Electronic disabling device having adjustable output pulse power
View Patent ↗An electronic disabling device with multiple adjustable power levels and a method of providing the same. The electronic disabling device includes an initial step-up voltage circuit coupled to receive an initial power from a battery and a final step-up transformer (e.g., a plain transformer, an autoformer, etc.) adapted to provide an output power. In addition, a power control circuit is coupled between the initial step-up voltage circuit and the final step-up transformer to adjust the power levels of the output power provided by the final step-up transformer.
1. An electronic disabling device having multiple adjustable power levels to immobilize a live target, the electronic disabling device comprising:
a battery;
an initial step-up voltage circuit coupled to receive an initial power from the battery;
an final step-up transformer adapted to provide an output power;
an electrical output contact coupled to receive the output power from the final step-up transformer; and
a power control circuit coupled between the initial step-up voltage circuit and the final step-up transformer to adjust the power levels of the output power provided by the final step-up transformer.
2. The electronic disabling device of claim 1 , wherein the power control circuit comprises an electrical switching device, a load adapted to reduce a power level of the output power provided by the final step-up transformer, and a control logic adapted to receive a control input from a user of the electronic disabling device and to control the electrical switching device to either switch in or switch out the load.
3. The electronic disabling device of claim 2 , wherein the final step-up transformer comprises a primary coil connected between a first node and a second node and wherein the electrical switching device and the load are also connected between the first node and the second node and in parallel with the primary coil.
4. The electronic disabling device of claim 3 , wherein the load comprises at least one of a resistive load, a capacitive load, or an inductive load.
5. The electronic disabling device of claim 1 , wherein the final step-up transformer comprises a primary coil comprising a tap and wherein the power control circuit comprises an electrical switching device coupled to the tap and a control logic coupled between the initial step-up voltage circuit and the electrical switching device.
6. The electronic disabling device of claim 5 , wherein the electrical switching device is coupled between a node and the tap of the primary coil to effectively reduce the number of windings in the primary coil when the electrical switching device electrically connects the tap to the node.
7. The electronic disabling device of claim 5 , wherein the control logic is coupled to the initial step-up voltage circuit to allow for an adjustment of a pulse rate of the initial step-up voltage circuit.
8. The electronic disabling device of claim 1 , wherein the final step-up transformer comprises a primary coil comprising a plurality of taps and wherein the power control circuit comprises a plurality of electrical switching devices respectively coupled to the plurality of taps and a control logic coupled between the initial step-up voltage circuit and the plurality of electrical switching devices.
9. The electronic disabling device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of electrical switching devices are respectively coupled between a plurality of nodes and the plurality of taps to effectively reduce the number of windings in the primary coil when one or more of the electrical switching devices are switched on.
10. The electronic disabling device of claim 8 , wherein the control logic is coupled to the initial step-up voltage circuit to allow for an adjustment of a pulse rate of the initial step-up voltage circuit.
11. The electronic disabling device of claim 1 , wherein the power control circuit comprises a plurality of spark gaps, a plurality of electrical switching devices respectively coupled to the plurality of spark gaps, and a control logic electrically coupled between the initial step-up voltage circuit and the plurality of electrical switching devices.
12. The electronic disabling device of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electrical switching devices switch in or switch out the plurality of spark gaps to adjust a power level of the output power provided by the final step-up transformer.
13. The electronic disabling device of claim 11 , wherein the control logic is coupled to the initial step-up voltage circuit to allow for an adjustment of a pulse rate of the initial step-up voltage circuit.
14. The electronic disabling device of claim 11 , wherein the final step-up transformer comprises a primary coil and wherein the plurality of electrical switching devices electrically connect/disconnect the plurality of spark gaps with the primary coil in series.
15. The electronic disabling device of claim 11 , wherein the final step-up transformer comprises a primary coil and wherein the plurality of electrical switching devices electrically connect/disconnect the plurality of spark gaps with the primary coil in parallel.
16. The electronic disabling device of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of spark gaps comprises a first spark gap having a first breakdown voltage and a second spark gap having a second breakdown voltage differing from the first breakdown voltage.
17. A method of providing an electronic disabling device with multiple adjustable power levels to immobilize a live target, the method comprising:
providing an input power from a battery to an initial step-up voltage circuit;
stepping-up a voltage of the input power through the initial step-up voltage circuit;
adjusting and transforming the input power to an output power having an adjusted power level through a final step-up transformer; and
providing the output power having the adjusted power level to an electrical output contact,
wherein the adjusted power level of the output power is selected by a user of the electronic disabling device.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the adjusted power level of the output power is provided through an electrical switching device, a load for reducing a power level of the output power, and a control logic for receiving a control input from the user of the electronic disabling device to control the electrical switching device to either switch in or switch out the load.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the adjusted power level of the output power is provided through a tap on a primary coil of the final step-up transformer, an electrical switching device coupled to the tap, and a control logic electrically coupled between the initial step-up voltage circuit and the electrical switching device to effectively reduce the number of windings in the primary coil when the electrical switching device is switched on.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the adjusted power level of the output power is provided through a plurality of spark gaps, a plurality of electrical switching devices respectively coupled to the plurality of spark gaps, and a control logic electrically coupled between the initial step-up voltage circuit and the plurality of electrical switching devices.
21. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
adjusting a pulse rate of the initial step-up voltage circuit to match an output pulse rate of the electronic disabling device.