Abstract:
The present invention relates to a device and method for providing immediate additional ballistic resistant portable personal protection for first responders, such as Police, Fire, EMS, and military personnel, during an emergency event. The device, configured for insertion into either the driver or passenger interior floor of an emergency vehicle is comprised of a molded shell with layers comprising a ballistic resistant layer that both provides vehicle floor matting and fits seamlessly into the contours of the emergency vehicle foot well and interior floor. For easy removal and immediate use as a directional portable personal protection device, handles are provided on the shell such that the handles do not interfere with driving.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention is directed toward a portable, directional, ballistic resistant vehicle tray for personal protection. More specifically, and without limitation, this invention relates to a multi-layer, molded ballistic resistant vehicle tray that is configured to operate as a durable interior floor mat in vehicles and in emergency situations which is immediately and easily accessed for use as a tactical personal protection device. 
         [0002]    With the rising levels of terroristic events, school and office campus emergencies, general levels of gun violence, and readily accessible firearms such as handguns, rifles, and similar weaponry, first responder personnel to such events are frequently exposed to great danger from shootings, stabbings, injury due to projection of blunt force objects, assaults, and attacks from both known and unknown threats as they carry out their daily duties. According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation statistical analysis, there was an increase of law enforcement deaths of almost eighty-nine percent within just one year. Within that same year, out of forty-one law enforcement deaths, thirty-eight resulted from firearms. 
         [0003]    Many first responders often remain in a defensive location while under gunfire or similar threat while waiting for a SWAT team or other agency to arrive to offensively address the emergency. Alongside the rise in violence, there is also an increased expectation for first responder personnel to engage a threat immediately to reduce fatalities. This expectation, however, has not been accompanied by additional personal protection for the first responders. 
         [0004]    Portable personal protective devices for first responders are well known in the art. One advancement that has taken place is a wearable protective device commonly known as a bullet proof vest. This design, however, has its deficiencies. Bullet proof vests are non-directional, are not used by all personnel, and do not cover the entire body for needed protection. Also, personnel do not always wear vests at all times because the vests may be bulky, heavy, limit the range of motion, and are hot. As such, they are not immediately available in emergency situations. 
         [0005]    One solution to this problem, however, is either a portable hand held shield or ground level staged shield, or “wall.” Similarly, ballistic resistant attachments for vehicle doors have been suggested in the art. 
         [0006]    Despite these advances and others, problems still remain. In particular, emergency events require quick action and many advancements require various steps to access and utilize the protective device. Additionally, many current devices do not provide a personal protective device that is dual purpose within a vehicle that can also be used offensively during a tactically complicated situation. 
         [0007]    Thus it is a primary objective of this invention to provide a portable personal protection device for first responder personnel that improves upon the current state of the art. 
         [0008]    Another objective of this invention is to provide a ballistic resistant vehicle tray that can be used as a both a durable floor tray and a portable directional personal protection device. 
         [0009]    Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a ballistic resistant vehicle tray that is seamlessly integrated into existing emergency military, medical services, and police vehicles. 
         [0010]    Another objective of this invention is to provide a ballistic resistant vehicle tray that accommodates both drivers and passengers of emergency response vehicles. 
         [0011]    Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a ballistic resistant vehicle tray that is within close proximity to first responder personnel for quick removal upon exiting the vehicle. 
         [0012]    Another objective of this invention is to provide a ballistic resistant vehicle tray that can provide tactical support enabling a first responder to actively engage a threat. 
         [0013]    Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a ballistic resistant vehicle tray that withstands multiple rounds during up to a threat level IV event. 
         [0014]    Another objective of this invention is to provide a ballistic resistant vehicle tray that is cost effective. 
         [0015]    These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1 a    is a front view of a ballistic resistant vehicle tray; 
           [0017]      FIG. 1 b    is a back view of a ballistic resistant vehicle tray; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a ballistic resistant vehicle tray; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a ballistic resistant vehicle tray positioned within a vehicle. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    In general, the invention relates to a ballistic resistant vehicle tray system  10  positioned within close proximity to the user and seamlessly positioned to engage the interior flooring of the vehicle. The ballistic resistant vehicle tray system includes a shell having a rigid molded top layer and rigid molded bottom layer with a ballistic resistant layer positioned within the shell. The invention further includes first and second handles rotatably connected by connection members to the top layer of the shell and positioned such that the first handle provides for easy removal from a vehicle, and the second handle provides for immediate directional use as a portable personal protection device. The first and second handles are also positioned on the top layer such that the first and second handles lie flush with the top layer. The invention may include an opening extending through each layer of the shell that receives a ballistic resistant viewing window. The invention may also include identification indicia that can be either removably attached or permanently affixed to the bottom layer of the shell by attachment members. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    For the purpose of the specification and the claims: 
         [0022]    The terms “terroristic”, “emergency” and “violent threat” event refers to occurrences involving known or unknown violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are in violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, events requiring an immediate response from emergency personnel such as police, EMS, or soldiers, acts involving civilian or governmental population intimidation or coercion requiring immediate response from emergency personnel, an assassination or assassination attempt, kidnapping, and other general violent events where gunfire or explosives are used during the assault. 
         [0023]    The term “ballistic resistant” refers to materials that are resistant to at least one round of either high power and lower power weaponry including but not limited to rifles and handguns up to a level IV threat. 
         [0024]    The term “close proximity” refers to the location of the invention in relation to a user where the invention is located within the user&#39;s reach without exiting the vehicle. 
         [0025]    With reference to the Figures, a portable ballistic resistant vehicle tray system  10  is shown positioned within a vehicle  12  and having a durable shell  14  having a molded top layer  16  and molded bottom layer  18 . The shell  14  may be comprised of any weather resistant, durable materials that provide for easy cleaning and are of a light weight. The molded top layer  16  and molded bottom layer  18  are, in one arrangement, connected along and outer edge  20  to form the shell  14 . In one embodiment, the shell is equal to or less than three-quarters of an inch thick. 
         [0026]    The molded top layer  16  is rigidly molded generally concave to seamlessly accommodate the contour of a user&#39;s feet and an interior foot well of a vehicle  22 . The molded top layer  16  has a top end  24 , a bottom end  26 , a first side  28  and a second side  30 . The molded top layer  16  has treading  32  to engage a user&#39;s feet and to enable the shell  14  to be used as a floor mat. In one embodiment, the molded top layer  16  has a pair of recesses  34 ,  36  with a first recess  34  that receives a first handle  38  and a second recess  36  that receives the second handle  40 . The recesses  34 ,  36  are of a depth providing for no interference in driving between a user, at least one pedal  42  of a vehicle  12  and the handles  38 ,  40 . 
         [0027]    The first handle  38 , in one embodiment, is positioned in close proximity to a user and positioned on the molded top layer  16  near the first side  28  of the molded top layer  16  such that the first handle  38  does not interfere with a user&#39;s foot or vehicle pedals  42  and such that the tray system  10  may be easily removed from the vehicle  12  for immediate use as a portable personal protection device. In one embodiment, a first handle  38 , may be located at a midpoint  44  between the top end  24  and bottom end  26  of the molded top layer  16 . In the present invention, the first handle  38  is rotatably connected to the shell  14  by a plurality of connection members  46  that extend through the tray system  10  via a plurality of apertures  48  in the tray system  10 . In one embodiment, the first handle  38  provides for gripping and manipulating the system  10  in order to immediately and quickly remove the system  10  from a vehicle  12 . 
         [0028]    Also in the as shown in  FIG. 2 , a second handle  40  is positioned on the molded top layer  16  adjacent a notch  50  that is positioned adjacent a corner  52  of the system  10 . The notch  50  is positioned such that a user may place a weapon  54  (not shown) on notch  50  and return gunfire. The present invention anticipates that the notch  50  may be positioned throughout the system  10  for use as an effective offensive tactical weapon support. Further, the second handle  40  is positioned adjacent the top end  24  such that the second handle  40  lies flush with the molded top layer  16  and does not interfere with the vehicle foot pedals  42  or impede a user driving the vehicle  12 . In one embodiment, the second handle  40  is positioned adjacent the top end  24  such that a user may immediately manipulate the tray system  10  as a directional portable personal protective device upon encountering a known or unknown threat and to actively engage such threat. The second handle  40 , in one embodiment, is rotatably connected to the shell  14  by a plurality of connection members  56  which extend through the system  10  via a plurality of apertures  58  within the system  10 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , below the molded top layer  16  and positioned within the shell  14 , is a ballistic resistant layer  60 . The ballistic resistant layer  60  may be comprised of light weight, cost effective ballistic resistant materials such as gels, Kevlar, polymers, fiberglass, and the like that can withstand threat level IV assaults such as multiple ammunition rounds from handguns, rifles, and blast cannons and the like. In one embodiment, a cloth pocket  62 , sealed at its ends, encloses the ballistic resistant layer  60  between the molded top layer  16  and the molded bottom layer  18 . 
         [0030]    The molded bottom layer  18  is rigidly molded generally concave to seamlessly form to the contour of an interior floor well of a vehicle  22  and to directly engage the floor of a vehicle  64  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The bottom layer  18  has a top end  66 , a bottom end  68 , a first side  70 , and a second side  72 . The bottom layer  18  may be comprised of durable, soil and water resistant materials that provide easy cleaning and are of a light weight. In the present invention, bottom layer is a heavy duty plastic and rubber mixture. In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 b   , the bottom layer  18  has identification indicia  74  connected positioned adjacent the middle of the shell  14  via attachment members  76 . The attachment members  76  may be temporarily or permanently affixed to the molded bottom layer  18  and may be comprised of Velcro, glue, snaps, buttons, tape, string, screws, or the like. In another embodiment, the indicia may be directly written on the molded bottom layer  18  or embossed upon the molded bottom layer  18 . In yet another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 a   , the shell  14  has an opening  78  extending through and positioned adjacent the middle of the shell  14  that receives a bullet resistant transparent viewing window  80 . In another embodiment, the opening  78  with the bullet resistant transparent viewing window  80  is positioned such that identification indicia  74  may be attached to the shell  14  either above or below the window  80 . 
         [0031]    In the present invention, the portable ballistic resistant vehicle tray system  10  is configured to accommodate a foot well  22  and floor  64  contour as well as accommodate a user&#39;s use of the system  10  by positioning the handles  38 ,  40  in positions easily accessed by the user while not interfering with driving. The present invention may also be configured substantially the same as the user side arrangement but certain features such as the notch  50 , first and second handles  38 ,  40  and molded top and bottom layers  16 ,  18  are positioned such that a passenger&#39;s use is accommodated for. In this embodiment, the molded top and bottom layers  16 ,  18  are molded to the contours of a passenger&#39;s vehicle foot well  82  and floor  84 . This provides the unique benefit of placing the invention in close proximity to both the driver and at least one passenger when engaging a threat in order to access additional protection without exiting the vehicle. 
         [0032]    In operation, a portable ballistic resistant vehicle tray system  10  is provided with a ballistic resistant layer  60  encased within a shell  14 . The tray system  10  is inserted into a vehicle  12  such that the molded bottom layer  18  of the tray system  10  engages the contouring of a vehicle floor  64 . Using a first handle  38  positioned on a first side  28  of a molded top layer  16  of the tray  10 , a user may quickly remove the tray  10  from the vehicle  12 . Using a second handle  40 , a user may immediately hold the tray  10  as a portable directional personal protective device interposed between a user and a threat. A user may then maneuver the tray  10  offensively and directionally toward a threat in order to engage in an immediate tactical response. In the present invention, the system  10  is located in close proximity to the user and is of a size such that the majority of the user&#39;s body is protected. 
         [0033]    Therefore, a ballistic resistant vehicle tray system  10  has been provided that provides a lightweight, cost effective, portable directional personal protection device, and improves upon the art. 
         [0034]    From the above discussion and accompanying Figures and claims it will be appreciated that the ballistic resistant vehicle tray  10  offers many advantages over the prior art. It will be appreciated further by those skilled in the art that other various modification could be made to the device without parting from the spirit and scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby. It should be understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in the light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included in the spirit and purview of this application.