Abstract:
A hand-held non-lethal self-defense chemical spray device possessing a focused light source that automatically activates upon removal of the device from a holster to aid in the safe and effective use of the device by the operator such as a law enforcement officer. The focused light source emits a light in the direction of the chemical spray prior to and during discharge of the device to aid in the aiming of the chemical spray and assist the operator in seeing the target in low-light conditions. The focused light source automatically turns-on upon removal of the device from a holster, and automatically turns-off upon replacement of the device inside the holster. The spray canister does not require the user to manually activate the light source and retains similar size shape and form to that of a conventional self defense spray canister already in use by law enforcement officers nationwide.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The current invention relates to hand-held non-lethal self-defense chemical spray apparatuses such as those used by law enforcement. Law enforcement personnel encounter situations where they must restrain a suspect from doing harm to themselves, the officer or a third party by using nonlethal force. Chemical spray weapons provide a means for the officer to inflict a temporary blinding and painful sensation that distracts, confuses and disables such individuals. Traditional chemical spray weapons do not provide an adequate means by which the officer can quickly aim the weapon, especially in low light situations. Failure to properly aim the weapon may lead to an officer discharging excess spray possibly leading to secondary exposure of the officer or possibly inadequately subduing the suspect. Such a situation could lead to a potentially life threatening situation for the suspect, the officer, or a third party. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to improve officer safety by providing a non-lethal chemical spray weapon having a focused light source illuminating both the suspect and the path of the spray, the light source automatically actuating upon removal of the weapon from its holster eliminating the extra step of activating a separate light. 
     Another object of the present invention is to improve officer safety by providing a chemical spray weapon with an automatically actuated focused light source in a traditional cylindrical spray canister form that the officer is familiar with carrying and operating. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to improve officer safety by providing a chemical spray weapon with an automatically actuated focused light source that requires no additional steps over a traditional chemical spray weapon to take advantage of the additional safety features offered by the invention. 
     Another object of the present invention is to improve officer safety by providing a reliable chemical spray weapon with an automatically actuated focused light source having a component minimizing design adaptable for use with a conventional spray canister and valve assemblies of proven reliability. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to providing a chemical spray weapon with an automatically actuated focused light source that is compact and easily carried on the officer&#39;s utility belt. 
     In addition, due to a component minimizing design of the device, ability to be adapted to be utilized with conventional spray canisters, and ability to be reused with a new spray canister after discharge of the weapon, the device is capable of low costs of manufacture and low costs of ownership. 
     The chemical spray weapon includes a valve button housing removably attached to the upper end of a pressurized spray canister. The canister contains a chemical irritant and propellant and may contain other substances including dyes and luminescent chemicals. The upper end of the pressurized spray canister possesses a manually actuated valve for release of the contents. The valve button housing contains a base portion that snap-fits onto the canister and a wall extending upward from the base portion to house a focused light source circuit and a valve button. 
     The operator manually depresses the valve button to actuate the canister valve to release the canister contents. The valve button contains an orifice tube and nozzle portion allowing the contents of the canister to be ejected from the spray canister in the direction desired by the operator and with a spray pattern and flow rate as desired by the manufacturer. The valve button may be retained by the valve button housing to allow the button to longitudinally slide within the housing, or it may be retained by a pivotal attachment to the housing. 
     The focused light source projects a beam of light in the direction of the spray. The light provides the operator with means of aiming the chemical spray prior to discharging the weapon and provides additional light by which the operator can see the subject. The focused light source circuit comprises a power source, a light source, and a switch that is activated upon removal of the device from its holder. Preferably a light emitting diode (LED) serves as the light source. The LED may be chosen by the manufacturer that matches the desired wavelength, focal pattern, and intensity desired. 
     The end use or utility of the device is nearly identical to that of a traditional non-lethal chemical spray weapon; however its use can be more quickly implemented. Upon encountering a situation in which a chemical spray weapon is needed, the officer removes the weapon from his holster, automatically activating a focused light source in the spray housing cap. The shape and operation of the weapon is the same as that of a traditional weapon of this type, with the spray activated by a button on the top of the canister. When the officer no longer requires use of the spray, he simply replaces the weapon back into the holster, deactivating the light. No additional buttons are required on the device to activate the light source. Such a design eliminates the need for the officer to fumble with additional buttons or switches while attempting to control a potentially dangerous and highly stressful situation. 
     The present invention allows the officer to use the focused light source to illuminate the suspects head and shoulders and aim the chemical spray directly at the suspects face. This feature reduces chance of missing the intended target and maximizes the amount of spray available to subdue the suspect. Additionally, the focused light source reduces the chance of the officer accidentally subjecting himself to accidental exposure to the spray. The automatically activating feature ensures that the light is always active upon removal of the device from its holster and reduces the steps that would otherwise be required of a manually activated light source. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the self defense device placed inside a typical holster; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the device in  FIG. 1  removed from the holster showing a pivotally attached valve button and a groove retained clip; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the device showing a vertically sliding valve button and a fastener retained clip; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective exploded view of the device in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the device in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken on line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 5  showing the switch contact, valve and valve button; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the device having an upper valve button housing and a lower valve button housing and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the focused light source circuit with the valve button, valve button housing and canister removed, showing the focused light source, switch and power source. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The drawings illustrate a non-lethal self-defense chemical spray device having a light source pointing in the direction of the spray wherein the light source automatically actuates upon removal from a holder. 
       FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of the present invention. The self-defense spray device  1  is generally carried in a holder such as a holster  300 . Such holsters usually have a clip or loop  305  for securing the holster to a belt, a pocket portion  308  in which the device  1  can be inserted, a closure flap  310  to prevent accidental loss or discharge of the device  1  and a two part snap fastener  315  to secure the flap  310  in a closed position, not shown. The self defense device  1  has a lower pressurized cylindrical canister portion  10  and a top valve button housing  20  having a valve actuator button  30  and discharge nozzle  40 . In the current embodiment, the valve button  30  is hingedly connected to the valve button housing  20  below the discharge nozzle  40 . The device  1  also possesses a focused light source  51  and switch  56  for automatically actuating the light source  51 . In the present embodiment, the focused light source  51  is located in the button housing  20  of the device  1 . Also in the present embodiment, the switch  56 , is actuated by a lever arm or clip  70  such that when the device is removed from the holster  300  or similar holder, the light source  51  activates illuminating the target and indicating the path of the spray prior to and during discharge of the weapon  1 . In the current embodiment, when the device is placed into the holster  300  or similar holder, the holster wall  308  bends the lever arm or clip  70  out of contact with contact  58  deactivating the focused light source. 
       FIG. 2  shows the device  1  removed from the holster. When removed from the holster as shown, the switch  56  activates the focused light source  51 . In the present embodiment shown, the lever arm or clip  70  is constructed from an electrically conductive material such as steel, stainless steel, titanium alloy, aluminum, or any other suitable electrically conductive material. The clip  70  possesses a blunt end  72  curved away from the device  1  to guide the clip  70  to the outside of the pocket portion  308  when inserting the device  1  into the holster  308 . In the present embodiment, the clip  70  is retained in a groove  22  in the valve button housing  20  of the device  1 . In the present embodiment, the switch  56  is comprised of an electrical contact  58  imbedded within the top portion  20  of the device  1  and the clip  70  which is springedly biased to touch the electrical contact  58 . When the device  1  is removed from the holster  300 , the clip  70  touches the electrical contact  58  allowing current to flow through the clip to the light source  51 . 
     While the present embodiment features an electrically conductive clip  70  as a component of the switch  56 , the switch may have self contained contacts such as a momentary push button switch or micro-switch that is physically depressed by the clip  70  which may or may not be electrically conductive itself, or the switch may be depressed directly by a part of the holster  300 , The lever arm or clip  70  may be designed so that it fits on the inside of the holster  300 , thereby being pressed inward towards the wall of the canister  10  by the pocket portion  308  of the holster  300  and turning the light  51  off. In the preferred embodiments, the lever arm  70  fits on the outside of the holster  300 , whereby the switch  56  is disengaged turning the light  51  off when the device  1  is placed in the holster  300 . 
     In a second embodiment of the self defense device  1 , the clip  70 ′ may be attached by retainers  76  such as screws or rivets as shown in  FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the clip  70 ′ rests on the outside surface of the button housing  20 ′ and is secured with screws  76  threaded into suitable openings in the button housing. The clip  70 ′ is shaped such that an aperture  74  or “u” shaped opening allows the screw  76  to pass through the clip  70 ′ and fasten it to the button housing  20 . While the current embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  shows the clip not retained within a groove  22 , retainers can easily be used in conjunction with a groove to retain the clip  70 ′. Also featured in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  is a biased spray valve button actuator  30 ′ that vertically translates in relation to the button housing  20 ′. It should be noted, however, that other valve button designs can be adapted to be used with the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  shows an exploded view showing the canister  10 , valve button housing  20 ′, and valve button  30 ′ of the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the valve button  30 ′ is restrained from axially rotating about the valve stem  14  by a pair of diametrically opposed and radially inward protruding flanges  24 ,  24 ′ on the valve button housing  20 ′ that slideably engage axially extending grooves  32 ,  32 ′ in the valve button  30 ′. A variety of other construction methods known in the art may be used to prevent axial rotation of the valve button  30 ′, including, but not limited to, placing at least one flange in the valve button  30 ′ and at least one mating groove in the valve button housing  20 ′, placing at least one groove in the valve button  30 ′ and at least one mating flange in the valve button housing  20 ′, or shaping the valve button and corresponding surfaces on the valve button housing so that they possesses a non-circular shape. The valve button  30 ′ may be retained within the valve button housing  20 ′ by means not shown and in the disclosed embodiment the valve stem  14  is press fit within a bore of the valve stem nipple  34 . The valve button housing  20 ′ may be releasably attached to the rim  12  of the pressure canister  10  that contains a propellant, irritant, and possibly other substances including dyes or luminescent agents. The releasable attachment of the valve button housing  20 ′ to the canister  10  is preferably achieved by a snap-fit connection that allows the components containing the invention to be removed from the canister  10  and to be reused with a new canister. 
       FIG. 5  shows a frontal view of the second embodiment of the self defense device. The focused light source  51 , as with the first embodiment, is preferably located directly below the spray nozzle  40 . The light source  51  may be displaced to the left or right of the spray nozzle  40  or even above the spray nozzle  40 , provided the projected beam of light is aimed in the direction of the spray nozzle  40 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a sectional view along the line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 5 . As shown, when removed from the holster  300  the clip  70  makes contact with the electrical contact  58 , thereby allowing electricity to flow from the power source, through the clip  70  and electrical contact  58  of the switch  56  and through the focused light source or light  51 . This feature automatically turns the light on, eliminating the need for the operator to remember to turn on the light source  51 , and relieves the operator from having to perform another step during high stress situations. To discharge the weapon, the operator presses the valve button  30 ′, thereby depressing the spring biased valve stem  14  downward opening the valve  16  and allowing the pressurized contents  11  of the canister  10  to flow up the diptube  15  and out the nozzle  40  in the direction of the focused light source  51 . 
       FIG. 7  shows an exploded view of third embodiment of the invention where the valve button housing  20 ″ separates into an upper section  20 A and a lower section  20 B. The upper section  20 A of the valve button housing contains the valve button  30 ′ with its valve stem nipple  34  engageable with the valve stem  14 . The lower valve button housing  20 B contains the focused light source  51 , the clip  70 ′, and the switch  56 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a view of a focused light source circuit  50  removed from the valve button housing  20 . The clip  70 ′ is connected to a voltage source  52  which is in-turn connected to the focused light source  51 . The focused light source  51  may be any light source capable of projecting a beam or cone of light, including incandescent light bulbs, lasers, and light emitting diodes (LEDs) with and without reflectors or lenses. Where a collimated beam of light is desired, a modern laser diode may be used as the focused light source  51 . Preferably the focused light source consists of an LED having a wavelength, focal pattern, and intensity as specified by the manufacturer. The focused light source  51  is connected to the switch  56 . In this embodiment the switch  56  is comprised of the electrical contact  58  and the clip  70 ′. When the clip  70 ′ makes contact with the electrical contact  58 , the focused light source  51  illuminates. 
     While the circuit is comprised of a focused light source  51 , voltage source  52 , and a switch  58  connected in series, other components may also be included in the circuit, including a manual cut-off switch to turn off the light regardless of the state of the switch  58 , a manual over-ride switch to turn on the focused light source  51  regardless of the state of switch  58 , and resistors to adjust the amount of current and or voltage passing through the focused light source  51 .