Chevron Perforated Armour Plates for Removable Vehicle Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing armour systems for vehicles, while providing protection against ballistic projectiles, often compromise the vehicle's speed and manoeuvrability due to added weight, and require cumbersome removal processes when reduced protection is needed.

Innovation Solution

A removable appliqué armour system featuring a rigid frame with angled perforated armour plates arranged in a chevron pattern, allowing for reduced mass and increased protection without compromising vehicle performance, with the option to easily mount and unmount armour plates as needed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If armour plates are added to protect against ballistic projectiles, then protection level is improved, but vehicle weight increases and manoeuvrability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection levelVSAvoidvehicle weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The armour system is divided into modular armour plates that can be independently mounted and removed from the vehicle body. Each plate is a separate component that can be selectively applied to specific areas, allowing the vehicle to carry only the necessary amount of armour for each mission rather than being permanently encumbered by full armour coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The armour plates are designed to be dynamically configurable - they can be quickly mounted when protection is needed and removed when it is not required. This dynamic adaptability allows the vehicle to switch between armoured and unarmoured states, optimizing performance for different operational scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If armour plates are added to protect against ballistic projectiles, then protection level is improved, but vehicle speed and acceleration deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection levelVSAvoidvehicle speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The armour system is divided into modular armour plates that can be independently mounted and removed from the vehicle body. Each plate is a separate component that can be selectively applied to specific areas, allowing the vehicle to carry only the necessary amount of armour for each mission rather than being permanently encumbered by full armour coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The armour plates are designed to be dynamically configurable - they can be quickly mounted when protection is needed and removed when it is not required. This dynamic adaptability allows the vehicle to switch between armoured and unarmoured states, optimizing performance for different operational scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Speed

If armour plates are removed when protection is not needed, then vehicle performance is improved, but removal process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle performanceVSAvoidremoval time
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The armour system is divided into modular armour plates that can be independently mounted and removed from the vehicle body. Each plate is a separate component that can be selectively applied to specific areas, allowing the vehicle to carry only the necessary amount of armour for each mission rather than being permanently encumbered by full armour coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The armour plates are designed to be dynamically configurable - they can be quickly mounted when protection is needed and removed when it is not required. This dynamic adaptability allows the vehicle to switch between armoured and unarmoured states, optimizing performance for different operational scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system provides effective protection against ballistic projectiles while allowing for quick removal and replacement of armour plates, reducing weight and maintenance burdens, and enabling flexible armour configurations based on environmental threats.

Implementation Method 1

The armour plates are arranged at an angle (α) between two abutting armour plates in the range of from 40° to 130°, wherein said plurality of armour plates provides the outermost facing armoured surface of the armour system, characterised in that the rigid frame is also formed by a top wall (112a) and a bottom wall (112b), said plurality of armour plates comprises a plurality of perforations (3), said armour plate arrangement provides a repeating upwards and downwards angled, chevron arrangement.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGeometry: Geometry

Implementation Method 2

With an increase in edged surfaces, an incoming ballistic projectile is statistically more likely to impact (or, at least, partially impact) on one of the edged surfaces and thereby experience a higher pressure than it would if it was to impact on a flat surface (such as unperforated armour). The increase of pressure increases the likelihood of the ballistic projectile disintegrating on impact or being deflected and thereby reducing its energy, and thus its ability to penetrate the armour.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact Force: Impact Force

Data Source

PatentEP2612102B1Armour assembly
Publication Date: 2017.08.02 BAE SYSTEMS PLC
  • EP2612102B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2612102B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2612102B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

An armour system (1), comprising at least two elements (2), wherein said elements are arranged at an angle (a ) ° and joined at their apex (7) and troughs (8) to form a chevron shaped surface, wherein said at least two elements comprise a plurality of perforations.