Projectile loading system for toy launcher and methods

Abstract

Projectile loading systems for toy launchers that discharge soft spherical, but tacky, projectiles, the loading systems including a projectile hopper for storing the projectiles, a chute at the bottom of the hopper, the chute having a central groove for lining the projectiles in a single file, an agitator in the hopper. Arrangements of projectile launcher and accessories, container apparatus and the like are provided in differing sizes and orientations with aesthetics of rails in unique angled offset orientations for functions configured with attachment types, bottles, containers, and other apparatus in various combinations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A projectile launcher apparatus, comprising:
 an outer housing of the projectile launcher;   a longitudinally extending launch barrel extending from within the outer housing to a forward end of the outer housing;   a user grip portion at a lower end of the outer housing;   a trigger mechanism supported in relation to the user grip portion;   one or more guard structures offset along the outer housing therewith, said trigger mechanism between said longitudinally extending launch barrel and the one or more guard structures;   at least one rail coupling along the outer housing at the one or more guard structures, said at least one rail coupling arranged in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel; and   a connection for connecting an accessory with said at least one rail coupling along the outer housing, with the accessory connection at said at least one rail coupling for the accessory being in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one rail coupling further comprises plural rail couplings along the outer housing, each at two or more of said guard structures, with each rail coupling arranged in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the connection for connecting the accessory comprises an attachment structure for attaching the accessory with said at least one rail coupling arranged in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said attachment structure comprises a sleeve type attachment structure for receiving the accessory therewith. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a container with the connection operable with said at least one rail coupling along the outer housing, with the connection at said at least one rail coupling in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel. 
     
     
         6 . A projectile launcher apparatus, comprising:
 an outer housing of the projectile launcher;   an upper priming portion operable with a stored projectile positioned within the outer housing;   a projectile breech operable with the upper priming portion for receiving the projectile;   a longitudinally extending launch barrel in mechanical communication with the projectile breech and the upper priming portion, the launch barrel longitudinally extending from within the outer housing to a forward end of the outer housing;   a user grip portion at a lower end of the outer housing;   a trigger mechanism supported in relation to the user grip portion;   one or more guard structures offset along the outer housing therewith, said trigger mechanism between said longitudinally extending launch barrel and the one or more guard structures; and   at least one rail coupling along the outer housing at the one or more guard structures, said at least one rail coupling arranged in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the upper priming portion receives and multiple projectiles within the outer housing. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a hopper at the outer housing for delivering the projectiles to the projectile breech operable with the upper priming portion. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the hopper stores multiple soft spherical projectiles at the outer housing. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , comprising a launch energy source located within the outer housing operable with the trigger mechanism for launching the projectile through the launch barrel. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the launch energy source includes a battery, a motor and two rotatable launch wheels for griping and ejecting projectiles. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the launch energy source operates in a pneumatic fashion with the trigger mechanism for launching the projectile through the launch barrel. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one rail coupling further comprises plural rail couplings along the outer housing, each at two or more of said guard structures, with each rail coupling arranged in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising an accessory connection for connecting said at least one rail coupling along the outer housing, with the accessory connection at said at least one rail coupling in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising an attachment structure with said accessory connection for connecting with said at least one rail coupling. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said attachment structure comprises a sleeve type attachment structure for receiving the accessory therewith. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a container including a connection for connecting said at least one rail coupling along the outer housing, with the connection at said at least one rail coupling in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the container receives and stores multiple projectiles outside the outer housing. 
     
     
         19 . A method for assembling a projectile launcher system comprising the steps of:
 providing a launcher with an outer housing;   extending launch barrel longitudinally from within the outer housing to a forward end of the outer housing;   providing a user grip portion at a lower end of the outer housing;   supporting a trigger mechanism in relation to the user grip portion;   offsetting one or more guard structures with the outer housing along the outer housing thereof having the trigger mechanism between said longitudinally extending launch barrel and the one or more guard structures;   arranging at least one rail coupling along the outer housing at the one or more guard structures, the at least one rail coupling arranged in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel; and connecting an accessory with a connection for the at least one rail coupling along the outer housing, with the accessory connection at the at least one rail coupling for the accessory being in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to said longitudinally extending launch barrel.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , including the steps of:
 providing plural rail couplings along the outer housing, each at two or more of offset guard structures with each rail coupling arranged in an angled orientation along the outer housing; and   connecting a container accessory with a connection step at one or more of the provided plural rail couplings along the outer housing, with the container accessory at the rail couplings being in an angled orientation along the outer housing relative to the longitudinally extending launch barrel.