Ballistic resistant flight deck door and method of making same
OwnerMichael J. Cloud, John V. Dovey +1inventors
InventorsMichael J. Cloud, John V. Dovey, James J. Kunda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flight deck door for an aircraft that is both ballistic resistant and intruder proof. The flight deck door includes a laminated ballistic resistant material which can also provide intruder resistant properties. The ballistic resistant or armor material can be laminated onto a core to provide additional rigidity to the flight deck door. The core also increases the rigidity of the flight deck door and increases intruder resistance. Also sound dampening layers may be added to the door.
Claims25
A door for a mobile platform to provide security to a designated area of the mobile platform, the door comprising:
- a laminated member having a first side and a second side including:
- an armor layer, having a first discrete laminated structure;
- a rigid layer, having a second discrete structure, closer to said second side than said first side, adapted to provide at least one of additional rigidity and a first degree of projectile resistance to the door;
- and
- wherein said armor layer provides an additional degree of projectile resistance to the door so as to substantially stop an effective penetration of a projectile to said first side when the projectile enters from said second side.
A ballistic resistant door for an aircraft to provide security to a flight deck of the aircraft, the door comprising:
- a flight deck side;
- a passenger side;
- an acoustic dampening layer;
- an armor layer, including a laminated structure, extending from said acoustic dampening layer closer to said passenger side than to said flight deck side;
- wherein said acoustic dampening layer reduces acoustic noise in the flight deck;
- and
- wherein said armor layer provides resistance to a ballistic projectile so as to stop penetration of the projectile to said flight deck side when the projectile enters said door from said passenger side.
16 An aircraft comprising:
- a passenger compartment;
- a flight deck;
- a portal allowing access to said flight deck from said passenger compartment;
- a door to selectively eliminate access through said portal from said passenger compartment to said flight deck;
- and wherein said door includes a substantially ballistic resistant layer to substantially eliminate penetration through said door by a ballistic projectile from a firearm.
The aircraft of claim 16, wherein said door includes a laminated structure including:
- a rigid layer;
- and
- a ballistic resistant layer, for absorbing substantially all of the force of the ballistic projectile.
The aircraft of claim 16, wherein said door includes an acoustic dampening layer to substantially reduce acoustic noise in said flight deck.
A method for forming an armor layer for a door comprising:
- providing a first layer of an armor material including a fiber structure with a resin surrounding the fibers;
- providing a second layer of an armor material comprising a fiber structure with a resin surrounding the fibers;
- placing said first layer adjacent said second layer;
- applying a pressure of at least 5 pounds per square inch between said first layer and said second layer;
- and
- heating said first layer and said second layer to at least 120° C. such that applying said pressure and heating occurs generally simultaneously and continues for at least about 30 minutes.
The method of 24, wherein said rigid layer provides a sound dampening ability to the door to substantially reduce noise on a side of the door.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.