Patent Publication Number: US-2015069082-A1

Title: Personal Defense Device with Communication Capabilities

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to personal defense devices, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for providing law enforcement and private citizens with a single device that integrates law enforcement tools and mechanisms for the application of capsaicinoids. 
     Capsaicinoids are a group of natural inflammatory products that are isolated from the dried fruits of chili peppers (e.g.,  Capsicum frutescens ) via extraction such as with an organic solvent. Capsaicinoids are lachrymatory agents (chemical compounds that can irritate the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness). The crude extract of peppers is called Oleoresin Capsicum (“OC”) and contains a variety of chemicals including significant quantities of the capsaicinoids. 
     OC and capsaicinoids are used as active components for the production of self-defense articles known as non-lethal pepper spray products used by law enforcement and civilians. The capsaicin-containing products are used by law enforcement agencies worldwide to assist in the apprehension of non-compliant suspects and in crowd control. The temporary blindness allows officers to more easily restrain subjects. Members of the general public also carry these products to help protect themselves against aggressive attack by animals and other individuals, while giving an opportunity to persons using pepper spray for self-defense an opportunity to escape. Pepper spray causes immediate closing of the eyes, difficulty breathing, runny nose, and coughing. The duration of its effects depends on the strength of the spray but the average full effect lasts around thirty to forty-five minutes, with diminished effects lasting for hours. 
     However, it is possible that the pepper spray will not produce the desired result. For instance, the user may press the activation button when being at a too far distance from the assailant or the direction of the spray is off-target. In such a case it is entirely possible that the assailant will continue his/her aggressive acts. The victim&#39;s cries for help may not be heard or even if recognized by the public—not acted upon. As a result, no assistance will be rendered to the victim. 
     The most effective way of handling a dangerous assault situation is to promptly alert law enforcement authorities of an attack. Such information can be delivered to the authorities using a cellular telephone. However, it may be impractical to attempt to call authorities during or after an assault. An assailant may snatch the cell phone from the victim, thus depriving the victim of the only opportunity to send an alarm signal to the police. Another method is to include a “panic button” on a necklace or key ring in radio communication with a transceiver that is connected to a telephone or similar network. These devices are compact, but have a very limited range. 
     The present invention contemplates provision of a device and method of activating an alarm signal that will be transmitted to a monitoring station and from there—to a law enforcement agency even when the victim is attempting to prevent or stop the attack. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a personal defense device that is equipped with a signal transmitting capability and incorporated in a conventional self-defense device, such as pepper spray canister. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a personal defense device with wireless communication capabilities compatible with conventional cell phone technology. 
     These and other objects of the invention are achieved through a provision of a personal defense device that is provided with a Bluetooth-enabled wireless communication circuit. The personal defense device is constructed as a rigid portable container retaining a pre-determined quantity of a repellant agent, such as pepper spray. A manually activated button causes dispensing of the repellant agent through a spray nozzle. The wireless communication circuit associated with the container is capable of generating an alarm signal capable of being received by a Bluetooth-enabled paired cellular telephone. 
     The wireless communication circuit is capable of generating a predetermined responsive action by the cellular telephone, such as activation of a speakerphone, dialing of an emergency number, and activation of a global positioning system locator. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein 
         FIG. 1  is perspective view of the personal defense device of the present invention with a detail view of the activation switch. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective, partially cutaway view of the device of the present invention and a schematic illustration of the wireless distress call transmittal from the personal defense device to a cellular telephone, and to a police station. 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the personal defense device showing the electronic circuitry embedded in the housing. 
         FIG. 4  is a detail view of an optional activation switch for use in the personal defense device. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view illustrating a micro switch, which activates transmission of a distress signal to a cellular phone for speed dialing of an emergency number. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view illustrating a micro switch, which activates transmission of a distress signal to a cellular phone for speed dialing of an emergency number, activation of a speakerphone function and activation of a global positioning system (GPS) function. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view illustrating a micro switch “Panic button”), which activates transmission of a distress signal to a cellular phone. 
     
    
    
     DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the drawings in more detail, numeral  10  designates a portable container or canister for retaining a pre-determined quantity of the capsaicin-containing agent according to this invention. In one aspect of the invention, the canister  10  is a spray-dispensing device capable of emitting a fine mist of capsaicin-containing product admixed with a marking agent, for instance glitter powder. The canister  10  can be a pump or an aerosol-spraying device. 
     The canister  10  comprises a rigid hollow cylindrical body  12  with a closed bottom  14  and an open top end  16 . A depressible pump head  18  is fitted in the top open end  16 . The pump head  18  is in fluid communication with the interior of the canister body  12 , where a quantity of the irritant agent is stored. A dip tube (not shown) extends inside the container body  12 . The liquid irritant-containing agent is drawn up through the dip tube for dispensing from the container  10 . 
     An upper part  20  of the canister  10  is provided with an elongated cutout  22 . The pump head  18  extends into the upper part  20  below the cutout  22 , while frictionally sliding moving within the canister body  12 . The pump head  18  sealingly engages the inner wall of the canister body  20  and prevents the liquid irritant agent from escaping the canister body  12 . 
     A nozzle opening  24  is formed in the pump head  18 . The nozzle opening  24  is oriented toward the cutout  22 . The nozzle opening  24  is in fluid communication with the interior of the canister body  12 . When depressed by a finger, the pump head  18  bears against the interior wall of the canister  10  and is displaced in a co-axial orientation with the central axis of the canister body  12 . The pumping action causes pressure differential inside the canister body  12  and ejection of a small quantity of pressurized irritant-containing liquid or repellant agent from the nozzle opening  24  toward a remote target. In one aspect of the invention, the spray emitted from the nozzle opening  24  contains a capsaicinoids material. 
     Mounted in the pump head  18  is a depressible button  30  which is in contact with a top surface  26  of the pump head  18 . The depressible button  30  moves downwardly when the user presses on the top surface  26 . The button  30  is operationally connected to a wireless communication assembly  32  secured in the pump head  18 . The wireless communication assembly operates on a short-wave frequency radio band using Bluetooth technology or similar protocol. The Bluetooth technology is widely used by Apple products, Microsoft platforms, Android phones, etc. A schematic example of a Bluetooth-enabled cellular phone is shown in  FIG. 1  and designated by numeral  34 . 
     Depressing the button  30  (when pressing on the pump head  18  to release a pepper spray) causes an alarm signal to be created by the wireless communication assembly  32 . The generated alarm signal is transmitted to the cellular phone  34 . A suitable application downloaded into the cellular phone  34  enables the phone  34  to perform a variety of functions. The phone  34  can turn on a speakerphone in a step  36 , dial an emergency number (911) in a step  37 , and initiate, in a step  38 , the GPS application to pin point the location of the attack in progress. The victim of the attack can talk with a police station operator located in a remote police station  39  using the speakerphone of the cellular phone  34 . 
     When the user buys the personal defense device  10 , the user first pairs the device  10  with a Bluetooth-enabled phone  34 . Optionally, the user can download a third party application to extend the functionality of the device  10 , as will be described in more detail hereinafter. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention using a tactile (bump) switch  40  located below a pepper spray dispenser button  42 . In this embodiment, the personal defense device  46  is a container housing a discreet quantity of an irritant, such as a pepper spray. The device  46  has a wireless communication circuit  48  built into a sidewall of the container. The communication circuit can be a Bluetooth-enabled circuit capable of communicating with Bluetooth enabled cellular phone  58  of the user. 
     The wireless communication circuit  48  is connected by suitable wiring to the tactile switch  40 . A rechargeable battery  50  is operationally connected to the wireless communication circuit  48 . A recharging port  52  is provided on the closed bottom wall  54  of the canister  46 . 
     A dispensing opening  56  is formed in an upper part of the canister  46 . When the user presses the irritant dispensing button  42  it presses on the tactile switch  40  and closes the circuit of the tactile switch  40  with the communication circuit  48 . As a result, the alarm signal generated by the act of pepper spray activation will cause a response in the cellular phone  58 . The phone  58  can then perform any of the functions discussed above, such as activation of the speakerphone, dialing of 911, and GPS locating. 
     If desired, the device  46  can be provided with a suspension ring  60  allowing the device  46  to be suspended from a belt, a purse strap, etc. of the user. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an alternative activation switch for the personal defense device. In this embodiment, the device is equipped with an optional safety switch  62 . In this embodiment, the device  46  is powered on by first moving the safety switch  62  into an “on” position in the direction of arrow  64 . In this embodiment, the safety switch  62  prevents accidental generation of an alarm signal through depressing of the pepper spray dispensing button and the activation switch. 
     After the user moves the safety switch  62 , the user can then dispense the irritant from the container  46  by pressing the switch  42  and also acting on the tactile switch  40 . The wireless communication functionality is then activated and the communication is established with the phone  58 . The alarm signal generated by the wireless communication circuit  48  sends instructions to the phone  58  to dial the local emergency number, allowing the user to inform the authorities of the emergency. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates optional steps that can be performed in the method of the present invention. Some Bluetooth-enabled devices cannot natively control the phone functions of turning on the GPS or speakerphone. To accomplish this step, a third party application  68  needs to be installed on the paired cell phone  58 . This application runs in the background, and upon receiving a signal generated by the communication circuit  48  activates the speakerphone  70  and the GPS unit  72 . It is envisioned that an application be available for each target phone running on Apple operating system, Android, Blackberry, etc. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 7 , still another optional element of the personal defense device is illustrated. In this embodiment a panic actuator in the form of a panic button  76  is provided on a container  78 . The panic button is spaced apart from the trigger switches  80 ,  82 . This embodiment may be preferred when the irritant in the container  78  does not necessarily have to be dispensed. For instance, if a user notices suspected activity but is too far away from the reach of the repellant agent, the user may activate the panic button  76  by moving it upwardly in the direction of arrow  84 . 
     Moving of the panic button  76  activates the same functionality as activation of the tactile switch  82  since both the panic button and the tactile switch  82  are operationally connected to the wireless communication circuit  86 . In this embodiment, the paired phone  88  will turn on the speakerphone  90  and start dialing the emergency number, which will connect the user to the police. 
     Similar to the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the container  78  can be provided with a key ring  92  for suspending the container  78  from a key chain, belt, purse strap, and the like. 
     Many other changes and modifications can be made in the device and method of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I, therefore, pray that my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.