WO2004099705A1 - Armure composite anti-balistique et procede associe - Google Patents

Armure composite anti-balistique et procede associe Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004099705A1
WO2004099705A1 PCT/US2003/010664 US0310664W WO2004099705A1 WO 2004099705 A1 WO2004099705 A1 WO 2004099705A1 US 0310664 W US0310664 W US 0310664W WO 2004099705 A1 WO2004099705 A1 WO 2004099705A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
particles
lattice
layer
flexible
cells
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2003/010664
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Frank Ko
Amotz Geshury
Hoa Lam
Original Assignee
Drexel University
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Drexel University filed Critical Drexel University
Priority to AU2003224865A priority Critical patent/AU2003224865A1/en
Priority to PCT/US2003/010664 priority patent/WO2004099705A1/fr
Publication of WO2004099705A1 publication Critical patent/WO2004099705A1/fr

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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
    • F41H5/023—Armour plate, or auxiliary armour plate mounted at a distance of the main armour plate, having cavities at its outer impact surface, or holes, for deflecting the projectile
    • 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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to protective armor, and more specifically to flexible composite armor layers having a gradient design containing particles arranged in an organized layer.
  • a variety of materials have been used to construct armor layers used in ballistic protection.
  • One objective in designing armor layers is to develop a barrier capable of partially or completely destroying the ballistic projectile.
  • Another objective is to minimize back plate deflection that can injure the person or damage an object covered by the armor.
  • Composite structures have been developed to satisfy performance objectives while complying with strict engineering standards. Many composite armor layers have a complex arrangement of metal armor layers and lighter shock absorbing materials. The assembly of these composite armor layers is often costly, and the multitude of layers often adds weight and reduces flexibility in the armor.
  • particles or pellets are used to absorb kinetic energy from a ballistic projectile.
  • Use of pellets can provide a hard face layer that has less weight than monolithic or plate layers.
  • U.S. Patent No. 6,112,635 to Cohen discloses a composite armor panel having a plurality of pellets embedded in a solid matrix material, such as plastic. The pellets and solid material are encased in a hard armor layer made of a rigid material, such as a metallic alloy. Although the panel is intended to be lighter in weight than earlier armor panels, the composite structure does not provide a mechanism for ensuring uniform arrangement of the pellets.
  • the hard armor layer provides a relatively rigid structure. Rigid armor layers have limited utility and can not be adapted for use on irregular surfaces. As a result, the capabilities of the known composite armors fall short of the needs of applications that require a combination of ballistic protection and flexibility.
  • the present invention provides a composite layer for protecting a person or object from penetration by a ballistic projectile.
  • the composite layer has a flexible lattice that forms a number of cells. Particles formed of a hard material are placed in each of the cells.
  • the lattice is made of a flexible material that conforms to the geometric contours of the person or object to be protected. The particles provide a hard layer that absorbs the impact force of a projectile and redistributes the force into weaker component forces that can be absorbed by the armor.
  • the composite armor has a first anti-ballistic layer and a second anti-ballistic layer.
  • the first anti-ballistic layer has a flexible lattice forming a plurality of cells. Each cell contains one or more particles which are packed together and collectively form a hard-face layer. As a projectile collides with the face layer, the particles create a fracture zone adjacent to the projectile that reduces projectile velocity and deforms or destroys the projectile. The particles also disperse the impact force of the projectile and distribute the force into smaller components having insufficient magnitude to inflict injury on a person or damage to an object.
  • the second anti-ballistic layer comprises a sheet formed of an impact resistant material.
  • the lattice in the first anti-ballistic layer and the sheet in the second anti- ballistic layer are flexible to conform to the geometric contours of the person or object to be protected.
  • the particles may be formed of ceramic spheres that are arranged in the cells of the lattice.
  • One or more lattice layers containing such spheres may be adjoined or stacked to form the armor.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of a composite armor layer in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a partial plan view of a face layer of the composite armor of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 3 is a partial plan view of an alternate embodiment of the face layer of Figure 2;
  • Figure 4 is a partial plan view of a further embodiment of the face layer of Figure 2;
  • Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the composite armor layer in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 6 is a block flow diagram of a method of constructing a composite armor layer in accordance with the present invention.
  • a composite armor in accordance with the present invention is shown and designated generally as 20.
  • the composite armor 20 is configured to cover a person or object and absorb energy from the impact of a high velocity projectile, such as a bullet or fragment that strikes the composite armor layer.
  • a high speed projectile 9 is shown approaching the composite layer 20 in a trajectory substantially normal to the armor layer.
  • the composite layer 20 has a gradient design comprising a face layer 30 and a backing layer 50 adjoining the face layer.
  • the gradient design offers ballistic resistance while reducing armor weight and manufacturing costs.
  • the face layer 30 and backing layer 50 are formed of flexible materials that allow the composite layer to bend and conform for a variety of uses, including but not limited to protective vests for law enforcement officers and protective armor for vehicles.
  • the composite armor 20 has an interior side 22 and exterior side 24.
  • the interior side 22 of the composite armor 20 faces the object or person when the armor is in use.
  • the exterior side 24 of the composite armor 20 is directed outwardly and receives the initial impact of ballistic projectiles.
  • the face layer 30 is disposed rearwardly from the exterior side 24 and has a flexible lattice structure 32 that forms a plurality of cells 34, as shown in Fig. 2.
  • the cells 34 are arranged in an organized geometry and contain a plurality of particles 40.
  • the particles 40 provide a hard protective layer that destroys the projectile and distributes the kinetic energy from the impacting projectile over a wide area.
  • the backing layer 50 absorbs the dispersed energy to minimize deflection of the interior side 22 of the composite armor 20, thereby reducing blunt force trauma to the person or damage to an object being protected.
  • the lattice 32 is preferably a honeycomb structure that holds the particles 40 in a uniform distribution within the face layer 30.
  • the lattice 32 may be formed of any flexible dried fabric, such as non-woven, woven, knitted, or braided fabric.
  • the dried fabric provides significant flexibility and conformability over contoured surfaces. In addition to conformability, the dried fabric provides a lighter armor design and a lower material cost than aluminum or glass.
  • Fabrics sold under the name "SPECTRA SHIELD" by Honeywell have performed well in the construction of the lattice 32. Oriented woven fabrics, such as tri-axial woven carbon fabric, have also performed well.
  • the backing layer 50 may be formed of any high strength material that is flexible to allow the composite layer to bend and conform to different surfaces.
  • the backing layer may contain glass fiber, spider silk, nylon, "KEVLAR” brand fiber, or carbon nanotube material.
  • the main objectives of composite armor layers include the destruction of the projectile and elimination of back layer deflection that occurs at the interior side of the armor. Even though a particular armor layer may be capable of deforming and deflecting a ballistic projectile that impacts the armor, deformation of the interior side of the armor may still occur, causing serious injury or damage to persons or objects covered by the armor.
  • a uniform arrangement of particles, such as the particles 40 used in the present invention has proven effective in deforming or destroying projectiles while limiting back layer deflection.
  • the particles 40 are preferably formed of a material with a low to moderate density and high hardness.
  • a variety of ceramic materials provide the desired hardness without adding significant weight to the composite armor 20. Table 1 lists the properties of four ceramic materials or composite materials that may be used to form the particles 40.
  • Spherical particles formed of ceramic material have demonstrated significant energy absorption characteristics that are comparable to monolithic or solid ceramic layers.
  • the spherical shape of the particles 40 has been found to alter the trajectory of the projectile and thereby change the incident angle of the projectile as it transfers energy to the face layer 30.
  • the incident angle of the projectile By changing the incident angle of the projectile from an angle generally normal to the face layer 30 to an oblique angle, the normal component of force and consequent deflection of the interior side 22 of the armor is reduced. This has been observed during high speed analysis when the projectile tip collides with the face layer 30 at a point between two particles.
  • the residual velocity of the projectile and consequent backplate deflection is decreased.
  • the ceramic spheres 40 are arranged in a packed geometry to transfer kinetic energy from a high velocity projectile. More specifically, the individual spheres 40 in the lattice engage one another. A packed arrangement of spheres 40 has been found to exhibit ballistic resistant properties comparable to that of solid ceramic tile, while providing a lighter weight armor by virtue of void spaces between the spheres.
  • a composite armor 120 has a face layer 130 and a backing layer 150.
  • the face layer 130 has three lattice layers 132A, 132B, and 132C in a stacked arrangement.
  • the lattices are stacked adjacent to one another to form multiple layers of spheres that engage one another in a three dimensional matrix.
  • the matrix is arranged so that cells in adjacent layers are axially offset from one another. In this way, spheres in adjacent layers are staggered so that they can be packed tightly to distribute ballistic impact forces efficiently.
  • the front side of the composite armor 20 may be covered by a covering layer similar to the backing layer.
  • a conical zone of fully fragmented material develops in front of the projectile, forming a mass of ceramic fragments or powder.
  • the projectile body is broken into fragments, stopping further penetration of the projectile.
  • the lattice 32 may be formed using a variety of known methods in the art.
  • the lattice 32 is manufactured using a folded sheet process as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,183,836.
  • the folded sheet process forms a plurality of cells 34 and a plurality of transverse bands 36 that span across the cells 34 on both sides of the lattice 32.
  • the bands 36 provide surface area which may be bonded or fastened to the backing layer 50 to connect the face layer 30 to the backing layer.
  • the spheres are bound together in the lattice using a resin.
  • the lattice structure may be formed with various cell sizes and shapes to accept different sized spheres. Although honeycomb shaped cells have been described thus far, a variety of cell shapes may be formed in the lattice without departing from the scope of the invention.
  • the lattice may be formed from a variety of commercially available lattice structures, such as commercially available honeycomb lattices. Where a folded sheet process is used, holes may be cut in the fabric to accommodate a particular sphere diameter. As stated earlier, the lattice 32 may hold a plurality of particles of uniform size.
  • the chosen sphere size depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the projectile that is anticipated to strike the composite armor 20. In general, spheres with diameters smaller than the cross section of the projectile provide greater velocity reduction and less deflection of the interior side.
  • the face layer 30 is shown with cells 34 each containing a single sphere 40.
  • Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the face layer 30 in which each cell 34 contains a plurality of small spheres 40'.
  • the small spheres 40' in each cell 34 are encased in a solid material, such as an epoxy.
  • the cells 34 may also contain a plurality of spheres having non- uniform sizes.
  • each cell 34 contains a primary sphere 40A and a plurality of smaller secondary spheres 40B that surround the primary sphere.
  • the primary sphere 40A and secondary spheres 40B in each cell 34 are encased in a solid material, such as an epoxy.
  • the composite armor 20 has been described with ceramic spheres, a variety of shapes may be used within the scope of the invention.
  • the flexible lattice or lattices may contain a plurality of cylindrical shaped particles, or rectangular tiles, or other polygonal objects.
  • a method for constructing a composite armor according to this invention is shown and designated generally as 100. Individual steps of the method are represented in block diagram form, designated generally by reference numbers 200-1200.
  • the composite armor is formed by first selecting an appropriate fabric sheet for the face layer in step 200.
  • the fabric sheet is processed to form a lattice that contains the particles in the face layer.
  • the lattice is manufactured using the folded sheet process described in U.S. Patent No. 6,183,836, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • a cutting template is fabricated and placed over the fabric.
  • the template is fabricated with openings that correspond to the desired dimensions for the cells in the lattice.
  • the fabric sheet is cut to form a plurality of rectangular openings in step 400.
  • the sheet may be cut using a hot knife, heated stamping, laser cutting or other cutting procedure.
  • step 500 the process proceeds to step 500 wherein the sheet is folded along first edges of each rectangular opening to form alternating channels in the sheet.
  • step 600 the sheet is then folded in a direction perpendicular to the first direction along second edges of each rectangular opening.
  • the fabric sheet is compressed in directions parallel to the first and second fold directions in step 700.
  • strips between the cut sections converge at intermittent locations to form hexagonal cells.
  • step 800 sections that contact each other, i.e. "contact points”, are bonded together to hold the shape of the hexagonal cells. Construction of the lattice structure is essentially completed at this point.
  • the backing layer is cut from one or more layers of fabric, placed into a mold cavity and consolidated in a hot press.
  • the lattice is then spread out, and particles are placed in the cells to form an organized face layer in step 1000.
  • each cell may contain one or more particles of uniform or non-uniform size.
  • the particles are bonded in place in the cells by filling the cells with a binding compound in step 1100.
  • the binding compound is an epoxy resin.
  • the face layer is placed on top of the backing layer in the mold cavity and bonded to the backing layer in step 1200.
  • the binding compound is preferably an epoxy resin.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention porte sur une armure composite (20) destinée à protéger une personne ou un objet de blessure ou dommage provoqué par un projectile à haute vitesse (9). L'armure composite (20) comporte une couche absorbant l'énergie (30) contenant un ou plusieurs treillis (32), chaque treillis étant constitué d'un nombre d'alvéoles. Le ou les treillis (32) sont formés dans un tissu souple. Chaque alvéole du treillis (32) contient une ou plusieurs particules (40) formées dans un matériau dur. Les particules (40) peuvent être formées dans divers matériaux, tels que mais pas exclusivement, un matériau céramique. Selon une forme d'exécution de cette invention, une feuille formée dans un tissu flexible anti-balistique (50) est placée sur la couche absorbant l'énergie (30).
PCT/US2003/010664 2003-04-04 2003-04-04 Armure composite anti-balistique et procede associe WO2004099705A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2003224865A AU2003224865A1 (en) 2003-04-04 2003-04-04 Anti-ballistic composite armor and associated method
PCT/US2003/010664 WO2004099705A1 (fr) 2003-04-04 2003-04-04 Armure composite anti-balistique et procede associe

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2003/010664 WO2004099705A1 (fr) 2003-04-04 2003-04-04 Armure composite anti-balistique et procede associe

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004099705A1 true WO2004099705A1 (fr) 2004-11-18

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PCT/US2003/010664 WO2004099705A1 (fr) 2003-04-04 2003-04-04 Armure composite anti-balistique et procede associe

Country Status (2)

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AU (1) AU2003224865A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2004099705A1 (fr)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2422086A (en) * 2005-01-14 2006-07-19 Terence Halliwell Dymanic body armour
WO2007146259A2 (fr) * 2006-06-14 2007-12-21 Hexcel Corporation Sous-ensembles composites et méthodes pour réaliser et utiliser lesdits SOUS-ENSEMBLES
US20090139091A1 (en) * 2007-09-27 2009-06-04 Honeywell International Inc, Field installation of a vehicle protection system
US7866248B2 (en) 2006-01-23 2011-01-11 Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc Encapsulated ceramic composite armor
CN105398099A (zh) * 2015-10-26 2016-03-16 湖南大学 一种梯度蜂窝复合体及其制作方法和应用结构
US9733049B1 (en) * 2004-12-08 2017-08-15 Armordynamics, Inc. Reactive armor system and method
CN114894038A (zh) * 2022-05-24 2022-08-12 湖南大学 一种空间交替拓扑互锁结构柔性仿生复合装甲及制备方法

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2149482A (en) * 1981-08-13 1985-06-12 Harry Apprich Projectile-proof material
US5110661A (en) * 1985-07-02 1992-05-05 Dorothy Groves Armor component
EP0611943A1 (fr) * 1993-02-19 1994-08-24 Meggitt (U.K.) Limited Cuivesse flexible protégeant contre une pénétration
US5349893A (en) * 1992-02-20 1994-09-27 Dunn Eric S Impact absorbing armor

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2149482A (en) * 1981-08-13 1985-06-12 Harry Apprich Projectile-proof material
US5110661A (en) * 1985-07-02 1992-05-05 Dorothy Groves Armor component
US5349893A (en) * 1992-02-20 1994-09-27 Dunn Eric S Impact absorbing armor
EP0611943A1 (fr) * 1993-02-19 1994-08-24 Meggitt (U.K.) Limited Cuivesse flexible protégeant contre une pénétration

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9733049B1 (en) * 2004-12-08 2017-08-15 Armordynamics, Inc. Reactive armor system and method
GB2422086A (en) * 2005-01-14 2006-07-19 Terence Halliwell Dymanic body armour
US7866248B2 (en) 2006-01-23 2011-01-11 Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc Encapsulated ceramic composite armor
WO2007146259A2 (fr) * 2006-06-14 2007-12-21 Hexcel Corporation Sous-ensembles composites et méthodes pour réaliser et utiliser lesdits SOUS-ENSEMBLES
WO2007146259A3 (fr) * 2006-06-14 2008-02-14 Hexcel Corp Sous-ensembles composites et méthodes pour réaliser et utiliser lesdits SOUS-ENSEMBLES
US20090139091A1 (en) * 2007-09-27 2009-06-04 Honeywell International Inc, Field installation of a vehicle protection system
CN105398099A (zh) * 2015-10-26 2016-03-16 湖南大学 一种梯度蜂窝复合体及其制作方法和应用结构
CN114894038A (zh) * 2022-05-24 2022-08-12 湖南大学 一种空间交替拓扑互锁结构柔性仿生复合装甲及制备方法

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