Patent ID: 7540228

Claim:
A personal armor for protection against large caliber armor piercing projectiles comprising a ceramic layer with a first confinement layer on a front thereof, said ceramic layer being backed by a first nonporous solid metallic layer of high strength and ductility for distributing an impact load from a projectile and ceramic debris and for confining the debris in an impact zone within said ceramic layer, said first nonporous solid metallic layer being thinner than said ceramic layer, said first nonporous solid metallic layer being 1.11 mm or less in thickness and backed by a ballistic composite layer made of ballistic fabrics, fabric weaves and polymeric matrix materials for stopping a projectile and ceramic debris while minimizing deformation, with the various layers being bonded together by a suitable adhesive, said sequence of ceramic layer, nonporous solid metallic layer and ballistic composite layer exhibiting a back face deformation of 44 mm or less in clay as measured in accordance with a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Standard when impacted on a front surface of said ceramic layer by projectile threats corresponding to NIJ Threat Levels up to 0.50 caliber, armor piercing, high energy projectiles.