Abstract:
A protective device includes a grip having a non-slip surface, a stake projecting from said grip and terminating in a blunt point, point; and a flexible loop projecting from said grip, which is sufficiently long that a user can loop it over a finger to attach the device to the user&#39;s hand, and such that it all user&#39;s repositioning of the device in a user&#39;s palm, whereby the device can be generally concealed within a user&#39;s palm, but shifted within his or her palm such that said point of said stake is exposed and can be directed against an attacker to inflict pain and discourage further advances.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/076,147, filed Nov. 6, 2014, entitled PROTECTION DEVICE AND METHODS. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to nonlethal personal protective devices. Such devices are used to ward off attackers. They are considered nonlethal in that their use typically does not result in death of the attacker, though it is recognized that almost any device can be lethal if properly or accidentally directed, for example into an attacker&#39;s temple. Nevertheless, such devices are usually considered nonlethal and often sufficiently so that they can be carried on an airplane. 
         [0003]    So-called tactical pens are one example of such devices. Tactical pens look like ordinary pens, but their non-retractable points are intended for inflicting pain when directed against an attacker, in order to deter the attacker. Self-defense key chains are available which include pointed projections which can be directed against an attacker to inflict pain. 
         [0004]    Other such protective devices include stun guns and pepper sprays. These, however, are generally not permitted as carry-on items for air travel. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The nonlethal protective device of the present invention comprises a grip, a stake projecting from the grip, and a flexible loop sufficiently long that a user can loop it over a finger to attach the device to the user&#39;s hand. Preferably the loop is sufficiently long, that it allows repositioning of the device in a user&#39;s palm. This allows the device to be generally concealed within a user&#39;s palm, while still allowing the user to shift the device within his or her palm such that the point of the stake can be directed against an attacker to inflict pain and discourage further advances. 
         [0006]    These and other objects, uses and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the description of the preferred embodiments, including the appended drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment protective device in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a reversed perspective view of the protective device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of the blunt point of the protective device of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the protective device of FIG, I; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment protective devices of varying lengths; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a protective device being held in the palm of a user&#39;s hand; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing a user&#39;s hand closed over the protective device so as to generally conceal it; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view Showing a user&#39;s hand closed over a protective device, but with the device having been pushed by the user&#39;s thumb such that the blunt pointed end of the protective device is exposed; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the protective device positioned in a user&#39;s hand such that the blunt pointed end projects between the user&#39;s fingers; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the protective device within a cup holder of a vehicle; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the protective device attached to a key chain. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    In the preferred embodiments, protective device  1  comprises a grip  10 , a stake  20  projecting from grip  10 , and a loop  30  extending from grip  10  ( FIGS. 1, 2 ). Protective device  1  can be located laterally across a user&#39;s palm ( FIG. 6 ), with loop  30  looped around one of the user&#39;s fingers and the user&#39;s thumb resting against the top  11  of grip  10  ( FIG. 6 ). Preferably, protective device  1  has an overall length such that it extends laterally across a portion of the width of a user&#39;s hand at the palm and fingers ( 6 ), but can be completely concealed within the user&#39;s closed fist ( FIG. 7 ). By pressing his or her thumb against top  11  of grip  10 , the user can push the pointed end  21  of stake  20  beyond the width of his or her grip ( FIG. 8 ), and jab point  21  into an attacker. 
         [0019]    Alternatively, protective device  1  can be oriented with the top  11  of grip  10  resting against that portion of the palm at the base of the thumb, with stake  20  projecting from between the user&#39;s fingers ( FIG. 9 ). Loop  30  will still be looped around the user&#39;s finger, though it is not visible in  FIG. 9 . In that orientation, protective device  1  can be used against an attacker in a jabbing motion 
         [0020]    Loop  30  can also be used to connect device  1  to the user&#39;s key chain or key ring  40  ( FIG. 11 ). Alternatively, protective device  10  can be conveniently carried in the cup holder of a user&#39;s car ( FIG. 10 ). 
         [0021]    Grip  10  is made of rubber or similar polymer having a nonslip surface. It comprises a top wall  11  with a cylindrical skirt wall  12  depending therefrom so as to define an interior socket  13  ( FIGS. 1, 4 ). Socket  13  which snugly receives stake  20 . Preferably, socket  13  has a uniform interior diameter of from about ¼ to about ½ of an inch, preferably about ⅜ of an inch. Preferably, socket  13  has a depth of approximately ½inch to 1 inch, most preferably about ¼ of an inch. A metal insert  14 , such as a washer, is inserted into or is embedded in socket  13  at the base of socket  13 , such that when stake  20  is inserted into socket  13 , the end of stake  20  abuts metal insert  14 , preventing stake  20  from being pushed through rubber top wall  11 . Grip  10  is preferably sufficiently long to provide a firm anchor for stake  20 , yet sufficiently short that both the grip and the projecting portion of stake  20  can tit concealed within the user&#39;s closed fist ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ). Similarly, the length of grip  10  is such that a person&#39;s grip can be closed around it with a portion of stake  20  extending from between the fingers of the user&#39;s hand as shown in  FIG. 9 . Most preferably, grip  10  has a length of about 1 ⅜′ of an inch from the top of top wall  11  to the base of skirt wall  12  and a diameter of about 1 inch at its widest diameter, which occurs where top wall  11  joins to circumferential skirt wall  12 . More broadly, slightly smaller or somewhat larger dimensions of diameter and length dimensions could be used. For persons with larger hands, for example, a diameter of 1½ inch might be preferred, as well as an overall length of approximately 2 inches. 
         [0022]    Top wall  11  of grip  10  is preferably slightly rounded. Its surface is also preferably roughened or dimpled by providing a plurality of dimples  11   a  ( FIG. 1 ). This gives the surface top wall  11  additional grip against a user&#39;s thumb or the palm of a user&#39;s hand. Similarly, cylindrical skirt wall  12  includes a plurality of longitudinal grooves  12   a  ( FIGS. 1, 2 ) to enhance gripping contact between a user&#39;s fingers and palm and grip  10 . While the diameter of socket  14  is uniform throughout its length. the exterior of cylindrical skirt wall  12  tapers from its widest point at its junction with top wall  11 , downwardly and inwardly as it proceeds away from top wall  11 . The thickness of skirt wall  12  at its junction with top wall  11  is about ¼ to ⅜ inch, and at its terminus remote from top wall  11  is approximately ⅛ inch. 
         [0023]    Stake  20  is made of a rigid material, such as metal or of a rigid plastic. Preferably, stake ii is extruded. Most preferably, it is made of extruded aluminum. At its end, stake  20  tapers to a blunt point  21 . Point  21  ( FIG. 3 ) must be sufficiently pointed that when it is jammed into a person it will inflict pain, or when used for example on the ice, will gain slight penetration of the ice surface. Yet, it is sufficiently blunt that it will not significantly penetrate, slice or cut a person&#39;s skin when punched into or dragged across the person&#39;s skin. 
         [0024]    Throughout its length, stake  20  must have a smooth contact surface which engages the user&#39;s skin, such that it can be held and manipulated without cutting the user. One must be able to slide device  1  from its concealed position as shown in  FIG. 7 , to its projecting position shown in  FIG. 8 , without slicing the user&#39;s skin. Thus stake  20  should not have any sharp edges which would cut into a user&#39;s hand. Preferably, stake  20  comprises a plurality of ribs  22  ( FIGS. 2, 4 ), preferably  3 , to give it rigidity while minimizing the quantity of material used. Each rib  22  has a rounded, non-sharp edge. 
         [0025]    Stake  20  includes two holes  23  at its end opposite point  21  ( FIG. 4 ). One hole  23  is located in one rib  22  and the other hole  23  in another of the ribs  22 . Holes  23  are adapted to receive the ends  31  of loop  30 , to facilitate the secured lent of loop  30  to protection device  1 . 
         [0026]    Preferably the length of stake  20  is such that protective device  1  as a whole has a length approximately equal to the width of a person&#39;s hand at the juncture of the palm and fingers ( FIG. 6 ), Persons with larger hands will want a protective device  1  with a longer stake  20 . Thus preferably, the overall length of protective device  1  varies from about  3  to about 5 inches.  FIG. 5  shows four protective devices  1   a  through  1   d  with different overall lengths of about 3 inches, inches, 4 inches and 4½ inches, respectively. 
         [0027]    Loop  30  is preferably made of a strong, flexible cord material. It should be sufficiently large in diameter that it does not cut into a person&#39;s skin when protective device  1  is being used. The length of loop  30  is sufficient that in use, it fits easily and somewhat loosely over a person&#39;s finger. It should be sufficiently short that it keeps protective device  1  generally within the confines of a user&#39;s palm when resting; laterally across the user&#39;s palm. Yet, it should be sufficiently long that it allows a user to extend the blunt point  21  of stake  20  from a position completely concealed within a user&#39;s fist as shown in  FIG. 7 , to a position extending from the base of the user&#39;s grip as shown in  FIG. 8 . This is accomplished by the user engaging top wall  11  with his or her thumb and pushing protective device  1  downwardly relative to the thumb, thus extending the point  21  of stake  20  beyond the width of the grip as shown in  FIG. 8 . Similarly, loop  30  should be sufficiently long that one can readily change the orientation of protective device  1  in the user&#39;s hand, from that shown in  FIGS. 6-8  to that shown in  FIG. 9 , without having to remove loop  30  from the user&#39;s finger in order to do so. 
         [0028]    To assemble protective device  1  the ends  31  of loop  30  are inserted through their respective holes  23  in the end of stake  20 . Glue is applied at the end of stake  20  to hold the ends  31  of loop  30  in place at the end of stake  20 . Glue is similarly located within socket  13 , and the end of stake  21  is then inserted into socket  13 . The glue holds stake  20  firmly in place within socket  13 . The ends of loop  13  are now firmly embedded within socket  13  of grip  10  such that the loop  30  extends outwardly from socket  13 , adjacent stake  20  ( FIGS. 1, 2 ). 
         [0029]    Protective device  1  can be conveniently carried, on a key chain  40  by using loop  30  to connect to key chain  40  ( FIG. 11 ). Protective device  1  can also be conveniently carried in a cup holder  50  of a user&#39;s automobile ( FIG. 10 ). In use, protective device  1  can be oriented laterally across a user&#39;s palm, generally at the juncture of the fingers and palm ( FIG. 6 ), with the user&#39;s hand then closed in a fist around protective device  1  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Protective device  1  can be oriented such that the user&#39;s thumb is resting against the top wall  11  of grip  10  as shown in  FIGS. 6-7  such that if it must be used, the user can simply press his or her thumb against top wall  11  of grip  10 , thereby forcing blunt point  21  to project slightly from the base of the user&#39;s fist as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0030]    Alternatively, protective device  1  can be oriented with the top wall  11  of grip  10  resting against the portion of the palm at the base of the user&#39;s thumb, and with stake  20  projecting from between the user&#39;s fingers ( FIG. 9 ). 
         [0031]    Protective device  1  is useful in various situations. It can be used to repel an assailant. For example, if an assailant reaches around a person from behind to grab them, the user can extend point  21  of stake  20  and drive it into the back of the assailant&#39;s hand, thereby inflicting surprise and pain on the assailant in the case of a frontal assault by an assailant, the user might prefer to use a jabbing motion and orient protective device I with stake  20  projecting. from between the fingers as shown in  FIG. 9 . Thus with a quick jabbing motion the user can jab the point into sonic portion of the assailant&#39;s body or head. 
         [0032]    It would also be useful for a user to carry one or two protective devices  1  in his or her pockets when ice skating on a pond. If the ice were to break underneath the person, the person could use protective device  1  in the manner shown in  FIG. 8  to jamb point  21  into the ice surrounding the break, thus assisting the user in pulling himself or herself out of the hole and onto the ice shelf surrounding the hole. 
         [0033]    Protective device  1  thus provides a compact an easily carried device for protection against assailants and for other such uses, as for example a safety device when ice skating. It contains no sharp point or sharp edges and hence is more likely to be a device which a person can carry on to an airplane. It can be conveniently concealed within a user&#39;s grip, yet readily shifted so as to project from the user&#39;s grip either from the base of the fist or between the user&#39;s fingers, and thence used to inflict pain on any would-be assailant. 
         [0034]    Of course, it is understood that the foregoing is a description of the preferred embodiments and methods of use, and that variations in the device and in its methods of use can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention.