This application relates to a soldier's garment, and in particular to a garment including a vest or torso portion that can be expanded or “scaled” to include other garment portions. Such a garment is useful for military personnel who can, depending on the perceived threat level and the mission, wear less or more protection (armor, soft or hard) and fewer or more accessories.
The present invention relates to a soldier's garment. In particular, the invention relates to vest or garment that which includes an armored torso portion and a number of accessory parts that can be optionally connected with the torso portion of the garment. The torso portion itself can be configured in several different ways using one or more of three components individually or in combination. As such, the garment is “scalable” to meet the perceived threat level and the mission.
The invention can be embodied in garments of different constructions; as representative of the invention, the drawings illustrate a garment 10 that is one embodiment of the invention. The garment 10 has a torso portion 12 that includes as its basic components a plate carrier 14 (
The plate carrier 14 (
The back plate carrier panel 22 includes a main body portion 42 with a pocket 44 for carrying a hard armor panel. On the main body portion strike side is Molle webbing 46 for supporting accessories. Extending from the top of the front plate carrier panel 20 are two shoulder straps 48 each carrying a tongue 50. On each side of the front plate carrier panel 20, at the bottom, a waist strap 52 extends outward, carrying a tongue 54.
The front and back plate carrier panels 20 and 22 are releasably joined to each other by connecting the four tongues and buckles. The upper tongues 50 on the back plate carrier panel 22 are inserted into the upper buckles 38 on the front plate carrier panel 20. The waist straps 52 from the back plate carrier panel 22 are extended forward about the wearer's waist and the lower tongues 54 are inserted into the lower buckles 40 on the front plate carrier panel 20. As a result, the two plate carrier panels 20 and 22 are connected with each other at the shoulders, with the plate carrier shoulder straps 36 passing over the wearer's shoulders; and the two plate carrier panels are also connected with each other at the waist area. The waist straps 52 are adjustable in length, as are the shoulder straps 36, for fit and comfort.
A quick-release system 56 is provided, to enable release of the plate carrier 14 from the soldier in an emergency situation. The quick-release system 56 may be of any known type. One quick release system that is preferred is the one shown in assignee's co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12/976,285, filed Dec. 22, 2010, titled Quick Release Buckle With Dual Release, published on Jul. 7, 2011 as US Patent Application Publication No. 2011-0162177A1, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. When the plate carrier 14 is assembled and being worn, the quick release system 56 is operable to release it from the wearer in an emergency situation. Pulling on a release tab 58 transmits release force through a number of cables 60 (shown in phantom in
The torso portion 12 of the garment 10 includes a set of soft armor panels 70 and 72 (
The concealable carrier 18 (
The concealable carrier 18 is configured generally as a vest including a front panel 80 and a back panel 82 that are releasably joined to each other with top closures and side closures. Each top closure includes a hook-faced strap 84 that extends forward from the top of the back panel 82 and overlaps onto the top of the front panel 80, engaging a loop patch 86 on the front panel. The concealable carrier 18 has a large loop patch 100 on the lower area of the strike side of the front panel 80.
Each side closure 88 (left and right) of the concealable carrier 18 includes an elastic strap system for connecting the back panel 82 to the front panel 80. The elastic strap system includes two parallel elastic straps 90 each having a back end portion fixed to the back panel 82 and a projecting front end portion 92. A single fabric connector panel 94 is connected to the two front end portions 92 of the elastic straps 90. The connector panel 94 has a Velcro hook patch 96 on its inside.
To connect the back panel 82 to the front panel 80, the connector panel 94 is pulled forward and engaged with the front panel, stretching to some extent the elastic straps. The connector panel 94 is engaged with the loop patch 100 on the front panel 80 of the concealable carrier 18, thereby securing that side of the concealable carrier. This procedure is repeated on the opposite side of the garment 10.
The concealable carrier 18 includes on each side another fabric panel in the form of a strap cover 102 that is fixed on the back panel 82 of the concealable carrier. The strap cover 102 overlies the two elastic straps 90 and extends to the front edge of the back panel 82. The strap cover 102 covers the elastic straps 90 when the back panel 82 is not connected with the front panel 80. The dimensions of the strap cover 102, the elastic straps 90, the connector panel 94, and the front panel 80 (including the loop patch 100) are selected so that when the straps are extended forward to connect the back panel 82 with the front panel (and also when the straps are retracted), the straps remain substantially if not completely covered by the strap cover 102. This covering helps to protect the straps 90 from the environment, which is beneficial because elastic straps are typically not made from a resistant material as are the main panels of the concealable carrier 18. In addition, the strap cover 102 can bear a camouflage pattern (not shown), while elastic straps typically do not. Further, the strap cover 102 can, unlike the straps 90, be made from a fire retardant material, with a reduced IR signature to minimize visibility and flammability. The strap cover 102 can also help to protect the straps 90 and thus the side closure from accidental disengagement.
The concealable carrier 18 preferably includes pockets 104 for receiving soft ballistic panels and hard ballistic plates. The concealable carrier 18 may also include Molle webbing or other features on its exterior, for supporting accessory portions of the garment 10 or other accessories.
The garment 10 is modular and scalable. The plate carrier 14 can be worn alone, in which case it is assembled and worn as described above. Alternatively, the concealable carrier 18 can be worn alone, as described above. Further, the plate carrier 14 can be worn together with the soft armor panels 70 and 72. Still further, the plate carrier 14 can be worn with together with the concealable carrier 18, as described below.
To assemble the plate carrier 14 with the soft armor panels 70 and 72 (
When the plate carrier 14 is thus assembled with the soft armor panels 70 and 72, the soft armor panels are located inside (on the body side of) the plate carrier 14. The front soft armor panel 72 is attached by the loops 74 and the loop patch 75 to the front plate carrier panel 20 only. The back soft armor panel 72 is attached by the loops 76 and 78 to the back plate carrier panel 22 only. As a result, when the quick release system 56 is actuated, and the front plate carrier panel 20 separates from the back plate carrier panel 22, the front and back soft armor panels 70 and 72 also separate, and drop off the wearer. The quick release feature is thus preserved, even when the wearer is using the soft armor panels 70 and 72 for additional protection to that provided by the plate carrier 14 alone.
To assemble the concealable carrier 18 to the plate carrier 14 (
Then, the front concealable carrier panel 80 is connected with the front plate carrier panel 20. The plate carrier panels 20 and 22 are laid flat on top of the concealable carrier panels 80 and 82, respectively. Exposed loop patches 105 on the body side of the shoulder straps 36 of the front plate carrier panel 20 are pressed into engagement with corresponding hook patches 106 on the strike side of the shoulder straps 84 of the front concealable carrier panel 80. A hook patch on the body side of the main body portion 30 of the front plate carrier front panel 20 is pressed down into engagement with the large loop patch 100 on the strike side of the front concealable carrier panel 80. In this manner, the front concealable carrier panel 80 is releasably secured to the front plate carrier panel 20.
To connect the back concealable carrier panel 82 with the back plate carrier panel 22, the back plate carrier panel is laid over the back concealable carrier panel. The side straps on the concealable carrier 18 are folded over and secured to the inside of the concealable carrier back panel 82, out of the way. The shoulder strap 84 on the back concealable carrier panel 82 is pushed through a loop 107 on the body side of the shoulder strap 48 of the back plate carrier panel 22. The concealable carrier shoulder strap 84 is then looped or folded back and secured to itself with another hook and loop connection 108. This secures the upper portion of the back concealable carrier panel 82 to the back plate carrier panel 22. To secure the lower portion of the back concealable carrier panel 82 to the back plate carrier panel 22, the waist straps 52 of the back plate carrier panel 22 are passed through loops 111 on the back concealable carrier panel and when the straps are buckled, the back concealable carrier panel 82 is secured.
As a result, the front concealable carrier panel 80 and the back concealable carrier panel 82 are connected to each other, not directly, but rather only through the plate carrier 14. The plate carrier 14 is thus in the line of force transmission between, and is a load-bearing unit between, the front concealable carrier panel 80 and the back concealable carrier panel 82.
Therefore, when the plate carrier 14 is assembled with the concealable carrier panels 80 and 82, the quick release system 56 is still operable. When the front plate carrier panel 20 separates from the back plate carrier panel 22, the front and back concealable carrier panels 80 and 82 separate also. The quick release feature is thus preserved, even when the wearer is using the concealable carrier 18 assembled with the plate carrier 14. The attachment and removal of the concealable carrier 18 with the plate carrier 14 can also be done without first separating the two parts 20 and 22 of the plate carrier 14 from each other.
The garment 10 includes a stabilizing cummerbund 110 (
The cummerbund 110 is assembled with the back plate carrier panel 22 (
The combination of the cummerbund 110 and plate carrier 14 can be more comfortable and stable because the cummerbund 110 is wider (taller from top to bottom) than the waist straps 52 of the plate carrier 14. The cummerbund 110 also provides additional accessory capacity via the Molle webbing 118. The cummerbund 110 stays with the back plate carrier panel 22 when the garment 10 is worn and also when the quick release system 56 is actuated.
The cummerbund 110 also serves as part of a load belt system 130 (
The load belt 132 has two pockets 136 on its body side, one on each side of center, opening upward. The pockets 136 are adapted to receive the lower ends of the load couplers 134. Each load coupler 134 is a fabric material pocket with a rigid, load-bearing insert. Each load coupler 134 has a hook patch 140 at its wider lower end, and a male snap fastener 142 portion at its narrower upper end.
To assemble the load belt system 130, the upper ends of the load couplers 134 are inserted upward into the downward opening pockets 124 on the cummerbund 110. The male snap fastener 142 portions on the load couplers 134 are snapped into engagement with the female snap fastener portions 128 on the cummerbund 110, at a location above the load belt 132 and inside the pockets 124 on the body side 122 of the cummerbund.
The lower ends of the load couplers 134 are inserted downward into the upward opening pockets 136 in the load belt 132, and bottom out in the pockets. The hook patches 140 on the load couplers 134 engage loop patches 144 inside the pockets 136, to securely connect the load couplers with the load belt 132.
The load couplers 134 are thereby placed in a vertical load bearing relationship between the plate carrier 14 and the load belt 132. Specifically, downward load from the plate carrier 14 is transferred through the cummerbund 110 into the load couplers 134, thence into the load belt 132, and thence onto the soldier's hips and waist. The load belt system 130 can therefore significantly decrease the load exerted on the soldier's shoulders. The load couplers 134 stay with the cummerbund 110, and release from the load belt 132, when the quick release system 56 is actuated.
Each one of the two pockets 136 on the load belt 132 is wider (laterally) than is the lower end of the load coupler 134. Therefore, the load coupler 134 can be placed into the pocket 136 at a plurality of different locations along the lateral extent of the load belt 132, accommodating different size wearers. In addition, each one of the two pockets 136 on the load belt 132 has three different pocket portions 136a-136c with associated Velcro retainers 144. The bottom walls of the three pocket portions 136a-136c are at three different heights on the load belt 132. As a result, the load coupler 134 can bottom out in and be retained in the pocket 136 at three different vertical positions relative to the overall height of the load belt 132. This adjustability can accommodate different height wearers of the garment 10 when the load belt system 130 is being used.
The garment 10 includes a number of accessory parts that can be connected with the torso portion to offer additional protection. For example, the garment includes two thigh protectors 150 (
A pivot connection is provided between the strap 152 and the thigh protector 150. The pivot connection, in this embodiment, includes a D-ring 156 on the thigh protector 150, around which is looped the support strap 152. The looped strap 152 is slidable along the D-ring 156 in a direction between the opposite ends of the curved portion of the D-ring. As a result, the thigh protector 150 is supported on the torso portion 12 of the garment 10 for pivotal movement relative to the torso portion, about the point of engagement of the strap 152 and the D-ring 156. Thus, when the soldier walks, and the leg pivots relative to the torso, this articulating joint (pivotal connection) allows the thigh protector 150 to pivot relative to the torso portion 12, without overly flexing the support strap 152. This pivoting movement can help to reduce wear on the support strap 152, and can also enable increased mobility. Alternative types of pivotal connection, such as buckles or rings, for example, can be provided between the thigh protector 150 and the torso portion 12.
The thigh protector 150 is held to the thigh by an elastic strap system 158 similar to that provided on the concealable carrier 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic strap system 158 on the thigh protector 150 includes two separate vertically spaced elastic straps 160, without a connector panel at their outer ends, which straps have their inner ends hidden under a cover panel 162 on the thigh protector. The straps 160 bear Velcro patches 161. The straps 160 when extended can engage with Velcro patches 164 on the opposite side of the thigh protector 150, to hold the thigh protector to the thigh. The portions of the straps 160 that are under the cover panel 162 are protected, as described above.
The garment 10 also includes a throat protector 170 (
The throat protector 170 includes ballistic material sewn into a throat protector carrier 174. The ballistic material extends longitudinally along the throat protector carrier 174 between the two ends (wings) 176 of the throat protector carrier, which are stiff but resilient projecting tabs. The throat protector carrier 174 is attached to the yoke 172 by inserting the wings 176 of the throat protector carrier into slots (pockets) 178 in the tubular portion of the yoke 172 that encircles the soldier's neck.
The throat protector carrier 174 has a Velcro tab 179 at its front that is connected with the torso portion 12 of the vest 10, or with the yoke 172, when the throat protector 170 is worn. If desired for comfort, the wings 176 of the throat protector carrier 174 can be slipped out (forward) from the yoke 172, and the throat protector 170 flipped down and forward, remaining connected only by the Velcro tab 179, when the added ballistic protection of the throat protector is not needed.
The garment 10 also includes a pair of side armor plates 180 (
The garment 10 also includes a groin panel 190 (
The garment 10 also includes a pair of deltoid and bicep protectors 194 and 196 (
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/363,023, filed Jul. 9, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61363023 | Jul 2010 | US |