Paintball Carrying System

Abstract

This invention relates to paintball pods and devices to carry them to a paintball field, specifically to an improved paintball pod and paintball pod carrying device having the paintball pod and the paintball pod carrying device interlock to provide a quick and reliable one-handed placement and removal of the paintball pods.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to equipment used in the practice of paintball games and more particularly to paintball pods and wearable articles to carry these pods to a paintball game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are two main categories of paintball games, one is Turneyball and the other is Woodsball. Turneyball is usually played in small fields. The game is fast and short. Players wear shiny clothes, hide behind inflated rubber bunkers and run fast to shoot and score points. They use paintball pods to carry paintballs and to reload their guns during a game. These players usually throw the empty pods to the ground for later pick up. Woodsball is played in the woods in very large public or private fields. A game can last up to one hour or even more. Players crawl in fields full of dirt, brushes, broken trees and rocks. They wear camouflaged clothing and vests similar to the ones used by the military to be able to hide and shoot without letting the opposing team see them. Woodsball players, differently from Turneyball players, do want to keep their empty pods during a game because they would lose these pods if left in such irregular and large fields.

Players use several carrying devices to carry these pods to a game. Woodsball players use carrying devices made of fabric. These wearable garments such as vests and belts have several pockets with a flap with Velcro at one end. The pods are inserted in the pockets and secured with the flap. Sometimes the pockets have stiffening materials to keep the opening open to allow the re-insertion of the pods back in the pocket. These devices are for the most part a straight copy of military vests and belts. Turneyball players usually wear belts made out of an elastic material. The pod is inserted in between two layers stretching the material and creating pressure around the pod. This pressure keeps the pod in place so a flap is not necessary.

Both kinds of these pod carrying devices have disadvantages. There are pods of different sizes in the market so the elastic material ones can never provide the right pressure to all pods. If it is too loose the pod can fall during a game. If it is too tight it becomes hard to insert and remove them. The pod holders made of fabric has problems too. The stiffening material quickly becomes deformed making it difficult to re-insert the pod during a game. The flap also gives problems. First the user has to open the flap, next grab the pod then empty it in the paintball gun. To put the pod back in is even more difficult. First the player has to locate the pocket opening then insert the pod, then the player has to let go of the pod to grab the flap. While he lets go of the pod, the pod can slip of the pocket and fall to the ground. These kind of operations is very difficult to perform while hiding from enemy fire and holding the gun on the other hand.

So far there is no solution which provides a true and effortless one hand operation to load and remove paintball pods from their holders. The current designs have focused on the improvement of the carrying device but none have come with a solution which redesigns both the pod and the carrying device to work in unison that is why none can provide a completely problem free functional set.

Therefore there is a need for a system which incorporates both the paintball pod and the paintball pod carrying device which overcomes the above stated disadvantages. A paintball carrying system where the pods are easy to load and unload during an active paintball game using only one hand and where it securely holds paintball pods in place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

This device solves the problems state above because having an accurate interlocking between the paintball pod and the carrying device removes the need to rely on pressure to hold the pods In place and all the associate problems with this configuration as explained earlier. It also provides a clear improvement over the devices which use a flap to secure the paintball pod in place. With this invention the user does not need to undo a flap to reach the pod. All the user has to do is to grab the pod and with a very simple hand motion remove it out of its base. Another solved problem over the prior art is that, because the base is a molded plastic piece, it is not easily deformed as normally happens with the stiffening material used in the current fabric pod holders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention a paintball carrying system comprising a wearable article with a plurality of docking bases and a plurality of paintball pods where the paintball pods have protrusion which can interlock with the protrusion in the docking bases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of paintball player wearing the paintball carrying system and re-filling his paintball gun 112 by holding a paintball pod 108 in his left hand and a paintball gun 112 in his right hand.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the paintball carrying systems having the docking bases 106 attached to the wearable article 100. The docking bases are mounted at the mounting surface 110.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the paintball carrying system with the paintball pods 108 locked in the docking bases 106

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the paintball pod having paintballs 114 coming out next to the lid 122.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the docking base

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the docking base showing its inner protrusions 136 and the mounting holes 128 on the mounting surface 110. The inner protrusions showing their sharp end 132, the flat end 134, the side extension 136 and the insertion opening 138.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the paintball pod 108 and the docking base 106, having a cut-out section of the docking base to show the interaction between the paintball pod 108 and the docking base 106 in the locked position.

FIG. 8-11—Additional Embodiments

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the alternative design of the paintball pod having the outer surface 116 and the surface irregularity 148. The surface irregularity shows its high slope surface 150 and its low slope surface 152.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the alternative design of the docking base showing the finger 140 with its protruding side 142, its pivot area 146 and its push extension 144.

FIG. 10 shows a detail view of a cutout section of the paintball pod inserted in the docking base in the locked position showing the finger 140 in the locked position.

FIG. 11 shows a detail view of a cutout section of the paintball pod inserted in the docking base showing the finger 140 in the un-locked position

Drawings—Reference Numerals

• 100 wearable article
• 102 wearable article left end
• 104 wearable article right end
• 106 docking base
• 108 paintball pod
• 110 mounting extension
• 112 paintball gun
• 114 paintballs
• 116 paintball pod outer surface
• 118 paintball pod protrusion
• 120 paintball pod protrusion sharp end
• 122 paintball pod protrusion flat end
• 124 round end
• 126 docking base protrusion
• 128 docking base protrusion flat end
• 130 docking base inner surface
• 132 docking base protrusion sharp end
• 134 docking base protrusion side extension
• 136 entrance opening
• 138 mounting holes
• 140 locking finger
• 142 locking finger locking end
• 144 locking finger push end
• 146 locking finger pivot area
• 148 paintball pod surface irregularity
• 150 surface irregularity low slope side
• 152 surface irregularity high slope side
• 154 lid

DETAILED DESCRIPTION—FIGS. 1 to 6 PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the paintball carrying system which has the wearable article 100 and a plurality of docking bases 106 attached to it. Preferably, the docking bases 106 are fastened to the wearable article 100 at the mounting extension 110 using pre-molded mounting holes 138. The fasteners can be removed so that the user can add, remove or relocate the docking bases 106 to best fit his or her needs. Preferably, the paintball player can secure the belt to his or her body by joining the two ends 102,104 of the wearable article. Preferably, these ends have VELCRO or any other means of attaching and securing these two ends around a player's waist. Preferably, the wearable article 100 is in the form of a belt which the user wears around his waist however, other forms of the wearable article 100 can be a vest or any other kind of harness which can be attached to any part of the user's body such as a leg or an arm. Preferably, the wearable article 100 is made of fabrics stiff enough to give stable support to the docking base 106.

FIG. 4 shows the paintball pod 108 with the lid 154 at one side and the round end 124 at the other side. The paintball pod has an outer surface 116 where there is a plurality of protrusions 118 having one sharp end 120 and one flat end 122. FIG. 6 shows a sectioned view of the docking base showing its inner surface 130 and a matching set of protrusions 126. The docking base protrusions 126 also have a sharp end 132 and a flat end 128. The protrusions on the paintball pod 108 and on the docking base 106 are designed to match and interlock together.

Preferably, both the paintball pod 108 and the docking base 106 can be manufactured by the process of plastic injection molding and can be made of a variety of commonly used plastics such as Nylon, Polycarbonate or Polypropylene.

The manner in which the user loads the paintball pod 108 into the docking base 106 is by inserting the paintball pod 108 and then making a small turn. The user holds the pod closer to the lid 154 side and inserts the paintball pod 108 round end 124 first. As the user inserts the pod the paintball pod protrusions sharp end 120 reaches the docking base protrusion sharp end 132, then the matching protrusions self align. The user then keeps inserting the paintball pod 108 until the paintball pod protrusion flat end 122 passes the docking base protrusion flat end 128 at which point the paintball pod 108 is free to rotate. The user then turns it until the paintball pod protrusion reaches the docking base protrusion side extension 134. At this point the paintball pod 108 is securely locked inside the docking base 106. To remove the paintball pod 108 the user performs the opposite set of motions.

FIGS. 8-11 Additional Embodiments

An additional embodiment is shown in FIGS. 8-11. FIG. 8 shows the paintball pod 108 with its outer surface 116. On this outer surface 116 there is a surface irregularity 148 having one side with a low slope 150 and the other side with a high slope 152. FIG. 9 shows the docking base with a locking finger 140. The locking finger 140 can pivot around the pivot area 146. The locking finger 140 has a finger push end 144 and a locking end 142. FIG. 10 shows a cut-out section showing the locking finger 140 in its locked position. It shows the locking end 142 against the high slope side 152 of the surface irregularity 148. FIG. 11 shows a detail view of the locking finger 140 in its unlocked position.

The manner of using this embodiment is by the user inserting the paintball pod 108 round end 124 first until the surface irregularity 148 passes the locking end 142. As the surface irregularity 148 passes the locking finger 140, the locking finger 140 bends out and then springs back once the surface irregularity 148 passes through. If the pod wants to come out the locking finger 140 would retain it by having the locking end 142 push against the high slope side 152 of the surface irregularity 148 preventing the paintball pod 108 from coming out. To remove the paintball pod 108, the user pulls the paintball pod 108 out. If enough force is applied the locking finger 140 bends out allowing the paintball pod 108 to come out. The force required to pull the paintball pod 108 out can be fine-tuned by changing the slope of the contact surfaces of the surface irregularity 148 and the locking end 142 of the locking finger 140 as to allow easy insertion and removal. Optionally, the user can push on the push end 144 of the locking finger 140 to bend out the locking finger 140 for a quitter and softer removal.

Accordingly, the reader will see that a matching set of interlocking pod and base provides a quick, effortless, secure and true one hand placement and removal of paintball pods.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, modifications can be made and other embodiments may be devised without departing from the intention of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A paintball carrying system comprising:

(a) a wearable article,

(b) at least one docking base,

(c) at least one paintball pod,

(d) said wearable article having means for attaching itself to a paintball player,

(e) said docking base having means for attaching to said wearable article,

(f) said paintball pod and said docking base both having means for mutual interlocking

2. The paintball carrying system of claim 1 wherein said wearable article is in the form of a paintball vest made of fabric material.

3. The paintball carrying system of claim 1 wherein said wearable article means for attaching itself to a paintball player is in the form of a belt made of fabric material.

4. The paintball carrying system of claim 1 wherein said docking base is made of plastic, having at least one docking base inner surface and at least one docking base protrusion extending from the docking base inner surface.

5. The paintball carrying system of claim 1 wherein said paintball pod is made of plastic and has an elongated cylindrical shape having a lid and at least a paintball pod outer surface having at least one paintball pod protrusion extending from the said paintball pod outer surface.

6. The paintball carrying system of claim 1 wherein said paintball pod means for mutual interlocking is done though the blocking interaction of said docking base protrusion of claim four and said paintball pod protrusion of claim five.

7. A paintball carrying system comprising:

(a) a wearable article,

(b) at least one docking base,

(c) at least one paintball pod,

(d) said wearable article having means for attaching it to a paintball player,

(e) said docking base having means for attaching to said wearable article,

(f) said paintball pod having means for locking within said docking base,

(g) said docking base having means for locking said paintball pod.

8. The paintball carrying system of claim 7 wherein said wearable article is in the form of a paintball vest made of fabric material.

9. The paintball carrying system of claim 7 wherein said wearable article means for attaching it to a paintball player is in the form of a belt made of fabric material

10. The paintball carrying system of claim 7 wherein said paintball pod is made of plastic and has an elongated cylindrical shape having a lid, a hollow cavity and at least an paintball pod outer surface having at least one paintball pod surface irregularity extending from the paintball pod outer surface.

11. The paintball carrying system of claim 7 wherein said docking base is made of plastic, has a locking finger which can pivot and spring back to its original position.

12. The paintball carrying system of claim 7 wherein said paintball pod means for locking within the said docking base is done though the blocking interaction of said locking finger of claim 11 and said paintball pod surface irregularity of claim 10.