Paintball loading device

Abstract

An adaptive, force-fed paintball loading device capable of delivering paintballs to a paintball marker against the force of gravity is disclosed. The paintball loading device preferably includes a refillable compartment that is generally an oblong elliptical container holding a plurality of paintballs. Paintballs are able to flow through an opening in the lower portion of the compartment and in between two synchronously geared counter-rotating helical augers. The geometry of flutes on the counter-rotating augers causes the paintballs in the lower portion of the container to be engaged between the augers and then pushed along a channel between the augers and out through a feed tube, which is attached to a paintball marker. A DC electric motor is used to drive the augers. A speed reduction unit is employed to reduce the motor shaft speed to a level practicably used by the synchronously geared augers. A feedback control loop and dynamic coupling element are also employed to enhance the response of the loading system to changing rates of fire of the attached paintball marker. Input signals from sensors on the paintball marker and the paintball loading device may also be employed to enhance the responsiveness of the paintball loading device to the demands of the paintball marker.

1 . A paintball loading device for loading paintballs into the breach of a paintball marker, the loading device comprising: 
 (a) a hopper having a cavity, an exit port and an opening;    (b) a drive housing mounted adjacent the hopper, the drive housing having a feed port in communication with the exit port of the hopper, an augur channel in communication with the feed port and a discharge port at one end of the augur channel;    (c) a pair of parallel augurs rotatably mounted in the augur channel;    (d) an electric drive mechanism for rotating the augurs in a counter rotating fashion, and    (e) a feed tube having opposite fist and second ends, the first end being coupled to the discharge port of the drive housing, and the second end being attachable to the breach of the paintball marker.    
   
   
       2 . A paintball loading device of  claim 1  wherein the drive mechanism comprises an electric motor coupled to the augurs by a dampening spring.  
   
   
       3 . A paintball loading device of  claim 2  further comprising a motor controller for controlling the operation of the motor, the motor controller stopping the operation of the motor when the motor draws current beyond a pre-selected upper limit.  
   
   
       4 . A paintball loading device of  claim 3  wherein the drive mechanism further comprises a locking mechanism for releasably locking the electric motor when the motor controller stops the operation of the motor.  
   
   
       5 . A paintball loading device of  claim 4  further comprising a paintball sensor positioned at the second end of the feed tube, the paintball sensor being coupled to the motor controller, the paintball sensor being adapted and configured to send an electrical signal to the motor controller when paintballs past the sensor.  
   
   
       6 . A paintball loading device of  claim 5  wherein the motor controller is adapted and configured to start the electric motor when the motor controller receives the electrical signal from the paintball sensor.  
   
   
       7 . A paintball loading device of  claim 5  wherein the paintball sensor is a capacitance sensor having a pair of electrodes positioned adjacent the second end of the feed tube.  
   
   
       8 . A paintball loading device of  claim 2  wherein the dampening springs has opposite first and second ends, the first end being coupled to the electric motor and the second end being coupled to the augurs.  
   
   
       9 . A paintball loading device of  claim 8  wherein the dampening spring comprises a torsion spring.  
   
   
       10 . A paintball loading device of  claim 1  wherein the drive mechanism comprises an electric motor coupled to a pulley, said pulley being coupled to a dampening spring, said dampening spring being coupled to one of the augurs, said augurs being coupled to each other by gears.  
   
   
       11 . An automatic self feeding paintball marker comprising: 
 (a) a paintball marker having a breach;    (b) a paintball loader for automatically feeding the breach, said paintball loader being mounted under the paintball marker;    (c) said paintball loader comprising a hopper having a cavity, an exit port and an opening;    (d) a drive housing mounted adjacent the hopper, the drive housing having a feed port in communication with the exit port of the hopper, an augur channel in communication with the feed port and a discharge port at one end of the augur channel;    (e) a pair of parallel augurs rotatably mounted in the augur channel;    (f) an electric drive mechanism for rotating the augurs in a counter rotating fashion, and (g) a feed tube having opposite fist and second ends, the first end being coupled to the discharge port of the drive housing, and the second end being attachable to the breach of the paintball marker.    
   
   
       12 . A paintball marker as defined in  claim 11  wherein the drive mechanism comprises an electric motor coupled to the augurs by a dampening spring, the dampening spring configured to store torsion.  
   
   
       13 . The paintball marker of  claim 12  further comprising a motor controller for controlling the operation of the motor, the motor controller stopping the operation of the motor when the motor draws current beyond a pre-selected upper limit.  
   
   
       14 . The paintball marker of  claim 13  wherein the drive mechanism further comprises a locking mechanism for releasably locking the electric motor when the motor controller stops the operation of the motor.  
   
   
       15 . The paintball marker of  claim 14  further comprising a paintball sensor positioned at the second end of the feed tube, the paintball sensor being coupled to the motor controller, the paintball sensor being adapted and configured to send an electrical signal to the motor controller when paintballs pass the sensor.  
   
   
       16 . The paintball marker of  claim 15  wherein the motor controller is adapted and configured to start the electric motor when the motor controller receives the electrical signal from the paintball sensor.  
   
   
       17 . The paintball marker of  claim 15  wherein the paintball sensor is a capacitance sensor having a pair of electrodes positioned adjacent the second end of the feed tube.  
   
   
       18 . The paintball marker of  claim 12  wherein the dampening springs has opposite first and second ends, the first end being coupled to the electric motor and the second end being coupled to the augurs.  
   
   
       19 . The paintball marker of  claim 12  wherein the dampening spring comprises a torsion spring.  
   
   
       20 . The paintball marker of  claim 11  wherein the drive mechanism comprises an electric motor coupled to a pulley, said pulley being coupled to a dampening spring, said dampening spring being coupled to one of the augurs, said augurs being coupled to each other by gears.