Scale-Like Armor Garment for Stab Protection and Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective garments for emergency personnel are often uncomfortable and do not provide reliable protection against physical attacks, particularly from stabbing weapons, due to the rigid arrangement of armor elements which restricts movement.
Innovation Solution
A garment featuring a textile carrier material with a scale-like arrangement of armor elements, allowing relative mobility and printed using 3D FDM, combined with a separating layer for enhanced comfort and protection, and optionally incorporating flame-retardant and sweat-removing materials for dual functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If armor elements are arranged in a rigid fixed pattern, then protection reliability is improved, but flexibility and freedom of movement deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning from a static fixed armor arrangement to a dynamic scale-like structure where individual armor elements can move relative to each other. The scales are connected in an overlapping arrangement that allows them to shift and flex with body movement, maintaining protection reliability while significantly improving flexibility and freedom of movement.
2Reliability
If armor elements are made of hard impact-resistant material, then protection against stabbing weapons is improved, but wearing comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible shells and thin films by using a scale-like structure where thin armor elements are arranged in an overlapping pattern. This allows the hard protective material to be distributed in thin, flexible layers that can conform to body movements, maintaining stabbing weapon protection while significantly improving wearing comfort compared to rigid bulk armor.
Solution Approach 2:
The scale-like dynamic structure allows the armor elements to move and flex with the wearer's body, transforming rigid protective material into a dynamic system that adapts to movement, thereby improving comfort without sacrificing protection.
3Reliability
If armor elements are densely arranged for maximum protection, then protection reliability is improved, but flexibility and mobility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the armor into many individual scale elements arranged in an overlapping pattern. This segmentation allows each element to move independently, providing dense coverage for protection while maintaining flexibility through the articulated arrangement of segmented components.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic scale-like arrangement allows densely packed armor elements to move relative to each other, maintaining protective coverage while enabling flexibility and adaptability to body movements.
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 garment provides effective protection against stabbing attacks while maintaining comfort and flexibility, with the scale-like structure deflecting attacks and the materials ensuring freedom of movement and additional protection from flames and cuts.
Implementation Method 1
The multitude of armor elements are printed onto the textile carrier material using 3D printing, particularly FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
Implementation Method 2
a separating layer is present, which prevents the armor element from adhering to the textile carrier material in these areas
Implementation Method 3
The scale-like structure and the relative mobility of the scales among each other inherent in scales increase the probability that the stab will be deflected to the side
Implementation Method 4
the textile backing material must be flame-retardant according to DIN EN 469
Implementation Method 5
a functional material that wicks away sweat from the body surface of a person wearing the garment through capillary action
Data Source
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Figure 11
AI summary
A garment (14) comprises a textile backing material (16) and at least one armor element (18). It is proposed that the garment (14) comprises a plurality of armor elements (18) arranged in a scale-like manner and connected to the textile backing material (16).