Patent Application
20250231011
This invention relates generally to a wearable, modular energy absorbing and dispersing standoff spacer, system, and method for use or incorporation in supportive relation with an armor plate or panel, and/or a carrier for the same, for positioning and orienting the plate or panel, reducing traumatic effect on a wearer from ballistic impact or impacts on the plate or panel, and more particularly, that is readily and easily adaptable to provide customizable fit and comfort, particularly adaptable for female wearers.
U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/327,353, filed Apr. 4, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/327,746, filed Apr. 5, 2022, are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Body armor is recognized as providing valuable protection against ballistic threats, e.g., bullets, shrapnel, blast debris such as flying glass and the like, as well as sharp objects such as knives, ice picks, and homemade weapons commonly used by inmate populations of correctional institutions. Various configurations of body armor are known, including hard plates of different thicknesses and compositions, such as metal alloys, ceramics, laminates of multiple materials, and soft panels of layers of aramid fiber, e.g., available under the tradename Kevlar and other polymers, e.g., polyethylene, and the like. A hard plate is rigid and inflexible, but many soft panels have at least some flexibility. A hard plate may be used alone, or in combination with one or more under or over laying soft panels, and in reduced or non-ballistic or lower velocity ballistic (e.g., small arms) threat environments, a soft panel may be used alone. The armor configuration used is often selected based on the expected threat environment, e.g., sharp hand weapon only, rifle, pistol only, blast, and other conditions, such as environment, e.g., temperature, humidity, marine conditions, other loads to be carried, e.g., ammunition, food, shelter, etc., duration of wear, distance to be traveled on foot, time standing verses seated or riding in a vehicle, jumping from a fixed or rotary winged aircraft, etc. As a result, modularity and/or scalability, that is, the ability to assemble an armored garment such as a carrier, vest, or the like, of various combinations of body armor elements, customized for conditions, is often sought.
Armor plates are typically sized to a particular wearer, with length or height, width, and sometimes shape or gender, being common variables. Plates to be worn over the front torso or chest will typically have a curved shape so as to be slightly concave when viewed from above or below, and may have additional concavity (facing the wearer) when viewed from the side, to conform at least generally to a wearer's anatomical shape. A military or law enforcement agency will typically order a specific plate or panel sized and shaped for a particular wearer. In regard to fit, female torso shapes present a challenge, as the female chest and stomach are not generally as level compared to male torso shapes. When a hard armored plate having a generally flat or only slightly concave shape is fitted to a female, if the upper end of the plate rests on the breasts, and the lower end rests on the stomach, the plate can have a tilted orientation wherein the upper end is spaced from the upper chest and the lower end follows a line toward the pelvis. As a result, the lower edge of the plate can press into the wearers abdomen to cause discomfort. Tailoring of armor carrying garments such as vests has been attempted with advantages and disadvantages.
Reference Beck, U.S. Pat. No. 9,970,736 B2, directed to a female protective vest that utilizes a ballistic hard plate and an underlying soft ballistic armor supported on a carrier of a vest. The Beck carrier is contoured with lateral darts that displace the ballistic hard plate in a direction away from the inner surface and an underlying soft ballistic armor and the wearer in the breast region to eliminate excess compression of the breast tissue and maintain the hard plate in an orientation generally parallel to the body of the wearer. It is also taught that the darts can form cup portions for the same purpose, and the soft ballistic armor can have a female shape that mirrors the carrier shape. While presumably reducing breast compression, the hard armor plate may be tilted in the above-described manner, namely, with the lower plate edge directed toward and potentially into the abdomen of the wearer to cause discomfort.
Reference also, Fritch U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,223, which discloses protective body armor utilizing a spacer element to prevent undue pressure being exerted on the breasts of woman wearer. The spacer rests on the wearer's rib cage, and an armor plate or panel will rest on the spacer. As a result, the weight of the armor and resultant pressure is partially transferred to the lower rib cage of the wearer. Thus, the spacer holds the lower region of the armor plate or panel outward and takes the pressure from the armor. The Fritch spacer can comprise a number of stepped plies, foam construction being mentioned, or it can be a molded insert. The number of steps utilized will be a function of the breast size of the wearer, and the spacer is enclosed in a woven nylon shell. That nylon shell is attached with Velcro strips to another nylon shell within which the armor is inserted, the Velcro on the nylon shell that receives the armor being larger, to afford options for positioning the spacer. The Fritch spacer would appear to provide an adequate solution to the tilting of an amor plate to reduce the occurrence of the lower edge of the plate applying excessive or irritating pressure against the abdomen of a wearer under normal conditions, and could eliminate the need for darts in the lateral region of a carrier for accommodating and reducing pressure on the breasts. However, for a wearer whose waist and/or breast size vary, a single size spacer may not provide the desired pressure relief and/or comfort throughout the range of weights and breast sizes.
As another potential shortcoming, when a spacer is placed between an armor plate and a wearers rib cage, the armor plate will be spaced forwardly of the wearer's torso by an amount equal to the thickness of the spacer. This can result in an enlarged ballistic window, that is, a space or opening adjacent to the side of the plate through which a projectile traveling diagonally or obliquely relative to the forward direction can pass to strike the chest or abdomen of the wearer. To reduce this side ballistic window a side armor plate or panel can be worn. However, a spacer of foam plies or similar construction, attached by as strip of Velcro to the back side of a nylon shell holding a front armor plate or panel, may be inadequate back up or support for a side armor plate or panel when struck with a ballistic projectile, even when the side plate or panel stops the projectile, to potentially result in injury to the wearer. This can be due to a condition known as back face deformation. An armor plate or panel will have an outwardly facing surface known as a strike face, which will be struck by incoming projectiles, and a back face that faces the wearer. Even the thickest armor plates are expected to have some back face deformation and be displaced toward the wearer when struck by larger or higher velocity projectiles. How much back face deformation occurs can be a function of the strength and stiffness of any structure backing up the armor plate or panel, as well as the strength of attachment of the backing structure.
What is sought therefore is a wearable energy absorbing and dispersing spacer for use in association with an armor plate or panel, that overcomes one or more of the shortcomings and limitations discussed above, and that is economical, and simple to use to provide customizable fit and comfort, particularly for, but not limited to, female wearers.
What is disclosed are several embodiments of a wearable energy absorbing and dispersing standoff spacer, system, and method for use or incorporation with an armor plate or panel, and/or a carrier for the same, for reducing traumatic effect on a wearer from ballistic impacts on the associated plate or panel, and more particularly, that is readily and easily adaptable to provide customizable support, positioning, and orientation for the plate or panel, and fit and comfort for the wearer, particularly female wearers, to overcome one or more of the shortcomings and limitations discussed above, and that is economical, and simple to use.
According to one embodiment of the invention, an energy absorbing and dispersing standoff spacer and system to be disposed between an armor plate or panel and a wearer's body comprises at least one spacer panel having a perimeter structure or frame defining and bounding at least one concavity having a predetermined shape and size. The spacer panel comprises at least one protuberance bounded by the perimeter structure having the predetermined shape and size forming a bottom of the concavity. Preferably, the perimeter structure or frame and protuberance will have about equal thickness dimensions in a direction toward or away from an associated armor plate or panel, but be offset, when viewed in section or from the side, such that the spacer panel will have an overall thickness in a free state about equal to a sum of the individual thicknesses of the perimeter structure and the protuberance. Also preferably, the perimeter structure and protuberance will be integrally formed. Further preferably, the protuberance or protuberances of one spacer panel will be matingly or cooperatively receivable to be retained within the at least one concavity on another or others of the spacer panels, respectively, to be stackable to provide desired standoff of the associated region of the armor plate or panel from the body. A garment, e.g., undergarment, shirt, to be worn on the wearer's body, and/or the armor plate or panel or carrier, can also have one or more of the protuberances or concavities, to be interlockingly engageable with the concavity or concavities, or protuberance or protuberances, of the least one spacer panel, to enable connecting them together in a layered assembly or stack, the term “stack” having no limitation on orientation, i.e., vertical, horizontal, etc. In any case, the one or more spacer panels is preferably disposed in energy absorbing and dispersing relation to the armor plate or panel. A preferred manner of maintaining the interlocked condition is frictional, that is, with a slight interference fit that allows the spacer panel or panels to remain together in a free state condition, yet be manually removed from each other and from an armor plate or panel, or carrier, for customization. For spacer panels having more than one protuberance or concavity, another spacer panel with a protuberance or concavity can be connected to it in two or more arrangements, e.g., directly overlapping, partially overlapping, offset, stepped, staggered, etc.
As a preferred aspect, the interlocking is sufficient, e.g., deep and/or rigid laterally, but can include some limited lateral resilient elasticity for enabling the associated concavity to tightly receive a protuberance of an adjoining spacer panel. To maintain the interlocked relationship during anticipated activities and movements such as running, jumping, twisting, fighting, etc., and in the case of a ballistic impact or impacts to a strike face of the armor plate or panel, yet will preferably allow easy manual disassembly, for changing the number, arrangement, or location of the spacer panels to achieve desired fit and/or comfort. In this latter regard, it is anticipated that one location where the spacer system will be worn is between the lower torso, stomach, or abdomen region of a wearer and the covering lower region of an armor plate or panel, and the system for this region can comprise a spacer panel or panels variously sized for covering the whole or only part or parts of the region.
As non-limiting examples to demonstrate the adaptability or modularity of the spacer system of the invention, a spacer stack can be provided for each of the sides of the lower torso or stomach, respectively, a stack can cross the stomach but include fewer or more panels in one or more regions thus having a contoured shape, or be located centrally over the stomach, to provide the desired fit and comfort, and/or to position and/or orient the associated armor plate or panel as desired, e.g., so that the lower edge thereof stands off from, i.e., doesn't press into the lower abdomen, pelvis, hips, side, or the armor plate is less angled in relation to the front of the body, etc. As noted above, a spacer panel, armor plate, carrier, and/or garment can comprise one or more of the protuberance/concavity features, in any arrangement or pattern, the features essentially thus being in side by side relation, separated by a shared surrounding peripheral structure/frame. This arrangement allows the peripheral structure/frame to restrain the protuberance/concavity features against lateral displacement, for instance, from normal movements, and also from more abrupt or jarring forces when jumping, ballistic strikes against the associated armor plate or panel. As one or more accompanying mating spacer panels, armor plate or panel, carrier, and/or garment, can be interlockingly connected in a desired placement, e.g., along one or both sides, bottom, top, center, desired backing, support, and orientation of the armor plate or panel, fit and comfort can be achieved in a customized manner.
As another preferred aspect, the peripheral structure/frame and one or more protuberance/concavity features are constructed to provide lateral restraint or stiffness to support and retain the interlocked/stacked relation of the one or more spacer panels and armor plate or panel in the event of a ballistic impact or impacts on the strike face of the armor plate or panel, and any resultant back face deformation. This can be achieved, for instance by providing a mating protuberance or concavity feature or features on the back side of the armor plate or panel or carrier, or on a cover panel thereof, that will be in surface to surface relation to the adjacent spacer panel or panels. Preferably, multiple interlocking protuberance/concavity features are provided in side by side relation so that if a ballistic strike sufficient to cause back face deformation of the armor plate or panel and associated carrier (if present) in surface to surface relation to one or a few of the protuberance/concavity features resulting in their deformation, others of the interlocked protuberances and concavities will remain engaged so that the overall stack will remain interlocked and in the desired underlying relation to the associated armor plate or panel. Also, if a stack of spacer panels receive a forceful blow from the side, the interlocking engagement between multiple protuberances and concavities of the panels will retain them in the stacked relation, which can be particularly useful in the event they are covered by or underlay a side armor plate or panel.
As another aspect of the invention, as noted above, the perimeter structure/frame and protuberance(s) are about equal in thickness, but offset or juxtaposed when viewed from the side. This is advantageous as both regions thus have a similar or same energy absorption capability, and when two or more of the spacer panels are stacked, the amount of energy absorption will be about equal across the interface with the armor plate or panel. In the stacked relationship the perimeter or frame of a panel will extend about the protuberance of the panel interlocked therewith, providing secure containment and restraint of the protuberance, the perimeter/frame being itself restrained by its continuous shape.
According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the spacer panel comprises a polymer foam, most preferably a closed cell polymer foam, such as ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) which is known to be flexible and shapable using heat and/or pressure. In this way a uniform thickness sheet of polymer foam can be heat and pressure formed to displace a portion out of the plane of the sheet by an amount about equal to the sheet thickness. This is the protuberance region, and is surrounded by the perimeter or frame. Between those features is a transition region essentially bounding the protuberance, which forms the sides of the concavity. Due to the pressing and heat forming characteristics, this transition region is compressed and thermoformed to be reduced in sectional extent so as to be functionally flexible, while adjacent portions of the foam material of the perimeter or frame and the protuberance leading into the transition are permanently fused together and stiffened or semi-stiffened from the compression and heating, the result being that the perimeter or frame and protrusion will be displaceable one relative to the other in the direction toward and away from the armor plate or panel and also relative to the wearer, but not laterally displaceable relative to each other to a functionally significant extent. This is desirable as the major portion of the perimeter and protuberance with the exception of the relatively small transition regions have inherent resilient or elastomeric compressibility and deformation for absorbing and dissipating shock loads anticipated to be transferred thereto by the back face of an overlaying armor plate or panel, while the lateral stiffness of the edges of the perimeter structure and protrusions prevents significant lateral deformation and relative displacement—that is, the spacer panel stack will hold its overall shape and disassemble under shock load conditions. As another advantage of EVA or other foam panel, it can be hand curved and permanently heat or pressure shaped to virtually exactly conform to the shape of the back face of the armor panel or a covering carrier panel or layer. As still another advantage of the closed cell foam, it will have some buoyancy properties to offset the weight of the associated armor plate or panel so that possibly the combination of the armor plate and one or more spacer panels can be more buoyancy neutral.
According to another embodiment of the invention, each of the spacer panels comprises an outer fabric layer. As a preferred embodiment, this layer will comprise a component of a hook and loop fastening system, preferably a loop pile fabric. This is advantageous as it provides a pleasant non-plasticky skin feel and will have some sweat absorption properties. The loop pile fabric can have one or more two sided strips or tabs of the hook component of a hook and loop fastening system, so as to strengthen the attaching force joining spacer panels or joining a spacer panel to a garment or other backing member also having a loop pile surface feature, e.g., tab or strip. This has a number of advantages, including providing the ability to bend or bow one spacer panel joined to another panel to better fit to an interior face of an armor plate or panel, and to provide a space for ventilation between the joined panels, or to better level or standoff an armor plate or panel to avoid an edge like the lower edge pressing into a wearer's abdomen, or better transition between a curved back face of an armor plate and a flat or concave abdomen. Of course, this function can also be accomplished by use of a tapered or smaller spacer panel or panels appropriately located for energy absorption and dissipation and comfort. As another option, the fabric can comprise a layer or layers of a para-aramid fiber material for adding strength, puncture resistance, and ballistic protection (if present in sufficient thickness). In this latter regard, as the spacer panel is constructed so that the perimeter or frame and protuberance can be displaced inwardly and outwardly, but not laterally to any significant extent, adding a layer or layers of a stiffer para-aramid or similar fabric, e.g., ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, etc., will not significantly affect functionality, and may improve it by increasing resistance to inward and outward flexion or displacement.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the at least one spacer panel is disposed in surface to surface relation to the back face of all or a portion of an armor plate or panel covering a front torso, rear torso, and/or side or sides of a wearer. As a non-limiting example, a spacer panel stack can be located behind and support a lower portion of an armor plate or panel, for instance a front or chest armor plate or panel to accommodate breasts of a wearer above the spacer panel to provide a custom fit capability for females and others with protruding chest features. According to another related embodiment, a stack will comprise at least one of the spacer panels having a combined thickness of protuberances between the first surface and second surface of the spacer panel, or if two or more spacer panels are used, between an outer one of the spacer panels and the second surface of an opposite outer one of the panels, about equal to the thickness of a breast of wearer as measured from the skin covering the rib cage of the wearer to the outermost portion of the breast, e.g., the forward extension of the breasts. This can be with the breasts not otherwise restrained, or restrained by wearing of a bra or other restraint, such as a sports bra that will comfortably compress and flatten the breasts. Individual spacer panels of the invention can have matching thickness, different thicknesses, and matching or different widths and lengths, and the same or different shapes, e.g., rectangular, oval, round, triangular, polygonal, trapezoid, etc., when viewed from the front or rear, and rectangular, straight, curved, tapered, barrel, hourglass, etc., shaped when viewed from the side. See example shapes and sizes in dotted lines in
Turning to the drawings,
Referring particularly to
Each spacer panel 26, 28, 30, and cover panel 46 has a first surface 32, comprising at least one protuberance 34 extending outwardly in a first direction DI, defined and bounded by a perimeter 36. Each spacer panel 26, 28, 30 additionally has an opposite second surface 40, comprising at least one concavity 42 having a predetermined shape and size, respectively, to be configured and adapted for cooperatively receiving and interlocking with a protuberance 34 of another panel in forming a desired stack 44. Here, it can be observed that each of the panels 26, 28, 30 has protuberances 34 arranged in a predetermined pattern, as a nonlimiting example, a Chevron pattern, and opposite concavities 42 arranged in that same pattern, such that the protuberances 34 of one of the cover panels, 26, 28, 30, 46 are simultaneously cooperatively receivable in the concavities 42 of another of the panels 26, 28, 30, to interlocked the panels together to prevent or limit relative lateral movement and also so as to not unintentionally separate in the first and second directions. This interlocking configuration can be observed to additionally intimately position adjacent panels with the first surface 32 of one panel directly abutting the second surface 40 of the next panel, which is important for energy from impact forces transmitted from an associated armor plate or panel to be sequentially absorbed and progressively dissipated within the stack 44 comprising any number of panels 26, 28, 30, and 46. Here it can be further observed that concavities 42 directly align with an associated protuberance 34, and that essentially the protuberance 34 bounds or forms the inner periphery of the concavity 42. This is preferred and desirable as it enables optimally densifying a stack of the panels for energy absorption, keeping in mind that successive panels do not have to be the overall size and contain the same number of interlocking features as the other panel or panels with which the panel is used. However, using aligned protuberances 34 and concavities 42 is desirable additionally as it allows providing a transition region 48 about each protuberance 34 and also the associated concavity 42—transition region 48 essentially forms the corner of the lateral walls of the concavity 42, the lateral walls being formed mainly by the surrounding edges of the perimeter 36, as will be explained next.
Protuberances 34 are shaped and sized to be matingly cooperatively receivable within the respective concavities 42, and in that regard it is necessary that these features be retainable together to resist lateral relative movement as could otherwise be anticipated to occur as a result of diagonal or oblique contact or impact forces resulting from ballistic strikes and resulting back face deformation of the armor plate or panel 22, stabbing forces from sharp objects, potentially also blast forces, and other forces anticipated to be encountered in typical environments where armored garments are utilized. The restraint against lateral movement will also be sufficient for resisting forces exerted against a stack 44 resulting from normal body movements, such as running, jumping, twisting, fighting, wrestling, falling, etc. However, to absorb impact forces, and accommodate bending or curving of the spacer panels 26, 28, 34 for conforming to curvature of an associated armor plate or panel 22, ability of protuberances 34 and perimeter 36 to move relatively in the first and second directions is desirable to a limited extent. Transition region 48 between each protuberance 34 and perimeter 36 is thus configured to enable this limited movement, generally sufficiently less than an amount of the thickness in the first and second direction of the perimeter or protuberance, such that in the event of such movement, the panels will remain interlocked together.
To facilitate a secure interlock between joined together panels, a small region of the perimeter 36 and/or the protuberance immediately adjacent and contiguous to the transition region 48 preferably comprises a compressed fused section of material, which is thereby semi-rigid or rigid and stiffened sufficiently to define the size and shape of the concavity 42 for receiving a protuberance, and also for restraining or containing protuberance 36 against relative lateral movement, for best effect both the immediately adjacent regions of the perimeter 36 and the protuberance 34 comprising this stiffened characteristic, identified as a compressed region 50. It can be seen in the drawings that compressed region 50 essentially comprises the edge of the perimeter 36 and protuberance 34 and tapers convergingly toward transition region 48 therebetween.
According to another preferred aspect of the invention, a cover or platform of a carrier 24 or garment covering or comprising an armor plate or panel 22 desirably also utilized the above described interlocking features for better integrating the spacer system 20 of the invention with the carrier 24 or other garment. It should be apparent that an appropriate surface of the carrier or garment can include mating interlocking features such as protuberances 34 (shown) or concavities 42, as desired for a particular application. As an attendant advantage of utilizing the outwardly extending protrusions 34, some ventilating and sweat directing capability is provided, as well as some cushioning. Additionally, it can be observed that protrusions 34 are located across the entire surface of cover panel 46 such that spacer panels of desired sizes and shapes can be interlockingly attached thereto at different locations. In this regard, dotted lines on panel 46, e.g., encompassing 1, 2, 3, or 4 of the Chevrons, illustrate different size spacer panels that can be utilized alone, or in stacks of varying heights to achieve a desired standoff capability and fit. garment.
According to another embodiment of the invention, an under garment, shirt, etc., comprises cover panel 46 having either the male (protuberances 34) or female (concavities 42) enabling interlockingly joining one or more of the spacer panels 26, 28, 30 thereto and a desired arrangement for holding the armor plate or panel 22 a desired distance away from a body on which the garment and armor is worn and for absorbing at least some of any energy imparted thereto by the armor plate or panel resulting from a ballistic impact thereto.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the at least one spacer panel 26, 28, and/or 30 can be disposed in surface to surface relation to the back face of all or a portion of an armor plate or panel 22 covering a front torso, rear torso, and/or side or sides of a wearer. As a non-limiting example, a spacer panel stack 44 will be located behind and support a lower portion of an armor plate or panel 22, for instance a front or chest armor plate or panel 22 so as to accommodate breasts of a wearer above the spacer panel 26, 28 and/or 30, to provide a custom fit capability for females and others with protruding chest features, see
Individual spacer panels 26, 28, 30, and a cover panel 46, can have matching thickness, different thicknesses, and matching or different widths and lengths, and the same or different shapes, e.g., rectangular, oval, round, triangular, polygonal, trapezoid, etc., when viewed from the front or rear, and rectangular, straight, curved, tapered, barrel, hourglass, etc., shaped when viewed from the side. This enables construction of a stack or stacks of spacer panels adjacent to a breast or breasts, e.g., below, above, beside, between, to reduce pressure from an armored plate covering the breast or breasts, and to be highly customized to fit the contour/shape of the wearer's body, and importantly, to be varied and altered from time to time to fit changes, such as weight gain or loss, breast enlargement or reduction, shape change, without the need for fitting and ordering a single shape spacer. As a non-limiting example, one or more rectangular, kidney, oval, etc., shaped spacer panels may be used directly below the breasts, with a triangular spacer panel partially between the breasts, above in the cleavage area, below, or both, and can be tapered to provide a closer fit, that is, generally conform to the slope of the breasts, stomach, chest, pelvis, and better interaction with other worn items and gear such as a cummerbund or duty belt to be worn around the waist. As an advantage, because the spacer panels are interlockingly joined, the interlocking features can be sized and shaped as desired so that any number and combination of the spacer panels can be used, e.g., mixed and matched, to achieve a desired overall shape and armor plate or panel standoff, again see
According to another embodiment of the invention, the protuberances 36 of a spacer panel 26, 28, 30 comprise a unitary sheet or panel of a polymer foam such as EVA which is known to be flexible and shapable using heat and/or pressure. In
According to another related embodiment, the semi-rigid or rigid fused compressed regions 50 can be seen to rim or frame the protuberances 36. To provide the desired mix of resilient elasticity and compressibility in the first and second directions, but plasticity against relative lateral movements, ss a non-limiting example, as shown in
According to another embodiment of the invention, each of the spacer panels 26, 28, 30, and cover panel 46, comprises an outer fabric layer 52 of loop pile fabric, to serve as a component of a hook and loop fastening system. This is advantageous as it provides a pleasant non-plasticky skin feel and will have some sweat absorption properties. The spacer panels 26, 28, 30, and cover panel 46, can comprise a foam such as an EVA foam, as described above, that is heat formable, and thus the individual spacer panels 26, 28, 30, and the cover panel 46, can be curved using a heat gun or the like to the curvature of a garment, or an under lying body region, or other backing member to which the panel is desirably conformingly shaped and will be joined to. The loop pile fabric can have one or more 2 sided strips or tabs of the hook component of a hook and loop fastening system, see
As a result of the presence of stack 44 of spacer panels of the invention, a side plate worn in concert with the associated armor plate or panel 22 will be supported by the stack 44 against side and oblique ballistic impact forces, illustrated by force F in
According to another embodiment of the invention, the heat shaped foam construction of the spacer stack 44 can also be utilized to construct an armor carrier or armor carrying panel thereof, such as cover panel 46 of a garment such as carrier 24 shown. The panel 46 will utilize a suitable foam such as EVA, but will be suitably stiffened for carrying a relatively heavy armor plate or panel, e.g., 3-10 pounds in weight, without significantly deforming under normal conditions, e.g., running, jumping, swimming, and in this latter regard, the foam construction can provide some added buoyancy to aid the swimmer. Like with the spacer panels 26, 28, 30 described above, the armor carrying panel 46 will utilize a semi-rigid or rigid fused compressed portion of the foam that also defines and bounds, and forms interlocking features, e.g., protrusions 34, concavities 42, and matingly attaches to other structural components, such as a rim or frame 54 of carrier 24 shown. Rim or frame 54 will define a shallow cavity that will receive and hold the armor plate or panel 22. This armor cavity will snuggly fit to the armor plate or panel, and the rigidity of the frame with attached cover panel 46 will be adequate to hold the plate or panel 22 in the cavity under the anticipated conditions. In this regard, as necessary the dimensions or extent of the stiffened rim or frame will be enlarged relative to the dimensions of the similar components of the spacer panels, due to the greater loads encountered. An inside cover panel also preferably of the foam construction can include the mating features for interlockingly joining to a spacer panel of the invention, and will thus have stiffened frames or rims about the protuberances and or concavities thereof, as well as the periphery thereof, to enhance the stiffness of the armor carrying panel. The inside cover panel will be joined to the armor carrying panel around at least a portion of the periphery thereof, e.g., along the sides and bottom, but will preferably be openable or removable to allow access to the armor plate or panel. For this purpose the peripheral frame or rim about the plate cavity and the perimeter of the inside cover panel can include suitable fasteners. Here, the inside cover panel will be covered with a loop pile as described above, and thus the frame or rim about the plate cavity can include strips of hook fastener component as shown, as a non-limiting example. The outside panel of the armor plate or panel carrier can likewise comprise a loop pile fabric layer, and can be slitted or slotted to enable attachment of MOLLE accessories. It is contemplated that the armor plate carrying panel will be of unitary construction utilizing a single sheet of suitable foam such as EVA, of a suitable thickness, heat and/or pressure formed to create the plate cavity and stiffened rim region. The outside panel region can be likewise be semi-rigidly or rigidly fused and compressed to provide a suitable load carrying capability for the armor plate or panel and accessories that may be carried using the optional slitting. By covering the outside panel with loop pile fabric, pouches and accessories, unit and agency indicia, cell tags, etc., bearing appropriated hook surface can be securely affixed.
In light of all the foregoing, it should thus be apparent to those skilled in the art that there has been shown and described a energy absorbing and dispersing standoff spacer, system, and method for use or incorporation with an armor plate or panel. However, it should also be apparent that, within the principles and scope of the invention, many changes are possible and contemplated, including in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention. Thus, while the foregoing description and discussion addresses certain preferred embodiments or elements of the invention, it should further be understood that concepts of the invention, as based upon the foregoing description and discussion, may be readily incorporated into or employed in other embodiments and constructions without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are intended to protect the invention broadly as well as in the specific form shown, and all changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.
This application is submitted under 35 U.S.C. 371 claiming priority to PCT/US2023/17495, filed Apr. 4, 2023, which application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/327,353, filed Apr. 4, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/327,746, filed Apr. 5, 2022.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2023/017495 | 4/4/2023 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63327353 | Apr 2022 | US |
