Sensor cover and angled ball detent for paintball gun

Abstract

A paintball gun can include a sensor for detecting the presence (or absence) of a paintball gun in a breech chamber of the paintball gun. A quick-access sensor cover can be provided to enable easy access to the sensor for cleaning or maintenance. The body of the paintball gun can include a receptacle that receives the sensor cover. The cover can be sized and shaped to matingly fit within the receptacle. A recess can be arranged in one end of the receptacle to receive a lip of the sensor cover. The sensor cover can further include a magnetic closure mechanism for retaining the cover in a closed relationship with respect to the paintball gun. Oppositely polarized magnets can, for instance, be arranged in the cover and the paintball gun body to attract and secure the cover in its closed position. The sensor can be positioned within a retaining member in the cover receptacle. Additionally, an angled ball detent can also be included in the sensor cover to prevent double-feeding of paintballs into the breech chamber. The ball detent can be arranged at an angle of less than ninety degrees, and most preferably less than forty-five degrees, with respect to a bolt of the paintball gun.

1 . A sensor cover configured to be removably positioned within a cover receptacle of a paintball gun to protect a paintball detection sensor and provide easy access to the paintball detection sensor for cleaning or maintenance, said sensor cover comprising:
 a cover body shaped to be arranged within a cover receptacle of a paintball gun; and   a magnetic closure mechanism arranged in the cover body and configured to bias the cover body in a closed position with respect to the paintball gun when the cover is installed in the paintball gun.   
   
   
       2 . A sensor cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises a lip arranged on one end of the cover body to matingly fit within a recess in the receptacle of the paintball gun. 
   
   
       3 . A sensor cover according to  claim 2 , wherein the magnetic closure mechanism is arranged in an opposite end of the cover body as the lip. 
   
   
       4 . A sensor cover according to  claim 3 , wherein the lip is arranged in a forward end of the sensor cover and wherein the magnetic closure mechanism is arranged in a rearward end of the sensor cover. 
   
   
       5 . A sensor cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic closure mechanism comprises one or more magnets arranged in the sensor cover. 
   
   
       6 . A sensor cover according to  claim 5 , wherein the one or more magnets comprises two magnets arranged in magnet receptacles formed in a rearward end of the sensor cover. 
   
   
       7 . A sensor cover according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a ball detent receptacle; and   a ball detent arranged within the ball detent receptacle.   
   
   
       8 . A sensor cover according to  claim 7 , wherein the ball detent comprises a detent plunger slidingly arranged in the ball detent receptacle and a biasing member that biases the detent plunger in an extended position. 
   
   
       9 . A sensor cover according to  claim 8 , wherein the detent plunger is arranged at an angle of less than ninety degrees with respect to a longitudinal orientation of the cover body. 
   
   
       10 . A sensor cover according to  claim 9 , wherein the detent plunger is arranged to be positioned at an angle of less than forty-five degrees with respect to a direction of a bolt movement of the paintball gun when the cover is positioned in its closed position with respect to the paintball gun. 
   
   
       11 . A ball detent for a paintball gun, said ball detent comprising:
 a detent plunger arranged in a detent receptacle;   a biasing member configured to bias the detent plunger in an extended position; and   wherein the detent plunger is arranged at an angle of less than ninety degrees with respect to a longitudinal orientation of a bolt of the paintball gun.   
   
   
       12 . A ball detent according to  claim 11 , wherein the detent plunger is arranged at an angle of less than forty-five degrees with respect to the longitudinal orientation of the bolt of the paintball gun. 
   
   
       13 . A ball detent according to  claim 11 , wherein the detent receptacle is arranged in a sensor cover for the paintball gun. 
   
   
       14 . A ball detent according to  claim 13 , wherein the sensor cover comprises a magnetic closure mechanism for biasing the cover in a closed relationship with respect to the paintball gun. 
   
   
       15 . A paintball gun comprising:
 a paintball gun body having a breech chamber arranged therein;   a bolt configured to move between a first and second position to load a paintball into the breech chamber of the paintball gun body;   a sensor configured to detect the presence of a paintball in the breech chamber of the paintball gun body;   a sensor cover configured to cover an opening in the paintball gun body that permits access to the sensor, said sensor cover comprising a magnetic closure mechanism configured to bias the sensor cover in a closed relationship with respect to the paintball gun; and   a ball detent arranged to extend into the breech chamber of the paintball gun at an angle of less than ninety degrees with respect to a direction of movement of a bolt.   
   
   
       16 . A paintball gun according to  claim 15 , further comprising a cover receptacle arranged in an exterior sidewall of the paintball gun body, wherein the sensor cover is sized and shaped to be received within the cover receptacle. 
   
   
       17 . A paintball gun according to  claim 16 , wherein the cover receptacle further comprises a recess arranged in an end of the receptacle to matingly receive a lip of the sensor cover. 
   
   
       18 . A paintball gun according to  claim 16  further comprising a sensor retainer arranged in the cover receptacle to retain the sensor in place. 
   
   
       19 . A paintball gun according to  claim 15 , wherein the ball detent is arranged in a detent receptacle of the sensor cover. 
   
   
       20 . A paintball gun according to  claim 18 , further comprising an opening through the paintball gun body configured to permit the ball detent of the sensor cover to extend into the breech chamber of the paintball gun.