Flexible composite for protection against slashing, stabbing and firing weapons as well as shrapnel

Abstract

The invention relates to a flexible nonwoven for providing protection from slashing, stabbing and firing weapons as well as shrapnel. The protective material provides improved ballistic protection, which is also effective in particular against long firearms. The invention is used for example in the areas of personal protection, protection from firearms, security vehicle technology, military technology, aeronautical and aerospace engineering. The object of the invention is to propose a flexible protective nonwoven, consisting of a nonwoven of soft-ballistic and hard-ballistic protective materials. It is intended to be lightweight, highly flexible and quiet and, by means of easily possible and universal shaping, be easily producible and effectively usable. The soft-ballistic protective material is a multi-ply fabric which consists of high-strength textile materials. The hard-ballistic protective material consists of a three-dimensional wire structure of a lightweight construction which consists of multiple criss-crossing and interconnected wires that form a multiplicity of cells in three-dimensional space. The three-dimensional wire structure (2) is formed by interlocking transverse spirals (3) and longitudinal spirals (4) in each plane. There are at least two planes, which are likewise connected to one another.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a flexible protective composite against the effects of bladed weapons, firearms, and fragments, consisting of a sandwich composite of soft and hard ballistic protective materials. The protective material offers improved ballistic protection, which is particularly effective against long guns. The invention is used, for example, in the fields of personal protection, ballistic protection, security vehicle technology, military technology, and aerospace engineering.

[0002] Solutions for the protection of people and property are divided into soft and hard ballistic solutions. Soft ballistic solutions consist, for example, of multi-layered textiles. These only protect against handguns, but not against long guns. For protection against long guns, plate solutions, especially those made of metal or ceramic, are currently the primary option. Plates are rigid, inflexible, and, in the higher protection classes required against long guns, very heavy. When multiple plates are combined for improved mobility, the spaces between them become less protected. Breathability is virtually nonexistent. Plate solutions emit noise when the wearer moves, falls, or is struck by objects, which can be detrimental, for example, in combat. Shaping plate designs is also difficult.

[0003] A bulletproof vest consisting of fiberglass mats, synthetic resin and clay plates for rounded chest, abdomen and body protection is listed in DE 21 35 571 A.

[0004] In DE 68 08 297 U a bulletproof vest is described, the front and back of which consist of armored sheets or plates, each of which is enclosed in fabric sheaths.

[0005] These are arranged in an overlapping, scale-like manner and are surrounded all around by a closed outer shell of fabric or the like, the size of the front or back part.

[0006] EP 33 77 841 B1 shows that several layers of textile are bonded together with a binder matrix in the middle section. This middle section is pressed. Additionally, a removable armor plate or a ceramic plate is located here.

[0007] EP 30 86 077 A4 and EP 30 86 077 A1 describe a solution for defense against 9 mm cartridges. This involves a sandwich solution consisting of alternating polyethylene film and several layers of aramid fabric.

[0008] EP 425 394 A1 describes a two-part ballistic vest, consisting of an underlayer and a chest protector. The underlayer consists of several layers of fabric and is arranged in a scale-like or folded form. The chest protector consists of a rigid shell made of, for example, metal.

[0009] In EP 30 98 560 A1, many small segments made of a sintered material are bonded independently of each other and not connected to one another to a "ballistic" textile using a thermoplastic film. This safety lining also contains pockets for inserting plates to increase protection.

[0010] For example, EP 34 57 075 A1 describes a vest for protection against bullets and / or bladed weapons. At least one panel and at least one second plate are manufactured. Each plate consists of a fabric, in particular aramid fibers, and a thermoplastic film fixed on one side. Each individual plate is reinforced with threads. In the overall structure, the fibers are oriented unidirectionally, with the fibers arranged at -45° / +45° or unidirectionally intersecting at 0° / 90° / 0° / 90°, depending on the plate.

[0011] DE 724 202 A describes a body protector with a movable protective device that does not restrict body movement. In this design, a protective mass adapted to the shape of the garment, consisting of a metal ring mesh made of light metal wire, is sewn into the garment on a layer of fabric or wadding, or into the fabric itself. The wire ends of the individual ring links are joined by welding.

[0012] Disadvantages of the aforementioned invention include the fact that the metal rings are too large for optimal protection against bladed weapons, stabbing weapons, and projectiles. The wire ends must be welded together, which leads to irregularities in the design. Protection against strong forces, such as those from long guns, or against thin weapons, such as a stiletto or syringe, is not provided. The three-dimensional design is also limited by the metal rings.

[0013] EP 670 466 A1 describes a stab-resistant insert for a protective vest that includes a ballistic protection package and can be placed in front of the body. It consists of a steel chainmail mesh embedded in a plastic matrix, forming a flexible yet stable mat. The plastic matrix can be made of polyurethane (PU). The stab-resistant insert, which is held in shape by the plastic matrix, can be inserted into the outer shell of a protective vest.

[0014] The steel chain mesh can be formed as a flexible, internally stable mat by embedding it between two layers of thermoplastic material, which are fused together by pressure under the influence of heat.

[0015] The steel chainmail mesh can be formed as a flexible, self-supporting mat by embedding it between two layers of fabric coated with thermally activated adhesive, which are bonded together under pressure and heat. However, this solution has weaknesses in protecting the entire body, particularly in the areas between the mesh panels. It only provides protection against stabbing weapons, not against projectiles or shrapnel.

[0016] Solutions for the protection of people and property are divided into soft and hard ballistic solutions. Soft ballistic solutions, such as those made of multi-layered textiles, only protect against handguns, but not against long guns. Currently, only plate solutions are available for protection against long guns. z.B. made of metal or ceramic.

[0017] Plates are rigid, inflexible, and, in higher protection classes such as those required against long guns, very heavy. There are fewer protected areas between the plates. Breathability is virtually nonexistent. Plate solutions emit noise when dropped, taken into position, or struck by objects, which can be disadvantageous in combat situations. Shaping plate variants is difficult.

[0018] EP 000002384248 B1 relates to a lightweight, three-dimensional wire structure consisting of several wires that intersect and are interconnected to form a multitude of cells in three-dimensional space. The invention is used, for example, in medical technology, vehicle and mechanical engineering, and construction.

[0019] WO 2015 / 026258 A1 applies to wire mesh structures and fabrics with a special arrangement of threads. It describes a three-dimensional mesh comprising a set of adjacent layers. Each layer is formed by two mutually orthogonal families of threads or rods. The axes of the threads or rods are helical, twisted in the opposite direction to the axes of the threads or rods of the other family. They are arranged such that each thread or rod of one family, with each turn, encloses a thread or rod of the other family and simultaneously also encloses adjacent threads or rods of its own family. The threads or rods of each layer are interwoven with the threads or rods of the adjacent layers.It is possible to form a combined net that additionally contains threads or rods arranged in the net's cavities, wherein the threads or rods are provided individually or are connected to one another by a conventional weave, such as a plain weave. The invention can be used in the manufacture of composite materials, in a range of building structures and original machine parts, as well as in the manufacture of a range of consumer goods: providing cool summer mattresses, perpetually dry mats for bathrooms and swimming pools, naturally convection-ventilated car seats, and others.US 2002 / 073473 A1 discloses a flexible protective composite against blunt, stabbing and firearms as well as fragments, consisting of a composite of soft ballistic and hard ballistic protective material, wherein the soft ballistic protective material is a multi-layered sheet structure consisting of solid, textile materials, wherein individual layers or several layers grouped together are arranged offset from each other by an angle, wherein the hard ballistic protective material forms a three-dimensional wire structure consisting of several wires that cross and are connected to each other to form a multitude of cells in three-dimensional space, and wherein the soft ballistic and the hard ballistic protective material are connected to each other in such a way that they are held stably in their position.

[0020] The object of the invention is to propose a flexible protective composite against blunt, stabbing, and firearms as well as fragments, consisting of a composite of soft and hard ballistic protective materials. This composite should be lightweight, highly flexible, and quiet, and should be easy to manufacture and effectively deployable thanks to its easily achievable and universal shape.

[0021] According to the invention, the problem is solved by the features of claim 1. Further features are described in dependent claims 2 to 7.

[0022] The flexible protective composite according to the invention against blunt, stabbing and firearms as well as splinters consists of a composite of soft ballistic and hard ballistic protective materials.

[0023] The soft ballistic protective material is a multi-layered sheet structure made of high-strength textile materials. The hard ballistic protective material consists of a lightweight, three-dimensional wire structure composed of multiple wires that intersect and are interconnected to form a multitude of cells in three-dimensional space. The three-dimensional wire structure (2) is formed in each plane from interlocking transverse spirals (3) and longitudinal spirals (4). At least two planes are provided, which are also interconnected. The connection is made at specific nodes, which are again formed by the interlocking of the transverse spirals (3) and longitudinal spirals (4), analogous to interlocking in a plane.

[0024] For possible protection against firearms, the maximum cell opening (12) should be smaller than the projectile diameter of the firearm against which protection is sought.

[0025] The soft ballistic and hard ballistic protective materials are bonded together in such a way that the individual layers are held stably in their position.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, particularly for use in body armor, a hard ballistic layer is sandwiched between two soft ballistic layers. This creates a sandwich structure that is particularly flexible and universally applicable for a wide range of applications, especially for all types of body armor.

[0027] In a special design, several hard ballistic layers are provided, with soft ballistic layers located between the hard ballistic layers in a sandwich structure.

[0028] Another description states that the flexible protective structure is adapted in its form to the external shapes of the persons or objects to be protected, or at least parts thereof.

[0029] It is advantageous if the soft ballistic surface structures are connected to the hard ballistic protective material at least in the edge area, in particular by sewing, gluing, welding, resin bonding or fusing.

[0030] The soft ballistic protective material can preferably consist of synthetic chemical fibers, for example, polymer fibers, polymer condensate fibers, polyaddition fibers, polyaromatic fibers, polyheterocyclic and / or homoaliphatic fibers. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMW) or high-modulus polyethylenes (HMPE), so-called high-performance polyethylene fibers such as Dyneema, are particularly suitable. Other materials, such as aramid, carbon, or glass, are also suitable.

[0031] Surprisingly, it was found that when a three-dimensional wire structure according to EP 00002384248 B1 is chosen as the hard ballistic protective material, a particularly high level of protection can be achieved.

[0032] The advantages of the invention lie in the fact that the flexible protective composite can be dimensioned in various ways, thus offering protection to people, animals, and objects against harmful influences such as stabs, cuts, splinters, handguns, long guns, and similar hazards. Particularly in higher protection classes, the solution offers a clear weight advantage, is not rigid, and has no weak points in the overall structure. The shape can be customized without compromising the level of protection. In the event of falls or impacts, the noise is significantly reduced compared to plates. Overall, the resulting flexible protective composite can be assessed as being lightweight, highly flexible, and quiet, and can be easily and universally shaped.

[0033] The invention will now be explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments. The figures shown are: Fig. 1 Flexible protective composite in sandwich construction Fig. 2 Soft ballistic protective material as a multi-layered, multiaxial sheet structure Fig. 3 Structural composition of a hard ballistic protective material Fig. 4 Hard ballistic protective material in several layers

[0034] First, the basic structure of a flexible protective system against blunt, stabbing and firearms as well as fragments, consisting of a combination of soft ballistic and hard ballistic protective materials, is described.

[0035] Out of Fig. 1 A flexible protective composite is visible, constructed in a sandwich design, in which the soft ballistic protective material arranged on both sides is a multi-layered sheet structure 1 made of high-strength textile materials. High-strength polyethylene threads serve as the base. The threads are stretched and laid parallel to each other without being bonded together. This creates a layer 9 consisting of a thread bundle. Fixation is achieved through fabric bonding or mechanically through friction and / or interlocking. Depending on the application, further layers 9 are laid on top of this thread bundle according to the same principle. To achieve a specific property in multiple directions, the thread bundles are laid at different angles to the production direction. Figur 2 The manufacturing process is schematically represented with a fixation by sewing using a needle 10 and a sewing thread 11.

[0036] In Fig. 1 For illustrative purposes, only 4 layers of 9 are shown on each side. In reality, however, these surface structures consist of a large number of layers of 9. Depending on the intended use, the number can range from a minimum of 2 to over 100 layers of 9. To improve resistance, the individual layers of 9 or groups of layers are arranged offset by an angle. Fig. 1 The two inner layers 9 are arranged offset by 90° each. The third layer 9 is shown offset by a further 45° and the fourth layer 9 by a further 90° (135°) relative to the 3rd layer.

[0037] The use of a fabric known commercially as Dyneema®< has proven particularly advantageous, e.g., Dyneema®< product SB 115 or Dyneema®< product HB 210. In these variants, the yarn sheets are arranged at angles of 0° and 90°.

[0038] For the exemplary production of test specimens, the material is cut into 500 mm x 500 mm pieces. This is done on the cutting machine. Five layers of textile are covered with paper, a blade oscillation of 4020 and a speed of 50% are set, and a vacuum of 75-80% is applied. The cut pieces are stacked in several layers, with each layer being rotated 45° relative to the previous layer. The layers thus alternate between 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135°. These layers can be loose or bundled together using various joining technologies. For example, 50 layers can be sewn together on a saddlery machine using a size Nm 200 needle of needle system 70.4, Nm 20 / 3 thread, and a stitch length of 5 mm.

[0039] A hard ballistic protective material is provided between the two soft ballistic surface structures. This is formed from a lightweight, three-dimensional wire structure 2. The hard ballistic layer consists of several metal meshes, intersecting to form a multitude of cells in three-dimensional space, and interconnected by wires 8. For its construction, a wire 8, e.g., made of stainless steel 1.4567, with a wire diameter of, for example, 0.63 mm, is formed into spirals and connected to each other by twisting. The result is a mesh with three overlapping layers.

[0040] In the Fig. 3 and 4The three-dimensional wire structure is shown in a lightweight design. It consists of a multitude of helically wound wires 8, intersecting each other to form cells 7 in three-dimensional space, arranged with varying orientations of their axes and in different planes. An example is shown in Fig. 3 The image shows a wire structure made up of two layers, which can be extended in any third direction by adding further layers.

[0041] According to Fig. 2 In a first plane, several helical wires 8, running parallel to each other with their axes relative to one another, are arranged as a transverse spiral 3 by interlocking at their respective intersection points to form a wire mesh connected in the x and y directions, in which two adjacent wires are connected via an intersection point 13 in each turn. The wire mesh can be extended as desired in the y direction by incorporating further wires. The length of the wires used determines the extent in the x direction.

[0042] With regard to the Fig. 2Furthermore, several helical wires 8, running parallel to each other with their axes relative to each other, are provided as longitudinal spirals 4 perpendicular to the axes of the transverse spirals 3. Within the first plane, these wires intersect both each other and the intersection points of the transverse spirals 3 at their points of intersection. For a complete cell 7, four wires are in contact with each other at each of the four intersection points, each forming a fully functional intersection point in terms of this structure.

[0043] When two adjacent transverse spirals 3 are positively connected to two adjacent longitudinal spirals 4, they have the smallest distance between them at one point, the so-called large node 5. A cell 7 of this plane is bounded by four nodes.

[0044] When additional layers are added, connection points are created by interlacing the transverse spirals of one layer with the longitudinal spirals of the next layer(s). These connection points form a small knot 6. The wire mesh of the first layer is thus connected to the wire mesh of the second layer in the z-direction, perfectly aligned. This structure is reinforced by adding further layers. This causes the inserted cells to shift relative to one another, reducing the cell size due to the increased amount of material.

[0045] For a sandwich solution, a further multilayer fabric 1 made of high-strength polyethylene threads can be used as a third component. This is also cut into 500 mm x 500 mm pieces to produce a flexible protective composite with the specified settings. One hundred and eleven pieces of the HB 210 fabric are stacked on top of each other, rotating each piece by 45°. Thus, when viewed individually, the 110 pieces are stacked alternately at 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135°. This ensures that the fabric has the same properties in all directions.

[0046] The flexible protective composite is then manufactured by joining the two multi-layered sheet structures 1 and the three-dimensional wire structure 2. This joining can be achieved, for example, by spot bonding with a two-component polyethylene resin. The soft and hard ballistic protective materials are bonded together in such a way that the individual layers are held stably in place. This can be done by sewing, gluing, welding, resin bonding, or fusing. In this way, for example, a structure measuring 500 mm x 500 mm x 5 mm can be manufactured, which can be used for a test specimen, or a structure measuring 350 mm x 250 mm x 30 mm can be used as an insert for a protective vest.

[0047] The flexible protective composite according to the invention is universally applicable against blunt, stabbing and firearms as well as splinters.

[0048] Possible areas of application are as follows: Protective vests, bulletproof cars / trucks / construction machinery for crisis areas, aircraft and helicopters (protection at a lighter weight), ship protection, suits for demolition teams (like vests, but the entire person stands in protective segments), bulletproof walls / tents / containers / mobile garages, shock absorbers for pallet drops from aircraft, e.g., care packages in disaster areas, drone reinforcement, missile reinforcement against impacts, demolition measures as splinter protection during demolition work, protective wall during blasting operations, tank reinforcement against explosions or during ammunition transport.

[0049] Bulletproof vests for long gun protection utilize plate carriers, which hold and position the corresponding armor segments. These segments are manufactured from a flexible protective composite measuring 300 mm x 250 mm and inserted into the vest. They are therefore compatible with existing plate carriers, eliminating the need to purchase new ones. The segments are located on the left and right sides of the chest, two on the abdomen, two each on the upper and lower back, and one on each shoulder.

[0050] The position and size of the segments depend on the application. Molded segments, such as those suitable for the shoulder, can be easily manufactured due to their flexible formability. Larger segments, even complete vests, are possible without the need for plate carriers, over-vests, or similar equipment. Because a manufactured protective composite is very flexible and lightweight, it can be produced larger than conventional, rigid plate solutions, especially for protective vests. This allows the potential body protection to extend to the sides of the body without restricting the wearer's movement. Depending on the desired protection class, the segments can be made thinner and more flexible or thicker.

[0051] In armored vehicles for land, water, and air use, as well as drones, armor can also be achieved using a protective composite according to the invention. For this purpose, the protective composites are dimensioned according to the desired level of protection; the thicker the composite, the greater the protection against harmful impacts. The segments are shaped and manufactured according to their position in the application area. The segments are then attached in front of or behind the outer panels. In vehicles, they can be located inside the doors, driver's compartments, engine hoods, trunk lids, vehicle roofs, and cargo areas. In drones, airplanes, and helicopters, the segment is shaped as a corresponding body and inserted. Segments are also embedded in the cockpit, its floor, and doors. For marine applications, the segments are shaped accordingly and inserted into the hull and the outer surfaces. It is also possible to reinforce only specific areas.

[0052] For use in protecting walls, tents, containers, or mobile garages from projectiles or shrapnel, segments measuring, for example, 2.50 m x 2.00 m can be manufactured. These segments can be fitted with a carrying handle if required. This structure serves as a portable protective wall or shield and can also be made in other sizes. Mobile garages or containers can be constructed from several of these segments. For this purpose, the segments are arranged as walls, with one used as a roof. These can then be firmly connected to each other using adhesives or other bonding technologies. The individual segments can also be used directly as tents, tarpaulins, or covers.

[0053] These flexible protective composites are lightweight and highly flexible. They are characterized by low noise levels during operation. Their universal design allows for easy manufacturing, simple application, and effectiveness. Reference numeral list

[0054] 1 Multi-layered sheet structure 2 Three-dimensional wire structure 3 Transverse spiral 4 Longitudinal spiral 5 Large knot 6 Small knot 7 Cell 8 Wire 9 Layer 10 Needle 11 Sewing thread 12 Cell opening 13 Intersection point

Claims

1. Flexible composite for protection against slashing, stabbing and firing weapons and also shrapnel, consisting of a composite of soft-ballistic and hard-ballistic protective material, wherein - the soft-ballistic protective material is a multiply sheetlike structure (1) which consists of solid textile materials, wherein - individual plies or multiple plies collected together in groups of plies are arranged offset at an angle from each other, - the hard-ballistic protective material forms a three-dimensional wire structure (2) which consists of multiple wires (8) interconnected and intersecting in the three-dimensional space to form a multiplicity of cells (7), - the three-dimensional wire structure (2) is formed in each plane from interlocking transverse spirals (3) and longitudinal spirals (4), - at least two planes are present, which are connected to each other in large knots (5) and small knots (6), wherein the large knots (5) are formed when two vicinal transverse spirals (3) are positively connected to two mutually adjacent longitudinal spirals (4) and these spirals have the smallest distance from each other at one point, and the small knots (6) are formed at connection sites that come about when further planes are added, by intertwining of the transverse spirals of one plane with the longitudinal spirals of the further plane(s), - the soft-ballistic and hard-ballistic protective materials are connected to each other such that they are kept stable in their position.

2. Flexible protective composite according to Claim 1, characterized in that a hard-ballistic layer is provided between two soft-ballistic layers and a sandwich structure is formed.

3. Flexible protective composite according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that multiple hard-ballistic layers are provided, wherein soft-ballistic layers are located between the hard-ballistic layers and a sandwich structure is formed.

4. Flexible protective composite according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the flexible protective composite is adapted in its shape to the exterior shape of a person to be protected or an object to be protected or at least parts thereof.

5. Flexible protective composite according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the soft-ballistic sheetlike structures (1) are connected to the hard-ballistic protective material at least in the edge region.

6. Flexible protective composite according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the soft-ballistic protective material consists of synthetic man-made fibres.

7. Flexible protective composite according to Claim 6, characterized in that the synthetic man-made fibres are polymer fibres, polymer condensate fibres, polyaddition fibres, polyaromatic fibres, polyheterocyclic and / or homoaliphatic fibres.

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