U.S. patent application number 11/768168 was filed with the patent office on 2009-05-07 for lightweight armor.
Invention is credited to Mark C. Conn, Frank S. Owen, JOSEPH THINN.
Application Number | 20090114084 11/768168 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40586819 |
Filed Date | 2009-05-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090114084 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
THINN; JOSEPH ; et
al. |
May 7, 2009 |
LIGHTWEIGHT ARMOR
Abstract
A lightweight armor system senses a shock wave from an explosive
and deploys an inflatable barrier before the arrival of shrapnel
from the explosion. The sensor is tuned to frequencies associated
with shock waves generated by known Improvised Explosive Devices
(IEDs). The shock waves travel at between 25,000 and 30,000 feet
per second and arrives at a vehicle before the shrapnel generated
by the IED. The sensor generates a signal which is amplified and
provided to a plurality of initiators in a plurality of nested
pods. The nested pods inflate rapidly and form a barrier over areas
requiring protection from the shrapnel.
Inventors: |
THINN; JOSEPH; (Costa Mesa,
CA) ; Conn; Mark C.; (Tarzana, CA) ; Owen;
Frank S.; (Mission Viejo, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Kenneth Green
15245 Midcrest
Whittier
CA
90604
US
|
Family ID: |
40586819 |
Appl. No.: |
11/768168 |
Filed: |
June 25, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60816652 |
Jun 26, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
89/36.02 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41H 5/013 20130101;
F41H 5/007 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
89/36.02 |
International
Class: |
F41H 5/007 20060101
F41H005/007 |
Claims
1. Lightweight armor comprising: a base for mounting the armor;
deployable armor residing in the base before deployment and
expanding vertically when deployed; a deployment circuit
comprising: a shock wave sensor; and a power amplifier electrically
connected to the sensor for amplifying a signal from the sensor;
and a motive source for the deployable armor electrically connected
to the power amplifier and providing.
2. The lightweight armor of claim 1, wherein the deployable armor
comprises a plurality of vertically overlapping deployable
pods.
3. The lightweight armor of claim 2, wherein the deployable armor
comprises a plurality of nested pods prior to deployment.
4. The lightweight armor of claim 3, wherein the deployable armor
comprises a plurality of nested pods and the motive source
comprises individual independent gas sources.
5. The lightweight armor of claim 3, wherein the deployable armor
comprises a plurality of nested pods comprising a pan with a base
and sides and armor plates around the sides.
6. The lightweight armor of claim 5, wherein the nested pods are
connected by ballistic grade cloth strips.
7. The lightweight armor of claim 6, wherein the armor plate are
aramid fiber plates and the cloth strips are aramid fiber cloth
strips.
8. Lightweight armor comprising: a base for mounting the armor; a
plurality of nested pods residing in the base before deployment and
expanding vertically when deployed; aramid fiber armor surrounding
each pod aramid fiber cloth connecting and covering consecutive
pods and limiting the vertical travel of the pods to provide an
overlap of consecutive pods. a deployment circuit comprising: a
shock wave sensor; and a power amplifier electrically connected to
the sensor for amplifying a signal from the sensor; and a gas
source for each pod for inflating the inflatable armor, the gas
source electrically connected to the power amplifier.
Description
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/816,652 filed Jun. 26, 2006,
which application is incorporated in it's entirely herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to vehicle armor and in
particular to lightweight inflatable armor.
[0003] Growing activities by terrorist groups have often included
attacks against light vehicles using Improvised Explosive Devices
(IEDs). Such IEDs have inflicted severe casualties and generated a
need to increase the armor on vehicles such as the Hummvee widely
in use by the military. Unfortunately, the additional armor has
added significantly more weight than vehicle suspension was
designed for resulting in accidents causing further injuries.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention addresses the above and other needs by
providing a lightweight armor system which senses a shock wave from
an explosive and deploys an inflatable barrier before the arrival
of shrapnel from the explosion. The sensor is tuned to frequencies
associated with shock waves generated by known Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs). The shock waves travel at between 25,000 and 30,000
feet per second and arrives at a vehicle before the shrapnel
generated by the IED. The sensor generates a signal which is
amplified and provided to a plurality of initiators in a plurality
of nested pods. The nested pods deploy rapidly and form a barrier
over areas requiring protection from the shrapnel.
[0005] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided lightweight armor including a base, inflatable armor pod
segments, an inflator circuit, and gas sources. The inflatable
armor pod segments reside in the base before inflation. The
inflator circuit includes a shock wave sensor and a power amplifier
electrically connected to the sensor for amplifying a signal from
the sensor. The gas source is electrically connected to the power
amplifier and inflates the armor when a shock wave is sensed.
[0006] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is
provided lightweight armor including a base for mounting the armor,
a plurality of nested pods, and a deployment circuit. The plurality
of nested pods resides in the base before deployment and expands
vertically when deployed. A aramid fiber armor surrounds each pod
and aramid fiber cloth connects and covers consecutive pods
limiting the vertical travel of the pods to provide an overlap of
consecutive pods. The deployment circuit includes a shock wave
sensor and a power amplifier electrically connected to the sensor
for amplifying a signal from the sensor. A gas source is
electrically connected to the power amplifier and provides gas for
each pod for inflating the inflatable armor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0007] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be more apparent from the following more
particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the
following drawings wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1A is a side view of a lightweight vehicle with
inflatable armor units according to the present invention residing
on the vehicle body.
[0009] FIG. 1B is a front view of the lightweight vehicle with the
inflatable armor units residing on the vehicle body.
[0010] FIG. 1C is a top view of the lightweight vehicle with the
inflatable armor units residing on the vehicle body.
[0011] FIG. 2A is a side view of the lightweight vehicle with the
inflatable armor units according to the present invention residing
on the vehicle body, with two of the inflatable armor units on the
right side of the vehicle deployed.
[0012] FIG. 2B is a front view of the lightweight vehicle with the
inflatable armor units residing on the vehicle body, with two of
the inflatable armor units on the right side of the vehicle
deployed.
[0013] FIG. 2C is a top view of the lightweight vehicle with the
inflatable armor units residing on the vehicle body, with two of
the inflatable armor units on the right side of the vehicle
deployed.
[0014] FIG. 3A is a detailed side view of the deployed inflatable
armor unit.
[0015] FIG. 3B is a detailed front view of the deployed inflatable
armor unit.
[0016] FIG. 3C is a detailed top view of the deployed inflatable
armor unit.
[0017] FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the deployed inflatable
armor unit, taken along line 4A-4A of FIG. 3B.
[0018] FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the deployed inflatable
armor unit, taken along line 4B-4B of FIG. 3C.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the deployed
inflatable armor unit taken along line 4A-4A of FIG. 3B showing an
inflator circuit and inflators.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a diagram of the inflator circuit.
[0021] FIG. 7A is a partial cross-sectional view a the pod assembly
before activation.
[0022] FIG. 7B is a partial cross-sectional view of the pod
assembly after activation.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom two layers
before activation.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a pivoting mount for mounting the inflatable armor
unit.
[0025] FIG. 10 is an end view of the inflatable armor unit.
[0026] FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view of the inflatable armor
unit taken along line 10A-10A of FIG. 10.
[0027] FIG. 11 is a time-line for deploying the inflatable armor
unit.
[0028] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
components throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] The following description is of the best mode presently
contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is
not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the
purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the
invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with
reference to the claims.
[0030] A side view of a lightweight vehicle 10 with inflatable
armor units 12, according to the present invention, residing on the
right side of the vehicle body is shown in FIG. 1A, a front view of
a lightweight vehicle 10 with the inflatable armor units 12
residing on the vehicle body is shown in FIG. 1B, and a top view of
a lightweight vehicle 10 with the inflatable armor units 12
residing on the vehicle body is shown in FIG. 1C. The inflatable
armor units 12 may be positioned under windows 14 to protect the
windows from shrapnel generated by an Improvised Explosive Device
(IED). The inflatable armor units 12 may also be positioned at
other locations, for example, below or above the front grill to
protect the radiator, above wheel wells to protect tires, and next
to any location requiring protection from shrapnel, for example, to
protect otherwise exposed military or civilian personnel.
[0031] A side view of a lightweight vehicle 10 with the inflatable
armor units 12 residing on the vehicle 10 body, and the inflatable
armor units 12 residing on the right side of the vehicle 10
deployed, is shown in FIG. 2A, a front view of the lightweight
vehicle 10 with the inflatable armor units 12 deployed is shown in
FIG. 2B, and a top view of a lightweight vehicle 10 with the
inflatable armor units 12 deployed is shown in FIG. 2C. The
inflatable armor units 12 comprise a base unit 13 and deployable
pod segments 16. The pod segments 16 are shown deployed and
covering windows 14 (see FIG. 1A) to protect vehicle occupants.
[0032] A detailed side view of the deployable inflatable armor unit
12 comprising pod segments 16 and base 13 are shown in FIG. 3A, a
detailed front view of the deployable pod segments 16 and the base
13 are shown in FIG. 3B, and a detailed top view of the deployable
pod segments 16 and the base 13 are shown in FIG. 3C.
[0033] A cross-sectional view of the deployable pod segments 16 and
the base 13 taken along line 4A-4A of FIG. 3B is shown in FIG. 4A,
and a cross-sectional view of the deployable pod segments 16 and
the base 13 taken along line 4B-4B of FIG. 3C is shown in FIG. 4B.
The pod segments 16 comprise a plurality of nested inflatable pods
16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, and 16e. Each pod 16a-16e has it's own gas
source (comprising an initiator and an inflator) 18a, 18b, 18c,
18d, and 18e respectively. Each gas source 18a-18e translates away
from the base 13 when the inflatable armor unit 12 is deployed,
thereby reducing the deployment time. The inflatable armor unit 12
preferably inflates to a height H of approximately three feet. The
inflatable armor unit 12 preferably comprises between five pod
segments and ten pod segments, and the number of pod segments may
be adapted to the present use. The number of pod segments required
is based on achieving a minimum inflation time and advanced
inflators may also serve to reduce the number of pod segments
required. The minimum inflation time is determined based on the
shock wave speed, sensor speed, and shrapnel speed.
[0034] A detailed cross-sectional view of the deployed inflatable
armor unit 12 taken along line 4A-4A of FIG. 3B showing an inflator
circuit 30 and the inflators, is shown in FIG. 5, and a diagram of
the inflator circuit is shown in FIG. 6. The inflator circuit 30
comprises a sensor 20, a battery 22, a switch M, and a power
transistor 24. The sensor 20 is connected to the transistor 24 by
sensor wires 21. The battery 22 is connected to the transistor 24
by battery wires 23, with the switch M serially connected between
the battery 22 and the transistor 24 in one of the battery wires
23. Inflator wires 25 connect the transistor 24 to the gas sources
18a-18e.
[0035] A partial cross-sectional view of the pod assembly before
activation is shown in FIG. 7A and a partial cross-sectional view
of the pod assembly after activation is shown in FIG. 7B. Each pod
16a-16e in the pod assembly 16 comprises an armor plates 52a-52e
attached to pans 54a-54e respectively. The armor places 52a-52e are
preferably made of aramid fibers and other ballistic materials.
Aramid fibers or ballistic grade cloth strips 50a-50d connect
consecutive and cover armor plates 52a-52e. Prior to activation,
the cloth strips 50a-50d lay relaxed around the pod assembly
exterior as seen in FIG. 7A, and after activation, the kevlar cloth
strips are held in tension between the expanded pod layers. The
aramid fiber cloth strips 50a-50d connecting and covering
consecutive pods 16a-16e and limit the vertical travel of the pods
16a-16e to provide an overlap of consecutive pods 18a-16e. As seen
in FIG. 7B, the pods 16a-16e deploy vertically and are vertically
overlapped when deployed.
[0036] A cross-sectional view of the bottom two layers before
activation is shown in FIG. 8. Gas generating materials 56a and 56b
reside in the pans 54a and 54b respectively. Three or more packings
of the gas generating material may reside in each pan as needed,
depending on the overall size of the pod assembly 16. The pans
54a-54e preferably have channeled bottoms for added strength as
needed.
[0037] A pivoting mount 40 for mounting the base 13 is shown in
FIG. 9. The pivoting mount 40 allows the base 13 to be adjusted to
provide a maximum coverage for, for example, a window 14. The base
13 is pivotally connected to the pivoting mount 40 at a pivot 42
and indexed by index points 44.
[0038] An end view of the inflatable armor unit 12 is shown in FIG.
10 and a cross-sectional view of the inflatable armor unit 12 taken
along line 10A-10A of FIG. 10 is shown in FIG. 1A. The inflatable
armor unit 12 includes an exterior skin 60 covering the top of the
base 12 and reaching down over the sides of the base 13. A nylon
scrim 62 resides under the cover skin 60 and extends down inside
the base 60. A glass mat 64 resides under the scrim 62 and over the
pod assembly 16. The exterior skin 60 may be notched lengthwise to
facilitate tearing when the pods are deployed. Foam filling 66 may
be provided to fill in a gap between the pods and the base 13.
[0039] The bags 16a-16e are preferably made from an aramid fiber, a
ballistic grade armor felt, or a ballistic grade fabric such as
Kevlar fabric made by Dupont. An example of a suitable sensor 20 is
a model 113A22 sensor made by PCB Piezotronics in Depew, N.Y. An
example of a suitable inflator is a model DH-6 Infator made by ARC
Automotive, Inc. In Knoxville, Tenn.
[0040] A time-line for deploying the inflatable armor 16 is
described in FIG. 11. The IED is detonated at time 0.0. A shock
wave travels away from the IED at between 25,000 and 30,000 feet
per second. The shock wave reaches the vehicle 10, approximately 10
feet from the IED, in approximately 0.4 ms. The sensor 20 senses
the shock wave in approximately 0.1 ms after the shock wave has
reached the vehicle 10 (total time 0.5 ms). The gas sources 18a-18e
fire in 0.6 ms after receiving the sensor signal (total time 1.1
ms). The pod segments 16a-16e inflate in approximately 1.3 ms
(total time 2.4 ms). The shrapnel travels at approximately 1000
feet per second and thus reaches the vehicle 10 in approximately 10
ms in this example.
[0041] While the present invention is herein described using
deployable pods, an alternative embodiment may replace the pods
with air bags.
[0042] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by
means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous
modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled
in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set
forth in the claims.
* * * * *