The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 26, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 29, 1997
John T Naff, Pleasanton, CA (US);
James H Shea, Castro Valley, CA (US);
Maxwell Technologies Systems Division, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
An acoustic cannon has a plurality of acoustic sources with output ends symmetrically arranged in a planar array about a central point. Pressure pulses are generated in each acoustic source at substantially the same time. The pressure pulses exit the output ends as sonic pulses. Interaction of the sonic pulses generates a Mach disk, a non-linear shock wave that travels along an axis perpendicular to the planar array with limited radial diffusion. The Mach disk retains the intensity of the sonic pulses for a time and a distance significantly longer than that achievable from a single sonic source. The acoustic cannon is useful as a non-lethal weapon to disperse crowds or disable a hostile target.