Non-lethal electrical discharge weapon having a slim profile

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of non-lethal electrical discharge weapons for subduing a remote target using a pair of propelled wire-tethered darts. The invention relates more specifically to a slim profile electrical discharge hand gun configured for more convenient deployment from a pocket or holster by a police officer and for better balance in a police officer's hand which promotes increased accuracy.

[0003] 2. Background Art

[0004] Non-lethal electrical discharge hand guns which are also referred to as stun guns, have over the past twenty-five years or so, become an immobilization weapon of choice for many police agencies and other law enforcement bodies. Such weapons impart a temporarily debilitating electrical charge immobilizing a suspect, but without causing permanent injury or harm. They give a law enforcement officer sufficient time to handcuff or otherwise subdue and secure a suspect with little or no risk of injury to the officer or to the suspect. Typically, such weapons employ an electrically actuatable cartridge containing a pair of wire-tethered darts which are propelled from the cartridge by an explosive charge. The darts travel along a generally ballistic path where they contact the suspect at two spaced-apart locations. An electrical current (typically a high voltage pulsed discharge) is then imparted through the wires and darts with some portion of the suspect's body completing the electrical circuit. Most often, the darts become embedded in the suspect's outer garments which may or may not (depending on the thickness of the garment's material) prevent direct contact of a dart with the suspect's underlying skin surface. Direct skin contact is not always necessary to complete the electrical circuit because the higher voltages employed (i.e., 50,000 volts) permit the electrical current to “jump” across the gap remaining between the dart and the skin. A typical electrical discharge weapon of the prior art is disclosed for example in issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,867 issued Aug. 5, 1997 to inventor John Murray, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. One of the most significant characteristics of this prior art weapon, readily apparent by simply looking at the drawings therein, is the physical size and shape of the disclosed embodiment. More specifically, one will readily observe that the weapon is relatively big and bulky and therefore requires an especially large holster to carry the weapon when it is not deployed. Police officers already carry a significant number of heavy and bulky items on their person. They carry a standard handgun in a holster. They also often carry a night stick, a mace container, extra ammunition, handcuffs, a communication device and various other accessories that they may need out in the field. The addition of a relatively large electrical discharge weapon adds significantly to their burden and is inconvenient at best and often an impractical impediment to an officer's mobility. The large size and bulkiness of an electrical discharge weapon often results in their being left in a patrol car or their being treated as equipment for use only by special request which limits their access and often results in delay in deploying them to an officer who needs one in an emergency situation.

[0005] Once in the hand of an officer, the effectiveness of an electrical discharge weapon depends on the accuracy with which the wire-tethered darts can be fired at a remotely positioned target. If one or both darts fail to reach the suspect, or hit the target at an extremity instead of the torso, the weapon will be ineffective and may leave the officer with no choice but to deploy his or her lethal weapon at a now irritated and close suspect. Unfortunately, a large, heavy and bulky electrical discharge weapon, particularly one which is not well-balanced, but is heavily front-loaded, is difficult to aim and fire accurately at a target up to 15 or 20 feet from the officer, particularly if the suspect is agitated and uncooperative as is often the case in circumstances where an electrical discharge weapon is to be used. Moreover, if the suspect is wearing thick outerwear such as a bulky down jacket or heavy sweater, the gap between each dart and the suspect's body surface may be too large to permit a spark to jump across the gap to complete an electrical circuit between the darts. This problem is especially likely to occur when the distance between the electrodes at the fired gun is less than the gap between either dart and the suspect's skin. Thus, if a dart remains say more than one inch from a suspect's skin after impact and there is only one inch or less between electrodes at the fired weapon, electrical current will seek the least resistant path at the shorter electrode gap and not jump the longer gap between the dart and the suspect.

[0006] Therefore, it will be understood that it would be highly advantageous if there were an electrical discharge weapon which had one or more of the following novel attributes:

• • [0007] (a) a lightweight configuration including a slim profile for easy storage;
  • [0008] (b) a well-balanced weight distribution that promotes easy aiming for increased accuracy; and
  • [0009] (c) increased electrode separation to permit effective operation against suspects having thick outerwear.

[0010] The present invention is an electrical discharge weapon having the aforementioned attributes. The preferred embodiment disclosed herein is configured as a lightweight, slim profile gun-shaped weapon which is less than one inch thick along the cartridge receiving chamber so that it can be readily placed in a police officer's uniform pocket or in a slim-line holster for easy deployment. All of the major internal components, including battery and transformer, are positioned above or behind the trigger aperture so that even with the dart cartridge in the chamber, the weapon's center of gravity is through the hand so that it is balanced and easily aimed at the target. The invention employs a specially configured chamber to receive a unique cartridge with widely separated darts. As a result, the electrodes may be also widely separated so that current will not jump the electrode gap even when the impacted darts leave a substantial gap to a suspect's skin. Thus, the present invention is more likely to be effective against suspect's wearing thick outerwear. The spent cartridge may be expelled by a spring-activated release for quick ejection and rapid reload. A bottom rail permits connection of another non-lethal device such as a mace canister for use as a secondary weapon or the attachment of tactical lighting or laser aiming devices. A push-on/push-off trigger switch is combined with a mechanical safety device to assure weapon effectiveness and safety for the police officer. Quick disconnect battery clip allows for rapid battery replacement.

[0011] The various embodiments, features and advances of the present invention will be understood more completely hereinafter as a result of a detailed description thereof in which reference will be made to the following drawings:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a view of a first embodiment of the present invention shown being deployed and fired by a police officer;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side view of the first embodiment;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a front view thereof;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2; but showing the cartridge removed from the chamber of the weapon;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, but showing the interior components;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a top view of the first embodiment;

[0018] FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6, but shown in cross-section;

[0019] FIG. 8 is a three-dimensional view of a second embodiment of the invention;

[0020] FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the invention with a cartridge shown outside of the weapon's chamber;

[0021] FIG. 10 is a view similar to that of FIG. 9 but with the cartridge positioned almost fully inside the chamber;

[0022] FIG. 11 is a view similar to that of FIG. 9 but with the cartridge positioned fully inside the chamber;

[0023] FIG. 12 is a view similar to that of FIG. 9 but with the cartridge shown being ejected from the chamber;

[0024] FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are three-dimensional, first insertion and second insertion views, respectively, of a quick-disconnect handle battery pack of the second embodiment;

[0025] FIG. 16 is an exterior side view of the second embodiment shown with a backup weapon mace can attached to a bottom rail thereof;

[0026] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional end view of the rail and backup weapon holder of FIG. 16;

[0027] FIG. 18 is a three-dimensional view of the backup weapon holder; and

[0028] FIGS. 19 and 20 are sequential side view illustrations of steps in removal of the backup weapon holder from the weapon of the second embodiment.

[0029] Referring to the accompanying drawings and initially to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a police officer 5 is shown bearing a first embodiment 10 of the present invention in the firing position. In FIG. 1, weapon 10 has just been fired at a remote target (not shown) and a pair of darts 12 are in their ballistic path tethered to respective conductive wires 14. As seen best in FIGS. 2 to 4, electrical discharge weapon 10 comprises a housing 16 having an electronics compartment 18, a chamber section 20 and a handle 22. At the lower end of the housing 16 there is a trigger aperture 24 into which a trigger switch 26 extends. A safety switch 28 extends externally from electronics compartment 18. As seen in FIG. 3, the front of chamber section 20 is open to expose the interior chamber 30 which is configured to receive a cartridge 32 as depicted in FIG. 4. Cartridge 32 has a pair of dart passages 33 and wire compartments 31 for receiving bundled tether wires 14.

[0030] The interior of weapon 10 is shown best in FIG. 5. As shown therein, contained inside housing 16 are a battery 34, housings of switches 26 and 28, printed circuit board 36 having low voltage electronics 35 mounted thereon, including capacitors 38, and a high voltage transformer 40 providing high voltage output electrodes 42. Electrodes 42 are configured for engaging corresponding electrodes of cartridge 32 and are widely separated by a distance “EG” (electrode gap). In the preferred embodiments hereof the distance EG is greater than 1.65 inches. This large electrode gap length assures that the weapon 10 will operate effectively even when the darts 12 are up to 2.0 inches from the suspect's skin while embedded in thick outerwear. The electronics 35 of the weapon 10 are of a standard configuration for electrical discharge devices and are well-known components in the art of “TASER™” guns. It will be observed that the battery 34 and electronics 38 including transformer 40 are all located above or behind trigger switch 26.

[0031] As seen best in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, housing 16 has a cylindrical rise or bulge 25 to accommodate transformer 40. Despite bulge 25, gun 10 is still relatively slim in profile, being less than about 1.5 inches thick at its thickest portions and being less than about 1.25 inches thick over most of its 8 inch length and 4 inch width in the preferred embodiment. Chamber interior 30 is less than 1.0 inches thick. The cartridge 32 of the preferred embodiment is less than about 0.5 inches thick. Details of the cartridge structure and interior layout may be better understood by referring to co-pending patent application Ser. No. 10/719,131 filed on Nov. 21, 2003 which is assigned to the assignee hereof.

[0032] A second embodiment 50 of the weapon of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 8-20. Embodiment 50 is generally similar to that of embodiment 10, but has a number of additional inventive features. One such feature is a spring-activated release mechanism for expelling spent cartridges from the chamber. Another such feature is the combination of a mechanical safety and a push-on/push-off activation switch. A third added feature is a cartridge which extends outside the chamber when loaded to alert a police officer that the weapon is loaded. A fourth added feature is a quick disconnect battery clip which permits rapid battery replacement. A fifth added feature is an integral accessory rail which receives a backup non-lethal weapon such as a mace canister.

[0033] Each of these additional features of the second embodiment 50 will be described herein in conjunction with FIGS. 8-20. Referring to those figures and FIG. 8 in particular, it will be seen that electrical discharge weapon 50 comprises a chamber 52, an electronics compartment 53, a wire-tethered dart propulsion cartridge 54 and a handle 56. Also provided is a trigger guard 58 within which extends a trigger switch 60. Above guard 58 is a mechanical safety 62. At the bottom of chamber 52 there is a cartridge release 64 and below that and integral with the bottom edge of chamber 52 is an accessory rail 66.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 9-12, it will be seen that within the chamber interior 76 there is positioned a helical spring 80 which is compressed by cartridge 54 when the cartridge is installed into the chamber. It will also be seen that cartridge release 64 is at an end of a release arm 78 which is positioned beneath a cartridge ledge 79 and that cartridge 54 has a retainer tab 65. As shown sequentially in FIGS. 9-11, cartridge 54 is inserted into chamber 52 along interior 76 thereby compressing spring 80 until cartridge release 64 catches retainer tab 65. As shown in FIG. 12, after the cartridge is spent, it may be released from the chamber interior 76 by manually depressing release 64 which disengages from retainer tab 65 thereby allowing spring 80 to propel the cartridge 54 out of the chamber 52.

[0035] The second added feature of push-on/push-off activation switch and mechanical safety, is also illustrated in FIGS. 9-12. A push-on/push-off activation switch 70 is positioned adjacent trigger switch 60 so that a cam surface 68 will depress the activation switch 70 when the trigger switch is rotated about its fulcrum axis 67. Switch 70 is connected electrically to electronics 72 to cause a pulsed signal to be generated and sent to high voltage transformer 74 which applies a high voltage pulsed output to electrodes 77 in chamber interior 76. De-activation is achieved by again depressing switch 70 using trigger switch 60. This push-on/push-off operation obviates use of an unreliable timer device to otherwise overcome the tendency of a police officer to squeeze and immediately release the trigger switch as he or she normally does with a conventional pistol. Immediate release of the trigger would otherwise prevent effective operation of the discharge weapon which requires continued activation until the darts reach the target and debilitating discharge current is caused to flow through the target for at least a short period of time. Prior art electrical discharge weapons employ electronic timers to overcome this tendency, but such timers are notoriously unreliable and inconsistent, sometimes initiating inadvertently. A push-on/push-off activation switch 70 requires the police officer to squeeze the trigger switch 60 a second time after initial activation in order to deactivate the weapon. Mechanical safety 62 provides a clearly visual indication of weapon status and prevents inadvertent depression of switch 70 because it physically blocks cam surface 68 and stops rotation of switch 60 about fulcrum axis 67 as depicted in FlGS. 9, 10 and 12. Prior art weapons employ electric switch safety mechanisms which can be confusing and can present a hazard, particularly when used with timer circuits.

[0036] Another feature of the second embodiment 50 is that cartridge 54 extends well beyond the chamber interior 76 so that an officer can plainly see that the weapon has a cartridge in place (see FIGS. 8 and 11).

[0037] The quick release battery clip feature of the invention may be understood best by referring to FIGS. 13-15. A pair of batteries 82 is mounted to a battery clip member 84, the latter adapted for installation into handle 56 as shown in FIGS. 9-12. Installation is achieved by using a pair of clip retainers 86 each having a retainer ridge 88 and a retainer release 90. As seen best in FIGS. 14 and 15, retainers 86 are laterally compressed during installation so that ridges 88 are captured in respective apertures 57 at the lowermost portion of handle 56. Retainer releases 90 permit the battery clip to be quickly released by squeezing retainers 86 and thus withdrawing ridges 88 from apertures 57.

[0038] Still another feature of the second embodiment is shown in FIGS. 16-20. More specifically, a backup non-lethal weapon may be attached using the accessory rail 66. Thus, for example, by employing a holder 92 shown best in FIG. 18, one may attach a mace canister 91. Holder 92 employs a rail attachment 94 having a plurality of attachment members 95 to slideably engage the accessory rail 66. An end piece 93 prevents the canister from sliding out of holder 92. FIGS. 19 and 20 show sequentially the manner in which the holder 92 may be released from the rail 66.

[0039] Having thus disclosed a preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that various modifications are contemplated. By way of example, the precise shape of the weapon as well as the precise location of components contained in the housing, may be readily altered without deviating from the inventive features of the invention. Accordingly, the scope hereof is not to be deemed limited by the disclosed embodiments, but only by the appended claims and their equivalents.