CA2200250A1 - Protective material - Google Patents
Protective materialInfo
- Publication number
- CA2200250A1 CA2200250A1 CA002200250A CA2200250A CA2200250A1 CA 2200250 A1 CA2200250 A1 CA 2200250A1 CA 002200250 A CA002200250 A CA 002200250A CA 2200250 A CA2200250 A CA 2200250A CA 2200250 A1 CA2200250 A1 CA 2200250A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- protective material
- fibres
- material according
- support
- protective
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41H—ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
- F41H5/00—Armour; Armour plates
- F41H5/02—Plate construction
- F41H5/04—Plate construction composed of more than one layer
- F41H5/0414—Layered armour containing ceramic material
- F41H5/0428—Ceramic layers in combination with additional layers made of fibres, fabrics or plastics
Abstract
A protective material has at least one flexible layer comprising a plurality of fibres capable of resisting penetration by a bullet or knife, and a support material. The fibres are at least partially embedded within the support material to restrict relative movement of the fibres therein.
Description
CA 022002~0 1997-04-1~
PROTECTIVE MATERIAL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a protective material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to use personal body armour to give protection against a wide variety of threats. This armour typically comprises a pack containing layers of woven aramid fibre.
In order to provide the capability to resist multiple hits from projectiles it is usual to stitch or quilt the layers together; this helps to prevent "bunching", which causes the layers to bunch up together, and progressively reduces the protection a*er each hit.
It is also known to provide additional material to reduce the trauma effect caused to the wearer by the impact of the projectile. The additional material may comprise, for example, one or more layers of plastic or rubber foam; one or more polyolefin sheets; or one or more packs of feathers.
When protection from knife impact is also required it is usual to add a still further layer, which comprises, for example, metal meshes;
lightweight metal panels; or overlapping medallions of lightweight metal.
It will be appreciated that each protective layer adds to the thickness and weight of the armour, thereby reducing its wearability.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved protective material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a protective material having at least one flexible layer comprising a plurality of fibres capable of resisting penetration by a CA 022002~0 1997-04-1~
bullet, and a support material, said fibres being at least partially embedded within the support material to restrict relative movement of the fibres therein.
It is a particular feature of this invention to provide more than one of said flexible layers. The protective material most preferably comprises a plurality of thin laminates, each laminate comprising one of the flexible layers. It is particularly preferred that the laminates are not adhered, or otherwise bonded, together. We prefer that the laminates are loosely bound together so that they can move relative to one another.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
.Advantageously the support material is a resin, more preferably a synthetic resin, and most preferably a thermosetting resin.
The precise resin used depends upon the final application of the material:
an epoxy-based resin, a phenolic-based resin or a polyester-based resin is preferred. It is also preferred that the support material has sufficient rigidity to enable the or each flexible layer to support its own weight.
The fibres are typically of the type that have a high tensile strength and a high stretch resistance. The fibres may comprise high strength polyethylene fibres, glass fibres, or carbon fibres. In the preferred embodiment the fibres comprise aramid fibres, particularly fibres of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide). When aramid fibres are used, they may, for example, comprise the fibres sold under the trade names KEVLAR or TWARON.
In one embodiment, the fibres are woven to form a fabric, prior to being embedded in the support. In another embodiment, the fibres are arranged in a unidirectional manner, i.e., they are not woven.
Preferably the protective material contains 20-50 wt% of the support material, most preferably 33 wt%.
It is preferred that the fibres are substantially entirely CA 022002'70 1997-04-1'7 embedded in the support material, because this provides the best resistance to penetration by a knife or similar object.
There are a number of parameters of the protective material which depend upon the use to which it will be put, and also on the type of fibres and support material used. These parameters include the number of flexible layers, the thickness of each flexible layer, and the denier of the fibres. Typically, there will be between 5 and 50 layers, each having a thickness between 0.2mm and 0.5mm, with the fibres having a denier between 400 and 1500.
The most preferred fibres are available from Du Pont under the registered trade name KEVLAR 129 (or KEVLAR HT). Using these fibres, together with a resin comprising a blend of bisphenol A and bisphenol F, the denier of the fibres is most preferably 840, the thickness of each layer is preferably 0.25mm and the number of layers is preferably 26. This will provide a level of protection that can prevent penetration by hand gun bullets, and can provide adequate protection against trauma; it will also provide protection against a knife strike having an energy of 42 Joules, or more. The material is capable of meeting applicable Standards set by the British Home Office.
In order to provide sufficient protection against high velocity bullets the protective material may include at least one layer of ceramic plates, such as alumina plates. It will be appreciated that other materials, known to those skilled in the art, may be used to provide protection against high velocity bullets.
The protective material according to the invention is particularly useful as personal body armour. For example, it can be provided in the form of, or as part of, a vest or jacket for providing body protection to the front and/or the back; it may be provided in the form of, or as part of, any other garment to protect any other part of the body, for CA 022002~0 1997-04-1~
example the arms or the legs. The protective material may be provided in the form of, or as part of, headwear, such as a helmet; or it may be provided in the form of, or as part of, footwear, such as boots. The protective material may be provided in the form of, or as part of, a hand-held shield.
The protective material may be provided in the form of a pack that can be removably secured to a garment. It may be incorporated into an existing protective garment by mixing with or adding to protective layers already in the garment - this will enhance the performance of the protective layers already present.
The protective material according to the invention may instead be used as armour for vehicles, ships, aeroplanes or buildings.
It is possible to protect against a wide variety of ballistic threats with the protective material according to the invention. The material can also provide adequate protection against trauma, without the need to use any additional layer of a different material. The material is also capable of preventing penetration by a knife or other sharp instrument.
The material is resistant to the problem of bunching, discussed above, due to the ability of each layer to support its own weight, so it is not necessary to stitch or quilt together multiple flexible layers.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a composite material comprising aramid fibres treated with a resin.
Advantageously the aramid fibres are poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide). The resin is preferably a synthetic resin, and is most preferably a thermosetting resin: epoxy-based resins and phenolic-based resins are particularly preferred.
The resin can provide a matrix, into which the fibres are embedded, in order to resist relative movement of the fibres within the CA 022002~0 1997-04-1~
resin; the resin may be impregnated into the fibres.
The composite material is preferably flexible, but sufficiently stiff to support its own weight.
The composite material is particularly useful when provided in sheet form, when it may be used as a protective material as described above.
In one embodiment, the protective material can be made by pre-impregnating the fibres with a resin, then subsequently curing the resin by heat and pressure (typically from 100 to 150 degrees C and 50 to 150 psi [345 to 1035 KPa]). The pre-impregnated fibres may be stored and/or transported, preferably in roll form, before they are finally cured.
In another embodiment, the protective material may be made by impregnating the fibres with a resin, followed by curing shortly thereafter. In this embodiment a low viscosity epoxy resin is preferred, such as a resin manufactured from epicholorohydrin with a blend of bisphenol A and bisphenol F (this is available from ASTOR STAG as product type 629), and a suitable curing agent. The curing agent may be a polyalkylamine; one example of a suitable curing agent is available from ASTOR STAG as product type RS 4025. An entire roll, or part of a roll, of the fibres may be dipped in the resin to coat either the entire roll or part of the roll. The resin can be cured at ambient temperature under a pressure of 10 to 20 psi (69 to 138 KPa).
In both embodiments, the impregnated material can be cut into sheets either before or a*er curing. When the material is cut into sheets before curing, then between 5 and 50 sheets may be placed on top of one another with a release film between each layer. The release film may be, for example, mylar, a polyolefin film, or a silicone-coated paper.
The multiple sheets can then be cured; after curing the sheets are separated, and the release film is either discarded or re-used.
CA 022002~0 1997-04-1~
One or more of the layers may then be used to form the protective material described above. The material may then be used on its own, or may be added to standard ballistic fabrics in order to improve the performance thereof.
The impregnated material can be shaped before it is cured, for example in a mould. If desired, the impregnated material can be cured in the mould. One reason to shape the material is to provide a shape suitable to be worn by a woman.
Whilst certain embodiments of the invention have been described above it will be appreciated that modifications could be made to the invention, within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
PROTECTIVE MATERIAL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a protective material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to use personal body armour to give protection against a wide variety of threats. This armour typically comprises a pack containing layers of woven aramid fibre.
In order to provide the capability to resist multiple hits from projectiles it is usual to stitch or quilt the layers together; this helps to prevent "bunching", which causes the layers to bunch up together, and progressively reduces the protection a*er each hit.
It is also known to provide additional material to reduce the trauma effect caused to the wearer by the impact of the projectile. The additional material may comprise, for example, one or more layers of plastic or rubber foam; one or more polyolefin sheets; or one or more packs of feathers.
When protection from knife impact is also required it is usual to add a still further layer, which comprises, for example, metal meshes;
lightweight metal panels; or overlapping medallions of lightweight metal.
It will be appreciated that each protective layer adds to the thickness and weight of the armour, thereby reducing its wearability.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved protective material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a protective material having at least one flexible layer comprising a plurality of fibres capable of resisting penetration by a CA 022002~0 1997-04-1~
bullet, and a support material, said fibres being at least partially embedded within the support material to restrict relative movement of the fibres therein.
It is a particular feature of this invention to provide more than one of said flexible layers. The protective material most preferably comprises a plurality of thin laminates, each laminate comprising one of the flexible layers. It is particularly preferred that the laminates are not adhered, or otherwise bonded, together. We prefer that the laminates are loosely bound together so that they can move relative to one another.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
.Advantageously the support material is a resin, more preferably a synthetic resin, and most preferably a thermosetting resin.
The precise resin used depends upon the final application of the material:
an epoxy-based resin, a phenolic-based resin or a polyester-based resin is preferred. It is also preferred that the support material has sufficient rigidity to enable the or each flexible layer to support its own weight.
The fibres are typically of the type that have a high tensile strength and a high stretch resistance. The fibres may comprise high strength polyethylene fibres, glass fibres, or carbon fibres. In the preferred embodiment the fibres comprise aramid fibres, particularly fibres of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide). When aramid fibres are used, they may, for example, comprise the fibres sold under the trade names KEVLAR or TWARON.
In one embodiment, the fibres are woven to form a fabric, prior to being embedded in the support. In another embodiment, the fibres are arranged in a unidirectional manner, i.e., they are not woven.
Preferably the protective material contains 20-50 wt% of the support material, most preferably 33 wt%.
It is preferred that the fibres are substantially entirely CA 022002'70 1997-04-1'7 embedded in the support material, because this provides the best resistance to penetration by a knife or similar object.
There are a number of parameters of the protective material which depend upon the use to which it will be put, and also on the type of fibres and support material used. These parameters include the number of flexible layers, the thickness of each flexible layer, and the denier of the fibres. Typically, there will be between 5 and 50 layers, each having a thickness between 0.2mm and 0.5mm, with the fibres having a denier between 400 and 1500.
The most preferred fibres are available from Du Pont under the registered trade name KEVLAR 129 (or KEVLAR HT). Using these fibres, together with a resin comprising a blend of bisphenol A and bisphenol F, the denier of the fibres is most preferably 840, the thickness of each layer is preferably 0.25mm and the number of layers is preferably 26. This will provide a level of protection that can prevent penetration by hand gun bullets, and can provide adequate protection against trauma; it will also provide protection against a knife strike having an energy of 42 Joules, or more. The material is capable of meeting applicable Standards set by the British Home Office.
In order to provide sufficient protection against high velocity bullets the protective material may include at least one layer of ceramic plates, such as alumina plates. It will be appreciated that other materials, known to those skilled in the art, may be used to provide protection against high velocity bullets.
The protective material according to the invention is particularly useful as personal body armour. For example, it can be provided in the form of, or as part of, a vest or jacket for providing body protection to the front and/or the back; it may be provided in the form of, or as part of, any other garment to protect any other part of the body, for CA 022002~0 1997-04-1~
example the arms or the legs. The protective material may be provided in the form of, or as part of, headwear, such as a helmet; or it may be provided in the form of, or as part of, footwear, such as boots. The protective material may be provided in the form of, or as part of, a hand-held shield.
The protective material may be provided in the form of a pack that can be removably secured to a garment. It may be incorporated into an existing protective garment by mixing with or adding to protective layers already in the garment - this will enhance the performance of the protective layers already present.
The protective material according to the invention may instead be used as armour for vehicles, ships, aeroplanes or buildings.
It is possible to protect against a wide variety of ballistic threats with the protective material according to the invention. The material can also provide adequate protection against trauma, without the need to use any additional layer of a different material. The material is also capable of preventing penetration by a knife or other sharp instrument.
The material is resistant to the problem of bunching, discussed above, due to the ability of each layer to support its own weight, so it is not necessary to stitch or quilt together multiple flexible layers.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a composite material comprising aramid fibres treated with a resin.
Advantageously the aramid fibres are poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide). The resin is preferably a synthetic resin, and is most preferably a thermosetting resin: epoxy-based resins and phenolic-based resins are particularly preferred.
The resin can provide a matrix, into which the fibres are embedded, in order to resist relative movement of the fibres within the CA 022002~0 1997-04-1~
resin; the resin may be impregnated into the fibres.
The composite material is preferably flexible, but sufficiently stiff to support its own weight.
The composite material is particularly useful when provided in sheet form, when it may be used as a protective material as described above.
In one embodiment, the protective material can be made by pre-impregnating the fibres with a resin, then subsequently curing the resin by heat and pressure (typically from 100 to 150 degrees C and 50 to 150 psi [345 to 1035 KPa]). The pre-impregnated fibres may be stored and/or transported, preferably in roll form, before they are finally cured.
In another embodiment, the protective material may be made by impregnating the fibres with a resin, followed by curing shortly thereafter. In this embodiment a low viscosity epoxy resin is preferred, such as a resin manufactured from epicholorohydrin with a blend of bisphenol A and bisphenol F (this is available from ASTOR STAG as product type 629), and a suitable curing agent. The curing agent may be a polyalkylamine; one example of a suitable curing agent is available from ASTOR STAG as product type RS 4025. An entire roll, or part of a roll, of the fibres may be dipped in the resin to coat either the entire roll or part of the roll. The resin can be cured at ambient temperature under a pressure of 10 to 20 psi (69 to 138 KPa).
In both embodiments, the impregnated material can be cut into sheets either before or a*er curing. When the material is cut into sheets before curing, then between 5 and 50 sheets may be placed on top of one another with a release film between each layer. The release film may be, for example, mylar, a polyolefin film, or a silicone-coated paper.
The multiple sheets can then be cured; after curing the sheets are separated, and the release film is either discarded or re-used.
CA 022002~0 1997-04-1~
One or more of the layers may then be used to form the protective material described above. The material may then be used on its own, or may be added to standard ballistic fabrics in order to improve the performance thereof.
The impregnated material can be shaped before it is cured, for example in a mould. If desired, the impregnated material can be cured in the mould. One reason to shape the material is to provide a shape suitable to be worn by a woman.
Whilst certain embodiments of the invention have been described above it will be appreciated that modifications could be made to the invention, within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Claims (20)
1. A protective material having at least one flexible layer comprising a plurality of fibres capable of resisting penetration by a bullet or a knife, and a support material, at least part of said fibres being embedded within the support material to restrict relative movement of the fibres therein.
2. A protective material according to claim 1, wherein the support material is a resin.
3. A protective material according to claim 1, wherein the support material is a synthetic resin.
4. A protective material according to claim 1, wherein the support material is selected from the group consisting of an epoxy-based resin, a phenolic-based resin and a polyester-based resin.
5. A protective material according to claim 1, wherein the fibres are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene fibres, glass fibres, carbon fibres and aramid fibres.
6. A protective material according to claim 5, wherein the fibres comprise fibres of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide).
7. A protective material according to claim 1, wherein the support material comprises 20-50 wt% of the protective material.
8. A protective material according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of said flexible layers.
9. A protective material according to claim 8, wherein the flexible layers are separate flexible layers that are not integral with one another.
10. A protective material according to claim 8, wherein said flexible layers are movable relative to one another.
11. A protective material according to claim 8, comprising between 5 and 50 of said flexible layers.
12. A protective material according to claim 1, wherein the or each flexible layer has a thickness between 0.2mm and 0.5mm.
13. A protective material according to claim 1, wherein said fibres have a denier between 400 and 1500.
14. A protective material according to claim 1, further including at least one layer containing ceramic plates.
15. A protective material according to claim 1, wherein the support material has sufficient rigidity to enable the or each flexible layer to support its own weight.
16. A garment made at least partly from a protective material according to claim 1.
17. A garment according to claim 16, comprising a vest or jacket.
18. A garment according to claim 16, wherein the protective material is provided in the form of a pack that can be removably secured to the garment.
19. Headwear made at least partly from a protective material according to claim 1.
20. Footwear made at least partly from a protective material according to claim 1.
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9517084A GB2304350B (en) | 1995-08-21 | 1995-08-21 | Protective material |
| CA002200250A CA2200250A1 (en) | 1995-08-21 | 1997-03-18 | Protective material |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9517084A GB2304350B (en) | 1995-08-21 | 1995-08-21 | Protective material |
| CA002200250A CA2200250A1 (en) | 1995-08-21 | 1997-03-18 | Protective material |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2200250A1 true CA2200250A1 (en) | 1998-09-18 |
Family
ID=25679136
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002200250A Abandoned CA2200250A1 (en) | 1995-08-21 | 1997-03-18 | Protective material |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2200250A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2304350B (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6368989B1 (en) * | 1999-01-12 | 2002-04-09 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Puncture resistant composite |
| US6534426B1 (en) | 2000-01-14 | 2003-03-18 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Knife-stab-resistant composite |
| US6737368B2 (en) | 2001-12-19 | 2004-05-18 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Multiple threat penetration resistant articles |
Family Cites Families (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT1084874B (en) * | 1977-09-12 | 1985-05-28 | Bottini Emilio | PROJECTIVE COMPOSITE MATERIAL, FORMABLE IN FLAT AND CURVED SLABS OR IN CABLE BODIES OF COMPLEX SHAPE |
| GB2158471B (en) * | 1984-05-04 | 1988-03-16 | Budd Co | Fiberous armor material |
| US4613535A (en) * | 1985-02-28 | 1986-09-23 | Allied Corporation | Complex composite article having improved impact resistance |
| US4820568A (en) * | 1987-08-03 | 1989-04-11 | Allied-Signal Inc. | Composite and article using short length fibers |
| IT1230863B (en) * | 1989-06-09 | 1991-11-08 | Tecnocompositi Spa | COMPOSITE LAMINATE WITH HIGH ANTI-BREAK-IN FEATURES. |
| US5330820A (en) * | 1989-07-13 | 1994-07-19 | Alliedsignal Inc. | Ballistic resistant composition article having improved matrix system |
| IL105788A (en) * | 1992-06-01 | 1996-10-16 | Allied Signal Inc | Stitched composite constructions having improved penetration resistance |
-
1995
- 1995-08-21 GB GB9517084A patent/GB2304350B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1997
- 1997-03-18 CA CA002200250A patent/CA2200250A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2304350A (en) | 1997-03-19 |
| GB2304350B (en) | 1999-06-30 |
| GB9517084D0 (en) | 1996-04-24 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |