U.S. patent application number 12/917224 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-09 for ballistic shield support undergarments.
Invention is credited to WILLIAM G. FEARON.
Application Number | 20110131694 12/917224 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44080505 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110131694 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FEARON; WILLIAM G. |
June 9, 2011 |
BALLISTIC SHIELD SUPPORT UNDERGARMENTS
Abstract
The ballistic shield support undergarments are undergarments for
use by soldiers, tactical personnel and the like, providing
comfortable support for ballistic shielding, without limiting the
wearer's dexterity or freedom of movement. The ballistic shield
support undergarments include both underpants and an undershirt,
preferably worn as a set. The pair of undershorts include a waist
portion and a pair of leg portions, as is conventionally known. A
pair of pockets are provided, with each pocket being secured to a
respective one of the leg portions by stitching or the like. A pair
of ballistic shields, such as small arms protective inserts (SAPIs)
or the like, are further provided, with each ballistic shield being
removably received within a respective one of the pockets. Each
pocket is positioned on the respective leg portion so that the
respective ballistic shield received therein covers the wearer's
femoral artery.
Inventors: |
FEARON; WILLIAM G.; (Cedar
Grove, NJ) |
Family ID: |
44080505 |
Appl. No.: |
12/917224 |
Filed: |
November 1, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61282045 |
Dec 7, 2009 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/2.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41H 1/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/2.5 |
International
Class: |
F41H 1/02 20060101
F41H001/02 |
Claims
1. A ballistic shield support undergarment, comprising: a pair of
undershorts having a waist portion and a pair of leg portions; a
pair of pockets, each of the pockets being attached to a respective
one of the leg portions; and a pair of ballistic shields, each of
the ballistic shields being removably received within a respective
one of the pockets, each of the pockets being positioned on the
respective leg portion so that the respective ballistic shield
received therein covers a wearer's femoral artery when the
undergarment is worn.
2. The ballistic shield support undergarment as recited in claim 1,
wherein each said pocket has a closed lower end and an open upper
end.
3. The ballistic shield support undergarment as recited in claim 2,
wherein each said ballistic shield is a small arms protective
insert.
4. The ballistic shield support undergarment as recited in claim 2,
wherein each said ballistic shield is a level IIIa ballistic
cover.
5. A ballistic shield support undergarment, comprising: an
undershirt having a main body portion, a pair of sleeves and a neck
portion; a pair of sleeve pockets, each of the sleeve pockets being
attached to a respective one of the sleeves; a front pocket
attached to a front panel of the main body portion; a pair of
sleeve ballistic shields, each of the sleeve ballistic shields
being removably received within a respective one of the sleeve
pockets; and a front ballistic shield removably received within the
front pocket.
6. The ballistic shield support undergarment as recited in claim 5,
wherein the main body portion has a rear panel, the undergarment
further comprising: a rear pocket attached to the rear panel of the
main body portion; and a rear ballistic shield removably received
within the rear pocket.
7. The ballistic shield support undergarment as recited in claim 6,
wherein each of said sleeve, front and rear pockets has a closed
lower end and an open upper end.
8. The ballistic shield support undergarment as recited in claim 7,
wherein each of said sleeve ballistic shields, said front ballistic
shield and said rear ballistic shield comprises a small arms
protective insert.
9. The ballistic shield support undergarment as recited in claim 7,
wherein each of said sleeve ballistic shields, said front ballistic
shield and said rear ballistic shield comprises a level IIIa
ballistic cover.
10. A set of ballistic shield support undergarments, comprising: a
pair of undershorts having a waist portion and a pair of leg
portions; a pair of leg pockets, each of the leg pockets being
attached to a respective one of the leg portions; a pair of leg
ballistic shields, each of the leg ballistic shields being
removably received within a respective one of the leg pockets, each
of the leg pockets being positioned on the respective leg portion
so that the respective leg ballistic shield received therein covers
a wearer's femoral artery when the undershorts are worn; an
undershirt having a main body portion, a pair of sleeves and a neck
portion, the main body portion having a front panel; a pair of
sleeve pockets, each of the sleeve pockets being attached to a
respective one of the sleeves; a front pocket attached to the front
panel of the main body portion; a pair of sleeve ballistic shields,
each of the sleeve ballistic shields being removably received
within a respective one of the sleeve pockets; and a front
ballistic shield removably received within the front pocket.
11. The set of ballistic shield support undergarments as recited in
claim 10, wherein the main body portion of said undershirt has a
rear panel, said undershirt further comprising: a rear pocket
attached to the rear panel of the main body portion; and a rear
ballistic shield removably received within the rear pocket.
12. The set of ballistic shield support undergarments as recited in
claim 11, wherein each of said leg, sleeve, front and rear pockets
has a closed lower end and an open upper end.
13. The set of ballistic shield support undergarments as recited in
claim 12, wherein each of said leg ballistic shields, said sleeve
ballistic shields, said front ballistic shield and said rear
ballistic shield comprises a small arms protective insert.
14. The set of ballistic shield support undergarments as recited in
claim 12, wherein each of said wherein each of said leg ballistic
shields, said sleeve ballistic shields, said front ballistic shield
and said rear ballistic shield comprises a level IIIa ballistic
cover.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 61/282,045, filed Dec. 7, 2009.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to undergarments and body
armor, and particularly to underpants and undershirts having
pockets for receiving ballistic shielding.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Gunshot wounds and fragmentation from incendiary explosive
devices (IED) to the femoral artery of the human body are typically
fatal. Body armor has existed for many years, but typically only
covers the user's chest. Often, law enforcement officers who
conduct raids are required to leave their desks without forewarning
or time to properly prepare. These law enforcement officers
typically do not wear bulletproof garments while in their offices,
performing other tasks. These officers must be able to quickly put
on bulletproof garments in order to protect themselves when
conducting a raid or the like. Similarly, military personnel may be
called into active combat at a moment's notice, and must be able to
apply body armor and shielding quickly and easily, preferably in a
manner, which still allows for total body mobility.
[0006] Thousands of soldiers have been wounded, killed, or lost
lower limbs in battlefields due to hits to their unprotected lower
bodies. Vascular injuries to the lower abdomen and lower
extremities carry a high mortality rate. In a recent study, it was
found that of 600 patients with penetrating trauma to the iliac
vessels and femoral arteries, 39% of the patients died within 30
days of injury. In certain cases of penetrating trauma to the iliac
vessels, cardiac arrest occurred within six minutes to eight
minutes of impact.
[0007] A need exists for body armor which is ready for use almost
instantly, and which provides protection for the femoral artery,
the femoral artery path, and the lower spine. Such body armor
should also preferably be light and flexible so that a user may
easily wear the armor, without losing flexibility or dexterity.
Thus, a ballistic shield support undergarments solving the
aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The ballistic shield support undergarments are undergarments
for use by soldiers, tactical personnel and the like, providing
comfortable support for ballistic shielding without limiting the
wearer's dexterity or freedom of movement. The ballistic shield
support undergarments include both underpants and an undershirt,
preferably worn as a set.
[0009] The pair of undershorts includes a waist portion and a pair
of leg portions, as is conventionally known. A pair of pockets are
provided, with each pocket being secured to a respective one of the
leg portions by stitching or the like. A pair of ballistic shields,
such as small arms protective inserts (SAPIs), level IIIA ballistic
covers or the like, are further provided, with each ballistic
shield being removably received within a respective one of the
pockets. Each pocket is positioned on the respective leg portion
such that the respective ballistic shield received therein covers
the wearer's femoral artery.
[0010] The undershirt includes a main body portion, a pair of
sleeves and a neck portion, as is conventionally known. A pair of
sleeve pockets are provided, with each sleeve pocket being secured
to a respective one of the sleeves. A front pocket is further
secured to a front panel of the main body portion, and a pair of
sleeve ballistic shields and a front ballistic shield are removably
received within the respective sleeve pockets and front pocket. A
rear pocket may similarly be secured to a rear panel of the main
body portion, by stitching or the like, for removably receiving a
rear ballistic shield.
[0011] These and other features of the present invention will
become readily apparent upon further review of the following
specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is an environmental, partially exploded, perspective
view of a set of ballistic shield support undergarments according
to the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded, perspective view of a pair
of underpants of the set of ballistic shield support undergarments
according to the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an anatomical diagram illustrating positioning of
the femoral artery in relation to a human thigh.
[0015] FIG. 4A is a partially exploded, front perspective view of
an undershirt of the set of ballistic shield support undergarments
according to the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 4B is a partially exploded, rear perspective view of an
undershirt of the set of ballistic shield support undergarments
according to the present invention.
[0017] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a user wearing a set of ballistic shield
support undergarments. The ballistic shield support undergarments
are undergarments for use by soldiers, tactical personnel and the
like, providing comfortable support for ballistic shielding,
without limiting the wearer's dexterity or freedom of movement. The
ballistic shield support undergarments include both underpants 10
and an undershirt 12, preferably worn as a set, as shown.
[0019] As best seen in FIG. 2, the pair of undershorts 10 include a
waist portion 32 and a pair of leg portions 34, as is
conventionally known. A pair of pockets 14 are provided, with each
pocket 14 being secured to a respective one of the leg portions 34
by stitching or the like. Preferably, each pocket 14 has a
substantially U-shaped contour, with an upper, substantially linear
opening 16, and a closed, arcuate lower end.
[0020] A pair of ballistic shields 18, such as small arms
protective inserts (SAPIs), level IIIa ballistic covers or the
like, are further provided, with each ballistic shield 18 being
removably received within a respective one of the pockets 14. It
should be understood that SAPIs 18 are shown for exemplary purposes
only, and that any suitable type of ballistic shield may be
utilized. It should be further understood that the contouring and
relative dimensions of pockets 14 may be varied, dependent upon the
type of ballistic shielding being used.
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates the positioning of the femoral artery FA
with respect to the thigh T of a typical human leg. Each pocket 14
is positioned on the respective leg portion 34 such that the
respective ballistic shield 18 received therein covers and protects
the wearer's femoral artery FA.
[0022] As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the undershirt 12 includes a
main body portion 36, a pair of sleeves 38 and a neck portion 40,
as is conventionally known. A pair of sleeve pockets 26 are
provided, with each sleeve pocket 26 being secured to a respective
one of the sleeves 38, by stitching or the like. A front pocket 20
is further secured to a front panel 21 of the main body portion 36,
and a pair of sleeve ballistic shields 30 and a front ballistic
shield 24 are removably received within the respective sleeve
pockets 26 and front pocket 20. A rear pocket 42 may similarly be
secured to a rear panel 23 of the main body portion 36, by
stitching or the like, for removably receiving a rear ballistic
shield.
[0023] The sleeve ballistic shields 30, the front ballistic shield
24, and the rear ballistic shield may be small arms protective
inserts (SAPIs), level IIIa ballistic covers or any other suitable
type of ballistic shield. It should be understood that the
contouring and relative dimensions of pockets 20, 26 and 42 may be
varied, dependent upon the type of ballistic shielding being used.
Further, as shown, each sleeve pocket 26 preferably has a
substantially U-shaped contour, with an upper, substantially linear
opening 28, and a closed, arcuate lower end. Similarly, front
pocket 20 preferably has a substantially U-shaped contour, with an
upper, substantially linear opening 22, and a closed, arcuate lower
end. Rear pocket 42 is preferably configured in a similar
manner.
[0024] Undershorts 10 are preferably configured similarly to
conventional compression shorts, dimensioned and contoured to be
form-fitting when worn about the wearer's waist and mid or lower
thigh. Undershorts 10 may be formed from spandex or the like.
Undershirt 12 is preferably formed from a similar material and is
also dimensioned and configured to be form fitting, similar to a
conventional bicycling shirt.
[0025] As noted above, any suitable type of ballistic shielding may
be used. The National Institute of Justice (NU) grades levels of
body armor. The ballistic shields may be one of the classification
types of the National Institute of Justice, which consist of Type
I, Type Ia, Type II, Type IIIa, Type III, and Type IV. Preferably,
graded level IIIa, utilizing eighteen layers of ballistic material,
is used. Grade II uses fifteen layers of ballistic material and is
capable of stopping a bullet fired by a 357 Magnum at a velocity of
1,395 feet per second. The same grade level stops a 9-mm bullet
fired at a velocity of 1,175 feet per second. The level III
protection stops a 7.63 NATO round of bullets traveling at a
velocity of 2,750 feet per second.
[0026] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and
all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *