Kee Action Sports I LLC

Gi Sportz Direct LLC

National Paintball Supply, Inc.

Other

Chris Terrence Goddard

James T Christopher

David Michael Banks

Albert G Schilling

Simon Benjamin Stevens

James M Singleton

Jeffery J Zimmerer

Scott Singleton

Michael C Story

Eric R Dick

Joseph M Schuster

The present invention is directed to a ball feed mechanism and associated method for use in a paintball loader. The ball feed mechanism includes a feeder which conveys or impels balls toward a feed neck, and a drive member which is concentric with the feeder. The feeder is coupled to the drive member. An electric motor is used to rotate the drive member which in turn causes the feeder to rotate. The feed mechanism includes sensors which detect the motion of the feeder and the drive member. A controller determines the position of the feeder relative to the drive member and actuates a motor when necessary.

Projectile loader drive system

Paintball loader drive system

A paintball loader for use on a paintball gun for feeding paintballs is provided. The paintball loader includes a container for holding a plurality of paintballs, a paintball agitator rotatably mounted in the container, the paintball agitator including at least two fins extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the fins spaced apart from each other forming a gap therebetween large enough to accommodate more than one paintball. At least two paintballs are positioned in the gap between the fins. A motor is configured to rotate the paintball agitator. The container includes an exit tube exiting from the bottom portion of the container and leading to an inlet tube of the paintball gun. A microprocessor in communication with a sensor may also be provided for controlling the motor. A deflector for deflecting paintballs may also be provided, the deflector movably attached to the interior surface of the container.

Paintball loader

A spring-loaded feed mechanism for a paintball loader. The feed mechanism includes an inner spool and an outer spool. A torsion spring is positioned between the inner and outer spools. The outer spool includes a pressure wall, from which the torsion spring is located on one end of the spring. A retaining wall is attached to the inner spool and is located at the opposite end of the torsion spring. When an operator of a paintball gun using the spring-loaded feed mechanism discontinues firing paintballs, the feed mechanism is stopped. Simultaneously, during the deceleration of the feed mechanism, the torsion spring is compressed, which allows the mechanical energy of the rotating feed mechanism to be stored within the compressed spring. When the operator desires to fire the paintball gun, the feed mechanism is accelerated to the requisite rotational speed. The compressed spring is release, thereby allowing the spring to assist in accelerating the feed mechanism to the necessary rotational speed.

Spring loaded feed mechanism for paintball loader

An paintball loader for supplying paintballs to a paintball marker is provided. The loader includes a container for storing a plurality of paintballs. An outfeed tube on the container is connected to an inlet tube on the marker. The loader further includes a drive shaft, and a feeder rotatably disposed in the container for feeding paintballs into the outfeed tube. The loader further includes a mechanical drive handle accessible externally of the loader and connected to the drive shaft to manually wind the drive spring.

Mechanical drive assist for paintball loader

A rapid feed paintball loader for use upon a conventional paintball gun. The rapid feed paintball loader includes a container for holding a plurality of paintballs. At a bottom portion of the container is a rotatable drive cone having a plurality of vertical fins. Each fin forms a gap with an adjacent fin large enough to accommodate a paintball. At the bottom of the container is an exit tube which exits from the bottom portion of the container and leads to an inlet tube of the paintball gun. A tube extension is mounted on an interior surface of the container adjacent to the sloped exit portion of the exit tube. The tube extension is mounted at a height which is above the top feed surface of the fins, and which is approximately equal to the radius of a paintball. A pivotable deflector is also mounted on an interior surface of the container adjacent the tube extension to prevent paintball jams from occurring within the interior of the container. The deflector is positioned above the top feed surface of the fins and below the height of the tube extension. The paintball loader also includes a microprocessor to variably control the rotational speed of the drive cone. REEXAMINATION RESULTS The questions raised in reexamination proceeding No. 90/009,715, filed Jun. 3, 2010, have been considered, and the results thereof are reflected in this reissue patent which constitutes the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 307 as provided in 37 CFR 1.570(e) forreexaminations, or the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 316 as provided in 37 CFR 1.997(e) forreexaminations.

Rapid feed paintball loader with pivotable deflector

A drive system for a regulating the rotation of a drive system or agitator in a paintball loader is disclosed. It is designed to regulate the rotation of a feeder, especially during a jam or when projectiles in a hopper become misaligned. This allows a user to quickly and effectively clear a jam and resume or continue rapid fire without damaging projectiles, the loader or the paintball marker.

Magnetic drive bypass system for paintball loader

Differential detection system for controlling feed of a paintball loader

A rapid feed paintball loader for use on a paintball gun for force feeding paintballs is provided. The paintball loader includes a container for holding a plurality of paintballs, a paintball agitator rotating about an axis and rotatably mounted in the container, the paintball agitator including at least two fins extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the fins spaced apart from each other forming a gap therebetween large enough to accommodate more than one paintball. At least two paintballs are positioned in the gap between the fins. A motor is configured to rotate the paintball agitator. The container includes an exit tube exiting from the bottom portion of the container and leading to an inlet tube of the paintball gun. A microprocessor and sensor may also be provided. The agitator may include a central dome-shaped area.

An active feed paintball loader for supplying paintballs to a paintball marker. The loader includes a container for storing a plurality of paintballs. An outfeed tube on the container is connected to an inlet tube on the marker. The loader further includes a drive shaft, a feeder rotatably disposed in the container for feeding paintballs into the outfeed tube, and a drive spring having first and second ends. The first end is engaged to the feeder to provide a driving force to rotate the feeder within the container. The second end is coupled to the drive shaft. The drive shaft operates to wind the drive spring to maintain sufficient tension on the drive spring to maintain a paintball stack in the outfeed tube. The loader further includes a mechanical drive handle accessible externally of the loader and connected to the drive shaft to manually wind the drive spring.

Mechanical drive assist for active feed paintball loader

The present invention is directed to a ball feed mechanism for use in a paintball loader. The ball feed mechanism includes a feeder which conveys or impels balls toward a feed neck, and a drive member which is concentric with the feeder. The feeder is coupled to the drive member through a spring. The spring is configured to store potential energy which is used to rotate the feeder and, thus, drive the balls toward the feed neck. An electric motor is used to rotate the drive member to wind the spring. The feed mechanism includes sensors which detect the motion of the feeder and the drive member. A controller determines the spring tension based on the relative motion of the feeder and drive member, and actuates a motor when necessary.

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Aubrey, TX, United States of America

Chris Terrence Goddard