Patent ID: 8272309

Claim:
A composite truss armor comprising: a first face plate; a second face plate; and truss-like core between the first face plate and the second face plate, wherein the truss-like core comprises a plurality of truss elements for guiding projectiles into specific desired locations of the composite truss armor, the specific desired locations being reinforced with additional materials; wherein at least one of the first face plate or the second face plate comprises: a filler material; and a three-dimensional ordered truss structure comprising: a plurality of first truss elements defined by a plurality of first self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a first direction; a plurality of second truss elements defined by a plurality of second self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a second direction; and a plurality of third truss elements defined by a plurality of third self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a third direction; wherein the first, second, and third ordered truss elements interpenetrate each other at a plurality of nodes to form a continuous material; wherein the first, second, and third truss elements define an open space; wherein the filler material occupies at least a portion of the open space; and wherein the three-dimensional ordered truss structure is self-supporting.