Pneumatic Arrangement for Less-Lethal Device with Pressure Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current less-lethal devices are inefficient, inaccurate, and ergonomically unfriendly, often leading to misuse and ineffective incapacitation of targets, with existing pneumatic arrangements lacking sensitivity and practicality for emergency situations.

Innovation Solution

A pneumatic arrangement for a less-lethal device featuring a puncture mechanism with a displaceable body that pierces the canister seal upon initial trigger actuation, ensuring consistent gas flow and projectile launch, combined with a pressure-sensitive activation assembly to control gas release, allowing for adjustable kinetic force and improved accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a puncture mechanism with displaceable body is used to pierce the canister seal upon initial trigger actuation, then the device achieves reliable gas flow initiation and consistent projectile launch, but the device complexity increases due to additional components and mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliable gas flow initiationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The displaceable body is pre-positioned within the housing in a retracted state, ready to pierce the canister seal upon trigger actuation. This preliminary positioning ensures that the piercing action occurs reliably at the moment of trigger pull, eliminating delays and ensuring consistent gas flow initiation for each projectile launch.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The displaceable body acts as an intermediary component between the trigger mechanism and the canister seal. It translates the trigger actuation into a controlled piercing motion, mediating the force application to ensure reliable seal penetration and consistent gas flow initiation without directly connecting the trigger to the canister.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If a pressure-sensitive activation assembly is used to control gas release, then the accuracy of projectile propulsion is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of projectile propulsionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure-sensitive activation assembly incorporates a feedback mechanism that monitors the gas pressure within the canister and adjusts the gas release accordingly. This feedback control ensures that the projectile is propelled with consistent and accurate force, maintaining measurement precision in projectile propulsion while automatically regulating the gas flow based on real-time pressure conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The pressure-sensitive activation assembly is designed to automatically regulate gas release based on the pressure conditions within the canister, without requiring external intervention or complex control systems. The assembly self-adjusts the gas flow to maintain accurate projectile propulsion, performing the control function autonomously and reducing the need for additional complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Volume of moving object

If the canister is received within the device body with a puncture mechanism, then the overall device size is reduced, but the ease of operation decreases due to the need for precise trigger actuation to initiate gas flow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverall device sizeVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The puncture function is extracted as a separate, dedicated action performed by the displaceable body that is actuated by the trigger mechanism. This extraction allows the canister to be compactly received within the device body while the trigger is designed to perform the specific function of initiating the puncture action, separating the piercing function from the general operation to simplify the triggering process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The canister seal is designed as a single-use component that is pierced by the displaceable body upon trigger actuation. This disposable seal allows for simple, reliable operation where the trigger pull directly initiates the piercing action without requiring complex multi-step operations, enhancing ease of operation while maintaining compact device size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 solution provides a compact, accurate, and reliable less-lethal device capable of effectively incapacitating targets at extended ranges, adhering to legislative requirements and enhancing user safety and precision.

Implementation Method 1

piercing mechanism pierces the seal of the canister when the displaceable body is displaced towards the second position, so that compressed gas flows from the canister through the internal bore

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas flow:

Implementation Method 2

pressure sensitive activation assembly used to inhibit the device from propelling a projectile therefrom before a predetermined pressure is reached within a release valve of the device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure sensing:

Implementation Method 3

release valve assembly for venting compressed gas to a barrel to propel the projectile from the device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas expansion:

Implementation Method 4

propelling assembly for adjusting the kinetic force with which a hammer impacts a release valve of the device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectKinetic energy:

Data Source

PatentEP3870926B1A pneumatic arrangement of a less-lethal device
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 BYRNA TECH INC
  • EP3870926B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3870926B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3870926B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

This invention relates to a pneumatic arrangement of a less-lethal device, which pneumatic arrangement comprises a puncture mechanism used for puncturing a sealed mouth of a canister of compressed gas, in use received within a body of the less-lethal device; a pressure sensitive activation assembly used to inhibit the device from propelling a projectile therefrom before a predetermined pressure is reached within a release valve of the device; a release valve assembly for venting compressed gas to a barrel to propel the projectile from the device; and a propelling assembly for adjusting the kinetic force with which a hammer impacts a release valve of the device. The invention also relates to a method of propelling a projectile from a less-lethal device.