Patent Grant
8656822
The present disclosure relates broadly to a ballistic floor blanket for military vehicles, including light, medium and heavy tanks; utility vehicles; anti-aircraft and anti-tank vehicles; towed artillery; and the like. In one exemplary application, the present ballistic blanket is applicable for use in a gun turret, sub-turret (or cupola), or finial. The exemplary blanket may also be used in the hull or other areas of the military vehicle to protect passengers from injury in the event of an under-vehicle explosion.
Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below. Use of the term “exemplary” means illustrative or by way of example only, and any reference herein to “the invention” is not intended to restrict or limit the invention to exact features or steps of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present specification. References to “exemplary embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “various embodiments,” and the like, may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an exemplary embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may.
It is also noted that terms like “preferably”, “commonly”, and “typically” are not utilized herein to limit the scope of the claimed invention or to imply that certain features are critical, essential, or even important to the structure or function of the claimed invention. Rather, these terms are merely intended to highlight alternative or additional features that may or may not be utilized in a particular embodiment of the present invention.
According to one exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure comprises a ballistic floor blanket for use in a military vehicle. The floor blanket comprises top and bottom assembly covers, and an interior ballistic fabric composite intermediate the top and bottom assembly covers. The fabric composite comprises a plurality of overlying structural ballistic layers. The exemplary ballistic layers comprise high-performance fibers having a tensile strength greater than about 2000 MPa and an elastic modulus greater than about 60 GPa. A retention assembly includes a plurality of peripherally spaced floor anchors adapted for attaching the floor blanket to the military vehicle.
The term “overlying” is used broadly herein to mean the disposition of multiple directly adjacent or spaced-apart layers residing in complete or partial overlapping (or superimposed) registration.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the high performance fibers are selected from a group consisting of S-glass, aramid, high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), polybenzobisoxazole (PBO), and polypyridobisimidazole (PIPD). Other exemplary high performance fibers may have a tensile strength of at least 7 grams per denier.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the interior fabric composite includes an adhesive film residing between adjacent ones of the ballistic layers.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the top assembly cover includes a textured slip-resistant material.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the slip-resistant material comprises neoprene rubber.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the bottom assembly cover comprises a ripstop fabric.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the ripstop fabric is a urethane coated polyester ripstop.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the interior fabric composite further includes top and bottom composite covers.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the top and bottom composite covers comprise a flame resistant synthetic rubber.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the synthetic rubber is a chlorosulfonated polyethylene synthetic rubber (CSM).
According to another exemplary embodiment, the interior fabric composite includes at least three overlying ballistic layers.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the interior fabric composite further includes at least one layer of adhesive film (scrim, resin, or other bonding agent) between adjacent ballistic layers.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the interior fabric composite further includes top and bottom composite covers, and at least one layer of adhesive film (scrim, resin, or other bonding agent) between respective outside ballistic layers and the top and bottom composite covers.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the retention assembly includes an interconnected arrangement of elongated straps located between the top assembly cover and the interior ballistic fabric composite.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the straps comprise nylon webbing.
According to another exemplary embodiment, an elongated generally C-shaped step cover is attached at a peripheral edge of the floor blanket.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the top and bottom assembly covers have complementary peripheral fasteners (e.g., snap fasteners) adapted for releasably holding the floor blanket together.
The description of exemplary embodiments proceeds in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
The present invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. Like numbers used herein refer to like elements throughout. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be operative, enabling, and complete. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present invention.
Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Unless otherwise expressly defined herein, such terms are intended to be given their broad ordinary and customary meaning not inconsistent with that applicable in the relevant industry and without restriction to any specific embodiment hereinafter described. As used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term “one”, “single”, or similar language is used. When used herein to join a list of items, the term “or” denotes at least one of the items, but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list.
For exemplary methods or processes of the invention, the sequence and/or arrangement of steps described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal arrangement, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or arrangement, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and arrangements while still falling within the scope of the present invention.
Additionally, any references to advantages, benefits, unexpected results, or operability of the present invention are not intended as an affirmation that the invention has been previously reduced to practice or that any testing has been performed. Likewise, unless stated otherwise, use of verbs in the past tense (present perfect or preterit) is not intended to indicate or imply that the invention has been previously reduced to practice or that any testing has been performed.
Referring now specifically to the drawings, a ballistic floor blanket according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
As best shown in
The top and bottom assembly covers 14, 15 include complementary peripheral fasteners 21A, 21B, such as snap fasteners, designed to releasably attach the covers 14, 15 together outside of the ballistic fabric composite 16 and retention assembly 18. Other suitable cover fasteners may include hook and hoop patches, mechanical clips, pressure-sensitive adhesives, and the like. The exemplary top cover 14 resides loosely adjacent (unattached to) the retention assembly 18, and is constructed of flame-resistant nylon filament reinforced neoprene rubber. The exposed top surface of the cover 14 may be textured for added slip resistance. The exemplary bottom cover 15 resides loosely adjacent the ballistic fabric composite 16, and is constructed of a urethane coated polyester ripstop. Additionally, both covers 14, 15 may include edge binding tape 22, 23 engineered to meet or exceed physical requirements, such as MIL-PRF-5038J Type II, for military usage.
Referring to
In the exemplary embodiment, the ballistic fabric composite 16 comprises three intermediate structural ballistic layers 31, 32, 33 interleaved with thermoplastic film layers 35, 36. The film layers 34, 37 reside between the top and bottom composite covers 41, 42 and respective outside ballistic layers 31, 33. The film layers 34-37 may comprise polyurethane film, scrim, or other suitable polymer adhesives. The ballistic layers 31-33 are constructed of bundled high performance continuous fibers, and may be single ply or multi-ply laminate structures. Examples of high performance fibers include S-glass composed of silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), and magnesia (MgO); aramid fibers, such as commercially-known Twaron®, Technora®, and DuPont's Kevlar®29, Kevlar®49, Kevlar® 129, and Kelvar® KM2; high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), such as commercially-known Spectra® and Dyneema®; polybenzobisoxazole (PBO) fibers, such as commercially-known Zylon®; and polypyridobisimidazole (PIPD), such as commercially-known M5®. These fibers have high tensile strength, elastic modulus, and strain to failure. For example, such fibers may have a tensile strength greater than about 2000 MPa and an elastic modulus greater than about 60 GPa. Fibers structures in the exemplary application may be unidirectional, plain, or basketweave configurations. The unidirectional fiber layers may be rotated 90° (or other angle) with respect to adjacent layers to create a cross-ply fabric.
Once assembled, as discussed above, the fabric composite 16 is laminated under heat and pressure to create an integrally-formed unitary ballistic structure. Alternatively, two or more of the composite layers may be stitched together, or joined together using thermosetting polymers. A binding tape 44 may be applied to the fabric composite 16 to finish the peripheral edge.
As best shown in
The exemplary ballistic blanket 10 may be assembled in the turret 11 by laying the bottom assembly cover 15 over the turret floor 12, then laying the ballistic fabric composite 16 over the bottom cover 15, then applying and attaching the retention assembly 18 to the turret 11 (using bolts and other hardware not shown), then laying the top assembly cover 14 over the retention assembly 18 and fastening the top and bottom covers 14, 15 together using the mating snap fasteners 21A, 21B. Alternatively, the various components of the ballistic blanket 10 may be preassembled prior to attaching the retention assembly 18 to the turret floor 12. Additionally, as best shown in
For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the use of relative terms, such as “substantially”, “generally”, “approximately”, and the like, are utilized herein to represent an inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. These terms are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described above. No element, act, or instruction used in this description should be construed as important, necessary, critical, or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Although only a few of the exemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in these exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.
In the claims, any means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures. Unless the exact language “means for” (performing a particular function or step) is recited in the claims, a construction under §112, 6th paragraph is not intended. Additionally, it is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61214112 | Apr 2009 | US |
