WO2008149193A2

WO2008149193A2 - Bullet-proof and/or stab -proof protective jacket

Info

Publication number: WO2008149193A2
Application number: PCT/IB2008/001367
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Fenzi
Original assignee: Lenzi Egisto S.P.A.
Priority date: 2007-06-07
Filing date: 2008-05-29
Publication date: 2008-12-11
Also published as: ITMI20070208U1; WO2008149193A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bullet-proof and/or stab-proof protective jacket (1), comprising a reinforced textile structure, which is designed to cover the user' s bust and comprises a front portion(2) and a rear portionO), wherein said portions (2, 3) are made as one piece and can be closed one with the other so as to form a protective structure closed by way of a side fastening element (9) joined laterally to the rear portion (3) or the front portion(2). The side fastening element(9) is provided with adjustable connection means (10, 11) apt to let the side fastening element (9) adhere to the outer surface of the jacket (1). Thus, the protective jacket (1) can be easily and rapidly put on and ensures a high protection degree on the whole surface thereof.

Description

"BULLET-PROOF AND/OR STAB-PROOF PROTECTIVE JACKET"

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a bullet-proof and/or stab-proof protective jacket. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bullet-proof and/or stab-proof protective jacket having an enhanced structure so as to ensure high protection against penetration of bullets from firearms and/or sharp objects such as blades, stilettos and the like. As is known, bullet-proof and/or stab-proof protective jackets are generally waistcoat-like garments, used for instance by armies and police in order to protect the user's bust from shots. These protective jackets have a reinforced structure so as to reduce the impact of a bullet preventing the latter from penetrating the jacket. This reinforced structure can further effectively prevent sharp objects such as blades, stilettos or the like from penetrating, so as to ensure a higher safety level for the user. The reinforced structure is generally obtained by means of plates made of materials with high mechanical resistance, such as metals, in particular aluminum or steel, or ceramic materials, which are associated with multilayered textile materials made of high tenacity fibers, such as aramide fibers (e.g. Kevlar or the like) , polyester or polyamide fibers (e.g. nylon) . Because of the high stiffness and of the weight of the materials used, the shape of a bullet-proof and/or stab-proof protective jacket is designed so as to im- prove the comfort thereof and to make it as easy as possible for the user to put on or take off the jacket. In general, said shape is waistcoat-like, i.e. a sleeveless shape, open on both sides so as to enable the jacket to be slipped on from the head without hav- ing to simultaneously slip the arms into suitable openings, which operation, because of the high stiffness, would be very difficult or even impossible. Once placed on the shoulders, the jacket is closed on both sides by means of strings or tear-off devices (of VeI- cro type) .

The Applicant has observed that protective jackets as described above have some drawbacks related to the side openings. As a matter of fact, these openings represent weakening areas for the protective structure since the connections between the edges might open by mistake during use, thus reducing often to an unacceptable extent the protection degree for the user. Moreover, the need to close both side openings makes it longer and more complicated to put on the jacket, which may increase the risk for the user who is forced to put on the jacket in emergency conditions. The main aim of the present invention is therefore to provide for the user a bullet-proof and/or stab-proof protective jacket that can be put on easily and rap- idly, ensuring a high protection degree on the whole surface thereof ;

A further aim of the present invention is to provide for the user a bullet-proof and/or stab-proof protective jacket that, once put on, ensures a high comfort degree thanks to the possibility of easily adapting the jacket size to the user's build by way of suitable adjusting means.

These and other aims are basically achieved by a bullet-proof and/or stab-proof protective jacket accord- ing to the description of the appended claims .

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention shall be more evident from the detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a protective jacket as disclosed below with refer- ence to the accompanying drawings provided as mere non-limiting illustration, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a protective jacket according to the invention in open configuration on a plane, with the inner side facing the observer ("inner" is the side that is designed to get in contact with the user's bust, whereas "outer? is the side facing outside when the jacket is put on) ;

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the protective jacket according to the invention once put on; Fig. 3 shows a side view of the protective jacket according to the invention when put on;

Fig. 3a shows a detail of an upper^" fastening element with corresponding safety element . Referring in particular to Fig. 1, the protective jacket (1) according to the invention comprises a reinforced textile structure ^' designed to cover the user's bust, including a front portion (2), shown on the right in Fig. 1, which makes up the front structure of the jacket (1) , and a rear portion (3) , shown on the left in Fig. 1, which makes up the rear structure of the jacket (1) , both said portions (2, 3) being shaped so as to allow the user's arms and neck to pass once the jacket (1) is put on. In particular, the front portion (2) and the rear portion (3) have a first upper shaping (4) and a second upper shaping (5), respectively, apt to receive the user's neck, and a first side shaping (6) and a second side shaping (7) , respectively, apt to receive an arm, particularly the right arm, of the user once the jacket (1) is put on. The jacket (1) further has a middle shaping (8) placed as connection between the front portion (2) and the rear portion (3) , apt to receive the other arm, particularly the left arm, of the user. The front portion (2) and the rear portion (3) are made as one piece and can be connected one to the other so as to form a protective structure closed by way of a side fastening element (9) joined laterally to the rear portion (3) or the front portion (2) , said side fastening element (9) being provided with adjust- able connection means (10, 11) apt to let the side fastening element (9) adhere to the outer surface of the jacket. Thus, a monolithic protective structure without connections between separate portions is obtained, so as to ensure a high protection degree on the whole surface thereof .

As shown in Fig. 1, the rear portion (3) has on its side a side fastening element (9) , made up for instance of a strip of fabric with an approximately trapezoidal shape, applied on one side of the rear portion (3) under the second side shaping (7) . When the protective jacket (1) is put on, the side fastening element (9) is shifted to the front by the user and let adhere to the outer surface of the front portion (2) by way of suitable adjustable connection means, e.g. by means of a so-called ^whook-and-eyelet" fastening system, known on the market with the trademark Velcro^®. In Fig. 1- the numeral (10) refers to the Velcro part joined to the inner surface of the fastening element (9) , and (11) refers to the Velcro^® part complementary to the first one and joined to the outer surface of the front portion (2) . In an alternative embodiment (not shown in Fig. 1) , the side fastening element (9) can be applied on one side of the front portion (2) under the first side shaping (6) . In this case, when the jacket (1) is put on, the user will shift the side fastening element (9) to the rear so as to let it adhere to the outer surface of the rear portion (3) . The fastening position may be easily adjusted depending on the user's build thanks to the Velcro^®.

In order to easily adapt the jacket size to the user's build, upper fastening elements (12', 12"), made up for instance of strips of fabric and separated one from the other by the second upper shaping (5) , can be applied to the upper part of the rear portion (3) . The upper fastening elements (12', 12") have each adjustable connection means, made up for instance of one or more Velcro^® strips. In Fig. 1, (13') and (13") refer to the Velcro^® parts joined to the inner surface of the upper fastening elements (12', 12"), and (14') and " (14") refer to the Velcro parts complementary to the first one and joined to the outer surface of the front portion (2) on each side of the first upper shaping (4) . In order to prevent the upper fastening elements (12', 12") from unfastening by mistake during use, safety elements (15', 15") keeping them in position can be applied thereon, so as to prevent them from separating from the outer surface of the jacket (1) . These safety elements (15', 15") can be made up for instance of a Velcro^® strip associated on one end to the front portion (2) of the jacket (1) , on the connection areas between the front portion (2) and the upper fastening elements (12', 12"). After letting the latter adhere to the front portion (2) , the free end of the strip is folded upwards and connected to the corresponding upper fastening element (12', 12") whose outer surface is covered with a Velcro^® strip complementary to the first one (16', 16") . The detail of an upper fastening element (12', 12") with corresponding safety element (15', 15") is shown in Fig. 3a. A similar safety element (not shown in the figures) can be provided on the side fastening element (9) . Figs. 2 and 3 show a front view and a side view, re- spectively, of the protective jacket according to the present invention once it is put on, wherein the arrangement of the side (9) and upper (12', 12") fastening elements is shown once the protective jacket (1) is on. From these figures it can be seen that the pro- tective jacket (1) according to the present invention has a monolithic structure without connections except for one side fastener ensuring however a high protection degree thanks to the wrapping shape of the side fastening element (9) .

Claims

1. A bullet-proof and/or stab-proof protective jacket, comprising: a reinforced textile structure, which is designed to cover the user' s bust and comprises a front portion (2) and a rear portion (3) ; said portions (2, 3) being shaped so as to allow the user's arms and neck to pass once the jacket is put on,- said portions (2, 3) being made as one piece and being able to be closed one with the other so as to form a protective structure closed by way of a side fastening element (9) joined laterally to the rear portion (3) or the front portion (2) , said side fastening element (9) being provided with adjustable connection means (10, 11) apt to let the side fastening element (9) adhere to the outer surface of the j acket .

2. The protective jacket according to claim 1, wherein upper fastening elements (12', 12") are ap- plied to the upper part of the rear portion (3) , each upper fastening element (12', 12") having adjustable connection means (13'^', 14'; 13", 14") apt to let the upper fastening element (12', 12") adhere to the outer surface of the jacket.

3. The protective jacket according to claim 2, whe- rein safety elements (15', 15") apt to keep in closed position the upper fastening elements (12', 12") are applied to said upper fastening elements (12', 12").

4. The protective jacket according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a safety element apt to keep in closed position the side fastening element (9) is applied to said side fastening element (9) .

5. The protective jacket according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front portion (2) and the rear portion (3) have a first upper shaping (4) and a second upper shaping (5) , respectively, apt to receive the user's neck, and a first side shaping (6) and a second side shaping (7) , respectively, apt to receive an arm of the user once the jacket (1) is put on; said jacket further comprising a middle shaping (8) placed as connection between the front portion (2) and the rear portion (3) , apt to receive the other arm of the user.