The latching/locking loader mechanism of the present invention provides a quick-release latch mechanism where a user can unlock and lock the attachment of the loader to the paintball gun quickly and easily without the use of tools. The latching/locking mechanism stays locked or unlocked without further use of tools. A spring-biased gate is provided in the path of the paintballs, namely, in the feed neck of the loader. When the loader is installed on the paintball marker, via a feed collar, deflection posts on the feed collar push the gate out of the paintball path in the feed neck of the loader so that paintballs may freely pass from the storage chamber of the loader and then into the breech of the paintball marker. When not installed on a feed collar, the gate blocks the path of paintballs.

The latching/locking loader mechanism of the present invention provides a quick-release latch mechanism where a user can unlock and lock the attachment of the loader to the paintball gun quickly and easily without the use of tools. The latching/locking mechanism stays locked or unlocked without further use of tools. A spring-biased gate is provided in the path of the paintballs, namely, in the feed neck of the loader. When the loader is installed on the paintball marker, via a feed collar, deflection posts on the feed collar push the gate out of the paintball path in the feed neck of the loader so that paintballs may freely pass from the storage chamber of the loader and then into the breech of the paintball marker. When not installed on a feed collar, the gate blocks the path of paintballs.

A soft projectile launcher includes a launching tube including a power channel, a projectile loading channel, and a projectile exit channel connected in sequence, a projectile entry tube including a projectile entry channel connected to the projectile loading channel and configured to provide a soft projectile to the projectile loading channel, and a power assembly connected to a free end of the power channel and configured to provide power for launching the soft projectile. At least a part of at least one of the projectile entry channel, the projectile loading channel, or the projectile exit channel includes an elliptical channel.

A projectile loader is provided having a body split into two portions attached by a hinge, wherein a release mechanism for separating the two portions is located internally of the loader body, accessed via a top opening.

Projectile loading systems for toy launchers that discharge soft spherical, but tacky, projectiles, the loading systems including a projectile hopper for storing the projectiles, a chute at the bottom of the hopper, the chute having a central groove for lining the projectiles in a single file, an agitator in the hopper for disturbing the tacky projectiles in the hopper to separate them, and a projectile transfer structure for carrying a projectile, one at a time, from the chute to a breech or from a feed track during respective priming cycles.

A toy projectile shooter that includes a housing defining a housing interior, a barrel, a trigger movable between a firing position and a non-firing position, a firing motor, a plunger sensor, a plunger disposed in the housing interior, and a shot firing mode system configured to activate the firing motor when the trigger is moved from the non-firing position to the firing position, move the plunger from a first plunger position to a second plunger position when the firing motor is activated, actuate the plunger sensor when the plunger is moved from the first plunger position to the second plunger position, bias the plunger from the second plunger position to the first plunger position after the plunger sensor is actuated, and deactivate the firing motor after the plunger sensor has been actuated a predetermined number of times.

A toy projectile shooter that includes a housing defining a housing interior, a barrel, a trigger movable between a firing position and a non-firing position, a firing motor, a plunger sensor, a plunger disposed in the housing interior, and a shot firing mode system configured to activate the firing motor when the trigger is moved from the non-firing position to the firing position, move the plunger from a first plunger position to a second plunger position when the firing motor is activated, actuate the plunger sensor when the plunger is moved from the first plunger position to the second plunger position, bias the plunger from the second plunger position to the first plunger position after the plunger sensor is actuated, and deactivate the firing motor after the plunger sensor has been actuated a predetermined number of times.

A toy projectile launcher for launching projectiles, e.g, toy foam darts, from a hopper. One or more agitating members inside the hopper to enable the projectiles to drop into a firing chamber under the hopper. A hopper cover has a collapsible ceiling with nested members and a ceiling plate to maintain the projectiles toward the bottom of the hopper. A catch coupled to the ceiling plate engages an opening in a hopper wall to prevent the ceiling from collapsing when the hopper cover is closed. Where there are multiple vertically spaced-apart openings in the hopper wall, the catch may disengage from a first opening, and then engage a lower, second opening in the hopper wall, as the number of projectiles in the hopper drops and the ceiling plate descends in the hopper. A rotating track and a push rod advance projectiles from the firing chamber to flywheels for launch.

A toy projectile launcher for launching projectiles, e.g, toy foam darts, from a hopper. One or more agitating members inside the hopper to enable the projectiles to drop into a firing chamber under the hopper. A hopper cover has a collapsible ceiling with nested members and a ceiling plate to maintain the projectiles toward the bottom of the hopper. A catch coupled to the ceiling plate engages an opening in a hopper wall to prevent the ceiling from collapsing when the hopper cover is closed. Where there are multiple vertically spaced-apart openings in the hopper wall, the catch may disengage from a first opening, and then engage a lower, second opening in the hopper wall, as the number of projectiles in the hopper drops and the ceiling plate descends in the hopper. A rotating track and a push rod advance projectiles from the firing chamber to flywheels for launch.

An anti-chop system for mechanical paintball markers includes an optical sensor in the breech that detects presence of a properly seated paintball in the breech for launch. When such a paintball is not detected, a control circuit communicates with an actuatable structure that physically communicates with a paintball marker component that moves as part of the firing and launch of a paintball. For example, such an actuatable structure is a lever arm that communicates with the bolt or trigger to prevent the firing operation of the paintball marker when a paintball is not ready for launch.