EP2106524A2

EP2106524A2 - Protective armour plating for the body, consisting of a plurality of armour plates

Info

Publication number: EP2106524A2
Application number: EP07857140A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lothar Müller
Original assignee: Mueller Lothar
Current assignee: Mueller Lothar
Priority date: 2006-12-28
Filing date: 2007-12-28
Publication date: 2009-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-28
Also published as: NO339719B1; WO2008080611A3; WO2008080611A2; ZA200905169B; DE202006019711U1; ES2409175T3; NO20092769L; DK2106524T3; EP2106524B1

Abstract

The invention relates to protective armour plating for the body, consisting of a plurality of adjacently arranged armour elements. Said elements consist of a plurality of identical or essentially identical armour plates forming a matricial arrangement in such a way that straight lines of contact of adjacent armour plates are interrupted by other armour plates of the matricial arrangement.

Description

Body armor, consisting of a variety of armor plates

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a body armor according to the preambles of claims 1 and 10. Accordingly, a generic body armor consists of a plurality of juxtaposed armor plates. Such body armor can be inserted inter alia in corresponding flat pockets of protective suits, such as ballistic and other safety vests and serve the puncture protection.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

A generic body armor is known, inter alia, from German Utility Model 296 05 503. Adjacent armor plates, for example, are articulated to one another like an eye. The contact gaps of the adjacent armor plates can be covered by metallic protective strips. The individual armor plates are shaped body-shaped and comparatively large. They especially offer one excellent impact protection. In a basic position of the person carrying the armor plates are arranged more or less close to each other, while they form at certain movements of the support person relatively wide clefts and therefore in this area no puncture protection. The variety of armor plates improves the mobility of the body armor, but with the risk that the puncture protection will be incomplete, the more contact lines exist between adjacent armor plates and the longer these contact lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention has for its object to provide a highly flexible puncture protection with particularly high security against puncture injuries to a generic body armor.

This object is achieved by a body armor with the features of claim 1, 10, 13 or 15. Accordingly, the invention is based on the basic idea of arranging and forming armor plates forming a matrix arrangement in such a way that straight extended contact line sections of adjacent armor plates are interrupted by further armor plates of the matrix arrangement. Body armor according to the invention can be realized in various ways:

In a first body armor armor plates are all of the same base and made of a flat material. They are arranged in rows and rows in a uniform matrix arrangement and touch each other practically over the entire circumference, apart from a small gap in space. Such a body armor can be particularly advantageous with polygonal, in particular with hexagonal armor plates realize, especially if it is equilateral hexagons. The resulting honeycomb pattern leads to extremely short contact lines of adjacent armor plates, each of which is limited in length by another armor plate. Such body protection ments can be produced in a simple manner, for example by laser cutting a large-area light-metal substrate and with extremely low weight. The flexibility is extraordinary. The entire matrix arrangement can be applied to a substrate such as a textile fabric by gluing or the like and is therefore also easy to handle and in particular easy to assemble.

In a second body armor armor elements consist of a plurality of the same or substantially the same armor plates or groups of the same or substantially the same armor plates that form a multi-layer Matrixan arrangement such that the armor plates of a first layer and the armor plates of a second layer Gap offset from one another. Such. Body armor is - independently of the features of claim 1 - of independent inventive importance.

For example, cone-shaped, truncated-cone-shaped, pyramid-shaped and / or pyramid-truncated armor elements achieve particularly effective puncture protection. Here, the two layers of the armor element matrix arrangements are arranged with the cone tips preferably aligned with each other. The base of such bodies may be round but also polygonal, wherein the different layers and / or each layer may consist of the same but also of different bodies alternately. In this way u. a. a high arrangement density and a particularly high flexibility and excellent puncture protection achieved. The opposing cone elements are preferably based pointwise, linear or flat on each other, so that a not inconsiderable impact protection of the body armor is achieved.

In a multi-layer body armor, in which the matrix order forming armor plates of a level systematically lead to gaps, as is the case for example in the plan circular armor plates are not occupied by armor plates (zwickeiförmigen) surface areas by a second layer of armor plates covered. The armor elements of at least one first layer of the matrix arrangement can accordingly have a floor plan with curved edge line portions such that the armor elements adjacent to one another in this position leave unoccupied surface areas between them.

In disc-shaped, made of solid material, deformed and / or non-deformed armor elements, the armor elements of the second layer may in principle be shaped differently than the first layer.

In a further body armor armor, the armor elements may have at least one position of the matrix arrangement near-edge recesses or near-edge molding surfaces which complement the surface areas of the armor elements of the other layer formschlussergänzend. The surface regions of the armor elements of the adjacent layers can therefore correspond in a form-complementary manner, at least in the area to be covered by them. As a result, a mutual slippage of the armor elements within the respective position and with respect to the armor elements of the adjacent layer is largely excluded. Such a body armor is - independently of the features of claim 1 - of independent inventive importance.

The multi-layered matrix arrangements are essentially anti-armor elements of non-plate-like nature, ie shaped armor elements, which are e.g. can be made of embossed and therefore raised metal plates or solid material. In particular, it may be such armor elements, which are approximately plate-shaped, in particular embossed.

If the armor elements of a second layer of a matrix arrangement have a planer shape which deviates from the armor elements of the first layer of the matrix arrangement, material can be saved therewith, inter alia. But it can also be very dense occupied outer surfaces of the matrix array can be achieved with high flexibility.

Also multi-layered armor matrix arrays may be formed by means of substrates, e.g. from a foil or a textile layer, are held together. Likewise, an embedding of the armor elements can be made into an elastic mass to give the material arrangement cohesion.

If an intermediate layer of filling elements arranged in cavity areas is provided in a further body armor armor between a first layer and a second layer of a matrix arrangement, the puncture protection can be improved while maintaining the flexibility. The filling elements are, preferably, arranged in non-overlapping and / or overlapping weak zones of the first layer and the second layer of the matrix arrangement. Such Körperschutzpanze- tion is - independently of the features of claim 1 - of independent inventive importance.

The above-mentioned and the claimed components to be used according to the invention described in the exemplary embodiments are not subject to special conditions of size, shape, material selection and technical design, so that the selection criteria known in the field of application can be used without restriction

Further details, features and advantages of the subject matter of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, as well as from the following description of the accompanying drawings and table, in which - exemplary - embodiments are shown for body armor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the drawing show

Figure 1 is a first body armor with hexagonal flat armor plates.

2A-C show a second body armor armor with a two-layer matrix structure of approximately conical or frustoconical Panzerkörpem, where Fig.2A is a plan view, Fig. 2B is a perspective view and Fig. 2C is a sectional view A-A shown in FIG 2A.

3A-C show a third body armor armor with a two-layer matrix arrangement of disc-shaped armor elements, wherein FIG. 3A shows a top view, FIG. 3B shows a perspective view and FIG. 3C shows a sectional view A-A according to FIG. 3A;

4 shows a fourth body armor armor with a three-layer matrix arrangement of armored bodies with an intermediate layer of filling elements;

Fig. 5A / B of the fourth body armor a second embodiment with a two-layer matrix arrangement of frustoconical armor elements with an intermediate layer of filling elements, wherein Fig.δA shows a plan view and Fig. 5B shows a sectional view A-A according to Fig. 5A, and

6A-C of the fourth body armor a third embodiment with a two-layer matrix arrangement of frustoconical armor elements with an intermediate layer of filling elements, wherein Fig.βA is a plan view, Fig. 6B is a perspective view and Fig. 6C is a sectional AA seen in FIG. 6A shows. DETAILED FIGURE DESCRIPTION

In a first body armor according to FIG. 1, a matrix arrangement 3 consists of hexagonal armor plates 2A, which are part of a plate 2E of a large-area substrate, such as an aluminum sheet. The individual armor plates are spaced from each other by cutting gaps 3B '. These contact gaps end shortly before corner points, so that the integrity of the plate 2E is maintained. In order to achieve the desired flexibility of the body armor, the remaining corner joints must be broken. This can happen, for example, when the plate 2E provided with cutting gaps 3B 'is adhesively bonded to a suitable, in particular textile, substrate (not visible in the drawing), which still holds the armor plates 2A together even after the corner joints have broken open. The matrix arrangement 3 is designed to be comprehensive and, in the preferred embodiment shown and thus far, leaving free contact gaps, which in the present example are formed by the cutting gaps 3B ¹ . The distance D of the armor plate 2A of the array 3 is only small, namely, as wide as the cutting gaps 3B. ¹ The cutting gaps 3B, which may be, for example, free cuts by means of a laser, are as long as the contact line sections 3A between adjacent armor plates 2A, with the exception of the initially not divided corner points. Because of the area-wide hexagonality of the armor plates 2A, the contact line sections 3A are regularly interrupted by armor plates 2A of the matrix arrangement, as can be seen in the illustrated embodiment on the vertical center line where the upper and lower contact line sections 3A are interrupted by the armor plate 2A therebetween is. Should a knife cut penetrate into a contact line section 3A of the matrix arrangement 3, this penetration is limited by the length of the affected contact line gap 3B. The smaller the area of the armor plates 2A, the smaller is this length, and the sooner penetration of a puncture weapon is stopped by the adjacent armor plates 2A interrupting the contact line. The body armor 1 according to FIGS. 2A to 2C consists of a two-layered matrix arrangement 3 of equal-sized and similarly shaped truncated-cone-shaped armored bodies 2B with a circular ground plan. The armored bodies 2B are not arranged in a dense, ie hexagonal, but in a square arrangement with lateral contact on the cone base relative to each other. The armor bodies 2B of the one layer 3C of the matrix arrangement 3 and of the adjacent layer 3D of the matrix arrangement 3 are arranged with truncated cone tips aligned with each other, offset from each other to a gap. This means that the unoccupied surface areas (gusset areas) released by the base area of the armor bodies 2B are used to accommodate the truncated cone tips of the adjacent layer. Both layers 3C and 3D of identical armor bodies 2B are selected in the exemplary embodiment such that the truncated cone tips of one layer do not extend beyond the base surface of the other layer. The armored bodies 2B of the two layers therefore touch each other in a line, so that a high flexibility of the body armor is maintained despite dense area occupancy.

The cohesion of the matrix array 3 may be e.g. be achieved by an elastic adhesive layer between the two layers 3C and 3D.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 3A to 3C, which, as in FIG. 2, shows a two-layer matrix arrangement 3 of a body armor 1, plate-shaped elements 2D and 2D 'of different sizes are provided. The larger plate-shaped elements 2D of the one layer 3D of the matrix arrangement 3 are embossed-shaped plate elements, similar to a plate. The plate-shaped elements 2D 'of the other layer 3C of the matrix array 3 are significantly smaller in their base surface and provided with edge-side recesses 6, which are designed in shape adaptation to the embossing structure of the adjacent plate-shaped elements 2D of the other layer of the matrix arrangement. In this embodiment, both layers of armor elements in the densest, ie hexagonal packing are arranged, whereby triangular Zwi ckelbereiche between each three adjacent, touching each other at the edge plate-shaped elements 2D of a position 3D of the matrix arrangements 3 result. Each of these areas is covered by a plate-shaped element 2D 'of the other layer 3C of the matrix arrangement 3 (seen in plan view), so that a significantly higher number of plate-shaped elements 2D ¹ results compared to the larger-sized plate-shaped elements 2D.

In order to provide additional security in areas of low overlap of the first layer 3C and the second layer 3D of the matrix arrangement, filling elements 5 forming an intermediate layer of the matrix arrangement can be provided in this cavity area.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a matrix arrangement 3. Therein, the armor elements 2 are shown as spheres of the same size both for the first layer 3C and for the second layer 3D and consequently also arranged in the densest sphere packing so as to be staggered with respect to each other. The resulting cavity regions 3F between the two layers 3C and 3D can be seen to form an upper and a lower level, wherein in the upper level spherical filling elements 5 are inserted into the corresponding cavity areas 3F. As in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 2 and 3, two layers of geometric bodies are thus interconnected here as well, wherein free spaces are closed by a filling layer of geometric bodies in the core region, and thus a matrix arrangement 3 (structure) which is practically impenetrable for an object but nevertheless three-dimensionally movable. is formed.

The exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 5A and 5B corresponds in its basic structure to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 2A to 2C, wherein the cavity regions 3F located in zones of overlap of the first and second layer of the matrix arrangement 3 are closed by geometrically adapted filling elements 5 in the core region. The functions of the filling elements 5 is therefore in principle the same as in the embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4. The exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 6A to 6D differs from the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5 in that the one layer 3C of the matrix arrangement 3 is formed from the same truncated cone-shaped armored bodies 2B with a circular base surface, while the other layer 3D of the matrix arrangement 3 consists of pyramid-shaped armor bodies 2C consists of square base. As a result, a particularly high puncture protection and impact protection is achieved with high flexibility, the flexibility is ensured in flexural deformation of the body armor both in the concave and in the convex direction. In particular, geomet- rieformen can be selected here, which can absorb or derive kinetic energy.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 body armor

2 tank elements

2A hexagonal armor plates

2B frusto-conical tank body

2C truncated pyramidal Panzerköφer

2D plate-shaped elements

2D ¹ plate-shaped elements

2E plate

3 matrix arrangement

3A contact lines

3B touch line column

3B 'cutting gap

3C first location

3D second location

3E liner

3F cavity area

4 substrate

5 filling elements

6 recesses

distance

Claims

1. body armor, consisting of a plurality of juxtaposed armor elements,

characterized,

in that the armor elements (2) consist of a multiplicity of identical or substantially identical armor plates which form a matrix arrangement (3) and that straight extended contact line sections (3A) of adjacent armor plates are interrupted by further armor plates of the matrix arrangement.

2. Body armor according to claim 1, characterized in that the matrix arrangement consists of a layer of hexagonally shaped armor plates (2A).

3. Body armor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the armor plates in the matrix arrangement (3) mutually only a small distance (D).

4. Body armor according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the matrix arrangement is applied to a sufficiently flexible substrate (4), such as on a textile layer.

5. body armor according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the matrix arrangement (3) is designed multi-layered.

6. Body armor according to claim 5, characterized in that the armor plate of a first layer and the armor plates of a second layer on the gap are offset from one another.

7. Body armor according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the armor plates of the matrix array (3) area-covering, optionally with the release of contact gaps (3 B), are arranged.

8. Body armor according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the matrix arrangement (3) of the armor plates consists of a plate (2E) of a large-area substrate in which the armor plates by cutting gaps (3B ¹ ) are spaced apart.

9 Body armor according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the armor plates of the matrix arrangement (3) consist of light metal.

10. body armor according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 9,

characterized,

the armor elements (2) consist of a multiplicity of identical or essentially the same armor plates or groups of identical or substantially identical armor plates which form a multilayer matrix arrangement (3) such that the armor plates of a first layer (3C) and the armor plates of one second layer (3D) offset from one another to the gap.

11. Body armor according to claim 10, characterized in that the armor elements are conical, frusto-conical, pyramidal and / or pyramid-shaped tank body (2B, 2C).

12. Body armor according to claim 11, characterized in that the cones or truncated cones of adjacent layers of armor bodies (2B, 2C) face each other.

13. Body armor according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that between a first layer (3C) and a second layer (3D) of a matrix arrangement, an intermediate layer (3E) of in cavity regions (3F) arranged filling elements (5) is provided.

14. Body armor according to claim 13, characterized in that the filling elements (5) are arranged in non-overlapping and / or overlapping weak zones of the first layer (3C) and the second layer (3D) of the matrix arrangement.

15. Body protection armor according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular according to claim 10, characterized in that at least the armor elements of one layer (3C, 3D) of a matrix arrangement have, in particular, recesses (6) close to the edges or molding surfaces close to the edge, which coincide with the surface areas of the Tank elements of the other layer formschlussergänzend are.

16. Body armor according to one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that the armor elements of adjacent layers (3C, 3D) of the matrix arrangement are supported pointwise, linear or planar to each other.

17. Body armor according to one of claims 10 or 13 to 16, characterized in that the armor elements are approximately plate-shaped, in particular embossed, elements (2D).

18. Body armor according to one of claims 10 to 17, characterized in that the armor elements at least a first layer of a matrix array (3) have a floor plan with curved edge portions such that the adjacent in this position armor elements unoccupied Areas chen areas between them ,

19. Body armor according to one of claims 10 to 18, characterized in that the armor elements of a second layer (3C) of the matrix arrangement have a planer shape deviating from the armor elements of the first layer (3D) of the matrix arrangement.

20. Body armor according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the matrix arrangement is applied to a sufficiently flexible substrate (4), such as on a textile layer.

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