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US-12624936-B2 - Separating primer cup of a propulsion module for a conducted electrical weapon

US12624936B2US 12624936 B2US12624936 B2US 12624936B2US-12624936-B2

Abstract

A conducted electrical weapon (“CEW”) deploys wire-tethered electrodes after generation of an ignition signal. The ignition signal is provided to a deployment unit. The deployment unit includes a primer material adjacent a conductor. The conductor conducts the ignition signal outside the primer material. A temperature of the conductor increases in response to receiving the ignition signal. The primer material ignites in response to the increase in temperature of the conductor.

Inventors

  • Steven N.D. Brundula
  • Oleg Nemtyshkin
  • Aleksander Petrovic
  • Patrick W. Smith

Assignees

  • AXON ENTERPRISE, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20231009

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A propulsion module, comprising: an ignition cap, wherein the ignition cap comprises a base portion opposite an inner receptacle portion, and wherein the base portion comprises a larger radius than the inner receptacle portion; a primer cup coupled to the inner receptacle portion of the ignition cap; an ignition pin comprising a first end opposite a second end, wherein the first end is positioned within the primer cup, and wherein the second end extends through the base portion of the ignition cap; and a primer material positioned within the primer cup, wherein in response to an ignition of the primer material the primer cup is configured to separate from the inner receptacle portion of the ignition cap to permit a motion of the primer cup in a direction away from the ignition cap.
  2. 2 . The propulsion module of claim 1 , wherein the motion of the primer cup is configured to translate a propulsion force to a component in the propulsion module.
  3. 3 . The propulsion module of claim 2 , wherein the component comprises a projectile or a capsule containing a secondary source of propellant.
  4. 4 . The propulsion module of claim 1 , wherein the motion of the primer cup is configured to directly or indirectly cause deployment of a projectile.
  5. 5 . The propulsion module of claim 4 , wherein the motion of the primer cup is configured to cause a propulsion force to be applied directly to the projectile to cause deployment of the projectile.
  6. 6 . The propulsion module of claim 4 , further comprising a secondary source of propellant proximate the primer cup, wherein the motion of the primer cup is configured to apply a first propulsion force to the secondary source of propellant, and wherein application of the first propulsion force is configured to cause the secondary source of propellant to provide a second propulsion force to cause deployment of the projectile.
  7. 7 . The propulsion module of claim 1 , further comprising: a puncture tip; and a propellant capsule in proximity with the puncture tip, wherein the motion of the primer cup is configured to apply a first force to the propellant capsule, wherein in response to receiving the first force the propellant capsule is configured to contact the puncture tip, and wherein in response to contacting the puncture tip the propellant capsule is configured to release a propulsion force.
  8. 8 . The propulsion module of claim 7 , wherein the propulsion force is configured to cause deployment of a projectile.
  9. 9 . The propulsion module of claim 1 , further comprising a conductor configured to ignite the primer material.
  10. 10 . The propulsion module of claim 9 , wherein the primer cup comprises a base axially offset from the conductor, and wherein the primer material is positioned within the primer cup between the base of the primer cup and the conductor.
  11. 11 . A deployment unit for a projectile launcher comprising: a projectile; and a propulsion module configured to cause deployment of the projectile, the propulsion module comprising: an ignition cap, wherein the ignition cap comprises a base portion opposite an inner receptacle portion, and wherein the base portion comprises a larger radius than the inner receptacle portion; a primer cup coupled to the inner receptacle portion of the ignition cap; a primer material positioned within the primer cup, wherein in response to an ignition of the primer material the primer cup is configured to separate from the inner receptacle portion of the ignition cap; a puncture tip; and a propellant capsule positioned between the primer cup and puncture tip, wherein separation of the primer cup from the inner receptacle portion of the ignition cap causes the propellant capsule to contact the puncture tip and release a propulsion force, and wherein the propulsion force is configured to cause deployment of the projectile.
  12. 12 . The deployment unit of claim 11 , wherein the primer cup comprises walls and a base defining a concave region, wherein the primer material is disposed within the concave region.
  13. 13 . The deployment unit of claim 12 , wherein the concave region comprises an opening opposite the base, and wherein the opening is oriented towards the ignition cap.
  14. 14 . The deployment unit of claim 12 , wherein the base is oriented towards the projectile.
  15. 15 . The deployment unit of claim 11 , wherein the propulsion module further comprises an ignition pin, wherein a first end of the ignition pin is positioned within the primer cup, and wherein a second end of the ignition pin extends through the ignition cap.
  16. 16 . A method of deploying a projectile using a propulsion module, the method comprising: receiving an ignition signal; igniting a primer material in response to the ignition signal, wherein the primer material is positioned within a primer cup, wherein the primer cup is coupled to an ignition cap, wherein the ignition cap comprises a base portion opposite an inner receptacle portion, wherein the base portion comprises a larger radius than the inner receptacle portion, wherein the inner receptacle portion is coupled to the primer cup, and wherein the primer cup is positioned proximate the projectile; separating the primer cup from the inner receptacle portion of the ignition cap in response to the igniting of the primer material, wherein the separating of the primer cup transfers a propulsion force generated by the igniting of the primer material directly to the projectile; and deploying the projectile in response to the primer cup transferring the propulsion force generated by the igniting of the primer material directly to the projectile.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising providing a stimulus signal through the projectile.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the ignition signal is conducted by a conductor outside the primer material and adjacent to a surface of the primer material.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein an ignition pin is positioned within the primer cup and through the ignition cap.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the ignition signal is provided through the ignition pin.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to and the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/011,548, filed on Sep. 3, 2020, and entitled “IGNITION DEVICE FOR A CONDUCTED ELECTRICAL WEAPON”; which is a continuation of, and claims priority to and the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/153,640, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,782,113, filed on Oct. 5, 2018, and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IGNITION IN A CONDUCTED ELECTRICAL WEAPON”. All of the above-referenced applications are incorporated by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention relate to a conducted electrical weapon (“CEW”) (e.g., electronic control system) that deploys electrodes in response to ignition of a primer material. SUMMARY This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. In some embodiments, a conducted electrical weapon is provided. The conducted electrical weapon comprises a housing and a deployment unit. The housing includes a trigger and a control circuit configured to generate an ignition signal upon actuation of the trigger. The deployment unit includes at least one electrode and a propulsion module. The propulsion module includes a conductor and a primer material. The conductor is coupled to the control circuit and configured to increase in temperature upon receipt of the ignition signal. The primer material is disposed adjacent the conductor within the propulsion module. The primer material is configured to ignite in response to the increase in temperature of the conductor. The conductor conducts the ignition signal outside the primer material. Ignition of the primer material causes the at least one electrode to be deployed from the deployment unit. In some embodiments, a propulsion device for deploying at least one projectile using an ignition signal from a provided ignition signal source is provided. The device comprises a conductor and primer material. The conductor is coupled to receive the ignition signal from the ignition signal source. The conductor is configured to increase in temperature upon receipt of the ignition signal. The primer material is disposed adjacent the conductor within the propulsion device. The primer material is configured to ignite in response to the increase in temperature of the conductor. The conductor conducts the ignition signal outside the primer material. Ignition of the primer material causes the at least one projectile to be deployed. In some embodiments, a method of deploying at least one projectile using a propulsion device is provided. The propulsion device includes a conductor adjacent a primer material. The method comprises receiving an ignition signal in the conductor. The ignition signal is conducted by the conductor outside the primer material. The ignition signal is conducted adjacent a surface of the primer material. A temperature of the conductor is increased based on the received ignition signal. A primer material is ignited in response to the increase in temperature of the conductor. Ignition of primer material causes the at least one projectile to be deployed. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example embodiment of a system according to various aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is an illustration of an example embodiment of a propulsion module according to various aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is an illustration of an example embodiment of an ignition device according to various aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is an illustration of a cross-section of an example embodiment of a propulsion module according to various aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is an illustration of an example embodiment of components of an ignition device according to various aspects of the present disclosure; and FIG. 6 is flowchart that illustrates an example embodiment of method of igniting a primer material to deploy a projectile according to various aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION A projectile may be deployed from a system to interfere with locomotion of a human or animal target. A system may deploy the projectile using an electrical signal. The electrical signal may be used to ignite a primer material. The electrical signal may be the only form of energy provided to the primer material to cause ignition. The electrical signal may be used instead of other for