Bottom Loading Paintball Feed System

Abstract

A paintball propelling device capable of propelling paintballs using bottom feed magazine is disclosed. The bottom feed magazine, in one aspect, includes a feed tube, a paddle wheel, and multiple paddles. The feed tube is situated between the bottom of magazine and the top of magazine for guiding the projectiles or paintballs to the top of magazine. The paddle wheel is configured to have a downward sloping surface grading from the top of paddle wheel to the edge of paddle wheel. The paddle wheel is able to turn around an axis which is in parallel to projectile travel direction inside the feed tube. The paddles attached to the circumference of the paddle wheel and configured to catch one or more paintballs rolling off the downward sloping surface of the paddle wheel. The paddles are used to push the paintballs into the feed tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A projectile supply magazine comprising:
 a feed tube permitting passage of projectiles and situated between bottom portion of the magazine to top of the magazine guiding projectiles to travel from the bottom of the magazine to the top of the magazine;   a paddle wheel having a downward sloping surface grading from top of the paddle wheel to edge of the paddle wheel, and situated adjacent bottom of the magazine, wherein the paddle wheel is able to turn around an axis which is in parallel to projectile travel direction inside the feed tube;   a plurality of paddles attached to circumference of the paddle wheel and configured to catch one or more projectiles rolling off the downward sloping surface of the paddle wheel, wherein one of the plurality of paddles pushes one projectile from the bottom of the magazine into the feed tube.   
     
     
         2 . The magazine of  claim 1 , further comprising an L-shaped tube having a first end coupled to the feed tube and a second end coupled to the paddle wheel, wherein the L-shaped tube is configured to guide at least one paintball from the paddle wheel to the feed tube. 
     
     
         3 . The magazine of  claim 2 , further comprising a one-way stopper situated in the L-shaped tube and configured to hold paintballs in the feed tube. 
     
     
         4 . The magazine of  claim 1 , wherein the a feed tube, having a first end and a second end, is configured to facilitate passage paintballs from a bottom feed magazine to a paintball marker, wherein the first end of feed tube reaches to approximately top surface of the bottom feed magazine. 
     
     
         5 . The magazine of  claim 1 , wherein space between two of the plurality of paddles is able to house a projectile. 
     
     
         6 . The magazine of  claim 1 , further comprising an optical receiver configured to receive an optical signal for loading. 
     
     
         7 . The magazine of  claim 6 , wherein the optical receiver sends a loading signal to the paddle wheel for feeding. 
     
     
         8 . The magazine of  claim 1 , wherein the paddle wheel is configured to move in a rotational direction driven by a battery powered motor. 
     
     
         9 . The magazine of  claim 2 , wherein the L-shaped tube is configured to transfer a horizontal force to a vertical anti-gravitational force. 
     
     
         10 . The magazine of  claim 3 , wherein the one-way stopper is a flexible V-shaped spring capable of performing a function of one-way valve to maintain paintballs in the feed tube from touching the paddles of the paddle wheel. 
     
     
         11 . The magazine of  claim 10 , wherein the one-way stopper is a stopper fabricated in flexible materials configured to function as a one-way valve to maintain the plurality of paintballs in the feed tube from touching the paddles of the paddle wheel. 
     
     
         12 . A paintball marker capable of launching paintballs comprising the projectile supply magazine of  claim 1   
     
     
         13 . A paintball propelling device comprising:
 a receiver having a top surface facing upward and a bottom surface facing downward at ground, wherein the bottom surface of the receiver includes a bottom feed port;   a bottom feed magazine (“BFM”) coupled to the bottom surface of the receiver and configured to provide paintballs to the receiver via the bottom feed port, wherein the BFM includes,
 a feed tube guiding one or more paintballs to travel from bottom of the BFM to top of the BFM; 
 a paddle wheel having a downward sloping surface grading from top of the paddle wheel to edge of the paddle wheel, and situated adjacent the bottom of the BFM; and 
 a plurality of paddles attached to circumference of the paddle wheel and configured to catch one or more paintballs rolling off the downward sloping surface of the paddle wheel, wherein the plurality of paddles pushes one or more paintballs from the bottom of the BFM to the top of the BFM via the feed tube. 
   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the receiver includes a feed sensor and an optical feed requester, wherein the feed sensor includes electronic circuitry capable of issuing a feed requesting signal upon detecting a load condition. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the optical feed requester issues an optical signal to the bottom feed magazine in response to the feed requesting signal, wherein the feed sensor further includes micro-electro-mechanical system (“MEMS”) configured to detect one of pressure, sound, and motion. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the BFM further includes:
 an L-shaped tube having a first end coupled to the feed tube and a second end coupled to the paddle wheel, wherein the L-shaped tube is configured to guide at least one paintball from the paddle wheel to the feed tube; and   a one-way stopper situated in the L-shaped tube and configured to hold the plurality of paintballs in the feed tube.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the one-way stopper is a flexible V-shaped spring capable of performing a function of one-way valve to maintain the plurality of paintballs in the feed tube from touching the paddles of the paddle wheel. 
     
     
         18 . A paintball assembly comprising:
 a receiver having a top surface and a bottom surface and configured to launch a paintball via pressurized gas;   a bottom mount magazine (“BMM”) coupled to the bottom surface of the receiver for providing paintballs to the receiver, wherein the BMM includes a loading port and a track bowl, wherein the loading port is situated on top of the BMM for providing paintballs to the receiver, wherein the track bowl is structured at bottom of the BMM, wherein the BMM includes,
 a paddle wheel having a downward sloping surface grading from top of the paddle wheel to edge of the paddle wheel; and 
 a plurality of paddles attached to circumference of the paddle wheel and configured to catch one or more paintballs rolling off the downward sloping surface of the paddle wheel, wherein the plurality of paddles pushes one or more paintballs from the bottom of the BMM to the top of the BMM via a feed tube. 
   
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the receiver includes a feed sensor and an optical feed requester; and   wherein the feed sensor includes electronic circuitry capable of issuing a feed requesting signal upon detecting a load condition.   
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the BMM further includes:
 an L-shaped tube having a first end coupled to the feed tube and a second end coupled to the paddle wheel, wherein the L-shaped tube is configured to guide at least one paintball from the paddle wheel to the feed tube; and   a one-way stopper situated in the L-shaped tube and configured to hold the plurality of paintballs in the feed tube.   
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the one-way stopper is a flexible V-shaped spring capable of performing a function of one-way valve to maintain the plurality of paintballs in the feed tube from touching the paddles of the paddle wheel. 
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a magazine housing configured to house the feed tube, the paddle wheel, the L-shaped tube, and a one-way stopper, wherein the magazine housing includes mechanical latches configured to couple with the receiver.