1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of personal safety devices, and more particularly to a personal safety device which can be used in conjunction with, or is integrated with, a mobile device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Each year many people are assaulted or otherwise find themselves victims or potential victims of violent crime. Protecting ourselves and our loved ones from these types of crime has always been of paramount importance. Women can be particularly susceptible to crimes of physical assault and violence. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 231,589,260 people were victims of a crime in 2002. Of these victims, 119,347,330 were women, many of these women having been subjected to awful violent crimes including rape, sexual assault, and robbery, some injured, and some threatened with a weapon. Stalking is another major concern; according to results obtained by a recent National Violence Against Women Survey, women are the primary victims of stalking.
The inventors of this patent application, being college women, understand these statistics and dangers on a very personal level. Because of the traditional campus setting, there is a low dependency for the use of cars as primary transportation; as such, college women walk almost everywhere. The highly active college lifestyle often requires students to walk to and from class, the library, the grocery store, and local hang-out areas.
Of course, the particular threat to women notwithstanding, violent crime is a serious threat to people of both sexes, and of all ages. Many people often find themselves in a potentially dangerous situation in which they are confronted by an attacker. Defending oneself in this situation is of extreme importance.
There are, of course, a number of self-defense devices and mechanisms currently available on the market, including pepper spray and mace. Pepper spray (oleoresin capsicum), typically provided in strengths of 5-10%, may cause a number of undesirable effects such as eye and skin irritation and burning, shortness of breath, etc., thus aiding in warding off a potential attacker for several minutes. Typically, some sprays can be used at a range of 8-20 feet from an attacker and can come in containers including anywhere from, e.g., half an ounce to 12 ounces of spray.
Mace contains CN Tear Gas and typically results in similar effects as pepper spray, including tearing and eye closure. Either substance may contain a dye (visible or ultraviolet) for identifying an attacker once sprayed onto him, or a foaming agent which causes the spray to rapidly expand upon contact into a sticky foam which can increase the irritation to the attacker.
Another self-defense device is a stun gun which causes an electric shock upon contact with skin, typically resulting in confusion, disorientation, weakness, and loss of muscle control for several minutes. Stun guns typically vary in voltage levels from 65,000V-125,000V.
There are also “nuisance” type products such as a stench ointment contained in a small breakable vial which, when broken, can dowse the attacker with a foul smelling ointment. Another device is a personal alarm which emits a loud, high decibel (e.g. 100 db) piercing sound upon being activated by switch or separation of strap.
There are a number of drawbacks associated with existing self-defense devices, however. One drawback, for example, is that even when a person owns one of these devices, he or she will often forget to carry the device while traveling. Another drawback is that victims are often attacked while alone, and are therefore often left to fend off an attacker by themselves without anyone else knowing that they are being attacked. There is a need for providing a self defense device which is capable of immediately notifying the authorities that an attack is under way, and of providing the authorities with specific information in order to be able to come to the aid of the person being attacked.
There is a need, therefore, for a self defense device that can overcome these and other problems associated with prior art devices and thereby increase personal safety in vulnerable situations.