US12372337 - Precision non-shattering less-lethal projectile
The patent describes a less-lethal projectile designed for airguns, featuring a rear portion that seals the barrel and a hollow cylindrical cap that contains a flowable payload. The cap is engineered with fins and grooves for stabilization during flight and is designed to open upon impact without shattering, allowing for the safe release of the payload.
Claim 1
- An airgun, comprising: a barrel defining a bore; and a less-lethal projectile receivable in the bore, the projectile comprising: a rear portion configured to obturate the bore; and a hollow cylindrical cap having a closed forward end, an open rear end, and a sidewall extending from the closed forward end to the open rear end; wherein: the open rear end of the cap is sealingly engaged with the rear portion of the projectile such that the cap and the rear portion of the projectile define an interior cavity in which a flowable payload is receivable; the cap defines a plurality of grooves extending radially from a center of the forward end and rearwardly from the forward end along an exterior surface of the sidewall such that the plurality of grooves defines a plurality of fins, each fin defined by two adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves; and the cap is configured to release the payload from the cavity without shattering upon impact of the projectile with a target. a barrel defining a bore; and a less-lethal projectile receivable in the bore, the projectile comprising: a rear portion configured to obturate the bore; and a hollow cylindrical cap having a closed forward end, an open rear end, and a sidewall extending from the closed forward end to the open rear end; wherein: the open rear end of the cap is sealingly engaged with the rear portion of the projectile such that the cap and the rear portion of the projectile define an interior cavity in which a flowable payload is receivable; the cap defines a plurality of grooves extending radially from a center of the forward end and rearwardly from the forward end along an exterior surface of the sidewall such that the plurality of grooves defines a plurality of fins, each fin defined by two adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves; and the cap is configured to release the payload from the cavity without shattering upon impact of the projectile with a target. a rear portion configured to obturate the bore; and a hollow cylindrical cap having a closed forward end, an open rear end, and a sidewall extending from the closed forward end to the open rear end; wherein: the open rear end of the cap is sealingly engaged with the rear portion of the projectile such that the cap and the rear portion of the projectile define an interior cavity in which a flowable payload is receivable; the cap defines a plurality of grooves extending radially from a center of the forward end and rearwardly from the forward end along an exterior surface of the sidewall such that the plurality of grooves defines a plurality of fins, each fin defined by two adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves; and the cap is configured to release the payload from the cavity without shattering upon impact of the projectile with a target. the open rear end of the cap is sealingly engaged with the rear portion of the projectile such that the cap and the rear portion of the projectile define an interior cavity in which a flowable payload is receivable; the cap defines a plurality of grooves extending radially from a center of the forward end and rearwardly from the forward end along an exterior surface of the sidewall such that the plurality of grooves defines a plurality of fins, each fin defined by two adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves; and the cap is configured to release the payload from the cavity without shattering upon impact of the projectile with a target.
Google Patents
https://patents.google.com/patent/US12372337
USPTO PDF
https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12372337