Abstract:
The invention is a multifunctional law enforcement tool, which preferably includes several of the tools needed by law enforcement and security personnel. In one embodiment the multifunctional tool comprising a flashlight, stun gun, deterrent spray, glass breaker, I.D. holder, deterrent spray taser and cartridge housings. The cartridge housings allow the user to fire non-lethal rounds such as taser, bean bag, rubber bullets, balls and other projectiles. It may also fire tactical rounds such as colored smoke, breach rounds and concussion rounds. The cartridge housings may also house other battery powered devices such as cameras, audio and video recorders.  
     In a second embodiment the cartridge housings are removed for a lighter more compact unit.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation in part of U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,855 B1 and Patent Pending Ser. No. 10/139,582 entitled Multi-Functional Law Enforcement Tool Filed May 3, 2002 herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates generally to law enforcement and security personnel. More specifically, this invention relates to different combinations of a flashlight, deterrent spray, stun gun, deterrent spray taser, glass breaker, I.D. holder and numerous non lethal and tactical cartridge capabilities and an orthogonal handle.  
           [0004]    2. Related Art  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,851 (Cantor) discloses a combination flashlight and deterrent spray.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,726 (Macierowski) discloses a combination flashlight, baton, pepper spray.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,277 (LaCroix) discloses a combination flashlight and stun gun.  
           [0008]    Still, there is a need for a compact but effective multifunctional law enforcement tool with a flashlight, stun gun, deterrent spray, glass breaker, I.D. holder, deterrent spray taser with multiple non lethal and tactical cartridge housings. This invention will address the needs of law enforcement and security personnel.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0009]    The invention is a multifunctional law enforcement tool that may serve an officers need to have various features and options quickly at hand, while keeping the officers gun hand free. In one embodiment, the invention comprising a flashlight, deterrent spray, stun gun, glass breaker, I.D. holder, deterrent spray taser with cartridge housings for all non lethal and tactical cartridges with an orthogonal handle. In another embodiment, the cartridge housings are removed thus making a smaller, lighter and more concealable unit.  
           [0010]    The invented multifunctional law enforcement tool allows several important devices to be easily at hand for law enforcement and security personnel in a single unit. By having all the tools combined into one unit this leaves the users gun hand always free. Also, the invented multifunctional tool places both offensive and defensive tools together in the users hands along with the flashlight. Having all the commonly used tools ready immediately, greatly increases an officers options when dealing with the uncertainties of a suspects behavior. The officers may approach a suspect with the invented multifunctional tool in one hand, and his other hand ready at his gun, an may respond to a suspects behavior as appropriate. The user need not whisk out a taser gun, pepper spray can, stun gun or any other tool that he may need. These actions may be threatening and confrontational and may escalate the situation. Instead, he can hold and use the multifunctional law enforcement tool as a flashlight, which is a non threatening action, while having the other defensive and offensive tools ready for use. Thus, the invented combinations allow the user to be more in control of the situation, and ready for many turn of events.  
           [0011]    Another object of the invented multifunctional law enforcement tool is to eliminate the need of several different objects (spray, stun gun, taser, flashlight, glass breaker, etc.), to be clipped separately onto an officers belt. This eliminates the “clutter” of the separate objects, and reduces total weight because the invention may weigh significantly less by about 2 or 3 pounds, than the total of the separate objects. Also, for a female officer with a small waist, it is difficult to position the separate objects around her belt.  
           [0012]    Another possible use of the invented multifunctional tool is with airline security. These non lethal options will help detain or incapacitate confrontational passengers where more lethal alternatives would be less appropriate.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 Depicts a cross section view of invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 Depicts the embodiment of FIG. 1 without cartridge housings.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 Depicts a perspective view of FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 Depicts a perspective view of FIG. 2.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 Depicts an overview of actuator tubes, actuator valve and circuit board.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 Depicts a cross section view of deterrent spray actuator and stun gun contact.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 Depicts a perspective view of “side switch” of FIG. 1.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 Depicts a perspective view of FIG. 2&#39;s “side switch”.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 Depicts a perspective view of I.D. holder.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    Referring to the figures, these are depicted several but not all, embodiments of the present invention, which is a multifunctional law enforcement tool. In the following description of the preferred embodiment, the term proximal refers to the end containing the flashlight, stun gun and deterrent spray taser. Because of the typical use of the invention with the flashlight pointing “Forward” from the user, the flashlight end is also “Forward” direction and the I.D. holder, actuator button, and switches will be referred to as the “Rearward” direction. The glass breaker located at the “Bottom” of the handle will be referred to as the “Bottom” direction.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 depicts a first embodiment of the invented multifunctional law enforcement tool, which comprises a handle unit. According to these Figures, FIG. 1 comprises an exterior shell  82  and a handle  84 . Orthogonal handle  84  preferrably extends integrally from exterior shell  82  wherein handle  84  houses a deterrent spray canister  7 . Deterrent spray canister  7  is pushed up through access port  66  internally until canister stem  60  passes through stem hole  85 . Deterrent spray canister  7  is held in place by threaded glass breaker housing  70  which also houses glass breaker tip  1 , can rubber compression unit  17 . When screwed into place threaded glass breaker housing  70  keeps access port  66  watertight. When rubber compression unit  17  is struck against glass it will compress leaving glass breaker tip  1 , exposed to strike against said glass. Once broken decreased pressure against rubber compression unit  17  will allow it to regain its normal shape and to cover glass breaker tip  1 .  
         [0024]    The location of handle  84  on exterior shell  82  is determined from balance, weight and center of gravity considerations. Preferably the handle  84  and exterior shell  82  will be equal in length on FIG. 1 and the handle  84  will be approximately 25% longer than the exterior shell  82  of FIG. 2.  
         [0025]    The exterior shell  82  of FIG. 1 possesses  3  internal cavities. Upper cavity  75  houses battery Pack  4  in its most rearward section. Electrical transformer  15 , circuit board, bulb holder  77  and flashlight bulb  13  are located in the middle of upper cavity  75 . In the most forward section of upper cavity  75  is the ends cover unit  76 , which houses a parabolic reflector  16 , laser sights  20  and  12  of FIG. 3 and stun gun probes  8  and  21  of FIG. 3. The lens cover unit  76  of FIG. 1 houses flashlight lens  10 . Upper cavity  75  has an electronics tray  31  and deterrent spray tubes  3  and  30  of FIG. 5 which starts at the most rearward section of upper cavity  75  to the most forward section of upper cavity  75 .  
         [0026]    In FIG. 3, deterrent spray exit ports  22  and  9  are designed to propel deterrent spray in 2 high pressure straight parallel lines into the eyes, mouth or facial region of a suspect or suspects deterrent spray exit ports  22  and  9  are located inside of stun gun probes  8  and  21 . Deterrent spray actuator button  2  or FIG. 1 must be pushed to initiate deterrent spray forward through deterrent spray tubes  3  and  30  of FIG. 5.  
         [0027]    Stun gun probes  8  and  21  of FIG. 3, are metal contacts that surround deterrent spray exit ports  22  and  9 . The user may activate the stun gun feature by pushing the stun gun rocker switch  42  of FIG. 1 down. Instantly a high voltage arc will be visible between stun gun probes  8  and  21  of FIG. 3. The user may disable an attacker by simply touching the attacker with as much as but not limited to 400,000 volts, causing a neuromuscular disruption.  
         [0028]    In FIG. 7, 4 position switch  108  controls laser sights  20  and  12  of FIG. 3. When turned from “off” position  62  to position  63  of FIG. 7, the laser sights  20  and  12  will be activated to align the target. First position  63  or the D.S.T. mode permits electrical current to activate stun gun contact  28  of FIG. 6, which is affixed to the underside of deterrent spray actuator button  2  of FIG. 6, if pushed in a downward manner by the user. By activating position  63  of FIG. 7, the user may now effectively push down deterrent spray actuator button  2  of FIG. 1 and simultaneously activate the stun gun and deterrent spray modes by doing this the user has activated the D.S.T. feature. The D.S.T. feature is a bi-product of the stun gun high voltage arc and the two high pressure deterrent spray streams. The high voltage arc which normally occurs between stun gun probes  8  and  21  of FIG. 3 is intercepted by the conductive deterrent spray stream as they exit the deterrent spray exit ports  22  and  9  of FIG. 3. This combination propels an exposed high voltage arc along two high pressure straight lines of deterrent spray, in much the same way taser guns shoot two metal darts with conductive wire at a target. The suspects body completes the circuit between the two streams of deterrent spray and high voltage arc causing a neuromuscular disruption. The microprocessor  107  of FIG. 1 and accompanying electronics provide a pulse of electrical energy which may last as long but not limited to 5 seconds. The user must continue to manually hold down the deterrent spray button  2  of FIG. 1 or the high voltage arc will be ineffective as D.S.T but still effective as a stun gun.  
         [0029]    By combining the effectiveness of a deterrent spray and a high voltage taser will make for an extremely effective non lethal solution. The D.S.T., because of its teatherless nature may be more effective against multiple suspects. People wearing heaving clothing may be shot in the face by the D.S.T. but not by current taser guns. The D.S.T. dual laser sights  20  and  12  of FIG. 3 make it easy to point and shoot.  
         [0030]    In FIG. 1, parabolic reflector  16  and flashlight bulb  13  join together to create a flashlight with up to but not limited to 20,000 candlepower. Flashlight button  49  of FIG. 1 may be held down manually for intermittant use or slide switch  48  of FIG. 1 may be pushed in an upward motion to automatically hold flashlight button  49  down.  
         [0031]    In FIG. 3, exterior shell  82  possess two lower cavities. Cartridge housings  25  and  26  of FIG. 3, are non lethal and tactical cartridge housings that may be activated by first manually moving the 4 position switch  108  of FIG. 7 to either right “ 64 ” or left “ 65 ”, then pressing the stun gun switch  42  of FIG. 1. By doing this the user sends an electrical current to electrical connectors  14  and  137  of FIG. 3, which then electrically stimulates the cartridge being used. Cartridge clip hole  6  of FIG. 1 and cartridge clip hole  196  and  6  of FIG. 3 secure the cartridges into place. Small plastic tabs on the cartridge housings expand through clip hole  6  and  196 . To remove a spent cartridge the user must compress the plastic tab on cartridge and then slide out in a forward manner. Non lethal and tactical cartridges such as bean bags, tasers, colored smoke etc. will be activated through the electrical connector  14  and  137  of FIG. 3 which engage the electrical contacts on the back of the cartridge only after activating stun gun switch  42  of FIG. 1. First, the cartridge which carry an explosive charge of gun powder and an electrical connection coupled together to create a controlled explosion which propels a projectile forward once stun gun switch  42  of FIG. 1 is activated. The user can then change  4  position switch  108  of FIG. 7 to fire another cartridge either right “ 64 ” or left “ 65 ” of FIG. 7. By switching cartridges the user will simultaneously be switching laser sights that correspond with the proper cartridge. Cartridges other than tactical and non lethal rounds may be used and powered by the battery pack  4  of FIG. 1.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 9 depicts an identification card clip  199  located at the rearward section of the exterior shell  82 . This allows an officer to hold the identification card in the identification card clip instead of occupying his gun hand.  
         [0033]    In the second embodiment of the multifunctional law enforcement tool, FIG. 2 depicts a unit without cartridge housings  25  and  26 . FIG. 8 depicts a two stage switch  143  which includes a first “off” position  69  and a second position “ 70 ” for the D.S.T. feature. The rest of the multifunctional law enforcement tool of FIGS. 2, 4 and  8  remains unchanged from that of FIG. 1 of the first embodiment.