Abstract:
An impact device and method for use by a policeman. The device mounts on the shin and is used by kicking the opponent with the impact device cushioning the kicker&#39;s shin. The police device has a rounded surface for exerting a measured blow on the opponent while a military version has a cutting edge for cutting the opponent. The device may be covered and obscured by the pant leg of the user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to an impact device and method.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Police officers have official guidelines as to how much force they should use in a particular situation. For example, the amount of force to be used might be coded as green, yellow or red depending on whether there is no danger to the officer, or mortal danger, or an intermediate situation where the individual is illegally resisting arrest but there is little or no danger to the officer. A police officer frequently carries a pistol which might be grabbed by a criminal if the officer does not protect the pistol by grasping it or by covering it with his hand. It is desirable that the police officer have available a weapon permitting the officer to apply measured force and at the same time to protect the officer&#39;s pistol.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is therefor an object of the invention to provide an improved weapon for use by a police officer permitting the application of a measured amount of force.  
         [0004]     Another object of the invention is to provide an impact weapon for use by the military.  
         [0005]     One embodiment of the invention is an impact weapon including a main body having an elongated curved shape for mounting on the shin. The body has an inside curved surface adapted to nest on the shin and has an outside surface. A retainer is secured to the main body for retaining the main body on the shin. An elongated rigid member is fixed to the outside surface of the main body and extends along the length of the main body.  
         [0006]     Another embodiment of the invention is a method for subduing an opponent which includes providing an impact weapon with a main body having an elongated curved shape for mounting on the shin. An elongated rigid member is secured to the outside surface of the main body and extends along the length of the main body. The method further includes securing the weapon to the shin and striking the opponent with the elongated rigid member by kicking the opponent with the weapon.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a view of a policeman having a pistol in a holster and also having the impact device of the present invention mounted on the policeman&#39;s right leg.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the impact device.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation of the device.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is an end elevation of the device.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a view of the policeman of  FIG. 1  carrying out a step of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a fragmentary view similar to  FIG. 4  of an alternative embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, and alterations and modifications in the illustrated device, and further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein are herein contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.  
         [0014]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a police officer  10  is illustrated having a holster  11  with a pistol  12  received within the holster  11 . Mounted on the right leg  15  of the police officer is the impact device  16  of the present invention. (The police officer&#39;s right pant leg is broken away to show the mounting of the impact device.) The police officer  10  has on long pants  17  which cover the impact device  16  and make it obscured from view of a criminal. The illustrated police officer in  FIG. 1  is right handed and consequently has the impact device  16  mounted on his right leg. The officer has a pistol belt carrying the holster and pistol where they are easily accessible by his right hand. A left handed police officer would have the impact device  16  mounted on his left leg and would have his holster and pistol at his left side accessible by his left hand.  
         [0015]     Referring to the perspective view  FIG. 2  of the impact device or weapon  16 , the device or weapon includes a main body  20  which has an elongated curved shape for mounting on the shin. The main body  20  also has an inside curved surface  21  adapted to nest on the shin and also has an outside curved surface  22 . A cushion  25  is mounted on the main body  20  on the inside curved surface  21  and covers the inside curved surface for protecting and cushioning the shin of the wearer of the impact device. An elongated rigid member  26  is fixed to the outside curved surface  22  of the main body and extends along the length of the main body.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  shows the impact device of the present invention in use. One of the advantages of the present device is the fact that it is not visible to the perpetrator of a crime because it can be covered by the long pants  17  of the policeman. Thus the police officer can use the front of the shin of his right leg for a right handed police officer to kick a perpetrator in the leg as shown in  FIG. 5  so as to bring down the perpetrator or can even use the kick on some other part of the perpetrator&#39;s body if a more crippling force is necessary for a particular situation. When the officer kicks the criminal, the cushion  25  cushions the impact to the shin of the officer. As shown by the arrow in  FIG. 5 , the kick can be aimed at the rear of the criminal&#39;s leg to cause the leg to buckle and the criminal to go down. At the same time that the right handed police officer is doing the kicking operation he can also use his right hand to cover his gun as shown so that it cannot be withdrawn from the holster by the perpetrator.  
         [0017]     The impact device of the present invention can take various forms. The specific embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5  includes a main body  20  that is approximately 9½ inches in length. The elongated rigid member  26  has a thickness dimension  27  that is approximately {fraction (1/8)} inch and has a curved surface  30  facing away from the main body. The elongated rigid member  26  is designed in this fashion in order to stun the recipient of a kick by the policeman but not to cause excessive damage by the kick. An alternative embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 6  involves a sharp edge  31 ′ of the elongated rigid member  26 ′ so that the kick would produce a cutting action. This particular alternative embodiment is intended for military use as opposed to police use.  FIG. 6  is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the elongated rigid member  26 ′. The embodiment of  FIG. 6  in other respects is identical to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 .  
         [0018]     The impact device  16  is secured in place on the leg of the user by a retainer and/or retainers  32  and  35 . In the illustrated embodiment the retainers  32  and  35  are straps  36  and  37  which have Velcro  40  mounted on them. The strap  36  is received between the main body  20  and the elongated rigid member  26  and is secured in place by appropriate fasteners. The strap  36  has a loop or ring  41  on the strap through which the strap is inserted prior to use of the Velcro to attach the strap  36  to itself. The retainer  35  includes the strap  37  which is secured by appropriate fasteners between the main body  20  and the cushion  25 . The end portions of the strap  37  have the complementary Velcro sections on them for securing the end portions together and mounting the impact device on the leg.  
         [0019]     The invention includes other alternative embodiments. For example the elongated rigid member  26  might be constructed integrally with the main body  20 . In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the elongated rigid member  26  and the main body  20  are made out of rigid plastic but they could be made out of other materials such as metal or wood as examples. One manner of constructing the impact weapon of the present invention includes modifying a commercially available soccer leg guard by adding to it and mounting on it the elongated rigid member  26 . Still another alternative embodiment of the invention includes making the elongated rigid member out of more than one piece such as, for example, a series of spaced or contiguous or adjacent pieces.  
         [0020]     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.