WO2006134596A2

WO2006134596A2 - Method of transferring a stunning dose of energy

Info

Publication number: WO2006134596A2
Application number: PCT/IL2006/000690
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chanoch Miller; Zvi Miller; Israel Barzilay; Reuven Wachs; Rafi Blumenthal
Original assignee: Turbex Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-06-17
Filing date: 2006-06-15
Publication date: 2006-12-21
Also published as: WO2006134596A3

Abstract

A method is provided for transferring stunning doses of electrical energy onto a subject through a mobile, two-phase, conductive medium, comprising aqueous electrolyte solution and conductive fibers, useful particularly in electrical stunning devices. The method enables safe neutralization of an unauthorized or violent person to a distance of up to 25 meters.

Description

METHOD OF TRANSFERRING A STUNNING DOSE OF ENERGY

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for transferring stunning doses of electrical energy onto a subject through a mobile, two-phase, conductive medium, comprising aqueous electrolyte solution and conductive fibers, useful particularly in electrical stunning devices.

Background of the Invention

Electrical stunning devices temporarily incapacitate a person, or an animal, by delivering a high-voltage shock in form of a non-injuring, low energy dose. The use of such devices limits injuries and mortality in dealing with assailants or intruders, on side of both unauthorized persons and authority forces. For example, the introduction of certain types of stunning devices has recently brought a decline in police killings in American cities.

Various types of electrical stunning devices have been described. The stunning electrical energy may be transferred directly from the device onto the target. A device according to US 5,282,332, disclosing a stun gun disguised as a collapse umbrella, directly contacts the object to be incapacitated.

The stunning electrical energy may be transferred from the energy source to the target through the air. US 4,691,264 describes a stun gun for stunning a grounded person by a static charge through the air, wherein the charge is created piezoelectrically. US 5,675,103 discloses a non-lethal weapon transmitting an electrical impulse through laser-ionized air, wherein the impulse, imitating physiological neuroelectric impulses, is transferred to the muscles of the person to be temporarily immobilized. A single current beam is emitted to a grounded target, or, alternatively, two current beams are employed.

The stunning energy may be transferred by a conductive fluid shot at the target. US 3,971,292 employs two streams of a conductive fluid maintained at different potentials, which streams, together with the voltage source and with the target, complete the electrical circuit. US 4,930,392 discloses an apparatus for stunning a subject, comprising a ballistic stream of conductive fluid. A fluid is described, comprising sodium chloride, surfactant, and polyethylene glycol. US 5,103,366 describes a conductive liquid for an electrical stun gun, comprising water, graphite, sodium chloride, preservative, and silver powder. US 5,225,623 discloses a defense device for ejecting streams of charged fluid at a target, describing fluids comprising metallic mercury, graphite, lithium bromide, aluminum chloride, sodium chloride, glycerin, gels, and polyelectrolytes. PCT/IL2005/000176 provides an electrical stunning device, and a non-corrosive and non-toxic liquid with high conductivity for electrical stunning devices.

The stunning electrical energy may be transferred onto the target through a solid conductor. US 6,636,412 discloses an electrical stun gun for incapacitating a human target, comprising spoolable wires and launchable darts.

In developing new stunning devices, two main aims are born in mind, an effective transmission of energy from the source to the body of the targeted subject, and safety for users, bystanders, and incapacitated subjects. The transmission via a solid or a liquid conductor, being shot at the target, has an obvious advantage over a direct contact or over the transmission via air, enabling sufficient distance between the user and the target, and also obviating the need of the air ionization. The stunning energy dose must overcome the space between the source and the target, and it must also overcome a non-conductive interface between the subject and the ambient space, such as clothes. A metal wire, connecting the energy source and the target, may serve well to transferring a dose from the source near to the target. However, overcoming said interface in case of real subjects may depend on the type of clothes, and need not be quite reproducible. The thickness of the clothing, especially in winter may make the transfer impossible, particularly when darts are shot to contact the skin. On the other hand, too deep penetration of the darts may cause injures to the subject. Furthermore, the dimensions and arrangement of the wire should preclude shooting a high mass of metal, premature breaking of the wire, and in case of two wires - their short-circuiting. The use of spoolable wires with darts substantially limits the maximal shooting distance. Another drawback of shootable darts is the one-shot mode necessitating reloading between two shootings, having possibly serious results when missing the target. In addition, changing the direction during shooting, or shooting at more subjects is not enabled. Alternatively to a metal wire, a stream of conductive liquid may serve to transferring the energy, the liquid enables good transmission of the energy dose through said interface, after wetting the clothes of the subject. However, larger volumes must be shot in case of liquids, in order to ensure continuity of the stream, and also in view of relatively high resistivity of liquids. In case of both solids and liquids any interruption in the conductive medium between the source and the target leads to failure in stunning the subject. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method for transferring a dose of stunning energy onto a subject that would overcome the shortcomings of existing methods.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for transferring a dose of electrical stunning energy onto a remote subject, whose distance is up to 5 meters or more.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for transferring a dose of electrical stunning energy onto a subject, wherein the energy is transferred partially through liquid and partially through solid conductive medium.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for transferring a dose of electrical stunning energy onto a subject, which method enables low transfer losses of energy.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for transferring a dose of electrical stunning energy onto a subject, wherein the conductive medium is non-injuring, non-corrosive, and non-toxic.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

Summary of the Invention

The invention provides a method of transferring a stunning dose of electrical energy onto a remote subject to be stunned (target), comprising i) providing a conductive liquid; ii) providing conductive fibers; iii) providing a sotirce of an electric potential across two electrodes, e.g. in the order of ten thousands of volts, such as higher than 30,000 volts; contacting said liquid with said fibers; iv) shooting at the target two jets of said liquid, wherein said fibers are in contact with said liquid and move with the liquid toward the target; and v) completing electrical circuit consisting of said source, said target and said two jets, comprising contacting said two electrodes with said two jets. Said stunning energy dose may be, e.g., from 0.1 to 10 joules. In a method according to the invention, said subject is an unauthorized person to be neutralized or immobilized, e.g., assailant, intruder to a property, or other violent unauthorized person. Said liquid is preferably water or an aqueous solution of an electrolyte, such as an inorganic salt. Said conductive fibers comprise carbon or a metal, being selected from metals or metal alloys, carbon fibers or conductive nanotubes, and composites comprising metals, such as polymer/metal composite. Said contacting in step iv) of the above method may start before said shooting of step v) begins, or when said shooting begins, or after said shooting begins. Said liquid and said fibers may come into contact, according to said step iv), before the streams of liquid are formed; for example short fibers may be dispersed in the conductive liquid in a container before ejecting the liquid. Said liquid and fibers may get into contact during the jet formation; e.g., by pulling a thin continuous wire from a coil into the stream being ejected out from a nozzle, when the shooting begins or after. Said shooting is carried out by an ejecting means capable of shooting two liquid jets at a distance of up to 5 meters and more, preferably up to 25 meters. The method of the invention is preferably used for transferring a stunning dose of electrical energy onto a subject at a distance of up to 25 meters. Said completing the circuit, leading to electrical current transferring said energy dose into the target, is effected by an electric circuitry that connects said source with said two liquid jets, and synchronizes said completing with said shooting. The two jets preferably start to have different electrical potentials only after touching the target, transferring the needed energy in pulses, being controlled by circuitry known for such tasks in the field of electronics. Said ejecting means may comprise two pressurized canisters filled with said conductive liquid, a mechanism capable to exert pressure on the liquid simultaneously in both canisters, and two nozzles through which said two liquid jets are pushed out to finally hit the target. Said conductive fibers used in the method of the invention may comprise a metal in form of two continuous wires, one in each liquid jet, reaching essentially from the sites of said two nozzles to said target. In some embodiments of the invention, said wires may be, although present essentially along the whole length of the streams, discontinued at one or more points. Said two continuous fibers are preferably equidistantly notched to enable fragmentation into smaller pieces on impinging the target. Said fragmentation prevents short-circuiting caused by contacting said two continuous fibers before said energy dose has been transferred onto the target. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said two wires are spun oii two spools, and at the beginning of said shooting the wires start to be dragged out into said two jets and move together with said two jet toward the target. In another embodiment of the invention, said fibers comprise a metal or carbon in form of short pieces dispersed essentially homogenously in the volume of said two liquid jets. Said fibers may comprise a metal or carbon in form of very thin filaments homogeneously dispersed in said conductive liquid during said shooting, wherein the filaments may be separated or may form a continuous web. In a preferred embodiment, a method according to the invention further comprises the step of unwinding two continuous thin wires and their entering to said two liquid jets, so that the wires are essentially stretched along the whole length of both jets during the whole period of transferring said energy dose onto the target.

Brief Description of the Drawing The above and other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent with reference to the appended drawing, wherein: Fig. 1. illustrates a cross-sectional view of a device utilizing the method of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

A new method has now been provided for transferring a stunning dose of electrical energy onto a remote subject to be stunned, employing two-phase moving medium comprising electrolyte solution and conductive fibers. The invention provides a way for transmitting electrical energy from a high voltage source onto a remote object through two streams of a conductive liquid, such as an aqueous electrolyte solution, wherein said liquid comprises fibers of solid conductor essentially along the whole length of the streams. Each stream is ejected from nozzles of a pressurized means, such as canisters pressurized with a gas or otherwise, and contains carbon or metal fibers which are introduced to the liquid either before or after creating the jets. In a preferred embodiment, each stream has a metal wire stretching from the nozzle of said ejecting means up to the target as a backbone of the electrolyte jet stream. The wire may be wound on a bobbin, or may be coiled into a ball, and it unwinds during the creation of the liquid jet and enters into the stream, and moves together with the liquid toward the intended target, preferably being sucked into the jet or dragged into it by any known unwinding means. The wire is preferably very thin, e.g. 25-250 μm, and is preferably provided with shallow cuts or indents, such recesses enabling an easy division of the wire in more pieces in case of need. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, two continuous fibers stretching along the two liquid streams are provided with equidistant notches, marking the sites at which the wire breaks when it reaches the target, resulting in fragmentation into small pieces and precluding the formation of wire tangle on the target, also preventing short-circuiting. If the wire breaks at several points prematurely, the liquid stream in which the pieces are dipped bridges the interruptions, and the electrical current continues nearly unchanged. Even if the liquid stream gets inadvertently discontinued, the metal backbone of the jet bridges the missing sites and the electrical current continues anyway, demonstrating the robustness of the method according to the invention, which is one of its advantages. Said "backbone" wire may be interrupted at one or more points along one or both liquid streams, either inadvertently or intentionally, without transfer losses due to bridging effect of the conductive liquid.

Thus, in one aspect, the invention relates to transferring a stunning dose of energy via two streams of a mobile, two-phase, conductive medium, comprising aqueous electrolyte solution and conductive fibers. A stream of a conductive liquid with a conductive fiber may be created, e.g., as is schematically shown in Figure 1. Nozzle (1) is attached, via adaptor (2), to an existing stunning device or a shocker, (3), e.g. a device described in PCT/IL2005/000176, and conductive liquid is ejected from the barrel, (4), through said nozzle in the direction of the arrow. Metal fiber (5) is coiled in a fLber ball placed in fiber container (6), and stretches through a thin short tube, (7), which is inserted into said barrel. During shooting, when the liquid moves through the barrel, said fiber is drawn by the moving liquid from the inner part of the fiber ball and moves through said nozzle out with liquid jet (8). Cutter 9 cuts fiber at the exit of the barrel in the end of shooting. The fiber may have a diameter of, e.g., from 20 to 70 μm, and the jet a diameter of, e.g., from 1 to 3 mm. In a device for transferring an energy dose according to the invention, two nozzles for liquid ejection, such as illustrated in Figure 1, are mounted on two barrels or exits or nozzles of an existing device, e.g. such as described in PCT/IL2005/000176, and are connected to two poles of a high voltage source.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the metal fibers are substantially shorter than the length of the jet, and are dispersed in the whole volume of the liquid between the ejecting means and the target. Said fibers may have a diameter, e.g., from 25 to 250 μm in case of metal fibers, and a length, e.g., from 0.1 to 10 mm. The moving stream may thus be a suspension of metal fibers in water salt solution, wherein the fiber concentration may be, e.g., from 50 mg/1 to 100 g/1, preferably from 100 mg/1 to 70 g/1. In still another embodiment, said thin metal fibers may be connected to form a network, which may be continuous either along the whole length of the streams or in smaller domains.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, two streams of conductive liquid contain fibers comprising carbon. Such fibers may comprise carbon fibers or conductive nanotubes. Alternatively, such fibers may comprise a conductive polymer or a conductive metal composite.

The method of the invention is advantageously employed in stunning devices.

A conductive liquid forms two streams between the energy source and the target, preferably as two ballistic jets, and metal fibers increase the conductivity of the medium transferring a required stunning dose of, e.g., 0.1 to 10 joule. Furthermore, the combination of the two phases prevents the transfer failure in case that one of the streams is discontinued. The fibers ensure the space continuity of the electrical current between the source and the target, as well as the time continuity during the time interval necessary for transferring said dose. Whether the fibers form one piece like a backbone in each jet, or whether the fibers are small rods, they connect all electrolyte domains, possibly separated by discontinuities, into one conductive block, playing the role a percolating agent. On the other hand, a discontinuity in the metal phase is bridged over by the conductive liquid, which is formulated for this purpose. Therefore, wherever the "wires essentially stretched along the whole stream length" are mentioned in the specification, the real continuity of the fiber is meant, as well as one or more discontinuities in the fiber.

In a preferred embodiment, the method of the invention relates to transferring a stunning dose of electrical energy through a two-phase medium, in which one phase is a conductive liquid, such as a solution of one or more inorganic salts in water, and another phase is a conductive solid comprising metal or carbon. In another embodiment of the invention, said liquid phase may comprise other components, beside the electrolytic salts, adjusting rheological, or other, properties of the liquid. Since one of the factors that drag the wire into the jet is the friction between the wire and the liquid, the width and material of the wire, as well as the liquid stream, should be adjusted according to the friction coefficient. The liquid is preferably non-corrosive and non-toxic, and preferably has a conductivity higher than 200 mS/cm at 25°C.

Attaching different potentials on the two streams of conductive liquid during shooting the liquid at the target is performed by electronic circuitry, that also detects continuity of the electrical circuit consisting of said source, said target and said two jets, and that creates current pulses so as to stun the subject but not to injure him/her; such circuitry - using known electronic elements - is not a part of this invention.

A device utilizing the new method, intended for a remote stunning with a relatively long effective range, may have two replaceable canisters containing said aqueous solution. The stun device utilizing the method of the invention may further comprise two nozzles, and a triggering mechanism for starting the shooting, e.g., according to WO 2005/076734. In addition, the device comprises two spools of thin metal fibers, made of, e.g., iron, copper, or aluminum, and a pulling means sucking or dragging the wire into the streams leaving the nozzles.

The pressure on the conductive liquid may be exerted by pressurized gas, e.g. compressed in a gas reservoir with a branched conduit dividing the pressure among the two canisters, or by spring mechanism.

The method of transferring a stunning dose of electrical energy according to the invention enables constructing novel stun devices, when utilized together with several known elements including an electric circuit for producing a desired high-voltage shock, electronic means for triggering the shot and portioning the required dose, as well as means for synchronizing the ejection of the liquid and the attachment of high voltage onto it. As two jets of the electrolyte liquid are ejected, they are energized with a high-voltage potential difference (which may be as high as a few hundred thousand volts), preferably only after reaching the target, and the electric shock is delivered to objects within the range of the jets, preferably from 5 to 25 meters, while electronically checking the size of energy transferred, and regulating the pulses so as to deliver a sufficient but not dangerous dose. The activity of the regulating circuitry comprises necessary calculations involving the on-line measured parameters, such as the voltage, electrical current, resistivity of the system, the time of pulse, etc. Some subjects are more resilient and need higher energy doses to be stunned. In such cases, or in case of less efficient transfer, repeated shooting is employed, with changed parameters. For example, when a dose of 0.2 joule, in a certain situation cannot stop an assailant, a new shooting is employed with a dose of 0.4 joule, etc.

When handling mass unrests, such as in soccer fan crowds, or when neutralizing a merely potentially dangerous person, the authority forces may be psychologically inhibited, or legally prevented, to use darts that can injure the skin, or liquids that can damage clothes of the subjects to be neutralized. Therefore, in certain situations, the liquids preferably do not contain components that visibly contaminate the clothes. The invention provides a method for transferring stunning doses of energies, usable for stun devices, employing materials that are essentially non-corrosive and essentially harmless in contact with the clothes and skin, and that are easily removable.

The method of the invention is useful for designing novel stunning devices, and obviates the drawbacks associated, for example, with shooting darts that must get attached to the target, and that are difficult to reload. The method of the invention enables to design stunning devices that can shoot repeatedly, enabling changing the shooting direction continually, when, for example, missing the target, as well as shooting at more subjects within a short interval. The invention further uses harmless liquids and fibers, doing without potentially injuring, toxic, corrosive, or contaminating components.

While this invention has been described in terms of some specific examples, many modifications and variations are possible. It is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be realized otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a stunning dose of electrical energy onto a remote subject to be stunned (target), comprising i) providing a conductive liquid; ii) providing conductive fibers; iii) providing a source of an electric potential across two electrodes; iv) contacting said liquid with said fibers; v) shooting at the target two jets of said liquid, wherein said fibers are in contact with said liquid and move with the liquid toward the target; and vi) completing electrical circuit consisting of said source, said target and said two jets, comprising contacting said two electrodes with said two jets.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said stunning energy dose is from 0.1 to 10 joules.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said subject is selected from assailant, intruder to a property, and violent unauthorized person.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said liquid is an aqueous solution of an inorganic salt or water.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said fibers comprise carbon or a metal.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said potential is higher than 30,000 volts.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said contacting of step iv) starts before, during, or after said shooting of step v) begins.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said shooting is carried out by an ejecting means capable of shooting two liquid jets at a distance of up to 5 meters and more.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said distance is up to 25 meters.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said distant subject is at a distance of up to 25 meters.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said completing is carried out by using an electric circuitry that connects said electrodes with said two liquid jets, and synchronizes said completing with said shooting.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein said ejecting means comprises two pressurized canisters filled with said conductive liquid, a mechanism capable to exert pressure on the liquid simultaneously in both canisters, and two nozzles through which said two liquid jets are pushed out to finally hit the target.

13. A method according to claim 5, wherein said fibers comprise carbon nanotubes.

14. A method according to claim 5, wherein said fibers comprise a conductive polymer or metal composite.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein said fibers comprise a metal in form of two continuous wires reaching essentially from the sites of said two nozzles to said target.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein said fibers comprise a metal in form of two wires reaching essentially from the sites of said two nozzles to said target, which wires comprise one or more discontinuities.

17. A method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein said two continuous fibers are equidistantly notched to enable fragmentation into smaller pieces on impinging the target.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said fragmentation prevents short-circuiting caused by contacting said two continuous fibers before said energy dose has been transferred onto the target.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein said two wires are spun on two spools, and at the beginning of said shooting the wires start to be dragged out into said two jets and move together with said two jets toward the target.

20. A method according to claim 12, wherein said fibers comprise a metal or carbon in form of short pieces dispersed essentially homogenously in the volume of said two liquid jets.

21. A method according to claim 12, wherein said fibers comprise a metal or carbon in form of very thin filaments homogeneously dispersed in said conductive liquid during said shooting, wherein the filaments may be separated or may form a continuous web.

22. A method according to claim 1, further comprising unwinding two continuous thin wires and their entering to said two liquid jets, so that the wires are essentially stretched along the whole length of both jets during the whole period of transferring said energy dose onto the target.