Helmets comprising ceramic for protection against high energy fragments and rifle bullets
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsAshok Bhatnagar, Lori Wagner, Bradley Grunden
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Abstract
Helmets for military and other applications that require resistance to high energy fragments and rifle bullets are disclosed. The helmets are fabricated with a combination of ceramic, either as a monolith or as a plurality of discreet pieces, and an inner backing material having a plurality of fibrous layers such as polyolefin and/or aramid fiber layers.
Claims20
A helmet that is resistant to high energy fragments and bullets, the helmet including a rounded shell, said shell comprising a crown and a peripheral surface which define an interior volume, and said rounded shell comprising from the outside to the inside:
- (a) an outer layer comprising a ceramic, wherein the ceramic is in the form of a continuous monolith that conforms to a curved shape of the rounded shell;
- and
- (b) an inner backing material comprising a plurality of fibrous layers;
- wherein the fibrous layers comprise high tenacity fibers in a resin matrix, and
- wherein the inner backing material comprises a fabric having both warp and fill directions, said fabric having about 5.9 to about 21.6 fiber ends per cm in both said warp and fill directions.
A method for forming a rounded shell for a helmet that is resistant to high energy fragments and bullets, said rounded shell comprising a crown and a peripheral surface which define an interior volume, the method comprising:
- (a) supplying, to a mold, an outer layer comprising a ceramic, an inner backing material comprising a plurality of fibrous layers, and an adhesive layer to a mold, wherein the adhesive layer is disposed between the outer layer and the inner backing material, wherein the ceramic is in the form of a continuous monolith that conforms to a curved shape of the rounded shell, or wherein the ceramic is in the form of a plurality of ceramic plates that conform to a curved shape of the rounded shell, wherein some or all of the ceramic plates have a non-planar shape;
- and
- (b) applying heat and pressure to the outer layer, inner backing material, and adhesive to bond the ceramic to the inner backing material and form the rounded shell.
A helmet that is resistant to high energy fragments and bullets, the helmet including a rounded shell, said shell comprising a crown and a peripheral surface which define an interior volume, and said rounded shell comprising from the outside to the inside:
- (a) an outer layer comprising a ceramic, wherein the ceramic is in the form of a plurality of ceramic plates that conform to a curved shape of the rounded shell, wherein some or all of the ceramic plates have a non-planar shape;
- and
- (b) an inner backing material comprising a plurality of fibrous layers, wherein the fibrous layers comprise high tenacity fibers, wherein said high tenacity fibers are optionally in a resin matrix, and wherein said high tenacity fibers comprise polyethylene fibers having a tenacity equal to or greater than about 35 g/d.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.