Easy-Carry, Quick-Deploy, Firm-Grip, Non-Lethal Defensive Sticks and Method of Use
A defensive stick and relayed system and method of use system, comprising: a defensive stick comprising at least one and no more than two strike ends thereof; a user grip tightly affixed and substantially immobile relative to the strike ends; a carriage housing removably mating with the first one of the strike ends; and a connector connecting the carriage housing to a carriage point selected from the group consisting of: a place on the user's body, a fixed place near the user, and a material object carried by the user; wherein: when, in response to a perceived threat, the user applies a separation force at least one and no more than ten pounds, the defensive stick separates from the carriage housing, has its first strike end exposed, and thereby deploys for immediate defensive use with a single separation hand motion.
It is an unfortunate reality of modern life that people are often assaulted by other people and so feel the need to carry defensive weapons which can help them counteract the actions of an attacker. This is naturally the case for law-enforcement officers, but it is also true for the general population. However, the choice of defensive weapon is not always an easy one, because defensive weapons can often be turned against the person who was hoping to use them in his or her defense, either inadvertently by accident or deliberately at the hands of the attacker.
For example, a gun is certainly a lethal weapon, but in the stress of a physical confrontation the victim often freezes and fails to pull the trigger, or the safety is inadvertently left on. If quickly snatched away by an attacker, this firearm can ultimately end up proving lethal to its owner. Guns have also been known to misfire on occasion. In addition, the threat posed by a particular assault, while serious, may not rise to the level of requiring the lethal force that can be inflicted by a firearm.
Likewise, although a knife does not generally have a safety (some folding knives actually do) and cannot misfire in the same way as a gun, there is still a high likelihood that it can be wrestled away and then used in a potentially lethal attack against the defender. Smaller and weaker “victims” are what an attacker is usually looking for, so this is a real concern. Therefore a knife, by its very nature, would prove far more lethal to the victim if wrestled away and used against him or her than would a small stick-like device whose primary purpose is defensive, and which is meant to impart non-lethal pain to the attacker allowing the victim to safely retreat.
Additionally, the element of tactical surprise is an important asset for a defender. This surprise is achieved in part by the defender being able to easily carry and quickly deploy a defensive weapon before the attacker becomes aware that the defender is carrying such a defense. Guns and knives are not helpful for providing tactical surprise, because these can often be detected and if they are, an attacker knows instantly that these are serious defensive weapons. Similarly, larger stick and batons such as those employed by law enforcement are instantly recognized by an adversary as serious defensive weapons, and in many places it is illegal for civilians to carry batons.
Over many years, smaller defensive sticks have been developed which are helpful for providing effective, fast, non-lethal defense. These sticks generally go under the art names of “Yawara sticks” and “Kubotan sticks.” Despite the Yawara stick having been introduced as far back as 1937 and the Kubotan in the 1960s, these defensive sticks have gone virtually unnoticed by the vast majority of the population—potential attackers included.
These sticks are often fabricated from a hard metal, wood, or plastic. As stated at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubotan which is hereby incorporated by reference into this disclosure, the Kubotan's “principal targets in self-defence include bony, fleshy and sensitive parts such as knuckles, forearms, the bridge of the nose, shins, stomach, solar plexus, spine, temple, ribs, groin, neck and eyes.” The same is true for the Yawara. These sticks can often be held firmly within the defender's first and so are not easily taken away by the attacker. At the same time, a quick jab or direct pressure of a hard stick end protruding from the hand, against any bony or soft, sensitive part of the attacker's body (such as the top of the hands, neck or chest area, or for an attack that appears potentially lethal, to the eyes) can inflict enough non-lethal pain on the attacker to force withdrawal.
One of the earliest mentions of the term “Yawara” is found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,099,447. At column 1, lines 5 to 18, this patent states that “among the objects of my invention are: to provide a hand held weapon projecting only a short distance each side of the hand; to provide a hand-held weapon having finger ridges to prevent the weapon from being forced out of the hand, and having short ends projecting both sides of the hand and terminating in rounded striking ends; to provide a police weapon of small size which has provision thereon to minimize the chance of having the weapon wrested from the hand of the user during action; and to provide a police weapon which is useful for police officers trained in ‘Yawara’, a Japanese system of defense and offense.”
Over time the term “Yawara Stick” has taken on a generic meaning for various designs and materials from which these sticks are made, all of which share at least some attributes of the initial design. Generally the Yawara stick has been carried in a pants pocket, jacket pocket, or purse. But this is a disadvantage, because reaching to grab the stick from those locations tends to alert an attacker that a weapon may be forthcoming since a knife (if carried) is most often carried in these same places.
Also, these Yawara sticks have often been made in sizes (large lengths and/or widths) which make concealed carry or quick deployment difficult or impossible. For example, the currently manufactured “Cold Steel” model “Koga SD1” Yawara stick http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/91K/KOGA_SD1.aspx is 7⅝″ long, and 1¼″ in diameter along much of its length. It also weighs over five (5) ounces and creates a definite bulge in and hangs out of most any pocket. A smaller model “Koga SD2” http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/91MK/MINI_KOGA_SD2.aspx is certainly pocket-able, but the rather sharp four corners on each end will tend to cut into the pockets over time and could easily draw blood, which ought not be the intent of a defensive stick. These sharp edges also can be rather uncomfortable when held in hand, with the back end resting against the palm for best use in forward thrusting maneuvers. Overall, there has been no provision to enable Yawara sticks, in more manageable and concealable sizes, to be carried discretely and securely upon the body in various locations, yet still allow for very speedy deployment. Additionally, quick “one handed retrieval and deployment,” producing an effective tactical surprise advantage, has been lacking.
As related art, the previously mentioned “Kubotan” self-defense sticks were developed in the 1960's by Takayuki Kubota as a self-defense weapon that typically is attached to a split key ring, to which various keys are added. These sticks are typically no more than 5½″ in length, and about ½″ or slightly larger in diameter. This is about the same overall size as a marker pen. These are usually made from a metal such as aluminum or titanium, or one of the high-impact plastics. Most often there are grooves or other milled-in areas along the main shaft, in an attempt to better the user's grip while deployed. However, cutting into an already thinner hand-held defensive stick to attempt to increase gripping ability teaches in the wrong direction. The various embodiments to be presented here also seek to increase a user's grip, but in a way which is more effective overall, and has better overall ergonomic “feel” in hand than the prior art in this area.
An example of a currently manufactured Kubotan stick can be found at: http://www.amazon.com/Fury-Tactical-Keychain-Pressure-5-75-Inch/dp/B007J8LBOU/ref=sr—1—1 ?ie=UTF8&qid=1440621841&sr=8-1&keywords=Kubotan. These smaller Kubotan sticks share all of the same target areas as the Yawara stick, and are often manufactured with one end shaped to a strong taper, terminating into a slightly rounded point. The end drilled for the split key-ring attachment usually has a flat end termination. It is common in use, such as when going to and from a vehicle or walking to or from a home entrance, to have the Kubotan “in hand” for ready access should an attack occur. Otherwise it is often “seen” dangling outside a front pocket while the owner's keys reside within the same pocket. While this carry method does allow easy access, it also allows any attacker to become aware that a defensive weapon is being carried, negating any surprise and tactical advantage. Also, because the Kubotan is directly and solidly connected to the grouping of keys, placing the Kubotan within the same pocket as the keys often creates an uncomfortable position while sitting as the Kubotan will tend to dig into the individual's leg. Consequently, to prevent this discomfort as well as to make the stick more readily available if needed, the Kubotan is often placed so as to be dangling outside the pants pocket of the user and thus easily visible by others. This of course will alert the attacker that the victim is carrying at least one type of weapon. So if an attack is made it is more likely that attack would become more vicious, in an attempt to prevent the victim from making use of such a device.
Another problem with this design, besides the possible visual warning often given to an attacker, is that the keys can often become entangled with the weapon under pressure of attack, possibly causing the defender's grip on the stick to be lost, and in any case making the stick's deployment more cumbersome than need be. The Kubotans are rather thin to begin with, but the commonly seen cutting away of material for finger groove placement along the central shaft areas makes for a much thinner gripping surface with which to gain a firm hold. Additionally, it does not help these sticks are made from a single material, with no separate high coefficient of friction material to aid in gripping ability. Further, even if the Kubotan weapon is well grasped prior to a confrontation (as when going to a vehicle or home entrance), the attacker will get likely receive some warning of a strike forthcoming due to the rattling of the attached keys during the strike if the attacker has not already seen the Kubotan dangling from the defender's pocket.
Also, there is no provision to allow free and independent use of the Kubotan without the detrimental aspects of the keys being attached, as already discussed. The burden of permanent attachment to a ring of keys, rather than an attachment which can be detached and separated in a split second with a single hand motion, greatly hinders the deployment and use of the stick. The lack of a substantial handle material to provide a firm grip is also less than optimal.
Therefore, there is room for improvement as to how these defensive sticks are configured, carried and deployed by the defender. First, from a legal standpoint, there are generally fewer restrictions on carrying devices which can be used as defensive weapons but also serve other non-weaponry purposes, versus carrying devices for which the only use is as a weapon. Second, in order to employ a defensive stick as a weapon, the defender must first manage to quickly deploy the stick into his or her first without the attacker noticing or having time to prevent said deployment. Thus, the defensive stick (or sticks, if several are carried at various locations on the user's body at the same time) needs to be hidden or disguised while it is carried on the defender in the ordinary course of events, and must be situated on the defender's body in such a way as to be deployed into the defender′ first very quickly when needed.
In addition to the Yawara and Kubotan sticks just reviewed, there is currently another design which has been used as a key chain defensive weapon, called the “Comtech Stinger,” described at http://comtechstinger.com/. This is a molded plastic palm held device with a single rounded point that protrudes between the ring and middle fingers when in use. Those same fingers also grasp two protrusions located along the central portion of the device, and are used to pull the base section into the palm, effectively locking it into the user's fist. A small opening along the side allows attachment of a split ring for keys to be added. While this design is fairly well hidden while carrying keys, with just the point visible while in hand, it does suffer the same problems as the Kubotan with the permanent, rather than detachable attachment of keys enabling split-second single-motion separation, and their possible interference with the weapon while in use. Having only one effective working end also limits its versatility compared to the Yawara stick, especially with the Yawara not hampered with the additional burden of permanently attached keys.
Consequently, it would be desirable to have available a defensive stick which, in the ordinary course of events, may be easily and innocuously carried by a defender without drawing attention.
Additionally, it would be desirable to have such defensive stick be situated on the defender's body so as to be accessible for rapid deployment into the defender's first when such deployment is required in the event of an attack, with a single split-second motion by a single hand of the user.
Additionally, it is desirable to be able to have multiple sticks available and situated at various locations upon the body. Should the defensive stick user be grabbed in such a way that would hinder retrieval of the primary stick located at the front of the chest under a shirt or jacket, for example with a bear hug, having strategic placements of additional defensive sticks elsewhere on the body would prove highly beneficial.
Finally, it would be desirable to have available a defensive stick which, once deployed, is effective to force an attacker to withdraw by inflicting non-lethal pain on the attacker, and which cannot easily be wrestled or snatched away by an attacker from a defender.
Such a device, if available, would be very useful not only to law enforcement personnel as a way of applying non-lethal force, but also to working individuals such as US Postal Service workers, UPS and FedEx delivery personal, process servers, and many other door-to-door professionals who may at times be surprised by a hostile party while making their rounds, as well as to ordinary individuals merely seeking to live their lives and do their business without being physically attacked.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA defensive stick and related system and method of use system for easy carriage and rapid deployment by a user thereof, comprising: a defensive stick comprising at least one and no more than two strike ends thereof; a user grip tightly affixed and substantially immobile relative to the at least one and no more than two strike ends; a carriage housing removably mating with the first one of the at least one and no more than two strike ends; and a connector connecting the carriage housing to a carriage point selected from the group consisting of: a place on the user's body, a fixed place near the user, and a material object carried by the user; wherein: the defensive stick is no less than three (3) inches and no greater than eight (8) inches in length from end to end; the user grip is no less than three-eighths (⅜) of an inch and no greater than one (1) inch in width; the at least one and no more than two strike ends are no less than one-quarter (¼) of an inch and no greater than three quarters (¾) of an inch in width; and the defensive stick and the carriage housing are configured and fabricated from materials such that: absent the user applying a separation force the defensive stick remains securely attached to and seated in the carriage housing so as to not fall out; and when, in response to a perceived threat, the user applies a separation force at least one and no more than ten pounds, the defensive stick separates from the carriage housing, has its first strike end exposed, and thereby deploys for immediate defensive use with a single separation hand motion.
The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth in the appended claims. The invention, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing(s) summarized below.
When embodiments of the invention are referred to in this disclosure, it is to be understood that there are two basic preferred stick embodiments for the defensive stick of the invention which defensive stick will generally be denoted by the reference numeral 1. The first embodiment is a two-sided defensive stick 1 as illustrated in
The grip 12 is fabricated from a hard rubber or equivalent material with a high coefficient of friction relative to a person's hand, because it is this grip 12 which is held inside the user's first when the stick 1 is being used to ward of an attacker (see
The physical dimensions of defensive stick 1 and its grip 12 are determined directly by the size of the user's hand. Given that people come in different shapes and sizes, it will be apparent that these defensive sticks 1 may therefore be fabricated in different sizes, such as, for example not limitation, extra small, small, medium, large and extra-large, in accordance with hand size, similarly, for example, to the sizing of gloves. What is desired is a tight, high-friction ergonomic fit when the stick is deployed in the user's first as in
The width of the grip 12 will vary from one half (½) inch for an average sized hand, to as narrow as three-eighths (⅜) of an inch for a small hand, to as wide as one (1) inch for a very large hand. The optimum length of the grip 12 between its two ends 13 is also dependent on the size of the user's hand. Ideally, as part of the ergonomic design, when the defensive stick 1 is held in the user's hand as further detailed in connection with
On top of the high frictional characteristics discussed above, this ergonomic fitting adds additional security to the user's grip by making it even more difficult for the stick 1 to be dislodged by an attacker. Optionally, as part of the ergonomic design intended to further secure the user's grip, a slightly raised and rounded grip section may be provided proximate the center of the grip 12 at the region schematically indicated by the broken line 14 in
Now we turn to
With a well seated in or lubricated carriage housing 2, the friction between upper strike end 11 and carriage housing 2 within which it is seated is such that when the user pulls these apart with sufficient separation force in the range of a few pounds (perhaps 1 to 5 pounds, and no more than 10 pounds, for example not limitation), the stick 1 will separate 22 from carriage housing 2 and the overall necklace carrier 5. However, absent the user applying this separation force, the frictional characteristics of the system are such that the defensive stick 1 remains securely seated in the carriage housing 2 so as to not fall out.
When the optional stick tip cover 3 is in place, the user will have a ready “choice” of differing intensities of defense available when the strike stick 1 is in hand, to possibly deter a milder threat using the less painful wide rubber stick tip cover 3 end. But the user could also separate 32 this stick cover 3 from the lower strike end 11 if it were perceived a more serious attack was forthcoming and both bare stick ends 11 are required.
The frictional characteristics for separation 32 of stick cover 3 are similar to those just described for the separation 22 of carriage housing 2, except that generally no lube is used here so twisting and pulling combined work best to remove tip cover 3 until it has worn in a little through repeated cycles of adding and removing it. Once this separation 32 is done, the two sided strike stick 1 of
Alternatively, for efficient forward thrusting maneuvers, it is preferable to hold the stick 1 similarly to what is shown in
It will be appreciated the friction as between the strike ends 11 and both the carriage housing 2 and stick tip cover 3 is sufficient to hold these elements together absent the user applying a force to pull these elements apart, but that when the user does apply a modest force in the range of a few pounds (e.g., one to ten pounds) these elements will come apart as shown. To reassemble the carriage configuration of
With this, it can be seen how the carriage configuration of
Toward this end,
As to the stick tip cover 3, it is also seen from
In the
It will be understood that the belt carrier 7 shown in
So, in these
Additionally, to facilitate comfort, the stick used with the belt carriage embodiment may be made a little shorter so that it does not situate underneath the user's buttocks while sitting. In this variation, the element labeled as tip cover 3 in
If the user is wearing a shirt or jacket on the outside over his or her pants or other bottom cover, then the fact that the user is carrying a defensive stick 1 will be concealed from the attacker, again providing a surprise advantage to the defender. Reassembly simply goes in reverse from
In this key ring carriage embodiment, the single end 11 of the one-sided strike stick 1 mates with the carriage housing 2, with the same removable and frictional characteristics previously described in relation to
In ordinary activity, a person walking through a parking lot or other area where there is some risk of attack would carry the key ring carrier assemblage 9 as shown in
Once this split-second movement has been completed, the user will naturally be holding the blunt strike end 11 of the defensive stick 1 protruding transversely from the defender's hand, exiting between the middle and ring finger, in the manner shown by the unbroken line drawing of the strike end 11 in
As with the carriage embodiments shown in
In the event of an attack, this variation will generally deploy with two motions, designated by the first and second separations 22 and 32 already discussed in connection with
Even here, with practice the user can achieve a quicker “one motion release” from both carriage housings, should the user wear the jogging strike stick 1 of
In functionality,
While
As has already been largely reviewed,
Then, the defender may strike 134 the attacker with one or more forward thrusts 132 and/or rearward thrusts 133 as warranted under the circumstances by requirement and opportunity. The “martial arts” methods for wielding a defensive stick—such as a Yawara or Kubotan stick—against a defender are then employed with this defensive stick 1 as well. Because these methods are well known in the art, they need not be reviewed here. But what is not known in the art, and what is provided by the present invention, are the stick and carriage configurations which enable simple unobtrusive stick 1 carriage and rapid, split-second deployment of the stick into the defenders' hand for use via what are thereafter well-known martial arts methods, as well as the high-frictional, low profile ergonomic grips which also do not appear to be part of the prior art in this field of practice.
As has also already been largely reviewed,
Then, by thrusting transversely 151, the defender strikes 134 at sensitive targets so as to inflict pain on the attacker's body, such as at the attacker's knuckles in order to escape from a grab or choke hold. Or, by shifting the wrist and arm (with knuckles and blunt strike end 11 now facing the attacker) and thrusting forward 132 the defender strikes 134 at the head, neck, or solar plexus, as already known in the art. At times, the sight of a relatively thin cylindrical weapon protruding from a responding fist, and especially coming at the attackers face repeatedly in a jabbing motion, may be enough deterrent to end the confrontation immediately without a single blow actually landing. Other times the defender may be “engulfed” in a clinch by a much larger attacker, and so will have little room from which to generate a full swing striking blow. One effective way to generate striking power in these situations, especially with the much shorter one-sided defensive stick 1 of
Remembering that the intent is to escape and get away from an unprovoked attack as free of physical injury to the defender as possible, it is not the intention for these defensive sticks to be used to “win the fight.” So choosing striking points or targets which will be painful for the attacker, but not cause permanent injury or maiming should be considered first. Usually accessible to the defender and which cause lots of pain to the attacker if struck are joint areas such as the wrists, elbows, knees, top of the hands, forearms, collarbone, ribs, etc., and most anywhere where bone is close to the surface of the body. Often an actual “strike” is not needed, for simply pressing with a digging motion of the blunt end of the stick into these bony areas, or at the throat and neck areas, is sufficient to repel an attacker. This is useful, of course, when the attacker is within very close range. Only in a life-threatening assault against a knife or gun, or sexual assault, would an intentional strike to the eyes, ear canal, or temple be warranted, but every individual defender will have to decide for themselves in that regard if an unfortunate circumstance arises.
In addition to showing the deployment of the one-sided stick 1 using the key ring carriage embodiment of
Of special importance, due to its high effectiveness and striking efficiency, one may orient the grip 12 of the one sided strike stick 1 (of
Second,
It will also be apparent how while these four specific carriers have been illustrated, those of ordinary skill could readily design similar carriage embodiments fitting well within the scope of this disclosure and its associated claims. Specifically, it is clear that elements 5, 7 and 120 in
Although the inventive principles have been illustrated using the two-sided stick 1 embodiment of
Also, a commercially available solid rod fire making steel, such as the “Light My Fire” Army Model Fire Steel (see, e.g., http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013L2DKU) with its ⅜ inch diameter rod, could work quite well as the material element (strike end 11) of a one sided defensive stick when carried similarly to what is shown in
Further, as has already been discussed to some degree, the particular shapes which are illustrated for the grip 12 or for stick tip carriage housing 2 are likewise exemplary, and non-limiting. It should also be clear especially from
As noted, an important aspect of this invention arises from the ability of the user to separate 22 the stick from its carrier with a single, spilt-second hand motion. This is achievable because of the light friction, requiring a force of at least one and no more than ten pounds (with a “broken in” or lubricated carriage housing 2) that holds the stick tip 11 in its carriage housing 2. Thus, this single motion truly is a single motion, because there are not any release buttons to press, sliders to slide, catches or latches to move or rotate, etc., in order to facilitate separation 22. These extraneous, cumbersome release elements which would consume precious time to actuate in the event of an attack are omitted from the present invention. One simply exerts a separating force 22 between the stick 1 and the carriage housing 2 without any other movement or action, and without actuating any type of release element.
It should be noted that choices in materials used for the strike ends 11 are considered based on the intended application, characteristics of the components and what is needed of them, a desire for compactness or superior strength, weight, and of course cost. For example, the jogger's embodiment as shown in
In most embodiments, strike ends 11 (and central regions 15) are made from Titanium in the tough Grade 5 alloy (6AL-4V) and so provide great benefits in strength and corrosion resistance. Yet, these are far more time consuming and difficult to cut and finish. Also, abrasives used to shape and finish the material wear quickly (raising production costs), and are more expensive as a raw material than some other choices. However, ultimate strength, corrosion resistance, durability and even a higher density adding somewhat to the delivered energy at the target, on balance, are weighed against countervailing factors of increased production labor and material costs.
Reinforced rubber hoses are a preferred choice for the carriage housings 2 and central grips 12 on many of the embodiments because of their high coefficients of friction, strength, availability in various internal diameter sizes, and very reasonable cost due to the economies of scale for production. These hoses are used extensively in the automobile industry as common fuel line hoses, and one long hose length can easily be cut in automated fashion into many shorter lengths suitable for use as grips and housing for the present invention. Indeed, the illustration of “open” ends for non-mating sides of the housings 2 in
The tapered grip 12 of
As part of the overall ergonomic design, all reinforced rubber hose handle 12 sections preferably have had their outer edges reasonably trued “square,” sanded, and partially beveled (area 13 on
During manufacturing, all the various rod materials used for the core sections of every defensive stick 1 are first cut to size, ground against a stone wheel to true to square, and either lightly beveled along the outer edge or fully rounded based on preference. Final finishing is done with a hand held motorized sander, followed by a final “hand brushed” finishing using, e.g., a Scotch-Brite pad or equivalent. As a general rule, when Titanium is used, each double-sided Titanium stick 1 takes about forty-five minutes to complete all the various steps when manually prepared in small batches of ten (10). By comparison, manual preparation of a nylon stick takes just ten to twelve minutes generally. In both examples this includes cutting and finishing the hose sections for handles 12 and carriage housings 2, adding the holes for the cords 41, and hammering in place the tight fitting hose handles onto the shaft, after wetting the materials for some light lubrication, and using a few special fixtures to avoid damage to the hose ends during installation. The handles 12 used along the center of the sticks do go on very tightly. Automated fabrication certainly provides faster product yields.
In the end, a variety of concealable and readily accessible defensive stick products are produced within the scope of this invention, that can fit into any budget depending on materials and overall size chosen. These sticks 1 offer anyone a reasonable chance to escape and survive an attack if they have a basic understanding of how best to use them. Training in the art of Yawara and Kubotan stick use with an instructor would of course be beneficial, and will aid in building self-confidence within the mind, and fluidity in execution of technique. However, much of the known art in Yawara and Kubotan technique is available for free through accessing online videos at YouTube and elsewhere, and so are available to most anyone. Because much of what a person does in crisis and under stress reverts to human instinct anyway, a basic understanding of defensive stick techniques, and a ready and capable “tool” at the ready, will certainly improve anyone's chances for survival if ever attacked without provocation.
The world is not what it once was, and dangerous situations can confront anyone with little or no warning on any street in America and elsewhere around the world. Many jobs require regular contact with the public, sometimes in dangerous areas or deep into the night hours. US Postal workers or private carrier personal working for UPS or FedEx, process servers, pizza and other food delivery workers, cab drivers, business owner and their employees, all could be a little safer with the right defensive tool at hand and some knowledge of how to use it. Often a firearm is difficult or impossible to acquire, and it would be unwarranted to make use of deadly force in a less serious confrontation anyway. Even those who work in a fairly secure workplace environment still have to go out in the morning as they leave for work, park in a sometimes dark and insecure parking area, and return back home in the evening. This can and on a daily basis over the whole population does place people “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” It is better to be prepared for that unfortunate possibility than have to “wing it.”
One aspect of some of the invention embodiments is their versatility when used in other ways unrelated to their defensive utility. For instance, the shorter defensive strike stick 1 as shown in
Similarly, a strike stick 1 in a more standard length (in relation to the hand size) might be worn on the belt loop embodiment as shown in
Also, in an emergency such as when a child or pet is locked in a car on a hot day and in obvious distress, it is conceivable the larger sized Titanium strike stick 1 could be used to break out a side window to free the child or pet.
While all of the carriage embodiments are illustrated in this disclosure in terms of their functional utilitarian characteristics for enabling a defender to easily carry and rapidly deploy a defensive stick in response to an emerging attack, it is understood that these various embodiments may be embellished with a variety of design features, not shown or enumerated here, to make them more aesthetically pleasing in appearance. It is understood that such an enhancement in aesthetic appearance also serves the functional benefit of making the stick more unobtrusive, thus lulling an attacker into a false sense of security by not being aware that the aesthetically pleasing apparatus being carried the intended victim is in fact a defensive weapon.
The knowledge possessed by someone of ordinary skill in the art at the time of this disclosure, including but not limited to the prior art disclosed with this application, is understood to be part and parcel of this disclosure and is implicitly incorporated by reference herein, even if in the interest of economy express statements about the specific knowledge understood to be possessed by someone of ordinary skill are omitted from this disclosure. While reference may be made in this disclosure to the invention comprising a combination of a plurality of elements, it is also understood that this invention is regarded to comprise combinations which omit or exclude one or more of such elements, even if this omission or exclusion of an element or elements is not expressly stated herein, unless it is expressly stated herein that an element is essential to applicant's combination and cannot be omitted. It is further understood that the related prior art may include elements from which this invention may be distinguished by negative claim limitations, even without any express statement of such negative limitations herein. It is to be understood, between the positive statements of applicant's invention expressly stated herein, and the prior art and knowledge of the prior art by those of ordinary skill which is incorporated herein even if not expressly reproduced here for reasons of economy, that any and all such negative claim limitations supported by the prior art are also considered to be within the scope of this disclosure and its associated claims, even absent any express statement herein about any particular negative claim limitations.
Finally, while only certain preferred features of the invention have been illustrated and described, many modifications, changes and substitutions will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A defensive stick system for easy carriage and rapid deployment by a user thereof, comprising:
- a defensive stick comprising at least one and no more than two strike ends thereof;
- a user grip tightly affixed and substantially immobile relative to said at least one and no more than two strike ends;
- a carriage housing removably mating with the first one of said at least one and no more than two strike ends; and
- a connector connecting said carriage housing to a carriage point selected from the group consisting of: a place on the user's body, a fixed place near the user, and a material object carried by the user; wherein:
- said defensive stick is no less than three (3) inches and no greater than eight (8) inches in length from end to end;
- said user grip is no less than three-eighths (⅜) of an inch and no greater than one (1) inch in width;
- said at least one and no more than two strike ends are no less than one-quarter (¼) of an inch and no greater than three quarters (¾) of an inch in width; and
- said defensive stick and said carriage housing are configured and fabricated from materials such that:
- absent the user applying a separation force said defensive stick remains securely attached to and seated in said carriage housing so as to not fall out; and
- when, in response to a perceived threat, the user applies a separation force of at least one and no more than ten pounds, said defensive stick separates from said carriage housing, has its first strike end exposed, and thereby deploys for immediate defensive use with a single separation hand motion.
2. The defensive stick system of claim 1:
- said carriage point consisting of a place on the user's body consisting of the user's neck;
- said connector comprising a necklace loop for hanging said carriage housing from the user's neck; and
- said separation force is applied by the user reaching in front of the user's torso and tugging down on said defensive stick such that upon separation, the stick is instantly deployed in the user's hand for immediate defensive use.
3. The defensive stick system of claim 2, further comprising:
- said defensive stick comprising exactly two strike ends thereof;
- a second carriage housing removably mating with the second one of said strike ends; and
- a jogging stabilizer connecting said second carriage housing to the user's torso, wherein:
- the combination of the attachments of said two strike ends to said two carriage housings and of said two carriage housings to the user's body situate the defensive stick relatively motionless in the front of the user's torso.
4. The defensive stick system of claim 1:
- said carriage point consisting of a place on the user's body consisting of the user's belt;
- said connector comprising a belt carrier for hanging said carriage housing from the user's belt; and
- said separation force is applied by the user reaching to the location where said stick is hanging from the belt and tugging down on said defensive stick such that upon separation, the stick is instantly deployed in the user's hand for immediate defensive use.
5. The defensive stick system of claim 1:
- said carriage point consisting of a material object carried by the user;
- said material object carried by the user consisting of at least one key on a key ring;
- said connector comprising said key ring connecting said carriage housing to said at least one key; and
- said separation force is applied by the user holding said user grip in one hand, while tugging said key ring and said carriage housing away from said defensive stick with the other hand such that upon separation, the stick is instantly deployed in the user's hand for immediate defensive use.
6. The defensive stick system of claim 1:
- said carriage point consisting of a fixed place near the user consisting of a mount of a motor vehicle mirror;
- said connector comprising a loop for hanging said carriage housing from the said mount of said motor vehicle mirror; and
- said separation force is applied by the user reaching below said mount and tugging down on said defensive stick such that upon separation, the stick is instantly deployed in the user's hand for immediate defensive use.
7. The defensive stick system of claim 1, further comprising:
- said defensive stick comprising exactly two strike ends thereof; and
- a stick tip cover removably mating with the second one of said two strike ends; wherein:
- said defensive stick and said stick tip cover are configured and fabricated from materials such that:
- absent the user applying a separation force said stick tip cover remains securely attached to and seated upon said second strike end so as to not fall off; and
- when the user applies a separation force at least one and no more than ten pounds, said stick tip cover separates from and exposes said second strike end.
8. A method for a user easily carrying and rapidly deploying a defensive stick, said method comprising:
- connecting a carriage housing to a carriage point selected from the group consisting of: a place on the user's body, a fixed place near the user, and a material object carried by the user;
- removably mating said carriage housing with the first one of at least one and no more than two strike ends of said defensive stick such that absent the user applying a separation force said defensive stick remains securely attached to and seated in said carriage housing so as to not fall out;
- in response to a perceived threat, the user applying a separation force with a single separation hand motion of at least one and no more than ten pounds upon a user grip tightly affixed and substantially immobile relative to said at least one and no more than two strike ends of said defensive stick, thereby separating said defensive stick from said carriage housing and exposing the first strike end of said defensive stick, thereby immediately deploying said defensive stick for defensive use; wherein:
- said defensive stick is no less than three (3) inches and no greater than eight (8) inches in length from end to end;
- said user grip is no less than three-eighths (⅜) of an inch and no greater than one (1) inch in width; and
- said at least one and no more than two strike ends are no less than one-quarter (¼) of an inch and no greater than three quarters (¾) of an inch in width.
9. The method of claim 8:
- said carriage point consisting of a place on the user's body consisting of the user's neck;
- hanging said carriage housing from the user's neck using said connector comprising a necklace loop; and
- the user instantly deploying said stick in the user's hand for immediate defensive use by reaching in front of the user's torso and tugging down on said defensive stick.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
- providing said defensive stick with exactly two strike ends thereof;
- connecting a second carriage housing to the user's torso using jogging stabilizer;
- removably mating said second carriage housing with the second one of said strike ends; and
- situating the defensive stick relatively motionless in the front of the user's torso using said combination of the attachments of said two strike ends to said two carriage housings and of said two carriage housings to the user's body.
11. The method of claim 8:
- said carriage point consisting of a place on the user's body consisting of the user's belt;
- hanging said carriage housing from the user's belt using said connector comprising a belt carrier; and
- the user instantly deploying said stick in the user's hand for immediate defensive use by reaching to the location where said stick is hanging from the belt and tugging down on said defensive stick.
12. The method of claim 8:
- said carriage point consisting of a material object carried by the user;
- said material object carried by the user consisting of at least one key on a key ring;
- connecting said carriage housing to said at least one key using said connector comprising said key ring; and
- the user instantly deploying said stick in the user's hand for immediate defensive use by holding said user grip in one hand while tugging said key ring and said carriage housing away from said defensive stick with the other hand.
13. The method of claim 8:
- said carriage point consisting of a fixed place near the user consisting of a mount of a motor vehicle mirror;
- said connector comprising a loop for hanging said carriage housing from the said mount of said motor vehicle mirror; and
- the user instantly deploying said stick in the user's hand for immediate defensive use by reaching below said mount and tugging down on said defensive stick.
14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
- providing said defensive stick with exactly two strike ends thereof;
- removably mating a stick tip cover with the second one of said two strike ends such that absent the user applying a separation force said stick tip cover remains securely attached to and seated upon said second strike end so as to not fall off; and
- to expose said second strike end in response to a perceived threat, the user applying a separation force at least one and no more than ten pounds to separate said stick tip cover from said second strike end.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 22, 2015
Publication Date: Feb 18, 2016
Inventor: Joseph R. Tousignant (Schenectady, NY)
Application Number: 14/860,769