Paintball loader

Abstract

A paintball loader, more specifically a paintball loader which rapidly and forcibly feeds paintballs to a paintball marker, comprises a rotor body having at least one rotor fin, and a drive motor for rotating said rotor body in a first direction. The paintball loader has a central outlet located radially inwards of the tip of the rotor fin and an abutment body arranged to interact with the at least one rotor fin. When the rotor body is rotated, a paintball, located in a space formed between the at least one rotor fin and the abutment body, is pushed out of the paintball loader through the central outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paintball loader comprising:
 a first member configured to rotate in at least a first direction and define at least a portion of a space; and   a second member configured to rotate in at least a direction opposite said first direction and define another portion of said space, a shape of said space changing as said first member rotates in said first direction and said second member rotates in said direction opposite said first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , wherein said first member is a fin. 
     
     
         3 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , wherein said first member is a rotor body. 
     
     
         4 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , wherein said second member is an abutment body. 
     
     
         5 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , wherein said second member is a fin. 
     
     
         6 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , wherein said second member is further configured to rotate in said first direction. 
     
     
         7 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , wherein said space is configured to receive a paintball. 
     
     
         8 . The paintball loader according to  claim 7 , further comprising at least one input opening, said input opening rotating in at least said direction opposite to said first direction and being configured to receive said paintball. 
     
     
         9 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , further comprising a drive motor for rotating at least one of said first member and said second member. 
     
     
         10 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , wherein said first member and said second member rotate about a common axis. 
     
     
         11 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , further comprising an outlet located radially inwards of said space. 
     
     
         12 . The paintball loader according to  claim 11 , wherein said outlet is centrally located. 
     
     
         13 . The paintball loader according to  claim 1 , further comprising a spring member arranged to load one of said first member and said second member. 
     
     
         14 . A paintball loader comprising:
 a rotor body configured to rotate about an axis and having at least one fin arranged to make contact with a paintball; and   an abutment body arranged to interact with said at least one fin so that when the rotor body is rotated the paintball located in a space formed between said at least one fin and said abutment body moves towards said axis, a shape of said space changing as said rotor body rotates about said axis.   
     
     
         15 . The paintball loader according to  claim 14  further comprising a drive motor for rotating said rotor body. 
     
     
         16 . The paintball loader according to  claim 14 , wherein said axis passes through a central outlet of the paintball loader. 
     
     
         17 . The paintball loader according to  claim 14 , wherein said abutment body is arranged to be driven in a direction opposite said rotor body. 
     
     
         18 . A paintball loader comprising:
 a housing;   a first member disposed in said housing and configured to move from a first position toward a second position during a first time frame; and   a second member disposed in said housing and configured to move from said second position toward said first position during said first time frame, said first member and said second member defining a space configured for receiving at least a portion of a paintball, a shape of said space changing as said first member moves toward said second position and said second member moves toward said first position.   
     
     
         19 . The paintball loader according to  claim 18 , wherein said first member and said second member rotate about a common axis. 
     
     
         20 . The paintball loader according to  claim 18 , wherein said first member and said second member rotate in opposite directions.