FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of less lethal ammunition. In particular, the present invention relates to a sabot and less lethal projectile configured for use with a conventional firearm.
Any discussion of prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Less lethal ammunition has been developed and used by law enforcement, private security, or even civilians as defensive or self-defensive measures, and is even encouraged in the US and abroad. However, the effective range and accuracy of currently available less-lethal ammunition makes these options ineffective and impractical. Examples include tasers and mace.
Also known is the use of rubber projectiles typically fired from shotguns. For this purpose, shotgun shells, typically fitted with “wads”, are provided. The wads are provided within shell casings of the shotgun shell to shield the rubber projectiles from the powder and primer. The wads typically comprise substantially disc-shaped plastic formations. In some cases, a number of tabs extend from the disc-shaped formations to define a receiving portion within which the rubber projectiles are placed. Manufacturing imperfections render rubber projectiles inaccurate. The rubber projectiles are also known to cause serious injury, or in severe cases, death.
To combat the inaccuracy of spherical rubberized projectiles, elongated semi-spherical less-lethal projectiles have been developed. However, these less-lethal projectiles are typically manufactured from polymeric materials. Additionally, both the traditional spherical and the newer elongated projectiles are generally too fragile to work with typical gun powder burning weapons.
Therefore, a need exists for less lethal ammunition that can be used to incapacitate persons without causing unnecessary harm where the ammunition is compatible to be used with gun powder using weapons.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a less lethal ammunition system comprising: a projectile comprising an elongated body with a front end and a back end, wherein the front end is a rounded semi-spherical shape tapering toward the back end, and wherein the back end comprises a plurality of flexible fins extending outwardly from the back end of the elongated body; and a sabot comprising a base and a plurality of tabs flexibly attached to the base and extending outwardly from the base, wherein the plurality of tabs are configured to flexibly fold inward to define a space for the projectile and flexibly fold outward to release the projectile; wherein the projectile fits within the sabot.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided the less lethal ammunition system wherein the plurality of tabs on the sabot comprise a base end and a distal end opposite the base end, wherein the base end is narrower to allow the plurality of flexible fins of the projectile to extend outward beyond an outer surface of the sabot and the distal end is wider and configured to fully encapsulate the front end of the projectile.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided the less lethal ammunition system of wherein the base of the sabot comprises a clocking feature on a top surface, the clocking feature configured to engage and position the projectile using the plurality of fins, wherein the clocking feature comprises a plurality of raised portions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective exploded view of a Less Lethal Ammunition System according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a cut-away view of a Less Lethal Ammunition System according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a projectile for a Less Lethal Ammunition System according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a side view of a projectile for a Less Lethal Ammunition System according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 shows a side view of a projectile enclosed in a sabot for a Less Lethal Ammunition System according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 shows a top view of a sabot for a Less Lethal Ammunition System according to the present invention; and
FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of a sabot for a Less Lethal Ammunition System according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Now referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a less lethal ammunition system 100 comprising a projectile 200, a sabot 300, and a hull 400. The hull 400, otherwise called a shell or casing in the ammunition world, is comprised of a cylindrical tube 410 with a base 420 enclosing a bottom end. The base 420 further comprises a primer 430 configured to ignite powder and expel the sabot 300 and projectile 200 out of a firearm. The sabot 300 is configured to enclose the projectile 200 within a plurality of tabs 304 flexibly attached to a base 302 and be inserted into the hull 400. The hull shown in the figures would be similar to a shotgun shell, however, it is anticipated that the less lethal ammunition system could be configured to other ammunition calibers without undue experimentation.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the projectile 200 preferably comprises an elongated body 210 with a front end 212 and a back end 214, the back end comprising a plurality of fins 216 extending outwardly from the elongated body 210. The projectile 200 is preferably elongated and tapers from the front end 212 toward the back end 214. The projectile 200 front end 212 is preferably a rounded bulbous shape comprised of a polymer material. In some examples, the projectile 200 is comprised of one material and in other examples the front end 212 is comprised of a different material than the back end 214. In other examples, the front end 212 further comprises a hollow section where a heavier or more dense material may be placed. Preferably, the projectile 200 is comprised of a rubber material over a more rigid structure. However, any combinations of semi-flexible or flexible material over a rigid structure could be contemplated. In other embodiments, the projectile may be comprised of a rigid or semi-rigid material.
In some embodiments, the projectile 200 is a two-part design where the front end 212 further comprises a nose 220. The nose 220 could be configured to comprise a different material than the rest of the front end 212 of the projectile 200. The different material could be configured to provide different aerodynamic features. Examples would include, but not be limited to, densified material configured to be extremely soft and distribute the weight of the projectile 200 for greater aerodynamic stability. The heavier weight not only makes the projectile 200 more stable but makes the projectile 200 less susceptible to drag and provides more momentum upon impact. However, any combination of densities of materials between the multiple parts of the projectile may be considered.
As further shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plurality of fins 216 are preferably oriented helically in relation to the elongated body 210. In other examples, the plurality of fins 216 are oriented in a longitudinal direction in relation to the elongated body 210. The plurality of fins 216 are preferably comprised of a flexible material, such as a polymeric material or rubber, however other materials not enumerated herein can be considered.
As shown in FIG. 5, the less lethal ammunition system comprises a sabot 300. The sabot 300 comprises a base 302 and a plurality of tabs 304 extending away from the base 302. The plurality of tabs 304 are preferably flexibly connected to the base 302. The plurality of tabs 304 are configured to flex inwardly to form a tube space configured for the projectile 200 to fit within and flex outwardly to open and release the projectile 200 when fired/shot. The sabot 300 is preferably comprised of a rigid plastic material designed to handle the high temperatures of exploding gunpowder when shooting ammunition. In some embodiments, the base 302 and the plurality of tabs 304 are comprised of different materials. The flexible connection of the plurality of tabs 304 to the base 302 is configured to be a hinge or just a flexible piece of material that can bend along an axis.
As further shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of tabs 304 further comprise a narrow portion 306 and a wide portion 308. The narrow portion 306 is at the base 302 of the sabot 300 and the wide portion 308 is located at a distal end of the plurality of tabs 304. Additionally, in some embodiments, the plurality of tabs 304 may further comprise a plurality of horizontal ridges 310 around an outside surface 312 of the plurality of tabs. These horizontal ridges 310 are configured to provide more back pressure and expel the less lethal ammunition at a faster speed which provides greater distance for the projectile to travel and higher accuracy. The plurality of horizontal ridges 310 can be spaced evenly apart or comprise uneven spacing between each of the plurality of horizontal ridges 310.
As further shown in FIG. 5, in some embodiments, the wide portion 308 of the plurality of tabs 304 are configured to overlap each other when the plurality of tabs 304 are extending upwardly from the base to form a tubular shape. In other embodiments, the plurality of tabs 304 wide portion 308 will preferably butt against each other. When the plurality of tabs 304 are flexed inwardly to form a tube, the narrow portion 306 of the plurality of tabs 304 are configured to provide a space between each of the plurality of tabs 304 to allow the projectile's 200 plurality of fins 216 to extend outwardly and contact the inner surface of the firearm's barrel. This provides the necessary friction to enact a spiral spin on the sabot 300 and projectile 200 as they are expelled from the barrel of the firearm. This allows the plurality of fins to be larger than the front end of the projectile.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the base 302 is preferably round and disk-shaped with a top side 312 and bottom side 314. The top side 312 of the base 302 is configured for the projectile 200 back end 214 to fit against. The top side 312 further comprises a clocking feature 316 raised up from the surface of the top side 312 of the base 302. The bottom side 314 of the base 302 may be flat or comprise a concave geometry. The clocking feature 316 is comprised of a plurality of raised portions configured to interact with the projectile 200 back end 214. When the back end of the projectile is placed on the tope side of the sabot base 302 the clocking feature 316 ensures the projectile 200 is located in the proper orientation to align the plurality of fins 216 into the spaces of the clocking feature 316 and positions the plurality of fins 216 between the narrow portions 306 of the plurality of tabs 304. If the projectile 200 is not positioned properly the plurality of fins 216 could be deformed and not perform as intended when the less lethal ammunition system 100 is deployed from a firearm.
Although the present invention has been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred to in this specification.
Patent Application
20240288253
