Incapacitating high intensity incoherent light beam

• US 8,721,105 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Genesis Illumination, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Genesis Illumination, Inc.
• Inventors: Eisenberg, Todd, Parker, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, NATHANIEL J.
• Application Number:
  US14/060,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20140043796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 202 Days
• Field of Search: 362109-120, 36229601-2961, 434/11, 89/11.1
• US Class Current: 362/109
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0087 the high-energy beam being a bright light, e.g. for dazzling or blinding purposes F41H13/0056 takes precedence

Abstract

An optical device for incapacitating individuals exposed to generated light. It has a housing with a head portion and window opening, a reflector with a focus facing the window opening, a power source, an electric lamp mounted at the reflector'"'"'s focus. It emits a high intensity incoherent light beam of between 380-780 nm. It has a switching and isolation circuit connected to a pulse mode power conversion and a first control circuit to the electric lamp, and connected in parallel to a steady state mode power conversion and a second control circuit to the electric lamp. Both the pulse mode power conversion and control circuits are connected in common to the power source. The circuits apply pulses of power to the electric lamp temporarily increasing the total luminous flux to incapacitate one of more targeted individuals within a duration of less than 2 seconds.

Claims

1. An optical device for generating high intensity incoherent light to incapacitate one or more target individuals exposed to the light, comprising:

an outer housing with a head portion and a window opening for transmitting light;

a reflector with a focus, mounted in the head portion facing the window opening;

a power source;

an electric lamp mounted at the focus of the reflector and configured to emit a high intensity incoherent light beam with a wavelength of between approximately 380 nm to 780 nm; and

a switching and isolation circuit electrically connected to a pulse mode power conversion and a first control circuit to the electric lamp, and connected in parallel to a steady state mode power conversion and a second control circuit to the electric lamp, wherein both the pulse mode power conversion and control circuits are connected in common to the power source,

wherein the circuits apply pulses of power to the electric lamp temporarily increasing the total luminous flux produced by the electric lamp, to incapacitate one of more targeted individuals within an exposure duration of less than 2 seconds.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electric lamp is an arc lamp, selected from among a short-arc, xenon short-arc, mercury-xenon short-arc, metal halide, or halogen lamps.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the incoherent light does not have a fixed or otherwise controlled phase relationship among waves that form the light.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the power source provides at least one of a direct current voltage and alternating current voltage.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the power source is a battery.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein a color temperature of the incoherent light is greater than 5000 degrees Kelvin.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a target distance range finder; and

an automatic focusing system to adjust an intensity of the light beam prior to illumination of the target.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the target distance range finder is an Infrared system.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the automatic focusing system further comprises a mechanical shutter.

10. An optical device for generating high intensity incoherent light to incapacitate one or more target individuals exposed to the light, comprising:

an outer housing with a head portion and a window opening for transmitting light;

a reflector with a focus, mounted in the head portion facing the window opening;

a power source;

an electric lamp mounted at the focus of the reflector and configured to emit a high intensity incoherent light beam with a wavelength of between approximately 380 nm to 780 nm; and

means for switching and isolation electrically connected to means for pulse mode power conversion and a first means for control to the electric lamp, and connected in parallel to a means for steady state mode power conversion and a second means for control to the electric lamp, wherein both the means for pulse mode power conversion and the first and second means for control are connected in common to the power source,

wherein pulses of power are applied to the electric lamp temporarily increasing the total luminous flux produced by the electric lamp, to incapacitate one of more targeted individuals within an exposure duration of less than 2 seconds.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the power source provides at least one of a direct current voltage and alternating current voltage.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the power source is a battery.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein a color temperature of the incoherent light is greater than 5000 degrees Kelvin.

14. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

means for determining a target distance; and

means for automatic focusing to adjust an intensity of the light beam prior to illumination of the target.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the means for automatic focusing further comprises a mechanical shutter.