Systems and methods for deploying electrodes for electronic weaponry

Abstract

An electronic weapon impedes locomotion by a target by conducting a current through an electrode and through the target to produce contractions in skeletal muscles of the target that impede locomotion by the target. The weapon may include a deployment unit to deploy one or more electrodes away from the apparatus toward the target. The deployment unit may include an electrically fired primer, a first cavity, a second cavity, and a partition. The first cavity may include a pyrotechnic charge that produces a gas at an increasing pressure when ignited by the primer. The partition between the first cavity and the second cavity opens, in response to the pressure increasing to a threshold magnitude in the first cavity, to propel the electrode from the second cavity by a sudden release of the pressure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A deployment unit for use with a provided electronic weapon to deploy a provided electrode, the deployment unit comprising: 
 an electrically fired primer;    a first cavity comprising a pyrotechnic charge that produces a gas at an increasing pressure when ignited by the primer, the gas contained by the first cavity for a period of time;    a second cavity; and    a partition between the first cavity and the second cavity that opens in response to the pressure increasing to a threshold magnitude, to propel the electrode from the second cavity by a sudden release of the pressure.    
     
     
         2 . An electronic weapon for conducting a current through a target, the weapon comprising: 
 the deployment unit of  claim 1;     a relatively low voltage circuit for operating the primer; and    a relatively high voltage circuit that provides the current through the electrode to produce contractions in skeletal muscles of the target that impede locomotion by the target.    
     
     
         3 . A method performed by an apparatus for impeding locomotion by a target, the method comprising: 
 increasing a pressure of a first cavity of the apparatus;    in response to the first pressure reaching a threshold magnitude, increasing fluid communication between the first cavity and a second cavity of the apparatus; and    in response to the increased fluid communication, deploying an electrode from the second cavity away from the apparatus; and    conducting a current through the electrode and through the target to produce contractions in skeletal muscles of a target that impede locomotion by the target.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein increasing a pressure of the first cavity comprises releasing a gas into the first cavity.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein increasing a pressure of the first cavity comprises igniting a pyrotechnic charge in the first cavity.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein increasing fluid communication comprises rupturing a partition between the first cavity and the second cavity.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein increasing fluid communication comprises causing a seal between the first cavity and the second cavity to fail.  
     
     
         8 . A method performed by a deployment unit of an electronic weapon, the deployment unit having an electrode, a first cavity, and a second cavity, the method comprising: 
 increasing a pressure of the first cavity;    in response to the first pressure reaching a threshold magnitude, increasing fluid communication between the first cavity and the second cavity; and    in response to the increased fluid communication, deploying the electrode from the second cavity.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein increasing a pressure of the first cavity comprises releasing a gas into the first cavity.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein increasing a pressure of the first cavity comprises igniting a pyrotechnic charge in the first cavity.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein increasing fluid communication comprises rupturing a partition between the first cavity and the second cavity.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein increasing fluid communication comprises causing a seal between the first cavity and the second cavity to fail.  
     
     
         13 . A deployment unit for use with a provided electronic weapon to deploy a provided electrode, the deployment unit comprising: 
 a first cavity that contains a fluid for a period of time;    a second cavity;    means for increasing a differential fluid pressure between the first cavity and the second cavity; and    a partition between the first cavity and the second cavity that opens in response to the pressure increasing to a threshold magnitude, to propel the electrode from the second cavity by a sudden release of the pressure.    
     
     
         14 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the deployment unit cooperates with the electronic weapon as a magazine having a plurality of electrodes for a plurality of independent deployment operations, each deployment operation deploying a particular electrode of the plurality of electrodes.  
     
     
         15 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the second cavity comprises a pair of electrodes propelled by the sudden release of pressure.  
     
     
         16 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  for producing contractions in skeletal muscles of a target to impede locomotion by the target, the electrode for conducting a current through the target, the deployment unit further comprising a tether wire that conducts the current from the electronic weapon to the electrode.  
     
     
         17 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the fluid comprises a gas.  
     
     
         18 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein release comprises fluid communication from the first cavity to the second cavity.  
     
     
         19 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the partition opens by being ruptured.  
     
     
         20 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the partition opens by failing to maintain a seal between the first cavity and the second cavity.  
     
     
         21 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the partition comprises a thin sheet.  
     
     
         22 . The deployment unit of  claim 21  wherein the sheet has a thickness of from about 0.001 inch to about 0.004 inch.  
     
     
         23 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the partition comprises a disc.  
     
     
         24 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the disc has a thickness of from about 0.001 inch to about 0.004 inch.  
     
     
         25 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the partition comprises a seal.  
     
     
         26 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the means for increasing comprises a gas released into the first cavity.  
     
     
         27 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the means for increasing comprises a gas generated in the first cavity.  
     
     
         28 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein the means for increasing comprises a pyrotechnic charge in the first cavity.  
     
     
         29 . The deployment unit of  claim 13  wherein: 
 the deployment unit propels a plurality of provided electrodes comprising the electrode; and  
 the second cavity comprises a manifold to propel the plurality of electrodes.  
 
     
     
         30 . The deployment unit of  claim 29  wherein the second cavity is bounded by plastic and the manifold comprises metal.  
     
     
         31 . An electronic weapon comprising the deployment unit of  claim 13 .  
     
     
         32 . An electronic weapon for conducting a current through a target, the weapon comprising: 
 the deployment unit of  claim 13;     a relatively low voltage circuit for operating the means for increasing; and    a relatively high voltage circuit that provides the current through the electrode to produce contractions in skeletal muscles of the target that impede locomotion by the target.    
     
     
         33 . An electronic weapon for conducting a current through a target, the weapon comprising: 
 a staging cavity;    a delivery cavity comprising a manifold coupled to a plurality of delivery tubes;    a gas that increases a differential fluid pressure between the first cavity and the second cavity; and    a partition, comprising a thin sheet, between the staging cavity and the delivery cavity that opens in response to the pressure increasing to a threshold magnitude, to propel from each delivery tube an electrode to the target by a sudden release of the pressure;    a relatively low voltage circuit that enables release of the gas into the staging cavity for increasing the pressure; and    a relatively high voltage circuit that provides the current through the electrode to produce contractions in skeletal muscles of the target that impede locomotion by the target.