Low-weight small-form-factor stun grenade
View Patent ↗A stun grenade includes a cartridge having an explosive charge in communication with a fuse and a housing including a closed end, an open end, a longitudinal axis and including an internal cavity which accommodates the cartridge. An end cap is attachable to the open end of the housing, the end cap including an end wall and a side wall. A plurality of spaced first vents are defined in the end wall of the end cap. A plurality of spaced second vents is defined in an end wall of the housing. The output from an explosive charge is optimized by vents having a straight flow path. The vents have a first end in fluid communication with the cavity and a second end in fluid communication with an exterior periphery of the housing.
1. A stun grenade comprising:
a cartridge including an explosive charge in communication with a fuse;
a housing made of an aluminum alloy material including a closed end, an open end and a longitudinal axis, wherein the housing includes an internal cavity which accommodates the cartridge;
an end cap made of aluminum alloy material, the end cap being adapted to be selectively attached to the open end of the housing to close same, the end cap including an end wall and a side wall;
a plurality of spaced first vents extending through the end wall of the end cap;
a plurality of spaced second vents extending through an end wall at the closed end of the housing; and
wherein at least some of the aluminum alloy material of at least one of the housing, at the plurality of spaced second vents, and the end cap, at the plurality of spaced first vents, is ablated away during a firing of the stun grenade thereby increasing a luminosity of the stun grenade as measured in candelas to about 10 million candelas.
2. The stun grenade of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of spaced first vents and plurality of spaced second vents a) extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing and b) have a first end in fluid communication with the internal cavity and a second end in fluid communication with an exterior periphery of the housing.
3. The stun grenade of claim 1 , wherein a material of the end cap surrounding at least one of the plurality of spaced first vents expands outwardly during a firing of the stun grenade to further engage the end cap with the housing so that the end cap is further constrained from being separated from the housing during the firing of the stun grenade.
4. The stun grenade of claim 1 , wherein the end cap and the housing have threaded portions which interengage in order to selectively secure the end cap to the housing.
5. The stun grenade of claim 1 , further comprising a fastening ring or clip which removably connects the end cap to the housing.
6. The stun grenade of claim 1 , wherein outlet ends of at least some of the plurality of spaced first vents and plurality of spaced second vents are chamfered.
7. The stun grenade of claim 1 , wherein outlet ends of at least some of the plurality of spaced first and second vents are oriented at an acute angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of the respective vent.
8. The stun grenade of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spaced first vents and plurality of spaced second vents differ from each other in at least one of number, diameter and length.
9. The stun grenade of claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the housing closed end includes an indented area, wherein the housing longitudinal axis extends through the indented area.
10. The stun grenade of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced first vents is located radially inwardly of threads defined on the end cap side wall by about 0.040 inches.
11. The stun grenade of claim 1 , wherein during a detonation, the housing open end deflects inwardly pinching the end cap and holding the end cap more securely on the housing.
12. A stun grenade comprising:
a cartridge including an explosive charge in communication with a fuse;
a housing including a closed end, an open end and a longitudinal axis, the housing including an internal cavity which accommodates the cartridge;
an end cap adapted to be selectively attached to the open end of the housing to close same, the end cap including an end wall and a side wall;
a plurality of spaced first vents extending through the end wall of the end cap;
a plurality of spaced second vents extending through an end wall at the closed end of the housing;
wherein the plurality of first vents and the plurality of second vents a) extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing and b) have a first end in fluid communication with the cavity and a second end in fluid communication with an exterior periphery of the housing; and
wherein at least one of a material of the end cap and a material of the housing is so chosen that the chosen material is adapted to be ablated away during a firing of the stun grenade thereby increasing a Cv factor of at least some of the plurality of spaced first vents and plurality of spaced second vents of the stun grenade from an initial value by about 20 to 30 percent.
13. The stun grenade of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of spaced first vents and plurality of spaced second vents are different from each other in at least one of length and diameter.
14. The stun grenade of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the housing and the end cap are made from a material comprising an aluminum alloy.
15. The stun grenade of claim 12 , wherein a top surface of the housing closed end includes an indented area, wherein the housing longitudinal axis extends through the indented area.
16. A stun grenade comprising:
a cartridge including an explosive charge in communication with a fuse;
a housing including a closed end, an open end and a longitudinal axis, the housing including an internal cavity which accommodates the cartridge;
an end cap adapted to be selectively attached to the open end of the housing to close same, the end cap including an end wall and a side wall;
a plurality of spaced first vents extending through the end wall of the end cap;
a plurality of spaced second vents extending through an end wall at the closed end of the housing;
wherein a dimension of at least some of the plurality of spaced first vents of the end cap or the plurality of spaced second vents of the housing is changed during a firing of the stun grenade because a material of at least the one of the end cap and the housing is ablated away during the firing of the stun grenade.
17. The stun grenade of claim 16 further comprising a connection structure for attaching the end cap to the housing wherein the connection structure comprises at least one of interengaging threading defined on the end cap and the housing and a ring or clip.
18. The stun grenade of claim 16 , wherein during detonation of the stun grenade at least one of a) a wall of the housing adjacent the end cap deflects inwardly thereby pinching the end cap and holding the end cap more securely on the housing, and b) a material of the end cap surrounding at least one of the plurality of spaced first vents expands outwardly to further engage the end cap with the housing so that the end cap is further constrained from being separated from the housing during the firing of the stun grenade.
19. The stun grenade of claim 16 , wherein the vent dimension includes at least one of a vent length and a vent diameter.
20. The stun grenade of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the housing and the end cap are made from a material comprising an aluminum alloy.