Patent Publication Number: US-2019174903-A1

Title: Modular ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to body armor and ballistic paneling. In particular, this invention relates to backpacks and carrying cases comprising soft body armor typically used to protect the torso from projectiles fired from pistols and handheld weapons. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     There is an unmet need in the art for an armored backpack with deployable panels for improving front and side torso protection. Although ballistic resistant backpacks comprising armored panels formed from high tensile strength fibers are known in the art, these backpacks do not offer full torso protection to a wearer nor modularized, multiconfigurable function. Typical armored jackets or vests composed of layers of high tenacity textile material such as Kevlar® are stiff, cumbersome and difficult to wear. For that reason, they are too often avoided except in exigent circumstances by law enforcement and military personnel. As a result, users often fail to precautionarily act on the need to wear such body armor until circumstances exist necessitating them, which circumstances typically arise too quickly for users to retrieve and vest themselves in ballistic armor. 
     By creating a backpack with deployable panels which offers on demand, optimized, optional torso protection—with panels stowed within the backpack until needed—law enforcement personnel are afforded more flexible, more efficient armor protection means which does not protect only at the expense of flexibility and comfort. 
     There is a need in the art and by tactical personnel for a modular, multiconfigurable ballistic backpack. It is desirable that such a ballistic backpack be provided which has these properties and which overcomes these difficulties. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a modular ballistic backpack having rapid deployment panels for forming full back, side and torso-protective body armor. 
     Beneficially, such a system would overcome many of the difficulties of the prior art by providing a ballistic backpack adapted to be quickly configured to offer full torso protection to multiple impacts. 
     The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available apparati and methods. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a ballistic backpack defining a hollow interior pocket, the ballistic backpack comprising: a forward ballistic panel comprising a plurality of outwardly-unfolding axillary panels, the forward ballistic panel affixed interiorly affixed within the hollow interior pocket and adapted to extrude outwardly when pulled over a user&#39;s head and to position in place in front of the user&#39;s torso; wherein each outwardly-unfolding axillary panel comprises a strikeface layer comprising one or more soft armored ballistic panels; wherein the forward ballistic panel comprises a backface layer; a detachable rearward ballistic panel housed within a hollow interior pocket; and a handle affixed to the forward ballistic panel adapted to allow a user to pull the forward ballistic panel from the hollow interior pocket. 
     In alternative (optional) embodiments, the detachable rearward ballistic panel is housed within a hollow interior pocket comprising one or more of soft ballistic armor and hard ballistic armor. 
     Alternatively, the forward ballistic panel and rearward ballistic panel may each comprise various ballistic materials, such as a plurality of cross-plied polyethylene sheets. 
     The axillary panels may unfold to form a ballistic vest. The ballistic panels may alternatively be covered with a waterproofing material. 
     The ballistic panel may further comprise a plurality of pockets detachably affixable to the backpack. 
     A detachable forward ballistic panel detachably affixable to an interior pocket of a backpack is provided, the detachable ballistic forward ballistic panel comprising: a plurality of outwardly-unfolding axillary panels; a handle affixed adapted to allow a user to pull the forward ballistic panel from the hollow interior pocket; wherein the forward ballistic panel is affixed interiorly affixed within the interior pocket of a backpack and adapted to extrude outwardly when pulled over a user&#39;s head and to position in place in front of the user&#39;s torso; wherein each outwardly-unfolding axillary panel comprises a strikeface layer comprising one or more soft armored ballistic panels; wherein the forward ballistic panel comprises a backface layer; a detachable rearward ballistic panel housed within the interior pocket, the detachable rearward ballistic panel detachably affixed to the interior pocket. 
     A second ballistic backpack defining a hollow interior pocket is provided, the ballistic backpack comprising: a square forward ballistic panel comprising a plurality of outwardly-unfolding axillary panels, the forward ballistic panel detachably affixed interiorly affixed within the hollow interior pocket and adapted to extrude outwardly when pulled over a user&#39;s head and to position in place in front of the user&#39;s torso; wherein each outwardly-unfolding axillary panel comprises a strikeface layer; wherein the forward ballistic panel comprises a backface layer; wherein the forward ballistic panel covered in waterproofing material; a detachable rearward ballistic panel housed within a hollow interior pocket; and a handle affixed to the forward ballistic panel adapted to allow a user to pull the forward ballistic panel from the hollow interior pocket. 
     The axillary panels may unfold to form a ballistic vest. The ballistic panel, in still further embodiments, may further comprise a plurality of pockets detachably affixable to the backpack. 
     The advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an environmental side perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an environmental forward perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an environmental forward perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a disassembled, partially-sectioned forward perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded top perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is an environmental forward perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is an environmental side perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels  100  in accordance with the present invention. 
     The backpack  104  is adapted or configured to stow various deployable panels of soft or hard body armor, deployable to protect the front, back and side portions of a user&#39;s torso; and, in various embodiments, the head and/or groin areas. The backpack  104  encloses ballistic paneling as described herein. 
     The backpack  104  comprises a forward ballistic panel  206  (further described below) affixed, in some embodiments, to an interior surface of the backpack  104  and adapted to deploy over a user&#39;s head and down into a secure position in front a user&#39;s torso when a handle  106  affixed to forward ballistic panel is pulled upwardly and/or forwardly. The handle  106  is affixed to an upper portion of the internally-housed and stowed forward ballistic panel. 
     A waist strap  108 , or belt strap, may circumscribe the waist or lower-torso of a user in some embodiments. The waist strap  108  may be buckled or closed using Velcro® or other attachment means known to those of skill in the art. 
       FIG. 2  is an environmental forward perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels  200  in accordance with the present invention. 
     The forward ballistic panel  206  is affixed to the handle  106  and drawn out of the backpack  104  over the head of a user. The forward ballistic panel  206  is affixed to the backpack  104  with two straps  208 , which may be composed of fabric, polymeric and/or organic materials (e.g., leather). In other embodiments, the forward ballistic panel  206  defines a recess through which the user&#39;s head passes through. 
     The forward ballistic panel  206  may be square, rectangular, ovoid, circular, irregularly-shaped or defined by a shield-shaped periphery adapted to maximize front surface area protection of a user. 
     In various embodiments, the forward ballistic panel  206  may comprise armor or a deck of armor which would be rated at Level IIIA, Level II, or any other rating by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) if incorporated in a different application. In alternative applications, the soft armor forming the forward ballistic panel  206  would be rated by the NIJ (or any other authority such as NATO) in accordance with NIJ&#39;s or the other authority&#39;s latest rating standards. 
     The forward ballistic panel  206  may be cut with a template to form a predimensioned bullet-resistant panel as shown. 
     The forward ballistic panel  206  may join with a back layer positioned on or around a user&#39;s  102  back as part of the main body of the backpack  104  and/or cut as a single integrated piece with an integrated back layer. 
     The forward ballistic panel  206  is defined by a shield-shaped periphery in this embodiment which encloses the front surface area of a user&#39;s  102  torso. The forward ballistic panel  206  in the shown embodiment comprises soft body armor, exemplary versions of which may include a high molecular weight polyethylene laminate ballistic panel or a panel composed of a plurality of polyethylene laminate panels. Alternative embodiments include any other soft ballistic panel or plate. The forward ballistic panel  206  may be composed of hard body armor as known to those of skill in the art, including ceramics and metals. 
     In various embodiments, the forward ballistic panel  206  comprises one or more overlaying flaps or folded axillary ballistic panels  204  which are affixed or hingedly connected to an outer periphery of the forward ballistic panel  206  as shown. 
     The shown axillary ballistic panel  204  unfolds downwardly to provide ballistic protection to a user&#39;s  102  groin area, but this embodiment is optional. Other panels fold laterally or outwardly to protect side regions of a user&#39;s  102  torso. 
     The forward ballistic panel  206  may define or comprise a forward pocket  202  for retaining, securing or receiving personal implements and/or weapons, such as ammunition, magazines, pistols, knifes, handcuffs, and the like. This pocket  202  may be recessed into the forward ballistic panel  206  and/or may be exterior to the forward ballistic panel  206  and detachably affixable thereto using Velcro® or other means known to those of skill in the art, including snaps, zippers, and the like. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a forward ballistic panel  206  which is detachably affixable within the main hollow interior pocket of the backpack  104 . The forward ballistic panel  206  may affix to the backpack  104  using Velcro®, zip ties, zipper(s), buckles, or other means known to those of skill in the art. In various embodiments, the forward ballistic panel  206  affixes to a zipper on the top opening of a main pocket of the backpack  104 . In other alternative embodiments, the forward ballistic panel  206  simply rests within the backpack  104  or is affixed to the rearward ballistic panel remaining in the backpack  104 . 
       FIG. 3  is an environmental forward perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels  300  in accordance with the present invention. 
     The forward ballistic panel  206  of shown exemplary embodiment  300  comprises three outwardly unfold panels  302   a - b ,  204  for improving protection to a user&#39;s  102  torso. Each of the panels  302   a - b ,  204 , in the shown embodiment is configured the display the strikeface in the unfolded configuration with backface contouring the curvature of the user&#39;s  102  torso. 
     The forward ballistic panel  206  represents the formation of multiple layers of bullet-resistant fabric/material. The layers may be overlapped and stitched or adhered together to form each panel  206 ,  302   a - b ,  204 . The panels  204 ,  302   a - b  fold against the forward ballistic panel  206  and are stitched thereto or otherwise affixed using means known to those of skill in the art. 
       FIG. 4  is a disassembled, partially-sectioned forward perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels  400  in accordance with the present invention. 
     The forward ballistic panel  206  is enveloped within the backpack  104  as shown in a folded configuration. 
     The backpack  104  comprises a plurality of pockets  402   a - b  and a carrying receptacle  404  for a beverage container. The pockets  402   a - b  and receptacle  404  may zip onto the backpack  104  or be otherwise affixed using means known to those of skill in the art. 
     In various embodiments, the backpack  400  comprises a rearward ballistic panel  406  permanently affixed to an interior surface of the backpack  400  for offering ballistic protection the back of a user  102 . The rearward ballistic panel  406  may be detachable in some embodiments, and replaceable with hard ballistic trauma plates, trauma pads, of a plurality of other materials. In various embodiments, the backpack  400  comprises a plurality of rearward ballistic panels  406 . 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded top perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels  500  in accordance with the present invention. 
     The panels  502 , or doors, are hingedly-affixed to the backpack  104  and fold down covering an open top end through which the forward ballistic panel  206  is pulled. 
       FIG. 6  is an environmental forward perspective view of a ballistic backpack having rapid body armor deployment panels  600  in accordance with the present invention. 
     The backpack  600  and its subcomponents including the forward ballistic panel  206  may be covered in a waterproofing material or sheer known to those of skill in the art. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.