WO2020237365A1

WO2020237365A1 - A composite armor plate and method of making a composite armor plate

Info

Publication number: WO2020237365A1
Application number: PCT/CA2020/050710
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jack J. MASSARELLO; Robert A. SOTELO; Zachary B. Spencer; Brian E. Spencer; Andrew H. Weisberg
Original assignee: Global Metallix Canada Inc.
Priority date: 2019-05-28
Filing date: 2020-05-26
Publication date: 2020-12-03

Abstract

A composite armor plate and a process for making the composite armor plate are provided. The armor plate is composed of a plurality of sheets of fabric each coated with a resin of tough polymer. The fabric sheets are adhered together by co-curing. The resulting composite armor plate can be used as a standalone armor plate or in conjunction with a steel or ceramic strike plate to form a composite armor structure.

Description

A Composite Armor Plate and Method of Making A

Composite Armor Plate

Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority from United States Provisional Patent Application No. 62/853,519 filed on May 28, 2019 entitled“Composite Armor Plate and Method of Making A Composite Armor Plate”, the contents of which are herein expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to combat armor, and more specifically to a composite armor plate and method of making a composite armor plate.

Background

[0003] It is well known that penetration-resisting impact and/or ballistic resistance materials can be manufactured from a variety of materials including metals, ceramics, fibers and plastics. Past efforts to provide protection against ballistic and impact hazards encountered in a variety of hazardous environments found around the globe offer varying degrees of success and performance. Degradation of the performance envelope is often attributable to a common drawback inherent in even the most modem field kits, namely mass. The weight of projectile-resistant materials required to provide adequate protection against hazards, such as small-arms fire or improvised explosives, is sufficiently large to constitute a significant mechanical or physical burden.

[0004] Adding any equipment to the kit of a foot soldier or vehicle intended to go in harm’s way must be carefully considered as any increase in the mass of ballistic protection results in a corresponding decrease in physical dexterity and mechanical efficiency, potentially degrading the overall contribution and desired effect of protection. Foot soldiers, law enforcement officers or combat vehicles’ burdens must be carefully considered as any increase in their weight burden results in a corresponding decrease in function and efficiency.

[0005] Recent technological advances in ballistic materials have reduced the weight of protective materials, while providing protection from fragments and small arms projectiles. However, even with such advances in materials technology, modem small arms defeating armor still presents challenges related to mass. Body armor is particularly known for decreasing its wearer’s efficiency of motion and may, in fact, cause the wearer to become a casualty as a result of fatigue or heat exhaustion. [0006] Likewise, conventional armor plate affixed to light vehicles alters the performance characteristics of the vehicle, limiting vehicle movement, egress, and user safety. Each material selected serves the specific purpose of not only mitigating the kinetics of projectiles or blasts but also in maintaining the armor’s structural integrity.

[0007] The degree of ballistic protection conferred by armor material is a function both of the area covered and the material employed. Since complete protection is impractical in most circumstances, the accepted industry practice is to provide adequate protection against such hazards often translates to protection of just the human torso or vehicle cavity.

[0008] There is a need for armor, which addresses some of the aforementioned challenges. Summary of Invention

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a composite armor plate, comprising one or more fabric sheets each coated with the resin of a tough polymer. The fabric sheets are co-cured for bonding to one another to form the composite armor plate. [0010] In one embodiment, at least some of the fabric sheets are comprised of a different fabric than the rest of the fabric sheets.

[0011] In one embodiment, at least some of the one or more fabric sheets are coated with a different tough polymer than the rest of the fabric sheets.

[0012] In one embodiment, wherein the tough polymer is a purified form Polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD). In another embodiment, the tough polymer is a thermoplastic. In one embodiment, the thermoplastic is nylon. In another embodiment, the thermoplastic is polyethylene. [0013] In one embodiment, the tough polymer is a toughened thermoset. In one particular embodiment, the toughened thermoset is urethane while in another embodiment, the toughened thermoset is epoxy. In yet another embodiment, the toughened thermoset is acrylic. [0014] In one embodiment, the fabric sheets are comprised of carbon fiber. In another embodiment, the fabric sheets are comprised of fiberglass. In one embodiment, the glass fiber is a woven roving.

[0015] In one embodiment, the fabric sheets are comprised of Polyaramid Polyparaphenylene Terephthalamide. [0016] In one embodiment, the fabric sheets are comprised of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

[0017] In one embodiment, the fabric sheets are cured separately but bonded together by means of an adhesive to form the composite armor plate.

[0018] In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an armor construct comprising the composite armor plate described above and a strike plate arranged with respect to the composite armor plate to form the armor construct.

[0019] In one embodiment, the strike plate is comprised of steel. In one embodiment, the steel is AR-500. In another embodiment, the steel is AR-600. In yet another embodiment, the strike plate is any type of steel used as a ballistic resistant material. [0020] In one embodiment, the strike plate is comprised of ceramic. In one embodiment, the ceramic is alumina. In another embodiment, the ceramic is silicon nitride. In another embodiment, the ceramic boron carbide. In another embodiment, the ceramic is Aluminum Oxide (AI2O3). In yet another embodiment, the ceramic is and silicon carbide.

[0021] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a process for making a composite armor plate. The process comprises cutting one or more fabric sheets to a particular size, applying a resin of tough polymer to each of the fabric sheets, and stacking and co-curing the fabric sheets to form the composite armor plate.

[0022] In one embodiment, applying the resin of the tough polymer comprises coating the each of the fabric sheets with the resin using a paint roller.

[0023] In one embodiment, applying the resin of the tough polymer comprises spraying the resin on each of the fabric sheets.

[0024] In one embodiment, applying the resin of the tough polymer comprises placing the fabric sheets in a casting mold with the resin.

[0025] In one embodiment, the process for making a composite armor plate further comprises pre-wetting the fabric sheets prior to placing them in the casting mold.

[0026] In one embodiment, the process for making a composite armor plate further comprises applying resin using a Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) process.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be presented with reference to the attached drawings in which:

[0028] FIG. l is a front elevation view of a composite armor plate, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the composite armor plate of FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the composite armor plate of FIG.

1, taken at the area 3 of FIG. 2;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an armor construct including a composite armor plate and a steel or ceramic strike plate, in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the armor construct of FIG. 4;

[0033] FIG. 6 is a an enlarged cross-sectional view of the armor construct of FIG. 4, taken at the area 6 of FIG. 5; and [0034] FIG. 7 is process flow diagram showing a core process of making a composite armor plate, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0035] In the present disclosure, embodiments of a composite armor plate and a process for making the composite armor plate are provided. The exemplary embodiments of armor plates are composed of one or more sheets of fabric each coated with the resin of tough polymer, which includes toughened polymer as defined below, and adhered together by co curing. The resulting composite plate can be used as a standalone armor plate or in conjunction with a steel or ceramic strike plate to form a composite armor structure.

[0036] In the present disclosure, directional terms such as“top”,“bottom”,“upwards”, “downwards”,“vertically” and“laterally” are used in the following description for the purpose of providing relative reference only, and are not intended to suggest any limitations on how any article is to be positioned during use, or to be mounted in an assembly or relative to an environment. The use of the word“a” or“an” when used herein in conjunction with the term“comprising” may mean“one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of“one or more,”“at least one” and“one or more than one.” Any element expressed in the singular form also encompasses its plural form. Any element expressed in the plural form also encompasses its singular form. The term“plurality” as used herein means more than one, for example, two or more, three or more, four or more, and the like.

[0037] In this disclosure, the terms “comprising”, “having”, “including”, and “containing”, and grammatical variations thereof, are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, un-recited elements and/or method steps. The term“consisting essentially of’ when used herein in connection with a composition, use or method, denotes that additional elements, method steps or both additional elements and method steps may be present, but that these additions do not materially affect the manner in which the recited composition, method, or use functions. The term “consisting of’ when used herein in connection with a composition, use, or method, excludes the presence of additional elements and/or method steps. [0038] In this disclosure, the terms “urethane” and “polyurethane” are used interchangeably.

[0039] In this disclosure, the term“toughened polymer” refers to a polymer resin loaded with a toughening agent. [0040] In this disclosure, the term“tough polymer” refers generally to both a polymer that is intrinsically tough (such as Polydicyclopentadiene) without requiring a toughening agent; as well as to a“toughened polymer” as defined above.

[0041] FIGS. 1-3, depict a front elevation view, cross-sectional side view, and an enlarged cross-sectional view respectively, of an armor construct 100, exemplary of an embodiment of the present disclosure. Armor construct 100 includes a composite armor plate

110

[0042] Composite armor plate 110 in turn includes one or more fabric sheets 112 each coated with a resin of tough polymer, or otherwise having a resin of tough polymer applied thereon. The fabric sheets 112 are co-cured so that they are bonded to one another as the resin solidifies.

[0043] In one embodiment, the fabric sheets 112 are all made of the same fabric type. In another embodiment, at least some of the fabric sheets 112 are made of a different fabric than the rest of the fabric sheets 112

[0044] In some embodiments, fabric sheets 112 are all coated with the resin of the same type of tough polymer whereas in another embodiment, some of the fabric sheets 112 are coated with the resin of a different polymer than the rest of the fabric sheets 112

[0045] Using different resins allows for formation of a multi-layer composite armor plate. A first group of fabric sheets may be coated with a first type of resin, while a second group is coated with a second type of resin. The first group of fabric sheets are co-cured together to bond thus forming a first composite armor plate layer. The second group of fabric sheets are co-cured together to bond thus forming a second composite armor plate layer. The first and second composite armor plates may then be adhered together by an adhesive providing a dual- layer composite armor plate. In some embodiments, the fabric sheets in the first group are of a different fabric than the fabric sheets in the second group. In this way, multi-layer composite armor plates having two or more layers may be formed.

[0046] In one specific embodiment, the tough polymer may be a purified form of Polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD). In another embodiment, the tough polymer is a thermoplastic such as nylon or polyethylene. In yet another embodiment, the tough polymer is a toughened thermoset, such as urethane, epoxy, or acrylic.

[0047] In exemplary embodiments, the fabric sheets 112 are made of fiber glass such as woven roving. In other embodiments, the fabric sheets 112 are made of carbon fiber. In yet other embodiments, the fabric sheets 112 are made of Polyaramid Polyparaphenylene Terephthalamide, known commercially as KEVLAR™. In yet other embodiments, the fabric sheets 112 are made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, such as the fabric known commercially as Spectra™.

[0048] In one specific embodiment of the composite armor plate, the fabric sheets are made of glass fiber, such as woven roving cloth, and the tough polymer used to coat the fabric sheets is a purified form of PDCPD. It has been shown that seven (7) plies of woven roving cloth coated with the purified PDCPD to yield a 0.3125 inch laminate passes the ballistic test specified in the NIJ 0101.06 Level IIIA standard.

[0049] As will be known to persons of skill in the art, NIJ Standard-0101.06, entitled “Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor,” is a minimum performance standard developed in collaboration with the Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) produced as part of the Standards and Testing Program of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

[0050] In another embodiment of the composite armor plate, the fabric sheets 112 are made of woven roving carbon fiber coated with a purified form of PDCPD. The fabric sheets 112 are stacked and bonded to one another by co-curing so as to form a 0.3 -inch laminate, which has also been shown to pass the NIJ level IIIA ballistic test noted above. [0051] A composite armor plate in which fabric sheets are made of KEVLAR™ or Spectra™ are expected to work equally well, but these fabric sheets more expensive than glass fiber or carbon fiber employed in exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0052] With reference to FIGS. 4-6, there is provided an armor construct 200 comprised of the composite armor plate 110 as described above, and a strike plate 120 of a rigid material, such as steel or ceramic. In one embodiment, the strike plate 120 is made of ceramic such as alumina or silicon carbide. In another embodiment, the strike plate is made of steel such as AR-500 or AR-600 or any type of steel used as a ballistic resistant material.

[0053] Advantageously, the resulting armor construct is significantly lighter than an all- steel or an all-ceramic armor construct. The ballistic NIJ test results show that the armor construct is suitable for use in military vehicles or similar applications. The use of glass fiber or carbon fiber fabric sheets with PDCPD provide superior ballistic performance while being economically viable.

[0054] FIG. 7 depicts a flow diagram for a process 300, exemplary of another aspect of the present disclosure. Process 300 illustrates steps, not necessarily in order, that are involved in making an exemplary composite armor plate. The illustrated process 300 includes cutting one or more fabric sheets to a particular size (step 310).

[0055] The process 300 also includes applying a resin of a tough polymer to each of the fabric sheets 112 (step 320).

[0056] The process 300 also includes, a step whereby the fabric sheets are stacked together and co-cured to form the composite armor plate (step 330).

[0057] Applying a resin of tough polymer to fabric sheets 112 may be accomplished in a number of ways. In one embodiment, applying the resin of the tough polymer involves coating the each of the fabric sheets with the resin using a paint roller.

[0058] In another embodiment, applying the resin of the tough polymer comprises spraying the resin on each of the fabric sheets 112. In yet another one embodiment, applying the resin of the tough polymer comprises placing the fabric sheets 112 in a casting mold with the resin.

[0059] In yet another alternate embodiment, applying the resin of the tough polymer comprises utilizing Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) process. Vacuum- assisted resin transfer molding is a closed molding process. VARTM uses vacuum pressure to infuse resin into fibers. VARTM has been described as a variation of resin transfer molding (RTM) with a distinguishing characteristic that replaces the top portion of a mold tool with a vacuum bag and the use of a vacuum to assist in resin flow.

[0060] Other process embodiments may alter the steps depicted in process 300 so that a resin of tough polymer is first applied to the fabric sheets 112, which are then stacked and/or co-cured and thereafter the cured and bonded set of fabric sheets is cut into the desired shape and size.

[0061] In other alternate embodiments, the fabric sheets 112 may already be in the desired size and shape, and thus the cutting step may be eliminated. Many variations in the order or arrangement of the steps and/or layers and omission of optional steps involved in making an exemplary composite armor plate will be apparent to those of skill in the art.

[0062] In one embodiment, the process for making a composite armor plate further comprises pre-wetting the fabric sheets prior to placing them in the casting mold. This has been shown to improve the performance of the resulting armor plate in ballistic testing. [0063] The above-described embodiments are intended to be examples of the present disclosure. Alterations and modifications may be effected to the embodiments, by those of skill in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A composite armor plate, comprising one or more fabric sheets each having a resin of a tough polymer applied thereon, wherein the one or more fabric sheets are co-cured for bonding to one another to form the composite armor plate.

2. The composite armor plate of claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more fabric sheets are comprised of a different fabric than the rest of the one or more fabric sheets.

3. The composite armor plate or claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more fabric sheets are coated with a different tough polymer than the rest of the one or more fabric sheets.

4. The composite armor plate of claim 1, wherein the tough polymer is a purified form of

Polydicyclopentadiene.

5. The composite armor plate of claim 1, wherein the tough polymer is a thermoplastic.

6. The composite armor plate of claim 5, wherein the thermoplastic is nylon.

7. The composite armor plate of claim 5, wherein the thermoplastic is polyethylene.

8. The composite armor plate of claim 1, wherein the tough polymer is a toughened polymer.

9. The composite armor plate of claim 8, wherein the toughened polymer is a toughened thermoset.

10. The composite armor plate of claim 9, wherein the toughened thermoset is urethane.

11. The composite armor plate of claim 9, wherein the toughened thermoset is epoxy.

12. The composite armor plate of claim 9, wherein the toughened thermoset is acrylic.

13. The composite armor plate of claim 1, wherein the one or more fabric sheets are comprised of carbon fiber.

14. The composite armor plate of claim 1, wherein the one or more fabric sheets are comprised of glass fiber.

15. The composite armor plate of claim 14, wherein the glass fiber is a woven roving.

16. The composite armor plate of claim 1, wherein the one or more fabric sheets are comprised of Polyaramid Polyparaphenylene Ter ephthal amide.

17. The composite armor plate of claim 1, wherein the one or more fabric sheets are comprised of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

18. The composite armor plate of claim 1, wherein the one or more fabric sheets are cured separately but bonded together by means of an adhesive to form the composite armor plate.

19. The composite armor plate of claim 1, comprising a plurality of layers, the one or more fabric sheets comprising a first group and a second group, said plurality of layers comprising: a first layer made from said first group of the one or more fabric sheets coated with a first type of resin, and co-cured together to bond forming the first layer; and a second layer made from said second group of the one or more fabric sheets coated with a second type of resin, and co-cured together to bond forming the second layer.

20. The composite armor plate of claim 19, wherein the first resin is different from the second resin.

21. The composite armor plate of claim 19, wherein the first group of fabric sheets is made of a different material from the second group of fabric sheets.

22. An armor construct comprising the composite armor plate of claim 1; and a strike plate arranged with respect to the composite armor plate to form the armor construct.

23. The composite armor construct of claim 22, wherein the strike plate is comprised of steel.

24. The composite armor construct of claim 23, wherein the steel is AR-500.

25. The composite armor construct of claim 23, wherein the steel is AR-600.

26. The composite armor construct of claim 20, wherein the strike plate is ceramic.

27. The composite armor construct of claim 26, wherein the ceramic is alumina.

28. The composite armor construct of claim 26, wherein the ceramic is silicon nitride.

29. The composite armor construct of claim 26, wherein the ceramic is aluminum oxide (AI2O3).

30. A process for making a composite armor plate, the process comprising: applying a resin of tough polymer to each of one or more fabric sheets; stacking and co-curing the one or more fabric sheets to form the composite armor plate.

31. The process of claim 30, further comprising cutting the one or more fabric sheets to a particular size.

32. The process of claim 30, wherein said applying the resin of tough polymer comprises coating the each of the one or more fabric sheets with the resin using a paint roller.

33. The process of claim 30, wherein said applying the resin of tough polymer comprises spraying the resin on each of the one or more fabric sheets.

34. The process of claim 30, wherein said applying the resin of tough polymer comprises placing the one or more fabric sheets in a casting mold with the resin.

35. The process of claim 34, further comprising pre-wetting the one or more fabric sheets prior to placing them in the casting mold.

36. The process of claim 30, wherein applying the resin of the tough polymer comprises applying the resin of the tough polymer comprises utilizing vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM).