Reduced weight armor systems and methods of manufacturing the same
AssigneePPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
InventorsCarlo Scarinci, David Palermo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An armor system configured to be coupled to a frame surrounding a window in a vehicle or other structure, such as a building. The armor system may be configured to provide any desired ballistics protection rating. The armor system includes a ballistics-grade armor panel and at least one insert embedded in the ballistics-grade armor panel. The insert extends around at least a portion of a periphery of the ballistics-grade armor panel. The one or more inserts may be configured to reduce the parasitic weight of the armor system.
Claims19
An armor system, comprising:
- a ballistics-grade armor panel comprising a plurality of ballistic layers and a plurality of interlayers alternately arranged in a stack;
- and
- a plurality of inserts arranged in a stack and embedded in the ballistics-grade armor panel, wherein each of the plurality of inserts has a mass density less than a mass density of the ballistics-grade armor panel.
An armored vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle, comprising:
- at least one window;
- and
- a frame surrounding the at least one window;
- an armor system coupled to the frame of the vehicle, the armor system comprising:
- a ballistics-grade armor panel comprising a plurality of ballistic layers and a plurality of interlayers alternately arranged in a stack;
- and
- a plurality of inserts arranged in a stack and embedded in the ballistics-grade armor panel, wherein each of the plurality of inserts has a mass density less than a mass density of the ballistics-grade armor panel;
- and
- a bracket coupling the armor system to the frame of the vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the bracket overlaps at least a portion of at least one the plurality of said inserts.
A method of manufacturing an armor system, comprising:
- a first lamination task comprising laminating a plurality of ballistic layers together with a plurality of interlayers to form a ballistics-grade armor panel;
- and
- a second lamination task comprising laminating a plurality of inserts, one over the other, to the ballistics-grade armor panel with an interlayer, wherein each of said plurality of inserts has a mass density less than a mass density of the ballistics-grade armor panel,
- wherein the second lamination task comprises subjecting the plurality of inserts, the ballistics-grade armor panel, and the interlayer to a temperature of at least approximately 150° F. and a pressure of at least approximately 50 psi.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.