Patent Application
20170199012
This invention relates generally to firearms and other similar weapons, and more particularly to a defensive shield for a firearm having a bipod.
Weapons such as firearms are frequently used in conditions which subject the weapon user to hazards such as return enemy fire and shrapnel. Various types of personal protective gear exist for weapon users, such as bullet-resistant vests, “flak jackets”, “body armor”, and the like.
While such conventional protective gear protects the user's torso and vital organs, portions of the user's body such as the hands are still exposed to injury because of their position holding the weapon. The forward hand is particularly vulnerable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a shield providing additional protection for a weapon user.
This need is addressed by the technology described herein, which provides a ballistic shield that protects a user while still permitting operation of a weapon.
According to one aspect of the technology described herein, a ballistic shield apparatus for a weapon includes: a flexible ballistic shield made of penetration-resistant material, the ballistic shield having opposed front and rear faces, spaced-apart side edges connecting spaced-apart top and bottom edges, and a central area bounded by the side edges; one or more flexible securing members extending laterally outward from each of the side edges, each of the one or more flexible securing members including a releasable connector disposed on a distal portion thereof; and at least one releasable connector disposed on the ballistic shield, the releasable connectors collectively configured such that the distal portion of each of the one or more flexible securing members can be releasably secured to the central area of the ballistic shield, or to a distal portion of one of the one or more flexible securing members.
According to another aspect of the technology described herein, a ballistic shield apparatus is provided for a firearm having a stock having a bipod mounted thereto, the stock carrying a receiver with a sighting device mounted thereto, and having a barrel extending therefrom. The ballistic shield apparatus includes: a flexible ballistic shield made of penetration-resistant material, the ballistic shield having opposed front and rear faces, spaced-apart side edges connecting spaced-apart top and bottom edges, and a central area bounded by the side edges; and a plurality of flexible securing members extending laterally outward from the side edges, the securing members selectively configurable in: a first configuration in which distal portions of the securing members are wrapped around the bipod and releasably connected to the central area of the ballistic shield; and a second configuration in which the flexible ballistic shield is wrapped around the receiver and the sighting device, and distal portions of opposing flexible securing members are releasably connected to each other.
The invention may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which:
Referring to the drawings wherein identical reference numerals denote the same elements throughout the various views,
The ballistic shield 10 incorporates means for attachment to a bipod or similar support. In the illustrated example the ballistic shield 10 has straps 22 which extend laterally outward from the side edges 20. For the purposes of this invention, the straps constitute an example of a “flexible securing member”. The straps 22 incorporate suitable releasable connectors 24. As used herein the term “releasable” refers to a connection that can be coupled and uncoupled in ordinary use without damage to the connectors or resorting to the use of tools. By way of example and not of limitation, examples of releasable connectors include buttons, snaps, stud-type snap fasteners, magnets, and hook-and-loop type fasteners (e.g. VELCRO). The illustrated example shows hook-and-loop fasteners. As an example, each of the straps 22 can be formed from a single piece of material, such as fabric webbing, having a central portion 26 attached to the rear face 14 (overlying the central area 21) and distal portions 28 extending beyond the side edges 20. As will be explained further below, the connectors 24 may be configured so that each distal portion 28 can be releasably attached to either the central area 21 (e.g. via releasable connector 24 of the central portion 26) or to the opposing distal portion 28. In
The ballistic shield 10 is constructed so as to be penetration-resistant, or in other words resistant to penetration by moving projectiles, such as bullets and shrapnel. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials include metal alloys, ceramics, composite materials, and ballistic fabrics. In the illustrated example the ballistic shield 10 incorporates layers of fabric made from aramid fibers available under the trade name KEVLAR. The layers of fabric may be sandwiched between front and rear cover layers of fabric that form the front and rear faces 12 and 14, respectively. The cover layers may be secured together with stitching 32.
The construction of the ballistic shield 10 may be flexible in whole or part. As used herein, the term “flexible” refers to a structure configured such that it will flex or bend forwards and backwards under its own weight. Nonlimiting examples of flexible structures include structures made in whole or part from fabric.
Optionally, the ballistic shield 10 may incorporate an internal pocket 34 that communicates with an opening 36 formed in the front face 12. The opening 36 could also be formed in the rear face 14. The pocket 34 is sized and shaped to hold a reinforcing plate therein (not shown). The reinforcing plate is configured to increase the resistance of the ballistic shield 10 to penetration, and may be made from a material such as steel, ceramic, or other material. As shown, the opening 36 may be placed at the upper end of the pocket 34 so that the reinforcing plate is naturally held in position by gravity during use.
The bipod 48 is of conventional construction. As seen in
The ballistic shield 10 can also be used for other functions. For example,
The foregoing has described a ballistic shield for a weapon. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.
Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying potential points of novelty, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62277036 | Jan 2016 | US |
