IL229452A

IL229452A - Lightweight bar armor

Info

Publication number: IL229452A
Application number: IL229452A
Authority: IL
Inventors: Niezgoda Tadeusz; Panowicz Robert; Sybilski Kamil
Original assignee: Wojskowa Akad Tech; Niezgoda Tadeusz; Panowicz Robert; Sybilski Kamil
Priority date: 2011-05-27
Filing date: 2013-11-14
Publication date: 2017-09-28
Also published as: EP2715271B1; PL2715271T3; EP2715271A1; PL217168B1; PL395023A1; WO2012163859A1; IL229452A0

Description

229452/3 A LIGHTWEIGHT BAR ARMOR DESCRIPTION TECHNICAL FIELD The object of the invention is a lightweight bar armor. It relates in general to the technical field of armors and blasting.

BACKGROUND ART A number of passive protection arrangements can be currently used against cumulative projectile missiles. When protecting vehicles, it is important not to compromise the vehicle mobility and therefore to provide an armor which is both lightweight and effective. This can be achieved by bar armors, which are mounted at a certain distance from the vehicle.

The US patent US3765301 presents a lightweight ribbed composite armor, which comprises a combination of a steel ribbed plate bolted to an aluminum tank shell, wherein the ribbed plate is made up of a series of short vertical or inclined high hardness plates welded to a lower hardness steel plate, wherein the initial ribbed plates break up the incoming projectile and the aluminum tank shell absorbs the fragmented projectile. In order to effectively protect the vehicle from RPG-type projectiles, this requires use plates of relatively large dimensions, which results in a relatively high weight of the armor.

The PCT application W02009064263 discloses a bar armor for protecting a vehicle from RPG-type projectiles, comprising a panel comprised of a plurality of spaced, generally parallel bars positioned in spaced outward relation to the body of the vehicle. The bars may have a circular, square or rectangular cross-section. Use of massive bars results in a relatively high weight of the armor. 229452/3 surface (32), the main surface (32) being perpendicular to the main plane of the bar panel (20).

Preferably, the perforations of the flat bars (1 1 , 21 , 31 ) have a form of circular (13, 23, 33) and/or elongated (14, 24, 34) holes.

Preferably, the perforations of the flat bars (1 1 , 21 , 31 ) constitute between 20% and 30%, or between 30% and 40%, or between 40% and 50%, or at least 50% of the total area of the flat bar (1 1 , 21 , 31 ). Preferably, the flat bars (1 1 , 21 ) have slots (16, 26) extending from the edge of the bar (1 1 , 21 ) for coupling the flat bars (1 1 ) of the frame (10) with the flat bars (21 ) of the bar panel (20).

Preferably, the flat bars (1 1 ) of the frame (10) are welded or glued with the flat bars (21 ) of the bar panel (20).

Preferably, the flat bars (21 ) of the bar panel (20) have toothed front edges (25).

Preferably, the flat bars (1 1 ) of the frame (10) have toothed front edges (15).

Preferably, the toothed front edges (15, 25) have a higher hardness than the remaining portions of the flat bars (1 1 , 21 ).

Preferably, the external surface of the flat bars (1 1 , 21 , 31 ) is hardened.

Use of perforated flat bars in the bar panel, the flat bars being arranged at an angle, preferably perpendicularly, to the main plane of the bar panel, allows to achieve relatively low weight of the 18 229452/3 armor and provide high resistance against missiles. Moreover, use of toothed edges of the flat bars increases the efficiency of destroying incoming missiles.

The armor is especially useful when mounted on light vehicles, which are normally not protected from cumulative projectile missiles. This increases the safety of both the vehicle and its passengers. When the armor is used on heavy vehicles, then its low weight allows reduction of consumption of fuel and greases, as well as lower wear and tear of the components of the vehicle. Moreover, it does not reduce significantly the mobility of the vehicle due to relatively low weight increase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The present invention is shown by means of exemplary embodiments on a drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a fragment of the bar armor according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a single bar constituting the panel, Fig. 3 shows a single element of the frame.

Fig. 4 shows an attachment element. 19 229452/3 MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Fig. 1 shows a fragment of the bar armor according to the invention. The shape of the armor can be adapted to the particular object, in particular a vehicle, to be protected. The armor comprises a bar panel 20 mounted on a frame 10, and attachable to the protected object by means of attachments 30.

The bar panel 20 of the armor comprises a plurality of flat bars 21 , as shown in Fig. 2, arranged preferably in parallel to each other, which are perforated over their main surface 22. The distance between the flat bars 21 should be preferably about 80% of the largest diameter of the projectiles from which the vehicle is to be typically protected. The perforation holes 23, 24 have shapes and distribution according to the particular needs of the armor. Preferably, they are evenly distributed. The holes may be circular 23 or elongated 24. The shape and distribution of perforation holes 23, 24 may vary depending on the position of the bar 21 within the panel. Preferably, the area of the perforation holes is between 20% and 30%, or between 30% and 40%, or between 40% and 50%, or at least 50% of the total area of the flat bar 21 .

The frame 10 is also formed of flat bars 1 1 as shown in Fig. 3. The perforation holes 13, 14 in the main surface 12 of the flat bars 1 1 are arranged in a similar manner as in the flat bars 21 . The flat bars 1 1 are mounted such that their main surface 12 is substantially perpendicular to the main surface of the armor.

The flat bars 1 1 , 21 comprise slots 16, 26 to facilitate assembly of the bar panel 10 on the frame 20. The slots 16, 26 preferably have a length of 50% of the width of the flat bar, such that when the flat bars 1 1 , 21 are assembled, their front edges are arranged in one plane. The inclination of the slots 16 defines the inclination of the flat bars 21 with respect to the main plane of the bar panel 20. Preferably, the main surfaces 22 of the flat bars 21 are inclined at an angle from 30 to 90 to the 20 229452/3 main surface of the bar panel 20, i.e. the main surface of the armor. Typically, they are arranged at an angle of 90°, i.e. perpendicularly, as shown in Fig. 1 . The inclination depends on the expected angle of missile impact. For larger panels covering large area of the body of the vehicle, the angle of inclination of the flat bars 21 with respect to the plane of the panel 20 may vary depending on the area of the panel.

The flat bars 1 1 of the frame 10 can be welded or glued with the flat bars 21 of the bar panel 20. The coupling by slots 16, 26 and welding/gluing provides particularly high strength of the armor.

Therefore, the perforation holes 13, 14, 23, 24 significantly reduce the weight of the flat bars 1 1 , 21 , but as the edges of the flat bars 1 1 , 21 are directed towards the expected direction of missile impact, the armor is highly resistant.

Moreover, the flat bars 1 1 , 21 may have toothed front edges 15, 25, i.e. the edges directed towards the expected direction of missile impact, which increase the efficiency of destroying cumulative projectile missiles. The teeth are preferably triangular, with the height of the triangle equal about 50% of the base thereof.

The attachments 30 may also have a form of perforated flat bars, as shown in Fig. 3, with perforation holes 33, 34 in the main surface 32 of the flat bars 31 arranged in a similar manner as in the flat bars 21 .

The flat bars 1 1 , 21 , 31 are preferably made of steel, which provides good strength and can be easily perforated using laser cutting or water-jet cutting. Preferably, the material from which the flat bars 1 1 , 21 , 31 are made is treated, for example by nitrogenizing, carbureting or hardening such that its external surface has higher hardness than the interior part, in order to provide both hardness 21