Wrist-carriable protective sprayer

• US 5,484,085 A
• Filed: 03/29/1995
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jean Bennett
• Original Assignee: Jean Bennett
• Inventors: Bennett, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US08/412,999
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: 222/175, 222/183, 222/526-530, 222/192, 222/402.1, 222/394, 224/148, 239/154, 239/529, 239/153, 239/152
• US Class Current: 222/175
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 9/10 Hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellant gases or chemicals

Abstract

A wrist-carriable protective sprayer including a closeable carrying pouch; a coupling mechanism for coupling the carrying pouch to a forearm of a user; a canister of pressurized protective spray disposed within the carrying pouch; an elongated guide rail; a guiding bracket coupled to the pouch and slidably coupled to the guide rail and allowing longitudinal movement of the guide rail with respect to the user'"'"'s forearm; a finger holding mechanism coupled to an end of the guide rail for allowing a firm hold by at least one finger of the user; an actuatable spray nozzle coupled to the guide rail; and a section of tubing coupled between the canister and the spray nozzle; whereby when the pouch is secured to a user'"'"'s forearm and the spray nozzle is positioned in juxtaposition with the user'"'"'s wrist to thereby define a stowed configuration, positioning of one of the fingers of a user within the finger holding mechanism and subsequent extension of such fingers allows the spray nozzle to be pulled to an operable position for actuation by the user'"'"'s thumb and or finger.

Claims

1. A wrist-carriable protective sprayer for allowing protective spray to be carried in a proximal concealed location for its ready use as required comprising, in combination:

a carrying pouch having a central axis, a front wall with a pile-type fastener coupled thereto, a rear wall, and a generally U-shaped peripheral side wall interconnecting the front wall and the rear wall to define a hollow interior and a central top opening for allowing access to the interior, the pouch further having a flap with a complimentary pile-type fastener coupled thereto and with the fasteners of the front wall and the flap removably secured together for sealing the opening and thereby precluding access to the interior, the carrying pouch additionally having a first strap with an inboard end coupled to the side wall and an outboard end with a pile-type fastener coupled thereto, a second strap with an inboard end coupled to the side wall at a location opposite the first strap and an inboard end with a complimentary pile-type fastener coupled thereto and with the fasteners of the straps removably secured together in a closed loop configuration about a forearm of a user;

a canister of pressurized protective spray removably disposed within the pouch and with the canister having a valve coupled thereto for allowing the spray to be dispersed;

an elongated guide rail having an inboard end, an outboard end, and a central axis positioned in parallel relation with the central axis of the pouch at a location adjacent to the bottom wall thereof;

a guiding bracket coupled to at least one of the pouch or canister and slidably coupled to the guide rail and with the guiding bracket allowing movement of the guide rail along an axis coincident with its central axis and longitudinal movement with respect to the user'"'"'s forearm;

a finger grip having a V-shaped cross-section formed of a generally rectangular long plate interconnected with a generally rectangular short plate at an apex and with the long plate having an aperture formed thereon sized for receipt of both a middle finger and a ring finger of the user;

a base bracket coupled to the outboard end of the guide rail and pivotally coupled to the apex of the finger grip;

a depressible spray nozzle coupled to the guide rail at a location proximal to the base bracket;

a section of flexible tubing coupled between the valve of the canister and the spray nozzle and with depression of the spray nozzle allowing protective spray to be expelled from the nozzle to a remote location;

whereby when the pouch is secured to the user'"'"'s forearm and the spray nozzle is positioned in juxtaposition with the user'"'"'s wrist to thereby define a stowed configuration, positioning of the user'"'"'s fingers within the aperture of the finger grip and subsequent extension of such fingers allows the spray nozzle to be pulled to an operable position for depression by at least one of the user'"'"'s thumb or finger, thereby allowing disbursement of protective spray.

2. A wrist-carriable protective sprayer comprising:

a closeable carrying pouch;

coupling means for coupling the carrying pouch to a forearm of a user;

a canister of pressurized protective spray disposed within the carrying pouch;

an elongated guide rail;

a guiding bracket coupled to the pouch and slidably coupled to the guide rail and with the guiding bracket allowing longitudinal movement of the guide rail with respect to the user'"'"'s forearm;

finger holding means coupled to an end of the guide rail for allowing a firm hold by at least one finger of the user;

an actuatable spray nozzle coupled to the guide rail at a location proximal to the finger gripping means; and

a section of tubing coupled between the canister and the spray nozzle;

whereby when the pouch is secured to a user'"'"'s forearm and the spray nozzle is positioned in juxtaposition with the user'"'"'s wrist to thereby define a stowed configuration, positioning of one of the fingers of a user within the finger holding means and subsequent extension of such fingers allows the spray nozzle to be pulled to an operable position for actuation by at least one of the user'"'"'s thumb or finger, thereby allowing disbursement of protective spray.

3. The wrist-carriable protective sprayer as set forth in claim 2 wherein the finger holding means comprises:

a finger grip having a V-shaped cross-section formed of a generally rectangular long plate interconnected with a generally rectangular short plate at an apex and with the long plate having an aperture formed thereon sized for receipt of both a middle finger and a ring finger of the user; and

a base bracket coupled to the guide rail and pivotally coupled to the apex of the finger grip.

4. The wrist-carriable protective sprayer as set forth in claim 2:

wherein the guide rail has a plurality of teeth projected upwards therefrom; and

wherein the pouch includes a pawl coupled thereto and with the pawl operatively engaging the teeth of the guide rail in ratcheting relation for preventing inadvertent retraction of the spray nozzle.