Convertible Backpack Body Armor Carrier with Detachable Shield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern body armor is heavy, bulky, and impractical for civilians to wear or carry regularly, leaving them unprotected in active shooter incidents, as it is designed primarily for military and law enforcement use.
Innovation Solution
A combined backpack and body armor carrier that can be converted into a protective vest, featuring detachable ballistic armor inserts and a detachable container usable as a shield, allowing for convenient transportation and rapid deployment of ballistic protection without removing the backpack from the wearer's torso.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If body armor is designed to provide ballistic protection, then protective capability is improved, but weight and bulk increase making it impractical for civilian use
Solution Approach 1:
The body armor is divided into separate ballistic plate inserts that can be independently removed from the soft armor carrier. This segmentation allows civilians to carry only the lightweight soft armor carrier during daily activities, and insert the heavier ballistic plates only when protection is needed, thus reducing average weight while maintaining protection capability when required
Solution Approach 2:
The armor system transitions from a static heavy structure to a dynamic configuration where ballistic plates can be quickly inserted and removed. The soft armor carrier with pouches and retention mechanisms enables rapid reconfiguration, allowing the armor to adapt its weight and protection level based on the situation, making it practical for civilian use
2Reliability
If body armor is designed to provide ballistic protection, then protective capability is improved, but bulk and difficulty of transport increase
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the ballistic plates from the carrier and organizing them in individual pouches, the system transforms a bulky monolithic structure into compact, organized modules. The plates nest within the carrier when not in use, significantly reducing transport volume and making the armor practical for civilian carrying and storage
Solution Approach 2:
The ballistic plates are designed to nest within the soft armor carrier when not in use. The carrier's pouches and retention mechanisms allow the plates to be stored compactly within the carrier's volume, dramatically reducing the space required for transport and storage while maintaining quick access capability
3Reliability
If civilians carry body armor regularly, then protective capability is improved, but practicality and convenience decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables civilians to dynamically adjust their protection level based on situational needs. The quick-insert/quick-remove mechanism allows transitioning between protected and unprotected states rapidly, making the armor adaptable to varying threat levels and daily activities, thus improving practicality while maintaining protection capability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The soft armor carrier serves multiple functions: it acts as a standalone soft armor garment, a storage container for ballistic plates, and a quick-deployment system. This multi-functionality increases versatility and practicality for civilian use while maintaining the ability to provide ballistic protection when required
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations of a backpack that can be converted into a protective vest are provided. In a first configuration, the backpack may be used to store and transport items. When confronted with an imminent threat (e.g., an active shooter), the backpack can be converted to a second configuration that serves as a protective vest configured to provide ballistic protection for the wearer's chest and back (i.e., body armor). The backpack does not need to be removed from the wearer's torso when being converted to the protective vest configuration. The protective vest contains at least one ballistic armor insert in both the front and rear panel sections thereof. The backpack includes a container that is detachable therefrom. This detachable container may include an internal pocket that contains at least one ballistic armor insert and enarme that allow the detachable container to be used as a shield.