Dual operating mode electronic disabling device for generating a time-sequenced, shaped voltage output waveform

• US 6,999,295 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2005
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Axon Enterprise, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Inventors: Nerheim, Magne, Watkins, Thomas G. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W.
• Application Number:
  US11/051,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20050188888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 374 Days
• Field of Search: 361/232
• US Class Current: 361/232
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 3/00 Pistols, e.g. revolvers specially adapted for underwater use F41C9/06; for slaughtering or stunning animals A22B; for shooting bolts into concrete constructions, metal walls or the like B25C
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0012 Electrical discharge weapons, e.g. for stunning
• CPC Class Codes: H05C 1/04 providing pulse voltages mechanical self-interrupters H01H; electronic pulse-generators H03K

Abstract

An electronic disabling device includes first and second electrodes positionable to establish first and second spaced apart contact points on a target having a high impedance air gap existing between at least one of the electrodes and the target. The power supply generates a first high voltage, short duration output across the first and second electrodes during a first time interval to ionize air within the air gap to thereby reduce the high impedance across the air gap to a lower impedance to enable current flow across the air gap at a lower voltage level. The power supply next generates a second lower voltage, longer duration output across the first and second electrodes during a second time interval to maintain the current flow across the first and second electrodes and between the first and second contact points on the target to enable the current flow through the target to cause involuntary muscle contractions to thereby immobilize the target.

Claims

1. An electronic device having a first high voltage transformer for creating an arc and a second transformer with a lower output voltage to maintain current across the arc to disable a subject.

2. A dual operating mode electronic disabling device for immobilizing a target comprising:

a. first and second electrodes positionable to establish first and second spaced apart contact points on the target wherein a high impedance air gap may exist between at least one of the electrodes and the target; and

b. a power supply for operating in a first mode to generate a first high voltage, short duration output across the first and second electrodes during a first time interval to ionize the air within the air gap to thereby reduce the high impedance across the air gap to a lower impedance to enable current flow across the air gap at a lower voltage level and for subsequently operating in a second mode to generate a second lower voltage output across the first and second electrodes during a second time interval to maintain the current flow across the first and second electrodes and between the first and second contact points on the target to enable the current flow through the target to cause involuntary muscle contractions to thereby immobilize the target.

3. A dual operating mode electronic disabling device for immobilizing a target comprising:

a. first and second electrodes positionable to establish first and second spaced apart contact points on the target wherein a high impedance air gap may exist between at least one of the electrodes and the target;

b. a high voltage power supply for generating an output voltage; and

c. a high voltage power output circuit which generates a first high voltage output across the first and second electrodes to ionize the air within the air gap thereby reducing the high impedance across the air gap to a lower impedance to enable current flow across the air gap at a lower voltage level and for subsequently enabling a second lower voltage output to cause current to flow across the first and second electrodes and between the first and second contact points on the target allowing current flow through the target thereby producing involuntary muscle contractions and immobilizing the target.

4. A dual operating mode electronic disabling device for immobilizing a target comprising:

a. first and second electrodes positionable to establish first and second spaced apart contact points on the target wherein a high impedance air gap may exist between at least one of the electrodes and the target;

b. a high voltage power supply for generating an output voltage; and

c. a switchable output circuit for the high voltage power supply for switching into and operating in a first output circuit configuration to generate a first high voltage output across the first and second electrodes during a first time interval to ionize the air within the air gap and reduce the high impedance across the air gap to a lower impedance to enable current flow across the air gap at a lower voltage level and for subsequently switching into and operating in a second output circuit configuration to generate a second lower voltage output across the first and second electrodes during a second time interval to maintain the current flow across the first and second electrodes and between the first and second contact points on the target allowing current flow through the target thereby producing involuntary muscle contractions and immobilizing the target.

5. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 4 wherein the switchable output circuit includes:

a. a high voltage output circuit for generating a relatively high voltage output across the first and second electrodes during the first time interval; and

b. a low voltage output circuit for generating a relatively low voltage output across the first and second electrodes during the second time interval.

6. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 4 wherein the high voltage output circuit includes:

a. a first energy storage capacitor;

b. a voltage conversion circuit coupled between the first energy storage capacitor and the first electrode for increasing the energy storage capacitor voltage from a first voltage level to a higher second voltage level; and

c. a first switch for closing to couple the high voltage output circuit across the first and second electrodes after the voltage on the first energy storage capacitor reaches a first predetermined level.

7. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 6 wherein the low voltage output circuit includes:

a. a second energy storage capacitor; and

b. a second switch for closing to couple the second energy storage capacitor across the first and second electrodes at about the time that the first high voltage output has ionized the air in the air gap.

8. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 7 wherein the first energy storage capacitor and the second energy storage capacitor each receive a charging current from the high voltage power supply.

9. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 8 wherein the first switch opens to disconnect the high voltage output circuit from the first and second electrodes after the second switch closes.

10. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 9 wherein closure of the first switch defines a time T₁.

11. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 10 wherein closure of the second switch defines a time T₂.

12. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 9 wherein the second switch is configured to open when the second energy storage capacitor voltage falls below a predetermined level and defines a time T₃.

13. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 11 wherein the relationship between the open and closed states of the first and second switches is defined by the following table:

Time IntervalFirst SwitchSecond SwitchT₁+14 T₂ClosedOpenT₂+14 T₃Open or ClosedClosed

14. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 13 wherein the first and second switches include voltage activated switches.

15. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 14 wherein the first and second voltage activated switches include spark gaps and wherein the breakover voltage of the first spark gap is less than the breakover voltage of the second spark gap.

16. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 12 further including:

a. a trigger switch for activating and deactivating the electronic disabling device; and

b. a controller for sensing the configuration of the trigger switch and for controlling the operation of the high voltage power supply.

17. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 16 wherein closure of the trigger switch defines a time T₀ and causes the controller to activate the voltage conversion stage of the high voltage power supply.

18. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 17 wherein second the controller deactivates the voltage conversion stage of the high voltage power supply at time T₃.

19. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 18 wherein the controller repeatedly activates and deactivates the high voltage power supply to maintain the fixed pulse repetition rate.

20. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 8 wherein voltage conversion circuit comprises a voltage multiplier.

21. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 20 wherein the voltage multiplier includes a step-up transformer.

22. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 21 wherein the step-up transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding and wherein the primary winding is coupled in series with the discharge path of the first energy storage capacitor.

23. A dual operating mode electronic disabling device for immobilizing a target comprising:

a. first and second electrodes positionable to establish first and second spaced apart contact points on the target wherein a high impedance air gap may exist between at least one of the electrodes and the target;

b. a high voltage power supply having a voltage conversion stage for receiving a low voltage DC input and for generating at an output terminal a substantially increased DC output voltage;

c. a high voltage output circuit coupled to the voltage conversion stage output terminal for generating a high voltage output across the first and second electrodes during a time interval T₂–

T₃; and

d. a low voltage output circuit coupled to the voltage conversion stage output terminal for generating a lower voltage output across the first and second electrodes during a time interval T₂–

T₃.

24. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 23 wherein:

a. the high voltage output circuit includes a first energy storage capacitor coupled to the output terminal of the high voltage power supply voltage conversion stage for receiving a charging current from the high voltage power supply during a time interval T₀–

T₁; and

b. the low voltage output circuit includes a second energy storage capacitor coupled in parallel with the output terminal of the high voltage power supply voltage conversion stage for receiving the charging current from the high voltage power supply during the time interval T₀–

T₁.

25. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 24 wherein the high voltage output stage further includes:

a. a voltage multiplier coupled between the first energy storage capacitor and the first electrode for increasing the energy storage capacitor voltage to a high voltage level; and

b. a first switch for closing to couple the high voltage output circuit across the first and second electrodes when the voltage on the first energy storage capacitor reaches a first predetermined level.

26. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 25 wherein the low voltage output circuit further includes:

a. a second switch for closing to couple the second energy storage capacitor across the first and second electrodes after the voltage applied by the high voltage output circuit across the first and second electrodes establishes an arc allowing current to flow at a lower voltage.

27. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 26 wherein the first switch opens to disconnect the high voltage output circuit from the first and second electrodes when the second switch closes.

28. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 27 wherein the first and second switches include spark gap switches.

29. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 28 further including:

a. a trigger switch for activating and deactivating the electronic disabling device; and

b. a controller for sensing the configuration of the trigger switch and for controlling the operation of the high voltage power supply.

30. The dual operating mode electronic disabling device of claim 29 wherein the voltage multiplier comprises a step-up transformer.

31. A method for selectively operating an electronic disabling device in first and second modes to immobilize a target, comprising the steps of:

a. simultaneously directing a charging current to first and second energy storage capacitors during a first time interval;

b. sensing the voltage on the first energy storage capacitor and connecting the first energy storage capacitor to a voltage multiplier when the first energy storage capacitor voltage exceeds a first voltage threshold;

c. discharging the first energy storage capacitor through the voltage multiplier during a second time interval to generate a multiplied output voltage across first and second output electrodes while positioning the output electrodes in proximity to the target to establish first and second spaced apart intended contact points on the target wherein a high impedance air gap may exist between at least one of the electrodes and the target;

d. establishing a current flow between the first and second electrodes to create a reduced impedance ionized pathway across the air gap to thereby reduce the high impedance previously existing across the air gap to a substantially lower impedance; and

e. sensing the voltage applied across the first and second electrodes as the first energy storage capacitor is discharging and connecting the second energy storage capacitor across the first and second electrodes to discharge current through the reduced impedance ionized pathway established across the air gap to maintain the current flow between the first and second electrodes during a third time interval.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the first and second energy storage capacitors are charged to substantially equal voltage levels during the first time interval.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the voltage multiplier includes a step-up transformer having primary and secondary windings and wherein the discharge current from the first energy storage capacitor passes through the primary transformer winding.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the multiplied output voltage generated during the second time interval substantially exceeds the first voltage level.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the duration of the second time interval is substantially shorter than the duration of the third time interval.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the step of sensing the voltage on the first energy storage capacitor is performed by a first spark gap having a first breakdown voltage substantially equal to the first voltage threshold.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein the target is a remote target further including first and second darts coupled by separate lengths of flexible wire to the first and second output electrodes, the wire length being sufficient to span the distance between the output electrodes and the remote target.

38. The method of claim 37 including the further step of propelling the darts from a first location in proximity to the output electrodes toward the remote target.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the first and second darts include electrically conductive tips coupled to the separate lengths of flexible wire.

40. A method for immobilizing the muscles of a target, comprising the steps of:

a. providing first and second electrodes positionable to establish first and second spaced apart contact points on the target wherein a high impedance air gap may exist between at least one of the electrodes and the target;

b. applying a first high voltage, short duration output across the first and second electrodes during a first time interval to ionize the air within the air gap to thereby reduce the high impedance across the air gap to a lower impedance to enable current to flow across the air gap at a lower voltage level; and

c. subsequently applying a second lower voltage output across the first and second electrodes during a second time interval to maintain the current flow across the first and second electrodes and between the first and second contact points on the target to enable the current flow through the target to cause involuntary muscle contractions to thereby immobilize the target.