Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02611420 2013-05-21
Title
BODY ARMOR AND CLOSURE MECHANISM FOR USE IN BODY ARMOR
Background of the Invention
100011
[0002] The present invention relates generally to body armor and to a closure
mechanism for
use in body armor, and, particularly, to body armor for the torso including a
self-adjusting side
closure mechanism.
(00031 Concealable body armor for protection from, for example, edged weapons,
sharp
objects and ballistic threats, has been available for several decades. Since
the introduction of
concealable body .armor, ballistic materials have been improved greatly,
resulting in relatively
soft or pliant body armor and increased comfort for the user. Modem
concealable body armor
often includes ballistic panels or packages formed from DuPont's KEVLAR
ballistic grade
fibers/fabrics.
[0004] Various closure systems have been developed for body armor including,
for
example, zippers and hook-and-loop type fastening systems (for example, VELCRO
available
from Velcro Industries B.V.). In the case of closure systems for use in body
armor it is desirable
to have ballistic paneling cover or underlie the closure mechanism to prevent
injury in the area of
the body over which the closure mechanism is located. A side closure can be
desirable to provide
increased safety. In that regard, a person wearing body armor will typically
be facing an assailant
during an attack: Thus, impact of a dangerous object such as a bullet with the
side of the wearer
is less likely than impact of the object with the front of the wearer. As
compared to a front
closure mechanism, a side closure mechanism can thus reduce the likelihood of
an object such as
a bullet passing through the protection of the body armor in the area of the
closure mechanism.
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[00051 In the case of a side closure mechanism including overlapping ballistic
paneling, it
is desirable that a portion of a front ballistic panel overlap a portion of a
back ballistic panel in
the region of the side closure. In that regard, there have been cases with a
back-to-front overlap
in which a bullet has passed into the interior of the body armor by entering
the body armor at the
end point of the overlap. Once again, a person wearing body armor is most
likely to be facing an
assailant and any potential entry point for a projectile approaching the
person from the front of
the person is preferably eliminated. Although a front-to-back overlap may be
desirable, a front-
to-back overlap is difficult to achieve in practice. In that regard, it is
very difficult for a wearer of
body armor (for example, a vest) to achieve an effective front-to-back overlap
while wearing the
body armor. It is much easier for a wearer of body armor to achieve a back-to-
front overlap.
10006] It is desirable to develop improved body armor and closure mechanisms
for use in
body armor that reduce or eliminate the above-identified and other problems
associated with
currently available body armor and closure mechanisms therefor.
Summary of the Invention
[0007] In one aspect, the present invention provides body armor to be worn on
the torso
of a person. The body armor includes a front section having ballistic paneling
therein and a back
section having ballistic paneling therein. The body armor further includes at
least one side
closure mechanism including a rearward section adapted to be grasped and
pulled in a forward
direction around the side of the torso to close the closure mechanism. The
rearward section is in
operative connection with a forward section of the side closure mechanism so
that the forward
section moves in a rearward direction around the side of the torso of the
person when the
rearward section is pulled in a forward direction. The forward section is in
operative connection
with a portion of the ballistic paneling of the front section so that a
portion of the ballistic
paneling in the front section overlaps a portion of the ballistic paneling in
the back section that
extends around a portion of the side of the torso when the closure mechanism
is in a closed
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position. The rearward section and the forward section further include
cooperating fastening
mechanisms to reversibly retain the closure mechanism in a closed state.
[0008] The body armor can, for example, include a length of material attached
at a first
end to the rearward section and attached at a second end to the forward
section. The length of
material passes through a loop attached to the article of body armor. In one
embodiment, the
cooperating fastening mechanisms of the rearward section and the forward
section are hook-and-
loop type fastening mechanisms.
[0009] In another aspect, the present invention provides body armor to be worn
on the
torso of a person comprising a vest including a front section having ballistic
paneling and a back
section having ballistic paneling. The vest further includes at least one side
closure mechanism
including a rearward section adapted to be grasped and pulled in a forward
direction around the
side of the torso to close the closure mechanism. The rearward section is in
operative connection
with a forward section of the side closure mechanism so that the forward
section moves in a
rearward direction around the side of the torso of the person when the
rearward section is pulled
in a forward direction. The forward section is in operative connection with a
portion of the
ballistic paneling of the front section so that a portion of the ballistic
paneling in the front section
is adapted to overlap a portion of the ballistic paneling in the back section
that extends around a
portion of the side of the torso when the closure mechanism is in a closed
position. The rearward
section and the forward section include cooperating fastening mechanisms to
reversibly retain the
closure mechanism in a closed state. The cooperating fastening mechanisms of
the rearward
section and the forward section can, for example, be hook-and-loop type
fastening mechanisms.
[0010] In one embodiment, the body armor further includes a length of material
attached
at a first end to the rearward section and attached at a second end to the
forward section. The
length of material passes through a loop attached to the article of body
armor.
[0011] In a further embodiment, the vest is attached to a shirt. In that
embodiment, the
portion of the back section of ballistic paneling that extends around a
portion of the side of the
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torso can be operatively attached to the shirt and at least a part of the
portion of front section
ballistic paneling that is adapted to overlap the portion of the back section
of ballistic paneling
can be free to move relative to the shirt.
[00121 Also disclosed is a side closure mechanism for body armor including a
back-to-front overlapping closing mechanism wherein closing of the closing
mechanism
results in a front-to-back overlap of ballistic paneling in the area of the
closure mechanism.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0013] Other aspects of the invention and advantages thereof will be discerned
from the
following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0014] Figure IA is an embodiment of an article of body armor of the present
invention
laid flat on a surface.
[0015] Figure 1B is a front view of the body armor of Figure lA wherein the
body armor
is in the form of a pull over shirt having attached thereto a ballistic vest.
[0016] Figure 2 illustrates a back view of the article of body armor of Figure
lA wherein
the body armor is laid flat on a surface and the rear closure sections of the
opposing closure
mechanisms are folded back.
[0017] Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a side
closure
mechanism of the article of body armor of Figure 1A and the body armor is not
worn on a user.
[0018] Figure 4 illustrates another perspective view of the side closure of
Figure 3
wherein force is being applied to the rearward section thereof and the body
armor is not worn on
a user.
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[0019] Figure 5 illustrates another perspective view of the side closure of
Figure 3
wherein force is being applied to the rearward section thereof and the body
armor is not worn on
a user.
[0020] Figure 6A illustrates a perspective view of the closure mechanism of
Figure 3 in
an open state when worn by a user.
[0021] Figure 6B illustrates a perspective view of the closure mechanism of
Figure 3 in
the process of being closed when worn by a user.
[0022] Figure 6C illustrates a perspective view of the closure mechanism of
Figure 3 in a
closed state when worn by a user.
[0023] Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of a second side closure of the
body armor
of Figure lA positioned on the opposite side of the side closure illustrated
in Figure 3.
[0024] Figure 8 illustrates another perspective view of the side closure of
Figure 6A as
worn by a user while in an open state.
Detailed Description of the Invention
[0025] In- general, the present invention provides a side closure mechanism or
system for
body armor in which the wearer effects a back-to-front closing or fastening of
the side closure
mechanism, but such closing results in a front-to-back overlap of ballistic
paneling in the area of
the closure mechanism.
[0026] Figures 1 through 8 illustrate an embodiment of an article of body
armor 10 of the
present invention in which a body armor vest 20 is in operative connection
with a shirt 200. For
example, an exterior shell fabric of the body armor can be sewn to the shirt.
A user of body
armor 10 first dons shirt 200 by pulling shirt 200 over the user's head in a
typical fashion. The
user can then adjust the fit of body armor vest 20 using one or more side
closure mechanisms as
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described below. One skilled in the art appreciates that the side closure
mechanisms of the
present invention are suitable for use in many different configurations of
body armor other than
the configuration illustrated in Figures 1 through 8.
[0027] As is common with a number of body armors, body armor 10 includes
ballistic
panels (fabricated, for example, from ballistic grade KEVLAR available from
DuPont) that
provide resistance to, for example, edged weapons, sharp objects, and
ballistic threats. As
illustrated with dashed lines in, for example, Figure 1A, vest 20 includes a
generally contiguous
(in coverage) front ballistic panel 22. One skilled in the art appreciates
that ballistic panel 22 can
be formed from one section or a plurality of separate sections of ballistic
fabric. However, the
coverage provided by ballistic panel 22 is preferably contiguous. Front
ballistic panel 22
includes sides sections 24 and 26 adapted to extend around the side of a user.
Ballistic panel 22,
including side sections 24 and 26, is enclosed within an outer shell of fabric
fowling the front of
vest 20. As illustrated with dashed lines in, for example, Figure 2, vest 20
also includes a
generally contiguous (in coverage) rear ballistic panel 32. Like front
ballistic panel 22, rear
ballistic panel 32 can be formed from one section or a plurality of separate
sections of ballistic
fabric. Rear ballistic panel 32 includes sides sections 34 and 36 adapted to
extend around the side
of a user. Like ballistic panel 22, ballistic panel 32, including side
sections 34 and 36, is enclosed
within an outer shell of fabric forming the rear of vest 20.
[0028] Figures 3 through 8 illustrate the operation of side closure mechanisms
50a and
50b of vest 20. The structure and operation of side closure mechanisms 50a and
50b are
essentially identical. Such structure and operation will be described
primarily with reference to
side closure mechanism 50a. Like components of side closure mechanism 50a and
50b are
correspondingly numbered.
[0029] In the embodiment of Figures 1 through 8, the vest fabric encompassing
side
section 34 of rear ballistic panel 32 is attached (for example, sewn) to shirt
200 such that side
section 34 extends at least partially around the side of shirt 200 when donned
by the user (see for
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example, Figures 3 through 5 and 6A for closure mechanism 50a and Figure 8 for
closure
mechanism 50b). A rear closure section 60a is in connection (for example, by
sewing) with the
rear of body armor 10. Rear closure section 60a is also in operative
connection with a front
closure section 70a (which encompasses side section 24 of front ballistic
panel 22) via an
intermediate member 80a. In the embodiment of Figures 1 through 8,
intermediate member 80a
is sewn to an underside of rear closure sections 60a a few inches from the end
thereof, passes
under a loop of material 90a which is attached to vest 20 and is sewn to the
end of front closure
section 70a on an upper side thereof.
[0030] After shirt 200 is donned by the user, the user can grasp rear closure
section 60a
using a single hand and pull rear closure section 60a forward and around the
side of the user.
Intermediate section 80a, in cooperation with loop 90a, causes front closure
section 70a (and side
section 24 of front ballistic panel 22 therein) to move rearward and overlap
side section 34 of rear
ballistic panel 32 when rear closure section 60a is pulled forward and around
the user (see, for
exampel, arrows in _Figures 3-5, 6B and 7), thereby effecting a front-to-back
overlap of the
ballistic panels over the side of the user, while adjusting the fit of vest 20
via a back-to-front
overlap of closure sections 60a and 70a. The fit of vest 20 can be adjusted to
fit various size
bodies by adjusting the position or amount of overlap of rear closure sections
60a and 60b on
front closure sections 70a and 70b, respectively. Preferably, in all positions
of fit, front side
ballistic sections 24 and 26 overlap rear side ballistic sections 34 and 36,
respectively.
[0031] In general, the passing of intermediate section 80a under loop 90a
causes the
portion of intermediate section 80a between loop 90a and front closure section
70a to move
rearward while the portion of intermediate section 80a between loop 90a and
rear closure
section 60a moves forward.
[0032] An underside of rear closure section 60a includes a connection
mechanism 62a
(for example, a cooperating portion of a hook-and-loop type connecting or
fastening system) that
cooperates with a cooperating connection mechanism 72a on front closure
section 70a to secure
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rear closure section 60a to front closure section 70a in a desired position to
effect a desired fit of
armor 10. After or simultaneously with the closure of side closure mechanism
50a, the user
performs a similar procedure with side closure mechanism 50b to effect a front
to back overlap of
the ballistic panel sections 26 and 36 over the opposite side of the user,
while further adjusting
the fit of vest 20 via a back-to-front overlap of closure sections 60b and
70b.
[0033] Although the present invention has been described in detail in
connection with the
above embodiments and/or examples, it should be understood that such detail is
illustrative and
not restrictive, and that those skilled in the art can make variations without
departing from the
invention. The scope of the invention is indicated by the following claims
rather than by the
foregoing description. All changes and variations that come within the meaning
and range of
equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
