Non-lethal ammunition

• US 7,503,260 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Defense Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Defense Technology Corporation of America (Safariland LLC)
• Inventors: Kapeles, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bergin; James S
• Application Number:
  US11/482,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20080017064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 102/502, 102/444, 102/529, 102/507, 102/508, 102/509, 102/439
• US Class Current: 102/502
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/34 expanding before or on impact, i.e. of dumdum or mushroom type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/745 the core being made of plastics; Compounds or blends of plastics and other materials, e.g. fillers
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 30/02 Bullets
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/02 Cartridges, i.e. cases with charge and missile

Abstract

A non-lethal ammunition comprising a projectile having a nose component, a driving band adjacent the nose component, and a base component, wherein a densified material is used to control weight distribution of the projectile to improve flight, stability and delivered impact energy of the projectile and the nose component includes features to maximize impact surface area. The projectile is positioned within a shell having a high pressure and low pressure propulsion system which minimizes velocity variance of the projectile.

Claims

1. A non-lethal projectile comprising:

a solid nose component of compliant material;

a base component, and

means on the nose component to increase impact surface area of the projectile,

wherein the means on the nose component to increase impact surface area includes at least one slot extending into the nose component from a contact end surface of the nose component, whereby the slot separates the nose component into distinct sections that can deform and spread out upon impact with a target.

2. The projectile of claim 1 further comprising means to control weight distribution of the projectile.

3. The projectile of claim 2 wherein the means to control weight distribution includes a densified disk component to maximize a mass of the projectile at a uniform radial distance from an axis of rotation of the projectile to optimize gyroscopic stability of the projectile.

4. The projectile of claim 2 wherein the means to control weight distribution includes a hollow cavity extending from an end surface of the base component opposite the nose component.

5. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the means on the nose component to increase impact surface area further includes a cavity extending into the nose component from a contact end surface of the nose component.

6. The projectile of claim 1 wherein a membrane is positioned at least partially in the slot to provide rigidity of the nose component during firing and flight of the projectile, the membrane being capable of rupturing upon impact.

7. The projectile of claim 6 wherein the membrane entirely covers the slot.

8. The projectile of claim 1 wherein the projectile further includes a driving band adjacent the nose component.