Non-lethal area denial device

• US 5,936,183 A
• Filed: 12/16/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Barnet Resnick
• Inventors: McNulty, James F. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wesson, Theresa M.
• Application Number:
  US08/991,268
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 89/1.11, 89/1.34, 102/427, 102/428, 102/426, 102/424, 102/404, 361/232
• US Class Current: 89/1.11
• 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: F42B 12/36 for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 8/28 Land or marine mines; Depth charges
• CPC Class Codes: H05C 1/04 providing pulse voltages mechanical self-interrupters H01H; electronic pulse-generators H03K

Abstract

A non-lethal alternative to the anti-personnel landmine. The TASER® alternative uses electronic stun capability in combination with a landmine housing and deployment system. The device can cover a radius of 15 feet (30 feet possible) and can be triggered by various sensors. Although the TASER® non-lethal area denial device would cause no deaths or injuries if accidentally triggered by friendly forces, it can also be permanently disabled when no longer needed, by remotely using a secure code to shut down the TASER® system. When triggered, the device launches darts in multiple directions at 10 or 20 degree intervals in a direction generally facing the enemy. The darts temporarily incapacitate any persons within an inch of the darts by causing uncontrollable spasms of the near surface motor control muscles causing temporary loss of the subject'"'"'s motor control functions. The subject will fall and temporarily be completely incapacitated. The device will take down persons wearing soft body armor because high voltage electricity readily arcs through the fabric weaving holes. A timing circuit keeps the subjects incapacitated until they can be taken into custody by nearby troops. After the very low power signal is turned off, the subject will recover within minutes. The TASER® device produces no collateral damage and poses no lethal threat to friendly forces even if accidentally triggered. The device may be remotely shut down permanently via an encrypted security code.

Claims

1. A non-lethal anti-personnel device for sensing nearby personnel and automatically firing a plurality of electrical discharge darts at such personnel for temporarily disabling the personnel;

the device comprising;

a housing having a plurality of firing bays, each such bay having at least one dart for selectively being fired in a predetermined direction;

a plurality of high-voltage transformers, each such transformer being electrically connected to at least one dart by a wire to which the dart remains connected after firing; and

means for sensing nearby personnel and activating said firing bays for firing said darts and applying a high-voltage discharge to disable the nearby personnel.

2. The device recited in claim 1 wherein said housing is shaped as a cylinder having a height which is less than the cylinder'"'"'s diameter.

3. The device recited in claim 2 wherein said firing bays are positioned along a sector of said cylinder at selected angular intervals.

4. The device recited in claim 3 wherein said angular intervals are at about 20 degrees of spacing, one firing bay to the next firing bay.

5. The device recited in claim 1 wherein each said firing bay comprises a cartridge containing two of the said darts.

6. The device recited in claim 5 wherein each of the two darts in each firing bay is configured to be fired at different elevation angle relative to said housing.

7. The device recited in claim 1 wherein said means for sensing nearby personnel comprises an infrared motion detector.