Surgery – Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants – Restrainers and immobilizers
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-04
2002-03-26
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Surgery
Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants
Restrainers and immobilizers
C128S878000, C070S016000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06360747
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to personal restraint devices. More particularly, this invention relates to personal restraint devices useful in law enforcement for the restraint of persons under arrest.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Wrist and ankle restraints in the form of lockable cuffs are individually known in the prior art. Such cuffs hold the hands or the feet together or in close proximity to each other, thus, limiting movement of the restrained individual. Such devices, simultaneously used, do not limit the relative movement of hands to feet, resulting in a violent individual's ability to cause damage to property, injury to other persons, and to escape from law enforcement officers, in some instances.
It is also known to provide a strap or belt assembly to restrain an individual by attachment to the wrists and the legs or ankles for location behind an individual. Fisher provides such an assembly (U.S. Pat. No. 5,345, 947) wherein an upper loop mounted on a cam buckle is attached to handcuffs by a snap hook. The cam buckle adjustably engages a strip which forms a loop at one end for engaging an individual's legs or ankles, the other end being free. The Fisher strap system appears to be effective for maintaining an individual in a crouched position where the effective length of the assembly between the wrists and ankles is kept relatively short. The Fisher system would appear to be a relatively ineffective restraint during standing and walking as the loop placed on the legs or ankles of a restrained individual is adjustable and as such would be subject to sliding up the legs of the individual, thus reducing the effectiveness of the Fisher system. The Fisher system appears to be most effective when the restrained individual is relatively immobile. This is a clear drawback when used in a prisoner transportation setting.
Peder provides a restraint system(U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,813) for placement between wrists and ankles which is not readily adjustable and is apparently intended to restrain and immobilize an individual. The Peder system would be substantially unusable in a prisoner transportation setting.
The assembly of Wolfer(U.S. Pat. No. 4,949, 679) is intended to maintain an individual's wrists at a point near his waist, but fails to provide for connection with the ankles of the restrained individual and thus does not restrain kicking or running, etc.
The present invention severely limits a restrained individual's movements of the hands relative to feet of a restrained individual during periods of violent activity, while providing easy adjustment for application to varying sizes of individuals. The adjustment also allows for convenient easing of restraint for purposes of sitting in an automobile, standing, or walking, or during periods when the restrained individual assumes a peaceful attitude.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a personal restraint system useful for the restraint of a person under arrest by law enforcement officers.
An object of the invention is to provide a personal restraint system which limits movement of the restrained individual's hands relative to their feet.
Another object of the invention is to provide a personal restraint system which is easily adjustable to provide for its use on various sized individuals and to allow relaxation of the restraint for purposes of assuming a sitting position.
A further object of the invention is to provide a personal restraint system capable of maintaining the restrained person in a slightly off-balance position while standing, making it difficult for that individual to escape by foot or to damage property or attack others.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention may comprise a personal restraint system for restraining movement of a restrained individual's hands relative to their feet. The restraint system includes lockable pairs of ankle and wrist cuffs and an adjustable strap or web disposed therebetween and interconnected therewith. The wrist cuffs are placed on the restrained individual with his or her hands positioned, preferably behind their back, and more preferably in the downward position near the individual's waist.
The length of the strap or web may be adjusted, preferably by use of a cam buckle between two portions of the belt in order to fit differing sized individuals, to adjust tension, and to allow the restrained individual to assume a sitting position for transport in an automobile, or a standing position for walking.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1536551 (1925-05-01), Young
patent: 4422455 (1983-12-01), Olsen
patent: 4628925 (1986-12-01), Witzel
patent: 4949679 (1990-08-01), Wolfer
patent: 5345947 (1994-09-01), Fisher
patent: 5469813 (1995-11-01), Peden
patent: 5894748 (1999-04-01), Capperrune
Banez Rogelio N.
Velarde Albert A.
Brown Michael A.
Phillips Roger F.
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