Depth-independent blast-resistant thermally-insulating ballistically-protective and ergonomically-improved segmented diver suit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12398279-B2
Application number	US-202217828595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	May 28, 2021
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

A segmented diving suit includes a base layer and a plurality of composite plates arranged on the base layer in a configuration designed to avoid joints or other anatomical features that bend. The composite plates include a spheres or microspheres dispersed/embedded in a carrier polymer. The spheres or microspheres provide one or more of thermal protection, sonic/blast resistance, and ballistic protection.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A segmented diving suit comprising:
a base layer;
a plurality of composite plates; and
a plurality of cover layers, each cover layer being associated with one composite plate of the plurality of composite plates;
wherein each composite plate is located between the base layer and one cover layer of the plurality of cover layers, and each composite plate comprises:
a first composite layer comprising hollow glass microspheres dispersed in a first carrier polymer; and

wherein each composite plate of the plurality of composite plates is arranged to avoid covering joints of a diver.

2. The segmented diving suit of claim 1 , wherein the first carrier polymer comprises a siloxane-containing polymer, a polyurethane, or a polyurea.

3. The segmented diving suit of claim 1 , wherein the first carrier polymer comprises a silicone polymer.

4. The segmented diving suit of claim 1 , wherein each composite plate further comprises:
a second composite layer located between the cover layer and the first composite layer, the second composite layer comprising ceramic spheres dispersed in a second carrier polymer.

5. The segmented diving suit of claim 4 , wherein the first carrier polymer and the second carrier polymer are the same.

6. The segmented diving suit of claim 4 , wherein the second composite layer further comprises hollow glass microspheres.

7. The segmented diving suit of claim 4 , wherein each composite plate further comprises:
a third composite layer located between the cover layer and the second composite layer, the third composite layer comprising ceramic microspheres dispersed in a third carrier polymer.

8. The segmented diving suit of claim 7 , wherein the first carrier polymer, the second carrier polymer, and the third carrier polymer are the same.

9. The segmented diving suit of claim 1 , wherein the base layer and the cover layer comprise neoprene; and wherein a perimeter of the cover layer is secured to the base layer via an adhesive.

10. The segmented diving suit of claim 1 , wherein a central portion of the composite plate is thicker than an edge of the composite plate.

11. A segmented diving suit comprising:
a base layer; and
a plurality of composite plates, each composite plate comprising at least one composite layer containing spheres and/or microspheres embedded in a carrier polymer;
wherein each composite plate of the plurality of composite plates is arranged to avoid covering joints of a diver.

12. The segmented diving suit of claim 11 , wherein the microspheres are hollow glass microspheres.

13. The segmented diving suit of claim 12 , wherein the hollow glass microspheres are filled with a composition comprising nitrogen, air, or a noble gas.

14. The segmented diving suit of claim 11 , wherein the microspheres are ceramic microspheres.

15. The segmented diving suit of claim 11 , wherein the spheres are ceramic spheres.

16. The segmented diving suit of claim 1 , wherein the first carrier polymer comprises a siloxane-containing polymer, a polyurethane, or a polyurea.

17. A process for producing a segmented diving suit comprising:
three-dimensionally scanning a diver;
image processing images produced during the three-dimensional scanning;
forming a plurality of composite plates designed along anatomical lines of the diver; and
securing the composite plates to a base layer;
wherein each composite plate of the plurality of composite plates comprises:
a first composite layer comprising hollow glass microspheres dispersed in a first carrier polymer.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein the composite plates are secured to the base layer by adhesively securing a plurality of cover layers to the base layer, each cover layer being associated with one of the plurality of composite plates.

19. The process of claim 17 , wherein the composite plates are formed via 3D printing.

20. The process of claim 17 , wherein each composite plate further comprises:
a second composite layer located between the cover layer and the first composite layer, the second composite layer comprising ceramic spheres dispersed in a second carrier polymer; and
a third composite layer located between the cover layer and the second composite layer, the third composite layer comprising ceramic microspheres dispersed in a third carrier polymer.

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Kartalov Emil Paskalev

Classifications

• B63C11/10

  Rigid suits · CPC title

• B63C11/04

  Resilient suits · CPC title

• B32B2307/56

  Damping, energy absorption · CPC title

• B32B2437/00

  Clothing · CPC title

• B32B2571/02

  defensive, e.g. armour plates or anti-ballistic clothing · CPC title