Magazine adapter for projectile launcher

Abstract

A magazine adapter for converting a hopper-fed paintball marker to a magazine-fed paintball marker. The magazine adapter includes an adapter body defining an opening that is dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a paintball magazine. An attachment assembly is provided that releasably couples the adapter body with a receiver of a paintball marker. The adapter includes a magazine latch configured to releasably couple the paintball magazine to the adapter body. The magazine adapter can be installed onto the paintball marker's receiver without any modification to the paintball marker's receiver.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A magazine adapter for converting a hopper-fed paintball marker to a magazine-fed paintball marker, the magazine adapter comprising:
 an adapter body defining an opening that is dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a paintball magazine;   an attachment assembly configured to releasably couple the adapter body with a receiver of a paintball marker;   a magazine latch configured to releasably couple the paintball magazine to the adapter body; and   wherein the magazine adapter can be installed onto the paintball marker's receiver without any modification to the paintball marker's receiver.   
     
     
         2 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the attachment assembly is structurally interchangeable to an attachment structure of a feed neck that attaches a hopper to the receiver. 
     
     
         3 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the attachment assembly includes a first extension spaced apart from a second extension, wherein a first pin extends from the first extension and a second pin extends from the second extension. 
     
     
         4 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the first pin and the second pin extend transversely from the first extension and the second extension, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the first pin and the second pin are approximately coaxial. 
     
     
         6 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the first extension and the second extension are parallel with respect to each other. 
     
     
         7 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the attachment assembly includes a latch configured to couple the adapter body with the paintball marker's receiver. 
     
     
         8 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a release button configured to actuate the magazine latch between a position projecting into the opening in the adapter body and a position in which magazine latch does not project into the opening. 
     
     
         9 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a biasing member configured to urge the magazine latch into the position projecting into the opening in the adapter body. 
     
     
         10 . A magazine adapter for converting a hopper-fed projectile launcher to a magazine-fed projectile launcher, the magazine adapter comprising:
 an adapter body defining an opening that is dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a magazine;   an attachment assembly configured to releasably couple the adapter body with a projectile launcher;   a magazine latch configured to releasably couple the magazine to the adapter body;   wherein the magazine adapter can be installed onto the projectile launcher without any modification to the launcher; and   wherein the attachment assembly is structurally interchangeable to an attachment structure of a feed neck that attaches a hopper to the projectile launcher.   
     
     
         11 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the attachment assembly includes a first extension spaced apart from a second extension, wherein a first pin extends from the first extension and a second pin extends from the second extension. 
     
     
         12 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first pin and the second pin extend transversely from the first extension and the second extension, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the first pin and the second pin are approximately coaxial. 
     
     
         14 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the first extension and the second extension are parallel with respect to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the attachment assembly includes a latch configured to couple the adapter body with the projectile launcher. 
     
     
         16 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising a release button configured to actuate the magazine latch between a position projecting into the opening in the adapter body and a position in which magazine latch does not project into the opening. 
     
     
         17 . The magazine adapter as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a biasing member configured to urge the magazine latch into the position projecting into the opening in the adapter body. 
     
     
         18 . A method of converting a hopper-fed paintball marker to a magazine fed paintball marker, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a paintball marker including a receiver defining a breech area, wherein a feed neck is attached to the receiver for feeding paintballs from a hopper into the breech area;   detaching the feed neck from the paintball marker;   attaching a magazine adapter to the receiver of the paintball marker, wherein the magazine adapter is configured to detachably receive a paintball magazine for supplying paintballs to be propelled to the breech area; and   wherein the magazine adapter can be installed onto the paintball marker's receiver without any modification to the paintball marker's receiver.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein a structure that attaches the magazine adapter to the receiver is structurally interchangeable with a structure that attaches the feed neck to the receiver. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the magazine adapter includes a release button configured to release a paintball magazine from the magazine adapter.