Electronic Weaponry With Current Spreading Electrode

• US 20110176250A1
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axon Enterprise, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Inventors: Hinz, Andrew F., Nerheim, Magne H., Smith, Patrick W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,441,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/232
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0025 for remote electrical discharge via conducting wires, e.g. via wire-tethered electrodes shot at a target
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 5/02 Single bars, rods, wires, or strips

Abstract

An electronic weapon with an installed deployment unit, from which at least one wire-tethered electrode is launched, provides a stimulus current through a target to inhibit locomotion by the target. The wire tether, also called a filament, conducts the stimulus current. The one or more electrodes, according to various aspects of the present invention, perform one or more of the following functions in any combination: binding the filament to the electrode, deploying the filament from the deployment unit, piercing material or tissue at the target, lodging in material or tissue of the target, focusing an electric field prior to ionization or while conducting a stimulus current, forming an ionized path for a stimulus current across one or more gaps, and spreading a current density with respect to a region of target tissue and/or a volume of target tissue. For an electrode that includes a body, spear, and filament, spreading may be accomplished by an end portion of the filament that extends forward of the body and activates the spear by ionization of air or by conduction through target tissue.

Claims

1. A deployment unit for providing a current from a signal generator through tissue of a target, the current for inhibiting voluntary movement by the target, the deployment unit comprising:

a filament for conducting the current;

a housing that retains a first end of the filament;

an electrode in the housing; and

a propellant in the housing that in operation propels the electrode away from the housing to deploy the filament toward the target;

wherein the electrode comprises

a body mechanically coupled to the filament near a second end of the filament;

a first structure that mechanically couples the body to the target; and

a second structure, supported by the body, that spreads the current from the filament to flow in part through the first structure and in balance through the second structure.

2. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the first structure comprises an electrically insulated tip.

3. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure does not mechanically couple the electrode to tissue of the target.

4. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure activates current flow through the first structure.

5. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure comprises the second end of the filament.

6. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second end of the filament is directed away from the first structure.

7. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein a portion of the first structure nearest the second structure is electrically insulated from the first structure to encourage spreading of current away from the first structure.

8. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein

the second structure comprises the second end of the filament;

and

the second end of the filament comprises a conductor that spreads the current from the filament to flow in part through the first structure and away from the second structure.

9. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure is deformable on impact to improve spreading.

10. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein:

the electrode further comprises a third structure that spreads current from the filament to originate in part from the first structure in part from the third structure and in balance from the second structure; and

the balance of current by itself is ineffective for inhibiting voluntary movement by the target.

11. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure comprises a diffuser.

12. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure comprises a diffuser that activates current flow through the first structure.

13. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure comprises a diffuser comprising a tip that focuses current flowing through the diffuser.

14. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure comprises a diffuser comprising a tip capable of piercing tissue of the target.

15. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure comprises a diffuser that spreads current in a uniform manner with reference to the first structure resulting in a plurality of hot spots of current density in tissue of the target.

16. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the second structure comprises a diffuser that spreads current in a non-uniform manner with reference to the first structure.

17. The deployment unit of claim 1 wherein the first structure comprises a first resistance greater than a second resistance of the second structure.