Abstract:
An apparatus for interfering with locomotion by a human or animal target includes a microprocessor programmed to track date and time, to initiate and maintain for a period an electrical current, and to record tracked date and time for each initiation of the current. The current, when conducted through the target, interferes with use by the target of the skeletal muscles of the target during the period.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a divisional application of co-pending application Ser. No. 10/673,901, filed Sep. 28, 2003 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/016,082, filed Dec. 12, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,412, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/398,388, filed Sep. 17, 1999, now abandoned. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to apparatus and methods for preventing the locomotion of a human being or animal. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for assuring, with a high degree of certainty, that a police officer or other law enforcement agent can prevent an attacker or other violent individual from reaching and inflicting bodily harm on the police officer.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The use of electricity to disable human beings and other living targets is well known. In the middle 1800&#39;s, electricity was directed through a harpoon to electrocute a whale. Electrocution also came into use as a method of carrying out a death sentence resulting from the commission by a prisoner of a serious crime. Various methods of applying lethal electrical pulses are well documented. A weapon for applying non-lethal electrical pulses to disable an attacker is also known. The conventional weapon launches a first dart and a second dart. Each dart remains connected to the weapon by an electrically conductive guide wire. The darts strike an individual. Electrical pulses from the weapon travel to the first dart, from the first dart through the individual&#39;s body, into the second dart, and return to the weapon via the electrically conductive wire attached to the second dart. The electrical pulses occur at a rate of from 2 to 10 pulses per second, are each about 20 kilovolts, and each deliver from 0.01 to 0.5 joule. U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,132 issued in 1981 describes such a dart weapon. That patent also suggests that pulses in the range of 0.01 to 0.5 joule induce involuntary muscular contractions.  
         [0004]     Since about 1981, it has also been known that a certain minor percentage of individuals struck with a conventional dart weapon are not immobilized and can “walk through” the electrical pulses and continue an attack, despite being struck with darts from the weapon. The ability of some individuals to “walk through” the electrical pulses was thought to be an anomaly and usually was not taken seriously because the weapon was effective with and stopped most individuals, and because the weapon when used appeared to “knock down” an individual or animal or appeared to cause the individual or animal to fall. The weapon would also sometimes appear to cause the skin of a human being or animal to twitch. Consequently, it was assumed that the human being or animal was truly physically incapacitated.  
         [0005]     I have discovered that an individual can be readily trained to “walk through” 0.01 to 0.5 joule pulses delivered by a conventional dart weapon. I have been involved in training over 20 individuals. In each case the individual was, by focusing on a goal, able to ignore and overcome any discomfort from the dart weapon and to continue to walk, run, or attack. The individual did not lose his or her locomotion. In addition, several cases have been reported where the failure of a conventional dart weapon led to the death of an individual because police officers had to resort to lethal force when the dart weapon failed to stop the individual. It appears that conventional dart weapons cause an individual to fall down by activating sensory neurons and by producing in an individual a psychological reaction which strongly suggests to the individual that he or she is being incapacitated. The discovery that an individual can overcome a conventional dart weapon and continue his or her locomotion suggests possible dire consequences because many police officers in possession of conventional dart weapons mistakenly assume that these weapons are effective against most or many individuals.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide an improved apparatus and method which would, with a high degree of certainty, enable a police officer or other individual to incapacitate an attacker.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     An apparatus, according to various aspects of the present invention interferes with locomotion by a living target. The apparatus includes a circuit to track date and time, to initiate and maintain for a period an electrical current, and to record tracked date and time for each initiation of the current. The current, when conducted through the target, interferes with use by the target of the skeletal muscles of the target during the period.  
         [0008]     Another apparatus, according to various aspects of the present invention interferes with locomotion by a living target. The apparatus operates a cartridge. The apparatus includes a trigger and a circuit. The trigger provides a first signal responsive to operation of the trigger. The circuit includes a memory, keeps track of current time of day, keeps track of current date, receives the first signal to determine a first time, and responds to the first signal by recording current date and current time of day in the memory. The circuit further responds to the first signal by applying power to a signal generator, by keeping track of a period of time from the first time, and by disabling the signal generator upon lapse of the period. The signal generator activates the cartridge to propel an electrode of the cartridge toward the target. A current from the signal generator via the electrode and through the target interferes with use by the target of the skeletal muscles of the target during the period. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0009]     Embodiments of the present invention will now be further described with reference to the drawing, wherein like designations denote like elements, and:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a dart weapon constructed in accordance with various aspects of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a block flow diagram of components of the dart weapon of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a chart comparing prior art weapons to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIGS. 4A, 4B , and  4 C are block flow diagrams illustrating other embodiments of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a block flow diagram of a prior art weapon; and  
         [0015]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are block flow diagrams according to various aspects of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     The drawing shows presently preferred embodiments of the invention for the purpose of illustrating the invention and not by way of limitation of the scope of the appended claims to the invention.  FIG. 1  illustrates a dart weapon  30  constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention that includes housing  31 , trigger  34  mounted in housing  31 , microprocessor  32  mounted in housing  31 , safety  33  mounted in housing  31 , battery or batteries  35  mounted in housing  31 , laser sight  36  mounted in housing  31 , and cartridge  37  removably mounted to housing  31 .  
         [0017]     Cartridge  37  includes at least a first electrically conductive dart  18  and a second electrically conductive dart  20 . Each dart  18  ( 20 ) is connected to cartridge  37  by an elongate electrically conductive wire  16  ( 21 ). Each wire  16  ( 21 ) typically is coiled in cartridge  37  and unwinds and straightens as dart  18  ( 20 ) travels through the air in the direction of arrow A toward a target. The length of each wire  16  ( 21 ) can vary but is typically 20 to 30 feet. Two or more cartridges  37  can be mounted on weapon  30 .  
         [0018]     Cartridge  37  also includes a powder charge  25 , compressed air, or other motive power means for firing each dart  18  ( 20 ) through the air in the direction of arrow A toward a target. The powder charge, compressed air, or other motive power means utilized to fire a dart is well known in the art and will not be discussed in detail herein. Cartridge  37  is activated and the darts  18  and  20  are fired by manually sliding safety  33  in a selected direction to release safety  33  and then squeezing trigger  34 . As will be described, the means for generating the electrical pulses which travel into wires  16  and  21  and darts  18  and  20  are also activated by squeezing trigger  34 . Releasing safety  33  also activates or turns “on” laser sight  36  such that at least one laser beam projects outwardly in the direction of arrow A and impinges on the desired target.  
         [0019]     Microprocessor  32  preferably includes memory and includes a sensor attached to trigger  34  or to some other desired portion of dart weapon  30  to generate for the memory in microprocessor  32  a signal each time trigger  34  is squeezed and weapon  30  is fired. Each time trigger  34  is squeezed and weapon  30  is fired, the memory in microprocessor  32  retains a record of the date and time the weapon was fired.  
         [0020]     In  FIG. 2 , power  11  is provided by nine-volt battery  35 . Power  11  can be provided by any desired apparatus or means. Switch  12  ordinarily is “off”. When trigger  34  is squeezed to fire weapon  30 , a signal is generated which is received by microprocessor  32 . Microprocessor  32  sends a signal to switch  12  to turn switch  12  “on” for about 7 seconds. Any mechanical or other means can be utilized in place of microprocessor  32  to operate switch  12 . Switch  12  can be mechanical, constructed from semiconductor materials, or constructed from any other desired materials. When switch  12  is turned “on”, it allows power  11  to travel to transformer  13 .  
         [0021]     Transformer  13  receives electricity from power  11  and produces a signal which causes 2,000 volts to be transmitted to capacitor  15 . Once the voltage across capacitor  15  reaches 2,000 volts, it is able to discharge an electrical pulse into transformer  14 . The pulse from capacitor  15  is a 0.80 to 10 joule pulse, and has a pulse width of 9 to 100 microseconds. Capacitor  15  produces 2 to 40, preferably about 5 to 15, pulses per second. A 0.88 microfarad capacitor is presently preferred, although the size of capacitor  15  can vary as desired. The voltage across capacitor  15  can vary as desired as long as the capacitor produces a pulse having 0.90 to 10 joules, preferably 1.5 to 5.0 joules.  
         [0022]     Transformer  14  receives each pulse from capacitor  15  and produces a 50,000 volt pulse. The voltage of the pulse from transformer  14  can vary as desired as long as each pulse from transformer  14  has from 0.75 to 9 joules, preferably 1.0 to 3.0 joules, of energy, has a pulse width in the range of 10 to 100 microseconds, and has a current I RMS  calculated as follows: 
 
 I   RMS =√{square root over (( I   PEAK ) 2 ·PulseWidth·Rate)}
 
         [0023]     This current is in the range of 100 to 500 milliamps. The pulse widths and currents of conventional dart weapons and non-dart electric weapons (commonly referred to as “stun guns”) and of a dart weapon of the present invention are set forth in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0024]     In the practice of the invention, it is critical to produce contractions of skeletal muscles sufficient to prevent the voluntary use of the muscles for normal locomotion of an individual&#39;s body. Twitching of the skin does not, as earlier noted, necessarily indicate that contractions of the skeletal muscles necessary to prevent locomotion are taking place. Producing contractions of smooth muscle is not sufficient in the practice of the invention. Contractions must instead be produced in striated skeletal muscles. Further, the contractions in the skeletal muscles must be sufficient to prevent voluntary use of the skeletal muscles by the individual (i.e., the muscles must lock up and not be operable). The electrical pulses produced by prior art dart weapons do not prevent the use of the skeletal muscles and do not prevent locomotion of an individual. It is not the object of the invention to cause all the skeletal muscles of an individual to lock up, but only some portion of the skeletal muscles.  
         [0025]     Based on tests to date, the discomfort and loss of locomotion caused when skeletal muscles lock up in response to pulses produced by the apparatus of the invention is almost always sufficient to halt the locomotion of an individual. In actual tests, over 20 volunteers were each given the task of advancing to a target at least 5 feet away and of simulating an attack. Each test was repeated using the invention described herein. After being hit with darts from the weapon of the invention, each volunteer was immediately immobilized and dropped to the ground. None of the volunteers was able to advance toward or reach the target.  
         [0026]     The profile of pulses used in prior art electric weapons is deficient in several respects. First, the energy produced by the pulses is in the range of 0.01 to 0.5 joule. This is outside the range of 0.9 to 10 joules required in each pulse produced in the apparatus of the invention. Second, the width of each pulse in prior art apparatus is about 1 to 7.5 microseconds. The pulse width in the apparatus of the invention must be 9 to 100 microseconds. Third, the current in each pulse produced by prior art apparatus is in the range of about 20 to 65 milliamps. The current in each pulse produced in the apparatus of the invention must be in the range of 100 to 500 milliamps. The pulses delivered to a target produce actual contractions of skeletal muscles sufficient to prevent use of the muscles by the individual subjected to the pulses.  
         [0027]     If contractions of skeletal muscles are not produced, the apparatus of the invention is not functioning in the manner desired. If there are no contractions of the skeletal muscles, the individual can “walk through”, or be trained to “walk through”, being hit with darts which conduct electricity through the individual&#39;s body. If contractions of skeletal muscles are produced, but do not prevent voluntary use of the muscles by the individual subjected to the pulses, then the invention is not functioning as desired. If contractions of the skeletal muscles do not prevent voluntary use of the muscles by the individual, then the individual can “walk through”, or be trained to “walk through”, being hit with darts which conduct electricity through the individual&#39;s body.  
         [0028]     In operation, again referring to  FIG. 2 , trigger  34  is pressed to send a signal to microprocessor  32 . Microprocessor  32  turns “on” switch  12 . Power  111  flows through transformer  13 , capacitor  15 , and transformer  14  in the manner discussed. The output from transformer  14  goes into wire  16  and dart  18 . Once the current flow reaches dart  18 , current from dart  18  is directed to motive power means  25  (i.e., black powder) to activate motive power means  25  to propel darts  18  and  20  through the air in the direction of arrow A to the individual who is the target. Darts  18  and  20  are fired simultaneously. When darts  18  and  20  contact the clothing of the individual near the individual&#39;s body or contact the individual&#39;s body, pulses from dart  18  travel into tissue  19  of the individual&#39;s body, from tissue  19  into dart  20 , from dart  20  into wire  21 , and through wire  21  to transformer  14 . Pulses are delivered from dart  18  into tissue  19  for about 6 to 7 seconds. The pulses cause contraction of skeletal muscles and make the muscles inoperable, preventing use of the muscles in locomotion of the individual&#39;s skeleton.  
         [0029]     In various embodiments of the invention, a dart weapon includes at least two cartridges. In the embodiment of  FIG. 4A , dart weapon  30 ′ includes cartridges  80  and  81 . Cartridge  80  includes transformer  50 , capacitor  52 , transformer  54 , wire  56  connected to transformer  54 , first dart  58  connected to wire  56 , wire  60 , and dart  62  operatively associated with wire  56  and dart  58  and electrically coupled to transformer  54 . Darts  58  and  62  are fired simultaneously. Dart  58  delivers electrical pulses to tissue (not shown) of an individual&#39;s body. Dart  62  receives electricity from the tissue and returns the electricity to the weapon via wire  60 . Dart  58  is connected to motive power means (not shown) in cartridge  80  in much the same manner that dart  18  is connected to motive power means  25  in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0030]     Cartridge  81  includes transformer  51 , capacitor  53 , transformer  55 , wire  57  connected to transformer  55 , dart  59  connected to wire  57 , wire  64 , and dart  66 , operatively associated with wire  57  and dart  59 , and electrically coupled to transformer  55 . Darts  59  and  66  are fired simultaneously. Dart  59  delivers electrical pulses to tissue (not shown) of an individual&#39;s body. Dart  66  receives electricity from the tissue and returns the electricity to the weapon  30 ′ via wire  64 . Dart  59  is connected to motive power means in cartridge  81  in much the same manner that dart  18  is connected to motive power means  25  in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0031]     When trigger  34  is depressed a first time, microprocessor  32  sends out a signal which causes switch  12  to route power to transformer  50  such that darts  58  and  62  are fired simultaneously into contact with a target individual&#39;s body and pulses are delivered into the target individual&#39;s body through dart  58 . When trigger  34  is depressed a second time, microprocessor  32  sends out a signal which causes switch  12  to route power to transformer  51  such that darts  59  and  66  are fired simultaneously into contact with a target individual&#39;s body and pulses are delivered into the target individual&#39;s body through dart  59 .  
         [0032]     If desired, microprocessor  32  can be programmed such that switch  12  permits power  11  to flow simultaneously both to transformer  50  and to transformer  51  such that darts  58 ,  62 ,  59 , and  66  are fired simultaneously. Consequently, another embodiment of the invention of  FIG. 4A  enables both pairs of darts to be fired either sequentially or simultaneously.  
         [0033]     In the embodiment of the invention of  FIG. 4B , one transformer  68  is utilized and switch  12  is coupled between transformer  68  and capacitors  52  and  53 . In this embodiment, microprocessor  32  (or any other desired mechanical or other means) controls switch  12  so that when trigger  34  is squeezed to fire weapon  30 ″, power  11  flowing through transformer  68  is directed by switch  12 : (a) to capacitor  52  to fire darts  58  and  62 ; (b) to capacitor  53  to fire darts  59  and  66 ; or (c) simultaneously to capacitors  52  and  53  to fire darts  58 ,  62 ,  59 , and  66  simultaneously.  
         [0034]     In the embodiment of the invention of  FIG. 4C , one transformer  68  and one capacitor  70  are utilized, and switch  12  is coupled between capacitor  70  and transformers  54  and  55 . In this embodiment, microprocessor  32  controls switch  12  so that when trigger  34  is squeezed to fire weapon  30 ′″, power  11  flowing through transformer  68  and through capacitor  70  is directed by switch  12 : (a) to transformer  54  to fire darts  58  and  62 ; (b) to transformer  55  to fire darts  59  and  66 ; or (c) simultaneously to transformers  54  and  55  to fire darts  58 ,  62 ,  59 , and  66  simultaneously.  
         [0035]     A particular advantage of the switching arrangements just discussed with reference to  FIGS. 4A, 4B , and  4 C is that the voltage being switched is much less than in prior art dart weapons. In a prior art dart weapon  90  of  FIG. 5  transformer  86  and switch  88  are used. Switch  88  routes output from transformer  86  either to a first dart pair  92  or a second dart pair  94 . Routing 50,000 volts is difficult, and in some cases both dart pairs  92  and  94  fire at the same time even though the 50,000 volts is routed to only one of the dart pairs.  
         [0036]     An apparatus according to various aspects of the present invention is used for preventing locomotion by a living target by causing repeated involuntary contractions of skeletal muscles of the target. Referring to  FIG. 6A , the apparatus includes: a housing; a first conducting unit; a second conducting unit; a power supply; and a delivery system  28 . The first conducting unit transmits electrical energy in pulses from the first conducting unit to the target. The second conducting unit transmits electrical energy from the target to the apparatus. The power supply generates energy and includes capacitor  15  and transformer  14 . Capacitor  15  delivers energy in pulses from capacitor  15  to transformer  14 . Capacitor  15  produces and delivers (at K) to transformer  14  from 0.75 to 10 joules in each pulse from capacitor  15 . Transformer  14  delivers electrical energy in pulses to the first conducting unit. Delivery system  28  contacts the target with at least a portion of each of the first and second conducting units such that pulses delivered from the first conducting unit to the target travel through at least a portion of the skeletal muscles to the second conducting unit, and produce contractions in the portion of the skeletal muscles which prevents the use by the target of the portion of the skeletal muscles.  
         [0037]     An apparatus according to various aspects of the present invention is used for preventing locomotion by a living target by causing repeated involuntary contractions of skeletal muscles of the target. Referring to  FIG. 6B , the apparatus includes: a housing; a first conducting unit; a second conducting unit; a power supply, and a delivery system  28 . The first conducting unit transmits electrical energy in pulses from the first conducting unit to the target. The second conducting unit transmits electrical energy from the target to the apparatus. The power supply produces electrical pulses which, if passed through a 1000 ohm resistor  27 , each would have a pulse width (at M) greater than about 10 microseconds and a current in excess of 100 milliamps. The delivery system  28  contacts the target with at least a portion of each of the first and second conducting units such that pulses delivered from the first conducting unit to the target travel through at least a portion of the skeletal muscles to the second conducting unit and produce contractions in the portion of the skeletal muscles which prevents the use by the target of the portion of the skeletal muscles.  
         [0038]     A method, according to various aspects of the present invention, is used for preventing locomotion by a living target by causing repeated involuntary contractions of skeletal muscles of the target. The method includes providing an apparatus and operating the activation system of the apparatus. The apparatus includes the apparatus discussed above with reference to  FIG. 6A  and further includes an activation system operable to activate the power supply, the first conducting unit, the second conducting unit, and the delivery system. The activation system is operated to contact the target with the first conducting unit and the second conducting unit, to deliver from the capacitor  15  to the transformer  14  pulses (at K) each containing 0.75 to 10 joules, and to deliver from the transformer to the first conducting unit electrical energy in pulses.  
         [0039]     The foregoing description discusses preferred embodiments of the present invention which may be changed or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims. While for the sake of clarity of description, several specific embodiments of the invention have been described, the scope of the invention is intended to be measured by the claims as set forth below.