A feed neck module that is easily attached or detached to a toy gun and a loader. The feed neck module has a mounting bracket for the toy gun and threads for the loader. The mounting bracket and threads are compatible with a variety of different toy guns and loaders. Furthermore, the feed neck module has a conduit which allows projectiles (paintballs, airsoft BBs, gel balls, etc.) to travel from the loader to the toy gun. The conduit may include a funnel to control the flow of the projectiles. The projectiles may be made of a luminescent material (e.g., the projectiles glow in the dark). Furthermore, the feed neck module may have a UV light source that radiates light onto the projectiles as they travel through the conduit. The UV light source may fully charge the projectiles before the projectiles enter the toy gun.

A connector includes a connector body coupled to the toy gun to be connected with an upper portion of the magazine; a hole formed to pass through front end of the connector body and configured to accommodate a projectile provided by the magazine; a projectile fixing portion positioned on the connector body in which the hole is formed and configured to fix the projectile provided via the hole; a projectile sensing portion which senses whether or not a projectile remains in the hole, a position of the projectile sensing portion being changed depending on whether or not a projectile remains in the hole; and a first protrusion interlocked with the projectile sensing portion, the first protrusion moving forward or backward to control a stopper depending on whether or not a projectile remains in the hole, the stopper allowing or blocking movement of a cylinder of the toy gun.

A pneumatic projectile launcher with improved valve opening and closing characteristics includes a trigger mechanism in communication with a valve assembly, preferably through pneumatic or mechanical means. This valve assembly consists of at least two members; the first is used to seal a single projectile in a barrel tube so as to accelerate the projectile with a gas pulse (“bolt”). The second member of the assembly is a valve member which controls the release of said gas pulse. The aforementioned pulse that propels the projectile out of the barrel (“forward”) also acts on a face of the valve member opposite the projectile, translating the valve member rearward to the original, closed position.

The present invention is directed to a ball feed mechanism and associated method for use in a paintball loader. The ball feed mechanism includes a feeder which conveys or impels balls toward a feed neck, and a drive member which is concentric with the feeder. The feeder is coupled to the drive member. An electric motor is used to rotate the drive member which in turn causes the feeder to rotate. The feed mechanism includes sensors which detect the motion of the feeder and the drive member. A controller determines the position of the feeder relative to the drive member and actuates a motor when necessary.

The present invention is directed to a ball feed mechanism and associated method for use in a paintball loader. The ball feed mechanism includes a feeder which conveys or impels balls toward a feed neck, and a drive member which is concentric with the feeder. The feeder is coupled to the drive member. An electric motor is used to rotate the drive member which in turn causes the feeder to rotate. The feed mechanism includes sensors which detect the motion of the feeder and the drive member. A controller determines the position of the feeder relative to the drive member and actuates a motor when necessary.

A paintball loader for use on a paintball gun for feeding paintballs is provided. The paintball loader includes a container for holding a plurality of paintballs, a paintball agitator rotatably mounted in the container, the paintball agitator including at least two fins extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the fins spaced apart from each other forming a gap therebetween large enough to accommodate more than one paintball. At least two paintballs are positioned in the gap between the fins. A motor is configured to rotate the paintball agitator. The container includes an exit tube exiting from the bottom portion of the container and leading to an inlet tube of the paintball gun. A microprocessor in communication with a sensor may also be provided for controlling the motor. A deflector for deflecting paintballs may also be provided, the deflector movably attached to the interior surface of the container.

A paintball loader for use on a paintball gun for feeding paintballs is provided. The paintball loader includes a container for holding a plurality of paintballs, a paintball agitator rotatably mounted in the container, the paintball agitator including at least two fins extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the fins spaced apart from each other forming a gap therebetween large enough to accommodate more than one paintball. At least two paintballs are positioned in the gap between the fins. A motor is configured to rotate the paintball agitator. The container includes an exit tube exiting from the bottom portion of the container and leading to an inlet tube of the paintball gun. A microprocessor in communication with a sensor may also be provided for controlling the motor. A deflector for deflecting paintballs may also be provided, the deflector movably attached to the interior surface of the container.

A toy projectile launcher for launching projectiles, e.g, toy foam darts, from a detachable hopper. An agitating member inside the hopper enables the orderly descent of the projectiles within 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. First and second catches coupled to the ceiling plate respectively engage openings in hopper walls to prevent the ceiling plate from collapsing into the cover when the hopper cover is closed. Where there are multiple vertically-spaced-apart openings in the hopper walls, the first and second catches may disengage from respective first openings, and then engage lower, second openings in the hopper walls, as the number of projectiles in the hopper drops and the ceiling plate descends in the hopper. A rotating gear advances projectiles from the firing chamber to flywheels for launch.

A projectile launching apparatus includes a linear motion converter driven by a motor, a piston coupled to the linear motion converter and reciprocally movable within a cylinder, a gas spring and a breech assembly. The piston, when actuated by the linear motion converter, may energize the gas spring, and after the gas spring is fully energized, the linear motion converter may release the piston. When the piston is released, the piston may compress a gas within the cylinder, which compressed gas may be communicated to a barrel of the breech assembly. The compressed gas may expand in the barrel of the breech assembly for launching a projectile that has been chambered in the barrel, with a high velocity.

A firearm system for monitoring the displacement of a firearm trigger during a trigger pull includes a firearm body including a handle and a barrel attached to the handle. A trigger is attached to the firearm body, and a position input circuit is attached to the trigger. The position input circuit emits a trigger position signal including information representative of the trigger displacement. The firearm body is in wired or wireless communication with an electronic device. The electronic device can include a monitor, or screen, for graphically displaying a trigger position indicator representative of the displacement of the trigger along one or more axes. The firearm body can include a motion sensing circuit generally adapted to detect motion of the firearm body. The motion sensing circuit can include one or more accelerometers or gyroscopes. A wireless transmitter or transceiver can be positioned on the firearm body for communicating trigger displacement information and/or firearm body motion information to the electronic device. Methods of providing firearm user input information to a firearm user are also provided.