# US 2014/0196203 A1 · Modular Armor Supplement Apparatus And System With Silent Fasteners And Adjustability > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196203 A1 - Document ID: US20140196203A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/152,573 - Filed: 2014-01-10 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-14 - Assignees: FirstSpear, LLC - Applicants: FirstSpear, LLC - Inventors: Michael E. Cole; Jon Laplume - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196203A1 ## CPC - F41H 1/02: Armoured or projectile- or missile-resistant garments; Composite protection fabrics {(F41H5/04 takes precedence)} - Y10T 24/34: Combined diverse multipart fasteners - F41H: ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A silent fastener includes generally flat first and second tuck tabs flexibly connected to a first element to be connected, positionable to form a narrow V-shape or U-shape when viewed from the side, and insertable through at least one slit in an outer surface of a second element to be connected, into internal cavities within first and second portions, respectively, folded or bent in the V- or U-shape, and the second element being unfoldable or bendable to frictionally hold the tuck tabs in the cavities for connecting the elements, and the first element being further securable over one of the portions in a hairpin configuration with the received tuck tab, to further hold the tuck tabs, the tuck tabs being removable by returning the second element to the V- or U-shape. The tuck tabs being tensionable to increase the holding strength and snug the elements about a carried object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A silent fastener for holding first and second elements together, comprising: a generally rigid, generally flat, first tuck tab having a connected end flexibly connected to the first element, and an opposite free end; a generally rigid, generally flat, second tuck tab having a connected end flexibly connected to the first element, and an opposite free end; at least one slit in an outer surface of the second element, the slit having a width at least marginally larger than a width of the tuck tabs individually, and connected to an internal cavity on one side of the slit bounded and defined by opposing internal surfaces within a first portion of the second element and on an opposite side by opposing internal surfaces within a second portion of the second element; the opposing internal surfaces of the second element and the outer surfaces of the tuck tabs being configured to substantially silently engage and resist relative sliding movement therebetween when disposed in surface to surface relation; the connected ends of the first tuck tab and the second tuck tab being flexibly connected in generally parallel relation in a manner to allow substantially silently manually positioning the tuck tabs to extend generally parallel in one direction, and alternatively so as to extend in generally opposite directions; the second element having an operational configuration wherein the first portion and the second portion thereof will extend in the generally opposite directions, the second element being substantially silently manually bendable or foldable generally longitudinally along or closely proximate to the at least one slit, to a connecting configuration wherein the first portion and the second portion extend generally in the one direction, such that the tuck tabs can be inserted through the at least one slit into the internal cavities, respectively, and such that when the second element is returned to the operational configuration with the tuck tabs located in the internal cavities the tuck tabs will extend in the generally opposite directions and frictionally engage the internal surfaces so as to be retained in the cavities thereby to connect the first and second elements together. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The silent fastener of claim 1, wherein the first and second elements comprises portions of a pouch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The silent fastener of claim 2, wherein the portions of the pouch comprise a body and a cover of the pouch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The silent fastener of claim 2, wherein the portions of the pouch comprise generally opposite ends of the pouch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The silent fastener of claim 1, wherein the tuck tabs are located on a strap or web of the first element and tensionable with the tuck tabs retained in the internal cavities and second element in the operational configuration so as to be held in generally overlaying relation to one of the first portion or the second portion of the second element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The silent fastener of claim 1, wherein each of the tuck tabs comprises at least one layer of a fabric material and a layer of a generally rigid rubber or plastics material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The silent fastener of claim 1, wherein at least one of the internal surfaces of the second element comprises a generally coarse fabric material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The silent fastener of claim 1, wherein the at least one slit and the internal cavities are formed by webbing material attached in overlaying relation to a surface of the second element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The silent fastener of claim 1, wherein the tuck tabs are connected to a component of the first element positionable in overlaying relation to the first portion or the second portion of the second element when the tuck tabs are retained in the internal cavities. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The silent fastener of claim 1, wherein the first and second elements when connected by the silent fastener, are configured to be substantially silently disconnected and separable by manually bending or folding the second element from the operational configuration to the connecting configuration and manually pulling the tuck tabs from the internal cavities. ### Claim 11 A silent fastener for a pouch, comprising: a generally flat, first tuck tab having a connected end flexibly connected to a first element of the pouch, and an opposite free end; a generally rigid, generally flat, second tuck tab having a connected end flexibly connected to the first element in generally parallel relation to the connected end of the first tuck tab, such that the tuck tabs can be relatively moved about the connected ends between positions extending generally in opposite directions, and alternatively at positions at a small acute angle to each other forming a narrow V-shape or U-shape when viewed toward a side of the tuck tabs; at least one slit in an outer surface of a flexible second element of the pouch, configured to receive the free ends of the tuck tabs, the at least one slit connecting with internal cavities within first and second portions of the second element sufficiently large for receiving the tuck tabs, respectively, the internal cavities being bounded and defined by opposing internal surfaces configured and operable to engage and retain the tuck tabs within the cavity when the first and second portions extend in generally opposite directions, and to allow substantially silent insertion and removal of the tuck tabs when the first and second portions are in a generally overlaying relation with the second element flexed in a V-shape or U-shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The silent fastener of claim 11, wherein the first and second elements comprise a body and a cover of the pouch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The silent fastener of claim 11, wherein each of the tuck tabs comprises at least one layer of a fabric material and a layer of a generally rigid rubber or plastics material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The silent fastener of claim 11, wherein the tuck tabs are connected to a strap or web of the first element, tensionable when the tuck tabs are received in the internal cavities, so as to be held in generally overlaying relation to at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the second element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The silent fastener of claim 11, wherein at least one of the internal surfaces of the second element comprises a generally coarse fabric material configured to frictionally engage outer surfaces of the tuck tabs when in surface to surface relation therewith. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The silent fastener of claim 13, wherein the tuck tabs are connected to a component of the first element positionable in overlaying relation to the first portion or the second portion of the second element when the tuck tabs are retained in the internal cavity. ### Claim 17 A modular armor supplement system, comprising: a throat protector having a convex side, an opposite concave side, and opposite ends; a neck protector having a convex side, an opposite concave side, and opposite ends; connecting elements associated with the ends of the throat and neck protectors, respectively, cooperatively engageable to adjustably hold the ends of the throat and neck protectors together in a manner extending about and defining a neck opening for receiving a person's neck with the convex sides facing outwardly and the concave sides facing the neck opening, the connecting elements comprising an elongate, generally rigid tuck tab on one of the ends silently and slidably insertable into at least one sleeve on another of the ends, the tuck tab and internal surfaces within the sleeve being disposed and configured to frictionally engage to hold the tuck tab in an inserted position within the sleeve, while allowing a manner of silently manually adjusting the inserted position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the internal surfaces within the sleeve, and at least one outer surface of the tuck tab frictionally engageable therewith, comprise a coarse fabric. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the sleeve comprises at least two slits connecting to the internal cavity and through which the tuck tab can be slidably inserted into the internal cavity, at different locations on said another of the ends. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the sleeve is configured to exert a compressive force against the tuck tab when located in the internal cavity to enhance the frictional engagement for holding the tuck tab therein, and is manually deformable to reduce the compressive force, to allow silently adjusting the inserted position and removing the tuck tab.