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EP2103895A2 - Blindage balistique - Google Patents

Blindage balistique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2103895A2
EP2103895A2 EP09155487A EP09155487A EP2103895A2 EP 2103895 A2 EP2103895 A2 EP 2103895A2 EP 09155487 A EP09155487 A EP 09155487A EP 09155487 A EP09155487 A EP 09155487A EP 2103895 A2 EP2103895 A2 EP 2103895A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pellets
layer
sector
plane
domed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP09155487A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2103895A3 (fr
Inventor
Moshe Ravid
Shlomo Birger
Avram Yacubovich
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Plasan Sasa Ltd
Original Assignee
Plasan Sasa Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Plasan Sasa Ltd filed Critical Plasan Sasa Ltd
Publication of EP2103895A2 publication Critical patent/EP2103895A2/fr
Publication of EP2103895A3 publication Critical patent/EP2103895A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41H—ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
    • F41H5/00—Armour; Armour plates
    • F41H5/02—Plate construction
    • F41H5/04—Plate construction composed of more than one layer
    • F41H5/0492—Layered armour containing hard elements, e.g. plates, spheres, rods, separated from each other, the elements being connected to a further flexible layer or being embedded in a plastics or an elastomer matrix

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed toward composite ballistic armor, and especially to armor comprising a layer of pellets made of high density material, to provide protection against armor-piercing projectiles, for use as stand-alone armor or as add-on armor.
  • Ballistic armor of the kind to which the present invention refers comprises an armor layer of ceramic tough pellets, adapted to absorb most of the energy of the impacting armor-piercing projectiles.
  • the pellets are typically regularly arranged, and held within a matrix of thermoset or thermoplastic material.
  • Such armor normally has high multi-hit capability, since damage to the armor is localized to one or a small number of pellets at the area of impact.
  • the armor typically further comprises front and/or back layers attached to the armor layer.
  • US 5,763,813 discloses one example of such armor comprising an armor layer of ceramic pellets and a back layer, and the manufacture of the armor layer by use of a vertical mold. After the armor layer has been produced within the mold, the back layer is attached thereto.
  • the geometry of the pellets contributes to the ballistic protection capability of the layer. It is appreciated that when pellets have domed ends facing a threat, the impact is better absorbed by the armor layed. Cylindrical pellets having such ends are disclosed, for example, in FR 2559254 , EP 699687 , DE 3940623 , US 5,972,819 , and EP 1,522,817 . Cylindrical pellets disclosed in these publications have both of their ends domed with the same or different radii of curvature, or only the front end facing the threat being domed. The latter design is disclosed, for example, in US 5,972,819 , as an alternative to the former configuration, though it is emphasized that the configuration with both domed ends is most preferred.
  • EP 1,522,817 discloses a composite armor plate for absorbing and dissipating kinetic energy from high-velocity projectiles.
  • the plate comprises a single layer of pellets which are retained by a binder which may be aluminum, thermoplastic polymers or thermoset plastic, such that the pellets are held in direct contact with each other in a plurality of rows and columns.
  • the pellets are made of ceramic material, and are substantially fully embedded in the binder.
  • Each of the pellets is characterized by a cylindrical body having a first and second end faces, each projecting from the body and having an outwardly decreasing cross-sectional area, wherein the height of the end face disposed substantially opposite to an outer impact receiving major surface of the plate is less than 15% of the length of the diameter of the pellet body from which it projects.
  • the present invention refers to a number of measures directed to improve ballistic protection provided by a composite armor having a main armor layer comprising a plurality of pellets made of high density material and enveloped in a binder matrix and, preferably, having front and back layers.
  • the pellets may be made of any high density ceramic used in ballistic armor, such as alumina.
  • the binder matrix may be made of a thermoplastic material or a thermoset material.
  • the front and back layers may be made of fibers, preferably in the form of a fabric, capable of absorbing the binder material.
  • a composite armor plate for ballistic protection of a body against a threat comprising an inner, main armor layer of high density pellets in a binder matrix, and a front layer adapted for facing the threat, each pellet having a domed front face and a body portion merging with the front face along a perimeter line, the domed front face having a juncture point and being formed of sectors, each defined between two side edges have the form of arcs and a portion of the perimeter line extending between two spaced-apart points lying thereon, and constituting the sector's base edge, each side edge spanning between the juncture point and one of the spaced apart points; the shape of each sector being such that:
  • the second plane may contain the axis of symmetry and the first plane may be substantially perpendicular to the second plane, being parallel to the axis of symmetry.
  • the second plane may substantially bisect each sector, i.e., bisect the angle formed between the two side edges defining it.
  • the second plane may further be perpendicular to the base edge of each sector.
  • the juncture point may be the outermost point of the front face of the pellet, i.e., it is farther from the body portion than any other point of the front end.
  • the convexly curved line formed by the intersection of the sector with the second plane may be a circular arc having a first radius, and each of the side edges may be circular arcs having a second radius which is greater than the first radius. Due to this geometry, the front face of the pellets may be seen as being filly disposed within an imaginary sphere having the second radius, except for the side edges defining this sphere.
  • the perimeter line may be defined by an inscribed circle lying in a plane, e.g., it may fully lie in the plane, and the side edges of the sectors may be oriented such that a line tangent to each of the side edge at the juncture point lies in a plane which is parallel to this plane.
  • the body portion may be in the form of a polygonal cylinder having a plurality of sides, each side merging with the domed face at the base edge of one of the sectors.
  • the body portion may have any other shape, i.e., that of a circular or oval cylinder, and this shape, or dimensions of the body portion, may vary along its axis of symmetry.
  • the polygonal cylinder may have a convex polygonal shape and may have any number of sides, e.g. have four sides, e.g. be a square cylinder, or six sides, e.g. be a hexagonal cylinder.
  • the main layer and front layer may be integrally formed, with the material of the binder matrix serving to bind the front layer to the main armor layer.
  • the pellets are preferably coated with primer which is adapted to facilitate binding of the binder material to the pellets.
  • primer is to be understood as a coating material adapted to facilitate binding of the binder material to the pellet.
  • the composite armor plate preferably has at least one additional layer made of a material different from the binder material, constituting a back layer of the plate.
  • the main layer and the front and back layers may be integrally formed, with the binder material forming the matrix and serving to bind the front and back layers to the main armor layer.
  • the back layer may be made from a ballistic fabric.
  • a method for producing a composite armor plate having a front face and side walls therebetween comprising:
  • prepositions are to be understood in their broadest sense, including, but not limited to, a description of an element extending beyond the object of the proposition. (Thus, e.g., an element described being above or below a member, or between two members, may partially extend beyond one or more of the members.)
  • Fig. 1 shows one example of a composite armor plate 10 according to the present invention.
  • the plate 10 comprises a main armor layer 12, with a front layer 14 attached in the main layer on one side thereof, to form a front face 11 and side walls 13 of the plate, and a back layer 16 attached to the main layer on its other side, to form a back face 15 of the plate.
  • the main armor layer 12 comprises an array of pellets 18 made of high density ballistic armor material, e.g., ceramic, such as alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and boron carbide.
  • Each pellet comprises a cylindrical body 20, a domed front end 22, and a planar back end 24.
  • the main armor layer 12 further comprises a binder matrix 26 which envelops the pellets and is adapted to retain the arrangement of the array.
  • the matrix may be made of thermoplastic or thermoset material.
  • the front layer 14 is typically made from a ballistic fabric such as aramid (e.g., KevlarTM) or fiberglass. It may comprise several sheets of fabric, which may be made of different materials It constitutes the front face 11 of the armor plate 10, and wraps around the sides of the main armor layer 12. This inter alia provides protection to the main armor layer 12 against moisture and chemical substances, and also functions as a spall liner, preventing exit of shrapnel that results from shattering of pellets upon impact thereon of a projectile. It further provides an aesthetic covering for the armor plate 10.
  • aramid e.g., KevlarTM
  • fiberglass e.g., KevlarTM
  • the back layer 16 is made from a ballistic fabric such as aramid (e.g., KevlarTM), fiberglass, polyethylene, or other similar material. It may comprise several sheets of fabric, which may be made of different materials. All sheets may be unidirectional, however the one immediately adjacent the pellets is preferably not.
  • the back layer 16 serves to stop projectiles and their fragments as well as shrapnel of pellets that may result from a ballistic projectile impacting the main armor layer 12.
  • the plate 10 may be manufactured as follows:
  • the pellets 18 are prepared by washing with a surface preparation chemical agent They are then coated with one or more coats of primer, such as Silan, or any other bonding agent for elastomers.
  • the coating may be accomplished by spraying the pellets 18 with the primer, or by immersion thereof in a bath of the primer.
  • the spraying may be accomplished by standing the pellets 18 on their planar back ends 24, spraying the primer thereon, and allowing them to dry. This coats all surfaces except the back ends 24.
  • the primer is applied to the back ends 24, thereby ensuring that the entire surface of each pellet 18 is coated therewith.
  • the entire surface of the pellets may be coated prior to their arrangement for production.
  • the primer may be applied manually or in an automated fashion.
  • a mold 28 which may be made of aluminum or other similar material, is provided, having dimensions corresponding to those of the plate 10.
  • the side walls 30 of the mold may be shifted while remaining mutually perpendicular to adjacent walls.
  • a cover 34, associated with the mold, may be provided. It has dimensions which are slightly smaller that those defined by the interior of the side walls 30.
  • the front layer 14 is arranged in a generally horizontal position within the mold 28, and the edges thereof are arranged along the side walls 30 of the mold, forming a cavity 32 having sides and a bottom to correspond, respectively, to the front face 11 and side walls 13 of the armor plate 10.
  • the pellets 18 are arranged within the cavity 32 in a honeycomb or other advantageous arrangement to form the main armor layer 12, with their domed front ends 22 facing the bottom of the cavity 32.
  • the side walls 30 of the mold 28 are shifted until the pellets 18 are tightly packed.
  • the binder material is introduced in the mold 28 to fill the gaps between the pellets and fully cover them, including the planar back ends 24 thereof.
  • the binder can easily reach the front ends of the pellets 18, which are presently disposed downwardly. Due to the domed shape of the front ends 22, binder material covers the entire surface of the pellets and the entire surface area of the front layer 14, increasing adhesion of the front layer to the main armor layer 12.
  • the binder matrix 26 is adapted to bind the pellets 18 to each other and to the adjacent layers.
  • the back layer 16 is applied to the planar back ends 24 of the pellets 18. Due to flat shape of the pellets 18, the back layer 16 may be easily and smoothly applied to the pellet array. This provides a better attachment of the back layer 16 to the back ends 24 of the pellets 18, increasing the confinement.
  • Both the front and back layers may be provided with binder material associated herewith.
  • binder material is a thermoplastic
  • the material in powder form may be spread on the each layer before it is introduced into the above process and heated enough so that it binds thereto, while still remaining in powder form.
  • the binder material is a thermoset
  • the fabric may be pre-impregnated.
  • the cover 34 may be used to distribute the pressure the pellets.
  • the entire mold with the pellets may be covered with plastic and placed inside an autoclave (not shown). In the event that the binder material is a thermoset, and was therefore introduced as a liquid, enough heat needs to be applied to cure the binder material. This is usually at a lower temperature.
  • the heating expands the mold 28, which allows the pellets 18, which heretofore have been held in contact with one another, to separate slightly by the binder material, whether a thermoplastic or thermoset, at this stage in liquid form, drawn by the primer in-between the pellets 18.
  • the binder material solidifies, there is produced a gap of 0.1 and 0.3 mm between adjacent pellets 18 at their closest points. This gap contains the primer and the binder material.
  • the presence of the binder between adjacent pellets 18 improves ballistic protection of the armor by reducing propagation of shockwaves through the armor upon impact by a projectile and lessening the effect of shattering pellets on their neighbors.
  • the front layer 14 contracts, thereby at least partially conforming to the shape domed front ends 22, as illustrated in Fig 1 . This increases the confinement of the front layer 14 to the pellets 18, thereby increasing the ballistic performance of the armor.
  • an optional final backing 36 is applied to the back of the armor.
  • This layer provides a smooth appearance to the armor, and may mainly serve an aesthetic purpose.
  • the gap 38 between the final backing 36 and the backing 16 may be filled in with any material, such as binder or other filler.
  • the plate as described above provides the same ballistic protection capabilities as a reference panel of the same design having higher weight and using pellets having two domed and at least the same height of the body portions.
  • a plate according to the present invention and a reference panel were tested.
  • the pellets in the plate were composed of 98% alumina, and each had a diameter of 12.7 mm, a total height of 8 mm, of which 6.5 mm was the height of the cylindrical body portion.
  • the pellets in the reference panel were composed of 99.5% alumina, and each had a diameter of 12.7 mm, a total height of 11.5 mm, of which 7 mm was the height of the cylindrical body portion.
  • the plate and reference panel each comprised KevlarTM and fiberglass layers on both ends thereof, and an aluminum panel was disposed therebehind.
  • Ten rounds of 7.62x51 AP projectiles were fired at 840 m/s at both the plate and the reference panel. Each round passed through the respective armor, and the depth of the residual penetration (RP) into the aluminum panel was observed.
  • the plate as described above provides better ballistic protection capabilities than a reference panel having similar design wherein the front and back layers are not integrally formed with the main armor layer, namely they are attached to the main armor layer after its production.
  • Figs. 3A illustrates pellet, 18 used in the armor plate as described above.
  • the pellet 18 has a body portion 102 formed as a hexagonal cylinder, a domed front face 104, with a perimeter line 106 therebetween serving as the boundary between the body portion and the domed front face, and rear face 110, the perimeter line 106 lying in a plane parallel to the rear face 110.
  • the domed front face 104 comprises six identical sectors 108, which meet at a common juncture point 112 formed at the intersection of the domed front face 104 and an axis of rotational symmetry 114 of the pellet.
  • Each sector 108 is defined between two convex side edges 116 and base edge 118 constituted by a portion of the perimeter line 106, which extends between two spaced-apart points 120 thereon.
  • Each of the side edges 116 is in the form of a circular arc of radius R1 extending between the juncture point 112 and one of the spaced-apart points 120.
  • Each sector 108 is formed such that, when the pellet 18 is cut along a plane crossing the side edges 116 e.g., plane P1 shown in Fig. 3B and represented by a line B-B in Fig. 3A , the intersection of this plane with the sector 108 is a straight line extending between the side edges 116, as indicated at 125a in Fig. 3B ; when the pellet 18 is cut along a plane crossing the base edge 118 e.g. plane P2 shown in Fig. 3C and represented byline C-C in Fig. 3A , the intersection of this plane with the sector 108 is a convexly curved line (albeit having a smaller radius R2 than that of the side edge 116 ), as indicated at 125b in Fig.
  • each sector 108 can be described as having the shape of a triangular sheet which is curved in one direction only.
  • the planes P1 and P2 are mutually perpendicular, with the latter being perpendicular to the base edge 118 and bisecting the sector 108, and the former passing through points 117 on the side edges 116, which are equidistant from the juncture point 112.
  • the sectors 108 are oriented so that lines 122 which are tangent to their side edges 116 at the juncture point 112, lie are parallel to the perimeter line 106.
  • any cross-section of the sector 108 which is taken along a line which is non-parallel to line B-B in Fig. 3A will be a convexly curved line.
  • the pellets are arranged with their planar side walls aligned and abutting each other, similar to shown in Fig. 2C .
  • the domed front face 104 having the design as described above improves adhesion of the front layer 14 to the pellets 18, compared to that of a spherical domed front face, , while retaining the ballistic advantages of domed front face.
  • This is due to, inter alia , the fact mentioned above that the shape of each sector 108 can be described as that of a sheet which is curved in one direction only, which is a shape to which sheets can naturally and easily be bent.
  • each sector is formed so as to naturally conform to the front layer 14 without resulting in kinks therein, at least locally at each sector 108. These kinks would reduce the amount of area of the front layer 14 which is in contact with the main armor layer 12.
  • the overall adhesion of the main armor layer 12 thereto is increased, which results in an increased ballistic ability of the composite armor plate 10.
  • the armor as described above may be used by itself (stand alone) or, more commonly, mounted to the exterior wall of a vehicle. In the latter case, the wall of the vehicle serves to augment the energy absorbing capability of the back layer, thereby lowering the necessary thickness of the armor.
  • an additional liner is typically attached to the inside of the wall, in order to stop fragments and deformed projectiles from entering the vehicle.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
EP09155487A 2008-03-20 2009-03-18 Blindage balistique Withdrawn EP2103895A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL190360A IL190360A0 (en) 2008-03-20 2008-03-20 Ballistic armor

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2103895A2 true EP2103895A2 (fr) 2009-09-23
EP2103895A3 EP2103895A3 (fr) 2009-12-02

Family

ID=40578936

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP09155487A Withdrawn EP2103895A3 (fr) 2008-03-20 2009-03-18 Blindage balistique

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2103895A3 (fr)
AU (1) AU2009201062A1 (fr)
IL (1) IL190360A0 (fr)
SG (2) SG175550A1 (fr)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2559254A1 (fr) 1984-02-02 1985-08-09 Picard Blindage resistant au percage et son procede de fabrication
DE3940623A1 (de) 1989-12-08 1991-06-13 Sst Sicherheits Und Systemtech Panzerungselement fuer eine ballistische panzerplattenanordnung
EP0699887A2 (fr) 1994-09-02 1996-03-06 A.F.H. Investment Ltd. Plaque de blindage composite anti-balistique
US5763813A (en) 1996-08-26 1998-06-09 Kibbutz Kfar Etzion Composite armor panel
US5972819A (en) 1996-10-09 1999-10-26 Cohen; Michael Ceramic bodies for use in composite armor
EP1522817A1 (fr) 2003-10-09 2005-04-13 Michael Cohen Plaque de blindage composite et corps en céramique pour celle-ci

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6826996B2 (en) * 2002-03-11 2004-12-07 General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc. Structural composite armor and method of manufacturing it
US6860186B2 (en) * 2002-09-19 2005-03-01 Michael Cohen Ceramic bodies and ballistic armor incorporating the same
DE102005013660A1 (de) * 2005-03-24 2006-09-28 Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Gmbh & Co. Kg Verbundpanzerplatte zum Schutz von Fahrzeugen oder Gebäuden vor panzerbrechenden Geschossen mit hoher kinetischer Energie
IL169230A (en) * 2005-06-16 2012-03-29 Plasan Sasa Agricultural Cooperative Soc Ltd Ballistic armor
IL182511A (en) * 2007-04-12 2014-07-31 Yoav Hirschberg Semi-finished protective layer, method of manufacture and a protective panel produced from it

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2559254A1 (fr) 1984-02-02 1985-08-09 Picard Blindage resistant au percage et son procede de fabrication
DE3940623A1 (de) 1989-12-08 1991-06-13 Sst Sicherheits Und Systemtech Panzerungselement fuer eine ballistische panzerplattenanordnung
EP0699887A2 (fr) 1994-09-02 1996-03-06 A.F.H. Investment Ltd. Plaque de blindage composite anti-balistique
US5763813A (en) 1996-08-26 1998-06-09 Kibbutz Kfar Etzion Composite armor panel
US5972819A (en) 1996-10-09 1999-10-26 Cohen; Michael Ceramic bodies for use in composite armor
EP1522817A1 (fr) 2003-10-09 2005-04-13 Michael Cohen Plaque de blindage composite et corps en céramique pour celle-ci

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2103895A3 (fr) 2009-12-02
IL190360A0 (en) 2009-09-22
AU2009201062A1 (en) 2009-10-08
SG155869A1 (en) 2009-10-29
SG175550A1 (en) 2011-11-28

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