Acceleration-sensing loader activation system and method

Abstract

An acceleration-sensing loader activation system can include an acceleration sensor configured to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the magnitude and periodicity of movement of a marker or loader body or a marker or loader component. A signal filter circuit can be arranged in communication with the acceleration sensor to receive and filter the electrical signal. A signal amplifier circuit can be arranged in communication with the signal filter circuit to amplify a signal from the signal filter circuit and transmit the amplified signal to a signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit can be programmed to evaluate the incoming signal and determine whether it corresponds to a desired actuation event (such as a firing event). If the signal processing circuit determines that a desired actuation event has occurred, it can then send a control signal to a control circuit to activate a feed device of the loader. A method of activating a loader assembly preferably includes using an acceleration sensor to detect movement of a paintball marker or loader's operating mechanisms and/or body and to output an electrical signal proportional to the magnitude and periodicity of the movement. The resulting signal is then preferably processed using filtering, amplification, and digital signal processing circuitry to determine whether the movement corresponds to a desired actuation event and, if so, to provide an activation signal to activate a loading operation of the paintball loader's internal feed mechanism.

1 . A paintball loader activation system, comprising:
 an acceleration sensor configured to detect an acceleration and to generate an acceleration-based signal corresponding to the acceleration; and   a processing circuit communicating with the acceleration sensor to receive the acceleration-based signal, wherein the processing circuit is configured to evaluate the acceleration-based signal and to generate an activation signal to activate a loading mechanism of a paintball loader when the detected acceleration corresponds to a desired activation event.   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the acceleration sensor is arranged on or in the paintball loader to detect acceleration of the paintball loader. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the acceleration sensor is arranged on or in a paintball marker to detect acceleration of the paintball marker. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the acceleration sensor is arranged in communication with an operating component of a paintball marker to detect acceleration of the operating component. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the paintball loader is mounted to a paintball marker and wherein the desired activation event is a firing event of the paintball marker. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the acceleration-based signal corresponds to a magnitude and periodicity of the acceleration and wherein the system further comprises a filter arranged in electrical communication between the acceleration sensor and the processing circuit to filter the acceleration-based signal before supplying it to the processing circuit. 
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 6 , further comprising an amplifier arranged in electrical communication between the filter and the processing circuit to amplify the filtered acceleration-based signal before supplying it to the processing circuit. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit communicating with the processing circuit to receive the activation signal from the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to generate a control signal to control the loading mechanism of the paintball loader in response to the activation signal from the control circuit. 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein the loading mechanism is a DC motor and wherein the control circuit is a motor control circuit configured to control the DC motor. 
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit comprises a micro-controller based processor programmed to evaluate the acceleration-based signal to determine whether it corresponds to the desired activation event. 
     
     
         11 . A paintball loader activation system, comprising:
 a loader having a loader body comprising a paintball storage area and a feed neck;   a loader feeding system arranged in the loader body and configured to urge a supply of paintballs from the paintball storage area toward the feed neck;   a loader control circuit for controlling the loader feeding system;   an acceleration sensor configured to detect acceleration and generate an acceleration-based signal corresponding to the detected acceleration; and   a processing circuit configured to receive the acceleration-based signal and to instruct the control circuit to activate the loader feeding system when the acceleration-based signal corresponds to a desired activation event.   
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein the acceleration sensor is arranged on or in the loader body to detect an acceleration of the loader. 
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein the loader is attached to a paintball marker and wherein the acceleration sensor is arranged on or in the paintball marker to detect an acceleration of the paintball marker. 
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a paintball marker, wherein the acceleration sensor is arranged in communication with an operating component of the paintball marker to detect an acceleration of the paintball marker operating component. 
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein the desired activation event is a firing event of a paintball marker attached to the loader. 
     
     
         16 . A method of actuating a loading mechanism of a paintball loader mounted to a paintball marker, said method comprising:
 detecting an acceleration of a the paintball marker or loader or of an operating component of either the paintball marker or the loader;   generating an acceleration-based signal in response to the detected acceleration;   processing the acceleration-based signal to determine whether it corresponds to a desired loader actuation event; and   actuating the loading mechanism of the paintball loader when the acceleration-based signal corresponds to the desired loader actuation event.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising filtering the acceleration-based signal before processing the acceleration-based signal. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising amplifying the filtered acceleration-based signal before processing the acceleration-based signal. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein detecting an acceleration comprises detecting an acceleration of a loader body using an acceleration sensor arranged on or in the loader body. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the desired loader actuation event is a firing event of the paintball marker.