Balanced, disguised, non-clogging paintball gun hopper with optional level

Abstract

A paintball gun hopper disguised as a scope includes an outer shell in the shape of a scope. The shell, which defines an interior compartment for storing paintballs, includes at least one resealable lid adapted to allow access to the interior compartment, a front assembly operably attached to a front tube, a rear tube operably attached to a rear assembly, a coupling joining the front tube to the rear tube, and a dispensing tube extending downwardly from the coupling and adapted to engage a corresponding neck of a paintball gun. The hopper is adapted to achieve and maintain balance of the paintball gun.

1 . A paintball hopper configured to engage a hopper inlet of a paintball gun, said paintball hopper comprising at least one reservoir, at least one inlet tube having a first end and a second end, and a dispensing tube, said at least one reservoir being coupled to the first end of said inlet tube, said dispensing tube being coupled to the second end of said at least one inlet tube, said reservoir comprising a chamber for holding a plurality of paintballs, said inlet tube comprising a conduit for guiding paintballs from said reservoir to said dispensing tube, said dispensing tube being adapted to engage the hopper inlet of the paintball gun. 
   
   
       2 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , said at least one inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and said at least one reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball. 
   
   
       3 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , said at least one inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and said at least one reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being 1.5 to 10 times larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball. 
   
   
       4 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , said at least one inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and said reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said at least one reservoir diameter being 1.5 to 10 times larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being 1.5 to 5 times larger than a paintball. 
   
   
       5 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one conical coupling disposed between said at least one reservoir and at least one inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said at least one reservoir to said at least one inlet tube, said at least one inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and said at least one reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball. 
   
   
       6 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conical coupling disposed between said at least one reservoir and at least one inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said at least one reservoir to said at least one inlet tube, each inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and each reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball. 
   
   
       7 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conical coupling disposed between said at least one reservoir and at least one inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said at least one reservoir to said at least one inlet tube, each inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and each reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball, said paintball hopper resembling a scope. 
   
   
       8 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conical coupling disposed between said at least one reservoir and at least one inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said at least one reservoir to said at least one inlet tube, each inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and each reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball, said paintball gun having an anterior barrel, a posterior stock and a body disposed between said stock and muzzle, said paintball hopper being configured to maintain the center of mass of the paintball gun horizontally between said barrel and said stock. 
   
   
       9 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conical coupling disposed between said at least one reservoir and at least one inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said at least one reservoir to said at least one inlet tube, each inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and each reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball, said paintball hopper resembling a scope, and said at least one reservoir including a removable closure, said removable closure providing access to the interior of the at least one reservoir. 
   
   
       10 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conical coupling disposed between said at least one reservoir and at least one inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said at least one reservoir to said at least one inlet tube, each inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and each reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball, said paintball hopper resembling a scope, and said at least one reservoir including a removable closure, said removable closure being hingedly attached to said at least one reservoir and providing access to the interior of the at least one reservoir. 
   
   
       11 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conical coupling disposed between said at least one reservoir and at least one inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said at least one reservoir to said at least one inlet tube, each inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and each reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball, and a dorsal access tube parallel to and aligned with the dispensing tube and configured to provide access to said dispensing tube. 
   
   
       12 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , said hopper comprising a material containing an functional additive from the group consisting of a thermochromic additive in an amount effective to cause the hopper to change color when temperature of the paintball hopper is at least a determined temperature, a photochromic additive a thermochromic additive in an amount effective to cause the hopper to change color when the paintball hopper is exposed to sunlight, and a phosphorescent polymer additive in an amount effective to cause the hopper to absorb light energy and continue to release that energy as visible light in darkness. 
   
   
       13 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a transparent window adapted for viewing an interior compartment of the paintball hopper. 
   
   
       14 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a transparent closure adapted for viewing an interior compartment of the paintball hopper. 
   
   
       15 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one conical coupling disposed between said at least one reservoir and at least one inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said at least one reservoir to said at least one inlet tube, said at least one inlet tube having an inlet diameter, and said at least one reservoir having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being larger than a paintball, said conical coupling having acute conical angles between 5° and 30°. 
   
   
       16 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a readily visible leveling device attached to said at least one reservoir. 
   
   
       17 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a readily visible leveling device attached to said at least one reservoir, said readily visible leveling device comprising an angled spirit level configured to indicate the level of the hopper with indicia to designate if the hopper is level. 
   
   
       18 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a readily visible leveling device attached to said at least one reservoir, said readily visible leveling device comprising an angled spirit level configured to indicate the level of the hopper with indicia to designate if the hopper is level, the angled spirit level being mounted askew by 11 to 10°. 
   
   
       19 . A paintball hopper configured to engage a hopper inlet of a paintball gun, said paintball hopper comprising an anterior reservoir, at least one anterior inlet tube having a first end and a second end, a posterior reservoir, at least one posterior inlet tube having a first end and a second end, and a dispensing tube, said anterior reservoir being coupled to the first end of said anterior inlet tube, said posterior reservoir being coupled to the first end of said posterior inlet tube, said dispensing tube being coupled to the second end of said anterior inlet tube and to the second end of said posterior inlet tube, said reservoir comprising a chamber for holding a plurality of paintballs, said anterior inlet tube comprising a conduit for guiding paintballs from said anterior reservoir to said dispensing tube, said posterior inlet tube comprising a conduit for guiding paintballs from said posterior reservoir to said dispensing tube, said dispensing tube being adapted to engage the hopper inlet of the paintball gun, said anterior inlet and posterior inlet tubes each having an inlet diameter, and said anterior reservoir and said posterior reservoir each having a reservoir diameter, said reservoir diameter being 1.5 to 10 times larger than said inlet diameter, and said inlet diameter being 1.5 to 5 times larger than a paintball diameter, and an anterior conical coupling disposed between said anterior reservoir and said anterior inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said anterior reservoir to said anterior inlet tube, and a posterior conical coupling disposed between said posterior reservoir and said posterior inlet tube and configured to provide a smooth transition from said posterior reservoir to said posterior inlet tube. 
   
   
       20 . A paintball hopper according to  claim 19 , further comprising a readily visible leveling device attached to said posterior reservoir, said readily visible leveling device comprising an angled spirit level configured to indicate the level of the hopper with indicia to designate if the hopper is level, the angled spirit level being mounted askew by 1° to 10° relative to the reservoir.