Ballistic Armor Fabric with Low Lateral Spread Factor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional composite ballistic armor systems face challenges in achieving high ballistic performance while maintaining cost-effectiveness, often requiring aggressive yarn spreading and high tenacity fibers, which increase manufacturing costs and fiber damage.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layer hard armor sheet with unidirectional yarn monolayers having a low lateral spread factor and higher polymeric binder content, reducing the need for aggressive yarn spreading and allowing for the use of standard textile creels, while maintaining or exceeding ballistic performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If aggressive yarn spreading is used to achieve high ballistic performance, then ballistic performance is improved, but fiber damage increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spread factor parameter from traditional high values (300-500%) to a low spread factor (less than 306%, and in some embodiments less than 100%). This parameter change allows the yarn to maintain its structural integrity while still achieving high ballistic performance through the unique low spread construction, thereby reducing fiber damage during manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite construction combining unidirectional yarn monolayers with polymeric binder layers. The polymeric binder (20-50% by weight) creates a composite material system where the binder matrix supports the yarn structure, allowing the yarn itself to be less aggressively spread while maintaining overall composite ballistic performance
2Strength
If aggressive yarn spreading is used to achieve high ballistic performance, then ballistic performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spread factor parameter to a low value (less than 306%), which simplifies the manufacturing process. Traditional high spread factors require complex spreading equipment and precise control, but the low spread factor approach can be achieved with standard textile creels and simpler manufacturing processes, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining ballistic performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs standard textile creels and conventional manufacturing equipment rather than specialized expensive spreading machinery. By using readily available, less complex equipment to achieve the low spread factor construction, the manufacturing cost is reduced while still producing high-performance armor
3Strength
If high tenacity fibers are used to achieve high ballistic performance, then ballistic performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system where standard tenacity fibers are combined with polymeric binder (20-50% by weight). The composite construction allows the use of less expensive standard tenacity fibers rather than requiring high tenacity fibers, as the polymeric binder matrix provides additional structural support and ballistic performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the yarn construction parameter to low spread factor (less than 306%), which allows standard tenacity fibers to achieve high ballistic performance when constructed in this unique low spread configuration with polymeric binder, eliminating the need for more expensive high tenacity fibers
4Ease of manufacture
If unidirectional monolayers with low spread factor are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but ballistic performance may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite material construction where unidirectional yarn monolayers with low spread factor are combined with polymeric binder layers (20-50% by weight). The polymeric binder matrix provides the additional structural support needed to achieve high ballistic performance, compensating for the reduced yarn spreading while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different properties to different parts of the composite structure. The unidirectional yarn monolayers provide localized fiber strength and directional support, while the polymeric binder layers provide matrix support and structural integrity. This local differentiation of properties allows the low spread factor yarn to be used without sacrificing overall ballistic performance
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 4B~6
AI summary
A ballistic composite armor article includes a multi-layer hard armor sheet that has at least first and second unidirectional yarn monolayers. The second unidirectional yarn monolayer is transversely oriented with respect to the first unidirectional yarn monolayer, and there is at least one polymeric binder layer arranged adjacent to and stabilizing at least one of the first and second unidirectional yarn monolayers. The yarns of the first and second unidirectional yarn monolayers include respective fiber bundles that have a lateral spread factor ranging from negative lateral spread to a positive lateral spread of less than 306%.