Multi-layer Body Armor Plate with Mesh Layer for Fragment Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ceramic and steel body armor plates are thick, heavy, brittle, and difficult to shape to fit individual physiques, limiting mobility and causing secondary injuries due to fragmentation, and are negatively buoyant, making them unsuitable for use in or near water.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layer body armor plate comprising a strike plate, a mesh layer with intersecting walls defining open cells, and an outer skin layer, formed using metal matrix composite materials and additive manufacturing, which traps projectile fragments and reduces buoyancy, allowing for customization and improved protection against multiple hits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If ceramic body armor plates are used, then protection against ballistic projectiles is provided, but the plates become thick and heavy, limiting wearer mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The body armor plate is divided into multiple functional layers: a strike plate layer for initial impact, a mesh layer with open cells for fragment containment, and an outer skin layer for environmental protection. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized for its specific function, reducing overall thickness and weight compared to solid ceramic plates while maintaining protective capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh layer incorporates open cells that can be filled with lightweight materials such as foam or air. This porous structure significantly reduces the density and weight of the armor plate compared to solid ceramic, while the mesh structure itself provides mechanical support and fragment containment functionality
2Strength
If ceramic body armor plates are used, then protection against ballistic projectiles is provided, but the plates become thick, limiting wearer mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layer construction distributes the protective function across different thicknesses: the strike plate provides initial impact resistance, the mesh layer provides fragment containment, and the outer skin provides environmental protection. This allows the total thickness to be reduced compared to solid ceramic plates of equivalent protective capability
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh layer with open cells filled with lightweight foam or air reduces the overall thickness required for adequate protection. The porous structure provides mechanical functionality (fragment containment) without requiring the thickness of solid ceramic material
3Strength
If steel body armor plates are used, then protection against ballistic projectiles is provided, but the plates become heavy, limiting wearer mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The body armor plate uses composite construction combining metal matrix composite materials for the strike plate, mesh structure, and outer skin. This composite approach provides the strength and durability of metal while significantly reducing weight compared to solid steel plates, achieving better strength-to-weight ratio
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented multi-layer design allows each component to be made from optimized materials at appropriate thicknesses, reducing overall weight while maintaining protective performance through the combined functionality of all layers
4Strength
If ceramic or steel body armor plates are used, then protection against ballistic projectiles is provided, but projectiles fragment and splash off, causing secondary injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh layer with open cells is designed to capture and contain projectile fragments that result from the striking of the plate. Instead of allowing fragments to splash off and cause secondary injuries (harmful effect), the mesh structure traps them within the plate structure (beneficial containment), converting the fragmentation harm into a contained energy dissipation mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh layer's porous structure with open cells provides a three-dimensional network that intercepts and contains projectile fragments. The open cells allow the mesh to flex and absorb impact energy while preventing fragment ejection, effectively managing the fragmentation hazard
5Strength
If ceramic or steel body armor plates are used, then protection against ballistic projectiles is provided, but they are negatively buoyant, making them unsafe to wear in or near water
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh layer with open cells provides buoyancy when filled with air or lightweight foam materials. This porous structure counteracts the negative buoyancy of the metal matrix composite strike plate and outer skin, enabling the overall armor plate to float or remain neutrally buoyant in water, ensuring safety in aquatic environments
Solution Approach 2:
The composite construction combines negatively buoyant metal matrix composite materials with positively buoyant materials (air or foam) in the mesh layer. This composite approach balances the overall buoyancy of the armor plate, making it suitable for water environments while maintaining protective capabilities
6Strength
If ceramic body armor plates are used, then protection against ballistic projectiles is provided, but they are brittle and crack when struck, reducing effectiveness against subsequent strikes
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layer construction distributes impact forces across different materials with different mechanical properties. The metal matrix composite strike plate provides ductility and crack resistance, while the mesh layer provides structural support and fragment containment. This segmentation prevents the brittle cracking that occurs in solid ceramic plates
Solution Approach 2:
The use of metal matrix composite materials in the strike plate provides a ductile, crack-resistant alternative to brittle ceramic materials. The composite construction combines materials with complementary mechanical properties to achieve both protective performance and resistance to cracking under repeated impact
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-layer body armor plate includes a strike plate; a mesh layer positioned over the strike plate, the mesh layer having a number of open cells; and an outer skin layer positioned over the mesh layer so as to encapsulate the open cells of the mesh layer between the strike plate and the outer skin layer. The open cells of the mesh layer may entrap air or may be filled with expandable, buoyant foam.