# US 8,783,611 B2 · Jettisonable armor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,611 B2 - Document ID: US8783611B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/682,408 - Filed: 2007-10-11 - Published: 2011-10-20 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2007-10-11 - Assignees: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. - Applicants: Martin Peryea; Jon Stewart Tatro - Inventors: Martin Peryea; Jon Stewart Tatro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783611B2 ## CPC - F41H 5/013: Mounting or securing armour plates - B63B 3/10: Armoured hulls - B64D 7/00: Arrangement of military equipment, e.g. armaments, armament accessories or military shielding, in aircraft; Adaptations of armament mountings for aircraft (dropping bombs or the like B64D1/00) - F41H 5/007: Reactive armour; Dynamic armour - 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 - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT ## Abstract An aircraft has an armor releasably attached to the body of an aircraft, an actuator connecting the armor to the body of the aircraft, and a control that, upon operation, actuates the actuator to release the armor from the body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft comprising: a body; an armor releasably attached in covering relation over at least a portion of the body, the armor being exposed to an external environment and arranged to protect the portion of the body which it is in covering relation with while being attached; one or more actuators operatively associated with the armor, the armor being releasably attached to the body of the aircraft using the one or more actuators; and a control operatively connected with the one or more actuators for actuating the one or more actuators, wherein operation of the control actuates the one or more actuators to release the armor from the body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft in claim 1, wherein the body has an airframe, an exterior skin, a cabin and a cockpit located within the airframe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The aircraft of claim 2, wherein one or more actuator retainers are attached to the airframe and are configured to accommodate the one or more actuators. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the one or more actuators are configured to extend from the one or more actuator retainers to retain the armor and to retract into the one or more actuator retainers to release the armor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the operation of the control sends a signal to the one or more actuator retainers to actuate the one or more actuators to release the armor from the skin of the aircraft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The aircraft in claim 2, wherein the cabin and the cockpit have one or more windows located in the aircraft body enclosed by the skin and the armor is provided with one or more openings that are designed to align with the one or more windows of the aircraft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The aircraft of claim 2, wherein the armor is releasably attached to the skin of the aircraft using the one or more actuators. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The aircraft of claim 2, wherein one or more holes are located in the aircraft skin that will allow the one or more actuators to pass through the skin and engage with the armor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The aircraft of claim 2, wherein one or more apertures are located on the rear face of the armor to accommodate the one or more actuators in an extended position so as to retain the armor with the skin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The aircraft of claim 2, wherein the control is activated by actuating an input that is located in the cockpit of the aircraft and is configured to be accessible to one or more pilots of the aircraft. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the input is selected from the group consisting of a switch, a lever and a button. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the armor is designed aerodynamically to reduce the drag. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the armor is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a synthetic, and a structure comprising reinforcing fibers and a ceramic. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the one or more actuators are selected from the group consisting of a fluid driven device, a gravity driven device, a pyrotechnic device, an electromagnetic solenoid and an electric motor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) the aircraft of claim 1, wherein the armor is separated from the body due to gravity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the operation of the control actuates the one or more actuators to release the armor from the body such that the armor is no longer retained on the body. ### Claim 17 An armor system for a vehicle, the armor system comprising: an armor releasably attached in covering relation over at least a portion of the vehicle; the armor being exposed to an external environment and arranged to protect the portion of the vehicle which it is in covering relation with while being attached; one or more actuators operatively associated with the armor, the armor being releasably attached to a body of the vehicle using the one or more actuators; and a control operatively connected with the one or more actuators for actuating the one or more actuators, wherein operation of the control actuates the one or more actuators to release the armor from the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein the one or more actuators are configured to extend to retain the armor and are configured to retract to release the armor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein one or more apertures are located on the armor to accommodate the one or more actuators in an extended position so as to retain the armor with the vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein the armor is provided with one or more openings that are designed to align with one or more windows of the vehicle. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein the control is activated by actuating an input located in the vehicle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The armor system of claim 21, wherein the input is selected from the group consisting of a switch, a lever and a button. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein the control sends a signal to actuate the one or more actuators to release the armor from the vehicle. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein the one or more actuators are selected from the group consisting of a fluid driven device, a gravity driven device, a pyrotechnic device, an electromagnetic solenoid and an electric motor. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein the armor is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a synthetic, and a structure comprising reinforcing fibers and a ceramic. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft. ### Claim 27 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein the armor is separated from the vehicle due to gravity. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) The armor system of claim 17, wherein the operation of the control actuates the one or more actuators to release the armor from the vehicles such that the armor is no longer retained on the vehicle. ### Claim 29 An armor system for a vehicle, the armor system comprising: an armor releasably attached in covering relation over at least a portion of the vehicle, the armor being exposed to an external environment and arranged to protect the portion of the vehicle which it is in covering relation with while being attached; one or more actuators operatively associated with the armor; and a control operatively connected with the one or more actuators for actuating the one or more actuators, wherein operation of the control actuates the one or more actuators to release the armor from the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle is a land vehicle. ### Claim 30 An armor system for a vehicle, the armor system comprising: an armor releasably attached in covering relation over at least a portion of the vehicle, the armor being exposed to an external environment and arranged to protect the portion of the vehicle which it is in covering relation with while being attached; one or more actuators operatively associated with the armor; and a control operatively connected with the one or more actuators for actuating the one or more actuators, wherein operation of the control actuates the one or more actuators to release the armor from the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle is a marine vehicle.