Projectile for delivery of a tranquilliser

• US 7,013,810 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard Ian Brydges-Price
• Original Assignee: Richard Ian Brydges-Price
• Inventors: Brydges-Price, Richard Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bergin, James S.
• Application Number:
  US09/979,356
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: 102/512, 102/502, 102306-307, 102/431, 42/78, 604/198
• US Class Current: 102/502
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/54 by implantation, e.g. hypodermic projectiles

Abstract

A projectile mainly for drug delivery comprises a tubular body casing 1 which defines a cavity 2 for containment of a tranquilizing drug. The casing has an end plug 3 which coaxially supports a hollow needle 4 projecting forward through an ogival nose cap 5. The delivery end 6 of the needle 4 projects a short way beyond the cap 5. Located around the needle 4 towards the tip of the nose cap 5 is a gas producing detonator 7 fired by an impact fuse 8. Attached to the detonator 7 and the needle 4 is the neck g of an inflatable bag 10 of which an opposed end 11 is attached to the plug 3. The rear end of the cavity 2 has a piston 12 the rear end of which communicates through concentric passageways 13 and ducts 14 with the interior of the bag 10. The nose cap 5 is of a readily breakable plastics material or designed to assist retardation.

Claims

1. A projectile, primarily for the delivery of a tranquilliser or medication substance to an animal, the projectile including a cavity to contain such substance, means to deliver the said substance at a point of impact with a target, and means to effectively retard the velocity of the projectile on impact with the target, characterised in that

the velocity is retarded in such a way as to prevent excess injury or penetration by deployment of means, following impact with a target, which comprises a membrane which rapidly inflates to thus expand to produce a large increase in the area at the nose of the projectile to spread the kinetic energy over a large area.

2. A projectile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the projectile is adapted to be fired from a barrel weapon which may be rifled to impart spin.

3. A projectile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the projectile is of sub-calibre construction using a discarding sabot.

4. A projectile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the projectile has a body with a cavity containing a payload, an original nose supporting a hollow needle communicating with the cavity for delivery of the payload on deceleration of the projectile and an expanding means operative on impact of the projectile to retard the velocity.

5. A projectile in accordance with claim 4, wherein the needle penetrated just sufficiently to deliver the payload dose subcutaneously or intra-muscularly.

6. A projectile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the velocity retarding means may comprise a device to significantly increase the area of the projectile nose portion by expansion on initial impact thus dissipating kinetic energy over a large area.

7. A projectile in accordance with claim 1, constructed as a sub-calibre discarding sabot projectile.

8. A projectile in accordance with claim 1 in combination with a firearm having a barrel with rifling of increasing pitch along the length thereof to produce progressively increasing spin of the projectile during passage to through the barrel.

9. The projectile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rapidly expanding means comprises

a nose cap,

an inflatable membrane, wherein the inflatable membrane is covered by the nose cap.

10. The projectile in accordance with claim 9, wherein the nose cap spreads open in a petaline manner upon impact.

11. The projectile in accordance with claim 9, wherein the nose cap fractures upon impact.

12. The projectile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the nose contains structural lines of weakness to facilitate fragmentation.

13. The projectile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inflatable membrane comprises bellows.

14. The projectile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rapidly expanding means is inflatable.

15. The projectile in accordance with claim 14, further comprising

a gas producing detonator located around the means to deliver said expanding means.

16. The projectile in accordance with claim 15, further comprising and inflatable bag attached to the means to deliver said substance and to the detonator.

17. The projectile in accordance with claim 14, further comprising an inflatable bag attached to the means to deliver said substance and to the detonator.

18. The projectile in accordance with claim 14, further comprising means for bringing together two otherwise inert substances to initiate action of the rapidly expandable means.

19. The projectile with claim 14, wherein the velocity retarding means comprises a device to significantly increase the area of the projectile nose portion by expansion on initial impact thus dissipating kinetic energy over a large area.

20. The projectile in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a piston disposed behind the means to deliver said substance.

21. The projectile in accordance with claim 20, further comprising an inflatable bag attached to the means to deliver said substance, wherein a rear piston face communicates with an interior of the inflatable bag, and wherein a front piston face drives said substance into the means to deliver said substance.

22. A projectile primarily for the delivery of a tranquilliser or medication substance to an animal, the projectile including a cavity to contain such substance, means to deliver the said substance at a point of impact with a target, and means to effectively retard the velocity of the projectile on impact with the target, characterised in that

the velocity is retarded in such a way as to prevent excess injury or penetration by deployment of means, following impact with a target, which comprises a membrane which rapidly inflates to thus expand to produce a large increase in the area at the nose of the projectile to spread the kinetic energy over a large area, wherein the velocity retarding means comprises an inflatable membrane actuated by a sensor on initial impact or by means of a proximity sensing means.

23. A projectile in accordance with claim 22, wherein the membrane is inflated using a detonator and gas producing explosive charge.

24. A projectile in accordance with claim 23, wherein the charge also serves the purpose of injecting the payload by driving a piston in the payload containing cavity.

25. A projectile in accordance with claim 23, wherein the detonator is attached concentrically around the needle.

26. A projectile in accordance with claim 23, wherein the detonator is attached concentrically around the needle.

27. A projectile in accordance with claim 22, wherein the membrane is located in the nose of the projectile which comprises a readily broken, an unfurling or deployable cap.

28. A projectile in accordance with claim 22, wherein the membrane is in the form of a bag attached to and around a forward end of the needle thus preventing penetration beyond a predetermined depth.

29. A projectile in accordance with claim 22, wherein the membrane is of an expandable material or is folded or pleated to permit expansion.

30. A projectile for a delivery of a tranquiliser or medication substance to an animal, the projectile including

a tranquiliser or medication substance for an animal;

a projectile casing;

a cavity formed in the projectile casing and containing the tranquilliser or medication substance;

means to deliver the said projectile casing, having the cavity containing the tranquiliser or medication substance, to a point of impact with a target,

a sensor serving as an actuator upon initial impact;

an inflatable membrane connected to the sensor and to be actuated by the sensor, wherein the sensor and the inflatable membrane form means to effectively retard the velocity of the projectile on impact with the target in such a way as to prevent excess injury or penetration;

means for producing a large increase in the area at the nose of the projectile to spread the kinetic energy over a large area upon impact with the target.

31. The projectile according to claim 30, wherein the membrane is inflated using a detonator and a gas producing explosive charge.

32. The projectile according to claim 30, wherein the membrane is inflated using gas pressure.

33. A projectile for a delivery of a tranquiliser or medication substance to an animal, the projectile including

a tranquiliser or medication substance for an animal;

a projectile casing;

a cavity formed in the projectile casing and containing the tranquilliser or medication substance;

means to deliver the said projectile casing, having the cavity containing the tranquiliser or medication substance, to a point of impact with a target,

a proximity sensing means serving as an actuator upon initial impact;

an inflatable membrane connected to the proximity sensing means and to be actuated by the proximity sensing means, wherein and the inflatable membrane form means to effectively retard the velocity of the projectile on impact with the target in such a way as to prevent excess injury or penetration;

means for producing rapidly a large increase in the area at the nose of the projectile to spread the kinetic energy over a large area upon impact with the target.