AN ASSAULT DETERRENT

Abstract: A device to deter a potential assailant consists of an item to be worn or held, such as a glove or a wrist-band or a "knuckle-duster" on which is mounted one or more containers which contain a dye, which may be in the form of a paste, the container being adapted to break when being brought into contact with an assailant. The assailant will thus be visibly marked. If the device is brightly coloured or otherwise recognisable a potential assailant will be deterred from making an attack.

Description: "An assault deterrent". THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to an assault deterrent. At the present time there are a significant number of physical assaults, muggings and rapes which occur almost daily. The present invention seeks to provide a device which may deter a potential assailant. According to this invention there is provided an assault deterrent, said assault deterrent comprising means adapted to engage a hand or arm or other part of the body and means carried thereby presenting at least one container of dye, the container being adapted to break when subjected to a predetermined pressure. In one embodiment the dye is contained within miorospheres; but preferably the dye is contained within one or more breakable phials, which may be made of plastic material. Conveniently the container or containers are contained within a pad of porous material, and the or each container may be contained within a pocket formed within said pad of porous material, the pocket having an open end through which the container is inserted in the pocket. In one embodiment the means to engage the hand or arm comprise a glove, and said breakable container or containers may be provided on the palm of the glove, and/or on the back of the glove in the region to cover the back of the hand or the knuckles. Alternatively the means to engage the hand or arm comprise a band adapted to be wrapped around the wrist or other part of the body, and the band may be adapted to be fastened to the wrist by means of cooperating elements of hook-and-loop material. In a further embodiment the means for engaging a hand comprise a handle. Thus the deterrent may be in a form resembling that of a knuckle duster. Preferably the deterrent is formed of a readily defor able plastics material. Conveniently the deterrent is formed of an expanded or formed plastics material. The dye may be a visible dye, or may be an ordin¬ arily invisible dye which is rendered visible by being exposed to light of a predetermined nature. Such a dye may be rendered visible by being exposed to ultra-violet light. Preferably, the dye is resistant to washing and dry cleaning techniques. Advantageously the dye is in the form of a paste. Conveniently the dye includes an additive that can be analysed by a microscopic or other analytical technique. In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of the invention, partly exploded; FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view of another embod¬ iment of the invention partly exploded; FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of a further embodiment of the invention; and FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of the invention. Referring initially to Figure 1 of the drawings one embodiment of the invention comprises a glove or mitten which may be formed of any appropriate material. In the illustrated embodiment the glove is provided with cut-away fingers 2 and a cut-away thumb 3. Bonded or otherwise secured to the palm 4 of the glove is a pad 5 of some porous material such as gauze. However, any appropriate porous material may be provided, for example fleece, felt, woven or unwoven fabric or the like. The porous pad 5 defines therein a pocket 6 which is open at one side 7. Slidably received within the pocket is a phial 8 which contains an appropriate dye. The phial may be made of a plastics material such that the phial will burst when subjected to pressure. Thus the phial may, in a simple embodiment, comprise a bag made of a thin plastic sheet, such as a sheet of polyethylene. The dye contained within the phial 8 may be a visible dye adapted to stain clothing or human skin. Ideally the dye should be resistant to washing and dry- cleaning techniques. The dye may have a bright colour such as orange, red or yellow. The dye should prefer¬ ably be a non-toxic dye, which is not at all harmful when applied to the human skin. The dye should thus preferably be anallergic. Typical dyes, having the desired properties, are gentian violet, methylene blue, rhodamine B and erythrosine. Such dyes may resist washing off for a period of several days. While the dye contained within the file may be in a liquid form, it is preferred that the dye is provided in the form of a paste. Thus the dye stuff itself may be mixed with any appropriate material to provide a paste¬ like consistency. Any typical starch paste may be used, or "dextrine" may be used to provide a paste having the appropriate consistency. The dye preferably has mixed with it an additive which is capable of subsequent analysis, either by microscopic analysis, or by any other analysis tech¬ nique. The purpose of the additive is to identify the particular dye utilized, for a purpose that will become clear hereinafter. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the dye contained within the phial 8 may be invisible under ordinary light, but is visible under ultra-violet light, or some other light having a specific wavelength, such as infra-red light. Again the dye should be such that it will mark clothing and human skin and be resistant to washing and dry-cleaning techniques. It is envisaged that the embodiment of the invention described with reference to Figure 1 will be utilised in the following way. A person who is con¬ cerned that he or she may be attacked will wear the glove with the phial 8 positioned within the pocket 7. If subjected to an attack the person wearing the gloves will be able to bring the palm 4 of the glove firmly into contact with part of the assailant, using a smacking action. The phial 8 will then burst and the dye contained within the phial will pass to the part of the assailant engaged by the palm 4 of the glove. Thus part of the clothing or skin of the assailant will be impregnated with the dye from the phial 8. Subsequently of course, the assailant can readily be identified. Should a person covered with the dye seek to disguish that fact by covering themselves further with more dye, in the hope that the original dye can be explained away, if the area impregnated with the dye is subjected to appropriate analysis, for example by means of microscopic techniques, the additive included in the dye would be detected, thus providing positive proof that the person having a dye stain was impregnated with dye from a particular assault deterrent. Different batches of paste for use in assault deterrents of the invention may have different additives, or additives of different strength or of a different nature. Since the assailant can see that the person is wearing the glove, it is envisaged that the assailant will be deterred or discouraged from attacking the person wearing the glove. Preferably the globe is formed so as to be highly visible, and it may thus be made of a luminous or lumin- escent material, or may have patches of luminous or luminescent material. The object is that any person observing a person wearing the glove will realise that a deterrent glove is being worn, and thus the glove will provide a positive deterrent effect. It is to be appreciated that many modifications may be effected to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1. For example, the glove may have further pads of porous material mounted on the area of the glove which covers the back of the hand or the knuckles. Such further pads of porous material will be associated with further phials of dye. The glove is really only provided to maintain the porous pad and the phial on the hand. The illustrated glove is a "fingerless" glove, but the glove could be a conventional glove and may indeed be a "fashion" glove or a glove specifically adapted to provide warmth in winter. Referring now to Figure 2 an alternative embod¬ iment of the invention may be provided for domestic use, in a form resembling that of a "knuckle duster" 9. The knuckle duster 9 presents a handle portion 10 adapted to be grasped by the hand, which carries a porous pad 11 which define 3 separate pockets 12 each open at one end 13 and each dimensioned to receive a phial 14 containing an appropriate dye. Again the phial would be formed of an appropriate material so that it breaks when subjected to pressure. It is envisaged that in utilising this embodiment of the invention the knuckle duster 9 will be left at a convenient position within the home. Should a person be attacked within the home the person merely needs to pick up the knuckle duster 9 by means of the handle 10 and then pressed the porous pad 11 against part of their assailant. The phial may be retained in an alternative embodiment of the invention using a simple strap which may extend around the palm of the hand and across the back of the hand, or which may extend around the wrist. Such a strap is illustrated in Figure 3- In Figure 3 a band 15 corresponding to a so-called "sweat band" may be provided adapted to be wrapped round the wrist and secured in position by cooperating pads 16,17 of hook- end-loop material (such as that sold under the Registered Trade Mark "VELCRO"). The outer part of the band 15 is provided with a pocket 17 which receives the phial 18 of dye. Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention which mechanically resembles that of Figure 2. The embodiment of Figure 5 consists of a hand held sort of deterrent comprising an integrally formed element 19 formed of a relatively soft, yieldable plastics material, such as expanded polystyrene foam. The element 19 presents a handle portion 20 adapted to be grasped manually, which is connected to a further portion 21 extending between the opposed ends of the handle and carrying, on outer faces thereof, pockets 22 which retain files of dye or the like as in the previously described embodiments. It is envisaged that a person may pick up the deterrent of Figure 19 by grasping the handle, and may bring one of the pockets into contact with an assailant, without any risk of injuring the assailant, since the structure of the deterrent 19 is made of a yieldable material. Thus, although the assault deterrent 19 may be damaged beyond repair, nevertheless the assailant will not actually be injured, but will be impregnated with dye. Many embodiments may be designed that are equiv¬ alent to the embodiment of Figures 2 and 4, each comprising a handle to be grasped by a hand, and a part carrying the porous pad. These embodiments may thus resemble, for example, a truncheon, or a desk blotter. While certain embodiments of the invention have been described above as being bands adapted to be mounted on the wrist or hand, other bands may be provided adapted to be worn, for example, about the head. Such bands need not necessarily be bands which have ends inter-connected, for example, by the hook-and- loop material, but instead may comprise endless bands of a "stretchy" material which can readily be slipped into place. As with the embodiments in the form of a glove, it is preferred that the bands are readily recognisable as an assault deterrent, and thus the bands, as des¬ cribed, may be made of luminous or luminescent material. It is to be appreciated that the hook-and-loop material is only one example of a way in which the ends of a band can be connected together. Whilst the invention has been described above with reference to embodiments in which a porous pad is provided it is to be appreciated that in further modified embodiments of the invention the porous pad may be omitted, so that dye from the phial 8 passes directly to the assailant. It is also to be appreciated that the phial may be replaced by miorospheres of frangible material containing an appropriate dye. Such micro- spheres can be fabricated to break only when a predeter¬ mined pressure is applied to them. Thus such micro- spheres may be applied to the exterior of a glove, or "knuckle duster" or other such implement to form a simple embodiment of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. An assault deterrent, said assault deterrent comprising means adapted to engage a hand or arm or other part of the body and means carried thereby presenting at least one container of dye, the container being adapted to break when subjected to a predetermined pressure. 2. An assault deterrent according to claim 1, wherein the dye is contained within miorospheres. 3. An assault deterrent according to claim 1, wherein the dye is contained within one or more break¬ able phials. 4. An assault deterrent according to claim 3 > wherein the phial or phials are made of plastic material. 5. An assault deterrent according to any one of claim 2 or 4, wherein the container or containers are contained within a pad of porous material. 6. An assault deterrent according to claim 5, wherein the or each container is contained within a pocket formed within said pad of porous material, the pocket having an open end through which the container is inserted in the pocket. 7. An assault deterrent according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the means to engage the hand or arm comprise a glove. 8. An assault deterrent according to claim 7, wherein said container or containers are provided on the palm of the glove. 9. An assault deterrent according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said container or containers are provided on the back of- the glove in the region to cover the back of the hand or the knuckles. 10. An assault deterrent according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the means to engage the hand or arm comprise a band adapted to be wrapped around the wrist, or other part of the body. 11. An assault deterrent according to claim 11, wherein the band is adapted to be fastened to the wrist by means of cooperating elements of hook-and-loop material. 12. An assault deterrent according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the means for engaging a hand comprise a handle. 13- An assault deterrent according to claim 12, wherein the deterrent is in a form resembling that of a knuckle duster. 14. An assault deterrent according to Claim 12 or 13 wherein the deterrent is formed of a readily deformable plastics material. 15. An assault deterrent according to Claim 14 wherein the deterrent is formed of an expanded or formed plastics material. 16. An assault deterrent according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dye is a visible dye. 17. An assault deterrent according to any one of * claims 1 to 15, wherein the dye is an ordinarily invisible dye which is rendered visible by being exposed to light of a predetermined nature. 18. An assault deterrent according to claim 17, wherein the dye is rendered visible by being exposed to ultra-violet light. 19. An assault deterrent according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dye is resistant to washing and dry cleaning techniques. 20. An assault deterrent according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the dye is in the form of a paste. 21. An assault deterrent according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the dye includes an additive that can be analysed by a microscopic or other anal¬ ytical technique. 22. An assault deterrent substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. 23. An assault deterrent substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings. 24. An assault deterrent substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings. 25. An assault deterrent substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings. 26. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.

Inventors: JARVIS COLIN PETER GEORGE, RICHARDS JOHN, JARVIS, COLIN, PETER, GEORGE, RICHARDS, JOHN
Applicants: JARVIS COLIN PETER GEORGE, RICHARDS JOHN, JARVIS, COLIN, PETER, GEORGE, RICHARDS, JOHN
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G08B15
IPC codes: F41H9, G08B15