EP2655999A1

EP2655999A1 - Method for testing a device for protecting against piercing elements

Info

Publication number: EP2655999A1
Application number: EP11799707.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jérome LE CARPENTIER
Original assignee: Europeenne De Developpement Industriel (cedi) Cie
Current assignee: Europeenne De Developpement Industriel (cedi) Cie
Priority date: 2010-12-21
Filing date: 2011-12-21
Publication date: 2013-10-30
Also published as: FR2969274A1; US20130255356A1; WO2012085054A1; FR2969274B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for testing a device for protecting against piercing elements, such as ammunition (B) or weapons with blades that can pierce human beings, said method including the following steps: providing a block of plastically deformable material (pl); fitting the block with the protection device to be tested; applying the piercing elements to the protection device with a series of predetermined levels of energy and kinematics; measuring the sizes of the impacts of the piercing elements in the block of plastically deformable material (pl), and obtaining a series of measurements of mechanical parameters resulting from the piercing elements; and converting the series of measurements using conversion data obtained by a conversion method according to the invention, so as to deduce therefrom the corresponding mechanical properties resulting from the piercing elements on a dummy (M).

Description

METHOD FOR TESTING PROTECTION EQUIPMENT AGAINST

PERFORATING ELEMENTS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to clothing or equipment for the protection of persons, in particular law enforcement and / or armed forces, against the firing of ammunition or perforating weapons such as punches, knives, etc.

The present invention particularly relates to methods of evaluating the protection afforded by such protective clothing or equipment, and designing and manufacturing clothing or equipment having given protection properties.

STATE OF THE ART

Various methods for measuring the effectiveness of protective clothing or equipment against ammunition firing or piercing weapons are already known.

Conventionally, and in accordance with the various standards on the resistance of body protection equipment to bales and other perforating weapons, and in particular according to the American standard NU 0101 .06, one uses Plastiline ^® , a paste of standardized hardness, under shape of a block of a weight of 80kg maintained at a temperature of 20 ° C or equivalent Fahrenheit.

The method consists in fixing the equipment to be tested on such a block with the aid of straps, and firing on this equipment at a determined distance - generally five meters for handguns and ten to fifteen meters for so-called shoulder weapons - this shot being fired using a shooter firing ammunition of normalized weight at a standard speed. The equipment tested is approved if it meets both of the following conditions:

- he stops the projectile fired by the shooting bench,

- the maximum depth of the impression of the shock in the block Plastiline ^® immediately behind the protective device does not exceed a predetermined depth (generally set by an originator), typically for example 44 mm, the depth being measured with a vernier caliper. Since Plastiline ^® is a relatively inexpensive and fairly widespread material, this process has the advantage of being economical and of a great ease of implementation for the shooting test laboratories, for testing protective equipment developed by industrial.

However, it has the drawback of not making it possible to deduce, from the measurement of the depths of the impacts made in the Plastiline ^® block, the traumatological consequences of the impact of ammunition or knives on a subject carrying the equipment. .

Moreover, during these tests, the deformation measurements of Plastiline ^® can be falsified as shots are fired, since Plastiline ^® is a material whose mechanical behavior depends a lot on its temperature, the rise in temperature. resulting from the impact of successive munitions in the Plastiline ^® block that may be sufficient to distort the results.

Patent application FR 2 933 181 A proposes the implementation of an instrumented manikin of the Hybrid III type (marketed by the company ETD, Hittfeld, D-21218 Seevetal, Germany), equipped with sensors arranged in a region such as the abdomen, thorax, head, vertebrae, spine, etc.

These sensors make it possible, by measuring parameters such as, for example, forces, moments and accelerations along several axes, on the surface of the manikin, to give traumatological indications of the effect of the impacts on the human body. A dummy of this type is, however, extremely expensive, and the use of ammunition may deteriorate it strongly and irremediably. For this purpose, according to the document FR 2 933 181 A, the manikin is thus equipped with a tare protection in front of the region or regions equipped with (s) sensors.

Shotshot tests are then carried out:

- on the one hand on the dummy equipped with the protection but without the equipment or the protective clothing that one seeks to test, to obtain thanks to the sensors of the manikin a first series of mechanical measurements,

- and on the dummy equipped with the protection and the equipment or protective clothing to be tested, to obtain a second series of mechanical measurements.

Following these shots, the two sets of measurements are compared to deduce the effectiveness of the equipment or protective clothing tested.

This solution has the advantage of being able to determine the residual traumatic risks during the use of protective equipment, thanks to the sensors arranged on the manikin and to the structural characteristics of the manikin.

However, this solution is difficult to implement for regular tests. Indeed, the mannequins used in this kind of methods are so expensive that it is impossible for licensed shooting laboratories to equip such mannequins. It is then necessary, during a process of testing equipment, or even its approval, to outsource the tests to a centralized institute with this type of equipment.

However, the very low availability of these manikins sometimes imposes very long delays to perform these tests, and may also require moving them from one test center to another, which generates costs and time constraints in the design of protective equipment. In addition, the measurements made by the sensors are not fully representative of the traumatic effects for the wearer of the equipment, insofar as they can be distorted by the presence of the protections of the dummy, these protections being all the more important and likely to distort the measurements that the test fire is made with powerful weapons.

Thus the firing of ammunition with firearms of very great power is likely to cause a deterioration of the manikin.

Finally, this method is difficult to implement reliably and economically to test the resistance of protective equipment to ammunition of large caliber, to the extent that the dummy may be damaged by shooting if the protections used are not adapted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of testing a protective equipment vis-à-vis perforating elements such as ammunition or piercing weapons for the human being that overcomes all or part of the disadvantages supra.

In this regard, the invention provides a method for converting plastic deformation measurements in a block of plastic deformation material (PL) into kinematic and energy data on a manikin (M) for the purpose of designing protective equipment. people such as law enforcement and / or armed forces, including the following steps:

(a) providing a manikin at least one region is equipped with sensors, a standard protection device) being placed on said region,

(b) performing series of shots of perforating elements under conditions fixed on said region of the manikin,

(c) recording kinematic measurements provided from the sensors (C) during these series of shots, (d) providing a block of plastic deformation material equipped with a protective device identical to that used in step (a),

(e) performing series of shots identical to those of step (b) on the block of material,

(f) making deformation measurements of the block of material caused by the impacts of these series of shots,

(g) repeating steps (a) to (f) with standard protection devices of different characteristics, and

(h) from the kinematic measurements provided by the sensors (C) and deformation measurements observed on the block of material for identical shots and with the different standard protection devices, develop conversion data.

Some preferred but non-limiting aspects of the conversion process according to the invention are the following:

each protection device comprises a defined number of ballistic fiber sheets;

at least one of the parameters of the following group of the plastic deformation material block is controlled: temperature, mass, composition and hardness of the block;

the block of material with plastic deformation used is a block of Plastiline® ^;

- at least one of the parameters of the ambient air among the following group is controlled: air temperature, humidity level in the air;

during a series of shots, several ammunition of the same caliber and of the same mass are fired in the region of the manikin equipped with sensors;

- the region of the manikin on which one draws is one of the following group of regions: the head, the thorax, the pelvis, the back, the neck, the abdomen;

- pulling in a plurality of risk areas;

- the risk zones are at least one of the following areas: heart, upper and / or lower part of the right lung, upper part and / or lower part of the left lung, sternum, high rib, low rib, pancreas, spine, spleen, kidney;

- in a series of shots, fire once in each risk zone;

- during a series of shots, one draws in the zones of risk in a determined order.

- the same areas of the protective equipment are drawn in steps (b) and (e);

during step (e), the firing zones are identified by means of a jig disposed on the protective equipment;

- the dummy is upright and held in suspension at the time of shooting, the suspension being released immediately before the impact of the shots;

the kinematic measurements provided by the sensors comprise at least one of the elements of the following group: a longitudinal acceleration, a vertical acceleration, a transverse acceleration, the resultant of a longitudinal moment, a vertical moment, a transverse moment, a deflection of the material surface, and in which at least one of the elements of the following group may also be measured: speed of the bullet at the firing exit, speed of the ball on arrival on the manikin or on the block of material, velocity of the bale at a predetermined distance from the manikin or block of plastic deformation material as appropriate;

the deformation measurements of the material with plastic deformation comprise at least one of the elements of the following group: a depth and a diameter;

the ammunition is of large caliber, the protective equipment used then comprising a shield;

- conversion data specific to one type of ammunition are developed;

- conversion data specific to a protection equipment size are developed; and each series of shots is carried out at different distances from the manikin and / or the plastic deformation block.

According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a method for testing a protective equipment with respect to piercing elements such as ammunition or piercing white weapons for the human being comprising the following steps:

- provide a block of material with plastic deformation,

- equip the block with the protective equipment to be tested,

- apply piercing elements according to a series of energies and kinematics determined on the protective equipment,

measuring dimensions of the impact of the perforating elements in the block of material with plastic deformation, and obtaining a series of measurements of mechanical parameters resulting from the action of the perforating elements, and

converting the series of measurements using the conversion data obtained by a conversion method according to the invention so as to deduce the corresponding mechanical parameters resulting from the action of the piercing elements on a manikin.

A preferred but non-limiting aspect of the test method according to the invention is that it further comprises a step of determining traumatic risks from the conversion data.

According to a last aspect, the invention proposes a method of designing personal protective equipment such as the police and / or the armed forces against the action of perforating elements such as ammunition or weapons. perforating blanks, comprising the following steps:

performing the method of testing a protective equipment according to the invention on a protective equipment prototype,

- deduce from the previous step a degree of protection provided by the prototype protective equipment, - depending on the requirements for the degree of protection of the equipment to be designed, modify the characteristics of the prototype, and

- repeat the previous steps until a degree of protection meets the required requirements.

A preferred but non-limiting aspect of the design process according to the invention is that it further comprises a step of determining the traumatological risks associated with the degree of protection of the prototype thus conceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the following detailed description, with reference to the appended figures, given as nonlimiting examples and in which:

FIG. 1 represents the elements necessary for carrying out the steps of the method according to the invention during which series of measurements are carried out on a manikin equipped with sensors,

FIG. 2 represents the elements necessary for carrying out a step of the method according to the invention during which a series of measurements is carried out on a block of material with plastic deformation.

FIG. 3 represents the mechanical components measured by the manikin sensors, represented by way of example on the torso plane of the manikin.

- Figure 4a shows an example of a protective equipment equipped with a shielding layer.

- Figure 4b is a sectional view of the equipment of Figure 4a.

FIG. 5a represents an example of "stand-alone" protection equipment, and

- Figure 5b is a sectional view of the equipment of Figure 5a. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A method for converting plastic deformation measurements in a plastic deformation material block PL into kinematic and energy data on a manikin M for the design of personal protective equipment such as law enforcement and / or armed forces.

These conversion data then make it possible to test protective equipment without using a manikin M, by using only a block of plastic deformation material PL, which, among other advantages, considerably reduces the cost of testing protective equipment. while allowing faster testing and design of equipment.

The manikin M used in the process described hereinafter is analogous to that used in FR 2 933 181 A. It reproduces preferably faithfully the characteristics of real human beings.

In particular, this manikin M reproduces the zones Z which are today considered as zones of risk, that is to say the sensitive zones of the human being and in which the impact of piercing elements can be lethal . These areas include, for the front face, the chest consisting of ribs and sternum and containing the heart and lungs. As for the back, it will include the ribs and spine and mainly the heart and lungs. If we consider the abdomen it will include areas of the liver, spleen, kidneys and pancreas. It should be noted, however, that the choice of risk areas may vary according to the size of the E protection equipment tested and the type of protection sought.

A costal grill, including the high and low ribs, and equipped with sensors, is also reproduced in the manikin M, to simulate a depression or a rib fracture that may, depending on the circumstances, cause perforations of vital organs . With reference to FIG. 1, a first step of the method consists in setting up a manikin M, at least one region of which is equipped with a series of sensors C, said region also being equipped with a protection device E.

This protection device E is a first standard equipment selected from a set of such equipment each comprising a stack of a defined number of ballistic fiber sheets F, shown in Figure 4b. These ballistic fibers F may be woven or non-woven, and consist of materials of different origins and / or families such as in particular para-aramids, high density polyethylenes, carbon nanotubes or any other material fulfilling the same function.

Preferably, for the purpose of checking the actuality, this standard equipment E has the dimensions of a protective cover plate.

Different regions of the manikin M can be equipped with such sensors C and standard protection equipment E, such as the head, the thorax, the pelvis, the neck, the back, the abdomen, etc.

For each of the aforementioned regions, the sensors C can measure and record different quantities, some of which are represented in FIG.

With regard to the head and the basin, the sensors can measure a longitudinal acceleration Ai, a vertical acceleration A _v , a transverse acceleration A _t and a resultant of the acceleration R of the perforating elements applied.

The sensors arranged at the level of the thorax or the back measure in particular the longitudinal acceleration A, the vertical acceleration A _v , the transverse acceleration A _t , the resultant of the acceleration R of the perforating elements, as well as the deflection, c ' that is to say the deformation of the surface of the material resulting from the perforating elements applied.

Finally, the sensors located at the level of the neck measure in particular on the one hand the longitudinal, vertical and transverse forces (not shown on the drawings). figures), and secondly the longitudinal moments Mi, vertical M _v and transverse M _t applied perforating elements.

According to the invention, a further step in the method according to the invention consists in carrying out, in the region of the manikin M equipped with sensors C and in the standard protection device E, series of shots with perforating elements such as that B ammunition, lethal or non-lethal munitions such as defense bullets, may be for example rubber or plastic - each series of shots being performed under special conditions which are explained below.

The series of shots are preferably performed on a manikin M sitting or standing. In order to make the kinematic measurements taken by the C sensors more realistic, it is preferable to hold the manikin M upright and release it at the moment of firing so that, under the firing power, the manikin M undergoes similar stresses and be moved in the same way as a human being.

For example, it is possible to attach a helmet connected by a wire to a fixed point on the head of the manikin M, which is released at the moment of firing to release the manikin M. Advantageously, the connection between the helmet and the fixed point is Performs by means of an electromagnet that can be selectively activated and deactivated with rapid reaction by appropriate electrical control.

At the end of these ti rs, the sensors C m eal kinematic quantities among the magnitudes mentioned above, these measurements are then recorded.

If a series of shots is made on the thorax of the manikin M, it may consist for example of a series of six ammunition shots, each ammunition being fired in six risk areas of the rib cage at the defined location of the heart, right lung (up and down), left lung (up and down) and sternum. This series can possibly be repeated on a new identical equipment, so that the ti rs already made do not disturb the new measurements. In addition to the above steps, a block of plastic deformation material PL is placed on which a standard protection device E having the same characteristics as that on which the series of shots were made is attached.

The plastic deformation material block PL may for example be a block of Plastiline ^® PL with controlled characteristics, in particular its mass, its temperature, its hardness and its composition. These characteristics may be in accordance with a country's standard, as standards vary by country, as there is no single standard for Plastiline ^®

Conventionally used Plastiline ^® PL blocks generally weigh 80kg and are used at a temperature of 20 ° C.

In the case where the region of the manikin M on which the series of shots has been made is the thorax, the block of plastic deformation material PL may also have a similar curvature, and preferably as close as possible, of the natural curvature. This makes it possible to improve and facilitate the quality of the correspondence between the measurements taken on the manikin M and the measurements taken on the plastic deformation material PL.

In this case, a Plastiline ^® Herbin Sueur will preferably be used

40, the other blocks of Plastiline ^® being generally preformed in a cubic tray (such as Plastiline ^® ROMA No. 1).

In order to carry out the tests, the parts corresponding to the back and the plastron of the standard protection device E are preferably fastened to the block of plastic deformation material PL in order to record the results as close as possible to the reality, the rest of the device not necessary.

Alternatively, in the case of a block of Plastiline ^® PL not having a curvature similar to that of the torso, the tests are preferably carried out by successively placing the front plate and the back of the equipment. protection E on the block of Plastiline PL, for example by means of elastics as described in the standard NIJ010106.

With reference to FIG. 2, one or more series of shots identical to those carried out on the manikin M (same firing zone, same distance, etc.) are then produced on this set.

The piercing elements used leave on the block of plastic deformation material PL footprints related to their impacts. We then measure certain characteristics of these cavities, in particular their depth, according to the norm NU 0101 .06, and their diameter (parameter which is not indicated in the norm NU 0101 .06), which makes it possible to obtain a series measurement of mechanical parameters resulting from the action of the perforating elements on the plastic deformation material block PL.

A next step of the method according to the invention then consists in comparing the series of deformation measurements in the plastic deformation material block PL with the kinematic and energetic data obtained with the mannequin M respectively for the different standard protections E, in order to deduce conversion data, thanks to a correspondence between these two types of measurement series.

Each series of shots is realized with a large number of constant and carefully controlled parameters so that the conversion data is as reliable and accurate as possible.

Parameters such as temperature and humidity in the ambient air are preferably controlled during testing.

In addition, for a given confrontation between two series of equivalent shots, the series of shots are carried out with certain constant parameters such as: the type of the ammunition (namely its size, its nature, its load (weight, shape, composition, etc.), the firing speed), the zone Z of the manikin M on which the firing was made, the firing distance with respect to the manikin M and the block of plastic deformation material PL. In addition, the series of shots preferably comprises a round of ammunition per zone Z (advantageously per risk zone), in a determined order.

Preferably, the shots are on the one hand carried out at the same places of the equipment of plastic deformation material PL and manikin M, and secondly in the same order. This makes it possible to be able to accurately transpose the results obtained on the manikin M and those obtained on the block of plastic deformation material PL.

Typically, if the manikin M's firing on the thorax consists in firing a munition in a standard equipment at each risk zone Z (for example for the thoracic cage: heart, left lung - upper and lower parts, lung right - upper and lower parts, sternum), then at the time of performing the series of similar shots in the plastic deformation material block PL, the six shots must be made exactly at the same places in the faceplate of the standard equipment, corresponding at said risk areas Z.

In order to guarantee that the zones Z in which the shots are made correspond to the risk zones Z of the manikin M, it is possible, for example, to use a template G, on which are shown the exact locations of said zones Z. This template G can be placed for example on the standard protective equipment E before the firing on the manikin M, then recovered) to be placed on the standard protection equipment E to precisely identify the corresponding areas in which to fire on the PL block. Alternatively, the template is not recovered but replaced by an identical template on which we will have previously identified the impacts of ammunition fired on the manikin M.

Of course, the size of the protective equipment E (and therefore the breastplate) is very important also for the reliability of the measurements, since on a small protective equipment, a vital organ like the heart is closer to an edge of the equipment and is thus less well protected because it has less ballistic area than larger equipment.

Consequently, the tests on manikin M or plastic deformation material PL are also performed on protection equipment E of the same size for the establishment of a conversion data set. It is then necessary to produce different sets of shots for different sizes of protection equipment E, for example to test equipment for men or women, sizes S, M, L, XL or XXL.

In addition, in the manikin M tests as in the tests on the PL plastic deformation block, the tests are carried out here according to the American standard NU 0101.06.

Thus, during a series of shots, each ammunition impact must be at a minimum distance (typically 7.6 cm) from the edges of the protective equipment E, and at a minimum distance (typically 5.1 cm) respectively another ammunition impact, to avoid any edge effects.

The choice of ammunition is also very important. As mentioned, each round of firing is carried out with ammunition of constant caliber, mass, charge, nature, shape, composition, and speed, which are preferably consistent with the types of ammunition mentioned in the US standard NU 0101 .06.

The mass of a munition includes, in addition to the mass of the fired bullet, the mass of the powder, which directly affects the speed of the fired bullet. This means that a given mass of ammunition corresponds to a given speed of bullet at the exit of the weapon, and that by increasing the quantity of powder in an ammunition it is possible to confer on the bullet fired a speed, and therefore a kinetic energy. , much more important.

Generally speaking, the aforementioned standard imposes the use of ammunition whose characteristics are perfectly defined and can be summed up in speed and in nature. If it is necessary to test protective equipment E for a munition not described in the standard, then measure its speed and define its weight, and perform all the shots on the plastic deformation material block PL and on the manikin with this ammunition.

However, with fixed mass, many parameters can vary the speed of the ammunition at the exit of the barrel, for example the state of the look of the weapon, the friction, the nature of the ammunition etc.

To overcome this disadvantage, the American standard NU 0101 .06 imposes for example a precise ammunition speed, with a tolerance of plus or minus 9.1 m / s.

Therefore, during the tests, each shot ammunition may have a speed different from the previous one (but still within the tolerance allowed by the standard), it is possible to carry out each series of tests several times, for example a dozen times, in order to have a representative statistical sample to make the most accurate correlations possible.

This also makes it possible to immediately detect an aberrant result at the time of use of these correlation data.

In the step of pulling on the manikin M, as in the step of pulling on the plastic deformation material block PL, then at least one of the speeds of the following group is measured: speed of the ammunition at the firing exit (that is to say at the exit of the barrel of the weapon used), speed of the ammunition at the arrival on the manikin M and on the block of material PL, speed of the ammunition before the impact, for example at a predetermined distance from the manikin M or the material block PL if necessary (typically 2.50m).

For traditional protective equipment consisting only of ballistic fibers, the munitions used belong to the MA to NIA classes of the American standard NU 0101 .06, which corresponds to small to strong calibers (handguns), for example 40S & W FMJ at 44Magnum SJHP. For ammunition of larger calibres, for example ammunition falling into class I II or IV, the standard protection equipment used is equipped with an additional armor, in order to stop ammunition. Indeed, only the presence of such a shield allows the stopping of calibers of such a nature.

The shielding consists of a shielding plate BL, for example boron carbide, silicon, aluminum, or high density polyethylene ceramic, this shielding plate BL being placed on the front of the equipment. protection, for example the plastron, inside a pocket P provided for this purpose, as shown in Figures 4a and 4b.

With this equipment tests are carried out with ammunition as defined for example in standard N IJ01 01 .06 level III and IV, corresponding to large calibres, in accordance with the steps described above for classes MA, II, NIA (small high caliber), and also obtain correlation data for these calibers.

It is also possible to perform for this equipment tests with certain ammunition different from those indicated in the standard, such as for example BRENNEKE 12 caliber ammunition.

There are also plates adapted to be threaded directly (without other protective equipment) and can be held by a harness (stand-alone plates in English language), an example of such a plate being shown in Figures 5a and 5b . These are shielding plates similar to the preceding ones, but also incorporating a damping layer A (for example made of foam, aramid or any other material likely to constitute an effective damper) on the back of the shield adapted to ensure cushioning balls.

These plates also provide protection vis-à-vis ammunition belonging to Class III or IV. However, in case of ammunition impact, the reaction of such a plate is different from the reaction of a protective equipment comprising a traditional armor plate. Indeed, the stand-alone plates being attached only by harnesses, they are much more mobile and less stabilized than protection equipments containing a blinding plate. Accordingly, the method according to the invention also provides for series of tests on such plates to obtain conversion data specific thereto.

From the conversion data obtained using the method according to the invention, and since the tests carried out on the manikin M make it possible to deduce certain traumatological information, it is also possible to establish a correlation between the impacts of the piercing elements on the block of PL plastic deformation material and traumatological risks caused by said perforating elements.

In particular, in view of the structural characteristics of the manikin M mentioned above, it is possible to determine, for shots made in the thorax, the risk of sinking or fracture of ribs, or the risk of perforations of organs, and for shots made in the back, risks to the spine such as risk of fracture or damage to the spinal cord, based on data from experience and associating trauma to values including acceleration, strength and moment.

In all cases, it is possible to evaluate with these measurements the probability of a human being affected by a given munition, with a given protective equipment, to be able to fight back or not.

These correlations may, for example, but without limitation, take the form of charts or tables of values stored in the memory of a computer. Automatic conversion software can also be developed from these correlations. These correlations are specific to all the parameters chosen at the time of the shooting series, that is to say to fixed caliber, mass of fixed ammunition, fixed shooting distance, fixed shooting zone, fixed shooting speed, etc. . The aforementioned steps are repeated with standard protection devices E of different sizes in the S, M, L, XL or XXL group, for men or women, or comprising, for example, a different number of ballistic fiber sheets, for example. non-limiting example, according to the table below:

The conversion data can also be enriched by repeating the above steps by varying each of the different parameters set for each set of shots, ie the caliber of the ammunition, the firing distance, the mass of the ammunition and the ammunition firing rate, the latter two parameters being correlatively modified to vary the kinetic energy of the munition at the exit of the weapon, this energy being defined by the formula

E _c = - mV ² ,

2

with E _c the kinetic energy of the munition,

m the mass of the ammunition and

V the firing rate of the ammunition.

Once this correspondence is established, it is then possible to carry out a test method of protective equipment developed by an industrialist.

To do this, the manufacturer entrusts the protection equipment to be tested to an approved firing laboratory. The test laboratory, which can easily obtain a block of PL plastic deformation material of Plastiline® type, can set up such a block, and equip it with the protective equipment to be tested.

Now, it is possible to use a series of ti rs according to specific conditions (distance, zones Z corresponding to the zones of the manikin (if necessary using the template G), etc.). and with a type of ammunition of interest to the industrial and corresponding to the type of equipment tested.

The deformations of the plastic deformation material block PL (depth and diameter) are then measured and compared with the conversion data obtained during the process described above.

Thanks to the exploitation of the conversion data, we deduce the corresponding kinematic quantities resulting from the application of the same series of shots on a manikin M. Advantageously, it is also possible to deduce, thanks to the prior interpretation of these quantities kinematics in terms of trauma or probability of retaliation, a degree of protection of the tested protective equipment.

If the munitions used do not correspond to munitions for which the conversion data have been determined, it is possible to extrapolate pre-established conversion data, the results corresponding to these munitions.

This therefore makes it possible, by carrying out tests only on a block of plastic deformation material PL, to be able to deduce, by means of the aforementioned correlation, the equivalent results which would have been obtained by carrying out the tests on a manikin M.

This last aspect of the invention enables the industrialist, the public purchaser, or any other person in charge of the sector to measure at a lower cost in terms of traumatology the effectiveness of the protection of a given protection equipment. In addition, since the present test method of a protective equipment makes it possible to evaluate certain traumatological risks, this facilitates the orientation of the searches for the improvement of the protective equipment.

Finally, if the degree of protection evaluated for protective equipment tested by the test method described above does not comply with the level required by a given standard or a customer (public purchaser, program, etc.). ), the protective equipment may be modified or, in the case of a prototype, its design may be completed before being retried by the same method.

Thus, it is possible to iterate the test method of a prototype as many times as necessary to obtain a protection equipment having a degree of protection according to the requirements.

Advantageously, it is possible to carry out an additional step of determining the traumatological risks associated with the degree of protection of the protective equipment thus designed.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, but the skilled person will be able to make many variations and modifications.

Claims

1. A method of converting plastic deformation measurements in a block of plastic deformation material (PL) into kinematic and energy data on a manikin (M) for the purpose of designing personal protective equipment such as the forces of the order and / or armed forces, including the following steps:

(a) providing a manikin (M) of which at least one region is equipped with sensors (C), a standard protection device (E) being placed on said region,

(b) performing series of shots of perforating elements under conditions fixed on said region of the manikin (M),

(c) recording kinematic measurements provided from the sensors (C) during these series of shots,

(d) providing a block of plastic deformation material (PL) equipped with a protection device (E) identical to that used in step (a),

(g) repeating steps (a) to (f) with standard protection devices (E) of different characteristics, and

(h) from the kinematic measurements provided by the sensors (C) and deformation measurements observed on the block of material for identical shots and with the different standard protection devices (E), develop conversion data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each protection device (E) comprises a defined number of ballistic fiber sheets.

(F).

3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein one controls at least one of the parameters of the next group of the plastic deformation material block (PL): temperature, mass, composition and hardness of the block

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the block of plastic deformation material (PL) is a block of Plastiline ^® (PL).

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the amobant air parameters parm i the next group is controlled: air temperature, humidity in the air .

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, during a series of shots, several ammunition (B) of the same caliber and same mass are drawn in the region of the manikin (M) equipped with sensors (C). ).

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the region of the manikin (M) is one of the regions of the following group: the head, the thorax, the pelvis, the back, the neck, the bas- belly.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the region of the manikin (M) equipped with sensors (C) is the thorax, and the block of plastic deformation material has a curvature similar to that of a human thorax.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein is drawn in a plurality of risk areas (Z).

The method according to claim 9, wherein the risk zones (Z) are at least one of the following zones: heart, upper and / or lower part of the right lung, upper and / or lower part of the left lung, sternum, high rib, low rib, pancreas, spine, spleen, kidney.

1 1. Method according to one of Claims 9 and 10, in which, during a series of shots, one draws once in each risk zone (Z).

12. Method according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein, during a series of shots, one draws in the risk areas (Z) in a determined order.

13. Method according to one of claims 9 to 12, wherein is pulled in the same areas (Z) of the protective equipment in steps (b) and (e).

14. The method of claim 1 3, wherein, during step (e), the zones (Z) are identified by means of a template (G) disposed on the protective equipment.

15. Method according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the manikin (M) is upright and maintained by suspension at the time of firing, the suspension being released immediately before the impact of the shots.

16. Method according to one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the kinematic measurements provided by the sensors comprise at least one of the elem ents of the following group: a long acceleration, a vertical acceleration, a transverse acceleration, the resulting from a longitudinal moment, a vertical moment, a transverse moment, a deflection of the surface of the material, and in which one can furthermore measure at least one of the elements of the following group: speed of the outgoing ball firing speed, speed of the ball on arrival on the manikin (M) or on the block of material (PL), speed of the ball at a predetermined distance from the manikin (M) or the block of plastic deformation material (PL) where applicable.

17. Method according to one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the deformation measurements of the deformation material (P L) comprise at least one of the following group: a depth and a diameter.

18. The method of claim 1 7, wherein the ammunition (B) are large caliber, the protective equipment used then comprising a shield (BL).

19. One of Claims 1 to 18, in which conversion data specific to one type of ammunition is developed.

20. Method according to one of claims 1 to 19, wherein one develops conversion data specific to a size of protection equipment.

21. Method according to one of claims 1 to 20, wherein each series of shots is carried out at different distances from the manikin (M) and / or plastic deformation block (PL).

22. A method of testing a protective equipment against piercing elements such as compositions or white perforating armor for the human comprising the steps of:

- provide a block of plastic deformation material (PL),

- equip the block with the protective equipment (E) to be tested, - apply piercing elements according to a series of energies and kinematics determined on the protective equipment (E),

measuring dimensions of the impact of the perforating elements in the block of material with plastic deformation (PL), and obtaining a series of measurements of mechanical parameters resulting from the action of the perforating elements, and

converting the series of measurements using the conversion data obtained by the method of one of claims 1 to 20 so as to deduce the corresponding mechanical parameters resulting from the action of the piercing elements on a manikin (M) .

23. The test method of claim 22, further comprising a step of determining traumatic risks from the conversion data.

24. A method of designing personal protective equipment such as law enforcement and / or armed forces against the action of piercing elements such as ammunition or piercing artillery weapons, comprising the steps of:

- carry out the test method of protective equipment according to one of claims 22 or 23 on a prototype protective equipment,

- deduce from the previous step a degree of protection provided by the prototype protective equipment,

- depending on the requirements for the degree of protection of the equipment to be designed, modify the characteristics of the prototype,

- repeat the previous steps until obtaining the required protection.

25. The design method according to claim 24, further comprising a step of determining the traumatological risks associated with the degree of protection of the prototype thus designed.