EP3344944A1 - Protective armour gear - Google Patents
Protective armour gearInfo
- Publication number
- EP3344944A1 EP3344944A1 EP16810100.4A EP16810100A EP3344944A1 EP 3344944 A1 EP3344944 A1 EP 3344944A1 EP 16810100 A EP16810100 A EP 16810100A EP 3344944 A1 EP3344944 A1 EP 3344944A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- armour
- gear
- structural
- wearer
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
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
- F41H1/00—Personal protection gear
- F41H1/02—Armoured or projectile- or missile-resistant garments; Composite protection fabrics
-
- 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
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
- A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
- A41D13/0002—Details of protective garments not provided for in groups A41D13/0007 - A41D13/1281
- A41D13/0005—Joints
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
- A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
- A41D13/015—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches with shock-absorbing means
Definitions
- the present invention relates to the technical field of protective gear for soldiers, police, security personnel, and similar professions exposed to bodily harm.
- the human body is generally vulnerable to bodily harm and injury from weapons such as pistols, rifles, shrapnel, and bombs.
- An intentionally wounded person will inevitably suffer generally large pain and wounds may take long time to heal, incur amputation, or lead to death.
- Armour has been used for thousands of years, but until recently soldiers have been regarded as expendable; those harmed or injured could easily be replaced by pouring in fresh blood, and only few were realistically armoured.
- the protective gear generally increases in weight and extent with increasing weapon size or penetration capacity of the enemy.
- the weight of the protective armour gear may be more than 12 to 15 kg. or more.
- the upper torso and head is usually most exposed and vulnerable, and more critically injured.
- the protective gear usually comprises several levels with so-called “single handheld weapon protection” in the inner layer; and so-called “two hand operated gun protection” centrally arranged on the front chest and back.
- Such protective armour is integrated into special designed vests and / or jackets which are available in numerous different embodiments.
- the weight of the protective gear is transferred via the vest or jacket to the user's lower neck and shoulders, again loading the spine, then the hips and the legs.
- Those do all restrict the mobility of the torso, particularly the upper torso and the shoulders of the person wearing the ordinary protective vest or jacket.
- the soldier or police officer wearing a significant load of armour gear on his shoulders will have his shoulder and upper arm muscles and joints weighted down.
- the soldier's capacity to elevate a single hand operated or a two hand operated gun up to aiming and firing position will be slowed and made less precise under the load. He will also experience a bothering shake during aiming and pulling off the trigger when his shoulders and upper arms are loaded down by armour gear.
- armour gear loaded shoulders and upper arms of the wearer in an aiming position will significantly prevent the wearer's capacity of reacting to re-aim on a moving target or shifting to a new appearing target.
- a critical unit in modern protective gear is the helmet and its protective function for the head, neck and face, including a visor.
- a visor Under an elevated level of threat one have to use a larger, heavier armoured helmet and a heavier, less penetrable visor which will be hard to carry for the head and neck.
- the helmet and visor is so heavily dimensioned and as such will provide impact protection, the dynamic effect from an impact from a high energy projectile may as such incur a broken neck of the soldier.
- DE102007048106 A describes an armour that has a carrying sleeve with bombardment-restraining protective elements fastened to a hip belt such that the protective elements are supported at the hip of a carrier.
- US2007079415 A describes a ballistic vest having an articulated body armor component and duty gear support component connected together such that the body armor and duty gear support component each support the weight of duty gear items positioned on a duty gear belt.
- US2011185483 A describes a modular body armour system which includes an upper shoulder harness in which shoulder straps are pivotally rotatable relative to each other and also to front and back connecting bridges that define a closed loop for the harness.
- US20120180178 A describes an armor apparatus.
- the armor apparatus is in the form of the vest or carrier including, in several exemplary embodiments, one or more armor plates.
- WO2011002784 A describes support assemblies releasably extending between a ballistic vest and a waist encircling belt transfer the loads from the vest to the belt relieving the stress on the wearer ' s shoulders and spine.
- WO20130008001 A describes a load carriage frame including a shoulder a yoke and a belt separated from the yoke by a connecting brace.
- the present invention overcomes some of the problems of the prior art in obtaining a load transfer, from the protective armour and more directly transferred to near the hips of the soldier, not his shoulders or neck.
- the present invention allows full or partial unloading of the helmet and visor support from the head to the protective gear's shoulder arches so as for supporting the helmet and visor and also to take the dynamic loads of an impact which would otherwise have been taken by the soldier's neck.
- a main object of the present invention is to disclose a protective gear solving at least some of the problems of the prior art.
- Fig. 1 illustrates a front elevation view of a soldier wearing a protective gear of an embodiment of the invention.
- Fig. 2 illustrates a rear elevation view of a soldier wearing the protective gear of the same.
- Fig. 3 illustrates a right lateral elevation view of the same.
- Fig. 4 illustrates cross-sections of fore and / or aft vertical branches (IF, IB), one embodiment having an internal channel.
- the invention is a protective armour gear comprising
- a main belt (3) for attachment around a wearer's hips, a right and a left side junction (2, 2) on said main belt (3) and arranged near said wearer's hip joints,
- junctions (2, 2) holds a right and left side, generally "V” or “U” shaped fork structural element (1, 1) by their lower, middle portion (lv, lv) connected on said right and left side junction (2, 2), respectively,
- each said fork structural element (1, 1) has a fore vertical branch (IF, IF) extending up along the wearer's frontal chest to an elevation near his right and left collar bone, respectively, with a separation of about one half of the wearer's chest width;
- each said fork structural element (1, 1) further has a rear or back vertical branch (IB, IB) extending up along the wearer's back to an elevation near his right and left shoulder wing, respectively, and having a separation of about one half of the wearer's back width,
- fore attachment elements (6F, 6F) on said fore vertical branches (IF, IF) for holding a frontal chest armour plate on or between said fore vertical branches (F, IF), and
- rear attachment elements (6R, 6R) on said rear or back vertical branches (IB, IB) for holding a back armour plate on or between said rear vertical branches (IB, IB).
- Each fork structural element (1, l)'s fore vertical branch (IF, IF) may extend from a common portion of the structural element (1, 1) near its corresponding said junction (lv, lv) and extend up along the wearer's frontal chest.
- IF, IF fore vertical branch
- a similar structure may also be formed with the aft vertical branches. This common portion near the junction may have a general downward-pointed triangular shape as shown in Fig 3.
- the attachment elements (6R, 6F) may comprise velcro bands, strings, buttons, or similar attachment element types.
- the entire structure is generally continuous around the wearer's chest.
- the fork structural elements are made with deeply extending armpits formed by the U- or V- structure of the fork structural elements.
- the protective armour gear of the invention may be described as a main hip belt (3) holding at its right and left hip-joint near portions, right and left junctions (2, 2) for holding a right and left upright two-armed body-enveloping fork (1, 1) by its lower junction (lv, lv), the fore and aft branches (IF, IB) of each fork extending up along the left and right side of the chest and back on either sides of the torso, the left and right branches (IF, IF) on the chest arranged for carrying a frontal antiballistic plate, and correspondingly on the back.
- one or both of the front or rear antiballistic plates may be replaced by other gear such as battery packs, radio equipment in situations wherein one or both of the antiballistic plates are not strictly required.
- One may also replace the rear armour plate with a backpack, which itself may carry armour.
- the protective armour gear of the invention in this embodiment further comprises a right and a left structural vertical shoulder arch (4R, 4L) extending from front to rear above the wearer's shoulders, please see Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
- the right and left structural shoulder arch (4R, 4L) are both connected from an upper portion of said right and left fore vertical branch (IF, IF) and an upper portion of said right and left rear vertical branch (IB, IB), respectively, and extend above the wearers' shoulders.
- Each structural shoulder arch (4R, 4L) is arranged to provide structural support for further armour plates, such as shoulder armour plates, helmet, or other equipment. Further, the structural arches provide stability to the right and left vertical branches, respectively, and contribute to a semi-rigid cage structure about the torso. Please notice that those shoulder archers (4R, 4L) generally do not load weight from the protective gear onto the shoulders. The load of the protective gear, among others the weight of the fore and aft antiballistic plates, is generally directed down via the structural fork elements to the main belt on the hips. This feature provides some of the core advantages over the prior art.
- the protective armour gear of the invention comprises a right and a left structural lateral shoulder arch (4RL, 4LL) extending angled outward relative to their straight counterparts (4R, 4L), sub
- the right and left structural shoulder arch (4R, 4L) also connected from an upper portion of said right and left fore vertical branch (IF, IF) and an upper portion of said right and left rear vertical branch (IB, IB), respectively, each structural shoulder arch (4R, 4L) to provide structural support for further armour plates, such as shoulder armour plates, or other equipment.
- Those elements may be arranged pivotal so as for allowing elevating the arms in the lateral direction, please see Fig. 2.
- Shoulder shields (9) may be arranged on the vertical and lateral shoulder arches. The shoulder shields (9) may be attached pivotal on the shoulder archers (4R, 4L) in order to allow elevating the shoulder or upper arm, e.g. for allowing aiming, climbing, etc, thus not restricting the mobility of the shoulders.
- said right and left side junctions (2, 2) on said main belt (3) form generally rigid, non-pivoting junctions between said main belt and said left and right middle portions (lv, lv), respectively.
- said right and left side junction (2, 2) comprise a right and and a left side pivot axle or link axis (2, 2) extending horizontally out to the right and left side, respectively, on said main belt (3), and having said right and left side, generally "V” or “U” shaped fork structural element (1, 1) with its lower middle portion pivotally connected on said right and left side junction (2, 2). This may provide even more mobility than a rigid junction.
- said left and right side "V"- or "U”-shaped fork structural elements (1, 1) are each shaped as a bent plate-shaped element with a common face of its middle portion (lv, lv) and its fore and aft vertical branches (IF, IB) draped along the right and left sides of the wearers' torso, respectively.
- IF, IB fore and aft vertical branches
- At least said main belt (3), and said right and left fork structural elements (1, 1) are arranged in a body-near or tight-fitting configuration for being worn near the skin or just above the underwear. This may provide the smallest and more stable configuration of the armour gear of the invention.
- the aft vertical branches may carry a backpack directly, interchangeable with an antiballistic plate.
- the front and back armour plate usually is made to cover about half the width of the chest and back, respectively, as such providing no antiballistic protection on either sides of the torso.
- said right and left structural elements (1, 1) comprise antiballistic armour plates.
- Further antiballistic armour may be attached to the protective armour gear of the invention, such as antiballistic shoulder covers indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, neck protective antiballistic cover (7), etc, according to the level of threat.
- said left and right side structural elements (1, 1) are made in flexible and bending elastic fibre composite material or thermoplastic material such as ABS plastic, PC polycarbonate, PET.
- said left and right side structural elements (1,1) comprise light metal such panels or profile elements of aluminium or titanium. This will ensure light overall weight and high strength and durability of the protective gear.
- the right and left structural vertical shoulder arch (4R, 4L) may be made as flexible and bending elastic arch-shaped rods of fibre composite material or thermoplastic material such as ABS plastic.
- one or more of said fore and aft vertical branches are provided with first internal channel (1FC, 1BC) extending along its length, please see Fig. 4.
- first internal channel (1FC, 1BC) extending along its length
- said right and left structural vertical shoulder arch (4R, 4L) may comprise a second internal channel (4RC, 4LC) connected to one or more of said first internal channels.
- Such internal channels reduce the weight to strength ratio of the protective gear , but may further provide ventilation paths through the channels allowing air to be conducted through the protective gear to air outlets (4RCO, 4LCO) to prevent excess heating as such heating may prove a significant problem when wearing armour gear and combat equipment.
- Such ventilation air may be provided by a small pump connected to an inlet on the internal channels.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NO20151563A NO20151563A1 (en) | 2015-11-16 | 2015-11-16 | Protective armour gear |
PCT/NO2016/050228 WO2017086800A1 (en) | 2015-11-16 | 2016-11-14 | Protective armour gear |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3344944A1 true EP3344944A1 (en) | 2018-07-11 |
Family
ID=55443297
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP16810100.4A Withdrawn EP3344944A1 (en) | 2015-11-16 | 2016-11-14 | Protective armour gear |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20180321017A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3344944A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA3004699A1 (en) |
NO (1) | NO20151563A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2017086800A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP3902609A4 (en) | 2018-12-26 | 2022-12-07 | Chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) | Adjustable full-body protection gear |
NO345846B1 (en) * | 2020-01-15 | 2021-08-30 | Nfm As | Anti-ballistic plate assembly |
US11385028B1 (en) * | 2021-05-05 | 2022-07-12 | Point Blank Enterprises, Inc. | Removable and stowable throat guard |
Family Cites Families (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2196124A (en) * | 1938-05-19 | 1940-04-02 | Herman E Smith | Football player's equipment |
US3029810A (en) * | 1960-08-01 | 1962-04-17 | Verner L Martin | Back brace |
US5987654A (en) * | 1997-11-19 | 1999-11-23 | Bauer, Inc. | Light-weight shoulder pads |
ITMI20031079A1 (en) * | 2003-05-29 | 2004-11-30 | St Microelectronics Srl | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO DEDIFY DIGITAL IMAGES |
US7712148B2 (en) * | 2005-10-07 | 2010-05-11 | Safariland, Llc | Articulated body armor/duty gear support vest |
DE102007048106B4 (en) * | 2007-10-05 | 2010-04-08 | Mehler Vario System Gmbh | protective vest |
GB0811480D0 (en) * | 2008-06-23 | 2008-07-30 | Bcb Int Ltd | Articulated modular armour |
US20120180178A1 (en) | 2008-11-17 | 2012-07-19 | Armorsmith Company | Armor carrier and method |
US9185964B2 (en) | 2009-06-30 | 2015-11-17 | LineWeight, LLC | Personal load distribution device |
GB201111834D0 (en) | 2011-07-11 | 2011-08-24 | Searle Matthew J | Load carriage frame for armour vests and method of fabrication thereof |
-
2015
- 2015-11-16 NO NO20151563A patent/NO20151563A1/en unknown
-
2016
- 2016-11-14 US US15/773,949 patent/US20180321017A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2016-11-14 EP EP16810100.4A patent/EP3344944A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2016-11-14 WO PCT/NO2016/050228 patent/WO2017086800A1/en active Application Filing
- 2016-11-14 CA CA3004699A patent/CA3004699A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2017086800A1 (en) | 2017-05-26 |
CA3004699A1 (en) | 2017-05-26 |
US20180321017A1 (en) | 2018-11-08 |
NO340072B1 (en) | 2017-03-06 |
NO20151563A1 (en) | 2017-03-06 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US8370962B2 (en) | Rapid doffing vest | |
US6961958B1 (en) | Concealable ballistic protective pants with tail bone coverage | |
US8479312B2 (en) | Protective garments having quick release systems and associated methods | |
US11098982B2 (en) | Integrated body armor harness system | |
US20110131694A1 (en) | Ballistic shield support undergarments | |
WO2011103519A1 (en) | Plate carrier | |
AU2020203969B2 (en) | Female protective vest | |
US20120167267A1 (en) | Cut away vest with multiple release modes | |
US20180321017A1 (en) | Protective armour gear | |
US20150040457A1 (en) | Firearm Stabilization Apparatus | |
US8484878B2 (en) | Firearm stabilization apparatus | |
US10077973B2 (en) | Ballistic shield for a firearm | |
US20100269234A1 (en) | Close quarter battle chaps | |
Breeze et al. | Comparing the comfort and potential military performance restriction of neck collars from the body armor of six different countries | |
US20100212485A1 (en) | Arm Guards | |
RU130061U1 (en) | ARMOR VEST "7B-VV" | |
KR101897804B1 (en) | Plate carrier for combining combat vest | |
US20180051961A1 (en) | Lower body protective armor | |
EP2267398A1 (en) | Ballistic vest, assembly and method for adjusting such a vest | |
Dalenius | Adapting the Swedish Armed Forces medical services to meet new challenges | |
CN210180279U (en) | Novel dress protector of 95 formula machine gun for class | |
RU214410U1 (en) | ARMORED SHIELD FOR HUMAN PROTECTION | |
CN209926988U (en) | Novel dress protector of 88 formula sniper rifle | |
CN214372038U (en) | Light explosion-proof tactical vest | |
RU207886U1 (en) | Transport modular vest with emergency release device |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: UNKNOWN |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION HAS BEEN MADE |
|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: REQUEST FOR EXAMINATION WAS MADE |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 20180406 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR |
|
AX | Request for extension of the european patent |
Extension state: BA ME |
|
GRAP | Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: GRANT OF PATENT IS INTENDED |
|
DAV | Request for validation of the european patent (deleted) | ||
DAX | Request for extension of the european patent (deleted) | ||
INTG | Intention to grant announced |
Effective date: 20181010 |
|
GRAS | Grant fee paid |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
|
18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 20190221 |