U.S. patent application number 12/213377 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-24 for varying thickness helmet for reduced weight and increased protection.
Invention is credited to Robert William Kocher, David Edward Simon.
Application Number | 20090313736 12/213377 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41429722 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090313736 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kocher; Robert William ; et
al. |
December 24, 2009 |
Varying thickness Helmet for reduced weight and increased
protection
Abstract
A helmet in which the material thickness is optimized to utilize
multiple defeat mechanisms against a range of threats and to
provide varying levels of protection in different areas based on
the expected distribution and orientation of threats. Threat types
as well as likely threat locations are both used to determine
optimal material types and thickness at different points on the
helmet to provide the user with the greatest overall level of
personal protection possible with a helmet of a given maximum
weight.
Inventors: |
Kocher; Robert William;
(Arlington, VA) ; Simon; David Edward;
(Alexandria, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CROWELL & MORING LLP;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GROUP
P.O. BOX 14300
WASHINGTON
DC
20044-4300
US
|
Family ID: |
41429722 |
Appl. No.: |
12/213377 |
Filed: |
June 18, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/6.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41H 1/04 20130101; F41H
1/08 20130101; F41H 1/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/6.6 |
International
Class: |
F41H 1/08 20060101
F41H001/08 |
Claims
1. A helmet comprising a shell having at least side, front, and top
sectors. The thickness and composition of each sector defined to
provide protection appropriate to the most likely threat at that
specific region. a. Said shell to be comprised of metal, ceramic,
or composite. i. Said shell to include metal thickness ranging up
to 0.5 inches. ii. Said shell to include ceramic thicknesses
ranging up to 0.5 inches. iii. Said shell to include composite
thicknesses ranging up to 1.25 inches. b. Said shell to be
configured to have a stand-off distance between the inner surface
and the user's head sufficient to allow required back-face
deformation associated with normal operation, as well as the use of
a suspension system to absorb shock resulting from ballistic and
blunt impacts. Said stand-off distance to be between 0.125 inches
and 2.0 inches. i. Said shell to further incorporate attachment
points for devices including but not limited to night vision
equipment, thermal imaging equipment, acoustic and other sensors,
and communication equipment. c. A suspension comprised of
components to include a chin strap, and foam pads or webbing. i.
Said chin strap to retain the helmet to the user's head during
normal use, as well as in the event of a blunt impact, ballistic or
blast event. ii. Said foam pads or webbing to provide shock
isolation between the helmet shell and the user's head, which will
mitigate transmitted shock associated with blunt impact, ballistic,
and blast events.
2. A method of making a helmet for an individual's head having
distinct sectors which stop select fragmentation, stop select
ballistic threats, and deflect other threats and fragments. The
thickness, composition, and construction of each sector configured
to provide protection appropriate to the most likely threat at that
specific region, thereby reducing the weight carried on a user's
head, and increasing the provided protection from likely events. a.
Weight is reduced by tailoring the local thickness of the helmet
material to the threats expected at each given region. b.
Protection is increased by providing increased thickness in areas
having a higher probability of being exposed to more severe
threats.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention generally relates to personal protection
equipment. Specifically, the invention relates to a helmet device
that provides users with maximum levels of personal protection and
minimum weight. This is accomplished by structuring the material
properties of the helmet to focus protection in helmet areas more
likely to be successfully attacked based on reasonable practice and
threat models.
[0002] With the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the role
of personal protection equipment is more critical than ever. In
practice helmets are a compromise between the level of protection
afforded to the soldier and the weight burden the soldier must
carry on their head.
[0003] Past efforts have related to the material construction of
the helmet, the overall coverage area of the helmet, and the helmet
fabrication process. These efforts have sought to increase the
helmet's ability to defeat particular threats, and to increase
producibility and affordability. The resulting helmets have
included the M-1 Steel Helmet, the Personnel Armor System for
Ground Troops (PASGT) and the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) fielded
by the US Army. No previous efforts have sought to optimize the
construction of a helmet to the combination of a particular threat
type, modeled three dimensional threat distribution, helmet defeat
mechanism(s), and overall weight.
[0004] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the invention
are:
[0005] (a) to provide a helmet construction that can utilize
multiple projectile defeat mechanisms including deflection and
others;
[0006] (b) to provide a helmet construction that can be optimized
to the types of threats anticipated;
[0007] (c) to provide a helmet construction that can be optimized
to the three dimensional distribution of directions and locations
from which threats are likely to deployed against the helmet
user;
[0008] (c) to provide a helmet constructed to stop certain threats,
and to cause to skip other threats that cannot be easily
stopped.
[0009] (d) to provide a construction which effectively presents an
enemy with a smaller "kill-zone" for a particular weapon by
reducing the projected area the incoming round must hit to defeat
the helmet.
[0010] In accordance with the present invention the Varying
Thickness Helmet for Reduced Weight and Increased is an article of
protective equipment designed to offer improved protection from
small-arms fire and fragmentation without the generally
corresponding system weight. This optimized thickness makes use of
two specific defeat mechanisms that can be achieved with composite
and metallic structures, specifically, in a successful piece of
personal protective equipment, bullets can either be stopped or
deflected. The construction of the helmet makes use of these two
defeat mechanisms in different ways in different areas of the
helmet. The non-uniform spatial distribution of helmet properties,
and incoming threat defeat mechanism is based on reasonable
practice, a three dimensional model of likely threat locations, the
threat type, and target location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the Varying Thickness
Helmet.
[0012] FIG. 2 shows a front section view of the Varying Thickness
Helmet.
[0013] FIG. 3 shows an example vertical threat distribution.
[0014] FIG. 4 shows an example horizontal threat distribution.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] A preferred embodiment of the Varying Thickness Helmet is
illustrated in FIG. 1 (angled view), and FIG. 2 (front section
view). FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the invention. The
Varying Thickness Helmet inner surface 1 is a smooth surface sized
to fit the head of a nominal user. It is expected that the helmet
would be offered in a range of sizes to accommodate a range of
users. The sizing of the Varying Thickness Helmet allows for the
use of a suspension system comprised of foam, webbing, or other
between the helmet and the user's head. The Varying Thickness
Helmet outer surface 2 is a smooth surface spaced a non-uniform
distance from the inner surface. This non-uniform spacing results
in a helmet in which the material thickness varies at different
points along the surface of the helmet.
[0016] FIG. 1 also shows mounting points 3 for devices including
night vision equipment, thermal imaging equipment, acoustic and
other sensors, and communication equipment. The suspension system 4
includes a chin strap and foam pads or webbing which retain the
helmet to the user's head in the event of a blunt impact,
ballistic, or blast event. Furthermore, the foam pads or webbing
provide shock isolation between the helmet shell and the user's
head which will mitigate shock associated with blunt impact,
ballistic, and blast events.
[0017] FIG. 2 shows a front section view of the invention. In this
view, the inner 1 and outer 2 surfaces are clearly evident.
Additionally, it can be seen that the two surfaces are separated by
a distance that varies along the profile of the helmet. This
varying thickness is optimized to provide operators protection from
threats as a function of the threat type, threat distance, and the
location from which the threat is fired at the target.
[0018] FIG. 3 shows an example vertical threat distribution, with
example low threat areas 5, example medium threat areas 6, and
example high threat areas 7 illustrated. FIG. 4 shows an example
horizontal threat distribution with example low threat areas 5,
example medium threat areas 6, and example high threat areas 7
illustrated
[0019] The helmet may be manufactured from metal (Ti, RHA Steel, HH
Steel, or other), a composite material (Kevlar, Dyneema, Spectra,
Twaron, or other), ceramic, or any combination of these materials.
The thickness of the helmet itself is an optimized function of
using different defeat mechanisms to address different threats in
different ways. In areas in which a soldier performing a specific
mission is unlikely to be targeted, the material thickness is
lower, and may be sized only to provide protection from small
fragmentation, incidental impact, or low velocity/low energy small
arms fire. Areas that fall in this category may include, but are
not limited to the helmet's crown, brim, side, rear, and front.
Specifically, threats may be oriented in any direction; different
directions are more likely than others, and different threats are
more or less likely to target specific areas. Based on general
practice, and a three-dimensional model of threat orientation and
likelihood, the thickness of the helmet is varied across the entire
surface. In areas in which a soldier is likely to take a direct
hit, the thickness of the helmet is determined by a requirement to
stop likely incoming projectiles. For larger projectiles, and
Armor-Piercing projectiles with high enough energy that complete
direct protection from a head-borne system is not feasible, the
thickness is sized such as to induce a glancing behavior in the
incoming projectile from a range of likely shot angles. This
glancing behavior may include situations in which the incoming
projectile is seen to skip off of the surface, as well as
situations in which the incoming projectile tumbles off of the
surface.
[0020] It should be recognized that the material requirements
(composition, thickness, and geometry) required to either stop an
incoming projectile, or induce a glancing behavior from a range of
incoming projectile angles, are very different. Consequently, a
helmet sized and shaped to benefit from both of these defeat
mechanisms may be constructed and optimized to reduce the overall
weight borne by the user, while providing an overall level of
protection not possible for a given weight without using this
technique.
[0021] An example of the benefit of this type of helmet to a user
will be seen,in a situation in which a user is being targeted in a
rural setting. In this setting, the threat orientation may be
likely to come from a sector located at or near ground level, and
within an arc of 90.degree. across the front of the helmet. In this
instance, the helmet would be constructed with reduced thickness in
low threat areas such as the top and rear of the helmet, thereby
reducing the overall weight of the helmet. In the higher threat
area, the helmet thickness and construction will be modified to
defeat the expected threat round. The defeat mechanism may be
different based on different threat types. As an example, a
7.62.times.39 mm PS Ball round may be stopped directly, while a
7.62.times.54 mm AP round may be deflected. In the deflection case,
the effect is that the shooter will have to hit a significantly
smaller target in order to avoid being defeated by deflection off
of the helmet. In a specific instance, this may be analogous to a
requirement that a particular shooter aiming from 500 meters, may
have to shoot with the same accuracy that would be required at 700
meters in order to achieve their desired effect. As the probability
of an accurate hit at 700 meters is substantially lower than at 500
meters, the helmet user's survivability percentage will be
significantly increased.
Operation
[0022] In operation, the Varying Thickness Helmet for Minimum
Weight and Maximum Protection is worn by an operator in the same
manner that a standard helmet would be worn. The Varying Thickness
Helmet for Minimum Weight and Maximum Protection will be affixed to
the user's head using the same range of attachment options used
with standard helmets. Furthermore, the Varying Thickness Helmet
for Minimum Weight and Maximum Protection will incorporate the same
type of interior suspension system common in ordinary helmets.
Scope of Invention
[0023] The reader will see a helmet in which the material thickness
and type are optimized to utilize multiple defeat mechanisms
against a range of threats and threat orientations. Threat types as
well as likely threat locations are used to determine optimal
material types and thickness at different points across the entire
surface of the helmet to provide the user with the greatest overall
level of personal protection possible with a helmet of a given
maximum weight. This feature can provide alternatively a higher
level of protection at a given overall helmet weight, or an
equivalent overall level of protection at a helmet of reduced
overall weight.
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