Paintball field garment and gas delivery system
A paintball field garment with gas delivery system provides improved maneuverability and competitive advantages over prior art equipment. The invention features a gas supply system with a integrated conduit for the umbilical to reduce interference with the user and the environment. The garment also features a body armor system that deflects paintballs and reduces injuries from paintball impacts.
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIXNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ARTThe present invention relates to the field of paintball battle game events and the equipment used for such activities. Paintball battles and war games are becoming popular recreational activities. In such events the players compete by seeking out and then shooting paintballs at opponents. The paintball is a round gelatin capsule filled with paint. A paintball gun using compressed gas is used to project a paintball at a target object which often is the opponent. The target object is often located at short distance away or up to several hundred feet away. Upon impact, the paintball outer covering ruptures, thereby releasing a quantity of paint leaving a visible mark. The mark is used to indicate a hit. The hit indicates that a player has been shot. Assuming that an actual battle or war occurred, the paintball marks indicate the player has been killed or wounded. As such, the players who have paintball marks in the mock battle event are thereby eliminated.
A common problem inherent in paintball activities includes the methods used to supply compressed gas to the paintball launching device. The launching device has the appearance of a small combat weapon such as a pistol, sub-machine gun, or assault weapon. The launching device also operates in similar fashion to a small combat weapon. The launching device shall also be referred to as the “gun” or “paintball gun”. In competitive paintball activities three methods are generally used to supply compressed gas to the gun to operate the mechanism that projects the paintball at a high velocity. The first method to supply compressed gas is to have the supply source of compressed gas inside the gun itself. The second method to supply compressed gas is to attach an external gas cylinder to the gun. The third method is to use a tank or cylinder of compressed gas and a high pressure gas hose that connects the tank to the gun. In this case the tank is often attached to an outer garment worn by the user. Each of the three methods of supplying compressed gas has advantages and disadvantages during the battle games or related events.
The first method to supply compressed gas to operate the mechanism is shown in
The second method to supply compressed gas to the paintball gun or the launcher increases the physical size and weight of the gun. Often the cylinder is connected above or below the barrel of the gun. The cylinder of this second method often contains a larger supply of compressed gas than the method shown in
The third method to supply compressed gas to the paintball launcher is to use an umbilical or hose from a compressed gas tank to the gun. The use of the hose or umbilical from the gas cylinder provides even a larger supply of gas to the paintball gun.
When the tank 28 is detached, and a longer umbilical 32 is used, the tank can be placed on the back or hip of the user. The tank may then be placed within a backpack or attached to a utility belt. This provides an improved maneuverability than the second method when using the paintball gun. As such, the third method provides more compressed gas than the first method or the second method. The disadvantage of the third method is the umbilical or hose can be snagged or caught on objects during the paintball activity. In addition the umbilical has a limited range of movement by the user. Using a longer hose or umbilical extends the range of movement. However, the longer hose becomes more cumbersome to use and increases the likelihood of being snagged.
The fundamental problem of using paintballs is the high velocity at which the paintballs travel towards the target. If the target is a person, the impact is often painful. In some cases the high velocity impact produces welts, blisters and bruises. Under certain circumstances, the velocity of the paintballs produces even more serious injuries. To address this problem, some companies market protective body armor that reflects or absorbs the kinetic energy of the paint ball.
The protective garment is shown in
The assortment of paintball guns, compressed gas cylinders, garments and other equipment still suffer from problems encountered during paintball activities. The problems include limited maneuverability when using an external tank attached to the gun, and using an umbilical to supply the compressed to the gun. The present invention disclosed in this specification shall address these problems. In addition, the present invention shall also provide competitive advantages during paintball games and events.
The present invention comprises a plurality of improvements to the cited prior art and to other prior art equipment used in paintball activities. The invention improves the maneuverability of using the paintball gun while decreasing the likely hood of snagging or entanglement of the umbilical or supply hose. As such, the compressed gas supply is large, such as in the third method, and it allows even a larger supply of compressed gas to be used. The present invention also includes a protective garment that provides improved protection from the high velocity impact of paint balls. The present invention also provides a competitive advantage in paintball events. The invention has the option emulating body armor used by combat forces. This advantage allows the user to stay in the event longer and gain experience and confidence. Such an advantage is extremely useful for novice players. Likewise, these advantages shall also be employed by experienced players who seek a competitive advantage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is a system of delivering compressed gas from a storage tank or cylinder to the paintball gun using the garment worn during paintball battles and events. The invention utilized a special umbilical system that is specifically adapted to improve the maneuverability of the paintball gun. The invention includes a protective garment that is specifically adapted for the umbilical system. Together the garment and umbilical supply system operate in a cooperative manner to provide improved maneuverability when using the paintball gun. As such the invention is a special compressed gas delivery system as well as a protective garment.
The invention includes numerous embodiments. The best contemplated embodiment is described within this document. However, it will become obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that alternative configurations of the claimed invention can also be developed. Such alternative embodiments are within the scope and spirit of the present invention. As such, the claimed invention encompasses such other embodiments in addition to the specific embodiments of this document. Therefore, the claims are intended to include all obvious alternative configurations of the described invention.
The first hose 610 of the hose assembly 600 is used to pass compressed gas from the compressed gas supply 510 of
The preferred embodiment of the hose assembly 600 uses compressed gas “quick disconnect” hose connections. The preferred embodiment also uses a shut off valve on the second hose of the compressed gas delivery system 600.
There is a plurality of embodiments for the conduit 720. In a first embodiment as shown in
A simple tradeoff occurs for each embodiment of the conduit 720. When attached to the inside of the garment, the first hose 610 is more secure. However, there is a slight increase in contact pressure with the user along the conduit seam. When the conduit is on the outside of the garment the hose 610 is slightly less secure, but the contact pressure to the user 590 is reduced. The use of a bottom and top stitch along the path of the conduit provides improved security for the hose 610, but perhaps adds to the fabrication cost of the garment 700. Other embodiments for the conduit 720 are also possible. For example, a protective garment 540 includes the first hose 610 of the hose assembly 600 fully integrated into the garment, which then provides an optimal routing path and thus providing optimal security and comfort.
The present invention of the gas delivery system includes embodiments with protective body armor. This protective body armor has the advantages of reducing pain from paintball impacts and lowering the score of hits of opposing players. Both of these advantages improve the confidence of novice users and provide a strong competitive advantage for experienced players. The protective body armor is intended to emulate the function of combat body armor in the paintball activity.
The protective body armor 540 is used in the claimed invention 500.
The main section of body armor 900 comprises of the following parts as described by
The main section of body armor 900 of
The body armor also includes armor 1000 for the right and left arm as shown in
The preferred embodiment of the body armor deflective surface 1200 is shown by
The disclosure of the invention describes an integrated body armor and gas delivery system for paintball activities. Numerous embodiments have been addressed including all best embodiments so far contemplated. However, others having ordinary skilled in the arts can adopt different embodiments by substituting equivalents for those means disclosed herein. As such this description of the invention should not be strictly limited to the means disclosed. Rather the scope of the invention includes all embodiments that recite on the appended claims.
Claims
1. An integrated battle garment and gas delivery system for paintball activities comprising;
- a hose assembly to provide compressed gas from a supply tank to a paintball gun, having a first hose, a second hose, a first connector for connecting to the supply tank of compressed gas, a second connector for connecting the first hose to the second hose, and a third connector for connecting the second hose to the paintball gun; and
- a garment having a conduit providing a pathway to guide the first hose of said hose assembly from the supply tank of compressed gas to the second hose.
2. The integrated battle garment and gas delivery system of claim 1 where said garment includes deflective body armor.
3. The integrated battle garment and gas delivery system of claim 1 where said conduit comprises a strip of fabric attached to the garment using stitching.
4. The integrated battle garment and gas delivery system of claim 3 where said garment includes deflective body armor.
5. The integrated battle garment and gas delivery system of claim 3 where said strip of fabric is looped to provide the pathway to guide the first hose.
6. The integrated battle garment and gas delivery system of claim 3 where said strip of fabric is stitched above and below the pathway to guide the first hose.
7. The integrated battle garment and gas delivery system of claim 1 wherein said conduit further comprises:
- a strip of looped fabric for forming a guide path for the first hose of the hose assembly; and
- at least one path of stitching attaching the strip of looped fabric to the battle garment.
8. The integrated battle garment and gas delivery system of claim 1 wherein said conduit further comprises:
- a strip of fabric for forming a guide path for the first hose of the hose assembly;
- a path of stitching above the guide path for said first hose of the hose assembly; and
- a path of stitching below the guide path for said first hose of the hose assembly.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 6, 2007
Publication Date: Mar 12, 2009
Inventor: Claude Glen Putman (Norco, CA)
Application Number: 11/899,999
International Classification: A41D 13/00 (20060101); B65B 37/00 (20060101);