Modular scalable plate system for personnel protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9879946-B2
Application number	US-201514953306-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2015
Priority date	Nov 28, 2014
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

Body armor includes a first armor plate having a concave rear surface, a second plate having a convex front surface, and optionally, a separate coupling layer configured to fit between the first ceramic armor plate and the polymer plate. The contours of the coupling layer are formed by pressing the coupling layer between the polymer plate and the armor plate into a shape that fills gaps or voids between the concave rear surface of the armor plate and the convex front surface of the polymer plate, such that the armor plate, the polymer plate, and the coupling layer form a matched set. In operation, the ceramic armor plate can be used alone, the polymer plate can be used alone, or the hard armor layer and the polymer plate can be used together with the optional coupling layer positioned between them.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A body armor kit, comprising:
a first armor plate having a concave rear surface;
a second plate having a convex front surface;
a coupling layer configured to fit between the first armor plate and the second plate, contours of the coupling layer being formed by pressing the coupling layer between the second plate and the first plate into a shape that fills gaps or voids between the concave rear surface of the first plate and the convex front surface of the second plate, such that the first plate, the second plate, and the coupling layer form a matched set, wherein the coupling layer further comprises ceramic or glass micro-particles or nano-particles; and
a first release agent layer affixed to the concave rear surface of the first armor plate, the first release agent layer allowing the coupling layer to be released from the first plate after curing of the coupling layer.

2. The body armor kit of claim 1 , wherein the first plate is harder than the second plate.

3. The body armor kit of claim 1 , wherein the coupling layer is a separate layer not affixed to the second plate or the first plate.

4. The body armor kit of claim 1 , wherein the coupling layer is affixed to a front surface of the second plate.

5. The body armor kit of claim 1 , further comprising: a fabric pocket, wherein the first plate, the second plate, and the separate coupling layer fit snugly in the pocket.

6. The body armor kit of claim 1 , wherein the first plate comprises a ceramic.

7. The body armor kit of claim 6 , wherein the second plate comprises an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

8. The body armor kit of claim 6 , wherein the ceramic comprises at least one of boron carbide or silicon carbide.

9. The body armor kit of claim 1 , wherein the first plate comprises a hard or refractory core with a crack mitigation layer adhered to the hard or refractory core on at least one of the front surface and the concave rear surface of the hard or refractory core.

10. The body armor kit of claim 1 , wherein the second plate comprises an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

11. The body armor kit of claim 10 , wherein the second plate comprises a plurality of layers of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fiber embedded in a resin to form a solid plate.

12. The body armor kit of claim 1 , wherein the coupling layer comprises at least one of an epoxy, a silicone, a silicone polymer, and a dilatant material.

13. The body armor kit of claim 1 , wherein the coupling layer is a foam.

14. The body armor kit of claim 12 , wherein the coupling layer further comprises ceramic or glass micro-particles or nano-particles.

15. The body armor kit of claim 1 , wherein the coupling layer is formed by applying uncured coupling layer material to the first plate or the second plate, pressing the other of the first plate or the second plate into the uncured coupling layer material such that the uncured coupling layer conforms to the contours of both plates, allowing the coupling layer material to harden or cure into a shape conforming to the contours of the facing surfaces of the first plate and the second plate, and subsequently removing at least the hard armor plate.

16. The body armor kit of claim 15 , further comprising:
a second release agent layer affixed to the convex front surface of the second armor plate, the second release agent layer allowing the coupling layer to be released from the second plate after curing of the coupling layer.

17. The body armor kit of claim 1 , further comprising a separate spacer having the dimensions of either the first plate and the second plate, and having a lower weight than the first plate and a lower weight than the second plate.

18. A body armor system, comprising:
a first plate having a concave rear surface;
a second plate having a convex front surface;
a coupling layer configured to fit between the first plate and the second plate, the contours of the coupling layer having a shape that fills gaps or voids between the concave rear surface of the first plate and the convex front surface of the second plate, such that the first plate, the second plate, and the coupling layer form a matched set, wherein the coupling layer further comprises ceramic or glass micro-particles or nano-particles; and
a first release agent layer affixed to the concave rear surface of the first armor plate, the first release agent layer allowing the coupling layer to be released from the first plate after curing of the coupling layer.

19. The body armor system of claim 18 , configured such that the first plate or the second plate can be used by itself within a pocket in a tactical vest or plate carrier, and adapted such that the first plate, second plate, and coupling layer are used together within the pocket of the tactical vest or plate carrier.

20. The body armor system of claim 19 , further comprising:
the pocket.

21. The body armor system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a separate spacer having a shape and outer dimensions of either the first plate or the second plate, and having a lower weight than the first plate and a lower weight than the second plate, such that the spacer can be used in place of either the first plate or the second plate.

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Holtz Ronald L
• Moser Alex E
• Pelland James L
• Jordan Flora M
• Dade Iii James R
• Wilcox John K

Classifications

• F41H5/0428 Primary

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

• F41H5/0471

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