Patent Publication Number: US-11378360-B1

Title: Apparatuses and wearable armor systems including electrical sources

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/681,918, filed Jun. 7, 2018. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     This invention was made with Government support under Contract Number FA8650-16-M-2681 and FA8650-17-C-2734 awarded by the U.S. Air Force Materiel Command to Cornerstone Research Group Inc. The Government has certain rights in the invention. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to apparatuses and wearable armor systems including electrical sources, and more specifically, to a conformal battery-integrated armor system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A significant number of military assets, including multiple types of soldier-worn systems, rely heavily on power provided by rechargeable batteries. As the capabilities of these systems increase, there is an ever-increasing need for batteries with more electrical energy/power. Along with the increasing need for additional electrical capacity to support these growing energy demands comes added weight and mounting space limits due to additional batteries being added to a soldier&#39;s already heavy carrying load. Additionally, batteries can be bulky, cumbersome, and restrict body movement for the dismounted soldier. 
     Conformal batteries (e.g. Conformal Wearable Battery, CWB) seeking to address the space limitations and operator ergonomics have been developed due to the increased need in electrical capacity. However, current conformal batteries offer reduced ballistics protection when combined with soft armor Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.) packaging that has limited stopping protection. An alternative approach is to use Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) plates with the conformal batteries because of the greater ballistics protection, but such levels of ballistic protection may not be required in every situation, with the SAPI plates only adding to the carrying weight concern. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for improved apparatuses and wearable armor systems including electrical sources. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to a first aspect, an armor system includes a housing case, a frame, a power source, and a control unit. The housing case includes a top shell and a bottom shell, where the top shell is removably secured to the bottom shell, forming a cavity. The frame is arranged within the cavity between the top shell and the bottom shell, the frame including a compartment. The power source is arranged within the compartment of the frame, and the control unit is communicatively connected to the power source to manage operation of the power source. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, an interior ballistic panel is removably arranged within the cavity between the top shell and the bottom shell. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the frame is removably positioned into the cavity between the top shell and the bottom shell and further includes a plurality of compartments. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the plurality of compartments is formed by a plurality of ribs forming the frame. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the plurality of ribs are perpendicularly arranged. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the control unit is arranged within at least one compartment of the frame. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the power source is a plurality of batteries. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the plurality of batteries are arranged within corresponding compartments of the plurality of compartments of the frame. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the armor system further includes an external connector passing through the housing case and communicatively connected to the plurality of batteries and the control unit. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the external connector includes a socket communicatively coupled to the plurality of batteries, and a flexible power cable removably secured to the socket. The flexible power cable allows current to be transmitted from the plurality of batteries to an external device. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the housing case is formed from a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising reinforcement material and polymer. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the reinforcement material includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, polypropylene fiber, polyethylene fiber, hybrid laminates, thermoplastic prepreg, or combinations thereof, and wherein the polymer includes one of more components selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyether ether ketone, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene ether, polyvinylidenefluoride, epoxy, vinyl ester, polyester, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomer, thermoset elastomer, or combinations thereof. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, a curved profile of the interior ballistic panel matches a curved profile of the housing case. 
     According to a second aspect, an armor system includes a housing case, an interior ballistic panel, a plurality of longitudinally arranged ribs, a plurality of latitudinally arranged ribs, a power source, and a control unit. The housing case includes a top shell and a bottom shell. The top shell is removably secured to the bottom shell, forming a cavity. The interior ballistic panel is removably arranged within the cavity between the top shell and the bottom shell. The plurality of longitudinally arranged ribs is arranged within the cavity. The plurality of latitudinally arranged ribs is arranged over the plurality of longitudinally arranged ribs. The plurality of longitudinally arranged ribs are secured to the plurality of latitudinally arranged ribs, forming a plurality of compartments. The power source is arranged within at least one of the plurality of compartments, and the control unit is arranged within at least one of the plurality of compartments and is communicatively connected to the power source to manage operation of the power source. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the plurality of longitudinally arranged ribs and the plurality of latitudinally arranged ribs are integral with one another to form a frame. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the power source is a plurality of batteries. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the armor system further includes an external connector passing through the housing case and communicatively connected to the plurality of batteries and the control unit. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the external connector includes a socket communicatively coupled to the plurality of batteries, and a flexible power cable removably secured to the socket. The flexible power cable allows current to be transmitted from the plurality of batteries to an external device. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the housing case is formed from a fiber-reinforced composite material having ballistic resistance. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the housing case is formed from a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising reinforcement material and polymer. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the reinforcement material includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, polypropylene fiber, polyethylene fiber, hybrid laminates, thermoplastic prepreg, or combinations thereof, and wherein the polymer includes one of more components selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyether ether ketone, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene ether, polyvinylidenefluoride, epoxy, vinyl ester, polyester, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomer, thermoset elastomer, or combinations thereof. 
     According to a third aspect, an armor system includes a carrier vest, a ballistic panel holding pouch, a housing case, an interior ballistic panel, a frame, a power source, a control unit, and an exterior ballistic panel. The ballistic panel holding pouch is operatively arranged on the carrier vest. The housing case includes a top shell and a bottom shell. The top shell is removably secured to the bottom shell, forming a cavity. The interior ballistic panel is removably arranged within the cavity between the top shell and the bottom shell. The frame is arranged within the cavity between the top shell and the interior ballistic panel, the frame including a compartment. The power source is arranged within the compartment of the frame, and the control unit is communicatively connected to the power source to manage operation of the power source. The exterior ballistic panel is secured to an external face of the housing case. The housing case and the exterior ballistic panel are arranged within the ballistic panel holding pouch. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the armor system further includes an external connector passing through the housing case and communicatively connected to the power source and the control unit. 
     According to any of the previous aspects, the frame further includes a plurality of longitudinally arranged ribs and a plurality of latitudinally arranged ribs forming a plurality of compartments within the frame. 
     These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which: 
         FIG. 1  schematically depicts an armor system, according to one or more embodiments shown or described herein; 
         FIG. 2  schematically depicts an exploded view of the armor system of  FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown or described herein; 
         FIG. 3  schematically depicts a frame of the armor system of  FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown or described herein; 
         FIG. 4  schematically depicts an interior ballistic panel of the armor system of  FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown or described herein; 
         FIG. 5A  schematically depicts a control unit of the armor system of  FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown or described herein; 
         FIG. 5B  schematically depicts a control unit of the armor system of  FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown or described herein; 
         FIG. 6  schematically depicts the armor system of  FIG. 1  with a plurality of electrical sources removed, according to one or more embodiments shown or described herein; 
         FIG. 7  schematically depicts the armor system of  FIG. 1  with a top shell removed, according to one or more embodiments shown or described herein; and 
         FIG. 8  schematically depicts the armor system of  FIG. 1  arranged within a carrier vest, according to one or more embodiments shown or described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The armor system generally includes a housing case, an interior ballistic panel, a frame, a power source, and a control unit. The housing case includes a top shell and a bottom shell, where the top shell is removably secured to the bottom shell, forming a cavity. The interior ballistic panel is removably arranged within the cavity between the top shell and the bottom shell. The frame is arranged within the cavity between the top shell and the interior ballistic panel, the frame including a compartment. The power source is arranged within the compartment of the frame, and the control unit is communicatively connected to the power source to manage operation of the power source. As will be described in greater detail herein, the interior ballistic panel, frame, and power source may be easily removed from the cavity of the housing case. For example the interior ballistic panel could be removed if additional ballistics protection is not required beyond the level of ballistic protection of the housing case. Accordingly, the interior ballistic panel can replaced with a different ballistic protection panel, such as a small arms protective insert (SAPI) panel, a soft Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.) insert, a ceramic armor panel, an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) panel, a dry fiber material panel, or a composite material panel. The ceramic armor panel may be made from alumina, boron carbide, silicon carbide, or titanium diboride. The UHMWPE panel may be made from Dyneema® (DSM, Heerlen, the Netherlands) and/or Spectra® (Honeywell, Morris Plains, N.J.). The dry fiber material panel may be made of Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.) or carbon fiber. The composite material panel may be made with Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.) or carbon fiber. Various embodiments of the armor system will be described in greater detail herein. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of an armor system  100  is generally depicted. As illustrated, the armor system  100  may include a housing case  102 , an external connector  104 , and an external device  106 . As will be described in greater detail herein, the armor system  100  is configured to be modular to allow for the repair of damaged components and replacement of components for situation specific instances. It is noted that the present armor system could also be used in any applications where there is a need for electrical power or ballistic protection. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the housing case  102  may have an exterior geometry that matches commonly used SAPI plate and include a bottom shell  108  and a top shell  110 . The bottom shell  108  may further include a top surface  108 A to allow the external connector  104  to sit flush against the housing case  102 . The bottom shell  108  may also include holes  107  ( FIG. 2 ) which allow LEDs  143  to pass through the bottom shell  108 . A button  149  may also be arranged within a through-bore of bottom shell  108  to allow a user to activate LEDs  143 . LEDs  143  may be arranged to communicate to a user the charge level of the power sources contained within the armor system  100 , or to inform the user of a damaged components or a charging state. It will be appreciated that the holes  107 , LEDs  143 , and button  149  may also be positioned with the top shell. Additionally, the top shell  110  may further include an external face  110 A to allow an exterior ballistic panel to be abutted against the top shell  110  (see  FIG. 8 ). 
     In various embodiments, the bottom shell  108  and top shell  110  may be secured together by a friction fit, a removable adhesive, or an external fabric or tape wrap, but any securement means can be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure. 
     It is noted that the housing case  102  and/or various components thereof may be made from a variety of materials. For example, in one non-limiting embodiment, the housing case  102  is made from a fiber-reinforced composite, such as an aramid fiber (Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.)) reinforced composite. In a further non-limiting embodiments, the housing case  102  is made from a rigid plastic such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or nylon, polycarbonate, UHMWPE. It should be noted that both the bottom shell  108  and the top shell  110  have a curved profile CP 1 , which allows the housing case  102  to conform to the chest area of a human user. However, it should be appreciated that housing case  102  can also have a flat profile. In some embodiments, the housing case  102  is a rigid or conformal case which may be environmentally sealed against dust and water intrusion (e.g. IP67 or IP68 in accordance with the International Electrotechnical Commission standards). Additionally, the housing case  102  may be rated for MIL-STD-810 shock, vibration, and drop testing in accordance with the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology standards of the United States Military. The armor system  100  may be designed to provide additional ballistic protection when worn in front of or behind the interior ballistic panel  116 , or may act as standalone ballistic protection (e.g. NIJ Level IIA, II, III, or IV in accordance with the National Institute of Justice standards) when worn without the interior ballistic panel  116 . 
     In some embodiments, the housing case  102  may be made from a thin, impact/ballistic resistant case material which may be a thermoplastic or thermoset resin case, with or without fiber reinforcement. A lightweight, thermally insulated, fire-resistant layer may be arranged between the interior ballistic panel  116  and the bottom shell  108  to protect a user in the event of battery thermal runaway or a fire. Example fire-resistant layers include those formed from dry fibers of Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.), and/or carbon fibers, ceramic materials or foam. 
     In some embodiments, the polymer materials used to make the housing case  102  can be a fiber reinforced thermoplastic or thermoset composite. Non-limiting examples of thermoplastic resin used to make the bottom shell  108  and the top shell  110  are polypropylene, polyethylene, polyether ether ketone, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene ether, Noryl, and polyvinylidenefluoride. Non-limiting examples of thermosetting resin used to make the bottom shell  108  and the top shell  110  are epoxy, vinyl ester, polyester, polyurethane. Non-limiting examples of fiber reinforcement materials in the composite include carbon, glass, aramid, polypropylene, polyethylene, and hybrid laminates made with multiple reinforcement materials. The fiber reinforcement used to make the composite may include various material forms, including but not limited to random mats, scrims, chopped fibers, knits, unidirectional plies, three-dimensional weaves, three-dimensional fiber preforms, plain weave fabrics, twill fabrics, harness satin fabrics, prepreg (i.e. pre-impregnated composite fibers where a thermoset polymer matrix material, such as epoxy, or a thermoplastic resin is already present), Tpreg (i.e. thermoplastic prepreg), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the polymer materials used to make the housing case  102  can be a fiber reinforced thermoplastic or thermoset elastomer composite. Non-limiting example of thermoplastic or thermosetting resin used to make elastomer composite for the housing case  102  are rubber, polyurea, or polyurethane. 
     Referring still to  FIG. 1 , the external connector  104  may include a socket  112  and a flexible power cable  114 . The external connector  104  may be removably arranged to the top surface  108 A. The external connector  104  connects with the internal comments within the housing case  102  through aperture  125  arranged in the top surface  108 A (see  FIG. 2 ). The power cable  114  can connect the armor system  100  with an external device  106  in order to power the external device  106 . Examples of external device  106  include a radio, light source, mobile device, or the like. The power cable  114  can be removably secured to the external device  106  and the socket  112 . In some embodiments, the power cable  114  is a silicone insulated high strand count wire. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the armor system  100  may further include an interior ballistic panel  116 , a frame  118 , and a power source  122 , all arranged within the cavity  126  formed between the bottom shell  108  and the top shell  110 . As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the bottom shell  108  further includes an aperture  125 , which allows for an external connector  136  to pass through the housing case  102  to connect the power source  122  with an external device  106  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the interior ballistic panel  116  is arranged behind the frame  118  and power source  122  in the +/−Z direction. In some embodiments, the interior ballistic panel  116  may be arranged in front of the frame  118  and power source  122  in the +/−Z, or an interior ballistic panel  116  may be omitted from the housing case  102  since a specific situation may not require the additional ballistic protection besides that provided from the housing case  102 . The frame  118  abuts against the surface  116 A of the interior ballistic panel, while the bottom shell  108  abuts against the surface  116 B of the interior ballistic panel. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the frame  118  may be arranged within the cavity  126  to abut against the interior ballistic panel  116  along surface  116 A, or the housing case  102  when the armor system  100  is assembled. The frame  118  includes a plurality of latitudinally arranged ribs  128  in the +/−Y direction, and a plurality of longitudinally arranged ribs  130  in the +/−X direction. The plurality of latitudinally arranged ribs  128  may be arranged perpendicular to and secured to the plurality of longitudinally arranged ribs  130  to form a plurality of compartments  132  in the frame  118 . In some embodiments, such compartments may be rectangular in shape to match the shape of the battery to be housed inside these compartments. In some embodiments, the frame  118  can be made from an integral piece of material, such as injection molded or 3D printed nylon material. The frame  118  may provide additional rigidity and reinforcement to the ballistic housing case to improve ballistic performance of the system. In some embodiments, the longitudinally arranged ribs  130  may include tabs  131  arranged on the end of the longitudinally arranged ribs  130 . The tabs  131  may be used to form additional compartments  132  within the frame  118 , or may be used to secure the frame  118  within the housing case  102  by abutting against the housing case  102  when the frame  118  is within the cavity  126 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the frame  118  may also include control unit compartments  134 , which may be non-rectangular or triangular to match the shape of the housing case  102  and to allow maximum number of batteries to be placed into rectangular battery compartments. In some embodiments, a single control unit may be split into two or more separate control units  120 A and  120 B to fit within the sizing of the control unit compartments  134 . Control units  120 A and  120 B are shaped to fit within the shape of the control unit compartments  134 . Each of the separated control units  120 A and  120 B may control different functions of the armor system  100 . 
     In some embodiments, the control units  120 A and  120 B are printed circuit boards having one or more of the following features: flat or conformal circuit boards, overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, undervoltage protection, a state-of-charge (SOC) measurement, a SOC indication via external LEDs  143 , a state-of-health (SOH) indication via external LEDs  143  (e.g. indicating remaining battery life or capacity), a system management bus (SMBus) for SOC and SOH data and charge control, passive and/or active battery cell balancing where active cell balancing can maintain similar SOC between all batteries  124  during charging and discharging, a capability of disabling individual batteries  124  or a string of batteries  124  in the event of malfunction or damage, and optionally provide multiple output voltages to reduce/eliminate the need for downstream DC-DC converters for different voltages. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , power source  122  includes a plurality of batteries  124 . In some embodiments, each battery  124  is a single, closed-system battery which may be removed separately from the remainder of the plurality if a single battery  124  is damaged or in need of replacement. The plurality of batteries  124  fit within the compartments  132  of the frame  118 , with each battery  124  being arranged within a single compartment  132 . In some embodiments, the batteries  124  may be the same size and shape. 
     In some embodiments, the batteries  124  may be high specific energy rechargeable battery cells. Specifically, the batteries  124  may be high specific energy rechargeable lithium battery cells. The batteries  124  may also have inherent fail-safe capabilities for the following conditions per United Nations Transportation Testing for Lithium Ion and Lithium Metal Batteries (UN Manual of Tests and Criteria § 38.3): Crush, Puncture, Short circuit, Over-discharge, Over-charge, Altitude, Shock, and Vibration. Additionally, in some embodiments, the power source  122  may have a discharge capacity of 5-30 Ah, preferably 8-12 Ah, a nominal voltage of 10-36V, 10-18V, or 20-36, an total energy of 50-400, preferably 100-300 Wh, a continuous discharge of 5-30 A, and a pulse discharge of 20-120 A. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the frame  118  may further include channels  135  arranged in the plurality of latitudinally arranged ribs  128 . The channels  135  are arranged to allow wiring harnesses form the control units  120 A and  120 B to pass between the compartments  132  when the armor system  100  is assembled. Additionally, the frame  118  may have a curved profile CP 2 , which allows the frame  118  to be arranged flush within the housing case  102 , since the housing case  102  also has a curved profile CP 1 , as stated above. In some embodiments, the curved profile CP 1  is identical to the curved profile CP 2 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the interior ballistic panel  116  may have a curved profile CP 3 , which allows the interior ballistic panel  116  to be arranged flush within the housing case  102 , since the housing case also has a curved profile CP 1 , as stated above. In some embodiments, the curved profile CP 1  is identical to the curved profile CP 3 . Additionally, the curved profile CP 3  of the interior ballistic panel  116  allows the frame  118  to abut flush against the interior ballistic panel  116  when arranged within the housing case  102 . In some embodiments, the curved profiles CP 1 , CP 2 , and CP 3  are identical. The interior ballistic panel  116  may vary from a small arms protective insert (SAPI) to a soft Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.) insert. Other examples include ceramic armor panel made with materials such as alumina, boron carbide, silicon carbide, titanium diboride, Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) panel such as Dyneema® (DSM, Heerlen, the Netherlands) and Spectra® (Honeywell, Morris Plains, N.J.), Dry fiber material of Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.) or carbon fiber, and composite material made with Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.) or carbon fiber 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5A , the control unit  120 A includes a circuit board  140 , voltage controller  141 , LEDs  143 , a fuel gauge integrated circuit (IC) microcontroller  144 , a connector cable  145 , a temperature sensor  146 , a wiring harness  147 , and the button  149 . The fuel gauge integrated circuit (IC) microcontroller  144 , temperature sensor  146 , and wiring harness  147  may be arranged on the circuit board  140 . The voltage controller  141  is communicatively connected to the circuit board  140  via wire  148 . As stated above, the LEDs  143  and button  149  allow a user to receive output information form the armor system  100 , such as power supply level and charge status. The fuel (gas) gauge Integrated Circuit (IC) microcontroller  144  may monitor and provide output to control the charge and discharge functionality of the batteries. The connector cable  145  is arranged to connect the control unit  120 A with the control unit  120 B in order to pass communication signals between the two separate control units, which are working together as a single control unit. The temperature sensor  146  may determine the temperature of the batteries  124  during operation, and can alert a user to changes within the system based on the temperature change, such as if a battery  124  is damaged, thermal runaway may be happening within the housing case  102 . The wiring harness  147  allows the circuit board  140  to communicatively connect with each battery  124  of the power source  122 . In some embodiments, both power and communication signals may be sent via the wiring harness  147 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5B , control unit  120 B includes circuit board  150 , a transistor  152 , a resistor  154 , a wiring harness  156 , and external power cables  158 . The transistor  152 , resistor  154 , wiring harness  156 , and external power cables  158  are all communicatively connected to the circuit board  150 . The connector cable  145  is also communicatively connected to the circuit board  150 , and allows the control units  120 A and  120 B to send signals and power to one another. In some embodiments, the transistor  152  may be a bi-directional metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFETs) that controls the current flow from the plurality of batteries  124 . Additionally, the resistor  154  may be a shunt resistor that measures the current flow form the plurality of batteries  124 . The transistor  152  and resistor  154  are communicatively connected with the batteries  124  via the wiring harness  156 . The external power cables  158  allow power to be transferred from the batteries  124 , through the control units  120 A and  120 B, and out to the external connector  136 . However, the external power cables  158  may be fed through the aperture  125  in the housing case  102  to power and external device  106 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the frame  118  fits within the cavity  126  of the bottom shell  108 , with the tabs  131  abutting the side of the bottom shell  108 . As noted above, the curved profiles CP 1 , CP 2 , and CP 3  of the housing case  102 , interior ballistic panel  116 , and frame  118 , respectively, align within one another to allow the interior ballistic panel  116  and the frame  118  to nest within the housing case  102 . In some embodiments, the interior ballistic panel  116  is not arranged within the housing case  102 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , each battery  124  is sized to fit within each compartment  132  of the frame  118 . Additionally, the control units  120 A and  120 B are communicatively connected via connector cable  145 , which is arranged above the frame  118  and batteries  124 . Additionally, control unit  102 A is connected to each battery  124  via wiring harness  147 , and control unit  120 B is connected to each battery  124  via wiring harness  156 . A plurality of fuses  142  are arranged on at least one of the battery  124  and connected to the wiring harness  156 . In some embodiments, the batteries  124  may be arranged into groups of batteries  124 , with a single fuse  142  controlling each group of batteries  124 . This would reduce the required amount of fuses  142  required, while allowing the same amount of batteries  124  to be used. In other embodiments, each battery  124  may be connected to an individual fuse  142 . The fuses  142  prevent excessive current draw (and thus heat generation) during a short-circuit scenario caused by ballistic damage to the any battery  124  and allow the rest of the batteries  124  to continue to operate and the system to continue to function and output power with a reduced capacity. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the armor system  100  may be used in combination with a carrier vest  10 . The carrier vest  10  includes a ballistic panel holding  12 , which is sized to hold the armor system  100  in the correct position on a user&#39;s body. Additionally, am exterior ballistic panel  14  may be secured to an external face  110 A of the housing case  102  to provide additional ballistic protection. In some embodiments and exterior ballistic panel  14  is not required. Additionally, armor system  100  may be connected to an external device  106  via external connector  104 , socket  112 , and flexible power cable  114 . Additionally, the housing case  102  may further include hook and loop fasteners on the exterior of the housing case to secure the armor system  100  to a user or a carrier vest  10 . 
     It should now be understood that embodiments described herein are directed to an armor system that generally includes a housing case, an interior ballistic panel, a frame, a power source, and a control unit. The housing case includes a top shell and a bottom shell, where the top shell is removably secured to the bottom shell, forming a cavity. The interior ballistic panel is removably arranged within the cavity between the top shell and the bottom shell. The frame is arranged within the cavity between the top shell and the interior ballistic panel, the frame including a compartment. The power source is arranged within the compartment of the frame, and the control unit is communicatively connected to the power source to manage operation of the power source. The interior ballistic panel, frame, and power source may be easily removed from the cavity of the housing case. For example, the interior ballistic panel could be removed if additional ballistics protection is not required beyond the level of ballistic protection of the housing case. Accordingly, the interior ballistic panel can replaced with a different ballistic protection panel, form a small arms protective panel, to a soft Kevlar® (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Midland, Mich.) insert. 
     The singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     It is further noted that spatially oriented terms like “top”, “bottom,” and similar are not utilized herein to limit the scope of the claimed invention or to imply that certain special orientations are critical, essential, or even important to the structure or function of the claimed invention. Rather, these terms are merely intended to provide relative positions of components in a commonly understood manner. 
     Throughout this disclosure ranges are provided. It is envisioned that each discrete value encompassed by the ranges are also included. Additionally, the ranges which may be formed by each discrete value encompassed by the explicitly disclosed ranges are equally envisioned. 
     As used in this disclosure and in the appended claims, the words “comprise,” “has,” and “include” and all grammatical variations thereof are each intended to have an open, non-limiting meaning that does not exclude additional elements or steps. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Thus, it is intended that the specification cover the modifications and variations of the various embodiments described herein provided such modification and variations come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.