Body armor vest for unobtrusive wear over a shirt
OwnerRichard W. Schoenweiss, Cheryl K. Alleninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ballistic panel carrier vest with front and rear ballistic panel carrying pockets and a trauma plate pocket has front, rear and side portions, as well as epaulets, breast pockets with flap closures and buttoned placket front opening that look like the same elements of an underlying shirt so that the fact of wearing the vest is concealed. The vest is made from a shirt of the type over which it will be worn by cutting off the collar and sleeves, and either cutting the shirt tail off at the waist or folding it under. Loose edges of epaulets, breast pocket flaps and placket are sewn down.
Claims12
A body armor vest suitable for unobtrusive wear over a shirt having a collar, sleeves and front, back and side outside surfaces, said vest comprising:
- a unitary carrier member including an outer layer with integrally formed front, rear and side portions having outer and inner surfaces;
- said outer surfaces being dimensioned, configured and adapted to simulate the outside surfaces of the shirt, and said outer layer being continuous and unbroken except for a lower edge, first and second arm openings through which the sleeves can be extended, a neck opening through which the collar can be extended, and a side opening between said first arm opening and said lower edge;
- means releasably closing said side opening;
- a front inner layer secured to said inner surface of said outer layer front portion to define a front pocket with a front pocket opening;
- means releasably closing said front pocket opening;
- a rear inner layer secured to said inner surface of said outer layer rear portion to define a rear pocket with a rear pocket opening;
- and means releasably closing said rear pocket opening;
- a first flexible ballistic panel removably received within said front pocket in wraparound front torso protecting position therein;
- and
- a second flexible ballistic panel removably received within said rear pocket in wraparound rear torso protecting position therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.