Patent Application
20170292816
This invention relates generally to less-lethal weapon systems, and in particular to a wearable personal protection device with multiple selectable less-lethal ammunition options.
A major issue facing presently facing Law Enforcement officers is the use of deadly force in situations when the use of less-than-lethal means would be more appropriate. Less-than-lethal, or less-lethal, projectile weapons provide law enforcement, military personnel, and civilian defenders with an alternative to firearms in hostile encounters. While firearms are necessary and appropriate for adjudicating deadly force encounters, less-lethal projectile weapons afford operators a tool which can be effectively used across a broader range of the use-of-force spectrum. An aggressor can be forced to flee to avoid pain, or can be incapacitated by the blunt force impact of a projectile shot from a less-lethal weapon, with less risk of serious injury to the aggressor and without exposing the operator to undue danger.
Less-lethal projectile weapons shoot a variety of projectiles, including bean bags, rubber slugs, rubber shot, and wood dowels, as well as incapacitating agents such as CS and pepper spray. Compared to the lethal loads and bullets fired from conventional firearms, the blunt force impact projectiles are much larger, softer on impact and travel at much slower velocities from the less-lethal projectile weapons so that they do not produce lethal penetrating wounds. Less-lethal projectile weapons typically fall into two categories: specialized launchers that use compressed air to propel the projectiles, and conventional firearms converted to use specialized ballistic projectile ammunition.
The compressed air launchers require a compressed air source, usually a canister, as well as specialized projectile rounds. Compressed air launchers are generally bulky and inconvenient to carry and deploy without additional specialized slings, holsters and pouches, which further occupy the limited space on an officer's duty belt or a soldier's equipment rig. The use of compressed air launchers also requires specialized training and additional tactics to effectively deploy, which may be unavailable to potential civilian operators.
Conventional firearms that are converted or used as-is to shoot specialized ballistic projectile ammunition present other drawbacks and potential problems. Special ballistic projectile rounds have been developed for use in conventional 12-gauge shotguns, such as the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500. These less-lethal projectile rounds use a standard 2½″ 12-gauge shell with a small charge that propels a bean bag, wooden dowel, rubber slug or rubber shot. While other firearms and launchers, such as 37 mm flare guns and 40 mm grenade launchers, also have been converted to use less-lethal rounds, the 12-gauge shotgun shell generally provides the most suitable round for less-lethal ballistic projectiles and is very cost effective. While convenient, there is a potential for confusion between less-lethal projectile rounds and conventional lethal ammunition rounds in a stressful tactical situation. Shotguns are large weapons that generally require both hands to manipulate and are not ideal for use inside homes or other buildings. Shotguns also must be held or slung, rather than simply holstered, for general carry.
Police, military, and other individuals use a wide variety of protective gear and less-lethal weapons in the course of their duties. Police riot gear may include, for example, firearms, helmets, batons, hand-held shields, impact resistant or bullet proof vests, protective eye goggles, gas masks, and other devices configured to subdue an attacker or shield against a physical assault.
Another type of less-lethal weapon is a hand-held electrical shock device or hand-held electrical stun weapon. These incapacitating weapons deliver a high-voltage electrical shock through direct contact with electrodes that are either attached to a hand-held device or are projected by a hand-held gun with wires connected to the electrodes. Generally, the person or animal receiving an electrical shock from such a device is incapacitated for a period of time.
Less-lethal devices are also difficult or inconvenient to use in conjunction with another weapon or when an operator needs one hand free for other tasks. For example, a soldier or police officer will generally stow their less-lethal device in a holster or holder when not in use to allow them to perform such tasks as handling a firearm, wielding a hand-held shield, or frisking and handcuffing a suspect. With the less-lethal device stowed, the operator may not be able to retrieve it in time to defend against an attack.
A cursory literature search uncovered literally thousands of patents and devices containing one or a few features of the present invention, and seven patents that contained three features; however, no device was found which contained all incorporated features described herein for the present invention. For example, there are many handheld less-lethal devices, but usually with only one ammunition type or a single barrel option. There are many gauntlet protection devices, but none which enclose the entire forearm and hand, protect the hand grip and trigger of a weapon system, and also offer less-lethal weapon capability.
Many weapons have barrel replacement capability, but none with the ease and utility of the current invention. There are weapons with variable caliber barrels, such as double barreled shotguns or military rifles with 40 mm grenade launchers, but each barrel has a separate trigger and firing pin. There are multi-barreled weapons with a single trigger and firing pin, such as Gatling's Gun or the Dillon Aero Minigun, but all barrels are of the same caliber.
Many less-lethal weapons such as pump shotguns contain a multi-round magazine capable of containing different ammunition options; however, individual rounds within the magazine must be used in the reverse order they were loaded and are not selectable at will for a desired firing order. Most modern law enforcement and military weapons are designed for ambidextrous use and have hard points for attaching tactical equipment, so these features have been incorporated in the present invention. Representative prior art is presented below.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,813 to Tolliver et al. discloses a ballistic-resistant upper arm shoulder pad (epaulet) made of 30 layers of an aramid fiber (e.g., KEVLAR™) ballistic cloth that covers the shoulder and upper arm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,314 to Lewis discloses a similar type of protective deltoid pad. However, neither patent provides any type of protection for the elbow, lower arm, or hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,517,493 to Purvis et al. discloses a lightweight, armored protective garment for protecting an arm or leg from blast superheated gases, blast overpressure shock, shrapnel, and spall from a explosive device, such as a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) or a roadside Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The garment has a ballistic sleeve made of a ballistic fabric, such as an aramid fiber (e.g., KEVLAR™) cloth, that prevents thermal burns from the blast superheated gases, while providing some protection from fragments. Additionally, the garment has two or more rigid armor inserts that cover the upper and lower arm and protect against high-velocity projectiles, shrapnel and spall. The rigid inserts can be made of multiple plies of a carbon/epoxy composite laminate. The combination of 6 layers of KEVLAR™ fabric and 28 plies of carbon/epoxy laminate inserts (with the inserts being sandwiched in-between the KEVLAR™ layers), can meet the level IIIA fragmentation minimum V.sub.50 requirements for the U.S. Interceptor Outer Tactical Vest.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,154,844, to Brown discloses a wearable shield and self-defense device including multiple integrated components. The defense device includes a composite shield member configured to be worn over at least a third of the length of a user's forearm for protection. The device conforms closely to the outer surface only of a forearm. The shield member includes a portable source of electricity and an electrical shock bar configured to receive an electrical current from the electrical source and to deliver an electrical shock to a human or other animal. Multiple devices are claimed for attachment to the shield and the electrical source. The shield does not completely enclose the forearm circumferentially, or the hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,875, to Hirschfeld discloses a trigger for selectively discharging simultaneously any number of barrels on a multiple-barreled firearm with a barrel assembly having a plurality of substantially parallel barrels. The mechanism comprises a like plurality of firing assemblies, each assembly being associated with one barrel. The firing assembly is arranged to selectively discharge one or more cartridges. The assembly includes a trigger adapted to engage and release the firing assembly in sequence, and it includes means for adjustably controlling the number of firing assemblies which can be released upon a single actuation of the trigger.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,782,938 to Teach, Jr. et al. discloses a lightweight handheld less-lethal ballistic projectile launcher configured as an “over/under” double barreled handheld device with a “break open” loading action. The launcher includes a barrel section pivotally connected to receiver section. The barrel section pivots between an open load/unload position and a closed firing position. The barrel section includes two metal barrel sleeves that are press fitted into axial bores formed in the body of the barrel section. The barrel section also includes an ejector, which locks the barrel section in the closed firing position and partially expels spent rounds from the barrel sleeves when the barrel section is opened. The receiver section houses the launcher's fire control mechanism. The fire control mechanism uses a traditional single action operation and ensures that rounds are alternatively discharged from each barrel and prevents rounds from both barrels from being discharged simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,169 to Gregg discloses a caliber exchange system for a firearm including a lower plate adapted for embedding within a firearm stock, an upper plate adapted to mate with the lower plate, and a receiver and integral barrel assembly attached to the upper plate to form a caliber exchange unit, the caliber exchange unit attachable and detachable from the lower plate to allow user exchange of caliber of the firearm. The barrel seating method for the upper weapon section is for bolt action rifles.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,752,974 to Wenass et al. discloses a device providing apparatuses for use in launching an inhibiting powder. The device uses a source of impulse pressure that induces a propellant pressure, a barrel cooperated with the source of impulse pressure to receive the propellant pressure, an inhibiting powder positioned within the interior of the barrel. A burst diaphragm and an actuator system results in a release of the propellant pressure into the barrel to drive the inhibiting powder from the barrel in substantially an aerosol form generating a cloud of inhibiting powder.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,005 to Dobbins discloses a two-barrel over-and-under gun for firing two types of ammunition with a single breech locking mechanism for both barrels. The gun includes a selector lever for activating one of two bolts associated with the two barrels, and a single trigger for firing ammunition from a chamber associated with the activated bolt. The gun further includes two magazines for feeding ammunition to the chambers, and a pump-action forearm for ejecting spent ammunition and for loading a new round of ammunition into the chamber associated with the activated bolt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,908 to Brandl discloses a rifle construction with a swing-type barrel assembly adapted for firing both conventional cartridges and non-conventional cartridges with a longitudinally extending barrel assembly having a first barrel and a second barrel mounted in opposed relation. A breech block interposed between the barrels is adapted for sliding cooperative movement with the first or second barrels in order to expel desired cartridges depending on the mode of operation. A housing is adapted to receive the barrel assembly in first and second firing positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,549,783 to Marqez discloses a tactical apparatus and method for mounting a multi-cartridge electric discharge weapon. The apparatus includes a frame shaped to define a rail system permitting handles and accessories to be mounted thereupon and used in conjunction with the mounted electric discharge weapon. The apparatus also includes at least one handle, a control housing, and a mounting plate wherein a plurality of firing cartridges from a multi-cartridge electric discharge weapon may mounted on the mounting plate, permitting an available multi-cartridge electric discharge weapon to be converted from a fixed or vehicle mounted position to a hand-carried position where it may be carried, aimed, and fired as a conventional weapon.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,014 to Porter discloses a handgun adapter for converting a handgun into a rifle or carbine. The adapter includes an elongated member having a stock and a pair of sidewalls forming a cavity. A pair of guide rails is positioned on an inner edge of the cavity, and a locking bar is mounted within the sidewalls and extends across the cavity. The locking bar is selectively positionable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A handgun mounts into the adapter by aligning channels on the outer edge of the handgun into the guide rails. The handgun is slid along the guide rails and into the locking mechanism for attachment. Replacing the handgun effectively replaces the barrel and may be used to change the caliber of the device.
It is the objective of the current disclosure to present a device for personal protection having multiple selectable less-lethal ammunition options. Another objective of the current invention is to enclose the forearm and hand in a protective gauntlet of lightweight composite materials. Externally, the 3-piece gauntlet sleeve contains multiple embedded Picatinny Rails for attaching less-lethal barrels of various calibers, as well as operator-configured tactical equipment, one or more operator-configured barrels for dispensing less-lethal ammunition, and a status display panel. Internally, the gauntlet contains a pistol grip with safety, an electronic means for selecting each individual barrel with a less-lethal ammunition option, and a trigger for firing the selected barrel. Thus a most important objective for rapid selection and use of varied less-lethal options is met.
A unique advantage of each embodiment of the present invention is the multiple embedded Picatinny Rail attachment points located specifically for operator-selected attachment of less-lethal barrels and tactical equipment. This allows the use of interchangeable, replaceable less-lethal barrels of multiple calibers. Each less-lethal barrel may be used to contain a different less-lethal ammunition option and is independently selectable for firing from inside the gauntlet. Less-lethal ammunition may include, for example, rubber bullets, bean bags, pepper spray or tear gas. The layered-composite barrels are designed so as to safely self-destruct when used with conventional firearms ammunition.
In the best mode preferred embodiment, the gauntlet includes an enclosure, such as the interior of the pistol grip handle, for housing one or more batteries. In some embodiments, an option is provided to attach a miniature video camera that is activated when the safety is positioned in the “OFF” or “FIRE” position. In any embodiment, the operator may attach a tactical flashlight externally to the gauntlet, as well as a laser aiming device in alignment with the centerline of the gauntlet.
Accordingly, the present invention provides several other advantages over conventional less-lethal dispensers. One advantage of the present invention compared to conventional shotguns is that the launcher can be held, manipulated, and fired with one hand, is easily maneuvered in confined urban settings, and can be conveniently stored and carried hands free if desired. A further advantage that the present invention provides is a selectable multiple shot capacity, which is a feature that no other less-lethal firearm currently has. A further advantage of the present invention is the lightweight carbon fiber or reinforced polymer materials construction which provides operator protection, durability and low weight. A still further advantage of the present invention is the break-open loading breech which allows the barrels to be easily loaded and unloaded. A further advantage is a breech access ejector slide which locks the firing pin assembly in the firing position and in some embodiments cocks the firing pin during reloading. Another significant advantage of the present invention is the electronic barrel selection and fire control system which provides simplicity of operation and reliability. These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of the specification, illustrate various principles of operation and examples of the present invention, including a best mode preferred embodiment of the invention, as well as alternate embodiments, and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers refer to like elements throughout. It is to be understood, however, that the detailed description of the various embodiments and specific examples, while indicating preferred and other embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
The basic operating principle of the present invention is illustrated in
PCB 21 is comprised of three CMOS chips 40, 41, 42 connected to the grip 10 by wiring harness 23, which transmits power when switch 43 is ON, ON-OFF status of safety 9 via safety switch 44, and FIRE commands from trigger 11 firing switch 45 to PCB 21. Chip 40 on PCB 21 is a 556 dual timer with associated timing resistors and capacitors, an LM4017 decade counter 41, and one or more LM4081 quad two-input AND gates 42. Chip 40 produces two consecutive signal pulses when the trigger 11 is pulled and trigger switch 45 is closed. The first pulse is a 0.25 second wide FIRE pulse. At the end of the FIRE pulse, a 50 millisecond barrel CYCLE pulse is generated. If the safety 9 is in the OFF position and safety switch 44 is closed when the FIRE pulse is generated, a firing pin activation signal is sent through wire harness 36 to the firing pin assembly attached to the currently selected barrel; otherwise no firing pin activation signal is sent. At the end of the subsequent CYCLE pulse, the next barrel in a programmed sequence is selected.
Wiring harness 24 is used to transmit power when switch 43 is ON, to transmit ON-OFF status of safety 9, and to transmit specific barrel selection from PCB 21 to PCB 8. This information is displayed by barrel selection LEDs 25, power ON-OFF LED 27, and safety ON-OFF status LED 26.
Several options are available for removing spent cartridges and reloading individual barrels with fresh rounds.
Many various options and methods are available for inserting an operator arm into the device and firmly securing the gauntlet to the arm.
When compared to conventional less-lethal systems, the many advantages of the present invention are obvious. The invention with full 3-piece gauntlet provides protection for an operator hand and forearm up to the elbow. The invention provides for unique multiple, selectable less-lethal ammunition options in a single hand-held device, essentially combining multiple less-lethal weapons into one device. The invention may thus be configured by an operator as required for specific tactical situations allowing for escalation of less-lethal force. The munition range and muzzle velocity, and thus the physical impact of a munition, can be immediately adjusted for various indoor and outdoor urban environments, thus reducing the probability of an unintentional fatal incident. The invention may also be configured so as to visually record events when the safety is released.
It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. The invention includes all such changes and modifications made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof.
