Contoured Body Armor Subassemblies for Female Wearers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing body armor technologies for female wearers face challenges in providing flexible, contoured protection without compromising ballistic performance, as they often rely on darts, pleats, or bonding that can affect mobility and stability during impact.
Innovation Solution
A method and article comprising discrete nonwoven subassemblies with offset yarn orientations, a binding layer, and a matrix resin, molded without darts or pleats, allowing each subassembly to move freely within the stack, enhancing flexibility and stability while maintaining ballistic protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If darts, pleats, or bonding are used to shape body armor for female wearers, then the armor can be contoured to fit body shapes, but the mobility and stability during impact are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The body armor is divided into multiple discrete subassemblies, each independently contoured to fit specific body contours. These subassemblies are stacked and held together by a minimal binding structure rather than being permanently bonded, allowing individual movement while maintaining overall shape. This segmentation enables the armor to conform to body shapes without sacrificing mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The binding layer uses a flexible, elastic material that allows dynamic movement of subassemblies relative to each other during impact and motion. The binding structure is designed to be compliant rather than rigid, enabling the subassemblies to move freely while maintaining their contoured positions on the body.
2Shape
If darts, pleats, or bonding are used to shape body armor, then the armor can be contoured to fit body shapes, but the stability during impact is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the armor into discrete subassemblies held by a flexible binding rather than permanent bonds, each subassembly can independently absorb and distribute impact forces. This segmentation prevents stress concentration at dart or pleat locations while maintaining stability through the distributed binding structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The binding layer uses an elastic material that combines flexibility with impact resistance. This composite approach - combining contoured subassemblies with an elastic binding layer - maintains stability during impact while allowing the contoured shape to be preserved without rigid structural elements.
3Ease of operation
If discrete subassemblies are stacked without bonding to allow free movement, then flexibility and stability are improved, but the structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic binding layer provides dynamic structural integrity that adapts to movement and impact. Rather than rigid bonding that would compromise flexibility, the elastic material maintains structural coherence while allowing subassemblies to move freely, preserving both flexibility and integrity simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The binding layer functions as a flexible film that holds the discrete subassemblies together without rigid bonding. This thin elastic film maintains structural integrity through its elastic properties while allowing the subassemblies to move independently, preventing delamination while preserving flexibility.
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 solution provides improved flexibility and stability during ballistic impacts, maintaining high areal density and ballistic performance without the need for darts or pleats, and ensuring that each subassembly can move freely within the article.
Implementation Method 1
molding process that is conducted without the concurrent use of a resin... molding the sheet at a temperature of from 100 to 175 degrees C and a pressure of from 0.3 to 100 bar
Implementation Method 2
molding the sheet at a temperature of from 100 to 175 degrees C and a pressure of from 0.3 to 100 bar for between 0.5 to 15 minutes to form a subassembly contoured to the shape of a female breast
Implementation Method 3
coating resin, the coating resin being a matrix resin coating the yarns
Data Source
AI summary
This invention pertains to an article for use in body armor, comprising a plurality of discrete sheet subassemblies contoured to the shape of a female breast arranged in a stack, without bonding, such that the breast contours are positioned on top of each other, each of the subassemblies comprising at least two nonwoven layers of high tenacity yarns such as par-aramid, a binder and a resin.