US20090038497A1

US20090038497A1 - Training stun grenade

Info

Publication number: US20090038497A1
Application number: US11/891,268
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew George Van Der Plaats; Bernard Deak
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-08-10
Filing date: 2007-08-10
Publication date: 2009-02-12

Abstract

A training stun gun consisting of a main valve body and a base cylinder which are screwed together and have a cavity therein. A CO2 cartridge is located in the cavity. The lower end of the main valve body has a piercing element therein that faces the top of the CO2 cartridge . When the two bodies are screwed together to a certain extent, the piercing element will pierce the top of the CO2 cartridge and release high pressure fluid. A valve assembly controls the release of the high pressure fluid to a burst diaphragm cap on top of the main valve body. The cap will burst and release the high pressure with an explosion-like noise. No pyro-technique is involved.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to the area of stun grenades that are used by SWAT teams in stand-off situations or teams trying to rescue captive persons or any situation were a sudden surprise is necessary to immediately divert captors attention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The above mentioned stun grenade involves the use of a pyro-technical charge that not only creates a loud noise but also creates a flash of fire that stuns the sought after perpetrators but allows the charging force to immediately enter the area involved to be able to immediately take appropriate action such as subduing the persons involved to be able to rescue potential hostages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As the title of the invention suggests the inventive grenade is to be used in training potential handlers of the real stun grenade to be able to function as a team. As mentioned above, the real stun grenade uses a pyro charge that is disadvantageous in charge would cause damages to floors and carpets wherever used and might injure the personnel using the grenade. The invention at hand eliminates the pyro effects but creates a very loud noise similar to a real stun grenade. This training grenade is much safer to use but trains the personnel in a real life situation. The training grenade can be used in potentially explosive environments. The crux of the invention is the use of a CO2 cartridge that will charge the grenade and a valve mechanism will discharge the CO2 charge when a trigger is pulled. When the stun grenade is thrown into hostile situation, the grenade acts like it is exploding, after a short delay of about four seconds, to achieve the training results. The grenade stays intact and no parts will be lost that have to be retrieved later. There is a first diaphragm that will rupture and will cause a comparable noise within DOD allowable limits of about 120 db so that the training team does not have to worry about having to wear era plugs which adds to the reality of the ongoing action. The purpose is to temporarily stun or distract people. The training grenade mirrors the typical appearance or the size of a regular stun grenade In use nobody gets stung by it. The purpose is to serve as a cue and to stun and distract people.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explosive view of the training grenade;

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the assembled training grenade.

FIG. 1 is an explosive view of the various parts and elements of the training grenade. The grenade has a lower base cylinder 1 which is closed off by way of rubber bumper 2. Then there is an upper main valve body 3. On top of the main valve body 3 there is a burst diaphragm cap 4. The lower part of the main valve body has an O-ring to seal against the base cylinder 1. There is another O-ring which seals the burst diaphragm cap 4 against the valve body 3. The burst diaphragm cap 4 shows a projecting bulge 7 on its undersideside and another one which is diametrically opposed on the other side (not shown). The main valve body 3 has two opposing recesses 7a at the top thereof to receive the two diametrically opposed bulges 7 therein. Once the burst diaphragm cap 4 is inserted into the upper end of the valve body and the bulges 7 and the recesses 7 a are matched, the burst diaphragm cap is rotated about 90 degrees, the bulges 7 will lock under the top of the burst diaphragm cap 7 and against the lock pin 9 which is inserted in the opening 9 a. There is a flow adjusting screw 8 which is inserted in the bottom of the burst diaphragm cap 4 which can be seen better in FIG. 2. The main valve body 3 contains the valve assembly 10 therein which consists of the valve body 10 a. The valve body 10 a has at end thereof a valve spring 11 inserted therein which extends to the other wall of the valve body 4. The valve body 10 a is shown in FIG. 2 as completely fitting in its bore. However, it has some clearance or tolerance in the bore for purposes to be explained below. The innermost end of the valve body 10 a has a recess 12 a therein to receive the O-ring 12 therein. The middle recess 13 a is somewhat wider (FIG. 2) to receive an O-ring 13 therein and at the same time a plastic ring 14. Both rings occupy the same space in the depression 13 a. The reason for this will be explained below under the heading of operation. Finally, there is another O-ring 15 at the forward end of the valve body 10 a which fits into the recess 15 a of the valve body 10 a. The valve body 10 a is operated by a spoon 16 which has an upper recess 16 a therein which extends into a hook 17. The hook 17 with its recess 16 a is engaged by the boss 16 b on top of the main valve body 3 and the hook is received in the depression 18 and will be movably locked therein when the burst diaphragm 4 is fastened on top of the main valve body The spoon 16 is movably fastened the valve body 10 a by way of a screw 19 which passes through the hole 19 c into the valve body. 10 a. The operation of this assembly will be described below.
FIG. 2 shows how the valve spring 11 extends all the way into a recess 3 a in the wall opposite the valve assembly 10. At this point in the recess there is an orifice that bleeds the pressure away in case of a failure of the grenade. This again will be explained below. On the inside bottom of the main valve body 3 there is a piercing disc 21 having a piercing point 22 on the underside thereof. The piercing disc 21 is held in place by a spring clip 23 which fits into a recess in the wall of the bore. Again, the use of the piercing disc will be explained below. The main valve body 3 has at its bottom male threads 24 thereon which be screwed into the female threads 25 on the interior wall of the base cylinder 1. The main valve body 3 and the base cylinder 1 have a longitudinal cavity therein inbetween their threads. The cavity will receive a CO2 cartridge therein for reasons to be explained below.
The spoon 16 will be held in a deactivated position by a retainer clip 27 which embraces the main valve body 3 and overlaps the spoon 16 by way of an overlap extension 27 a. The retaining clip 27 fits itself into retaining groove in the main valve body 3. To help to extricate the clip 27 from the main valve 3 and to free the spoon 16, there is a pull ring 27 b midway on the retaining clip 27.

Operation

When the training stun grenade is to be used at its appropriate time, it must charged first if not already charged. The grenade is charged when the two elements, the main body valve 3 and the base cylinder are screwed together by way of their threads 24 and 25 into full contact with the piercing disc. When this happens, the piercing disc 21 with its piercing point 22 approaches the top of the CO2 cartridge and eventually will pierce the same to thereby release the pressurized fluid within the cartridge. Nothing more will happen at this time. When the stun grenade is to be used in action, the retention clip 27 will be pulled from the main body valve and the spoon 16 will be released from its captive position. At this time the valve body 10 a will move to the left (FIG. 2) toward the outside. The valve body 10 a will follow this movement until the groove 13 a with the O-ring 14 and the plastic ring 13 therein line up with the underside of the underside of the flow adjusting screw 8, whereby the fluid pressure escapes upwardly into the burst diaphragm cap 4. It was mentioned above that the valve body 10 a has some dimensional tolerances built into the same so that the fluid pressure can also escape around the valve body into the chamber within the Burst diaphragm cap 4. The burst diaphragm 4 on the under side of its cap where it seats on top of the main valve body has a reduction of thickness of about 85% of its circumference. Therefore, when the high pressure of the fluid coming from the CO2 cartridge reaches the burst diaphragm cap 4 and it will burst the wall thickness and will suddenly be released with an explosion-like sound to achieve the desired result.
The reason why there is a plastic ring 13 located next to an O-ring 14 in the same groove 13 a is that any overpressure will not blow out the O-ring but keep it in place.
In case of failure of the stun gun, when it failed to burst the burst diaphragm, Tte air pressure emanating from the CO2 cartridge will be blown out of the main valve body valve by way the orifice 20 in the wall of the main valve body. Normally the O-ring 12 would prevent such an escape of pressure.

Claims

1. A training stun grenade consisting of a base cylinder and a main valve body screwed together to form a structure, a cavity is located within said structure, a CO2 cartridge is located within said cavity, a valve assembly is located within said main valve body having means to be activated from an outside of said main valve body, a burst diaphragm cap

is located on top of said main valve body, means for piercing said CO2 cartridge to release its high pressure fluid therein, said valve, when activated, will let the high pressure fluid escape into the cap of said burst diaphragm to result in a bursting of the diaphragm with an explosive-like noise to achieve the object of the training stun grenade.

2. The training stun gun of claim 1, wherein said valve body has O-rings thereon to prevent high pressure fluid from escaping toward the outside of said stun gun.

3. The training stub of claim 1, wherein said means for activating said valve body is an elongated spoon movably mounted at a top of said main valve body, means for movably connecting said spoon to said main valve body to move said valve body relative to said main valve body including means for preventing said movement.

4. The training stun gun of claim 3, wherein said means for preventing said movement is a retaining clip surrounding said main valve body and overlapping said spoon

5. The training stun gun of claim 1, wherein said means for piercing consists of a piercing disc having a piercing point on its underside, said piercing disc is located on an underside of said main valve body and in the vicinity of a top of said CO2 cartridge, when said main valve and said base are screwed to a certain extent, the piercing point of said piercing disc will pierce said top of said CO2 cartridge.

6. The training stun gun of claim 1 , wherein an underside of said burst diaphragm cap has a thickness reduction on about 85% of its circumference as an aid to enhance a bursting of said cap.

7. The training stun gun of claim 1 having means thereon for bleeding off the high pressure fluid in case of failure of the stun gun.

8. The training stun gun of claim 7, wherein said means for bleeding off is an orifice in the wall of the valve body and is in line with said valve body.