# US 8,783,157 B2 · System and method for protecting vehicle occupants

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- Number: US 8,783,157 B2
- Document ID: US8783157B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/834,778
- Filed: 2013-03-15
- Published: 2013-11-14
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2007-07-05
- Applicants: John J. Pavon
- Inventors: John J. Pavon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783157B2

## CPC

- 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 5/007: Reactive armour; Dynamic armour
- F41H 7/042: {Floors or base plates for increased land mine protection}
- F41H: ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

The present invention is directed to an armor system that protects vehicle occupants from lands mines or improvised explosive devices. In the preferred embodiment, the armor system has an arc member, a membrane, reactive blocks, and a reactive block enclosure. The armor system is designed to dissipate, neutralize, and redirect explosion energy, fragments and shrapnel, thereby ensuring the safety of the vehicle occupants.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for protecting vehicle occupants from explosive devices comprising:
an arc member attachable to a vehicle surface;
a membrane positioned below the arc member;
at least one reactive block positioned below the membrane; and
an enclosure positioned below and enwrapping the at least one reactive block.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reactive block comprises a multiplicity of single reactive blocks.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the multiplicity of single reactive blocks are formed from stacked pyramids.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pyramids are inverted.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one reactive block comprises energetic material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the energetic material includes a high explosive and a plasticizer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the high explosive is selected from the group consisting of RDX, PBX, HMX, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the energetic material includes a gel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gel is formed using a SolGel process.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the energetic material includes a binder and a plasticizer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arc member is a unitary, integral element.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arc member includes an arc that provides a concave surface for deflecting the external explosive force away from the vehicle occupants.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arc member is formed from a ceramic material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one reactive block includes a PBX explosive material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the membrane includes a viscoelastic material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure fully encases all other components.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

A vehicle comprising an underside surface to which the apparatus of claim 1 is mounted, wherein the arc member is attached with the contoured surface facing downwardly, thereby providing a protective system for shielding and deflecting an explosive force away from the arc member to protect passengers in a vehicle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1, 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein more than one apparatus of claim 1 is mounted to the underside of the vehicle for protecting an extended region.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

A method for shielding vehicle occupants from explosive devices comprising the steps of:
providing the apparatus of claim 1; and
mounting the apparatus to the underside of a vehicle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further including the step of automatically activating the at least one reactive block by an external explosive force such that the external explosive force is redirected away from the vehicle occupants.