Embodiments of the present invention relate to improved protective armor systems, and, more particularly, to armor systems with a ceramic layer.
Armor systems can be used to protect the wearer (i.e., person or object) against projectiles (e.g., bullets, metal fragments, etc.) and other objects moving at high velocities. For example, armor systems can be used in body armor (e.g., bulletproof vests) and can be provided on vehicles such as various types of land vehicles, ships, and aircraft. The armor systems are sized and shaped to provide protection as desired. By way only of example, a body armor system worn can be sized and built to protect the wearer's vital areas/organs from the most likely directions of attack (e.g., the front and back of the wearer).
The protection afforded by armor systems may be tailored depending on the anticipated impacts to which it will be subjected. Some armor systems (“soft armor system”) can be formed entirely of fabrics made from high-strength, bullet-resistant materials (e.g., Kevlar, nylon, etc.). Other armor systems (“hard armor system”) include a rigid component, such as metal (steel, aluminum, titanium, etc.) or a ceramic (aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon carbide (SiC), boron carbide (B4C), SiC/B4C blends, titanium diboride, etc.). All armor system design involves a balance of weight and protection level to develop a system that is suitable to a particular environment and anticipated threat. However, common to all armor systems is the need that they (i) stop the fast-moving projectile and (ii) have limited rear deformation (referred to as Back Face Deformation (BFD) or Back Face Signature (BFS)) so as not to further injure the wearer, or damage the object that the armor system is protecting.
Use of ceramic materials in hard armor systems has gained popularity due to its high hardness and lower density as compared to metallic and metallic composite solutions, which results in a lighter weight system to defeat the ballistic impact.
Armor systems that incorporate a ceramic component are typically composite systems in that they include multiple different layers of material. Traditional ceramic armor systems include (among other things) a ceramic plate and a backing layer. In use, the backing layer is interposed between the ceramic plate and the object to be protected. When a projectile (e.g., a bullet) impacts the ceramic plate from a front side, the projectile (e.g., a bullet) shatters into fragments and the ceramic plate shatters and crumbles. In this way, the ceramic plate material itself absorbs the energy of the projectile. The backing layer is provided to catch the fragments and thus needs to be flexible so that it can expand and deform (like a catcher's mitt).
While ceramics are relatively hard and lightweight compared to some metals, an inherent problem with ceramic-based armor is its limited ability to stop multiple impacts (multi-hit). One solution that has been proposed to improve ceramic-based armor is to add additional fabric layers to the backing layer; however, such additional layers add considerable weight which may limit the potential uses of the armor.
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an improved ceramic armor system by reinforcing the ceramic material itself. More specifically, the ceramic material is reinforced with at least one reinforcement material to form a ceramic composite. In one embodiment, the ceramic composite includes a ceramic core, a first reinforcement layer, and a second reinforcement layer. The first reinforcement layer includes a first plurality of reinforcing members that are arranged in a first reinforcement orientation. The second reinforcement layer includes a second plurality of reinforcing members that are arranged in a second reinforcement orientation that is different from the first reinforcement orientation. The first reinforcement orientation and/or the second reinforcement orientation may be uni-axial, multi-axial, or random. An armor system may include the ceramic composite and a backing layer.
The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should not be understood to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to the entire specification of this patent, all drawings and each claim.
The features and components of the following figures are illustrated to emphasize the general principles of the present disclosure. Corresponding features and components throughout the figures can be designated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistency and clarity.
The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.
The figures illustrate various embodiments of a ceramic composite 102 for an armor system 100 according to aspects of the current disclosure. The armor system 100 can be used in various applications to provide protection against various projectiles. For example, the armor system 100 may be used in body armor applications and as protection for different types of vehicles such as various types of land vehicles, ships, and aircraft. In
As illustrated in
Referring to
The ceramic core 112 may be a ceramic formed of a material including, but not limited to glass ceramic, aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon carbide (SiC), boron carbide (B4C), SiC/B4C blends, titanium diboride (TiB2), ceramic matrix composites, combinations thereof, or other suitable materials.
As illustrated in
The reinforcement layers 114A-B can be formed of reinforcing members that are encapsulated within a polymeric binder material. Reinforcing members may include, but are not limited to, fibers, yarns, tapes, combinations thereof, or other suitable reinforcing members. Suitable fibers include, but are not limited to, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, glass fibers, basalt fibers, polypropylene, polyethylene, combinations thereof, or other suitable materials. Suitable binder materials include, but are not limited to, nylon, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified (PETG), polypropylene, polyurethane, vinyl ester, epoxy, combinations thereof, or other suitable materials.
In some embodiments, the fibers are used to form fabrics, such as woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, and nonwoven fabrics. One or more of such fabrics is subsequently encapsulated with the binder material to form a reinforcement layer. In other embodiments, a reinforcement layer is formed by one or more fiber-reinforced polymeric sheets whereby loose fibers are oriented in a desired direction (i.e., are uni-directional or multi-directional) or oriented randomly and then encapsulated within the resin to form the sheet. Note that a single reinforcement layer may be composed of multiple sheets (each sheet including reinforcing members) that are oriented, plied, and fused together with the resin binder to form a reinforcement sheet having the desired reinforcement orientation (discussed below). In some embodiments, at least one reinforcement layer is formed of glass fibers encapsulated within a thermoplastic binder or resin. For example, at least one reinforcement layer may be constructed from a material comprising of epoxy with embedded and continuous glass fibers. In certain cases, the material may contain 70% E-glass fibers such as Style 7781 and 30% toughened epoxy binder such as Toray EP250, although in various other embodiments, other materials, binders, and percentages may be utilized. In still other embodiments, the reinforcement layers are formed with a tape, such as, but not limited to, DuPont™ Tensylon™, or Teijin Endumax®.
In some embodiments, it is preferable to provide two reinforcement layers to strengthen the ceramic core 112, whereby the orientation of the fibers or yarns (in the case of woven and knitted fabrics) or tape between the two reinforcement layers is different. The below discussion refers to “reinforcement orientation” and is intended to refer to the orientation of any type of reinforcing member used such as the orientation of the fibers, the orientation of the yarns (in the case of woven or knitted fabrics), or the orientation of the tape within a reinforcement layer.
Each reinforcement layer includes a lateral axis 115 and a longitudinal axis 117. As illustrated in
In other examples, the fibers may be oriented at any desired angle relative to the lateral axis.
Referring to
In another example, and as illustrated in
The reinforcing layers 114 may be joined with the ceramic core 112 through various suitable forming techniques to form the ceramic composite 102. In some embodiments, one or more reinforcing layers are oriented as desired and positioned on the ceramic core 112. The resulting composite is subjected to heat and pressure whereby the encapsulating resin of the reinforcing layer(s) melts and adheres to adjacent reinforcing layers and/or the ceramic core 112. In other embodiments, separate adhesive layers are used to adhere the various layers to each other. In some embodiments, adjacent reinforcing layers are fused or otherwise secured together to form one or more reinforcing composites that are then subsequently secured to the ceramic core 112 in the desired location and orientation.
The reinforcement layers 114 impart strength, stiffness, and fracture toughness characteristics to the ceramic composite 102 to improve the performance of the ceramic composite 102 upon impact. In certain aspects, the reinforcement layers 114 hold the ceramic core 112 together longer and thus increase projectile dwell time within the ceramic composite 102. In other words, the ceramic core 112 stays intact longer and is thus available to absorb more energy from the impact. The reinforcement layers 114 may also keep the ceramic core 112 intact altogether such that the armor system 100 can withstand multiple projectile impacts. The strength and stiffness imparted to the ceramic composite 102 may also more completely break up a projectile such that less energy is transmitted through the ceramic composite 102, thereby reducing or limiting the BFD and potential harm to the user. Moreover, by orienting the reinforcement layers 114 differently within the ceramic composite 102, fewer reinforcement layers 114 are necessary to achieve the performance improvements. Use of fewer reinforcement layers 114 reduces the weight of the ceramic composite 102.
The backing layer 104 may be a semi-flexible material that is configured to selectively expand and/or deform to capture any projectile fragments that may make it through the ceramic composite 102. Various suitable materials for the backing layer 104 include, but are not limited to, fiberglass reinforced plastics, aramid reinforced plastics, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polypropylene, combinations thereof, or other suitable fabrics. In addition to the ceramic composite 102 and the backing layer 104, the armor system 100 may also optionally include other components such as the strike face protection layer 106, the body side protection layer 108, and/or the armor covering 110. In certain embodiments, the strike face protection layer 106 may provide protection against blunt impacts (e.g., dropping the armor plate or falling while wearing the armor plate). In some examples, the strike face protection layer 106 is a foam, although other suitable materials may be utilized. The body side protection layer 108 may be provided to further reduce BFD during the projectile impact and provide additional protection to the user. In some cases, the body side protection layer 108 is a foam, although other suitable materials may be utilized. The armor covering 110 may form an outermost layer of the armor system 100 and optionally defines a front side 122 and a back side 124 of the armor system 100. As illustrated in
A collection of exemplary embodiments, including at least some explicitly enumerated as “Examples” providing additional description of a variety of example types in accordance with the concepts described herein are provided below. These examples are not meant to be mutually exclusive, exhaustive, or restrictive; and the invention is not limited to these example examples but rather encompasses all possible modifications and variations within the scope of the issued claims and their equivalents.
A ceramic composite for an armor plate, the ceramic composite comprising: a ceramic core; a first reinforcement layer comprising a first plurality of reinforcing members, wherein the first plurality of reinforcing members are arranged within the first reinforcement layer in a first reinforcement orientation; and a second reinforcement layer comprising a second plurality of reinforcing members, wherein the second plurality of reinforcing members are arranged within the second reinforcement layer in a second reinforcement orientation, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer are attached to the ceramic core such that first reinforcement orientation and the second reinforcement orientation do not align.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the ceramic composite comprises a lateral axis and a longitudinal axis, wherein the first reinforcement orientation is a first multi-axial orientation, and wherein at least some of the first plurality of reinforcing members are oriented parallel with the lateral axis and wherein other of the first plurality of reinforcing members are oriented parallel with the longitudinal axis.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the second reinforcement orientation is a second multi-axial orientation, and wherein at least one of the second plurality of reinforcing members is oriented at a first oblique angle relative to the lateral axis and wherein other of the second plurality of reinforcing members is oriented at a second oblique angle relative to the lateral axis that is different from the first oblique angle.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the ceramic composite comprises a lateral axis and a longitudinal axis, wherein the first reinforcement orientation is a first multi-axial orientation, and wherein at least some of the first plurality of reinforcing members are oriented at a first oblique angle relative to the lateral axis and wherein other of the first plurality of reinforcing members are oriented at a second oblique angle relative to the lateral axis that is different from the first oblique angle.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first oblique angle is 45° and wherein the second oblique angle is 135°.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer are on opposing sides of the ceramic core.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer are both on a front side of the ceramic core or on a back side of the ceramic core.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first reinforcement orientation is offset from the second reinforcement orientation by an angle between 20°-70°, inclusive.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, further comprising a third reinforcement layer comprising a third plurality of reinforcing members, wherein the third plurality of reinforcing members are arranged in a third reinforcement orientation, wherein the third reinforcement layer is attached to the ceramic core such that the third reinforcement orientation does not align with at least one of the first reinforcement orientation or the second reinforcement orientation.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the third reinforcement orientation aligns with at least one of the first reinforcement orientation or the second reinforcement orientation.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the third reinforcement orientation does not align with either the first reinforcement orientation or the second reinforcement orientation.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein at least one of the first reinforcement orientation or the second reinforcement orientation is uni-axial.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein at least one of the first reinforcement orientation or the second reinforcement orientation is multi-axial.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein at least one of the first reinforcement orientation or the second reinforcement orientation is bi-axial.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first plurality of reinforcing members comprises at least one of fibers, yarns, or tape, and wherein the second plurality of reinforcing members comprises at least one of fibers, yarns, or tape.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first reinforcement layer comprises a single reinforcement sheet.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first reinforcement layer comprises a plurality of reinforcement sheets fused together, and wherein each reinforcement sheet of the plurality of reinforcement sheets comprises at least one of the first plurality of reinforcing members.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein: the first plurality of reinforcing members comprises fibers; the first reinforcement layer comprises a plurality of reinforcement sheets each comprising some of the fibers encapsulated within a binder; the fibers within each of the plurality of reinforcement sheets are oriented in a single direction; the plurality of reinforcement sheets are oriented and stacked relative to each other such that the direction of the fibers in some of the plurality of reinforcement sheets are offset from each other and create the first reinforcement orientation; and the plurality of reinforcement sheets are fused together to form the first reinforcement layer.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first plurality of reinforcing members comprise yarns woven in a warp and weft direction to create the first reinforcement orientation.
An armor plate comprising: a front side; a back side; a ceramic composite comprising: a ceramic core; a first reinforcement layer comprising a first plurality of reinforcing members, wherein the first plurality of reinforcing members are arranged within the first reinforcement layer in a first reinforcement orientation; and a second reinforcement layer comprising a second plurality of reinforcing members, wherein the second plurality of reinforcing members are arranged within the second reinforcement layer in a second reinforcement orientation, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer are attached to the ceramic core such that first reinforcement orientation and the second reinforcement orientation do not align; and a backing layer positioned between the ceramic composite and the back side.
The armor plate of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, further comprising a strike face protection layer, wherein the ceramic composite is positioned between the strike face protection layer and the backing layer.
The armor plate of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, further comprising a body side protection layer, wherein the backing layer is positioned between the ceramic composite and the body side protection layer.
The armor plate of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, further comprising an armor covering, wherein the armor covering defines the front side and the back side of the armor plate, and wherein the ceramic composite and the backing layer are retained within the armor covering.
The armor plate of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer are on opposing sides of the ceramic core.
The armor plate of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer are on both on a front side of the ceramic core or a back side of the ceramic core.
The armor plate of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein at least one of the first reinforcement orientation or the second reinforcement orientation is uni-axial.
The armor plate of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein at least one of the first reinforcement orientation or the second reinforcement orientation is multi-axial.
The armor plate of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein at least one of the first reinforcement orientation or the second reinforcement orientation is bi-axial.
A ceramic composite for an armor plate, the ceramic composite comprising: a lateral axis and a longitudinal axis; a ceramic core; a first reinforcement layer comprising a first plurality of reinforcing members, wherein the first plurality of reinforcing members are arranged within the first reinforcement layer in a first reinforcement orientation; and a second reinforcement layer comprising a second plurality of reinforcing members, wherein the second plurality of reinforcing members are arranged within the second reinforcement layer in a second reinforcement orientation, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer are attached to the ceramic core such that first reinforcement orientation and the second reinforcement orientation do not align, wherein the first reinforcement orientation is a first multi-axial orientation, and wherein at least one of the first plurality of reinforcing members is oriented parallel with the lateral axis and wherein at least one of the first plurality of reinforcing members is oriented parallel with the longitudinal axis.
The ceramic composite of any preceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples, wherein the second reinforcement orientation is a second multi-axial orientation, and wherein at least one of the second plurality of reinforcing members is oriented at a first oblique angle relative to the lateral axis and wherein at least one of the second plurality of reinforcing members is oriented at a second oblique angle relative to the lateral axis that is different from the first oblique angle.
A ceramic composite for an armor plate, the ceramic composite comprising: a lateral axis and a longitudinal axis; a ceramic core; a first reinforcement layer comprising a first plurality of reinforcing members, wherein the first plurality of reinforcing members are arranged within the first reinforcement layer in a first reinforcement orientation; and a second reinforcement layer comprising a second plurality of reinforcing members, wherein the second plurality of reinforcing members are arranged within the second reinforcement layer in a second reinforcement orientation, wherein the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer are attached to the ceramic core such that first reinforcement orientation and the second reinforcement orientation do not align, wherein the first reinforcement orientation is a first multi-axial orientation, and wherein at least some of the first plurality of reinforcing members are oriented at a first oblique angle relative to the lateral axis and wherein at least some of the first plurality of reinforcing members are oriented at a second oblique angle relative to the lateral axis that is different from the first oblique angle.
The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Further modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described are possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/848,656, filed on May 16, 2019 and entitled ARMOR SYSTEM WITH MULTI-AXIAL REINFORCEMENTS, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62848656 | May 2019 | US |