Frangible Barrier Shields CEW Deployment Unit From ESD
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conducted electrical weapons (CEWs) are susceptible to damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD) during storage and transport, which can cause unintended electrode launch and damage to electronic circuitry, leading to unreliable operation.
Innovation Solution
A non-conductive barrier is used to protect the deployment unit from ESD by insulating the conductor and preventing the flow of electrical charge, while also sealing the unit from dirt and moisture, ensuring reliable firing and operation by maintaining the intended current path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the deployment unit is left exposed during storage and transport, then access and operation are simplified, but the unit is susceptible to electrostatic discharge damage and environmental contamination
Solution Approach 1:
A frangible barrier made of thin material is used to seal the deployment unit during storage and transport. The barrier is thin enough to be easily penetrated by the conductor during insertion, yet provides sufficient protection against ESD and environmental contaminants when intact.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier is pre-installed on the deployment unit before use, creating a protective seal that prevents ESD damage and contamination during storage and transport. The barrier is designed to be automatically breached during the insertion process, eliminating the need for separate protection removal steps.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective barrier is added to the deployment unit, then protection from ESD and contamination is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective barrier is implemented as a thin frangible film rather than a rigid complex structure. This thin-film approach provides effective ESD protection while minimizing structural complexity and maintaining ease of manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier is designed as a separate, removable component that can be independently manufactured and then attached to the deployment unit. This separation allows for specialized manufacturing of the barrier without complicating the main deployment unit assembly process.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a frangible barrier is used to protect the deployment unit, then ESD protection is improved, but the barrier must be reliably breached during insertion which adds manufacturing precision requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The frangible barrier is pre-engineered with specific weak points or structural characteristics that ensure it will reliably fail in the desired manner when subjected to the insertion force. This preliminary design of the failure mode ensures consistent performance without requiring high manufacturing precision for the barrier itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier material properties are specifically selected and controlled to achieve the desired frangible characteristics. By adjusting parameters such as material thickness, composition, and structural features, the barrier is designed to breach at specific points under specific conditions, ensuring reliable operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The non-conductive barrier effectively shields the deployment unit from ESD, preventing unintended launches and maintaining the integrity of the electrical circuit, thus enhancing the reliability and operational consistency of the CEW.
Implementation Method 1
A non-conductive barrier is used to protect the deployment unit from ESD by insulating the conductor and preventing the flow of electrical charge
Implementation Method 2
while also sealing the unit from dirt and moisture, ensuring reliable firing and operation by maintaining the intended current path
Data Source
AI summary
A deployment unit for use with a handle of a conducted electrical weapon (“CEW”). The deployment unit includes wire-tethered electrodes for launching toward a human or animal target for providing a current through the target to impede locomotion of the target. The deployment unit includes a barrier that prior to use with the handle protects the deployment unit from electrostatic discharge. Prior to use of the deployment unit, the barrier may further protect the deployment unit from ingress of dirt and/or moisture into the deployment unit. While the deployment unit is inserted into a handle, the barrier shields conductors of the handle and the deployment unit to facilitate delivery of a launch signal from the handle to the deployment unit to launch the wire-tethered electrodes.