US3873998A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Body armor system
Assignee: United States Department of the Army
•
Filing: 1974-03-26
•
Granted: 1975-04-01
•
Expires: 1994-03-26
Abstract
Abstract A coordinated missile- and fragmentation- protective body armor system comprising a ceramic type armor plate component that is provided with a spall shield made of a plurality of layers of ballistic fabric and a spacer container for the ceramic armor plate made of a foamed plastic. The spacer container, though of little value for stopping primary missiles, is very effective in combination with the spall shield in preventing the escape from the body armor system of spall from the ceramic armor plate.
Inventors
- 👤 Lonnie H Norris
- 👤 Philip E Durand
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:18
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B17/00; B32B17/06; B32B17/061; B32B15/00; B32B15/04; B32B15/08; B32B27/00; B32B27/12; B32B7/00; B32B7/04; B32B7/12; B32B9/00; F; F41; F41H; F41H1/00; F41H1/02; B32B2315/00; B32B2315/02; B32B2323/00; B32B2323/04; B32B2325/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A COORDINATED PROTECTIVE BODY ARMOR SYSTEM TO PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST LOW CALIBER MISSILES WHICH WILL ALSO MINIMIZE ESCAPE OF SPALL FROM WITHIN SAID SYSTEM, CUSHION THE BRITTLE ELEMENTS OF THE SYSTEM AGAINST BREAKAGE, AND PROVIDE CUSHIONING PROTECTION TO PROTECT THE HEAD AND NECK OF THE WEARER FROM INJURY UPON IMPACT AGAINST THE ARMOR SYSTEM COMPRISING A CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE WHICH COMPRISES A CERAMIC FACE PLATE BONDED TO LAMINATE BACK PLATE OF RESIN-BONDED PLIES OF A GLASS FIBER FABRIC, A FOAMED PLASTIC SPALL PROTECTIVE CONTAINER FOR SAID CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE WHICH IS DISPOSED SO AS TO COMPLETELY COVER SAID CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE, AND A CARRIER FOR SAID CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE AND SAID FOAMED PLASTIC SPALL PROTCTIVE CONTAINER COMPRISING A SPALL SHIELD WHICH OVERLIES SAID FOAMED PLASTIC SPALL PROTECTIVE CONTAINER AND SAID CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE AND WHICH COMPRISES A PLURLAITY OF PLIES OF A WOVEN BALLISTIC FABRIC.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
A COORDINATED PROTECTIVE BODY ARMOR SYSTEM TO PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST LOW CALIBER MISSILES WHICH WILL ALSO MINIMIZE ESCAPE OF SPALL FROM WITHIN SAID SYSTEM, CUSHION THE BRITTLE ELEMENTS OF THE SYSTEM AGAINST BREAKAGE, AND PROVIDE CUSHIONING PROTECTION TO PROTECT THE HEAD AND NECK OF THE WEARER FROM INJURY UPON IMPACT AGAINST THE ARMOR SYSTEM COMPRISING A CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE WHICH COMPRISES A CERAMIC FACE PLATE BONDED TO LAMINATE BACK PLATE OF RESIN-BONDED PLIES OF A GLASS FIBER FABRIC, A FOAMED PLASTIC SPALL PROTECTIVE CONTAINER FOR SAID CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE WHICH IS DISPOSED SO AS TO COMPLETELY COVER SAID CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE, AND A CARRIER FOR SAID CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE AND SAID FOAMED PLASTIC SPALL PROTCTIVE CONTAINER COMPRISING A SPALL SHIELD WHICH OVERLIES SAID FOAMED PLASTIC SPALL PROTECTIVE CONTAINER AND SAID CERAMIC/FIBER GLASS COMPOSITE ARMOR PLATE AND WHICH COMPRISES A PLURLAITY OF PLIES OF A WOVEN BALLISTIC FABRIC.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said foamed plastic spall protective container is formed of polymeric foam having a density of from about 1 to about 10 pounds per cubic foot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 2, wherein said foamed plastic spall protective container is formed of polyethylene foam having a density of about 9 pounds per cubic foot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said foamed plastic spall protective container in the portion thereof which completely covers said ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate is from about 1/2 inch to about 3/4 inch thick.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said woven ballistic fabric is a plain weave nylon fabric weighing from about 6 to about 9 ounces per square yard.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said spall shield comprises nine plies of ballistic nylon fabric weighing about 7.5 ounces per square yard.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said fabric carrier comprises means for detachably suspending said fabric carrier in proximity to the front of the torso of said wearer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3292181A
Cited
US3722355A
Cited
US3452362A
Cited
US3559210A
Cited
US3634889A
Cited
US3832266A
Cited
US3813281A
Cited
US3832265A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-31 | 1978-09-30 | 1979-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-31 | 1982-09-30 | 1983-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-31 | 1986-09-30 | 1987-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |