Reusable robotic flashbang delivery vehicle

Abstract

A flashbang grenade is mounted on a mobile carrier having motor-driven wheels for navigating. The flashbang grenade has a first fuel-loaded chamber and a second oxidizer-loaded chamber housed within one or two receptacles. Applying current to a squib triggers a pressure wave to expel the fuel and oxidizer from the first and second chambers, which is then detonated. In operation, the flashbang grenade is attached to the mobile carrier, carried to a location of a disturbance, tossed into a crowd, navigated to an optimal spot, and discharged. A controller operates both the hand-tossable mobile carrier and the flashbang grenade. It provides a joystick or equivalent to navigate the mobile carrier and a button (or two buttons that have to be pressed at the same time) to discharge the flashbang grenade. A display shows video collected from the mobile carrier, assisting the operator in navigating the mobile carrier.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A flashbang delivery vehicle comprising:
 a mobile carrier having motion actuators to move from one location to another;   first and second binary-chemical-retaining chambers housed within one or two receptacles;   fuel stored in the first chamber;   an oxidizer stored in the second chamber; and   a squib that, when current is applied to it, triggers a pressure wave to expel the fuel and oxidizer from the first and second chambers.   
     
     
         2 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the motion actuators comprise one or more wheels, legs and/or paddles. 
     
     
         3 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket mounted on the vehicle that removably receives the one or two receptacles housing the first and second chambers. 
     
     
         4 . The flashbang delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more electrical circuits that control vehicle movements and a detonation sequence for the vehicle; 
     
     
         5 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 4 , further comprising a hand-held controller that integrates controls for both the motion actuators of the mobile carrier and the squib. 
     
     
         6 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile carrier is remotely operated. 
     
     
         7 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile carrier provides a handhold for tossing the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile carrier is self-mobilizing, using artificial intelligence to control its movements. 
     
     
         9 . A flashbang delivery vehicle comprising:
 a hand-tossable mobile carrier having wheels and motion actuators to move from one location to another; and   a flashbang grenade mounted to the mobile carrier.   
     
     
         10 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the flashbang grenade is carried within a cylinder formed by and extending between the wheels, so that when the flashbang grenade is tossed and lands on a flat surface, it lands on one or both of the two wheels without subjecting the flashbang grenade to direct impact forces with the flat surface; 
     
     
         11 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the flashbang grenade comprises first and second binary-chemical-retaining chambers with fuel stored in the first chamber and an oxidizer stored in the second chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the flashbang grenade or loading bracket seats a squib that, when current is applied to it, triggers a pressure wave to expel the fuel and oxidizer from the first and second chambers. 
     
     
         13 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 9 , further comprising an autonomous drive controller that receives sensor input about the delivery vehicle's surroundings, identifies an optimal location to discharge the flashbang grenade, and causes the flashbang delivery vehicle to travel to the optimal location. 
     
     
         14 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the optimal location is one that has the greatest average distance from each wall surrounding the flashbang delivery vehicle, wherein said average distance is determined from one or more sensors sensing a distance from the sensor to the walls. 
     
     
         15 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the flashbang delivery vehicle is programmed to rotate to get sensor information from each surrounding wall. 
     
     
         16 . The flashbang delivery vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the optimal location is one that is proximate to a plurality of people, and wherein sensors sense where people are located and calculate distances between the people and the flashbang delivery vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . A method of delivering a non-lethal flashbang to stun or temporarily disable one or more subjects, the method comprising:
 attaching a flashbang grenade to a rugged, hand-tossable mobile carrier;   carrying the flashbang grenade and hand-tossable mobile carrier to a location where a disturbance is occurring;   tossing the flashbang grenade mounted to the hand-tossable mobile carrier toward a crowd;   estimating a spot that is most optimal for discharging the flashbang grenade;   the mobile carrier traveling to the spot for activating the flashbang grenade; and   discharging the flashbang grenade.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the optimal spot is proximate to a plurality of people. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the mobile carrier comprises two wheels and a tail to help it maintain a proper orientation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the hand-tossable mobile carrier is reusable, the method further comprising:
 removing the flashbang grenade after it has discharged;   attaching a replacement flashbang grenade to the mobile carrier;   tossing the mobile carrier with its replacement flashbang grenade to another crowd.   
     
     
         21 . A controller for a flashbang grenade mounted on a hand-tossable mobile carrier, the controller comprising:
 a body;   a switch on the body that arms and disarms the flashbang grenade depending on the position of the switch;   a wireless communication circuit that communicates commands to the hand-tossable mobile carrier to navigate the mobile carrier and one or more commands to the flashbang grenade to at least cause the flashbang grenade to discharge; and   a first button to discharge the flashbang grenade.   
     
     
         22 . The controller of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a display on a backside of the body; and   a camera lens on a frontside of the body.   
     
     
         23 . The controller of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a second button that, when pressed at the same time as the first button is pressed, discharges the flashbang grenade.   
     
     
         24 . The controller of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a joystick, a trackball, a throttle or yoke that enables an operator to navigate the mobile carrier.