Remote Spike Strip Deployment for Vehicle Disablement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spike strips for disabling land vehicles pose risks to security personnel due to the need for close proximity during deployment, potential injury from spikes, and the danger of vehicles careening out of control, as well as the risk of affecting bystanders and other vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A remotely deployable and retractable articulated strap system with pyrotechnic or gas-powered deployment, featuring spikes or penetrators that extend across a vehicle's path to deflate tires, allowing for remote operation and reduced risk to personnel, with a sensor-activated retraction mechanism to increase effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional spike strips are deployed manually by security personnel, then the device can be deployed to disable vehicles, but security personnel are exposed to risk of injury from spikes and vehicle impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical deployment with an automated launch system that uses a catapult mechanism to propel the spike strip across the vehicle path. This eliminates the need for security personnel to be in close proximity during deployment, substituting human mechanical action with an automated mechanical system that maintains safe distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary launch mechanism (catapult device) that acts as a mediator between the security personnel and the spike strip deployment. The catapult serves as the intermediary that propels the spike strip without requiring personnel to be in the direct path of deployment, thereby reducing their exposure to harmful factors.
2Reliability
If spike strips are deployed across the vehicle path, then tires can be deflated to disable the vehicle, but spikes may injure personnel during deployment or retraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual handling of the spike strip with an automated launch and retrieval system. The catapult mechanism launches the spike strip without personnel contact, and the retraction system automatically retrieves it after use, eliminating manual exposure to spike injury risks during both deployment and retraction phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the hazardous spike strip deployment action from the security personnel by using a remote catapult launch system. The harmful function of spike projection is separated from human operators, allowing the spike strip to be deployed and retrieved without personnel being in contact with the hazardous elements.
3Reliability
If only one steering tire is deflated to disable the vehicle, then the vehicle can be stopped, but the vehicle may careen wildly and strike nearby personnel or structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the vehicle's tire system by providing multiple independent spike strips that can target different tires simultaneously or sequentially. Rather than deflating a single steering tire, the system can apply force to multiple tires (front and rear, left and right), creating balanced deceleration that reduces wild careening while maintaining stop capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies excessive action by deploying spike strips to affect multiple tires beyond the minimum single tire needed for vehicle disablement. This over-application of the deflation effect to multiple tires simultaneously creates more controlled stopping behavior, preventing the vehicle from careening wildly while ensuring it stops.
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 system effectively disables land vehicles by rapidly deflating tires, reducing the risk to security personnel and minimizing collateral damage, while allowing for safe and remote operation and retraction, thus enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
pyrotechnic or gas-powered deployment
Implementation Method 2
pyrotechnic or gas-powered deployment
Implementation Method 3
sensor-activated retraction mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and a method for disabling a ground engaging traction device of a land vehicle includes at least one penetrator configured to breach the traction device, an articulated strap configured to move the apparatus between a retracted arrangement and an extended arrangement, a mass configured to deploy the apparatus to the extended arrangement, and a retractor configured to retract the apparatus to the retracted arrangement. The penetrators can be arranged in sections and the penetrators can be arranged so as to be multi-directional within each section.