IP Library Granted Patent US 9,612,074
Granted Patent B2
US 9,612,074 · App. 14/183,455 · Granted Apr 4, 2017

Less-lethal force device impact ratio

Inventors: Christian Ellis (Poway, CA); Ben Weinrib (San Diego, CA); Bruce A Timan (Pine Valley, CA)
F41A21/32F41A21/34F41F7/00F42B12/36F42B12/74F42B12/745F42B30/04F42B30/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,612,074
App. No.
14/183,455
Granted
Apr 4, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Improvements in a less-lethal force device are disclosed. The less-lethal projectile device generally comprising a projectile, such as a rubber-encapsulated metal block, that is mated to a docking base by way of a mounting pins or base. The projectile may be made with a cavity located in its rearward section for enabling the projectile to fit onto the mounting pins portion of the docking base through compression or interference fit. The projectile captures a fired bullet and is propelled along the original path of the bullet at a less lethal velocity. The disclosed system results in converting a normally lethal weapon into a less-lethal blunt impact system. The mounting pins are configured to provide clearance to the sighting mechanism on the firearm.

Claims (21)

1. A less-lethal force device comprising:

a docking station having a rear portion and a forward mounting portion, the rear portion being adapted to removably attach the base to the barrel of a firearm and receive a fired bullet from a firearm along a path defined by a travel of a bullet;

said forward mounting portion having mounting pins that are forward of said docking station for clear passage of said bullet along a path defined by a travel of said bullet;

a projectile having an interior cavity and enveloping said mounting pins of said forward portion along said path defined by a travel of a bullet;

said projectile being configured to capture said fired bullet into said interior cavity in a bullet trap, and detach from said forward portion mounting pins as a result of kinetic energy transferred to said projectile from said fired bullet, and be accelerated along said path defined by a travel of said bullet to impart a less-lethal force upon a target, and

said projectile is selected from a group comprising of a flash bang, a smoke grenade, a bullet grenade, a bullet propelled grenade (BPG), a bullet propelled device (BPD), a grenade launcher, a tear gas grenade, a door breaching device and Taser prongs.

2. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said projectile is surface treated to allow for continued rotation of said bullet after said bullet leaves said firearm.

3. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said docking station is expelled from said barrel of said firearm after said projectile is detached from said forward portion mounting tube.

4. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said mounting pins retain said projectile in front of said barrel of said firearm.

5. The less-lethal force device according to claim 4 wherein said mounting pins suspend said projectile to allow said bullet to exit said barrel before entering said projectile.

6. The less-lethal force device according to claim 5 wherein said bullet travels in free space from said barrel, between said pins before entering said projectile.

7. The less-lethal force device according to claim 6 wherein at least some exhaust gasses exhaust behind said bullet prior to said bullet entering said projectile.

8. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said adapter does not create head pressure in front of said bullet.

9. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said adapter does not create an increase of head pressure within said barrel.

10. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said projectile does not create an increase of head pressure within said barrel.

11. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein there are at least two mounting pins.

12. The less-lethal force device according to claim 11 wherein there are four mounting pins.

13. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said docking station is configured to be kicked off of a firearm as a result of the recoil of the firearm.

14. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said projectile comprises a bullet trap formed in an interior cavity for capturing a fired said bullet.

15. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said projectile comprises an outer cushioning means formed over said projectile.

16. The less-lethal force device according to claim 1 wherein said bullet trap is slightly larger in diameter than the caliber of the bullet and configured to allow for expansion of the bullet inside said bullet trap at impact of said bullet within said bullet trap.

Assignments (2)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 25, 2020
From: ALTERNATIVE BALLISTICS LP; ALTERNATIVE BALLISTICS CORPORATION
To: ALTERNATIVE BALLISTICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054467/0774 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2019
From: WEINRIB, BEN, MR.; ELLIS, CHRISTIAN, MR.
To: ALTERNATIVE BALLISTICS, LP
Reel/Frame 049923/0224 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61766887 · Feb 20, 2013
Related Publication 20160223280A1 · Aug 4, 2016