Polymorphic conducted electrical weapon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11867481-B2
Application number	US-202017607791-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2020
Priority date	Apr 30, 2019
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A conducted electrical weapon may interchangeably receive a plurality of magazines. A magazine may be releasably engaged with a magazine bay of the conducted electrical weapon. Engagement of a magazine with the magazine bay may expose a bottom surface of the magazine. Each magazine may comprise a plurality of firing tubes. A magazine may be configured to launch at least one electrode from at least one firing tube of the plurality of firing tubes. A control circuit may be configured to provide an ignition signal to less than all of the plurality of firing tubes. A first pair of firing tubes may be oriented to achieve a minimum electrode spread at a first range. A second pair of firing tubes may be oriented to achieve a minimum electrode spread at a second range. The plurality of firing tubes may be arranged in an array comprising a column of firing tubes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conducted electrical weapon, comprising:
a conducted electrical weapon body that includes:
a handle portion at a first end configured to be grasped by a hand of a user;
an upper member extending in a substantially front-to-rear direction from the handle portion to a second end opposite the first end;
a magazine bay positioned beneath the upper member; and
a trigger positioned between the handle portion and the magazine bay;

a power source engaged with the conducted electrical weapon body; and
a magazine that includes a plurality of firing tubes, wherein the magazine comprises a front surface opposite a rear surface, wherein each firing tube from the plurality of firing tubes extends longitudinally between a rear firing tube opening and a front firing tube opening, wherein the rear firing tube opening is contiguous with the rear surface and the front firing tube opening is contiguous with the front surface thereby forming a passage therethrough, wherein the magazine is releasably engaged with the magazine bay, and wherein each firing tube of the plurality of firing tubes is configured to engage at least one electrode.

2. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 1 , wherein each firing tube of the plurality of firing tubes along a top row has an axis that is substantially parallel with an axis defined by rear sights and forward sights of the conducted electrical weapon body.

3. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 1 , wherein the magazine is configured to launch the at least one electrode from at least one firing tube of the plurality of firing tubes.

4. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 1 , wherein each firing tube of at least three firing tubes of the plurality of firing tubes along a first column of an array of three columns has a longitudinal axis intersecting a common plane.

5. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 1 , wherein the magazine includes a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the rear surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, the front surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, and wherein the front surface includes the plurality of firing tubes.

6. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 1 , wherein the front firing tube opening comprises a first diameter, wherein the rear firing tube opening comprises a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter.

7. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 1 , wherein each firing tube along a bottom row of the plurality of firing tubes has a first axis that is arranged at an acute angle with a second axis of each firing tube along a top row of the plurality of firing tubes.

8. A conducted electrical weapon, comprising:
a body that includes:
a handle portion at a first end of the body configured to be grasped by a hand of a user;
an upper member extending in a front-to-rear direction from the handle portion to a second end of the body opposite the first end;
a magazine bay positioned beneath the upper member, wherein the magazine bay includes an opening that extends from a portion of the second end of the body onto a bottom side of the body; and
a trigger positioned between the handle portion and the magazine bay; and

a magazine having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a rear surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, a front surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, a first side surface extending between the front surface and the rear surface, and a second side surface extending between the front surface and the rear surface opposite the first side surface, wherein the front surface includes a plurality of firing tubes, wherein each firing tube from the plurality of firing tubes comprises a front firing tube opening defined on the front surface and a rear firing tube opening defined on the rear surface, wherein the front firing tube opening is in fluid communication with the rear firing tube opening, and wherein the magazine is releasably engaged to the opening of the magazine bay.

9. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 8 , wherein the first side surface of the magazine includes an alignment guide, wherein the alignment guide includes a surface recessed below the first side surface.

10. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 8 , wherein insertion of the magazine into the opening of the magazine bay exposes the bottom surface of the magazine.

11. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 8 , wherein the front firing tube opening comprises a first diameter, wherein the rear firing tube opening comprises a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter.

12. A magazine for a conducted electrical weapon, the magazine comprising:
a body;
a front surface of the body;
a rear surface of the body opposite the front surface; and
a plurality of firing tubes disposed in a fixed position in the body extending longitudinally between the front surface and the rear surface, wherein each firing tube from the plurality of firing tubes comprises a front firing tube opening defined on the front surface and a rear firing tube opening defined on the rear surface, and wherein the front firing tube opening is in fluid communication with the rear firing tube opening.

13. The magazine of claim 12 , wherein each firing tube from the plurality of firing tubes is positioned in parallel within the body.

14. The magazine of claim 12 , wherein each firing tube from the plurality of firing tubes comprises a radial symmetry about a longitudinal axis.

15. The magazine of claim 12 , wherein the front firing tube opening comprises a first diameter, wherein the rear firing tube opening comprises a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter.

16. The magazine of claim 12 , wherein each firing tube from the plurality of firing tubes comprises a shelf protruding inward from an inner surface proximate the front firing tube opening.

17. The magazine of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of firing tubes is arranged in an array of three columns.

18. The magazine of claim 17 , wherein the three columns defining the arrangement of the plurality of firing tubes are disposed in an offset pattern.

19. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of firing tubes is arranged in an array of three columns.

20. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 19 , wherein columns in the array of three columns are disposed in an offset pattern.

Assignees

• Axon Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Smith Patrick
• Nerheim Magne
• Nemtyshkin Oleg
• Zekanovic Dubravko

Classifications

• F42B5/02

  Cartridges, i.e. cases with charge and missile · CPC title

• F41H13/0025 Primary

  for remote electrical discharge via conducting wires, e.g. via wire-tethered electrodes shot at a target · CPC title

• F41A9/61

  Magazines · CPC title

• F41F1/00

  Launching apparatus for projecting projectiles or missiles from barrels, e.g. cannons (F41F3/00 takes precedence); Harpoon guns · CPC title