Composite Wrapped Helmet or Armor

Abstract

An article of armor. The article has a composite article with an exposed edge and a wrap layer wrapped around at least a portion of the exterior surface of the composite article and around at least a portion of the exposed edge. The article of armor may be a helmet.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to protective equipment and personal armor; more particularly it relates to layered armor and composite wrapped configurations

BACKGROUND

In the manufacturing of composites it is desirable to cut the material so that mechanical properties are not diminished or interrupted. When a fabric is formed into a shape such as a helmet, there is a wrinkling of the fabric (such as the wrinkles in a cupcake paper cup) before the fabric is cut. This allows for increased mechanical and ballistic resistance due to the continuous fibers, but has two drawbacks.

1) the slight visual appearance of wrinkles may be undesirable to some customers.

2) There is an end grain to all composites when cut at the edge of a part, and this end grain is weaker and must be covered with some kind of edge trim.

DISCLOSURE

The solution presented solves one or both of these problems.

A composite article, in particular a helmet, is formed from desired composite materials or a hybrid of materials, and is then cut to the desired shape leaving an exposed edge. The composite part is then wrapped in a fabric of secondary fiber (can be any fabric or fiber, including without limitation Kevlar, carbon, or cotton). A spray adhesive can be used to assist in wrapping the part. In particular the exposed edges are wrapped with the secondary fiber. The secondary fiber can be a pre-impregnated fiber with resin already in it (either thermoset or thermoplastic), or it may be dry with a wet resin system applied to it by hand.

Once the wrapping composite and resin are applied to the part, it is placed in a match metal die system and closed. This forms the outside fabric and the part to a seamless smooth aesthetically appeasing finished shape. The final match metal die may be heated and cooled and have any number of conventional systems included, such as ejection systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the disclosed configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1, wrap layer 30 is wrapped around all or a portion of composite armor 10. Armor 10 has inner portion 20 and end portion 5. Wrap layer 30 is desirably wrapped around end portion 5.

Claims

1. An article of armor comprising a composite article having an exposed edge, a wrap layer wrapped around at least a portion of an exterior surface of the composite article and around at least a portion of the exposed edge.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the wrap layer comprises fiber pre -impregnated with resin.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein the article of armor is a helmet.