Anti-Perforation Metal Sheet Assembly for Flexible Body Armor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing personal protection devices with anti-perforation metal sheets fail to ensure precise positioning of metal sheets and polymeric foam layers, leading to potential shape variations and increased manufacturing times, requiring specialized operators and heat exposure, which compromises the device's effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The method involves arranging the metal sheet and polymeric foam layers in a recess, where they partially overlap, and heating only the ends to ensure precise positioning and bonding without heat exposure, allowing for precise bonding without using the polymeric foam layer, and using the polymeric foam to absorb impact energy, thus ensuring accurate positioning and reducing manufacturing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal sheets are used as anti-perforation elements, then protection level against knife attacks is improved, but the device becomes rigid and uncomfortable to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The metal sheet is divided into multiple individual metal elements (scales) that are connected to each other. Each metal element can move independently, allowing the armor to flex and conform to the body while maintaining protective coverage. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling both high strength protection and wearability comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between metal elements allows relative movement, transforming the rigid structure into a dynamic, flexible system. The metal elements can shift and adjust during movement, providing adaptability to body motion while maintaining protective integrity. This dynamic characteristic eliminates the rigidity issue while preserving protection level.
2Strength
If metal sheets are used as anti-perforation elements, then protection level against knife attacks is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the armor into separate metal elements reduces overall weight compared to a solid metal sheet. The segmented structure uses less material while maintaining protective coverage, and the individual elements can be optimized for minimal weight without sacrificing strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Using thin metal elements instead of thick plates provides sufficient protection against knife attacks while minimizing weight. The thin film approach maintains protective functionality while dramatically reducing the mass of the armor system.
3Strength
If metal sheets are used as anti-perforation elements, then protection level against knife attacks is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
While segmentation increases the number of components, it simplifies manufacturing by allowing individual metal elements to be produced using standard processes and then assembled. This modular approach reduces the complexity of creating and handling large, complex metal structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized metal elements can serve multiple functions (protection, flexibility, weight reduction) and can be used in various armor configurations. This universality simplifies manufacturing by using the same components across different applications rather than creating custom solutions for each case.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is disclosure for realising a personal protection device (1) having an anti- perforation metal sheet (8), and the relative personal protection device (1), the method comprising steps of: having a first plate (2) made of a polymeric material which comprises a recess (3) and a first end portion (4) which laterally delimits the recess (3) and which forms a honeycomb structure (5); having a second plate (6) made of a polymeric material which comprises a second end portion (7); positioning a metal sheet (8) in the recess (3) of the first plate (2); positioning a layer of polymeric foam (9) in the recess (3) of the first plate (2) in such a way that the layer of polymeric foam (9) absorbs a part of the kinetic energy of an impact to which the metal sheet (8) is subjected, during use of the personal protection device (1); the metal sheet (8) and the layer of polymeric foam (9) being at least partially overlapped on one another internally of the recess (3); heating the first end portion (4) and the second end portion (7) to a temperature value such as to fuse, at least partially, a part of the first end portion (4) and a part of the second end portion (7); coupling the first end portion (4) and the second end portion (7), following the step of heating the first end portion (4) and the second end portion (7), so as to weld the first end portion (4) and the second end portion (7) to one another.