Segmented Body Armor Panel Assembly for Flexible Vest Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rigid ballistic panels in personal protective vests restrict freedom of movement, compromising comfort and flexibility while providing high safety protection.
Innovation Solution
A personal protective vest system with a soft-flexible armor panel comprising multiple layered segments of different ballistic materials, each with varying thickness and orientation, sealed within an outer cover using heat and compression treatments to enhance flexibility and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid ballistic panels are used in personal protective vests, then safety protection is improved, but freedom of movement and flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The ballistic panel is divided into multiple modular segments that can independently flex and move. Each segment contains ballistic material layers separated by flexible intermediate layers, allowing the panel to segment during deformation to maintain protection while enabling wearer mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The ballistic panel transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure. The panel incorporates flexible materials and layered construction that allow it to adapt its rigidity based on movement requirements, providing rigidity when protection is needed and flexibility during wearer movement.
2Reliability
If rigid ballistic panels are used in personal protective vests, then safety protection is improved, but comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ballistic panel utilizes flexible shell structures and thin film layers instead of traditional rigid panels. The flexible outer cover and intermediate layers allow the armor to conform to the wearer's body movements, significantly improving comfort while maintaining ballistic protection capabilities through the strategically positioned ballistic material segments.
3Ease of operation
If multiple layered material segments with different ballistic materials are used, then flexibility and comfort are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ballistic panel employs composite material construction with multiple layers of different ballistic materials (such as aramid, polyethylene, or steel) combined with flexible polymers and adhesives. This composite approach achieves flexibility and comfort benefits while managing complexity through standardized layering procedures and integrated manufacturing processes.
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 enhanced flexibility and comfort without compromising safety by using a soft-flexible armor panel with multiple layered segments, allowing for improved mobility and protection.
Implementation Method 1
applying a first heat treatment to a ballistic material panel assembly to increase a temperature of the ballistic material panel assembly to a predefined temperature
Implementation Method 2
applying a compression treatment to the heated ballistic material panel assembly at a predefined pressure and a predefined period of time to form a hardened ballistic material panel assembly
Implementation Method 3
welding the outer cover to form a perimeter seam about a perimeter of the hardened ballistic material panel assembly to seal the hardened ballistic material panel assembly within the outer cover
Implementation Method 4
applying a second heat treatment to the body armor panel to increase a temperature of the body armor panel to a second predefined temperate and applying a conditioning treatment to the heated body armor panel to increase a flexibility of the body armor panel
Data Source
AI summary
A personal protective vest assembly is described herein. The personal protective vest assembly includes a personal protective vest and a body armor panel positioned within the personal protective vest. The body armor panel includes a ballistic material panel assembly that includes a plurality of layered material segments defined between a strike face and a wear face. Each of the layered material segments includes a different ballistic material.