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  Composite segmented flexible armorUSPTO Application #: 20070234458Title: Composite segmented flexible armor Abstract: A composite ballistic material has one or more layers of flexible ballistic fabric and a plurality of scales disposed in an overlapping configuration. Scale configurations may vary depending on an intended use. However, the scales may have a substantially uniform thickness and may also have a mounting portion and an overlapping portion. The mounting portions may be aligned in a single layer. The overlapping portions may extend wider than the mounting portions. The overlapping portions may also be substantially non-planar. The overlapping portions may be arranged so that the overlapping portion of individual scales lies under or over the overlapping portion of adjacent scales. Scales may be initially joined with a binder in rows and subsequently joined to a flexible fabric to create the overlap in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rows. (end of abstract) Agent: Coats & Bennett, PLLC - Cary, NC, US Inventors: James A. Larsen, Christopher W. Cross USPTO Applicaton #: 20070234458 - Class: 002002500 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Apparel, Guard Or Protector, Penetration Resistant The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070234458. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] Personal body armor is worn by individuals to protect themselves from high velocity projectiles such as bullets and shrapnel. Clearly, the ultimate objective for armor and the materials from which the armor is comprised is to limit bodily harm that can be caused by such ballistic threats. An unfortunate reality of military arenas is that threatening conditions are pervasive. For that matter, threat scenarios are even omnipresent in civilian contexts. As a consequence, personal body armor may be worn for extended periods of time. Therefore, a subsidiary objective for personal body armor is that the armor be as light and comfortable as possible. [0002] Another consideration pertains to flexibility of the armor. Certain conventional solutions use substantial metal and ceramic plates to provide ballistic protection. The hardness of these materials offers adequate protection but their hardness also contributes to a large and heavy solution. Even where smaller plates are used, the rigidity of the plates hinders overall flexibility. Other conventional solutions use a plurality of layers of high performance fiber material such as Kevlar.RTM. from DuPont and K-Flex.RTM./T-Flex.TM.. Unfortunately, protection from high-speed projectiles requires a commensurate increase in the number of layers of the ballistic fabric needed to provide protection. Additional layers, flexible though they may be, increase weight and decrease flexibility. [0003] To increase flexibility, other conventional solutions use tiled configurations that permit relative motion between tiles. Some of these solutions have gaps between tiles that are vulnerable to ballistic penetration. Other solutions use an overlapping tile configuration but do not provide sufficient overlap to account for body flexure and inter-tile exposure that may occur if the wearer is in a reaching or bent position. Vulnerability between tiles may also be a legitimate problem where protection in close range or hand-to-hand combat is a concern. [0004] The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has developed a set of performance requirements in NIJ Standard 0101.04 establishing a minimum level of ballistic protection against different types of bullets. This standard recognizes the contradicting objectives discussed above. "Body armor selection is to some extent a tradeoff between ballistic protection and wearability. The weight and bulk of body armor are inversely proportional to the level of ballistic protection it provides; therefore, comfort decreases as the protection level increases." Ballistic Resistance of Personal Body Armor, Revision A, NIJ Standard 0101.04, June 2001 at page 44. This statement reflects a necessary and commonly recognized compromise associated with conventional body armor. Accordingly, existing solutions may not provide an optimal solution that balances protection, comfort, and flexibility. SUMMARY [0005] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a composite ballistic material that uses one or more layers of flexible ballistic fabric in conjunction with a plurality of scales disposed in an overlapping configuration. Scale configurations may vary depending on an intended use. In general, the scales may have a substantially uniform thickness. Furthermore, the scales may also have a mounting portion and an overlapping portion. The mounting portions may be aligned in a single layer. For example, the scales may be initially joined to a binder in rows and subsequently joined to a flexible fabric to create overlap in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rows. [0006] The overlapping portions of the scales may have different configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the overlapping portions may extend wider than the mounting portions. In certain embodiments, the overlapping portions may also be substantially non-planar. The overlapping portions may be arranged so that the overlapping portion of individual scales lies under or over the overlapping portion of adjacent scales. Some scales have curved configurations that may be particularly suitable to curved portions of a body armor device. Some scales may have overlapping portions disposed on one side of a mounting portion while others have overlapping portions disposed on opposing sides of a mounting portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] FIG. 1 is a body armor vest incorporating overlapping scales according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0008] FIGS. 2A and 2B are partial section views showing a layer of overlapping scales disposed over layers of ballistic fabric according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0009] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary scale according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0010] FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross section views of the overlapping portion of the scale of FIG. 3 according to different embodiments of the present invention; [0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary scale overlap configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0012] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating one technique for joining rows of scales according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0013] FIG. 7 is a body armor vest incorporating overlapping scales according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0014] FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective views illustrating exemplary scales according to different embodiments of the present invention; [0015] FIGS. 9A and 9B are frontal views illustrating exemplary scales according to different embodiments of the present invention; [0016] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating an exemplary scale according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0017] FIGS. 11A and 11B are side views illustrating overlapping scales according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0018] FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 12C are frontal views illustrating exemplary scales according to different embodiments of the present invention; [0019] FIG. 13 is a frontal view illustrating overlapping scales according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0020] FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary scale according to one embodiment of the present invention; and [0021] FIGS. 15A and 15B are side views illustrating overlapping scales according to different embodiments of the present invention. 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