Abstract:
Improved body armor includes a ballistic panel having an internal ballistic component protected from moisture by an integral, sonic welded moisture impervious cover. No moisture can intrude into the ballistic component. Mildew and moisture induced performance degradation is prevented. Cost of ownership is reduced over multiple armor refurbishment cycles.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to body armor such as ballistic vests and more particularly to improvements in body armor performance, longevity and maintenance.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Body armor or ballistic vests typically include a vest-like garment containing pockets to hold ballistic panels in place over critical areas of the body, i.e. chest, back and rib cage. In some instances, the panel pockets have openings for ballistic panel insertion or removal.  
           [0003]    The ballistic panels take many forms. One form of well-known panel is made from a plurality of layers of various material covered by a moisture-resistant material sewn at its edge seams. These panels are constructed to resist penetration by projectiles of known weights traveling at or below known velocities. While such panels have worked well for so long as their integrity is retained, they embody several inherent problems which are capable of reducing their performance, and require expensive replacement.  
           [0004]    One of these problems relates to moisture intrusion, leading both to performance degradation and maintenance expense. Where moisture intrudes into the panel structure, it causes unpleasant odor, unsanitary mildew and staining. The source of such moisture may typically be human perspiration of the wearer. Other sources such as ambient humidity, rain, immersion, uses of cleaning materials, etc. may also lead to such moisture intrusion and mildew. Such intrusion usually occurs at the sewn panel seams. Moisture can intrude through the sew or thread holes.  
           [0005]    Rough usage can elongate the holes increasing the potential for moisture intrusion. Rough usage may also cause seam pull-apart, allowing further moisture into the panel structure.  
           [0006]    More importantly, wetting or moisturizing of the panel structure can significantly degrade its ballistic performance. Such armor is typically classified by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in “threat levels”, such as Threat Level IIA, II, III etc. with the higher number providing protection against a higher ballistic force or threat. While a new panel may test to one threat level, it may not provide sufficient protection to that threat level when wet or moisturized. Thus, a wearer may feel protected against a particular threat level when wearing a vest containing the panel, but moisture in the panel may have actually reduced the level of protection below the level expected.  
           [0007]    These effects of moisture intrusion require professional correction by the manufacturer. Typically the vests are returned for refurbishment. Typically, the vest material and panel covers are removed and replaced, and the ballistic panels are inspected. Damaged ballistic materials are replaced. The covers are re-sewn, the panels inserted in the fresh vest and the vest is returned to the user. Since the ballistic panels are the most expensive component of the vests, such a vest reconditioning process is expensive and can cost up to a significant portion of the initial cost of the vest.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, it has been one objective of the invention to provide an improved panel, with improved moisture resistance, and method of making same.  
           [0009]    Another objective of the invention has been to provide an improved ballistic panel offering more consistent threat level performance throughout its useful and extended service life.  
           [0010]    Another objective of the invention has been to provide a ballistic panel which is reusable through one or more body armor reconditioning cycles.  
           [0011]    Another objective of the invention has been to provide a ballistic panel which can be reused in a remanufactured or refurbished vest, while offering the same threat level performance as originally anticipated when the vest was new.  
           [0012]    Another objective of the invention has been to provide an improved ballistic panel which, in use, can reduce the cost of body armor to a wearer over an extended period.  
           [0013]    To these ends, the invention includes a ballistic panel comprising ballistic-resistant components and an outer covering of a synthetic material wherein the edges are not sewn but joined or sealed integrally by any suitable process. One such process is sonic welding. This produces a strong, flexible, moisture impervious, fused seam. Preferably, the outer cover is moisture-proof, wear and abrasion resistant. The sealing process joins the cover edges in a sealed joint. More particularly, the welding process fuses the material together so there are no sew or thread holes, and no seam structure which can break down and leak.  
           [0014]    As a result, the ballistic panel inside the sealed cover is never moisturized; neither water, perspiration or humidity can wet the ballistic components, even if immersed. The performance of the panel does not change. Nor can the panel interior mildew.  
           [0015]    When the vest structure needs refurbishment, the manufacturer removes and cleans the intact, impervious panel cover. The vest is refurbished, the cleaned panels inserted and the vest returned with the original panels. New, expensive panels are not required and the vest and its maintenance cost less over the long run. Some additional cost might be added to the vest originally to compensate for periodic maintenance, but resulting in less total cost over its useful service life.  
           [0016]    Alternately, the vest price can be held low with very inexpensive maintenance charges compared to other vests where maintenance typically requires a costly new ballistic panel. 
       
    
    
       [0017]    These and other objectives will become readily apparent from the following written description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and from the drawings in which:  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a vest of the type in which ballistic panels according to the invention are inserted in pockets thereof;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a ballistic panel and cover according to the invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a view in cross-section taken along a marginal edge of the panel of FIG. 2 at lines  3 - 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0021]    Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a vest  10  comprising a chest piece  11 , a back piece  12 , shoulder straps  13 ,  14  and side straps  15 ,  16  and  17 ,  18 . Each of the chest and back pieces  11  and  12  are made of any suitable fabric or fabric layers forming a panel-holding pockets  20  therein. The outside layer  21  of each piece may be an abrasion or wear-resistant material of any suitable type and the inner layer  22  may be a moisture-wicking layer or any similarly useful material. A pocket  20  is formed between these layers for holding a ballistic panel  24  therein. The pockets preferably have openings (not shown) permitting panel insertion and removal for cleaning of both vest and panel.  
         [0022]    As shown in FIG. 2, ballistic panel  24  comprises an internal ballistic component  26  of any known construction sealed between moisture impervious layers  27 ,  28  (FIG. 3) of cover  30 . Cover  30  is made from any suitable material. One such suitable material is a single coated taffeta synthetic material comprising 70 denier nylon taffeta at 108×88 threads per inch and weighing about 1.8 ounces per square yard. A coating of flame retardant, polymer polyurethane, at a coating weight of about 2.0 oz. per square yard, is applied. The cover is thus flexible, cleanable, moisture impervious and sealable.  
         [0023]    Layers  27 ,  28  of such cover material are sealed at marginal edge  31 , to form a flexible integral joint  32  all around ballistic component  26 . The sealing process integrally joins or seals layers  27 ,  28  together at their respective marginal edges  31  and around component  26 . The seal joint  32  at margins  31  can be produced by any suitable device or process.  
         [0024]    Thus, sealing processes, such as sonic welding, RF welding, heat sealing, chemical or adhesive sealing, or other sealing techniques could be used.  
         [0025]    For some of these, the cover materials are fused or intermingled mechanically or physically together (such as in sonic welding). In other sealing processes, such as adhesives, the cover materials are simply bound together by the adhesives. In any event, the cover materials are preferably joined together integrally to form a moisture tight chamber for the ballistic panel  24 .  
         [0026]    One suitable process is to sonically weld the cover layers  27 ,  28  so that their respective marginal areas are integrally fused and thus sealed together. As shown in FIG. 3, the sealed joint  32  between layers  27 ,  28  at margin  31  is integral and no moisture can intrude. One such useful sonic welding device is that sonic welder, model LM920 sold by Sonobond Ultrasonics of West Chester, Pa., USA. In such a sealing process, dimples are generated in the seam material by the sonic welder.  
         [0027]    Seals performed by this machine are flexible, but very strong and cannot be pulled apart under normal usage. Their integrity is consistent. The chamber  34  then, formed by seal  32  in layers  27 ,  28  around component  26 , is thus moisture impervious.  
         [0028]    As a result, component  26  cannot mildew, and is not open to moisture from any usual source. It will continue to perform ballistically as expected without degradation of its performance which might otherwise be caused by moisture.  
         [0029]    Not only does this structure and process deny entry of moisture into the panel so its certified testing and ballistic performance threat level is consistently retained, but its service life is extended through various cleaning and maintenance procedures.  
         [0030]    When the vest  10  is worn or needs cleaning, panel  24  is removed from vest  10 . Panel cover  30  is cleaned, still without intrusion of moisture into component  26 . The vest  10  is refurbished with preferably new carrier and lining materials. The original panel  24  is then reinserted into the refurbished vest  10  and the vest  10  is returned to service. It is not necessary to replace the panel  24 , since there is no mildew or moisture intrusion therein. Of course, a vest may use multiple panels such as front, rear or side panels perhaps of different shapes but of similar construction.  
         [0031]    Accordingly, the ballistic component  26  of panel  24  remains useful to resist any originally certified threat level while, at the same time, a cleaner, fresher smelling, more consistently performing vest is provided at a low cost over its operational lifetime. Vest refurbishment does not require new ballistic panels.  
         [0032]    It should be appreciated that cover  30  can be made of any suitable, moisture impervious material, preferably flexible, and having areas which can be sealed together to provide a moisture impervious, preferably flexible seam or joint. Moisture impervious materials then, may include, without limitation, synthetic materials having such sealing capabilities. Various sealing techniques can be used with such materials to produce such seals. Techniques or materials such as RF welding, hot air sealing, heat tape, vinyl weldings and glues, adhesives or other forms of mechanical, energy or chemical techniques, suitable to seal the cover layer together to form a moisture impervious chamber for ballistic panel  24  are included.  
         [0033]    It will thus be appreciated then that the invention contemplates soft body armor, such as a ballistic vest, having one or more pockets for receiving and carrying one or more ballistic panels wherein the panels are encased in a moisture impervious cover with moisture impervious seams, isolating the ballistic components from moisture sources, preventing performance degradation by moisture intrusion, preventing mildew and facilitating vest refurbishment.