Patent · US Expired

Long range electrical stun gun

US5473501A · kind A · utility

78Cited by
10References
11Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 30, 1994
Grant dateDec 5, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 30, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05C1/04
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A wire-less dart adapted to be projected by a gun and capable of applying an electrical pulse of sufficient energy to stun a target. The dart includes a photovoltaic cell responsive to a coherent electromagnetic energy source, such as a laser, for converting the beam energy to an electrical pulse. The dart also includes a pair of barbs extending from its distal end which penetrate the target's skin to a non-injurious depth. These barbs serve as electrodes and deliver the electrical pulse to the target. The projector, such as a gun, includes a pulsed laser light source which is aimed at the same location as the projector. Accordingly, the laser source focuses the pulsed laser energy source upon the dart PV cell. The projector includes a propellant sufficient to launch the dart, but with only enough kinetic energy such that the dart barbs penetrate the assailant's skin. The device has a long operating range.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.