Laser dazzler matrix

• US 7,040,780 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chemring Detection Systems, Inc. (Chemring Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products Incorporated (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Diehl, Matthew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US10/781,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20050185403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 362/259, 362/86, 362/234
• US Class Current: 362/259
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0056 for blinding or dazzling, i.e. by overstimulating the opponent's eyes or the enemy's sensor equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0081 the high-energy beam being acoustic, e.g. sonic, infrasonic or ultrasonic

Abstract

A non-lethal laser weapon having a base to which a number of lasers are mounted. The lasers include a first laser oriented to project a first laser beam in a first direction, and a second laser oriented to project a second laser beam generally in the first direction. The first laser beam and the second laser beam overlap at a first distance from the base, to thereby form separate first and second first-order illumination zones before the first distance, and a first second-order illumination zone beyond the first distance. Additional lasers may be included in one-, two-, and three-dimensional patterns to create additional illumination zones.

Claims

1. A non-lethal laser weapon comprising:

a base; and

a plurality of lasers mounted to the base, the plurality of lasers comprising;

a first laser oriented to project a first laser beam in a first direction;

a second laser oriented to project a second laser beam generally in the first direction;

wherein the first laser beam and the second laser beam overlap at a first distance from the base, to thereby form separate first and second first-order illumination zones before the first distance, and a first second-order illumination zone beyond the first distance; and

a high intensity directed acoustical device attached to the base and aimed generally parallel to the first direction.

2. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of lasers has a wavelength of about 400 nm to about 700 nm.

3. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of lasers has a wavelength of about 532 nm.

4. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of lasers has a wavelength of about 650 nm.

5. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply; and

a power switch system connecting the power supply to the plurality of lasers and adapted to selectively energize the plurality of lasers.

6. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 5, wherein:

the plurality of lasers comprises two or more laser groups, each of the two or more laser groups comprising one or more lasers; and

the power switch system is adapted to selectively energize each of the two or more laser groups independently of the other laser groups.

7. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 6, wherein the power switch system comprises a plurality of two-position switches, a plurality of multi-position switches, or a combination thereof.

8. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a portable hand-held device.

9. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein the base is movably mountable to a fixed or portable mounting platform.

10. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, further comprising:

a third laser oriented to project a third laser beam generally in the first direction;

wherein the third laser beam overlaps the first laser beam at a second distance from the base and overlaps the first laser beam and the second laser beam at a third distance from the base, to thereby form a third first-order illumination zone before the second distance, a second second-order illumination zone between the second distance and the third distance, and a first third-order illumination zone beyond the third distance.

11. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 10, wherein the first distance is equal to the second distance.

12. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 10, wherein the third laser beam overlaps the second laser beam at the second distance from the base to thereby form a third second-order illumination zone between the second distance and the third distance.

13. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lasers comprises at least three lasers arranged in a linear pattern.

14. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lasers comprises at least three lasers arranged in a triangular pattern.

15. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of lasers are arranged in a circular pattern.

16. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein the power supply is separated from the base and electrically connected to the base by one or more electrical wires.

17. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of lasers comprises a separately collimated laser.

18. A hand-held non-lethal laser weapon comprising:

a base;

a plurality of lasers mounted to the base, the plurality of lasers comprising;

a first laser oriented to project a first laser beam in a first direction;

a second laser oriented to project a second laser beam generally in the first direction;

a power supply; and

a power switch system connecting the power supply to the plurality of lasers and adapted to selectively energize the plurality of lasers;

wherein the first laser beam and the second laser beam overlap at a first distance from the base, to thereby form separate first and second first-order illumination zones before the first distance, and a first second-order illumination zone beyond the first distance; and

a third laser oriented to project a third laser beam in a second direction; and

a fourth laser oriented to project a fourth laser beam generally in the second direction;

wherein the third laser beam and the fourth laser beam overlap at a second distance from the base, to thereby form separate third and fourth first-order illumination zones before the second distance, and a second second-order illumination zone beyond the second distance; and

wherein the second direction is not parallel with the first direction.

19. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 18, wherein the power switch system comprises a plurality of switches, each of the switches being adapted to separately control one or more of the plurality of lasers.

20. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 18, wherein the power supply is integrated into the base.

21. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 18, further comprising a low-intensity targeting laser oriented to project a targeting beam in the first direction.

22. The non-lethal laser weapon of claim 18, further comprising an incandescent lamp oriented to project light in the first direction.