Armor structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017299346-A1
Application number	US-201715428904-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2017
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Oct 19, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for manufacturing armor includes coating a first side of a ballistics arresting core with a first shell layer to create a partially coated ballistics arresting core, placing the partially coated ballistics arresting core in a vacuum bag and depressurizing the vacuum bag and curing the partially coated ballistics arresting core in the depressurized vacuum bag to create a partially shelled ballistics arresting core. The method further includes removing the partially shelled ballistics arresting core from the vacuum bag, coating a second side of the partially shelled ballistics arresting core with a second shell layer to create a fully coated ballistics arresting core, placing the fully coated ballistics arresting core in a vacuum bag and depressurizing the vacuum bag, and curing the fully coated ballistics arresting core in the depressurized vacuum bag to create a fully shelled ballistics arresting core.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for manufacturing armor, comprising;
coating a first side of a ballistics arresting core with a first shell layer to create a partially coated ballistics arresting core; placing the partially coated ballistics arresting core in a vacuum bag and depressurizing the vacuum bag; curing the partially coated ballistics arresting core in the depressurized vacuum bag to create a partially shelled ballistics arresting core; removing the partially shelled ballistics arresting core from the vacuum bag; coating a second side of the partially shelled ballistics arresting core with a second shell layer to create a fully coated ballistics arresting core; placing the fully coated ballistics arresting core in a vacuum bag and depressurizing the vacuum bag; and curing the fully coated ballistics arresting core in the depressurized vacuum bag to create a fully shelled ballistics arresting core.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein coating a second side of the partially shelled ballistics arresting core includes partially overlapping the first shell layer with the second shell layer along an edge of the first shell layer to seal the ballistics arresting core within the first shell layer and the second shell layer.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein partially overlapping the first shell layer includes overlapping the edge of the first shell layer at a side of the ballistics arresting core and/or within an aperture defined in the ballistics arresting core.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein coating the first shell layer and/or second shell layer includes using between two to six plies of material for the first shell layer and/or the second shell layer.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising cutting or stamping one or more apertures in the first shell layer and/or the second shell layer to correspond to one or more apertures in the ballistics arresting core.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising trimming the first shell layer after curing the partially coated ballistics arresting core.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising trimming the second shell layer after curing the fully coated ballistics arresting core.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first shell layer and/or the second shell layer include fiber reinforced polymer.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the fiber reinforced polymer includes pre-impregnated carbon-fiber.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising coating the first shell layer and/or the second shell layer with one or more exterior coatings.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the exterior coatings include one or more of a non-skid coating or paint.

12 . An item of armor, comprising:
a ballistics arresting core; a first shell layer disposed on a first side of the ballistics arresting core; a second shell layer disposed on a second side of the ballistics arresting core such that the second shell layer partially overlaps the first shell layer at an edge of the first shell layer to seal the ballistics arresting core within the first shell layer and the second shell layer.

13 . The item of claim 12 , the second shell layer overlaps the first shell layer along the edge of the first shell layer at a side of the ballistics arresting core and/or within an aperture defined in the ballistics arresting core.

14 . The item of claim 12 , wherein the first shell layer and/or second shell layer include between two to six plies of material.

15 . The item of claim 12 , further comprising one or more apertures defined in the first shell layer and/or the second shell layer to correspond to one or more apertures in the ballistics arresting core, wherein walls that form the apertures are covered by the first shell layer and/or second shell layer.

16 . The item of claim 12 , wherein the first shell layer and/or the second shell layer include fiber reinforced polymer.

17 . The item of claim 16 , wherein the fiber reinforced polymer includes pre-impregnated carbon-fiber.

18 . The item of claim 12 , further comprising one or more exterior coatings.

19 . The item of claim 18 , wherein the exterior coatings include one or more of a non-skid coating or paint.

20 . The item of claim 12 , wherein an edge of the first shell layer includes a beveled surface.

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Hallquist Craig
• Alexander Shawn

Classifications

• F41H5/0471

  Layered armour containing fibre- or fabric-reinforced layers (in combination with ceramic layers F41H5/0428, with metal layers F41H5/0457) · CPC title

• F41H5/0428

  Ceramic layers in combination with additional layers made of fibres, fabrics or plastics · CPC title

• F41H5/0485 Primary

  all the layers being only fibre- or fabric-reinforced layers · CPC title

• F41H5/0457

  Metal layers in combination with additional layers made of fibres, fabrics or plastics · CPC title