CLAY-PIGEON-LIKE PROJECTILE FOR CROWD CONTROL

• US 20140083402A1
• Filed: 09/23/2012
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ispra By EI Limited, Yariv Ben-Yehuda
• Original Assignee: L.H.B. Ltd. (ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE)
• Inventors: Fridman, Ofer, Ben Yehuda, Yariv
• Granted Patent: US 9,726,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 124/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/61 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 9/16 Clay-pigeon targets; Clay-disc targets F41J1/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 9/18 Traps or throwing-apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/26 using spin F42B10/04, F42B10/12, F42B10/14, F42B10/24, F42B14/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/202 for attacking land area or area targets, e.g. airburst
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/42 of illuminating type, e.g. carrying flares
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/46 for dispensing gases, vapours, powders or chemically-reactive substances F42B12/70 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 30/00 Projectiles or missiles, not otherwise provided for, characterised by the ammunition class or type, e.g. by the launching apparatus or weapon used F42B10/00, F42B12/00, F42B14/00 take precedence

Abstract

A crowd control projectile includes a payload carrier, an incapacitating agent inside the payload carrier, and an activating mechanism for activating the incapacitating agent. The activating mechanism includes a sensor and a timer. The timer delays the activation until a predetermined delay after the sensor senses that the projectile has been launched. Alternatively, the activating mechanism includes a receiver for receiving an activation signal after the projectile has been launched. Preferably, the projectile has the shape of a clay pigeon. A launcher of such a projectile includes a communication mechanism for transmitting a timing signal or an activation signal to the projectile and an arm for launching the projectile by direct contact. To control a crowd, the projectile is launched over the crowd by direct contact with a solid arm and the activating mechanism is used to activate the incapacitating agent when the projectile is above the crowd.

Claims

1. A projectile comprising:

(a) a payload carrier;

(b) an incapacitating agent, enclosed within said payload carrier; and

(c) an activating mechanism, for activating said incapacitating agent, that includes;

(i) a sensor for sensing a launch of the projectile without changing a shape of the projectile, and

(ii) a timer for delaying said activating until a predetermined delay after said sensor senses said launch.

2. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the projectile lacks a propulsion mechanism.

3. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the projectile is disk-shaped.

4. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the projectile has a shape of a clay pigeon.

5. The projectile of claim 1, wherein said incapacitating agent is a riot control agent.

6. The projectile of claim 5, wherein said riot control agent includes a passive riot control agent.

7. The projectile of claim 5, wherein said riot control agent includes an active riot control agent.

8. The projectile of claim 7, wherein said active riot control agent effects incapacitation at least via a chemical produced by a chemical reaction, in which said active riot control agent participates, that is initiated by said activating mechanism.

9. The projectile of claim 7, wherein said active riot control agent effects incapacitation at least via a physical phenomenon produced by a chemical reaction, in which said active riot control agent participates, that is initiated by said activating mechanism.

10. The projectile of claim 1, wherein said activating mechanism also includes:

(iii) a mechanism for setting said predetermined delay.

11. The projectile of claim 10, wherein said mechanism for setting said predetermined delay includes a mechanism for receiving a signal in which said predetermined delay is encoded.

12. The projectile of claim 11, wherein said mechanism for receiving said signal includes an electrical contact on a surface of the projectile.

13. The projectile of claim 11, wherein said mechanism for receiving said signal includes an antenna.

14. The projectile of claim 10, wherein said mechanism for setting said predetermined delay includes an interface for manual setting of said predetermined delay.

15. The projectile of claim 1, wherein said sensor senses said launch by sensing an acceleration of the projectile.

16. A projectile comprising:

(a) a payload carrier;

(b) an incapacitating agent, enclosed within said payload carrier; and

(c) an activating mechanism, for activating said incapacitating agent, that includes a receiver for receiving, subsequent to the projectile having been launched, an activation signal that instructs said activating mechanism to activate said incapacitating agent.

17. The projectile of claim 16, wherein the projectile lacks a propulsion mechanism.

18. The projectile of claim 16, wherein the projectile is disk-shaped.

19. The projectile of claim 16, wherein the projectile has a shape of a clay pigeon.

20. The projectile of claim 16, wherein said incapacitating agent is a riot control agent.

21. The projectile of claim 20, wherein said riot control agent includes a passive riot control agent.

22. The projectile of claim 20, wherein said riot control agent includes an active riot control agent.

23. The projectile of claim 22, wherein said active riot control agent effects incapacitation at least via a chemical produced by a chemical reaction, in which said active riot control agent participates, that is initiated by said activating mechanism.

24. The projectile of claim 22, wherein said active riot control agent effects incapacitation at least via a physical phenomenon produced by a chemical reaction, in which said active riot control agent participates, that is initiated by said activating mechanism.

25. A device, for launching a projectile, comprising:

(a) a communication mechanism for transmitting a signal to the projectile; and

(b) an arm for directly contacting and moving the projectile to launch the projectile.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein said communication mechanism includes an antenna for transmitting said signal wirelessly.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein said signal includes an activation instruction.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein said signal includes timing information.

29. The device of claim 25, wherein said signal includes timing information.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein said communication mechanism includes at least one electrical contact for transmitting said timing information to the projectile when each said electrical contact is in electrical communication with a corresponding electrical contact of the projectile.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein said arm includes a receptacle, into which the projectile is loaded for launch, that includes said at least one electrical contact.

32. The device of claim 30, further comprising:

(c) a launching surface on which the projectile is placed for launching, said at least one electrical contact being on said launching surface.

33. The device of claim 32, further comprising:

(d) a magazine for holding a plurality of the projectiles and for dispensing each projectiles individually onto said launching surface so that said each said electrical contact is in electrical communication with said corresponding electrical contact of said each projectile.

34. A method of crowd control comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a projectile that includes;

(i) a payload carrier,

(ii) an incapacitating agent, enclosed within said payload carrier, and

(iii) an activating mechanism, for activating said incapacitating agent, selected from the group consisting of;

(A) a first activating mechanism that includes;

(I) a sensor for sensing a launch of the projectile without changing a shape of the projectile, and

(II) a timer for delaying said activation until a predetermined delay after said sensor senses said launch, and

(B) a second activating mechanism that includes a receiver for receiving, subsequent to the projectile having been launched, an activation signal that instructs said activating mechanism to activate said incapacitating agent;

(b) launching said projectile, to travel over the crowd to be controlled, by directly contacting and moving said projectile with a solid arm, and

(c) using said activating mechanism, activating said incapacitating agent when said projectile is above the crowd.