Claims
- 1. A tool, comprising:
a body defining a canister compartment and a flashlight compartment; a flashlight head securable to the body at a first end; a switch assembly housed by the body, wherein the switch assembly regulates power delivery to the flashlight head from a battery disposed in the flashlight compartment; a nozzle securable to the body at a second end; and a trigger assembly mounted on the body proximate to the switch assembly, wherein actuation of the trigger assembly ejects spray through the nozzle from a spray canister disposed in the canister compartment, and further wherein either the trigger assembly or the switch assembly may be actuated without changing grip on the body.
- 2. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the trigger assembly comprises:
a trigger movable between an unfired position and a fired position that ejects spray through the nozzle from a spray canister disposed in the canister compartment; and a safety coupled with the trigger to lock the trigger in the unfired position, wherein release of the safety unlocks the trigger and permits movement of the trigger to the fired position.
- 3. The tool according to claim 2, wherein the body includes:
a trigger aperture, wherein the trigger mounts on the body and extends therein via the trigger aperture; and a safety aperture, wherein the safety mounts on the body and extends therein via the safety aperture.
- 4. The tool according to claim 3, wherein the trigger includes an aperture that terminates in a cavity engaged by the safety, wherein depression of the safety disengages the safety from the cavity and permits movement of the trigger to the fired position via the aperture.
- 5. The tool according to claim 3, wherein the trigger, comprises:
an engaging member disposed through the trigger aperture; and an activation member mounted on the body and coupled with the engaging member.
- 6. The tool according to claim 2, wherein the trigger assembly mounts on the body in a location that permits gripping of the body underhanded with the thumb positioned over the safety and the trigger to permit the thumb to release the safety and move the trigger from the unfired position to the fired position.
- 7. The tool according to claim 3, wherein the safety comprises:
a locking member disposed through the safety aperture; and a biasing mechanism that biases the locking member against the trigger.
- 8. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle includes a passageway therethrough.
- 9. The tool according to claim 8, wherein the nozzle includes a cavity communicating with the passageway, whereby the cavity receives a delivery tube of the spray canister therein.
- 10. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the switch assembly comprises:
a switch housing; and a switch disposed in the switch housing and electrically connected to a positive terminal and a negative terminal.
- 11. The tool according to claim 10, wherein the body includes a switch aperture.
- 12. The tool according to claim 11, wherein the switch housing is disposed in the body and the switch protrudes through the switch aperture to permit actuation thereof.
- 13. The tool according to claim 12, wherein the switch housing provides a fluid tight seal between the flashlight compartment and the canister compartment.
- 14. The tool according to claim 12, wherein the switch assembly further comprises a switch cap that mounts over the switch aperture.
- 15. The tool according to claim 1, wherein a user may strike with the tool without changing grip on the body.
- 16. A method of self-defense, comprising:
gripping a tool with the thumb positioned over a trigger located proximate to a switch assembly; and moving the trigger with the thumb from an unfired position to a fired position that ejects spray from a spray canister disposed in the tool.
- 17. The method of self-defense according to claim 16, further comprising releasing with the thumb a safety engaged with the trigger when the trigger is moved from the unfired to the fired position.
- 18. The method of self-defense according to claim 16, further comprising moving a safety from a safe position that blocks the trigger to a fire position that unblocks the trigger.
- 19. The method of self-defense according to claim 16, further comprising actuating the switch assembly with the thumb to deliver power to a flashlight head of the tool without changing grip on the tool.
- 20. The method of self-defense according to claim 16, further comprising striking with the tool without changing grip on the tool.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application No. 09/970,095, filed Oct. 3, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 09/850,308, filed May 7, 2001, and now abandoned.
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09970095 |
Oct 2001 |
US |
Child |
10686541 |
Oct 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09850308 |
May 2001 |
US |
Child |
09970095 |
Oct 2001 |
US |