Electrically conductive apron and accessory to protect against electric stun device misuse
An electrically conductive apron and a removable ground strap worn as an electric stun device misuse countermeasure made from metal coated fabrics, that effectively short circuits the electric stun device to itself and/or to an electrically ground floor when the stun voltage is applied to the electrically conductive apron. The electrically conductive apron is lightweight, does not decrease mobility, readily concealable, can be worn under or over street clothes, has an option of padding elements and is easily manufactured.
U.S. Provisional Application for Patent No. 61/516,683, filed Mar. 21, 2011 entitled “ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE APRON AND ACCESSORY TO PROTECT AGAINST ELECTRIC STUN DEVICE MISUSE” which is hereby incorporated by reference. Applicant claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119 (e).
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIXNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to protective garments and, more particularly, to a garment in the form of an electrically conductive apron and accessory that protects the user's torso by disrupting the effectiveness and functionality of electric stun devices used in criminal and terrorist activities which can be worn under or over street clothes, as the user prefers.
Electric stun devices have evolved with several methods for the delivery of a high voltage discharge to an intended target. Some of these methods include direct contact probes on the enclosure of the hand-held power supply for a direct contact method. Another method employs an auxiliary source propelled projectile with all elements of the power supply contained within the projectile. Yet another method utilizes electrically conductive liquids forcibly expelled from the hand-held power supply to deliver an immobilizing electric charge to a target. The most current and commercially available delivery system is that of dual compressed air propelled projectiles as the high voltage electrodes with attached wires to the hand-held power supply. The leading end of each electrode-projectile is fitted with a barbed wire to penetrate the surface of, and secure itself to a target. This two tethered electrode-projectile method is the system incorporated in the TAZER® device. With the announcement that TAZER® devices are now available to the general public, the need for suitable countermeasures in the form of protective garments and accessories be made available stems from the same reasons why TAZER® devices and other electric stun devices were originally developed. These reasons generally amount to the circumvention of criminal activity and to subdue the criminal. The following U.S. Patents disclose electric stun devices and the method of electric charge delivery of each are cited. U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,538 entitled “ARREST DEVICE” issued on Aug. 11, 1970 to Kunio Shimizu discloses a delivery system that incorporates a single compressed air propelled projectile with two embedded electrodes and attached wires to the hand-held power supply. U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,463 entitled “WEAPON FOR IMMOBILIZATION AND CAPTURE” issued on Apr. 9, 1974 to John H. Cover and U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,538 entitled “POWER SUPPLY FOR WEAPON FOR IMMOBILIZATION AND CAPTURE” issued on Feb. 24, 1981 to John H. Cover each disclose delivery systems each using one or two electrode-projectiles or a net, tethered with a sufficient number of separate wires to the hand-held power supply. U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,140 entitled “ELECTRONIC DEFENSIVE WEAPON” issued on Aug. 18, 1987 to John Hammes discloses a delivery system that employs the direct contact method previously described. U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,366 entitled “ELECTRICAL STUN GUNS AND ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE LIQUIDS” issued Apr. 7, 1992 to Gregory Battochi discloses a delivery system that dispenses charged electrically conductive liquids from the hand-held power supply. U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,501 entitled “LONG RANGE ELECTRICAL STUN GUN” issued on Dec. 5, 1995 to James P. Claypool discloses a delivery system which uses a wire-less projectile with self-contained electronics to convert a received laser beam into a stun voltage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,867 entitled “IMMOBILIZATION WEAPON” issued on Aug. 5, 1997 to John H. Murray discloses a dual delivery system with the choice of the direct contact method or the two tethered electrode-projectile method. U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,199 entitled “WEAPON FOR IMMOBILIZATION AND CAPTURE” issued on Nov. 3, 1998 to James McNulty Jr. et at discloses a delivery system that employs a modified two tethered electrode-projectile method. U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,806 entitled “NON-LETHAL PROJECTILE FOR DELIVERING AN ELECTRIC SHOCK TO A LIVING TARGET” issued Oct. 5, 1999 to Peter G. Coakley et al discloses a delivery system that employs an auxiliary source propelled projectile with all elements of the power supply contained within the projectile. U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,073 entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING A TWO PROJECTILE ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE WEAPON” issued Jun. 10, 2003 to James McNulty Jr. et at discloses the use of a modified two electrode-projectile delivery system. U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,412 B2 entitled “HAND-HELD STUN GUN FOR INCAPACITATING A HUMAN TARGET” issued on Oct. 21, 2003 to Patrick W. Smith discloses a delivery system that employs the two tethered electrode-projectile method. In addition to the reasons for the need of such devices stated in the aforementioned patents, the increasing activity of international terrorists and the increased accessibility to stun devices present a potentially serious problem to law enforcement agencies as well as to the general public. It is also noted that the alleged misuse of such devices by law enforcement officers and security guards have been reported by the news media on numerous occasions.
All of the electric stun devices disclosed in the aforementioned patents incorporate some form of electric and/or electronic circuitry which, if short-circuited, will disable the device by reducing the high voltage charge to a low or zero voltage. If these electric stun devices are operated with a short-circuit condition for a prolonged period of time, it is most likely that the electrical and/or electronic circuitry would be damaged and render the device useless until it is completely disassembled and repaired. Various puncture resistant garments, which are electrically conductive, are generally rigid shields worn external of clothing and are constructed of bulky, inflexible metals such as titanium or other extremely hard metal alloys. A more detailed analysis of these metallic vests and garments can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,193 entitled “COMBINED PUNCTURE RESISTANT AND BALLISTIC RESISTANT PROTECTIVE GARMENT” issued Oct. 17, 2000 to Thomas E. Bachner Jr. The disadvantages of the garments described in the “Background of the Invention” of U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,193 are due to the bulk and rigidity of such externally worn metallic vests. The primary disadvantages are that they are uncomfortable to wear, decrease mobility, cause fatigue and are not readily concealable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe primary object of the present invention is to provide an electrically conductive apron and accessory which protects the user's torso against the misuse of most of the multitude of available electric stun devices by short circuiting the high voltage probes and/or the electrode-projectiles of the electric stun device power supply across each other, causing the effects of the electric stun device to be negligible. It is another object of the present invention is to provide an electrically conductive apron and accessory which protects the user's torso against the aforementioned misuse by providing an alternate circuit path for directing the stun current to an appropriate electrical ground, thus causing the effects of the electric stun device to be negligible. It is yet another object that an electrically conductive apron and accessory of the present invention is lightweight and flexible as not to decrease the mobility of the wearer. It is still another object that an electrically conductive apron and accessory of the present invention is readily concealable while worn. Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention in its details and of fabrication and arrangement of materials will be seen from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention when considered with the drawings and from the appended claims.
The present invention has the primary objective of providing an effective protection against the debilitating effects of electric stun devices. The present invention accomplishes this in one of two ways. The first way is by providing an electrical short circuit current path between the two electrodes of an electric stun device using either the direct contact method or the two tethered electrode-projectile method when in contact with the present invention. The short circuit current path will effectively nullify the debilitating effects of the electric stun device. If the electric stun device is operated in contact with the present invention for a significant period of time, the electric stun device may be damaged and become inoperable. The second way is by providing an electrical short circuit current path between one electrode-projectile of an electric stun device using the two tethered electrode-projectile method and to a floor that is a good electrical ground. The surface of the Earth, or a metal surface grounded to the Earth are suitable floors.
Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations are for the purpose of describing the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention thereto. All drawings are of an approximate proportion and approximate scale.
The ratings for firmness are very soft (0 to 2 psi), extra soft (2 psi to 5 psi), soft (5 psi to 9 psi), firm (9 psi to 13 psi), extra firm (13 psi to 17 psi) and very firm (17 psi and up). These factors of firmness and resilience are important in the selection of the material for the padded element (10) for added protection against an electric stun device using the two tethered electrode-projectile method. When any padded element (10) is comprised of at least two layers of resilient material, the layers are bonded together at the edges of the padded element (10) in a manner such that the adjacent layers of the resilient material are free to move relative to each other. This fabrication technique of the padded element (10) aids in redirecting some of the kinetic energy of a electrode-projectile of an electric stun device. The method of bonding includes adhesive application, ultrasonic bonding or any other method suitable for the bonding of the resilient material selected for the manufacture of the padded element (10).
The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation, the vast amount of protection, the ease of concealment, the relative comfort and minimal decrease of mobility provided while the present invention is in use and the relative ease which the present invention may be manufactured.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.
Claims
1. An electrically conductive apron and accessory worn to nullify the debilitating effects of an electric stun device by providing and electrical short circuit between two electrode-projectiles or probes of said electric stun device or providing and electrical short circuit between a single electrode-projectile and an electrically grounded floor comprising:
- an electrically conductive apron constructed of a metal coated fabric;
- a removable ground strap constructed of a metal coated fabric.
2. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 1 wherein said metal coated fabric is made from a base fabric selected from the group including continuous loop, knit, nonwoven point bonded and rip stop.
3. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 1 wherein said metal coated fabric is coated with an electrically conductive metal selected from the group including copper, gold, nickel and silver.
4. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 1 wherein said metal coated fabric comprises at least one layer.
5. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 4 wherein said electrically conductive apron covers the front of the torso.
6. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 5 wherein said electrically conductive apron is secured to the neck and torso by tie strings located at a plurality of locations on said electrically conductive apron.
7. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 5 wherein said removable ground strap is secured to the legs by tie strings located at a plurality of locations on said removable ground strap.
8. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 5 wherein said electrically conductive apron is secured to street clothes by methods selected from the group including buttons, hook and eye type fasteners, hook and loop type fasteners, pins, snaps and Velcro strips.
9. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 5 wherein said metal coated fabric comprises at least two layers forming a pocket.
10. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 9 wherein metal snap fasteners are placed at a plurality of locations as a means of attaching said removable ground strap with the unattached end of said removable ground strap in contact with an electrically grounded floor and as a means of closure for said pocket.
11. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 10 wherein a padded element is placed within said pocket.
12. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 11 wherein said padded element is manufactured from at least one layer of a resilient material selected from the group including molded dual density foam, Buna-n, ECH, EVA, gum, neoprene, polyurethane, silicon and Viton® foams.
13. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 4 wherein said electrically conductive apron covers the front and back of the torso with a neck opening to pass the head through.
14. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 13 wherein said electrically conductive apron is secured at the sides of the torso by tie strings located at a plurality of locations on said electrically conductive apron.
15. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 13 wherein said removable ground strap is secured to the legs by tie strings located at a plurality of locations on said removable ground strap.
16. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 13 wherein said metal coated fabric comprises at least two layers forming a pocket on the front of said electrically conductive apron and forming a pocket on the back of said electrically conductive apron.
17. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 16 wherein metal snap fasteners are placed at a plurality of locations as a means of attaching said removable ground strap with the unattached end of said removable ground strap in contact with an electrically grounded floor and as a means of closure for said pockets.
18. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 17 wherein a padded element is placed within each of said pockets.
19. The electrically conductive apron and accessory of claim 18 wherein said padded element is manufactured from at least one layer of a resilient material selected from the group including molded dual density foam, Buna-n, ECH, EVA gum, neoprene, polyurethane, silicon and Viton® foams.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 19, 2012
Publication Date: Oct 11, 2012
Inventor: John Louis Kotos (Blue Island, IL)
Application Number: 13/385,982
International Classification: F41H 5/08 (20060101); F41H 5/04 (20060101);