Reduced weight armor systems and methods of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9803959-B2
Application number	US-201414318195-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

An armor system configured to be coupled to a frame surrounding a window in a vehicle or other structure, such as a building. The armor system may be configured to provide any desired ballistics protection rating. The armor system includes a ballistics-grade armor panel and at least one insert embedded in the ballistics-grade armor panel. The insert extends around at least a portion of a periphery of the ballistics-grade armor panel. The one or more inserts may be configured to reduce the parasitic weight of the armor system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An armor system, comprising:
a ballistics-grade armor panel comprising a plurality of ballistic layers and a plurality of interlayers alternately arranged in a stack; and
a plurality of inserts arranged in a stack and embedded in the ballistics-grade armor panel, wherein each of the plurality of inserts has a mass density less than a mass density of the ballistics-grade armor panel.

2. The armor system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of inserts extends around at least a portion of a periphery of the ballistics-grade armor panel.

3. The armor system of claim 1 , wherein a material of the ballistics-grade armor panel is selected from the group of transparent materials consisting of glass, interlayer, acrylic, polycarbonate, plastic, transparent ceramic, ionomers, ionoplasts, and any combinations thereof.

4. The armor system of claim 1 , wherein a material of the plurality of inserts is selected from the group of materials consisting of ceramics, metals, aramids, polyethylene, polypropylene, glass fibers impregnated with a resin, and combinations thereof.

5. The armor system of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of ballistic layers comprises a plurality of glass layers;
the plurality of inserts comprises a first insert and a second insert spaced apart from the first insert; and
at least one glass layer and at least one interlayer extend between the first and second inserts.

6. The armor system of claim 5 , wherein the first insert is on an outer surface of the ballistics-grade armor panel and the second insert is on an inner surface of the ballistics-grade armor panel.

7. The armor system of claim 1 , further comprising a bracket configured to couple the armor system to a vehicle or a structure, wherein a portion of the bracket is configured to overlap at least a portion of at least one of said plurality of inserts.

8. The armor system of claim 7 , further comprising:
at least one fastener extending through the portion of the bracket overlapping said plurality of inserts and through said plurality of inserts.

9. The armor system of claim 7 , wherein the bracket is a flat plate.

10. The armor system of claim 7 , wherein the bracket is a Z-channel.

11. An armored vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle, comprising:
at least one window; and
a frame surrounding the at least one window;

an armor system coupled to the frame of the vehicle, the armor system comprising:
a ballistics-grade armor panel comprising a plurality of ballistic layers and a plurality of interlayers alternately arranged in a stack; and
a plurality of inserts arranged in a stack and embedded in the ballistics-grade armor panel, wherein each of the plurality of inserts has a mass density less than a mass density of the ballistics-grade armor panel; and

a bracket coupling the armor system to the frame of the vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the bracket overlaps at least a portion of at least one the plurality of said inserts.

12. The armored vehicle of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of inserts extends around at least a portion of a periphery of the ballistics-grade armor panel.

13. The armored vehicle of claim 11 , wherein a material of the ballistics-grade armor panel is selected from the group of transparent materials consisting of glass, interlayer, acrylic, polycarbonate, plastic, transparent ceramic, ionomers, ionoplasts, and any combinations thereof.

14. The armored vehicle of claim 11 , wherein a material of the plurality of inserts is selected from the group of materials consisting of ceramics, metals, aramids, polyethylene, polypropylene, glass fibers impregnated with a resin, and combinations thereof.

15. A method of manufacturing an armor system, comprising:
a first lamination task comprising laminating a plurality of ballistic layers together with a plurality of interlayers to form a ballistics-grade armor panel; and
a second lamination task comprising laminating a plurality of inserts, one over the other, to the ballistics-grade armor panel with an interlayer, wherein each of said plurality of inserts has a mass density less than a mass density of the ballistics-grade armor panel,
wherein the second lamination task comprises subjecting the plurality of inserts, the ballistics-grade armor panel, and the interlayer to a temperature of at least approximately 150° F. and a pressure of at least approximately 50 psi.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second lamination task is performed in an autoclave.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein a material of the ballistics-grade armor panel is selected from the group of transparent materials consisting of glass, interlayer, acrylic, polycarbonate, plastic, transparent ceramic, ionomers, ionoplasts, and any combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein a material of the plurality of inserts is selected from the group of materials consisting of ceramics, metals, aramids, polyethylene, polypropylene, glass fibers impregnated with a resin, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the interlayer comprises a material selected from the group of materials consisting of polyvinyl butyral, thermoplastic polyurethane, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and polyethylene terephthalate.

Assignees

• Ppg Ind Ohio Inc

Inventors

• Scarinci Carlo
• Palermo David

Classifications

• B32B2369/00

  Polycarbonates · CPC title

• B32B2375/00

  Polyureas; Polyurethanes · CPC title

• B32B2309/02

  Temperature · CPC title

• B32B2323/10

  Polypropylene · CPC title

• F41H5/0428 Primary

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