Patent ID: 7784232
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: E04H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A ballistic shelter system capable of forming a protective shelter from at least two mutually connectable modular panel elements, said system comprising: a plurality of modular panel elements, each said panel element having a generally planar portion made of a composite material capable of protecting and resisting fragments from explosives and bullets from firearms, each said panel element having a plurality of straight edges which are equal in length, each said edge having a pair of spaced apart coupler portions, wherein: said plurality of modular panel elements includes at least one equilateral triangular element and at least one square element; at least one of said pair of coupler portions of each of said panel elements includes a pair of cylindrical portions of said edge, each of said cylindrical portions of said edge and a corresponding panel portion defining a corresponding slot; and at least one of said pair of coupler portions of each of said panel elements includes a pair of coupler claws pivotally mounted on said panel portion, each of said coupler claws has a concave claw recess configured to extend around said cylindrical portion and into said corresponding slot when one of said edges having a pair of cylindrical portions abuts another one of said edges having a pair of coupler claws thereby allowing connection of abutting panel elements in a plurality of angular orientations, wherein each of said coupler claws includes a spring attached to the corresponding panel portion and adapted to close said coupler claw around an abutting one of said cylindrical portions.