Personal security device

A portable personal security device of compact size capable of being carried in a pocket or purse or the like, has a pistol-like configuration with a handgrip portion and a barrel portion. The device includes a noxious chemical which may be discharged to fend off an attack by an assailant, and an audible alarm which may be sounded to attract attention and/or to discourage an attacker. Further, a light is provided on the device so that it can be used as a flashlight. A plurality of finger-receiving openings are formed in the handgrip portion to effect a secure grip on the device and make it difficult to dislodge from the hand of the user. These openings also assist in quickly and properly orienting the device. An actuator for energizing the light, the chemical discharge and the audible alarm includes structure which enables sequential activation of these devices. A timer in the audible alarm circuit maintains the audible alarm activated for a predetermined time after the actuator is released, and a shock sensor is operative to activate the audible alarm in the event of an impact against the device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to personal security, and particularly to 
a portable personal protection device that may be carried for use to sound 
an alarm and/or to dispense a noxious chemical in the event of an attack 
or threatened attack by an assailant. 
DETAILED OF THE PRIOR ART 
Personal defense devices have been known for many years, and range from 
simple noise makers to stun guns and devices for spraying mace or other 
noxious chemicals to disable or discourage an attacker. Audible alarms 
alone can be effective to discourage or scare off an attacker, but will 
not stop an attack from a determined assailant, especially someone high on 
drugs or suffering from other emotional disturbance. A stun gun or 
dispenser of a noxious chemical may be effective in stopping even a 
determined assailant, but conventional devices of this type can also 
present a danger to the user or to children. For example, a stun gun can 
be dangerous to use in wet conditions. In addition, all such devices known 
to applicant can be knocked relatively easily from the hand of the person 
using them, thereby rendering the device useless. 
Moreover, most conventional personal defense devices provide only one form 
of protection, i.e., they either make noise, dispense a noxious chemical, 
or produce a disabling charge of electricity. These devices may therefore 
either attract attention, or temporarily disable the attacker, but 
generally will not perform both functions. Moreover, at night time it may 
be necessary for a person to carry a light, thereby making it difficult to 
quickly access and operate a personal defense device. Since most attacks 
on individuals are carried out with little warning, it may not be possible 
for the victim to use a personal defense device under such conditions. 
Some attempts have been made in the prior art to develop personal defense 
devices which possess more than one form of protection, i.e., they will 
emit an audible alarm and also discharge a noxious chemical or provide a 
disabling charge of electricity. Other prior art devices also provide a 
light for use as a flashlight during hours of darkness. However, these 
devices do not provide any means to make them difficult to dislodge from 
the hand of the user, nor do they have any means to minimize the chance 
that a child will accidentally discharge a noxious chemical or a disabling 
charge of electricity from the device if they should gain access to it. 
Further, conventional devices may be relatively large and cumbersome to 
carry and use, or not have any means to facilitate aiming. 
There is thus need for a personal defense device that is simple and 
effective to use, which does not present a danger to children who might 
gain access to the device, and further, which is not easily dislodged from 
the hand of the user and which may be quickly and easily aimed. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it an object of the present invention to provide a portable 
personal security device that is compact and reliable in design, and which 
has features rendering it safe around small children. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a personal defense device 
that has features making it difficult to dislodge from the hand of the 
user, and which is also easy to aim. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a personal defense device 
which has multiple functions, enabling it to be used to emit an audible 
alarm as well as a device to discharge a noxious chemical. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a personal defense device 
having multiple functions, whereby it may be used as a flashlight as well 
as a personal defense device capable of emitting an audible alarm and/or 
noxious chemical to ward off an attack, thereby eliminating any delay in 
using the device when the need may arise at night. 
In achieving the foregoing as well as other objects and advantages, the 
device of the invention is shaped with a pistol-like grip having openings 
for receiving the fingers of the user. An actuating trigger is positioned 
in one of the openings for selectively actuating an audible alarm and/or 
discharging a noxious chemical such as mace or pepper gas or the like. The 
openings provide a secure grip which makes it difficult to dislodge the 
device from the hand of the user. Further, the structure and arrangement 
of the grip automatically orients the device for proper aiming of it, and 
enables the user to grasp the device in his or her pocket, pocketbook, or 
the like, and quickly ascertain by tactile sensation the proper 
orientation of the device for use. 
A light and actuating switch are provided on the device so that it may be 
used as a flashlight during darkness. The light is positioned to shine in 
the same direction as any chemical that may be discharged, and may 
therefore function as an aiming device. Moreover, when the device is being 
used as a flashlight it is instantly available for use as a personal 
security device in the event of a surprise attack. 
The actuating trigger for energizing the audible alarm and for discharging 
a noxious chemical is constructed such that when it is operated the 
audible alarm is first energized, and only after overcoming a 
predetermined resistance is the noxious chemical discharged. This feature 
ensures that if a child gains access to the device and attempts to use it, 
the audible alarm will first sound, startling the child and in all 
likelihood causing him or her to drop the device before discharge of the 
chemical is accomplished. In addition, the resistance which must be 
overcome before the chemical can be discharged will make it unlikely that 
a child will cause discharge of the chemical.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to the drawings in more detail, a personal security device in 
accordance with the invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIGS. 1-6. 
The device comprises a hollow housing 11 having a pistol-like shape, with 
a handgrip 12 and a barrel 13. The rear of the handgrip is deeply recessed 
at 14 for receiving the web between the thumb and forefinger of the hand 
of the user, with the forefinger, middle finger and ring finger adapted to 
extend through ring-like openings 15, 16 and 17 extending vertically along 
the front of the handgrip. 
A reciprocable trigger actuator 20 is located in the first opening or ring 
15 and is operated by squeezing with the forefinger to actuate an audible 
alarm when the trigger is depressed to a first position, in a manner more 
fully described hereinafter. The audible alarm includes two speakers 21 
and 22 located on opposite sides, respectively, of the device, whereby 
sound is emitted in multiple directions to maximize the chance of being 
heard when sounded. Moreover, the placement of speakers on both sides of 
the device ensures that the alarm will still sound loudly in the event it 
is dropped and is lying on one side. 
Continued depression of the trigger will cause discharge of a noxious 
chemical, such as mace or pepper oil or the like, through a nozzle 23 
located in the front of the device. 
A first slide switch 25 is located on the left side of the handgrip (see 
FIGS. 1 and 3) in a position to underlie the end of the thumb when the 
device is grasped, and is operatively connected as more fully described 
hereinafter to selectively energize and de-energize a light 26 located in 
the front of the device adjacent the nozzle 23. Accordingly, the device 
may be used as a flashlight simply by operating the switch 25 to turn the 
light on and off. 
A second slide switch 27 is located on the right side of the handgrip (see 
FIGS. 2 and 6) and is connected with a stop member (described hereinafter) 
to prevent depression of the trigger beyond an amount that is adequate to 
actuate the audible alarm. In other words, with the switch in a "safe" 
position, the trigger cannot be moved a distance necessary to effect 
discharge of the chemical. In order to prepare the device for use to 
discharge the chemical, this safety switch is moved into an "armed" or 
unblocking position so that the trigger can be moved an amount necessary 
to effect discharge of the chemical. 
As seen best in FIG. 4, suitable battery means 30 is stored within the 
handgrip 12 to provide a power source for the audible alarm and light. The 
battery may be inserted and removed in a conventional manner through an 
opening closed by a suitable removable cover (not shown) in the base end 
of the handgrip. 
A container or canister 31 of a suitable noxious chemical is stored within 
the barrel portion 13, with a discharge valve 32 on the forward end of the 
canister positioned near the forward end of the barrel and connected with 
the discharge nozzle 23, whereby depression of the trigger opens the valve 
and permits discharge of chemical from the canister through the nozzle. 
As seen best in FIGS. 4-8, the trigger 20 includes an arcuate portion 33 
fitting within the rear of opening 15 for contact with the finger of the 
user. The arcuate portion is connected with a body 34 having guide ribs 35 
and 36 on opposite sides for sliding engagement in mating tracks or 
channels (not shown) in confronting housing portions. An upstanding, 
bifurcated yoke 37 on a forward end of the body 34 extends over the front 
of the discharge valve on the canister so that depression of the trigger 
moves the yoke rearwardly to open the discharge valve. It should be noted 
that from its normal, at-rest position, the trigger and yoke must be moved 
a predetermined amount before the yoke makes contact with the discharge 
valve to open it. As described immediately below, this is to enable 
actuation of the audible alarm before the chemical is discharged. 
An elongate pin 38 projects rearwardly from the body 34 in a position to 
engage a movable switch contact 39 that is operatively connected in 
circuit to energize the audible alarm. The positioning of the pin and 
switch contact is such that, in one specific embodiment, for example, the 
switch will be closed and the alarm actuated after approximately 
one-eighth of an inch of travel of the trigger and pin. In this same 
embodiment, approximately one-quarter of an inch of travel is required to 
actuate the discharge valve on the canister of chemical. 
A pair of coil springs 40 and 41 are disposed in concentric relationship 
around the pin 38, and act between a washer 42 engaged against an inside 
surface of the housing and a washer 43 engaged on the pin, whereby 
depression of the trigger causes compression of the springs, and release 
of the trigger enables the springs to return the trigger to its at-rest 
position. Spring 40 is longer than spring 41 but is considerably weaker, 
whereby it provides a resilient restoring force to the trigger throughout 
its range of movement, but offers only slight resistance, i.e., 
approximately one pound of force in a specific embodiment. Spring 41, on 
the other hand, is shorter than spring 40 and offers resistance to 
movement of the trigger only after the trigger has moved through the 
initial distance described above, and then this spring offers considerably 
increased resistance, i.e., approximately five pounds in a specific 
example, before further movement can be achieved to open the discharge 
valve and effect discharge of the chemical. 
The circuitry for the electronic components of the invention is carried on 
a board 45 mounted in the housing near the bottom of the barrel in the 
space between the canister 31 and the battery 30. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 
10, the circuitry includes the contact switch 39 and battery 30, connected 
through an integrated circuit 46 that includes a timer, which may be of 
any suitable conventional design, to maintain the alarm circuit energized 
for a predetermined length of time after it is actuated. For example, the 
timer could maintain the audible alarm activated for twenty seconds after 
the trigger is released, so that the alarm will continue to sound even if 
the device is dropped or knocked out of the user's hand. In one example of 
the invention, the audible alarm produces a signal of 135 decibels. 
In addition, a shock sensor of conventional design is incorporated in the 
circuit to close the circuit and activate the audible alarm in the event 
of a sharp blow or jolt imposed on the device. Thus, the audible alarm can 
be activated even without depressing the trigger, as, for example, if an 
attacker should strike the hand of the person holding the device, and/or 
if the device is dropped before the user has a chance to activate the 
alarm. 
In a specific example of the invention, the device is approximately three 
and one-half inches long by three and one-half inches high, and uses a 
nine volt battery to power the circuit and alarm. The canister is 
twenty-two millimeters in diameter and holds approximately one-half ounce 
of chemical, and delivers or discharges the chemical in one-half second 
bursts when the discharge valve is operated. 
The housing is preferably made of high impact plastic, although any 
suitable material may be used. The deep recess at the rear of the handgrip 
provides a support which helps resist dislocation of the device from the 
hand of the user when it is struck from above, and the rings or openings 
15, 16 and 17 along the front of the handgrip not only provide a firmer 
and more secure grip on the device, but also form a trigger guard to 
prevent inadvertant depression of the trigger, and assist in quickly 
orienting and aiming the device through tactile sensation. 
A modification of the invention is shown in FIG. 11, wherein the switch for 
the light is also incorporated into the trigger actuator. Thus, a first 
contact C1 is provided for actuation upon a first predetermined travel of 
the trigger to turn on the light, and a second contact C2 is provided for 
actuation of the audible alarm upon further travel of the trigger 
actuator. Detents or multiple springs of varying tension (not shown) could 
be provided to determine the different stages of operation so that the 
user could easily ascertain when the trigger had traveled the requisite 
extent to obtain the desired operation. As previously described, complete 
depression of the trigger would be necessary in order to achieve discharge 
of the chemical. 
Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail herein, 
it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made 
therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as 
defined in the appended claims.