Patent Publication Number: US-11027439-B2

Title: Protective weapon

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of Levine et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/120,552, entitled “Protective Weapon,” filed on Jun. 4, 2014, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     STATEMENT OF INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to portable self-defense weapons for women and others, and is particularly concerned with a single or multi-bladed weapon that is easily and rapidly employed to fend off an attacker. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Animals and birds have sharp claws to both attack and defend against predatory animals for survival. Without these natural assets, women need a similar artificial weapon to fend off predators. 
     In the past many non-conventional knives and blades have been proposed for different purposes that are carried or supported by the human hand, with many being used for cutting, scraping, tearing, or penetrating. 
     For example, multiple fixed bladed weapons attached to handles, in which the blades are continuously exposed, have been available for many years. In another example, a multi-bladed weapon is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,629 A whereby the blades are not continuously exposed, but stored in the handle, and activated by a mechanical mechanism to project and retract the blades back into the handle upon operation by the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides for a small, portable, lightweight, easy to use single or multi-bladed weapon that can be carried and safely stored by the user, yet rapidly activated when needed to repel an assault. Unlike earlier patents, the blade or blades are fixed length and not moveable, and a retractable protective means normally isolates the blades in the body of the weapon to protect the user when not activated. To activate, the user squeezes the weapon, the retractable protective spring means constricts, and exposes the fixed length blade or blades for use against an attacker. When the user relaxes their grip, the retractable protective spring means expands to again sheathe the blade or blades in the body of the weapon and protect the user from the blades. 
     This weapon may be similar in appearance and function to animal claws or talons, or pointed cutting blades, and used the same way animals do to repel attacks, or may be a penetrative blade for use against predators. This single or multi-bladed weapon is hand held, lightweight, portable and when squeezed, constricts the compressible spring means resulting in the cutting or stabbing end of the blades protruding between and beyond the users fingers, and used in a “cutting, slashing or penetrating” action as the blades are applied against the body of the attacker. Although no special skills, training, or strength is required on the part of the user, the device is highly effective. 
     In preferred embodiments, the blade or blades are small, spaced apart in parallel according to the width of the fingers, and normally contained or sheathed within the retractable protective spring means and rigid upper member designed to sheathe the blades, guide the blades during use, and provide structural rigidity. This retractable protective spring means automatically expands when the weapon is not in use, to sheathe the blade or blades and safely carry the device in the hand, pocket, or purse, without danger to the user. In use, the person squeezes the weapon, which constricts the retractable protective spring means, exposing the cuffing or penetrating edges of the blades. This weapon is designed to be small, portable, lightweight, easy to use and functional for defense when needed. Unlike earlier patents, the blades are fixed length, movable only with respect to the users hand, and only exposed for use when the user squeezes the retractable protective spring means to expose the blade or blades, as a claw or penetrating weapon. 
     This weapon may have a strap means attached to the rigid upper portion, rigid lower portion or both, that fastens around the outside of the users hand and is expandable to fit most users hands. The strap means may be expandable material or two separate straps attachable by attachment means such as snaps, Velcro, or other materials. The strap means will prevent the user from inadvertently dropping the weapon or having it removed by the attacker during use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment when the weapon is in a relaxed mode and not in use; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment when the weapon is compressed and ready for use; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 2  when the weapon is compressed and ready for use; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 3 , when compressed by the human hand, with blades exposed and ready for use; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the component parts of the weapon prior to assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In  FIG. 1 , a deactivated state of the weapon is shown, while in  FIGS. 2-4 , the weapon is in an activated state. Referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , it can be seen that the weapon includes a first blade  14 , a second blade  15 , and a third blade  16 , which may collectively be referred to as blades  14 ,  15 , and  16 . In one implementation, the blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  are disposed in a substantially parallel arrangement. Each blade comprises an upper portion extending from an elongated body portion. For example, in  FIG. 5 , the third blade  16  includes a body portion  51  and an upper portion  52 . Furthermore, it can be seen that the body portion  51  includes a first length  53 , and the upper portion  52  includes a second length  54 , and that the first length  53  is greater than the second length  54 . The body portion  51  can be substantially blunt in some implementations. As shown in  FIG. 3 , for purposes of reference, the body portion includes a forward-facing surface (“forward surface”)  34 , a first side surface  33 , and a second side surface  35 . The forward surface  34  extends between the first side surface  33  and the second side surface  35 . In some implementations, the forward surface  34  is substantially blunt, smooth, and/or flat or planar. In one implementation, the forward surface  34  has a substantially rectangular shape, as shown in  FIG. 5 . Similarly, the first side surface  33  and/or the second side surface  35  can also be substantially blunt, smooth and/or flat or planar in some implementations, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The body portion  51  can be understood to include a greater thickness than the upper portion  52  in some implementations. In addition, it can be seen that the upper portion  52  includes a concave surface  32  that extends from the forward surface  34  to an outermost tip portion  31 . The concave surface  32  curves inward relative to the forward surface  34  and terminates at a sharp pointed end on the outermost tip portion  52 . The forward surface  34  can also be understood to include a first width  55 , while the concave surface  32  includes a second width  56 , and the first width  55  is greater than the second width  56 . In some implementations, the concave surface  32  tapers in width as it approaches the outermost tip portion  52 . In addition, the blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  are disposed or secured within a sheath casing, where the sheath includes a flexible and compressible housing portion (identified as semi-rigid material  13  in the figures) that extends between a rigid upper member  11  and a rigid lower member  12 . The rigid upper member  11  is more rigid than the compressible semi-rigid material  13 . Furthermore, referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , it can be seen that in the deactivated state the body portion is disposed entirely within the sheath while in the activated state at least a portion of the body portion extends out of the sheath. In addition, the height of the housing portion (semi-rigid material  13 ) can decrease as the weapon transitions from the deactivated state to the activated state. For example, in the activated state shown in  FIG. 3 , the housing portion has a first height  38 , and in the deactivated (uncompressed) state shown in  FIG. 5 , the housing portion has a second height  58 , where the first height  38  is less than the second height  58 . In order for the blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  to be exposed when the weapon is in the activated state, in the activated state the first height  38  of the housing portion is substantially smaller than the first length  53  of the body portion  51 . Furthermore, as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , it can be understood that the upper portion  52  extends entirely out of the sheath in the activated state and the upper portion  52  is substantially enclosed within or surrounded by the rigid upper member  11  in the deactivated state. As described herein, the weapon is configured to transition from the deactivated state to the activated state when a compressive force is applied to the rigid upper member  11  and the rigid lower member  12 , and to elastically return to the deactivated state when the compressive force is removed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the weapon&#39;s handle/sheath comprises a rigid upper member  11 , and a rigid lower member  12 , interconnected together by flexible compressible spring means such as semi-rigid material  13 . This material may be foam, sponge, rubber or foam plastic material, or other compressible material that is flexible and has sufficient resistance to expand when not in use. One or more of a series of blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  are spaced equidistant apart by the width of the human finger, and fixedly attached to the rigid lower member  12 , or aligned slots in lower member  FIGS. 5, 20, 21, and 22  and project in a perpendicular manner away from the rigid lower member  12 . The blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  are adapted (as shown in  FIG. 5 ), to pass through a series of aligned slots in the flexible spring means  17 ,  18 , and  19 . The rigid upper member  11 , also has aligned slots ( FIG. 2 )  23 ,  24 , and  25 , through which the blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  are also adapted to pass through when the weapon is squeezed to expose the blades as shown in  FIG. 2 . The blades,  14 ,  15 , and  16 , project vertically away from the rigid lower member  12 , and when not in use, the blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  are enclosed within the retractable protective spring means  13 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , and rigid upper member  11 , for safe storage when the weapon is not activated. 
     In operation, when the hand is clenched as shown in  FIG. 4 , and the retractable protective means  13 , squeezed, the blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  pass through both the slots of the retractable protective means  17 ,  18 , and  19  and slots of the rigid upper member  23 ,  24 , and  25  as shown in  FIG. 5 , and between and beyond the users fingers. The weapon is then activated and ready for use. 
     This weapon has been designed to be small, portable, lightweight, and effective; resulting in a highly functional piece of equipment, as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . 
     Although not intended or designed as a lethal weapon, the shape/configuration of the blade or blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  may be varied, to provide a sharp claw-like blade, a flat sharp bladed edge, a serrated edge, a sharp conical point, or other cutting edge as desired. The materials used may also be varied including metals, plastics, springs, sponges or other materials for the blades and holder/sheath and other elements shown and described. The rigid upper member  11  may contain indolations or finger guides between the rigid upper member slots  23 ,  24 , and  25  to prevent the blade or blades  14 ,  15 , and  16  from coming in contact with the fingers when the weapon is squeezed. In addition, the rigid upper member,  11 , may contain suitable external markers/guides (not shown in drawings) to inform the user to hold the weapon with the cutting edges of the blades  14 ,  15  and  16  pointed toward the attacker and away from the user. 
     The handheld weapon may also include (not shown in drawings) a strap means attached to the rigid upper portion, rigid lower portion or both, that fastens around the outside of the users hand and is expandable to fit most users hands. The strap means may be expandable material or two separate straps attachable by attachment means such as snaps, Velcro, or other materials. The strap means will prevent the user from inadvertently dropping the weapon during use. 
     Method of Manufacture 
     In the preferred embodiment both the rigid upper member and rigid lower member are molded using high impact plastic or other sufficiently rigid material to effectively perform as a defensive weapon. The rigid upper member and rigid lower are assembled together to be interfitted with one another for reciprocal movement of a blade or blades into and through openings in the flexible spring means and openings in the rigid upper member, and a sponge or other material with sufficient resistance to interconnect the rigid upper and rigid lower members, is attached to both the rigid upper member and rigid lower member with glue or other epoxy, and expandable to separate the rigid upper member from the rigid lower member and sheathe the blade when not in use. 
     Since these and many other changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, this invention should be considered as being limited only by the following claims.