Abstract:
A cover for a ballistic panel carrier includes cover mounted stays defining loops for engagement by carrier straps, which pull the cover into the body of a wearer when cover and carrier are worn. A lining on the rear shell of the cover extends downwardly but is spaced from a lower edge of the cover. Stiffeners on the cover are coextensive with the stays. Shoulder openings between front and rear components provide access to carrier shoulder straps for adjustment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to covers used with carriers for ballistic panels and in particular to covers used with vest-like carriers supporting ballistic panels for protection of a wearer or user such as a law enforcement officer. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is known to use a vest-like support for supporting ballistic panels of various hard and soft materials, such as those typically utilized against ballistic threats toward military, law enforcement, security or other personnel. Such supports have a “tactical” or operational look. Various entities have attempted to provide covers for these supports, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8.528,112 and 8,776,262. Such prior covers have more of an ordinary uniform look than the more tactical appearing ballistic panel supports. 
         [0003]    Such prior covers have certain structural and functional deficiencies. 
         [0004]    For example, such covers block easy access when worn to the front pocket of such ballistic supports or carriers. Also, the structures of such prior covers are frequently difficult for a wearer to put on and, once worn, have flaps or components which can loosen or shift with respect to the carrier, resulting in discomfort, ill-fitting appearance, and obstruction of access by the wearer to critical equipment. Coordination and adjustment of the carrier with the cover is problematical. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved cover providing easy access to a front ballistic panel carrier pocket of a carrier when the cover is in place on a wearer. 
         [0006]    It is also desirable to provide, a cover having improved fit, improved wear quality and improved ease of mounting, together with a carrier, on a user. 
         [0007]    A yet further objective of the invention is to provide a cover which coordinates with a ballistic panel carrier in a unique way to enhance bit of both to a wearer. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    To these ends, a preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates a cover having an outer front shell and a front lining attached at an upper edge thereto, forming a pocket for a front component of a ballistic panel carrier. An upper edge portion of the front lining is connected to the outer shell but a portion of the upper edge of the lining is separated from the shell defining a pass-through opening or pocket providing access by a wearer to an otherwise covered front ballistic carrier pocket for easy insertion or withdrawal of a trauma panel or plate into the carrier, while the carrier and cover are worn by a user. 
         [0009]    In addition, the cover is provided with a rear outer shell and two attachment side members for attachment to the front shell. However, the two side members are each provided with a carrier belt or carrier strap restraint in the form of elongated vertical straps or stays attached to the side members. The side members are also provided with elongated stiffeners in association with the vertical straps for added stiffness to the side members. 
         [0010]    In use, forwardly extending carrier belts or straps are oriented between the vertical stays and side members, of the carrier, respectively. These carrier belts or straps are easily grasped by a wearer, when donning the assembled carrier and cover, and pulled forwardly to fit the carrier rear components to the wearer and to the front carrier elements. As well, this extension and tension pulls the cover side members into the body of the wearer by virtue of stays and secures them in place, for connection to the front shell of the cover. This not only facilitates putting on the combined carrier/cover unit, but retains the cover side members in conforming fit to the wearer while in use despite body movements which would otherwise cause the side members to flex, bulge, twist or bunch up on the wearer. 
         [0011]    It will be appreciated that the rear outer shell of the cover is provided with an internal rear liner forming a pocket for a rear carrier component. 
         [0012]    However, this liner extends from an upper portion of the cover, proximate a shoulder area, downwardly only about half-way to the lower waist edge, and terminates in a lower liner edge extending across the cover&#39;s rear shell from just under the arm hole areas. 
         [0013]    This lower liner edge is substantially free of any connection to the back shell and defines a lower opening of the pocket for insertion of the rear component of the ballistic panel carrier. The lower portion of the rear carrier extends below the lower edge of the liner for forward extension of the carrier belt or straps through the vertical stays of the cover. 
         [0014]    Preferably the lower area of the rear liner proximate its lower edge is extended just under the arm hole areas of the rear cover all the way to the end edges of the respective side members and the upper portion of each vertical stay is sewn over the lower area of the rear liner to the side members of the rear cover shell. This provides substantial reinforcement to the lower free edge of the liner, inhibiting any tendency to bunch or roll up, when worn. 
         [0015]    It will appreciated that the vertical stays, in conjunction with the elongated and vertical stiffeners, provide rigidity to the side members and conforming fit of the cover during donning and wear. 
         [0016]    Finally it will be noted that the cover, at both front and rear shells has upper liner extensions extending toward, but not connected to each other. Carrier shoulder straps from both front and back components of the carrier extend through these areas to a spaced opening formed by edges of the extension. This provides a split shoulder opening facilitating easy carrier should strap adjustment, without interference from an enclosed passage from front-to-back. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    These and other objectives and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and from the drawings in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the front of a cover according to the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is an illustrative view of the interior of a rear shell of the cover of  FIG. 1  and illustrates a lower strap portion of a ballistic panel carrier fitted into the rear shell; 
           [0020]      FIGS. 3-5  are illustrative views in progression of a stiffener and vertical stay applied to side members extending forwardly from a rear shell of the cover of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the FIGS. depicting the internal portions of the rear panel and side members with the panel bottom at the top of the FIGS.; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 6-9  are illustrative views of a pass-through pocket at the front shell of the cover of  FIG. 1 , illustrating access through the front pocket of the cover and accommodating insertion of a trauma panel or ballistic member into a front pocket component of a ballistic panel carrier when the cover is worn by a user, with the depiction of a user&#39;s hands in  FIGS. 7-9  for clarity to illustrate the panel receiving opening (the hands do no comprise any portion of the invention); and 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is an illustration of the interior split shoulder of the cover of  FIG. 1  facilitating installation and adjustment of ballistic carrier shoulder support straps. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Turning now to the drawings, there is shown in  FIG. 1  in frontal view a cover  10 . Cover  10  includes an outer front shell  12  and a rear shell  14 , the interior of which is best seen in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0024]    An internal rear liner  16 , preferably of a mesh liner material, is secured at edges to rear shell  14 . Rear liner  16  has a lower edge  18 , a central portion of which is not secured to shell  14 . 
         [0025]    Rear shell  14  includes a side member  20 ,  22  on each side thereof and having respective side member edges  24 ,  26 . 
         [0026]    Rear shell  14  is also provided on its inner side at members  20 ,  22  with vertical stays  28 ,  30 , secured to shell  14  at ends of the stays. Lower ends of stay  28 ,  30  are secured, as by stitching to rear shell  14 . Upper ends of stays  28 ,  30  are secured over lower areas  16   a,    16   b  of liner  16  and to rear shell  14 , also by stitching or other suitable expedients. 
         [0027]    Lower edge  18  of rear liner  16  is free of attachment to shell  14  between the upper ends of stays  28 ,  30 , providing an opening so a rear carrier component can be inserted upwardly into a pocket forward between liner  16  and rear shell  14 . Lower edge  18  is parallel to a waist area  31  of the cover rear shell  14 , but extends down only about  1 / 2  the distance from the neck area to the waist, and is spaced from the lower edge of waist area  31 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  illustrates a rear carrier  36  with an upper portion (not visible in  FIG. 2 ) between the liner  16  and shell  14 , and a lower portion  36   a  extending out of the pocket to a position proximate near waist edge  31  of shell  14 . 
         [0029]    With reference to rear liner  16 , it has a lower portion  19  extending across the interior of rear shell  14  to respective edges  24 ,  26  of side members  20 ,  22  and below arm hole edges  38 ,  40  of rear shell  14 . The stitching of upper ends of stays  28 ,  30  through portions  16   a,    16   b  of lower liner portion  19 , secure the liner  16  and free edge  18  against roll-up at the mouth of the pocket between liner  16  and rear shell  14 . 
         [0030]    Continuing with  FIG. 2 , noted carrier  36  has two belts or straps  42 ,  44  extending outwardly of side members  20 ,  22  from each side of carrier  36 . These straps  42 ,  44  are provided with releasable fasteners at their ends for connection to a front component of carrier  36 . 
         [0031]    Significantly, straps  42 ,  44  extend between respective stays  28 ,  30  and shell  14 , thus are captured by the stays. 
         [0032]    Also, an elongated stiffener, ( FIGS. 3-5 ), is attached to shell  14  on the outer side thereof and along the stays  28 ,  30 , providing stiffness to side members  20 ,  22  when the belts or straps  42 ,  44  are pulled forwardly by the wearer to attach to front components of the carrier. The combination of the stays  28 ,  30  and stiffeners serve to facilitate donning of the combined carrier/cover, and hold side members  20 ,  22  securely around the body of a wearer, without bulging, wrinkling, displacement, discomfort or interference with access to their gear. 
         [0033]    Preferably the stiffeners are elongated in similar configuration to stays  28 ,  30  and are held in place against surfaces of shell  14  by hook and loop components  50  provided to secure side the stiffeners  48  to the outer surfaces of side members  20 ,  22  of the rear shell  14  of cover  10  ( FIGS. 3-5 ). 
         [0034]    In this regard, attention is directed to  FIGS. 3-5  respecting the stiffener  48  and vertical stay  28  (for example). In  FIG. 3 , an elongated stiffener  48  is secured to rear shell  14  at side member  20 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a hook and loop member  50  folded over stiffener  48  on the surface of side member  20  and secured in place.  FIG. 5  illustrates a strap or stay  28  in a place on the interior surface of rear shell  14  at side member  20 , and before stitching therethrough at upper end  28   a  and liner portion  16   a  (removed for clarity in  FIG. 5 ). Stay  28  is substantially co-extensive with stiffener  48  on the opposite side of side member  20 . The opposite side member stiffener and stay are identical. Stiffener  48  can be of “buckram” material or any suitable stiffening material. 
         [0035]    Turning now to  FIGS. 6-8 , there is illustrated a pass-through pocket in cover  10  at the upper neck opening  12   a  of front cover shell  12 , and just interior of cover  12 . 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 6  a flap  60  is shown interior of front shell  12 , lying over front shell liner  62 . Liner  62  has an open edge portion  63  covered by flap  60 . Remainder of liner  62  is attached to a liner supporting layer  64  defining neck area  12   a.  Flap  60  is raised, edge  63  manually pulled away from the interior of front shell  12  and an internal trauma plate ( FIG. 9 ) can be inserted into the pocket between the front shell  12  and liner  62  containing a front component of a ballistic carrier and a pocket therein for easy access even though the cover is in place, on a wearer, over a ballistic panel carrier, as illustrated in  FIGS. 6-9 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 10  illustrates the split shoulder opening referred to above. Front liner  62  is attached at its upper end to a liner supporting layer  64  across the front of front shell  12  interior. Layer  64  terminates at edge  65  defining an open end of a passage to the space between liner  62  and front shell  12 . The rear liner  16  is also supported at its upper end by a layer  66  ( FIG. 2 ) having a free edge  66   a  defining an open end of a passage to the space between rear shell  14  and rear liner  16 . Edges  65  and  66   a  are spaced apart significantly to provide a split shoulder opening  68  therebetween so there is no continuity or connection between any passage to the front carrier component and to the rear carrier component. 
         [0038]    This allows extension of carrier straps between edges  65 ,  66   a,  with opening  68  providing easy and unobstructed access to any carrier supporting straps and adjustment buckles or hardware.