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.

1 . A paintball delivery system comprising: 
 a container; and    a drive system acting in concert with said container, said drive system further comprising: 
 an auger having a plurality of pockets along its longitudinal length, said pockets being configured to receive and advance a paintball;  
 an elongate delivery cavity about parallel to said auger and acting in concert with said plurality of pockets, wherein said auger is configured to advance a paintball along said delivery cavity to a paintball marker.  
   
   
   
       2 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said drive system is at least partially housed within said container.  
   
   
       3 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said auger comprises a helical blade and an axle.  
   
   
       4 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said elongate delivery cavity is about parallel to said axle, and wherein said helical blade is configured to define said plurality of pockets which advance a paintball along said delivery cavity toward said paintball marker.  
   
   
       5 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said container has a chamber configured to receive a capacity of paintballs, and wherein said auger has pockets sufficient to receive and advance less than all of said capacity of paintballs toward said paintball marker at a particular time.  
   
   
       6 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said container is configured to gravity feed said paintballs into said delivery cavity for advancement by said auger to a paintball marker.  
   
   
       7 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said pockets partially overlap said delivery cavity.  
   
   
       8 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 actuation means for rotating said auger so as to advance said paintballs to said paintball marker.    
   
   
       9 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said actuation means comprises: 
 a motor; and    a selective actuation device coupled to said motor and configured to selectively operate said motor.    
   
   
       10 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said selective actuation device comprises at least one of a group consisting of: a sound activated actuator, a mechanical toggle, a magnetic actuator, an electrical contact, a break-beam mechanism, and a reflector.  
   
   
       11 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said container is configured to mount to a barrel of said paintball marker.  
   
   
       12 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 11 , said container being contoured to receive said barrel of said paintball marker.  
   
   
       13 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a barrel shroud connected to said container.  
   
   
       14 . A paintball delivery system comprising: 
 a container configured to hold and facilitate delivery of a plurality of paintballs to a firing mechanism of paintball marker; said container comprising: 
 a chamber; and  
 a delivery cavity, said delivery cavity being configured to hold, at a particular time, less than all of said plurality of paintballs from said chamber for advancement to said firing mechanism; and  
 a drive system at least partially housed within said container, said drive system comprising: 
 an auger positioned proximate said delivery cavity, wherein said auger is configured to advance paintballs along said delivery cavity to said firing mechanism; and  
 a power system for turning said auger to advance paintballs along said delivery cavity.  
 
   
   
   
       15 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said container has an elongate configuration, and wherein said delivery cavity is a single elongate delivery cavity oriented to correspond to the elongate configuration of said container.  
   
   
       16 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said power system comprises a motor.  
   
   
       17 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said power system further comprises an actuator for selectively operating said motor.  
   
   
       18 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said actuator comprises a sound activated member.  
   
   
       19 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said actuator comprises an electrical contact.  
   
   
       20 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said actuator comprises a break-beam device.  
   
   
       21 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said actuator comprises a reflector.  
   
   
       22 . A paintball delivery system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said container further comprises: 
 an inlet through which paintballs can be received into said chamber; and    an outlet port through which said paintballs are delivered to said firing mechanism, wherein said outlet port is aligned with said delivery cavity.    
   
   
       23 . A paintball marker system comprising: 
 a paintball marker having a firing mechanism;    a hopper, wherein said hopper comprises: 
 a chamber having an inlet for receiving one or more paintballs and an outlet for delivering said one or more paintballs to said firing mechanism of said paintball marker;  
 a delivery cavity configured to receive said one or more paintballs received within said chamber; and  
 an auger at least partially disposed within said chamber, wherein said auger is about parallel to said delivery cavity and configured to advance said one or more paintballs along said delivery cavity to said outlet.  
   
   
   
       24 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said paintball marker system further comprises: 
 a drive system configured to turn said auger.    
   
   
       25 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 24 , said drive system comprising a motor and an actuator electrically coupled to said motor, said actuator being configured to cause said motor to selectively operate said motor.  
   
   
       26 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said drive system is at least partially contained within said hopper.  
   
   
       27 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a feed tube disposed between said outlet and said firing mechanism.    
   
   
       28 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said hopper has an elongate configuration and is mounted to said paintball marker about parallel to a barrel of said paintball marker.  
   
   
       29 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said auger and said delivery cavity are oriented along said elongate configuration of said hopper.  
   
   
       30 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 29 , wherein said one or more paintballs are gravity fed from said chamber to said delivery cavity.  
   
   
       31 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 30 , wherein said one or more paintballs are force fed from said delivery cavity to said outlet.  
   
   
       32 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said delivery cavity and said auger are configured to advance said one or more paintballs in a single row to said paintball marker.  
   
   
       33 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said hopper is mounted to said paintball marker, said hopper being mounted below a barrel of said paintball marker.  
   
   
       34 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said hopper is mounted to said paintball marker, said hopper being top-mounted above a barrel of said paintball marker.  
   
   
       35 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein a butt-stock is mounted to said paintball marker, and wherein said hopper is at least partially contained within said butt-stock.  
   
   
       36 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said hopper is a backpack.  
   
   
       37 . A paintball marker system as recited in  claim 23 , said hopper being a hand grip configured to allow a user to stabilize said paintball marker.