Patent Publication Number: US-9423222-B1

Title: Less-than-lethal cartridge

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to and benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/783,157, filed Mar. 14, 2013, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SOFT PACKAGED FLUID PROJECTILE FOR LESS-THAN-LETHAL CARTRIDGE,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The embodiments relate to less-than-lethal cartridges used, for example, by military and law enforcement to inhibit dangerous behavior by individuals. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Less-than-lethal (LTL) cartridges are often used by the military or law enforcement to inhibit dangerous behavior, such as may be posed by an unruly crowd. Ideally, a projectile emitted from an LTL cartridge discourages behavior, but does not maim or fatally injure individuals. Unfortunately, many LTL cartridges are designed with a particular range in mind, and thus, when used at closer ranges, LTL cartridges may be fatal, or cause significant injuries to an individual. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for an LTL cartridge that emits a projectile that imparts a discouraging force upon an individual at both near and far ranges, but does not maim or fatally injure individuals. 
     SUMMARY 
     The embodiments relate to a less-than-lethal (LTL) cartridge that emits a projectile that impacts an individual with a sufficient force to discourage behavior, yet does not penetrate the individual. The LTL cartridge may be used at both close ranges and distant ranges. In one embodiment, the LTL cartridge includes a case that has a circumference and forms a pressure chamber. The LTL cartridge also includes a sabot that includes an end portion that is configured to fit within the case. The sabot has an interior volume that is configured to contain a teardrop-shaped bladder. The sabot is configured to release the teardrop-shaped bladder subsequent to exiting a barrel of a firearm. The teardrop-shaped bladder has a leading end, a tapered body having weakened sections to facilitate rupturing of the tapered body upon impact with an object, a trailing end, and a drogue tail coupled to the trailing end. The drogue tail, among other features, enhances stability of the teardrop-shaped bladder when in flight. In some embodiments, the leading end, the tapered body, the trailing end, and the drogue tail are all unitary and made from the same material. In some embodiments, the leading end comprises a thickened portion with respect to the tapered body. 
     The sabot may comprise any desired material, including, by way of non-limiting example, paper, polystyrene, syndiotactic polystyrene, polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyurethane, or Styrofoam®. In some embodiments, the teardrop-shaped bladder forms an interior volume that contains a fluid. The fluid may be a liquid or a gel. In another embodiment, a less-than-lethal (LTL) munition is provided that includes a sabot, a propulsion section mated to the sabot, and a payload projectile housed within the sabot. The payload projectile includes a payload bladder and a fluid payload encapsulated in the payload bladder. In some embodiments, the sabot is sectioned to fall away subsequent to leaving the barrel of the firearm. In one embodiment, the fluid payload comprises a liquid, a gel, or a powder selected from a group consisting of tear gas (CS), chloroacetophenone (CN), capsaicin, mercaptan, dye, and paint. 
     In another embodiment, a method for firing a LTL cartridge from a firearm is provided. The method includes loading the firearm with the LTL cartridge, wherein the LTL cartridge comprises a case including an explosive charge and including a sabot that comprises an end portion configured to fit within the case and an interior volume configured to contain a unitary teardrop-shaped bladder. The sabot is configured to release the teardrop-shaped bladder subsequent to exiting the barrel of the firearm. The teardrop-shaped bladder includes a leading end, a tapered body having weakened sections to facilitate rupturing of the tapered body upon impact of the bladder with an object, a trailing end, and a drogue tail coupled to the trailing end. The method includes aiming the firearm in a direction, and initiating a trigger of the firearm to release a firing pin to initiate the explosive charge. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the present disclosure and realize additional aspects thereof after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in association with the accompanying drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a less-than-lethal (LTL) cartridge according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of a perspective view of an LTL cartridge according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of an LTL cartridge according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of a perspective view of a teardrop-shaped bladder according to one embodiment; and 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating use of an LTL cartridge according to one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims. 
     Any flowcharts discussed herein are necessarily discussed in some sequence for purposes of illustration, but unless otherwise explicitly indicated, the embodiments are not limited to any particular sequence of steps. The use herein of ordinals in conjunction with an element is solely for distinguishing what might otherwise be similar or identical labels, such as “first format” and “second format,” and does not imply a priority, a type, an importance, or other attribute, unless otherwise stated herein. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of a less-than-lethal (LTL) cartridge  10  according to one embodiment. The LTL cartridge  10  may be referred to herein as an LTL munition. The LTL cartridge  10  includes a propulsion section, such as a case  12 . The case  12  has a circumference associated with a size of a barrel of a firearm in which the LTL cartridge  10  will be utilized. By way of non-limiting example, the diameter of the LTL cartridge  10  may comprise 37 millimeters, as may be used by law enforcement, or 40 millimeters, as may be used by military personnel, but the embodiments are not limited to any particular size of cartridge and have utility with any type of round. The case  12  forms a pressure chamber  14  in which pressure is formed when a charge (not illustrated) is initiated. 
     The LTL cartridge  10  includes a sabot  16  that includes an end portion  18  that is configured to fit within the case  12 . The sabot  16  may contain one or more weakened areas, such as section lines  20 , such that the sabot  16  relatively quickly breaks apart and falls away shortly after exiting the barrel of a firearm. 
     The sabot  16  has an interior volume configured to contain a teardrop-shaped bladder  22 . The teardrop-shaped bladder  22  includes a leading end  24 , a tapered body  26 , and a trailing end  28 . A drogue tail  30  is coupled to the trailing end  28 . The phrase “teardrop-shaped” is used herein to refer to a shape assumed by a falling drop of a thin liquid, which has a globular form at the leading end of the falling drop and a tapering body that leads to a pointed end at the trailing end of the falling drop. 
     In some embodiments, the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  is unitary, and thus, the leading end  24 , the tapered body  26 , the trailing end  28 , and the drogue tail  30  are all made from the same material. In some embodiments, the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  is made from an elastomeric material such that the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  is elastic. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram of a perspective view of the LTL cartridge  10  according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, the sabot  16  has an opening at the leading end  24  of the sabot  16  such that the leading end  24  of the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  is exposed. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the LTL cartridge  10  according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, the leading end  24  comprises a thickened portion with respect to the tapered body  26 . In some embodiments, the thickened portion may have thickness greater than about 1/10 th  of an inch. The tapered body  26  may have a thickness less than about 1/20 th  of an inch. The change in thickness may be abrupt, or, in some embodiments, the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  comprises a non-uniform thickness throughout a length of the teardrop-shaped bladder  22 , the leading end  24  having a greater thickness than the trailing end  28 , an overall thickness of the tapered body  26  diminishing from the leading end  24  to the trailing end  28 . 
     Such differing thickness helps prevent the leading end  24  from fragmenting or bursting upon impact. However, the reduced thickness of the tapered body  26  helps ensure that the tapered body  26  does fragment upon impact of the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  with an object, such as an individual. The sudden rupturing of the tapered body  26  upon impact essentially brings the mass of the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  to zero immediately after impact. This rapid diminishment of mass prevents the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  from penetrating an individual and reduces the likelihood of serious injury to such individual, yet the initial mass of the teardrop-shaped bladder  22 , upon impact, imparts a substantial initial discouraging force upon the individual. 
     The LTL cartridge  10  may include an explosive charge  32  which, when properly triggered, such as by a firing pin of a firearm, results in detonation of the explosive charge  32  to cause a rapid increase in pressure in the pressure chamber  14 . After the pressure in the pressure chamber  14  exceeds a certain level, the sabot  16  and the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  are forced out of the case  12  and down the barrel of a firearm. The sabot  16  is sectioned, or otherwise weakened, to break apart and release the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  subsequent to exiting the barrel of the firearm. In some embodiments, the sabot  16  may be made of a hardened foam, such as Styrofoam®. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram of a perspective view of the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, the tapered body  26  includes a plurality of weakened sections  34  that facilitate rupturing of the tapered body  26  upon impact with an object. The weakened sections  34  may comprise any desired mechanism for weakening a material, such as score lines or other reductions in surface material thickness in a manner that increases the likelihood of a tear or rupture upon impact of the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  with an object. 
     The teardrop-shaped bladder  22  forms an interior volume and in some embodiments contains a fluid within the interior volume. In some embodiments, the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  is non-pressurized. In some embodiments, the fluid may comprise a liquid having a freezing point below about 10 degrees. The fluid may comprise a gel, or a liquid soap, or other biodegradable material. In some embodiments, teardrop-shaped bladder  22  may contain a liquid, a gel, or a powder selected from a group consisting of tear gas (CS), chloroacetophenone (CN), capsaicin, mercaptan, dye, and paint. The teardrop-shaped bladder  22  in conjunction with a fluid payload, as discussed above, may also be referred to herein as a payload projectile. 
     In operation, the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  is designed to rupture upon impact with an object, such as an individual. The teardrop-shaped bladder  22  may comprise any suitable material, such as, by way of non-limiting example, polyisoprene or natural rubber, polyisobutylene, polychloroprene (e.g., Neoprene®), polybutadiene, silicone, or the like. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating use of the LTL cartridge  10  according to one embodiment. Assume that a police officer  36  is confronting an unruly individual  38 . At a Time T 1 , the police officer  36  loads a firearm  40  with the LTL cartridge  10 . The police officer  36  aims the firearm  40  in a direction toward the unruly individual  38 . The police officer  36  initiates a trigger  42  of the firearm  40  to release a firing pin (not illustrated) to initiate the explosive charge  32  ( FIG. 3 ) at the Time T 1 . At a Time T 2 , the sabot  16  and the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  have exited the end of a barrel  44  of the firearm  40 . The sabot  16  begins to break apart, or otherwise fall away, from the teardrop-shaped bladder  22 . At a Time T 3 , the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  impacts the unruly individual  38 , and the tapered body  26  immediately fragments along the weakened sections  34  ( FIG. 4 ) such that the unruly individual  38  is initially struck with a substantial force, which rapidly diminishes to no force, and thus the teardrop-shaped bladder  22  does not penetrate the body of the unruly individual  38 . 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.