Stun bullets

• US 5,698,815 A
• Filed: 12/15/1995
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Axon Enterprise, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gary Dean Ragner
• Inventors: Ragner, Gary Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): TUDOR, HAROLD JAY
• Application Number:
  US08/573,240
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 102/293, 102/400, 102/501, 102/502, 102/504, 102/512, 102/517, 102/439, 89/1.11, 361/230-233, 361/235
• US Class Current: 102/502
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0006 Ballistically deployed systems for restraining persons or animals, e.g. ballistically deployed nets
• 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: F41H 13/0031 for remote electrical discharge by means of a wireless projectile
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/36 for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information

Abstract

An electronic projectile (10) for use with a standard cartridge (1). Projectile (10) and cartridge (1) are loaded into standard firearms and fired like a standard bullet. After leaving the barrel of a firearm, plastic sheaths (8L) and (8R) fall away and electrodes (19L) and (19R) extend outward on wires (40L) and (40R). On impact the electrodes penetrate the skin of the target making electrical contact with internal tissue of a target. Within projectile (10) a battery (50) powers internal electronics (30) to charge output capacitors (22) and (24) to high voltage. When the capacitors are fully charged a switch (58) completes the circuit and discharges the capacitors through the target. Switch (58) discharges the capacitors 20 to 100 times per second. These pulses continue for several seconds to incapacitate the target. The polarity of the current is changes once or twice per second to alternate between acidic and basic ions being formed around the electrodes to sterilize the puncture sight. If very-high-energy pulses are used, Switch (58) would also discharge the capacitors several seconds after the initial stun shock to defibrillate the target. Long-term incapacitation is accomplished with a syringe filled with a tranquilizing fluid (37) mounted within a foam rubber tip (34). On impact this fluid is forced into the target through needle (33), with the stun effect of the electrical discharge giving the tranquilizer time to work.

Claims

1. An electronic projectile, comprising:

(a) an electric potential means having a positive pole and a negative pole for supplying an electric current;

(b) a plurality of electrodes each having at least one sharp tip for piercing the skin and clothing of a target;

(c) a housing enclosing said electric potential means; and

(d) a plurality of elongated members, each elongated member connecting each electrode to said housing, and electrically connecting each of said positive and negative poles to at least one electrode, and said elongated members having a retracted position with the electrodes adjacent to said housing before firing and an extended position with the electrodes expanded laterally away from the housing after firing and before impact.

2. The electronic projectile in claim 1, wherein:

said electric potential means provides a series of electric pulses sufficient to incapacitate said target.

3. The electronic projectile in claim 2, wherein:

said electric potential means further providing a defibrillating pulse a few seconds after said series of stun pulses, whereby the danger of death by heart fibrillation to said target is substantially reduced.

4. The electronic projectile in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of electrodes use the linear momentum of the electrodes to provide the force needed to puncture the skin and clothing of the target with said sharp tip.

5. The electronic projectile in claim 4, further including:

a means for providing a holding force between said plurality of electrodes and said target'"'"'s skin or tissue.

6. The electronic projectile in claim 5, wherein:

said plurality of electrodes are attached to said housing by wires, which extend the electrodes away from said housing before impact with the target.

7. A bullet for use in a firearm with barrel rifling, comprising:

(a) an electric potential means having a positive pole and a negative pole for supplying an electric current sufficient to deter a person or animal;

(b) a plurality of electrodes each having at least one sharp point, whereby the electrodes can puncture a persons or animals skin;

(c) a housing having a radial dimension and a longitudinal dimension substantially enclosing said electric potential means and said electrodes placed adjacent to said housing before firing; and

(d) a plurality of elongated members, each elongated member connecting each electrode to said housing elongated members electrically connecting each of said positive and negative poles to at least one electrode and said electrodes expanded in the radial dimension by the elongated members after firing and before impact whereby the distance between electrodes on impact is greater than the distance between electrodes before firing.

8. The bullet in claim 7, wherein:

said elongated members are provided by a plurality of wires, said plurality of wires being wound on the housing in the direction counter to the direction of rotation and able to unwind due to centrifugal forces on the electrodes, whereby as the electrodes extend out and away from housing the rotational momentum within said housing is substantially transferred to the electrodes.

9. The bullet in claim 7, wherein:

said plurality of electrodes use the linear momentum of the electrodes to provide the force needed to puncture the skin and clothing of said person or animal with said sharp point.

10. The bullet in claim 7, further including:

a means for providing a holding force between said plurality of electrodes and the skin or tissue of said person or animal.

11. The electronic bullet in claim 7, wherein:

said elongated members having sufficient spring tension to extend the electrodes out and away from said housing against air drag and rotational forces.