WO2004053263A1

WO2004053263A1 - Handcuffs

Info

Publication number: WO2004053263A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/000275
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tae Jong No
Original assignee: Tae Jong No
Priority date: 2002-12-10
Filing date: 2003-02-07
Publication date: 2004-06-24
Also published as: KR200306994Y1; AU2003207121A1; CN1714215A

Abstract

Disclosed are handcuffs, which include movable arms having triple-line jaws and ratchets having triple-line ratchet protrusions corresponding to the triple-line jaws, thereby preventing illegal release of coupling between jaws and ratchets protrusions by a suspected person. The ratchet protrusions and the jaws of the movable arms are coupled to each other triply, and thereby, the handcuffs can be forcedly released only when the triple or more couplings between the ratchet protrusions and the jaws of the movable arms are all released at the same time even though a person releases the handcuffs illegally using a thin pin or other external thin plate along an movable arm inserting hole of one side of the body or a bottom side of the body. Therefore, in fact, the illegal release of the handcuffs is impossible, and so, the present invention can fundamentally prevent the illegal release of the handcuffs.

Description

HANDCUFFS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to handcuffs, and more particularly, to handcuffs, which include movable amis having triple- line jaws and ratchets having triple-line ratchet protrusions corresponding to the triple-line jaws, thereby preventing it from illegal release of coupling between jaws and ratchet protrusions by a suspected person.

Background Art In general, as shown in FIG. 1 , handcuffs include a pair of bodies 11 having fixed arms 12 formed integrally therewith, respectively, a pair of ratchets 31 having ratchet protrusions 32 formed on ends of the ratchets 31, a pair of spacers 21 for receiving the ratchets 31 in a variable way, and a pair of partitions 41 for separating the spacers 21 from the ratchets 31. The spacers 21, the ratchets 31 and the partitions 41 are put inside the bodies 11, the pair of the bodies 11 are coupled to each other, and then, a movable arm 51 having single line jaws 52 is fixed to ends of the fixed arms 12 by hinges 71. The ratchets 31 are elastically fixed inside the bodies 11 by a plate spring 61, and a locking latch 81 is linked with the ratchets 31 to lock the ratchets 31. Therefore, if a user wants to put handcuffs on a suspected person, in a state where the single line jaws 52 of the movable arm 51 are partially inserted into the bodies 11, the user can put the handcuffs on the suspected person's wrist by grasping the bodies 11 with one hand and lightly pressing the movable arm 51 to the suspected person's wrist. At this time, the movable arm 51 rotates on the hinge 71 at an angle of 360 degrees through a space formed between the fixed arms 12, and the single line jaws 52 of the movable arm 51 are locked while being partially inserted into the bodies 11 again. The single line jaws 52 of the movable arm 51 and the ratchet protrusions 32 of the ratchets 31 of the bodies 11 restricting the single line jaws 52 are directed oppositely to each other. So, the movable arm 51 can be always moved freely toward the fixed arms 12, but, once the handcuffs are locked, the movable arm 51 cannot be moved to the fixed arms 12 in an opposite direction unless the user pushes the ratchet protrusions 32 up using a key and isolates the single line jaws 52 of the movable arm 51 from the ratchet protrusions 32 of the ratchets 31. That is, the jaws of the movable arm 51 are formed in order of inclined surface-vertical surface- inclined surface-vertical surface toward the rear part in a moving direction of the movable arm 51, and the ratchet protrusions 32 of the ratchets 31 are formed in the opposite manner to the jaws. When the movable arm 51 is received into the bodies 11, first, the inclined surface of the jaw is contacted by the front most ratchet protrusion 32 of the ratchet protrusions 32 of the ratchets 31, and then enters in while pushing up the ratchets 31. At the vertical surface portion of the jaws, the ratchet protrusions 32 of the ratchets 31 are lowered to the bottom end of the vertical surface due to restoring force of the plate spring 61 elastically supporting the ratchets 31. Through repetition of the above process, the movable arm 51 can enter the bodies 11 , and at this time, it can move forward but cannot move backward. Therefore, the user can always lock the movable ami 51 on the suspected person's wrist, but once it is locked on the suspected person's wrist located between the movable arm 51 and the fixed arms 12, it is difficult to release it without the corresponding key. However, the conventional handcuffs shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 2, the suspected person can illegally release the handcuffs by himself/herself using a small pin 91 or others through a gap formed at an end of the lower surface of the bodies 11. The problem is caused from a structure allowing any person to push the ratchets 31 up using the small pin 91 through the gap formed between the movable ami 51 and the bodies 11. In the structure of the conventional handcuffs including the single line jaws 52 and two ratchets 31 restricting the jaws 52, the movable arm 51 can be easily released if the person pushes the ratchets 31 up using the small pin 91 along the gap formed at both sides of the movable arm 51.

To solve the above problem, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0294239 discloses a release-preventing device of handcuffs. The release-preventing device of handcuffs includes a release-preventing jaw and a release-preventing jaw guide hole formed on the bodies and the movable arm 51 respectively so as to prevent insertion of the small pin 91 between the bodies and the movable arm 51. Also, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-257618 discloses handcuffs for preventing release. As shown in FIG. 3, the handcuffs for preventing release have an extended wall 42 formed on the lower center of the partition 41 isolating the ratchets 31 inside the bodies 11, and the extended wall 42 is inserted between vertical holes of double line jaws 53 of the movable arm 51. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, by virtue of the extended wall 42, the handcuffs can be prevented from entrance of an external thin plate along a gap between the ratchet protrusions 32 of the ratchets 31 and the double line jaws 53 of the movable arm 51, i.e., a movable arm inserting hole 92. However, the conventional handcuffs having the above structure can be prevented from release of the coupling state between the ratchet protmsions 32 and the double line jaws 32, but cannot completely be prevented from the illegal release if the person uses two external thin plates having the same width as the jaws of the double line jaw 53.

Additionally, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0263671 discloses handcuffs for preventing release. The handcuffs for preventing release have downwardly inclined holes formed on the front portion of the ratchet protrusions of the ratchets to prevent the illegal release by stopping entrance of the external thin plate. Moreover, there are lots of handcuffs to prevent the illegal release by the suspected person. However, disadvantageously, the conventional handcuffs cannot completely prevent the illegal release.

The handcuffs are forcedly released because the movable arm 51 is isolated from the bodies 1 1 by releasing the coupling between the ratchet protrusions 32 of the ratchets 31 and the jaws of the movable arm 51 using the external thin plate or the small pin 91. However, the conventional handcuffs cannot fundamentally prevent the release of the coupling between the ratchet protrusions 32 and the jaws. That is because the line number of the ratchet protrusions 32 and the line number of the jaws are restricted to two maximally.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention is to provide handcuffs, which include ratchet protrusions of ratchets and jaws of a movable arm formed in triple lines or more so as to allow release of the handcuffs only when the triple couplings between the ratchet protrusions and the jaws are all released, thereby fundamentally preventing illegal release of the handcuffs.

To achieve these objects according to an aspect of the present invention, there are provided handcuffs including: a pair of bodies having fixed arms formed integrally therewith, respectively; spacers for receiving ratchets inside the bodies, each ratchet having a ratchet protrusion formed on an end; the ratchets movably held inside the spacers; partitions for isolating the ratchets; a plate spring for elastically supporting the ratchets; and movable arms having jaws, wherein the pair of the bodies are coupled to each other, and at this time, the spacer, the ratchet, the partition, the ratchet and the spacer are put between the bodies, in order, so as to movably receive the ratchets inside the bodies, and after the coupling of the bodies, the movable a i having the jaws is fixed to ends of the fixed arms by a hinge, and wherein at least three or more ratchets received inside the bodies are movably fixed, and the jaws of the movable arm corresponding to the ratchets are also formed in three lines. The spacer for receiving the at least three or more ratchets has a thickness equal to the sum of thickness of the ratchets, or the number of the spacers is the same as that of the ratchets.

The plate spring for elastically supporting the ratchets includes contact sections for elastically supporting each of the ratchets.

One ratchet and spacer are arranged at one side of the partition, and two ratchets and spacers for receiving the ratchets are arranged at the other side. Alternatively, two ratchets and the spacers for receiving the ratchets can be arranged at both sides of the partition respectively.

Brief Description of the Drawings Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an example of conventional handcuffs;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, in partial section, of the handcuffs of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of another example of the conventional handcuffs;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, in partial section, of the handcuffs of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is one side view showing a state in which ratchets and a movable arm of the handcuffs of FIG. 3 are coupled to each other; FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of handcuffs according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 7 is a perspective view, in partial section, of the handcuffs of FIG. 6.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The present invention will now be described in detail in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, handcuffs according to the present invention include a pair of bodies 11 having fixed arms 12 formed integrally therewith, respectively, spacers 21 for receiving the ratchets 31, each of which has a ratchet protrusion 32 formed on an end, inside the bodies 11 in a variable way, the ratchets 31 movably held inside the spacers 21 , partitions 41 for isolating the ratchets 31 , a plate spring for elastically supporting the ratchets 31, and movable arms 51 having jaws. The pair of the bodies 11 are coupled to each other, and at this time, the spacer 21, the ratchet 31, the partition 41, the ratchet 31 and the spacer 21 are put in order between the bodies 11 , to movably put the ratchets 31 in the bodies 11. After the coupling of the bodies 11, the movable arms 51 having the jaws are fixed to ends of the fixed arms 12 by hinges 71. At least three or more ratchets 31 put inside the bodies 11 are movably fixed, and the jaws of the movable arm 51 corresponding to the ratchets 31 are also formed in three lines. Conventional handcuffs include a pair of bodies 11 having fixed aπrts 12 formed integrally therewith, a pair of ratchets 31 having ratchet protmsions 32 formed on ends thereof, a pair of spacers 21 for movably receiving the ratchets 31 inside of the bodies 11, partitions 41 for isolating the ratchets 31, a plate spring 61 for elastically supporting the ratchets 31, and movable arms 51 having jaws. The bodies 11 are coupled to each other, and at this time, to movably receive the ratchets 31 inside the bodies 11, the spacer 21, the ratchet 31, the partition 41, the ratchet 31 and the spacer 21 are put in order the bodies 11. After the coupling of the bodies 11, the movable arms 51 having the jaws are fixed to the ends of the fixed amis 12 by hinges 71. However, in the present invention, at least three or more ratchets 31 are received and movably fixed inside the bodies 11, and also the jaws of the movable am s 51 are formed in three lines. Therefore, according to the present invention, the ratchet protmsions 32 and the jaws of the movable arms 51, which serve as important locking portions for locking the handcuffs on a suspected person's wrist, are coupled to each other triply. As a result, the handcuffs can be forcedly released only when the triple or more couplings between the ratchet protmsions 32 and the jaws of the movable amis 51 are all released at the same time even though a person releases the handcuffs illegally using a thin pin 91 or other external thin plate along an movable arm inserting hole of one side of the body 11 or a bottom side of the body 11. Therefore, in fact, the illegal release of the handcuffs is impossible, and so, the present invention can fundamentally prevent the illegal release of the handcuffs.

By virtue of the triple or more couplings, even though the person pushes two of three ratchets 31 up at the same time by inserting the thin plate along both sides of the movable arm 51 to illegally release the handcuffs, he/she cannot push up the other ratchet 31 located in the middle, and therefore, the illegal release of the handcuffs is impossible. Furthermore, because it is impossible to push the three ratchets 31 up at the same time even though the pin 91 or the thin plate is inserted into the movable arm inserting hole of the side of the bodies 11 , the illegal release of the handcuffs is impossible. Therefore, except the legal release of the handcuffs using the corresponding key, it is fundamentally prevented to release the handcuffs illegally. Moreover, the difficulty in illegal release of the handcuffs presses the suspected person mentally not to flee. The spacers 21 for receiving the at least three or more ratchets 31 may have thickness equal to the sum of thickness of the ratchets 31 or the number of the spacers 21 is the same as that of the ratchets 31. That is, to receive three ratchets 31 inside two spacers 21, one spacer 21 has the same thickness as the ratchet 31 and the other spacer 21 must have the thickness equal to or somewhat wider than the sum of thickness of the two ratchets 31. It will be appreciated that three spacers 21 are used to receive the three ratchets 31. In this case, the partitions 41 are interposed between the spacers 21.

The plate spring 61 for elastically supporting the ratchets 31 may have contact sections 62 for elastically supporting each ratchet 31. The plate spring 61 elastically supports the ratchets 31 to make the ratchets 31 always directed to the lower portion, i.e., the movable arm 51. As a result, when the triple jaws 54 of the movable arm 51 enter, they can be moved in a coupling direction, i.e., to the fixed arms 12, but cannot be moved in a release direction, i.e., in an opposite direction to the fixed arms 12. That is because the triple jaws 54 of the movable arm 51 and the ratchet protmsions 32 of the ratchets 31 are directed oppositely to each other. Therefore, it is preferable that the plate spring 61 elastically supports each of the ratchets 31.

The ratchets 31 are arranged in such a manner that one ratchet 31 and spacer 21 are arranged at one side of the partition 41 and two ratchets 31 and the spacer 21 for receiving the ratchets 31 are arranged at the other side or that two ratchets 3 and the spacers 21 for receiving the ratchets 31 are arranged at both sides of the partition 41 respectively. It will be appreciated to those skilled that the number of the ratchets 31 and the number of the spacers 21 for movably receiving the ratchets 31 can be changed and the thickness of them can be varied inside the bodies of the handcuffs. As shown in FIG. 8, the handcuffs according to the present invention may need at least three release protmsions for releasing the locking of the handcuffs and keys of the same number as the ratchets. Industrial Applicability

As described above, according to the present invention, the ratchet protmsions 32 and the jaws of the movable arms 51, which serve as important locking portions for locking the handcuffs on a suspected person's wrist, are coupled to each- other triply. As a result, the handcuffs can be forcedly released only when the triple or more couplings between the ratchet protmsions 32 and the jaws of the movable arms 51 are all released at the same time even though a person releases the handcuffs illegally using a thin pin 91 or other external thin plate along an movable am inserting hole of one side of the body 11 or a bottom side of the body 11. Therefore, in fact, the illegal release of the handcuffs is impossible, and so, the present invention can fundamentally prevent the illegal release of the handcuffs.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

What Is Claimed Is:

1. Handcuffs comprising: a pair of bodies having fixed arms formed integrally therewith, respectively; spacers for receiving ratchets inside the bodies, each ratchet having a ratchet protrusion formed on an end; the ratchets movably held inside the spacers; partitions for isolating the ratchets; a plate spring for elastically supporting the ratchets; and movable amis having jaws, wherein the pair of the bodies are coupled to each other, and at this time, the spacer, the ratchet, the partition, the ratchet and the spacer are put between the bodies, in order, so as to movably receive the ratchets inside the bodies, and after the coupling of the bodies, said movable arm having the jaws is fixed to ends of the fixed arms by a hinge, and wherein at least three or more ratchets received inside the bodies are movably fixed, and the jaws of the movable arm corresponding to the ratchets are also formed in three lines.

2. The handcuffs according to claim 1, wherein the spacer for receiving the ratchets has a thickness equal to the sum of thickness of the ratchets.

3. The handcuffs according to claim 1, wherein the number of the spacers is the same as that of the ratchets.

4. The handcuffs according to claim 1, wherem the plate spring for elastically supporting the ratchets includes contact sections for elastically supporting the ratchets, respectively.

5. The handcuffs according to claim 1, wherein one ratchet and spacer are arranged at one side of the partition, and two ratchets and spacers for receiving the ratchets are arranged at the other side.

6. The handcuffs according to claim 1, wherein two ratchets and spacers for receiving the ratchets are arranged at both sides of the partition respectively.