# US 2015/0143984 A1 · Combined Vehicular Armour > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0143984 A1 - Document ID: US20150143984A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/460,910 - Filed: 2009-10-16 - Published: 2015-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2008-11-25 - Assignees: NP Aerospace Limited - Inventors: Roger T.A. Medwell; Christoper Davies - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150143984A1 ## CPC - F41H 5/0428: {Ceramic layers in combination with additional layers made of fibres, fabrics or plastics} - F41H 5/0414: {Layered armour containing ceramic material} - F41H 7/00: Armoured or armed vehicles (general vehicle aspects B60; armoured or armed ships B63G; armoured or armed aircraft B64D; mounting guns, e.g. machine guns, on vehicles F41A23/00) - F41H 7/04: Armour construction (in general F41H5/00) - F41H: ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Vehicle armour comprises a ceramic panel (1) with a spall covering (6) on a front surface thereof, a rear surface of the ceramic panel being bonded to a stiff support plate (3). A plastically deformable layer (9) is arranged behind the support plate and contiguous therewith. Spacer means define a substantially planar space (14) arranged to be located between the plastically deformable layer (9) and a vehicle hull (13). There may be a frontal plate comprising a ceramic layer (3) bonded between two layers (4, 5) of high strength carbon or glass. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Vehicle armour comprising a ceramic panel with a spall covering on a front surface thereof, the spall covering comprising a first layer of carbon or glass, the ceramic panel being bonded at a rear surface thereof to a stiff support plate, a plastically deformable layer arranged behind the support plate and contiguous therewith, means for defining a substantially planar space arranged to be located between the plastically deformable layer and a vehicle hull, a second layer of carbon or glass, and a ceramic layer bonded between the first and second layers of carbon or glass. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Vehicle armour according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic panel comprises a layer of ceramic armour elements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Vehicle armour according to claim 2, wherein the ceramic panel comprises a plurality of such layers of ceramic armour elements bonded together. ### Claim 4 (canceled) ### Claim 5 Vehicle armour comprising a ceramic plate, bonded at a rear surface thereof to a stiff support plate, a plastically deformable layer arranged behind the support plate, spacing rods defining a substantially planar space arranged to be located between the plastically deformable layer and a vehicle hull, and a frontal plate on a side of the armour facing a threat and comprising a ceramic layer bonded between two layers of carbon or glass, a front one of said layers constituting a spall covering. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) Vehicle armour according to claim 5, wherein the frontal plate comprises one or more further alternate ceramic and carbon or glass layers. ### Claim 7 (canceled) ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Vehicle armour according to claim 1, wherein the support plate is of a composite material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Vehicle armour according to claim 1, including a rear plastically deformable layer arranged behind said plastically deformable layer that is arranged behind the support plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Vehicle armour according to claim 1, wherein the plastically deformable layer is formed from a multiplicity of laminations. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Vehicle armour according to claim 1, wherein the plastically deformable layer is formed from polyethylene. ### Claim 12 Vehicle armour comprising a ceramic panel with a spall covering on a front surface thereof, the ceramic panel being bonded at a rear surface thereof to a stiff support plate, a plastically deformable layer arranged behind the support plate and contiguous therewith, and means for defining a substantially planar space arranged to be located between the plastically deformable layer and a vehicle hull, wherein the substantially planar space contains crushable foam. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) Vehicle armour according to claim 12, wherein the crushable foam comprises polyethylene. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) Vehicle armour according to claim 8 in which the composite material comprises carbon or glass. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) Vehicle armour according to claim 11 in which the plastically deformable layer is formed from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. ### Claim 16 Vehicle armour comprising a ceramic panel with a spall covering on a front surface thereof, the ceramic panel being bonded at a rear surface thereof to a stiff support plate, a plastically deformable layer arranged behind the support plate and contiguous therewith, and spacing rods defining a substantially planar space arranged to be located between the plastically deformable layer and a vehicle hull. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) Vehicle armour according to claim 16, wherein the ceramic panel comprises a layer of ceramic armour elements and a spacing lug on a side of a ceramic armour element arranged to co-operate with an adjacent armour element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) Vehicle armour according to claim 16 having a frontal plate on a side of the armour facing a threat, the frontal plate comprising a ceramic layer bonded between two layers of carbon or glass, a front one of the layers constituting the spall covering. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) Vehicle armour according to claim 17, wherein the ceramic panel comprises a plurality of such layers of ceramic armour elements bonded together.