The present subject matter relates generally to restraint systems or handcuffs.
Law enforcement personnel frequently use handcuffs to secure an individual's wrists together. The handcuffs are locked on the individual's wrists and cannot be removed without a key. When secured together with handcuffs, an individual cannot move his or her wrists more than a few inches apart, making many tasks difficult or impossible. Law enforcement personnel can more easily and/or confidently control a handcuffed individual due to such restricted movement.
Known handcuffs generally work well to secure the individual's wrists when the individual's wrists are placed close together behind the individual's back. However, known handcuffs have drawbacks. For instance, an individual may be uncooperative such that properly positioning the individual's wrists for securement by handcuffs is difficult. The individual may be lying face down with his or her wrists located below his or her chest. In such a position, moving the individual's wrists to the proper location for securing with the known handcuffs can be extremely difficult and require law enforcement personnel to pry the individual's arms from beneath his or her chest, a tiresome, and potentially dangerous, situation.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In an example embodiment, a restraint system includes an elongated member that extends between a first end portion and a second end portion. A first handcuff is mounted to the elongated member at the first end portion of the elongated member, and a second handcuff is mounted to the elongated member at the second end portion of the elongated member. A first handle is positioned adjacent the first handcuff, and a second handle is positioned adjacent the second handcuff.
In a first example aspect, the elongated member includes one or both of a cable and a chain.
In a second example aspect, a length of the elongated member between the first end portion and the second end portion of the elongated member is no less than eight inches (8″) and no more than sixteen inches (16″).
In a third example aspect, the first handle includes a first loop handle mounted to the first handcuff or to the elongated member proximate the first end portion of the elongated member.
In a fourth example aspect, the first loop handle includes one or both of a cable and a chain.
In a fifth example aspect, a sheath is positioned over the one or both of the cable and the chain.
In a sixth example aspect, the second handle includes a second loop handle mounted to the second handcuff or to the elongated member proximate the second end portion of the elongated member.
In a seventh example aspect, a sheath is positioned over the elongated member.
In an eighth example aspect, the sheath includes a fabric webbing.
In a ninth example aspect, the restraint system includes a coupler for selectively connecting the first handle to the second handle.
Each of the example aspects recited above may be combined with one or more of the other example aspects recited above in certain embodiments. For instance, all of the nine example aspects recited above may be combined with one another in some embodiments. As another example, any combination of two, three, four, five, or more of the nine example aspects recited above may be combined in other embodiments. Thus, the example aspects recited above may be utilized in combination with one another in some example embodiments. Alternatively, the example aspects recited above may be individually implemented in other example embodiments. Accordingly, it will be understood that various example embodiments may be realized utilizing the example aspects recited above.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As shown in
First and second handcuffs 120, 130 may each be applied or positioned on a respective wrist of an individual. For instance, a law enforcement official may lock first handcuff 120 on one wrist of the individual and lock second handcuff 130 on the other wrist of the individual. Elongated member 110 may couple or connect first and second handcuffs 120, 130. For instance, elongated member 110 may limit a distance by which first handcuff 120 may move relative to second handcuff 130. Thus, when restraint system 100 is applied to the individual, movement of the individual's wrists may be limited by elongated member 110 connecting first and second handcuffs 120, 130.
Elongated member 110 may be any suitable connector for first and second handcuffs 120, 130. For instance, elongated member 110 may be one or both of a chain and a cable 116. The chain/cable 116 may securely and reliably connect first and second handcuffs 120, 130. In addition, because the chain/cable 116 is flexible, elongated member 110 may advantageously coil for storage, e.g., within a handcuff holder on a belt of a law enforcement official. The chain/cable 116 may be disposed within a sheath 118, e.g., between first and second handcuffs 120, 130. Sheath 118 may advantageously protect the chain/cable 116 from damage and/or may advantageously limit tampering with the chain/cable 116. As an example, sheath 118 may be a fabric webbing, and elongated member 110 may extend within the fabric webbing, e.g., between first and second handcuffs 120, 130.
First and second handcuffs 120, 130 may be any suitable handcuffs. Thus, the operation and construction of first and second handcuffs 120, 130 is not described in great detail herein. However, as shown in
When first handcuff 120 is closed, rotation of first and second cuffs 122, 124 towards the open configuration of first handcuff 120 may be prevented by a lock within first handcuff 120. For instance, ratchet teeth 128 (
Second handcuff 130 may be constructed in the same or similar manner to first handcuff 120. Thus, the description of first handcuff 120 above is equally applicable to second handcuff 130, and repetitive description of second handcuff 130 is omitted for the sake of brevity.
As noted above, restraint system 100 includes features for assisting with moving the wrists of the individual, for instance from below the individual when the individual is lying facedown on the ground with his or her wrists positioned under the individual. Such features are described in greater detail below in the context of
When the individual with body B is lying facedown with a hand H positioned beneath the body B, i.e., on the underside U of the body B, moving the hand H from the underside U of the body B can be difficult for the law enforcement official. In particular, the law enforcement official may have difficulty with simultaneously grasping the hand H and getting leverage to pull the hand H from the underside U of the body B to the outside O of the body B, i.e., to a position where the hand H is not located beneath the body B. It can be particularly difficult and/or potentially dangerous for the law enforcement official to remove the individual's hand(s) from below the body B and reposition the hand(s) on the individual's back where conventional handcuffs can restrain the individual's hand(s).
To assist in the above and similar situations, restraint system 100 includes a first handle 140 and a second handle 150. First handle 140 is positioned at or adjacent first handcuff 110. Conversely, second handle 150 is positioned at or adjacent second handcuff 120. Thus, each of first and second handles 140, 150 may be positioned at or adjacent a respective one of first and second handcuffs 110, 120. As an example, first handle 140 may be mounted to elongated member 110 at first end portion 112 of elongated member 110, and second handle 150 may be mounted to elongated member 110 at second end portion 114 of elongated member 110. Thus, first and second handles 140, 150 may be positioned opposite each other on elongated member 110. A law enforcement official may pull on one of first and second handles 140 in order to assist with moving a wrist of secured by an opposite one of first and second handcuffs 110, 120, as discussed in greater detail below.
As shown in
First, the law enforcement official may secure one of first and second handcuffs 120, 130 to the hand H (second handcuff 130 in
Without restraint system 100, the law enforcement official would generally be required to grasp the individual's wrist below the body B and with great exertion wrestle the hand H from the underside U of the body B to outside O of the body B while constantly grasping the individual's wrist. Restraint system 100 provides the law enforcement official with a convenient place to grasp and allows the law enforcement official to apply the required force to move the hand H more easily and/or with greater leverage.
First handle 140 may be a first loop handle as shown in
When first handle 140 is formed with a loop of cable and/or chain 144, the chain/cable 144 may securely and reliably form first handle 140. In addition, because the chain/cable 144 is flexible, first handle 140 may advantageously coil for storage, e.g., within a handcuff holder on a belt of a law enforcement official. The chain/cable 144 may be disposed within a sheath 142. Sheath 142 may advantageously protect the chain/cable 144 from damage and/or may advantageously limit tampering with the chain/cable 144. In addition, sheath 142 may protect a hand of a law enforcement official grasping first handle 140. As an example, sheath 142 may be a fabric webbing, and chain/cable 144 may extend within the fabric webbing.
Elongated member 110 may have a length between first and second end portions 112, 114 of elongated member 110. The length of elongated member 110 between first and second end portions 112, 114 of elongated member 110 may be selected to assist with moving the wrists of an individual. For instance, the length of elongated member 110 between first and second end portions 112, 114 may be no less than eight inches (8″) and no more than sixteen inches (16″). Such sizing of elongated member 110 may advantageously allow securing of one of first and second handcuffs 110, 120 on a wrist of an individual while opposite one of first and second handcuffs 110, 120 (along with the respective one of first and second handles 140, 150) may be located in an area easily graspable by a law enforcement official. In addition, such sizing of elongated member 110 may advantageously allow storage of restraint device 100, e.g., within a handcuff holder on a belt of the law enforcement official when elongated member 110 is coiled. In contrast, leg irons are generally not carried on the belt of the law enforcement official due to the onerous size, weight, etc. of leg irons.
As shown in
As may be seen from the above, restraint system 100 is a useful tool for a law enforcement official, and restraint system 100 may assist the law enforcement official with safely and quickly restraining non-compliant individuals. Restraint system 100 may be conveniently carried on a belt of the law enforcement official, e.g., as a supplement to a conventional set of handcuffs.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
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