Loader switch structure for a paint ball gun

Abstract

A loader switch structure for a paint ball gun includes a load tube and a ring. The load tube contains a plurality of retaining members, a flange, and a plurality of through holes above the flange to receive the retaining members. The ring is placed on the flange and contains a plurality of channels corresponding in position to the through holes. By turning the ring to enter or exit the retaining members of the load tube into or from the through holes for preventing waste of paint balls and improving safety. The load tube further comprises a plurality of locking units for precise positioning in an open status, ensuring a facilitated passage and preventing jammed paint balls.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a loader switch structure for a paint ball gun, and more particularly, to one controls the loader of a paint ball into a barrel of the paint ball gun.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

A jungle surviving game has become a very popular leisure activity all over the world. Essentially, a paint ball gun is used as the weapon for shooting in the game. To minimize the danger present by the paint ball gun, a flask filled up with compressed air serves as the source of power to supply air pressure for pushing against a piston to hit a striker and fire a paint ball. As illustrated in FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings, a conventional paint ball gun (A) comprises an opening (A2) disposed at the top of a barrel (A1) of the paint ball gun (A). Two threaded holes (A3) are provided on two sides of the opening (A2), respectively, and inserted with screws (A4) to retain protruding plates (B1) from a loader (B). An entrance (B2) is provided at the top of the loader (B) to receive insertion and to hold in position by a fixation end (C1) of a hopper (C). Accordingly, paint balls automatically fall into the barrel (A1) in sequence to be fired.

However, paint balls are free fall objects that continuously fall into the barrel without any resistance. Therefore, paint balls keep falling into the barrel (A1) until there is no paint ball left in the hopper (C) or if the hopper (C) is removed to empty it. As a result, either the residual paint balls are wasted or there is the potential danger in case that any residual paint ball not cleared may be misfired by accidentally touching the trigger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a switch to the loader of a paint ball gun to avoid waste of paint balls and improve safety in the game.

To achieve the purpose, the present invention comprises a load tube and a ring. The load tube includes a plurality of retaining members, a passage inside, a flange outside, and a plurality of through holes above the flange to receive the retaining members. The ring is placed on the flange of the load tube and comprises a plurality of channels corresponding in position to the through holes of the load tube to hold against the retaining members of the load tube.

Accordingly, the retaining members enter into or exit from the through holes of the load tube by the channels when the ring is turned.

Each retaining member is a ball. Each channel is a slot having a deeper center and becoming gradually shallower towards both ends.

The load tube further comprises a plurality of locking units. Each locking unit includes a threaded member, an elastic member and a retaining member. The load tube is provided with a plurality of threaded holes to secure the locking units. A locking hole is disposed at the center of each channel to secure the retaining member of each locking unit. The elastic member of each locking unit is a spring and the retaining member of each locking unit a ball.

The present invention provides the following advantages:

1. Paint balls are stopped by the shortened passage of the load tube to avoid waste of paint balls.

2. The switch to control the fall of the paint balls improves safety.

3. The locking units of the load tube allow precise positioning in an open status to make sure of a facilitated passage for preventing jammed paint balls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top cross sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top cross-sectional view showing an operation status of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing that the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied to a paint ball gun and provided with a hopper.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing that the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied to a paint ball gun and provided with a power hopper.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an operation status of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention applied to a paint ball gun and provided with a hopper.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an operation status of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention applied to a paint ball gun and provided with a power hopper.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a top cross-sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a top cross-sectional view showing an operation status of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a load tube (1) and a ring (2).

The load tube (1) includes a plurality of retaining members (14). A passage (11) is provided in the load tube (1) and a flange (12) is externally provided at the lower section of the load tube (1). The load tube (1) is provided with a plurality of through holes (13) above the flange (12) to receive insertion of their respective retaining members (14). Each retaining member (14) in this preferred embodiment is a ball.

The ring (2) is placed on the flange (12) of the load tube (1) and comprises a plurality of channels (21) corresponding in position to the through holes (13) of the load tube (1). Each channel (21) is a slot made deeper in the center and gradually shallower toward both sides.

Now referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively for a top view and an operation status of the preferred embodiment, the retaining members (14) as illustrated in FIG. 2 are located on the deeper central area of their respective channels (21) of the ring (2) with all the retaining members (14) completely retreated in their corresponding through holes (13) of the load tube (1). In this status, a paint ball is free from the containment by the retaining members (14). After having turned the ring (2) as illustrated in FIG. 3, each retaining member (14) moves to the shallow end of the channel (21) of the ring (2), sticks out of the through hole (13), trespasses the passage (11), and blocks a paint ball (3). The passage (11) is now in a closed status.

To connect the load tube (1) to a paint ball gun (4) as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the flange (12) of the load tube (1) is flush with an opening (42) disposed at the top of a barrel (41) of the paint ball gun (4). A locking ring (5) is inserted to secure a hopper (6) or a power hopper (7) to the passage (11) of the load tube (1). FIGS. 4 and 5 show the status in relation to that illustrated in FIG. 2. The retaining members (14) retreat into the through holes (13) of the load tube (1) to open up the passage (11) for the paint balls (3) in the hopper (6) or the power hopper (7) to drop into the barrel (41) of the paint ball gun (4).

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 showing the status of that as illustrated in FIG. 3, the ring (2) is turned for each of the retaining members of the load tube (1) to stay on the shallow end of the channel (21), and the passage (11) is closed due to the reduction in size by the retaining members (14) to stop the paint balls (3) above the retaining members (14) from falling into the barrel (41). Few rounds of paint ball remaining in the passage (11) would be consumed as needed without wasting any extra paint ball.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 8, comprises a load tube (1A) and a ring (2A).

The load tube (1A) includes a plurality of retaining members (14A), a passage (11A) inside and a flange (12A) outside. The load tube (1A) is provided with a plurality of through holes (13A) above the flange (12A) to accommodate the retaining members (14A). Each retaining member (14A) in this preferred embodiment is a ball. The load tube (1A) further comprises a plurality of locking units (15). Each locking unit (15) contains a threaded member (151), an elastic member (152), and a retaining member (153). The loader tube (1A) is provided with a plurality of threaded holes (16) to fasten the locking units (15). The elastic member (152) is a spring, and the retaining member (153) is a ball in this preferred embodiment.

The ring (2A) is placed on the flange (12A) of the load tube (1A) and comprises a plurality of channels (21A) corresponding in position to the through holes (13A) of the load tube (1A). Each channel (21A) is a slot made deeper at the center and gradually shallower towards both ends. A locking hole (22) is disposed at the center of each channel (21A) to be retained by the respective locking member (15).

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the passage (11A) is open when the retaining member (153) of each locking unit (15) is located into the respective locking hole (22) of the ring (2A). Each retaining member (14A) retreats into the respective through hole (13A) of the load tube (1A) to ensure that the passage (11A) is well facilitated while providing proper tension to hold the locking units (15) in position, preventing jammed paint balls inside the load tube (1A) due to turning off the switch by accident during the game.

FIG. 10 shows the passage (11A) in a closed status by turning the ring (2A) clockwise or counter-clockwise for the channels (21A) of the ring (2A) to push the retaining members (14A) out of the through holes (13A) to block up the passage (11A).

Claims

1. A loader switch structure for a paint ball gun comprising a load tube and a ring;

the load tube comprising a plurality of retaining members, a flange, and a plurality of through holes above the flange to receive insertion of the retaining members;

the ring being placed on the flange of the load tube and comprising a plurality of channels corresponding in position to the through holes of the load tuber to hold against the retaining members of the load tube;

the retaining members of the load tube entering in and out of the through holes of the load tube by the channels when the ring is turned.

2. The loader switch structure for a paint ball gun of claim 1, wherein each of the retaining members is a ball.

3. The loader switch structure for a paint ball gun of claim 1, wherein each of the channels is a slot made deeper at the center and gradually shallower toward two sides.

4. The loader switch structure for a paint ball gun of claim 1, wherein the load tube further comprises a plurality of locking units, each locking unit comprising a threaded member, an elastic member, and a retaining member, the load tube comprising a plurality of threaded holes to secure the locking units, each channel of the ring being provided with a locking hole at the center to receive a relative locking unit.

5. The loader switch structure for a paint ball gun of claim 4, wherein the elastic member of each locking unit is a spring.

6. The loader switch structure for a paint ball gun of claim 4, wherein the retaining member of each locking unit is a ball.