PLATE CARRIER AND A PROTECTIVE VEST |
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申请号 | US14328949 | 申请日 | 2014-07-11 | 公开(公告)号 | US20160003581A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2016-01-07 |
申请人 | David Warren; | 发明人 | David Warren; | ||||
摘要 | A plate carrier wearable by a user for housing an armor plate comprises a plurality of hinges that connect a front portion of the plate carrier and a back portion of the plate carrier at the bottom; and an attachment mechanism disposed near the top of the plate carrier and configured to adjustably secure the armor plate inside the plate carrier. | ||||||
权利要求 | What is claimed is: |
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说明书全文 | The present application is a continuation-in-part of Design Patent Application No. 29,495,839 to David Warren, titled “A plate carrier” and filed on Jul. 3, 2014, and Design Patent Application No. 29,495,833 to David Warren, titled “A plate carrier” and filed on Jul. 3, 2014, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference. The invention disclosed herein relates generally to a plate carrier and a protective vest for protecting the human torso from ballistic impact. Specifically, the protective vest and the plate carrier are configured to hold protective inserts with a wide range of sizes. Combat forces, police officers, security professionals, and even amateurs are routinely wearing protective gear, such as protective vests, which are designed to prevent or mitigate the damage caused by the impact of projectiles and/or explosives and/or by the stabbing/slashing of hand weapons. A protective vest is typically formed primarily by two components: an outer carrier designed to house an armor solution or a protective insert. The armor solution or protective insert is typically in a panel form, rigid or semi-flexible. The panels are commonly made of multi-layer woven Kevlar if the vest is designed to provide protection against handguns; and, for protection against more powerful weapons, such as rifles, ceramic composites are typically used to make the panel. Sometimes, hard steel plates are added to the body armor to enhance the protective functions of the vest. Traditionally, outer body armor carriers, which house the protective inserts and form a wearable platform on a torso, are made of nylon or cotton fabric with sewed-in pockets to receive the protective armor solution. In the past, the outer carrier has to be specifically tailored for each design of armor plates or panels. A tailored design, which is suitable for a specific plate size or contour, may not be adaptable to comfortably fit many other different plates or body types. Knowing that there are hundreds of armor plate designs and more than one body type, this method of making the outer plate carrier does not provide a user with an efficient solution when he or she needs to change armor plates from one manufacturer to another. In addition, conventional vests are generally very heavy due to their full body coverage design and the use of complex attachment systems to hold and release the armor panels. As a result, the traditional body armor is cumbersome to properly put on or remove from a human torso. There is a need to have a universal carrier that is capable of receiving a wide range of armor solutions including a range of rigid or flexible composite armor plates or panels. It is also desirable that an improved design is lightweight with improved functionalities, including improved ergonomics and ventilation for a user. The present application has set forth various embodiments of a clamshell carrier design to solve the above-identified drawbacks of conventional plate carriers by housing armor plates similarly like a clamshell, which has two halves connected with each other at hinges along one side of the clamshell. The plate carrier design includes a front portion and a back portion, which are hinged at the base and fastened on the top. A layer of shear thickening liquid or foam may be additionally attached to the back portion to provide an energy absorbing gap between the plate carrier and the torso. The shear thickening foam further reduces backside deformation and spreads the kinetic energy over a greater area. Additional layers may be further added to the shear thickening form to provide ventilation passage ways between the torso and the ambient environment. The plate carrier design may also include relief cutouts to offer increased flexibility and conformability. According to an aspect of the present application, a plate carrier houses an armor plate and is wearable by a user. The plate carrier comprises a plurality of hinges that connect a front portion of the plate carrier and a back portion of the plate carrier at the bottom; and an attachment mechanism disposed near the top of the plate carrier and configured to adjustably secure the armor plate inside the plate carrier. According to an embodiment of the present application, the plate carrier allows the armor plate to extend beyond the horizontal edges of the plate carrier. According to another embodiment of the present application, the front portion includes a plurality of cutouts. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, the front portion of the plate carrier gradually reduces its configuration from the bottom to the top. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, the configuration at the top of the plate carrier is about half the size of the bottom of the plate carrier. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, the plurality of hinges are formed by a predetermined cutout at the bottom of the plate carrier. According to various embodiments of the present application, the predetermined cutout at the bottom of the plate carrier represents a single substantially circular cutout or a single substantially rectangular cutout. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, the back portion includes a plurality of shoulder harness slots and a plurality of waist harness slots. According to various embodiments of the present application, the plurality of shoulder harness slots have an angle between about 15 degrees to about 45 degrees relative to a horizontal direction or an angle of about 30 degrees relative to the horizontal direction. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, the back portion includes a cutout corresponding to a wearer's chest area. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, the plate carrier is capable of accommodating armor plates having different sizes. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, an anti-ballistic layer is attached to the back portion. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, a ventilation layer is attached to the anti-ballistic layer and is configured to provide ventilation passageways to dissipate heat generated by a wearer. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, the front portion and the back portion of the plate carrier are capable of pivoting around the plurality of hinges like a clamshell. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, the plate carrier is free of any attachment slots. According to yet another embodiment of the present application, the attachment mechanism near the top of the plate carrier represents an integral part of the plate carrier. According to another aspect of the present application, a protective vest includes at least one plate carrier comprising a plurality of hinges that connect a front portion of the plate carrier and a back portion of the plate carrier at the bottom and an attachment mechanism disposed near the top of the plate carrier and configured to adjustably secure the armor plate inside the plate carrier. According to an embodiment, the protective vest further comprises a side panel. Certain exemplary embodiments are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. The following description and drawings are given by way of example, and not limitation, and the claims are not intended to be limited only to the specific details of the description and drawings. Embodiments of protective vests, plate carriers, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed or are apparent from and encompassed by the description herein. Not all embodiments disclosed herein are specifically illustrated in the drawings, but their construction will be apparent to one of ordinary skills in the art from the disclosure herein. Also, the specific embodiments described below and shown in the drawings are exemplary. The plate carrier as set forth in various embodiments of the present application represents a universal carrier, which may accommodate a wide range of armor panel sizes and body shapes. According to an embodiment, the plate carrier may be used on both a female torso and a male torso without further tailoring. The present application provides improved designs on form, fit, and function. According to some embodiments, the present application provides a secure housing to hold many configurations and levels of Small Arms Protective Inserts (“SAPI”) plate armor solutions, such as rigid ceramic, rigid steel, rigid composite, and soft composite; mitigates backside defamation through the use of energy absorption materials, such as shear thickening fluid and shear thickening foam, reduces pressure by creating a natural air gap between the carrier and the user, provides protection from secondary fragments, shrapnel and debris, and offers rapid deployment and removal of armor plates while providing a secure housing. Both the anterior panel 102 and the posterior panel 104 are used to house protective inserts with a wide range of sizes. For example, SAPI specified by the U.S. Army may be produced in the following sizes and weights: Extra Small—1.27 kg (2.8 lb)|184×292 mm (7¼×11½ in), Small—1.59 kg (3.5 lb)|222×298 mm (8¾%×11¾ in), Medium—1.82 kg (4.0 lb)|241×318 mm (9½×12½ in), Large—2.09 kg (4.6 lb)|260×337 mm (10⅛×13¼ in), and Extra Large 2.40 kg (5.3 lb)|280×356 mm (11×14 in). The size of an armor plate manufactured according to the SAPI specification may have variations up to 3.75 inches along the horizontal direction and 3.5 inches along the vertical direction. Traditional plate carriers with fixed pouch sizes would not be able to accommodate armor plates with such variation in sizes. Rather, each time a new armor plate is needed, the user has to order a new plate carrier to fit the new armor plate. According to an embodiment of the present application, the plate carrier does not physically limit its housing capacity in the horizontal direction. As shown in In panel 102 or panel 104, the adjustable attachment mechanism 110 is attached to both the front portion and back portions of that panel. Attachment areas, such as the extension area 114, for the attachment mechanism 110 are provided. In addition, a slot 112 is also provided at the back portion of the panel 102 to guide and restrict the movement of the stretchable strap 110. According to an embodiment, both anterior panel 102 and posterior panel 104 have a clamshell design as set forth in the present application. The clamshell design allows a plate carrier to be body conforming and makes the placement of armor plates in a plate carrier or removal of armor plates from a plate carrier to be carried out efficiently. For example, a single operation of an attachment mechanism near the top of a plate carrier as set forth in the present application can properly set up an armor plate in a plate carrier. According to another embodiment, at least one of the anterior panel 102 or the posterior panel 104 has a configuration as disclosed in the present application. According to an embodiment, the protective vest 100 may further include a side panel (not shown) to protect the side areas of the wearer. The side panel may have a similar clamshell design as that of the anterior panel or the posterior panel. When a side panel is used, the waist harness system 108 attaches the side panel with the other panels. The plate carrier houses or holds armor panels like a clamshell. The front portion 214 and the back portion 216 are capable of rotating relative to each other to a limited extent around the bottom of the plate carrier, thus widening or narrowing the housing space inside the plate carrier 200. This adaptability of the housing space eases the operability of the plate carrier 200. The adjustable attachment mechanism 110 is configured to enclose and secure the armor plates. To place an armor panel inside the plate carrier, the adjustable attachment mechanism 110 is unfastened, i.e. at an open position. After protective inserts are placed inside the plate carrier 200, the adjustable attachment mechanism 110 is then fastened to corresponding attachment areas, i.e. at its closed position. The plate, after being secured inside the plate carrier 200, is pressed between the adjustable attachment mechanism 110 and the bottom hinges 206 and is pressed between the front portion 214 and the back portion 216. The friction force along the contact areas between the armor panel and the plate carrier is able to substantially prevent the plate from being displaced or moved along the horizontal direction. The armor panel is fixed vertically by the hinges 206 and straps 110, and does not move substantially along that direction. The hinges 206 may be made from an integral part of the plate carrier 200. According to an embodiment, the hinges are formed by making a cutout 208 from the bottom of the plate carrier 200. The cutout 208 may be of any shape, including circular, rectangular, oval, elliptical, or triangle. The width of the hinges 206 are designed to provide both suitable mechanical strength to support the weight of the plate inside the plate carrier and flexibility of the plate carrier. The hinges 206 may be made by a method other than a cutout method. According to an embodiment, the hinges are formed while the plate carrier is being molded. According to an embodiment, the hinges may be manufactured separately from the rest of the plate carrier 200 and then attached to the bottom of the front portion 214 or the back portion 216. A plurality of slots 202 and 204 are provided in the plate carrier 200 for the attachment of harness systems 106 and 108. The slots may be provided on the back portion alone, the front portion alone, or on both the back and front portions. According to an embodiment as shown in The front portion 214 of the plate carrier 200 has a gradually reducing profile from its bottom to its top to reduce unnecessary materials. The extension portion 114 has a constant profile, such as a rectangular shape, and represents a configuration that provides suitable mechanical strength to the plate carrier but does not require more than necessary materials. According to an embodiment, the cross-section area of the extension portion 114 may be about half the size of the cross-section area of the bottom of the plate carrier 200. The transitional portion between the bottom and the extension portion 114 may use any suitable shape that provides a smooth connection therebetween. According to an embodiment, a straight line or a curved line may be used as a profile for the transitional area. According to an embodiment, the transitional portion includes a beveled edge that forms a predetermined angle “B” relative to a vertical direction. The predetermined angle “B” may be between 1 to 60 degrees, or preferably about 30 degrees. According to an embodiment, the transitional portion includes a plurality of cutouts 210 at predetermined areas to reduce the weight of the plate carrier 200. The cutouts 210 may be of any shape such as circle, triangle, rectangle, or oval. The back portion 216 is proximal to a human torso and requires a design that not only addresses the mechanical requirements but also provides added comfort to a wearer. According to an embodiment, the back portion 216 includes a slot 112 for guiding and securing the adjustable attachment mechanism 110. In the consideration of a female user, a plurality of cutouts 212 are provided in the back portion 216 at locations corresponding to a female's breasts or chest area. The cutouts 212 may have a circular or oval shape that generally conforms to that of a female's breasts or chest area. The back portion 216 also has additional layers for reducing backside deformation of the plate carrier and for providing ventilation passageways to a wearer, which will be described in detail in the following sections of the present application. According to an embodiment, when the plate carrier 200 is used to protect the back of a human torso, the back portion 216 has a plurality of cutouts 212 that conform to the contour of the back torso. The plate carrier 200 may be made of plastic, metal, composite, and/or any other material that provides suitable mechanical integrity and stiffness. According to an embodiment, the plate carrier is made of a rigid plastic that allows for high wear restraint and confinement for the armor plate. Rigid composites, soft fabrics, rubber, Kevlar and other armor composites may also be used to make the plate carrier. The manufacturing method of such a plate carrier is well known in the art, including drape forming, die cutting, injection molding, vacuum forming, and hot pressing. The plate carrier 1300 also includes an integrated waist harness system 1302, such as cummerbunds, in a manner similar with the shoulder harness system 1304. The plate carrier 1300 also includes a center harness system 1308 integrated with the body of the plate carrier in a way similar with that of the shoulder or waist harness systems. The harness system 1308 is disposed substantially at the top and center portion of the plate carrier 1300 to enclose and secure an armor plate. According to an embodiment, the plate carrier 1300 may be made of flexible materials, such as flexible plastics or rubbers. For example, the plate carrier 1300 may be made of Neoprene, which has good chemical stability and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range. The plate carriers as set forth in various embodiments of the present application simplify the process of properly setting up an armor plate and improve the ease of use to a wearer. The plate carrier may also be suitably wearable by users of various body shapes due to the body-conforming design, in which the mechanical part of a plate carrier is configured to conform to common body parts of an upper human torso. Plate carriers as described in the present application, while securing armor plates of different sizes, are still capable of being used by different wearers with comfort. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the disclosed embodiments may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, the claims are not intended to be limited only to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of applicable claims. Although illustrative embodiments have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the claims are not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the claims. |