Patent Application
20180080748
The present disclosure is directed to grenade simulation apparatus and, more specifically, to a grenade simulator that emits visual and auditory feedback in a safe and re-usable manner upon triggering of a simulated detonation.
Grenades are well known and may be used by military, civilian police, or security personnel to kill or incapacitate adversary personnel. Three common types of grenades include the standard or fragmentation grenade, a concussion or impact grenade, and a stun or flashbang grenade. Standard (or fragmentation) grenades are commonly designed to disperse lethal fragments on detonation. The body of a standard grenade is generally made of a hard synthetic material or steel, which provides fragmentation as shards and splinters, and some standard grenades may include a pre-formed fragmentation matrix such as spherical, cuboid, wire or notched wire. Most standard grenades are designed to detonate either after a time delay or on impact.
A concussion grenade is an anti-personnel device that is designed to damage its target with explosive power alone. Compared to standard/fragmentation grenades, the explosive filler is usually of a greater weight and volume, and the housing is thinner. The concussion effect, rather than any expelled fragments, causes damage.
A stun or flashbang grenade is less-lethal weapon, designed to produce a blinding flash of light and loud noise without causing permanent injury. The flash produced may momentarily activate light sensitive cells in the eye, impairing vision for a period of time until the eye restores itself. Additionally, the loud blast may cause temporary loss of hearing and also disturb the fluid in the ear causing loss of balance. These grenades are designed to temporarily neutralize the combat effectiveness of enemies by disorienting their senses.
The prevalence of grenades in use throughout the world prompts the need for many military and civilian forces to train for the possibility of a grenade being used against them. Accordingly, effective training devices, which are efficient and cost effective, may be beneficial.
The present disclosure recognizes it would be useful to have a device that can simulate a grenade for training purposes. Furthermore, it would also be beneficial to have a device that can simulate multiple different types of grenades without requiring different types of training devices. According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a grenade simulation apparatus may include audible and visual indications of a grenade detonation, and be programmable to simulate multiple different types of grenades.
In some examples, a grenade simulation apparatus is provided that allows users to simulate the detonation of a standard grenade, flashbang grenade, and impact grenade, without using explosive charges, fire, or pressurized material. The apparatus may provide both visual and auditory feedback in a safe and re-usable manner. In some examples, the apparatus may provide a method for triggering a simulated detonation externally using a switch. A simulated detonation may include visual and/or auditory feedback, such as through the use of a siren and LEDs.
In some examples, a grenade simulation apparatus may include a housing having a size and shape to replicate a grenade, a controller mounted within the housing that provides two or more modes of operation for the grenade simulation apparatus, a light unit coupled with the controller and mounted at least partially within the housing to provide visual stimulus external to the housing, an acoustic unit coupled with the controller and mounted at least partially within the housing to provide audible stimulus external to the housing, and a user interface coupled with the housing and coupled with the controller. The controller may be configured to receive input from the user interface and initiate one of the two or more modes of operation based at least in part on the input from the user interface. In some examples, the two or more modes of operation include a flashbang mode of operation, a standard grenade mode of operation, or an impact grenade mode of operation.
In some examples, an input from the user interface may initiate a timer, and the controller may activate one or more of the light unit or acoustic unit to simulate a detonation upon expiration of the timer. In some cases, the controller may be configured to initiate repetitive detonations until a halt input is received from the user interface. The apparatus may include a power source such as replaceable batteries or a rechargeable power source.
In some examples, the apparatus may also include an external trigger interface coupled with the controller and configured to receive a trigger signal from an external trigger located away from the grenade simulation apparatus. The external trigger interface may be coupled with the external trigger through a wired interface or wireless interface such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Further, in some examples, the apparatus may include a vibration feedback unit coupled with the controller and mounted at least partially within the housing to provide vibratory stimulus to the housing. In some cases, the apparatus also may include an accelerometer mounted at least partially within the housing and the controller may simulate a detonation of the grenade simulation apparatus based at least in part on detecting impact at the accelerometer.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of examples according to the disclosure in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages will be described hereinafter. The conception and specific examples disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. Such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Features which are believed to be characteristic of the concepts disclosed herein, both as to their organization and method of operation, together with associated advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. Each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only, and not as a definition of the limits of the claims.
This description provides examples, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention. Rather, the ensuing description will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing embodiments of the invention. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements.
Thus, various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, aspects and elements described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. It should also be appreciated that the following systems, devices, and components may individually or collectively be components of a larger system, wherein other procedures may take precedence over or otherwise modify their application.
The present disclosure recognizes it would be useful to have a device that can simulate a grenade for training purposes. Furthermore, it would also be beneficial to have a device that can simulate multiple different types of grenades without requiring different types of training devices, thus saving on costs and inventory for such training devices. The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for grenade simulation that allow users to simulate the detonation of two or more different types of grenade, such as a standard grenade, flashbang grenade, or impact grenade, without using explosive charges, fire, or pressurized material. The apparatus may provide both visual and auditory feedback in a safe and re-usable manner. A simulated detonation may include visual and/or auditory feedback, such as through the use of a siren and LEDs. Thus, the present disclosure provides for grenade simulation using a versatile device capable of multiple different modes of operation and multiple different timing, triggering, or feedback schemes for different modes of operation.
Grenade simulation apparatuses previously included single-use devices that may emit smoke and/or a relatively loud popping noise, dummy grenades that do not provide any feedback, or devices that simulate only one type of grenade. Grenade simulation apparatuses according to various aspects of the present disclosure may provide several advantages over prior devices, such as not requiring the use of pressurized or explosive materials, providing replaceable battery power, providing multiple operation modes include standard grenade, flashbang and impact grenade, capability to be reused many times, an external trigger mechanism, a repetitive detonation mode to prevent device loss, a low battery indication, and/or multiple programmable time delays and visual/auditory response, to name a few. In some examples, the grenade simulation apparatus may include a ruggedized case, a microcontroller, an accelerometer, LED strips, a siren, internal battery power, push buttons, and other circuitry components. Electronics may be mounted on one or more printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) that are connected together with wires to provide functionality for the device.
With reference to
As indicated above, the grenade simulation apparatus 100 may simulate a grenade detonation, which may provide visual and/or auditory feedback to indicate detonation. In the example grenade simulation apparatus 100, LEDs 145 may provide visual feedback upon detonation. Additionally, in this example, a siren is located internal to the case 105 and may provide loud auditory feedback upon detonation. In one example, the siren is a Mallory Sonalert PS-953Q siren, and the LEDs 145 are SuperBrightLEDs WFLS-X3 high intensity LEDs, and a CW Industries GPB556A05BR pushbutton is used for the power button 120, the mode selection button 130, and the continuous operation button 135.
The grenade simulation apparatus 100 may be triggered using a trigger 155 on the case 105, or with a remote trigger that may be electrically coupled with the grenade simulation apparatus 100 through external trigger port 150. In some examples, a user may trigger the device directly using trigger 155, or externally through an external trigger connected to external trigger port 150.
Processor 610 may include an intelligent hardware device, (e.g., a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic component, a discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof). As indicated above, in some examples the processor may be a MSP430 microcontroller or a portion thereof. In some cases, processor 610 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In other cases, a memory controller may be integrated into processor 610. Processor 610 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory to perform various functions (e.g., functions or tasks supporting modes for grenade simulation and simulated grenade detonations).
Processor 610 may be connected with other components of device 600 via, for example, bus 650. In some examples, a mode select and trigger input component 605 may include one or more components that are mounted to a case for the device 600, such as pushbuttons and status LEDs, and allow for user input to select an operational mode or provide a trigger input. In some examples, the mode select and trigger input component 605 may include an external port to receive inputs from an external device, such as an external trigger as illustrated in
Acoustic component 615 may provide acoustic feedback during a simulated detonation as described herein. In some examples, acoustic component 615 may include a siren, although other types of acoustic feedback may be provided, as will be readily recognized by one of skill in the art. In some examples, acoustic component 615 may also provide acoustic feedback to indicate that a particular operational mode has been selected, or that a trigger input has been received. Light component 630 may provide visual feedback during a simulated detonation as described herein. In some examples, light component 630 may include high intensity LEDs that may turn on or flash during a simulated detonation. While LEDs are discussed for various examples herein, other types of visual feedback may be provided (e.g., strobes, incandescent lights, solid state lights, gas discharge lights, etc.), as will be readily recognized by one of skill in the art.
Optional vibration feedback component and/or accelerometer component 635 may provide other types of feedback or inputs to device 600. In some examples, vibration feedback may be provided as part of a simulated detonation or to indicate a particular mode has been selected. In such examples, vibration feedback component and/or accelerometer component 635 may include a vibration motor, for example, that may be activated by the processor 610. Additionally or alternatively, an accelerometer may be included in vibration feedback component and/or accelerometer component 635 that may be used to detect impact of the device 600 and trigger a simulated detonation.
Memory 620 may include random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM). The memory 620 may store computer-readable, computer-executable software 625 including instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform various functions described herein. In some cases, the memory 620 may contain, among other things, a Basic Input-Output system (BIOS) which may control basic hardware and/or software operation such as the interaction with peripheral components or devices. In some cases, the memory 620 may be integrated with the processor 610 in a microcontroller.
Software 625 may include code to implement aspects of the present disclosure, including code to support simulated grenade detonations for different types of grenades, with configurable trigger conditions or times. Software 625 may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as system memory or other memory. In some cases, the software 625 may not be directly executable by the processor but may cause a computer (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform functions described herein.
Transceiver 640 may provide wireless communications, via one or more antenna(s) 645, wired, or wireless links as described above. For example, the transceiver 640 may represent a wireless transceiver and may communicate with another wireless transceiver. The transceiver 640 may also include a modem to modulate the packets and provide the modulated packets to the antennas for transmission, and to demodulate packets received from the antennas.
In some cases, the device 600 may include a single antenna 645. However, in some cases the device may have more than one antenna 645, which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wireless transmissions. In some cases, the transceiver 640 and antenna 645 may be included in a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, or other wireless communication module configured for wireless communications using an established or proprietary protocol.
At block 705 the grenade simulation device may receive a mode input. The mode input may be received, for example, through mode select and trigger input 605 as discussed above with reference to
At block 710, the grenade simulation device may receive a timing input for a detonation countdown timer. The timing input may be received, for example, through mode select and trigger input 605 as discussed above with reference to
At block 715, the grenade simulation device may set a countdown timer based on mode input, timing input, or any combination thereof. The countdown timer may be set, in some examples, by processor 610 as discussed above with reference to
At block 720, the grenade simulation device may receive a trigger input. The trigger input may be received, for example, at mode select and trigger input component 605 of
At block 725, the device may determine if the countdown timer is expired. The countdown timer may be monitored, in some examples, by processor 610 as discussed above with reference to
While the examples of
While particular examples are described, it will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art that numerous variations may be implemented within the scope of this disclosure. For example, other form factors may be used, different inputs or outputs may be provided, different programming modes may be provided, or different trigger mechanisms may be provide, to name a few. Thus, the systems and devices discussed above are intended merely to be examples. It must be stressed that various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, it should be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. Also, it should be emphasized that technology evolves and, thus, many of the elements are exemplary in nature and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention.
Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the above elements may merely be a component of a larger system, wherein other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the invention. Also, a number of steps may be undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are considered. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.
