US20090237857A1

US20090237857A1 - Hydraulic stun gun

Info

Publication number: US20090237857A1
Application number: US12/077,849
Authority: US
Inventors: Chin Fa Kao
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-03-20
Filing date: 2008-03-20
Publication date: 2009-09-24

Abstract

A hydraulic stun gun includes a housing holding two water tanks, two metal nozzles respectively connected to the water tanks through a respective water tube, two lead wires electrically connecting a battery set and a high voltage converter to the metal nozzles through a micro switch, a piston set for providing a compressed air pressure to the water tanks to force water out of the water tanks into the water tubes, two needle valves respectively mounted in the water tubes, a button operable to move open the needle valves and to switch on the micro switch for letting two jets of water be driven out of the metal nozzles and a high voltage low current be driven into the target through the two jets of water when the two jets of water touched the target.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical discharge weapons and more particularly, to a hydraulic self-defense stun gun for disabling a target at a distance by discharging high voltage, low current into the target through two jets of water.
2. Description of the Related Art
A regular self-defense stun gun user must have the positive and negative electrodes of the stun touch the target so that electrical high voltage can be discharged into the target to disable the target. However, it is dangerous to approach to the target within a short distance. Therefore, hydraulic stun gun for disabling a person at a distance is developed. FIG. 1 illustrates a hydraulic stun gun according to the prior art (Taiwan Patent Publication Number 493735). According to this design, as shown in FIG. 1, the hydraulic stun gun comprises a housing 100 having installed therein two water tanks 10 (see FIG. 2), two metal nozzles 20, two lead wires 30, a micro switch 40 and a piston set 50. The two water tanks 10 are arranged in parallel, and respectively connected to the metal nozzles 20 by a respective water tube 101. The two lead wires 30 each have one end respectively connected to the metal nozzles 20 and the other end respectively connected to the micro switch 40. Further, a button 60 is provided at one side of the micro switch 40. The piston set 50 is operable to provide an air pressure to the water tanks 10. When operating the button 60 to switch on the micro switch 40 after a certain number of reciprocating cycles of the piston set 50, two jets of water are driven out of the metal nozzles 20 to the target, and at the same time a high voltage is discharged to the target through the two jets of water, disabling the target. Therefore, this design of hydraulic stun gun is capable of disabling a target at a distance.
However, the aforesaid hydraulic stun gun is still not satisfactory in function. When the button 60 is not operated, a compression spring 602 supports the button 60 in the off position where the top stop rods 601 of the button 60 are stopped at the water tubes 101 against a respective stop member 1001 inside the housing 100 to flatten the water tubes 101, blocking the water passage of the water tubes 101. The compression spring 602 may start to wear quickly with use. When the spring force of the compression spring 602 drops below a certain level, the pressure provided by the top stop rods 601 of the button 60 against the water tubes 101 and the respective stop members 1001 becomes insufficient. In this case, water will leak out of the water tanks 10. Therefore, an improvement is necessary to eliminate this water leakage problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic stun gun, which uses needle valves to control the output of jets of water positively, preventing a water leakage.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the hydraulic stun gun comprises a housing, two water tanks mounted in the housing, two metal nozzles provided at a front side of the housing, two water tubes respectively connected between the water tanks and the metal nozzles, a first battery set, a voltage converter adapted for converting DC battery power of the first battery set into a high voltage, two lead wires electrically connecting positive and negative terminals of the first battery set and the voltage converter to the metal nozzles, a micro switch electrically connected between the two lead wires and the first battery set, a high pressure air source mounted in the housing and adapted for providing a compressed air pressure into the water tanks to force water out of the water tanks into the water tubes, a button operable to switch on/off the micro switch and the high pressure air source, wherein two needle valves are respectively mounted in the water tubes and operable to close/open the water tubes, each needle valve comprising a valve hole and a valve needle movable with the button to close/open the valve hole. When the user depresses the button to close the circuit of the lead wires, battery set, voltage converter circuit and metal nozzles, and at the same time the valve needles of the needle valves are respectively opened from the associating valve holes.
Further, the button comprises a slide fixedly connected thereto. The slide has two rod members respectively coupled to the valve needles of the needle valve for enabling the valve needles of the needle valves to be moved with the button to close/open the respective valve holes.
Further, the high pressure air source can be a piston set. The piston set has one end connected to the two water tanks through an air tube. The air tube has mounted therein a check valve to prevent reverse flow of air. Further, a compression spring is connected between the check valve and the slide of the button.
Further, the high pressure air source can be a high-pressure air container controllable to provide a compressed air pressure to the water tanks to force water out of the water tanks into the water tubes.
Further, the high pressure air source can be a power air pump mounted in the housing. In this case, a second battery set is mounted in the housing and electrically connected to the power air pump for causing the power air pump to pump compressed air into the water tanks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional plain view of a hydraulic stun gun according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a top view in an enlarged scale of a part of FIG. 1, showing the arrangement of the water tanks and the metal nozzles.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plain view of a hydraulic stun gun in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, but showing the voltage converter circuit provided with a voltage regulator.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing showing an electrical discharge operation of the hydraulic stun gun according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plain view showing the structure of a needle valve used in the hydraulic stun gun in accordance with the present invention (the valve needle closed the valve hole).

FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 6 but showing the valve needle opened from the valve hole).

FIG. 8 is a schematic plain view of an alternate form of the hydraulic stun gun in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic plain view showing the operation of the piston set of the hydraulic stun gun in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic plain view of another alternate form of the hydraulic stun gun in accordance with the present invention (a power air pump used to substitute for the piston set).

FIG. 11 corresponds to FIG. 10, showing another power circuit arrangement of the power air pump.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 3, a hydraulic stun gun in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising an electrically insulative pistol-like housing a, two water tanks 1, two metal nozzles 2, two lead wires 3, a micro switch 4 and a piston set 5. The electrically insulative pistol-like housing a is formed of two symmetrical hollow halve shells, having a grip a1 and a button a2 slidably coupled to the grip a1 for trigging control.
The two water tanks 1 are mounted in the housing a and arranged in parallel.
The metal nozzles 2 are mounted in the front side of the housing a and respectively connected to the water tanks 1 through a respective water tube 21.
The two lead wires 3 are the positive pole lead wire and the negative pole lead wire connected in series with a battery set 31 and a voltage converter circuit 32, each having one end, each respectively connected to the metal nozzles 2. Further, a voltage regulator 33 may be provided for regulating the output voltage of the voltage converter circuit 32 (see FIG. 4).
The micro switch 4 is mounted in the housing a at one side of the button a2 and electrically connected to the circuit of the lead wires 3, battery set 31, voltage converter circuit 32 and metal nozzles 2, and controllable by the button a2 to open/close the circuit. When the button a2 is depressed to close the circuit of the lead wires 3, battery set 31, voltage converter circuit 32 and metal nozzles 2, high voltage and low current jets of water are driven out of the housing 2 into the target (see FIG. 5).
The piston set 5 is mounted in the housing a. The reciprocating motion of the piston set 5 provides a compressed air pressure to the water tanks 1, forcing water out of the water tanks 1 into the water tubes 21.
Further, a needle valve 6 is respectively mounted in each water tube 21 between the respective water tank 1 and the respective metal nozzle 2 (see FIG. 3), and movable with the button a2. The needle valve 6 comprises a valve hole 62, and a valve needle 61 movable with the button a2 to close/open the valve hole 62. When the button a2 is depressed to close the circuit of the lead wires 3, battery set 31, voltage converter circuit 32 and metal nozzles 2, the valve needle 61 is moved backward to open the valve hole 62 (see FIG. 7), allowing compressed water to pass through the associating water tube 21 out of the associating metal nozzle 2. On the contrary, when the button a2 is returned to its former position, the valve needle 61 is returned to close the valve hole 62 (see FIG. 6).
Further, the button a2 is fixedly mounted with a slide a3. The slide a3 has two rod members a4 respectively coupled to the valve needles 61 of the needle valves 6 in the water tubes 21. Therefore, when the button a2 is depressed, the slide a3 is moved with the button a2, and the valve needles 61 of the needle valves 6 are respectively moved by the rod members a4 to open the associating valve holes 62 (see FIG. 7).
Further, the piston set 5 has one end connected to the water tanks 1 through an air tube 51. A check valve 7 is mounted in between the piston set 5 and the air tube 51 to prevent reverse flow of air. Further, a compression spring 8 is connected between the check valve 7 and the slide a3. When the button a2 is released from the operator's hand, the compression spring 8 automatically returns the slide a3, and therefore the button a2 is returned and the valve needles 61 of the needle valves 6 are returned by the rod members a4 to close the associating valve holes 62.
Referring to FIG. 8, a high-pressure air can 9 may be used to substitute for the piston set 5 shown in FIG. 3, and operable by an operating button 91 to discharge a compressed air to the water tanks 1.
When in use, operate the piston set 5 to provide a compressed air pressure into the water tanks 1 through the air tube 51 (see FIG. 9), forcing air out of the water tanks 1 into the respective water tubes 21. At this time, the valve needles 61 of the needle valves 6 respectively close the associating valve holes 62 (see FIG. 6). Thereafter depress the button a2 to open the valve needles 61 from the associating valve holes 62 (see FIG. 7), allowing water to be driven out of the water tubes 21 through the metal nozzles 2. When depressing the button a2, the micro switch 4 is switched on, causing a high voltage and low current electrical discharge to be carried with the jets of water and driven into the target when the two jets of water touched the target.
Further, if a high-pressure air can 9 is used to substitute for the aforesaid piston set 5, and the user can operable the operating button 91 to discharge a compressed air into the water tanks 1, forcing air out of the water tanks 1 into the respective water tubes 21.
Further, as stated above, a voltage regulator 33 (rotary knob) may be provided for regulating the output voltage of the voltage converter circuit 32 (see FIG. 4) subject to the target encountered. For example, when encountering a robber carrying a weapon, the output voltage can be adjusted to the highest level; otherwise the output voltage can be adjusted to a relatively lower level, avoiding a fatal electric shock.
Referring to FIG. 10, a power air pump 5′ may be used to substitute the aforesaid piston set 5, and a second battery set 52 may be installed to provide the necessary working voltage to the power air pump 5′. Alternatively, the power air pump 5′ may be electrically connected to the circuit of the lead wires 3, micro switch 4, battery set 31, voltage converter circuit 32 and metal nozzles 2 (see FIG. 11). When the power air pump 5′ is started, a compressed air pressure is provided to the water tanks 1 to force water out of the water tanks 1 into the water tubes 21. In case second battery set 52 is used, the second battery set 52 must be switched on to start the power air pump 5′ before depressing the button a2. If the power air pump 5′ is electrically connected to the battery set 31, the power air pump 5′ is started when the user depresses the button a2 to switch on the micro switch, i.e., when the button a2 is depressed, high voltage and low current jets of water are driven out of the housing 2 into the target.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A hydraulic stun gun, comprising a housing, two water tanks mounted in said housing, two metal nozzles provided at a front side of said housing, two water tubes respectively connected between said water tanks and said metal nozzles, a first battery set, a voltage converter adapted for converting DC battery power of said first battery set into a high voltage, two lead wires electrically connecting positive and negative terminals of said first battery set and said voltage converter to said metal nozzles, a micro switch electrically connected between said two lead wires and said first battery set, a high pressure air source mounted in said housing and adapted for providing a compressed air pressure into said water tanks to force water out of said water tanks into said water tubes, a button operable to switch on/off said micro switch and said high pressure air source,

Wherein: two needle valves are respectively mounted in said water tubes and operable to close/open said water tubes, each said needle valve comprising a valve hole and a valve needle movable with said button to close/open said valve hole.

2. The hydraulic stun gun as claimed in claim 1, wherein said button comprises a slide fixedly connected thereto, said slide having two rod members respectively coupled to the valve needles of said needle valve for enabling the valve needles of said needle valves to be moved with said button to close/open the respective valve holes.

3. The hydraulic stun gun as claimed in claim 2, wherein said high pressure air source is a piston set, said piston set having one end connected to said two water tanks through an air tube, said air tube having mounted therein a check valve to prevent reverse flow of air.

4. The hydraulic stun gun as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a compression spring connected between said check valve and said slide of said button.

5. The hydraulic stun gun as claimed in claim 4, wherein said high pressure air source is a high-pressure air container controllable to provide a compressed air pressure to said water tanks to force water out of said water tanks into said water tubes.

6. The hydraulic stun gun as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a voltage regulator for regulating the output high voltage of said voltage converter.

7. The hydraulic stun gun as claimed in claim 4, wherein said high pressure air source comprises a power air pump mounted in said housing and a second battery set mounted in said housing and electrically connected to said power air pump for causing said power air pump to pump compressed air into said water tanks.

8. The hydraulic stun gun as claimed in claim 4, wherein said high pressure air source comprises a power air pump mounted in said housing and electrically connected to said first battery set through said micro switch and controllable by said button to pump compressed air into said water tanks.