Patent ID: 8776262
Filing Date: 2014-07-15
Classification: F41H

Abstract:
1. A cover for a ballistic vest carrier, the carrier including a front armor panel in a front portion of the carrier, a rear armor panel in a rear portion of the carrier, attachable/detachable waist straps for removably attaching the front portion of the carrier to the rear portion of the carrier at the waist of a wearer, and attachable/detachable shoulder straps for removably attaching the front portion of the carrier to the rear portion of the carrier at the shoulders of the wearer, the cover comprising: (a) a mantle extending from a front waist of the mantle through shoulders of the mantle to a rear waist of the mantle and having a neck opening, a right side, and a left side, the mantle having an outer fabric layer and a liner, the liner being attached to the outer layer at the front waist at a front waist attachment, at the rear waist at a rear waist attachment, at the neck opening, along the right side from a right front armor opening on the right side adjacent to the front waist to a right rear armor opening on the right side adjacent to the rear waist, and along the left side from a left front armor opening on the left side adjacent to the front waist to a left rear armor opening on the left side adjacent to the rear waist, thereby forming a front pocket and a rear pocket between the outer layer and the liner, the right front armor opening being separated from the left front armor opening by the front waist attachment, the right rear armor opening being separated from the left rear armor opening by the rear waist attachment, the front pocket being connected to the rear pocket by tunnels between the outer layer and the liner at the shoulders, the front pocket being accessible through the right and left front armor openings and the rear pocket being accessible through the right and left rear armor openings; (b) a right waist panel extending from the outer fabric layer at the right rear armor opening to a free end; (c) a left waist panel extending from the outer fabric layer at the left rear armor opening to a free end; (d) a right panel removable fastener having a right rear panel fastener component attached to the right waist panel at the free end and a mating right front panel fastener component attached to the outer fabric layer at the right front armor opening; and (e) a left panel removable fastener having a left rear panel fastener component attached to the left waist panel at the free end and a mating left front panel fastener component attached to the outer fabric layer at the left front armor opening; (f) whereby the front armor portion of the carrier is inserted into the front pocket, the rear armor portion of the carrier is inserted into the rear pocket, the front portion of the carrier is attached to the rear portion of the carrier by the shoulder straps through the tunnels and by the waist straps at the waist, the waist panels are extended over the waist straps, and the panel fasteners are fastened.