METHOD FOR ADDING ANTI-BALLISTIC PROTECTION TO COMMONLY CARRIED OFFICE OR SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Abstract

A method of adding personal ballistic protection from bullets and projectiles to hand carried personal devices. Armored plates, contained in flexible, ballistic fabric are attached to personal items to provide protection without being bulky or heavy. Various embodiments are adjustable to allow fitment to several sizes and styles of binders, books and laptops.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a method of adding personal ballistic protection from bullets and projectiles from handguns and small caliber rifles to folders, binders, laptops and other office or school equipment. This method involves attaching armored plates, contained in flexible, ballistic fabric and can be constructed in several ways, to meet the protection needs of the user. Various embodiments of the disclosure are adjustable to allow fitment to several sizes and styles of binders, books and laptops.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many forms of personal ballistic protection on the market, but many are bulky, uncomfortable and/or expensive. The present invention provides a customizable method of adding ballistic protection to commonly carried items without adding too much additional size or weight and at a reasonable cost.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a method of adding personal ballistic protection from bullets and projectiles from handguns and small caliber rifles to folders, binders, laptops and other office or school equipment. This method involves attaching armored plates, contained in flexible, ballistic fabric and can be constructed in several ways, to meet the protection needs of the user. The devices used in this method can be easily adjusted to fit on several sizes and styles of binders, books, portfolios and laptops (binders, books, portfolios and laptops collectively referred to as “personal items”). The devices are generally shaped like a book cover, having a main front side, a main back side, several straps, handles and, in some embodiments, additional removable panels attached to each end as needed. These additional panels fold out when in use and fold inside the cover for storage. Each of the sections, main front, main back and additional panels consist of impact resistant material, such as Kevlar© or another aramid or para-aramid material, that is folded over and stitched to form a pocket. Each of the sections, main front, main back and additional panels each have an outside and an inside with an opening near the top of the outside. This opening is parallel to the top of the section, is sized to allow insertion of a thin, ballistic, hard armor plate in the pocket and is secured with hook-and-loop style material or other acceptable closure method to prevent the armor plate from coming out.

In one embodiment, adjustable straps are connected to the inside of the front side and back side of the device, oriented parallel to the long side of the device, such that each strap will secure the device to the associated panel of the personal item.

In an alternate embodiment, an additional layer of flexible fabric is attached to the inside of the front side and the inside of the back side, forming a pocket which opens vertically from top to bottom with the opening facing the center of the device, where the spine of the personal item rests. This configuration allows the device to be attached to the personal item like a book cover with the pockets enclosing the associated panel of the personal item.

The primary embodiment of the disclosure has a thin strap attached to the inside of the front side or the inside of the back side of the device. The strap is made of elastic material and is connected along the outside, long side of the device, such that it can be used to hang the device around the forehead of the user with the panels hanging in front of or behind the user.

The primary embodiment of the disclosure is also fitted with straps, which are handles, inside the front side and/or the back side of the device. These straps are made of elastic material and can be oriented parallel to the top and bottom of the device or in an angled configuration so that the user can insert a hand in each strap and hold the device in front of or behind the head with the armor panels oriented away from the user.

The primary embodiment of the disclosure has hook and loop, buttons, snaps or similar means of attachment oriented along the outside, long edge of the inside of the front side and the inside of the back side of the device, providing an attachment method for additional armor panels to the front side and/or the back side of the device for additional coverage of the user.

An alternate embodiment of the disclosure has an additional armor panel or panels, constructed similarly to the main front or back panel of the device. The additional panel or panels can be attached to the front side and/or the back side of the device and can be used to provide additional coverage of the user. Taller users may add as many additional panels to the device as desired to provide adequate protection.

In all embodiments, the hard armor plates are rated to meet National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Standard 0108.01 and are in the Type IIIA class.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 illustrates the primary embodiment of the disclosure, configured for use on a 3-ring binder and flattened, in the open position.

FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of additional panel, illustrating the snap and hook-and-loop attachment methods and handles.

FIG. 3A is a front view of the outside of another embodiment of additional panel, illustrating the opening used to insert an armor panel, a handle and a dotted representation of an inserted armor plate.

FIG. 3B is front view of the inside of another embodiment of additional panel, illustrating some attachment methods along with a head strap and carry handle.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment with additional panels attached and folded in the stowed position. A book is illustrated as the personal item.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the device in open position, illustrating attachment to a laptop computer.

FIG. 6 illustrates the opening on the outside of all panels that provides a means for inserting a hard armor panel. An armor panel is illustrated partially inserted into the opening.

FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment with two additional panels attached to the front panel of the present disclosure and partially folded accordion style.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the present disclosure with a binder and two additional panels.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the outside of the device in folded condition. The hook-and-loop secured opening for insertion of an armor plate is illustrated.

FIG. 10A illustrates one basic embodiment of the present disclosure in use and being held by handles behind the body of the user.

FIG. 10B illustrates one basic embodiment of the present disclosure in use and hanging from the forehead of a user behind the body of the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a view of the primary embodiment of the present disclosure, illustrating a method of adding ballistic protection to various personal items. The term “personal item” is used herein to generically refer to binders, books, portfolios, computers and other, commonly carried office or school supplies.

In the illustrated embodiment, a protective covering 20 is generally shaped like a book cover having a front cover 21 and a back cover 22. The cover 20 is made of Kevlar® or other aramid fabric and is folded and stitched to form a shell. Openings (34, see FIGS. 3A, 6, 7 and 9) are located on the outside of the front cover 21 and the outside of the back cover 22, near the top of the cover and running parallel with the top of each cover. A hook-and-loop matrix is used to provide closure of the opening 34 on the outside of each cover. These openings 34 are sized to allow insertion of a solid armor plate 33 into the outer pocket of the cover. A second opening 23 is arranged vertically, near the inside edge of the front cover 21 and near the inside edge of the back cover 22. The opening 23 on the inside of the cover is sized to fit the front panel of the binder 31 and allow the front and back panels to slide inside the front cover 21. The opening 23 on the inside of the back cover is sized to fit the back panel of the binder 31 and allow the back panel to slide inside the back cover. Additional handles 25 are attached to the inside of the front cover 21 and the inside of the back cover 22 and are arranged so that the user 41 can hold the cover 20 in an unfolded condition in front of or behind the body of the user 41 when the cover 20 is being used for protection (See FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B).

The illustrated embodiment shows one embodiment of additional panel 27 attached to the front panel 21 and another embodiment of additional panel 27 attached to the back panel 22 of the cover 20 using a combination of snaps 26, hook-and-loop matrix 24 and additional connecting straps 29 that use snaps 26 and hook-and-loop matrix 24 to connect the additional panels 27 to the front panel 21 and back panel 22 of the cover 20.

The illustrated embodiment illustrates a binder 31 inserted into the cover 20.

FIG. 2, FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are various views of different embodiments of the additional panel 27. Each embodiment of the additional panel 27 can have any combination of handles 25, connecting strap 29, head strap 28, hook-and-loop matrix 24 and snaps 26 to meet the needs of the user.

FIG. 4 illustrates the present disclosure with a book 37, an additional panel 27 attached to the front panel 21 and an additional panel 27 attached to the back panel 22. The additional panels are illustrated in the folded/stowed position and the cover 20 is installed on the book 37.

FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of the present disclosure with permanently attached connecting straps 29 and smaller straps 35 in lieu of the openings 23 illustrated in FIG. 1. The smaller straps 35 provide a method to attach the present disclosure to a laptop computer 32 without covering the screen or preventing operation of the laptop. A carrying handle 30 is attached to the front panel of this embodiment and straps 25 are attached to the inside of the front cover 21 and the inside of the back cover 22 to provide a means of holding the present disclosure in front of or behind the body of the user 41.

FIG. 6 illustrates the opening 34 on the outside of all panels 21, 22, 27 that provides a means of inserting a hard armor plate 33 in the pocket of the panel. The opening is closed by hook-and-loop matrix, zipper, or other closing method common to the industry

One embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 7 with several additional panels 27 attached to the front panel of the present disclosure and partially folded to illustrate the accordion method of stowing multiple additional panels. The illustrated embodiment has a forehead strap 28 on the outermost additional panel 27 providing a method to hang the present disclosure from the forehead of the user 41. The illustrated embodiment has one additional panel 27 attached to the back panel 22 and folded in the stowed position.

FIG. 8 illustrates the cover 20, one embodiment of additional panel 27 near the front panel 21 and a different embodiment of additional panel 27 near the back panel. A binder is illustrated near the above items. The openings 23 are illustrated on the inside edge of the front panel 21 and back panel 22. Connecting straps 29 are also illustrated

FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of the present disclosure with one additional panel 27 connected to the front panel 21 and one additional panel connected to the back panel 22 with both additional panels folded to the stowed position. The illustrated embodiment has a carrying handle 30 attached to the outside of the spine. The illustrated embodiment is attached to a binder 31 containing paper 40.

FIG. 10B provides illustration of the present disclosure unfolded and hanging from the forehead of a user 41. The illustrated embodiment provides protection for the user during cover in place behavior in an active shooter situation.

FIG. 10B provides illustration of the present disclosure unfolded and being held behind the body of a user 41. The illustrated use of the embodiment shows protection for the user during flight in an active shooter situation.

In alternate embodiments, several additional panels 27 can be attached to the present disclosure to provide additional coverage for taller users. The connectors used to connect each additional panel are sized to allow folding of multiple additional panels in an accordion configuration as illustrated in FIG. 7.

Other embodiments are possible. Although the description above contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of this disclosure. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes disclosed. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present disclosure should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.

Thus the scope of this disclosure should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the present disclosure fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more”. All structural, chemical, and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present disclosure, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims.

Claims

1. A method of adding personal ballistic protection to frequently carried personal items, generally shaped like a book cover and attachable to personal school and business items comprising: a front panel with an inner side and an outer side;a back panel with an inner side and an outer side;additional material on the inside of the front and back covers forming pockets into which the front and back of the personal item can be inserted to secure the cover to the personal item or;straps oriented vertically on the inside cover of the front panel and back panel that can are adjustable and can be used to secure the cover to the personal item;an opening on the outside of the front panel and on the outside of the back panel oriented horizontally and located near the top of the cover, allowing insertion of a hard ballistic panel;hook-and-loop matrix, snaps, zippers or other closure method providing a closure method for each of the openings used for insertion of ballistic panels;hard ballistic protection panels, generally rectangular in shape inserted into the openings on the outside of the front and back panels, rated to meet National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Standard 0108.01 and in the Type IIIA class;straps that are handles attached to the inside of the front panel and the back panel that are used to hold the device/cover in front of or behind the head and torso of the user;a strap attached to the outer vertical edge of the front panel, back panel or additional panels that is used to hang the cover/device from the forehead;

2. The safety cover/device of claim 1 wherein hook-and-loop matrix, snaps, zippers or other attachment methods are oriented along the vertical outer edge of the inside of the front and back covers to allow attachment of additional panels.

3. A ballistic safety device of similar size to the front panel or the back panel of the safety cover/device of claim 1 comprising; a panel made of the same material as the cover/device of claim 1 and generally rectangular in shape;an opening on the outside of the panel oriented horizontally and located near the top of the cover, allowing insertion of a hard ballistic panel;hook-and-loop matrix, snaps, zippers or other closure method providing a closure method for the opening used for insertion of a hard ballistic panel;a hard ballistic protection panel, generally rectangular in shape inserted into the opening on the outside of the panel, rated to meet National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Standard 0108.01 and in the Type IIIA class;hook-and-loop matrix, snaps, zippers or other closure method oriented along one vertical edge of the panel, providing a method of attachment of the panel to the front panel or back panel of the cover/device of claim 1;straps that are handles attached to the inside of the panel are used to hold the device/cover in front of or behind the head and torso of the user;a strap attached to the outer vertical edge of the panel that is used to hang the cover/device from the forehead;

4. The ballistic safety device of claim 3 wherein enough material is used along the vertical edge to allow the panel to fold in when attached to the front panel or the back panel of the cover/device of claim 1 but not in use.