Over the last decade, paintball games and competitions have become very popular. In conventional paintball games and competitions, the object is to hit your opponent with a paintball and have the paintball break upon impact, thereby marking the opponent and removing them from the game. Such games and competitions can be played in any of a variety of locations, both indoors and outdoors, and in locations which are dedicated or not dedicated to such activities. Mor...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] The present invention relates to paintball markers and, more specifically, delivery systems used to feed paintballs to a paintball gun. As noted above, hoppers which deliver paintballs by using gravity alone can, in some cases, result in a paintball not being available to a user of a paintball marker when the user desires to fire the marker. These problems are overcome by the herein disclosed systems and apparatus for providing a paintball hopper or feeding system which feeds paintballs to a user in an efficient and consistent manner.

[0013] In general, a paintball delivery system according to the present invention includes a container and a drive system which acts in concert with the drive system to deliver paintballs to a paintball marker. The drive system can include, for example, an auger which has a number of pockets configured to each receive a paintball spaced along the length of the auger. A delivery cavity can run parallel to the auger and can act in concert with the pockets. For instance, as the auger rotates, the pockets may move along the length of the auger, thereby propelling the paintballs within the pockets along the length of the delivery cavity, and towards an outlet which leads to the paintball marker. In this manner, the auger can act as a force-feed device for delivering paintballs in a consistent manner, and such that the auger acts as a part of the force-feed device, and not merely as an agitator which facilitates the gravity feed of paintballs.

[0016] According to other aspects of the present invention, a paintball marker system is disclosed which includes a paintball having a firing mechanism. A hopper may be used in connection with the paintball marker that includes a chamber having an inlet for receiving one or more paintballs and an outlet through which the paintballs are delivered to the firing mechanism of the paintball marker. A delivery cavity may also be included which is configured to receive one or more paintballs from the chamber, and an auger can be located in the chamber and parallel to the delivery cavity, such that it can advance the paintballs along the delivery cavity to the outlet.

Problems solved by technology

As noted above, hoppers which deliver paintballs by using gravity alone can, in some cases, result in a paintball not being available to a user of a paintball marker when the user desires to fire the marker.

Images