Patent Application
20240271905
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for deploying an entanglement device such as a net. More specifically, the invention comprises a handheld device capable of storing and launching an entanglement device that can be used by law enforcement for crowd-control purposes.
There is a persistent absence in law enforcement and other security organizations of easily deployable non-lethal devices that can be used to control unruly and even riotous crowds. Such crowds may be made up of multiple individuals that have been shown in the recent past to be a threat to the normal order of important outdoor civic, sport and a variety of local, state and federal government gatherings. New crowd control tools should have the following attributes; 1) to deal with multiple violators in a single crowd, 2) to be deployable by a single security individual, and 3) to have minimal injury risks for individuals in the crowd and for those security individuals that will have operated the new crowd control tool.
Existing equipment for crowd-control ranges from stationary equipment such as stanchions and barriers, to non-lethal weapons such as tear gas and rubber bullets. Each of these technologies has certain drawbacks. For example, stationary equipment can be ineffective against unruly crowds, and non-lethal weapons, while typically not fatal, can still cause significant injury to a recipient. What is needed is a different type of crowd-control device that is easy to carry, effective against disobedient individuals, and unlikely to cause serious injury.
The present invention relates to a handheld device that can launch an entanglement device (e.g., a net) toward a person or group of people in an effort to impede or restrain them (for example, to capture a fleeing suspect or restrain a crowd). The device comprises a launcher sized such that it can be held by one individual. It stores the entanglement device that is folded in a way that it unfurls when launched from the chamber. The device may be pressurized and actuated by a valve or sacrificial diaphragm. A pressurized canister, such as a CO2 cartridge, can be used to pressurize a lower chamber. The pressure from the lower chamber may be abruptly relieved into an upper section of the device to force the entanglement device out of the launcher. The filling of the lower chamber can be accomplished through either commercial service station compressor facilities, vehicle ‘lighter’ plug-in portable compressors, or through ‘at the ready’ pre-compressed air or CO2 filled commercial cylinders. The filling of the lower chamber may be accomplished through a standard auto tire nozzle (i.e., Schrader valve) at the bottom of the device.
The launcher is capable of being a non-lethal, hand-carried and operated crowd control tool. The noise generated by operation of the launcher is minimal, which allows it to be used without alarming the targets. This reloading capability of the device will be dependent on having additional pouches preloaded with the entanglement device at the ready and a nearby compressed gas source. Such reloads and follow-on deployments should require only a few minutes to accomplish on site.
In one embodiment, the invention may be used to control an unruly or rioting crowd by deploying a large nylon net (for example a 10 ft by 30 ft net) via the ejection of the net from the launcher. A trained security operator can aim the ejection of the net from the launcher such that the net will arrive downrange unfurled over the heads of the target crowd. From that position, the net can float downward onto the heads of the crowd and thus entangling the crowd members as they attempt to push the net away from their heads. As the rioters realize a net is floating down on them, they will instinctively reach their hands over their heads to keep the net from falling on their heads. The net may be a “tear away” style that would allow a crowd member to get free by stepping out of the entanglements. The law enforcement or other security personnel will have been trained with appropriate release equipment to quickly locate the riot ring leaders and remove them from the remaining “under-control” crowd. Alternatively, security personnel may simply route the subdued rioters out of the area etc. and away from potential further disruptions.
There are a variety of entanglement situations in which the invention can be utilized. For example, the invention can be used with small groups in large open fields, or 5 or 6 people deep rows of unruly groups attempting to crash through a long line of police or security personnel trying to keep the unruly from entering a particular building, park or airfield.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “rightwardly,” “leftwardly,” “upper,” and “lower” will refer to the installed position of the item to which the reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being described and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of a similar import.
Referring to the figures, an exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a handheld launcher 20 that can launch an entanglement device 22, such as a net, toward a person or group of people in an effort to impede or restrain them. Launcher 20 may include a generally cylindrical body 24, a release valve 26, splitter coupler 28, and an upper launcher section 30.
The cylindrical body 24 may include a chamber 32, an end fitting 34 comprising a collar 36 and a tailpiece 38. Both parts may be threaded, with collar 36 having external threads adapted to receive internal threads on tailpiece 38. Collar 36 may be coupled to a first end of chamber 24. Tailpiece 38 may include a socket with a closed end 40. Tailpiece 36 seals the first end of chamber 24 by threadably securing it to collar 34. A fill valve 42, such as a Schrader valve, may be coupled to closed end 40. The fill valve 42 is in fluidic communication with the chamber 32, which allows a pressurizing device, such as a CO2 cartridge or air compressor, to pressurize chamber 30 through fill valve 42. The launcher 20 may be configured to utilize a compressed air chamber at approximately 100 psig or less. Higher or lower pressures may be used depending on the application and the desired range of the entanglement device. It is foreseen that chamber 32 may be pressurized with various gases including CO2, air, nitrogen, or other gases. This would allow law enforcement to use a portable compressor onboard their cruiser, or local auto service station to bring the launcher chamber to the appropriate fill pressure and compressed volume of gas.
The release valve 26 may be a ball valve or other suitable valve to control the release of gas from the chamber 32. The release valve 26 is coupled to a second end of the cylindrical body 24. The release valve 26 may include a handle 44 coupled to an internal ball 46, which may be operable to rotate the internal ball 46 between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the chamber 32 may be pressurized with a gas through the fill valve 42. A burst diaphragm or rupture disc 48 may be included between the release valve 26 and the splitter coupler 28. The rupture disc 48 includes a structural ring 50 and a one-time-use membrane 52 that fails at a predetermined differential pressure. An O-ring 53 may be set against structural ring 50 to help seal the barrier formed by the burst diaphragm 48. When the release valve 26 is opened, the membrane 52 bursts instantaneously (within microseconds or milliseconds) when the pressure reaches a predetermined level to ensure that the full pressure of gas is released from the chamber 32 and to the splitter coupler 28.
The splitter coupler 28 is coupled to the second end of the release valve 26. The splitter coupler 28 includes a receiver 54, which splits into two channels 56 and 58 to evenly divide the gas from the chamber 32 when released by operation of the release valve 26.
The upper launcher section 30 includes left 60 and right 62 launch tubes separated by a web 64. The upper launcher section 30 is generally triangularly shaped with the left 60 and right 62 launch tubes extending from the splitter coupler 28 at an acute angle with respect to each other (for example, an angle of between 10 and 40 degrees may work for many applications). The left launch tube 60 has a first end 63 received in a socket 66 of the receiver 54 channel 56. The right launch tube 62 has a first end 68 received in a socket 70 of the receiver 54 channel 58.
A left 72 and right 74 projectiles may be fitted into the open ends 73 and 75 of the left 60 and right 62 launch tubes. The left projectile 72 and right projectile 74 are structurally identical, so the description for the right projectile 74 is identical for the left projectile 72, which will be referred to as the projectile 72.
Projectile 72 includes a tubular body 76 with a closed end 78. The closed end 78 includes an attachment tab 80 with an aperture 82 or other attachment point. The tubular body 76 includes a chamber 84 for holding water, sand, or other material. The tubular body 76 includes an open end 86. A cap 88 is received in the open end 86 of the tubular body 76 of the projectile 72.
In another embodiment, the cap 88 may be an aerodynamic cone. Holes 85 may be drilled in the base of the cone 88 and filled with salt, and the chamber 84 filled with water or a saltwater solution. When the projectiles are launched, the water enters the holes 85 in the cone 88 and begins to dissolve and wash the salt from the holes before the salt water can exit the front of the cones 88. As the projectiles 72 and 74 continue to slow reaching their highest position in their arched flight path, and continue to lose their momentum, the saltwater drains from the projectiles 72 and 74. At the end of the arch, the projectiles 72 and 74 flight momentum has diminished to near zero. By balancing the amount of salt crystals in storage in the cones 88 with the liquid density of the saltwater, the projectile may be a preferred operational weight of 3 to 16 ounces each.
The entanglement device 22 may include a net that unfurls when expelled from launcher 20. The entanglement device 22 may be various shapes and sizes, including linear or circular. A circular shape may allow a parachute-type net that could be dropped over a small crowd of people, whereas a linear or elongated net could be used to entangle a line of people. If a net is used, it may be folded or bundled in a pouch or shell 90 attached to the launcher 20 under the web 64. Left 92 and right 94 lines may be attached on one end to a front edge 96 of the entanglement device 22, and on an opposite end to the attachment tab 80 and aperture 82 of the projectiles 72 and 74 respectively.
For example, the entanglement device 22 may include two or more panels or nets 98 woven or sewn together along seams 100. The outside edges or periphery of the entanglement device 22 include a memory edge 102. The memory edge 102 allows the entanglement device 22 to unfold to its full width and length when deployed from the launch device 20. In a stored or loaded position, the nets 98 may be folded or gathered together and inserted into the pouch 90 in a manner that facilitates orderly unfolding when the entanglement device 22 is deployed. The projectiles 72 and 74 attached by lines 92 and 94 to the leading corners of the entanglement device 22 are inserted into the launch tubes 60 and 62 respectively. The launch tubes 60 and 62 may include an inwardly facing slot to accommodate the lines 92 and 94.
In operation, the projectiles 72 and 74 help to unfurl the entanglement device 22 in the air by pulling a leading edge and the rest of the entanglement device 22 out of the pouch 90 in an orderly manner. The memory edge 102 ensures that the entanglement device 22 expands to its full width and length when it is fully deployed. A pair of drag clips 104 may be fastened to the trailing edge of the engagement device 22 acting as an “air brake” to assist with unfurling and fully expanding the engagement device 22 when it has been deployed.
In some embodiments, the entanglement device 22 may be coated with an adhesive paste or liquid substance. The substance could be a fast-drying glue that cures shortly after the net lands on its target (i.e., less than a minute).
In use, launcher 20 may be held by an individual operator grasping the cylindrical body 24. With the release valve 26 closed, the chamber 32 may be pressurized to a desired pressure with air, CO2 or other gas via the fill valve 42. The entanglement device 22 is loaded into the pouch 90. The left 72 and right 74 projectiles are filled with water, sand, or other material and each releasably sealed with a cap 88. The left line 92 is attached to the attachment tab 80 of the left projectile 72, and the right line 94 is attached to the attachment tab 80 of the right projectile 74. The left projectile 72 is inserted, attachment tab 80 first, into open end 73 of the left launch tube 60, and the right projectile 74 is inserted, attachment tab 80 first, into the open end 75 of the right launch tube 62. The user may aim the launcher 20 at an angle of 20 to 50 degrees above and toward a rioting crowd 110 and open the release valve 26 by rotating the handle 44. The gas under pressure is released from the chamber 32 of the cylindrical body 24, is divided by the splitter coupler 28, through the left 60 and right 62 launch tubes. The gas pressure launches the left 72 and right 74 projectiles from the open ends 73 and 75 of the left 60 and right 62 launch tubes into the air, pulling the engagement device 22 from the pouch 90.
The trajectory of the projectiles 72 and 74 initially accelerate forward and away from each other at an angle of between 10 and 30 degrees to spread the engagement device 22 laterally to its full width as it travels upwardly over the rioting crowd 110. As the projectiles 72 and 74 begin to slow, the water or sand in the chamber 84 may shift forward against the cap 88, dislodging the cap 88 to allow the water or sand to escape from the chamber 84. In this way, the distance the engagement device 22 travels may be controlled. The mass of the projectiles 72 and 74 provide the kinetic energy needed to pull the engagement device 22 from its storage place in the pouch 90 and into free flight toward a target position above the rioting crowd 110. Launcher 20 may be made of any number of materials including aluminum, steel, composite materials, PVC, plastic or any suitable materials.
For example, a crowd of people 110 may approach a line of police officers or other crowd control personnel 112. At some point, the police officers 112 may determine that the crowd has become riotous or unruly, and requires to be controlled. One of the officers 114 may utilize the launcher 20 to deploy the entanglement device 22 over the crowd.
It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.
This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/484,316, filed Feb. 10, 2023, titled APPARATUS FOR DEPLOYING AN ENTANGLEMENT DEVICE.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63484316 | Feb 2023 | US |
