MXPA00000502A - Specially shaped multilayer armour - Google Patents

Abstract

Armour, in particular body armour for female wearers is made of multiple layers (30) of penetration-resistant material for example made of polyaramid fibers, specially shaped to fit over a shaped area to be protected, e.g. the bust of a female wearer. The armour's shaped part is held in shape by a series of darts (37) in successive layers (30) of the material. Each dart in a material layer comprises a generally V-shaped section (35) whose edges (37) are joined to form the dart. The V-shaped section (35) of the material is folded on itself to form a pleat (40) which is folded over to one side of the dart (37) to form an added thickness overlaying or underlying an adjacent part of the material (30). The darts (37) are angularly offset from one another with the pleats (40) oriented in directions so that the added thickness is distributed substantially evenly, thereby avoiding bulges or stiffness and improving the wearing comfort.

Description

ARMOR OF MULTIPLE LAYERS ESPECIALLY FORMED Field of the Invention The invention relates to an armor made of multiple layers of a penetration resistant material, and is related in a particular manner to a body armor comprising a specially formed part, to fit over a curved area of the body, such like the female bust, as well as its manufacturing method.

Prior art It is known to use high tenacity fibers, such as polyaramide fibers in multilayer structures to provide ballistic protection in body armor. The bullet-resistant vests of a multi-layered structure have proven to be a very satisfactory body armor for men and women, but difficulties have been found in improving comfort for female wearers, by forming the armor to fit the female body . The comfort of the user and the effectiveness of the armor to avoid injuries are closely related. Depending on the level of protection and the type of fabric, approximately 10 to 50 layers of fabric are used. This produces a somewhat rigid structure that does not adapt easily to the pronounced contours of the body, particularly over the female breast region. If the armor does not lie in close contact with the user's body, the shock transmission becomes uneven and the body armor does not perform as it should. The formed areas of the body armor are particularly exposed to damage by shots at an indirect angle of incidence. In addition, female breasts are especially exposed to traumatic shock injuries. Several proposals have already been made for a multi-layer body armor specially formed to protect the formed areas of the body, such as the breasts of women. But making the multi-layer armor with special shapes becomes difficult, due to the fact that the layers of penetration-resistant material are flexible but relatively non-elastic. Therefore, problems have been encountered. In U.S. Patent 4,183,097, it is proposed to contour a front panel of an armature by joining cut panels of the fabric with overlapping seams, using a special stitch pattern. However, if the overlapping seams are not large enough, the angled shots can penetrate the vest, while the increase in the size of the overlapping seams creates a hard edge in a region where women need as much flexibility as possible. possible. U.S. Patent 4,578,821 proposes inserting a flexible, multilayer ballistic panel into a front pocket of a carrier garment. This panel is held by a Velero hook and fleece fastener, which allows adjustment for different bust sizes, but the protected area is limited and the sailboat fastener can not ensure good ballistic performance. Therefore, this system is only suitable for low protection levels. UK Patent Specification 2,231,481 proposes a vest whose inner part has a foamed plastic material formed to conform to the chest. A rigid or semi-rigid shock absorbing sheet is added to the plastic layers, and finally a multi-layered ballistic package is inserted, the entire arrangement is enclosed in a bag. With this design, the ballistic package adapts to the shape by bending around a horizontal line. This can only be achieved by leaving large openings in the left and right sides of the chest, so that protection in these lateral areas is questionable. In addition, the vest will be relatively heavy, stiff and uncomfortable to wear.

Another proposal made in U.S. Patent 5,020,157, is the use of rigid, non-flexible cups, made of a high strength laminated polyethylene material., which are worn over a woman's chest and under a soft, conventional body vest, to protect from injuries resulting from ballistic impact. The pressure generated by the impact, however, will be transmitted to the edge of the cups, which could cause injury. Also, rigid cups would be uncomfortable to use. In DE-A-4423194 and in WO 96/01405, it has been proposed to form a body armor by molding layers of aramid fabric in a PVC shell, with the help of pressure at 400-800 kPa and heat at 180-300 ° C. However, the aramid fibers have an elongation of up to 4%, which can cause damage in the molding. In addition, shaping the layers stretches the fabric, which would increase the spaces between the fibers and reduce ballistic efficiency. Also, this molded in a PVC armor, makes the armor relatively rigid. The above proposals discussed above, for a specially formed multilayer body armor, therefore, have failed to produce a lightweight multi-layer structure, which comfortably fits the body, which at the same time provides excellent ballistic protection and which can be manufactured using the available equipment operating at room temperature.

Brief Description of the Invention It is an object of the invention to obviate the aforementioned problems of the prior art, and to provide a multi-layer armor, specially formed to fit over a formed area, which combines reliable ballistic protection and high comfort. It is also an object of the invention to provide a simple method for forming such a multilayer reinforcement, which does not require a heat treatment that reduces performance. These objects are achieved by a novel rapier bending technique, to construct layers formed by tweezers distributed more or less uniformly in a rotating sequence (angularly displaced), as described below. The invention proposes an armature, in particular a body armor, which is made of multiple layers of a flexible, relatively non-elastic, penetration-resistant material, specially formed to fit over a formed area to be protected.

"Specially formed" means out-of-plane parts of a three-dimensional structure, such as a garment. According to the invention, the layers are kept in shape by a plurality of clips in successive layers of the material. Each clamp in a layer comprises a generally V-shaped section, whose edges are joined to form the clamp, with the V-shaped section bent over itself and bent over one side of the clamp, to form an additional thickness that is overlays or is placed below an adjacent part of the layer. Also according to the invention, the clamps are offset angularly from one another, with the V-shaped sections bent, oriented so that the additional thickness is distributed substantially uniformly. The lightweight armor, specially formed, is comfortable to wear, without compromising ballistic protection. The absence of cuts in the tweezers means that weakening lines are not created that could allow the penetration of projectiles. The additional thickness of the bent portions of the V-shaped sections, which is distributed substantially uniformly around the formed area, provides extra protective layers on these formed parts, where the projectiles are more likely to hit at an indirect angle. and cause injuries. However, the excellent ballistic protection does not result from these thickened parts, but is mainly due to the fact that the design does not produce weakening that would reduce the ballistic effectiveness of the main layers. The shape produced in this way allows a better adjustment to the contour of the body, while not imposing restrictions on the degree of protection provided with the multi-layer structure. Due to its uniform distribution, the parts bent over do not adversely affect the flexibility and comfort of the frame. In addition, the extra weight of the bent parts is negligible. The body armor remains that way, lightweight and comfortable to wear, leading to improved protection against injury. The sections of the material folded into a V form folds, all of which can be oriented in the same direction, that is, bent to the same side. However, usually these folds are oriented in different directions. In a preferred embodiment, pairs of material layers have grippers in the same angular location, with their folds oriented in opposite directions, so that they do not overlap one another. The layers of material forming these pairs may be adjacent to each other, but they are advantageously alternate layers, since this provides flexibility and comfort, preventing the clogging of pleats which could lead to stiffness or protuberances. The angular spaces can be left between the clamps, where convenient, so that the corresponding angular spaces, they can be left between some or all of the adjacent angular folds of different layers. This can contribute to the flexibility of the formed part, without reducing safety. What is important is to angularly distribute the folds, so that the extra thickness is distributed evenly, avoiding the bumps and rigidity that could reduce comfort and safety. In principle, the clamps generally extend radially from at least one point or area of convergence. Usually, the clamps are angularly staggered one from the other, around the point or area of convergence by an angle, which is equal to or greater than the angle of the V-shaped sections before bending. This prevents unwanted overlap of the edges of the folded folds. Each layer of material usually has a clamp, or in the case of the body armor formed especially for women, two clamps arranged symmetrically on each side of the two points or areas of convergence. However, it is possible that each layer of material has more clamps, for example, four clamps on each side of, and extending above and below two points or areas of convergence. A principal application of the specially formed armor of the invention is a body armor comprising at least a portion specially formed to fit over a formed part of the body, such as the torso, neck and / or neck area, an area of the shoulder, or an area of an elbow, knee or other area of articulation. The body armor may be soft or a relatively stiff or hard armor, in the form of vests or protections for the arm or leg, and similar trappings. A particular application is a body armor specially formed to fit over the bust of a female user, having two recessed parts internally concave, laterally spaced, corresponding to the bust. In this embodiment, the clamps are angularly offset about each of the two recessed, angularly spaced portions around which the additional thickness is distributed substantially uniformly. In this body armor formed especially for women, the two concave recessed parts, laterally separated, corresponding to the bust, are usually formed by clamps around the upper, lower and outer edges of the recessed portions, defining a bust formed in a continuous manner. ("monocopa"), which receives both breasts. Alternatively, two cups can be provided for the breasts, but this is not necessary. In this case, it would be possible to provide sufficient clamps angularly staggered, one from the other, so that the folds substantially cover a complete circular area, around each recess part laterally separated. The tweezers of this body armor formed especially for women, extend radially from two points or areas of convergence, separated laterally, corresponding to the centers of the recessed parts, above and below the two points or areas of convergence, and preferably, they extend over an angle of at least about 180 degrees. The body armor according to the invention, in the form of a vest, typically has front and rear panels, permanently attached or releasably secured, for example, with sailboat fasteners, the front panel for example, is formed for fit over the bust of a female user, through the novel tweezer arrangement, described. The invention relates both to the entire vest and to the front panel, which can be sold separately.

The angle of the V-shaped sections of the flexible material depends on the degree of curvature required for any particular application. For most applications, the V-shaped sections will each make an angle of approximately 10 to 40 degrees. For the body armor formed especially for women, an angle of about 15 to 30 degrees, conveniently of 20 to 25 degrees, is preferred, since this provides the recessed portions with a shape that is suitable for most female breasts . V-shaped sections that have an angle less than 10 ° are possible for neck shapes, for example. When using small angles, special care must be taken to bend and properly position the relatively small folds (of the middle of the V angle), to avoid the creation of protuberances. V-shaped sections that have an angle of more than 40 ° may be needed for the shapes of the elbows, for example. Usually, the assembled material layers have at least three pin locations around each of the two laterally spaced recessed portions. However, for some applications, two gripper locations may be sufficient, where the folds in different layers at each location of the pliers, are bent in opposite directions to extend the extra thickness of the plies, as much as possible. An arrangement with six pincer locations around each of the two recessed parts separated laterally has proven very satisfactory for women's vests. The maximum number of locations of the clamps, will be determined by the contemplated application, and by considerations of manufacture. The shape produced by the special gripper arrangement, according to the invention, can be symmetric or asymmetric around one or more points or areas of convergence. An asymmetric shape can be provided, by an asymmetric distribution of the pinion locations, and / or it could involve the use of X-shaped sections in the same or different layers, having different angles, or bending asymmetrically folds . As discussed in detail below, the penetration-resistant material is advantageously made of polyaramide fibers, and to improve the penetration resistance and reduce the deformation of the support face, one or more of the layers (typically only the back and / or front layer), can be attached to a polymer. It is also possible that the body armor includes one or more front pockets, to receive ballistic panels, or be associated with other protective layers, to improve ballistic performance and / or reduce the deformation of the support face, where needed. For example, a rigid or semi-rigid front layer could be fitted.

The Penetration Resistant Material Various types of fibers may be applied to the penetration resistant material used in the multi-layer body armor, according to the invention, such as fibers comprising a polyolefin, eg, polyethylene, polyimide, polyester or polyaramide having a tenacity of at least 900 MPa according to ASTM D-885, which is approximately 7 grams / denier. To provide superior penetration resistance, preferably, the toughness of the fibers is at least 2000 MPa, according to ASTM Dr885. Polyaramide fibers are preferred, because they can have the required toughness, still exceed the preferred 2000 MPa limit and, in addition, have good chemical resistance. The fibers may be present in the material in many ways, preferably as a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, as a single woven pattern structure, a sheet with a unidirectional or multidirectional structure (for example having fibers that are intersect at an angle of between 20 and 90 degrees), or as a nonwoven layer (for example, felt). Film-like sheets made of penetration resistant material are also possible. For reasons of manufacturing efficiency, availability and geometric strength (a well-defined stable structure), a high tenacity woven fabric is preferred. The construction of the fabric can be properly, a simple fabric typically made 42 x 42 or 28 x 28 capes / cm, or 14 x 14 or 6.7 x 6.7 capes / cm, although other woven structures can be equally used, depending on the requirements of use. The specific weight of such fabrics is generally from 0.02 to 0.5 kg / m2, preferably from 0.05 to 0.5 kg / m2, and more preferably from 0.08 to 0.3 kg / m2, in order to obtain the balance between the resistance to penetration and specific weight. If the specific gravity is less than 0.02 kg / m2, the ballistic resistance of the cloth, even when made of polyaramide fibers, is generally unacceptable, whereas if the specific gravity is greater than 0.5 kg / m2, the use of a Plurality of layers of fabric becomes impractical, due to restrictions by weight. The fibers used have a suitable denier number (defined as the weight in grams of 9000 meters of yarn) from 0.1 to 3500, and suitably from 10 to 3500, depending on the weight ratio of the fabric / ballistic performance required. A fiber with a denier from 1000 to 3000, is used for less demanding applications, while for high performance / low specific weight applications, a fiber with a denier from 1 to 1000, and more particularly from 50 to 1000, It preferred. In many cases, a denier in the range of 1 to 3000 for the fibers is excellent. The fibers may be present in uncoated form, or coated or otherwise pretreated (e.g., pre-stretched or pre-heated). In the case where polyaramide fiber is used, it is generally not necessary to coat or otherwise pre-treat the fiber, rather than arranging it in the appropriate woven or non-woven layer, however, in some cases, a coating may be applied to the fibers , for example, in order to increase its bond to a polymeric continuous medium. To improve the resistance to penetration and reduce the deformation of the support face, one or more of the layers of the fabric described above, typically only the back and / or front layer, may be attached to a polymer layer or impregnated with a polymer, in order to make use of both properties of the. fibers and the continuous polymeric medium.

One such composition, described in EP-A- (KB-4060), includes a layer composed of fibers having a tenacity of at least 900 MPa (7 g / denier), according to ATM D-885, attached to a continuous polymeric medium having a flexural modulus of from 42 to 1000 MPa, in accordance with ASTM D-638, and an elongation at break of at least 100%, according to ASTM D-638. In such a composition, a thermoplastic polymer is preferably used. Suitable polymers include polyethylenes, polyimide, polyether etherketone, ionomer resins, phenol modified resins, specific polyesters. Preferably, the thermoplastic polymer is an ionomeric resin, more preferably, an ionomeric resin containing cations selected from the group consisting of Lithium, Sodium and Zinc, in particular from 0.1 to 3% by weight of such cations. Alternatively, the thermoplastic polymer is a modified phenolic resin, in particular a phenolic polybutyral resin. The continuous polymeric medium should preferably have a tensile strength at break of at least 20 MPa, and an elongation at break of at least 200%, more preferably at least 300%, according to ASTM D-638.

The flexibility of the polymer layer is an important factor for the resistance to penetration of the composition, and for the comfort of the body armor that incorporates one or more of the composite sheets. The modulus of flexure of the polymer is preferably between 42 and 1000 MPa, according to ASTM D-790, in particular between 50 and 800 MPa. A flexural modulus greater than 1000 MPa indicates a polymer that is too rigid to effectively support drilling or to be used comfortably as a body armor, while a flex modulus of less than 42 MPa indicates a material that is too much flexible to provide some effective rigidity to the composition for anti-penetration purposes. An additional advantage of the body armor comprising such a polymer is the deformation of the reduced support face obtained when a bullet strikes the body of the armature. Another significant property of the polymer layer is the density thereof, in particular, in view of a desirable low specific weight (expressed in kg / m2 of compound), to facilitate the use of the body armor and to facilitate the handling and an efficient design in order to reduce weight. Preferably, the density of the layer comprising the polymeric compound is below 2,500 l kg / m3, and in particular below 1,500 kg / m3; the layers of the ionomeric polymer are particularly preferred in this aspect, if their density is less than 1,000 kg / m3. The continuous polymeric medium can be suitably applied as a layer, which can be attached on one side or on both sides to a fiber-containing layer, depending on the application, and in more practical terms, on the availability of the appropriate manufacturing process . In a preferred embodiment, the fiber-containing layer is included in the continuous polymeric medium in order to immobilize the fibers, resulting in an extremely strong composition. The polymer and the fiber layers can be joined in a batch or continuous process, by any means known in the art, such as calendering, extrusion coating, bonding, impregnation, thermal bonding, other forms of laminating layers of two different materials, or even by polymerization in itself, thus forming a continuous polymeric medium with the fibers. A preferred method of bonding a fiber / polymer composite layer is thermal bonding, such as molding in the form of a batch process, or in the form of a continuous process, in particular by means of a web press or calender. When the layers of such a fiber / polymer composite are included in the body armor formed according to the invention, such sheets can be formed using pliers and folded folds as described herein; There is no need to apply heat during the training process. However, it would be possible to include one or more layers of a preformed fiber / polymer composite by molding.

Manufacturing Method According to another aspect of the invention, a method for manufacturing a specially formed multilayer reinforcement begins by providing multiple layers of a flexible, relatively non-resilient, penetration-resistant material. Each layer has fold lines, which define at least one gripper comprising a generally V-shaped section of the material, the grippers of the different layers are angularly offset one from the other around at least one point or convergence area. First, the edges of the V-shaped sections are joined to form the clamps in each layer, the layers with the formed clamps all have substantially the same peripheral shape to be mounted on the body armor. Usually, all these layers are identical in shape and size. However, sometimes it may be convenient to arrange the layers with slightly different shapes and sizes, for example, in order to accommodate them for progressive formation as the layers are constructed. Next, the multiple layers are assembled to form the part formed with the pliers of different layers angularly offset one from the other and with the V-shaped sections of material bent in directions to distribute the additional thickness substantially evenly around the formed part. The training operation is carried out on a suitable support. To form a vest, for example, the layers can be constructed on a bust. Finally, the multiple layers thus formed, are assembled to form the armor. The gradual construction of the angularly displaced clamps ("rotated"), with the folds bent in the progressive layers (from layer number 2), can be referred to as a progressive contouring, since contouring progresses during subsequent layers, up to 30, 50 or even more layers. In this way, the reinforcement can be made to measure by building it in an anatomically correct manner. Each single layer of relatively non-elastic penetration resistant material can be formed by bending, joining the clamp, bending the fold and building the successive layers.

On the one hand, it is possible to tailor garments such as vests, with the measurements of individual users. On the other hand, formed garments, such as vests, can be made so that they can be adapted to suit different users. The bending and clamping technique does not require special equipment or tools, but can be handled with existing procedures of modern techniques for cutting textiles. An advantage of this mounting technique is that the shapes of the multiple layers can be conveniently made by using relatively thin layers of the penetration resistant material constructed to a very large number of layers, say 50 or more layers. It is well known that ballistic performance improves with the number of layers, even for the same total thickness. Preferably, pairs of material layers have clamps in the same angular location, and the V-shaped portions of these layers are bent in opposite directions, so that they do not overlap each other, the pairs of layers with clamps in the same angular location, preferably mounted in alternating layers. By this novel technique of building thick protective layers, layers are obtained (in the overlaps where the pleats are folded), which provide additional protection against ballistic impact, especially valuable in the formed areas where bullets or fragments strike at an angle (non-perpendicular impact). The edges of the V-shaped sections can be sewn together to form clips, preferably using a polyaramide thread. Alternatively, these edges could be joined by other means, such as polyaramide staples or rivets or with glue. The layers of impact resistant material are conveniently joined by stitching. When the layers of material come together, care must be taken to maintain the shape and avoid the formation of air pockets. The front panel of the body armor can be made by joining two or more packs of layers of penetration resistant material, formed by the assembly of layers with angularly displaced clamps, as just described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further described by way of example, with refer to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a bullet-resistant vest having a specially formed front panel, according to the invention, for the vest to be worn by a woman; Figures 2-1 to 2-12, are schematic plan views, showing half of a layer of material, the twelve layers of Figures 2-1 to 2-12, are shown before the assembly of the successive layers for forming the formed front panel of the bullet-resistant vest of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates the formation of the clamp in one of these layers; Figures 4-1 to 4-4 illustrate the bending of the clamps of four successive layers, before (or during) the assembly of the layers; Figure 5 is a schematic plan view illustrating the angular distribution of the folded folds; and Figure 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating how the back panel of the body armor of Figure 1 can be assembled.

Detailed Description Figure 1 shows a lightweight bullet-resistant vest, comprising a front panel 10, which is specially formed to fit over the bust of a female user, and a rear panel 20, each made from the assembly of layers of penetration resistant material. The front panel 10 has an upper section for the sine 14 and a lower section for the sine 15, formed to form two inner, laterally spaced concave recess portions corresponding to the bust. The inner layers of penetration resistant material forming the front panel 10, are formed by a series of angularly offset pliers, as will be described with refer to Figures 2 to 4. As shown in Figure 1, the front panels and 10, 20 of the vests, are releasably secured together, by a series of sailboat fasteners, namely sailboat fasteners 11, on the upper sides of the front panel 10, which cooperate with the sailboat fasteners of hook, carried by shoulder straps 21, fitted to the rear panel 20, and sailboat fasteners 12, on the lower sides of the front panel 10, cooperating with the hook sailboat fasteners carried by the side straps 22, fitted to the bottom of the rear panel 20. These side straps 22 carry an additional cross piece of Sailboat 23, and for additional security, a band 24 with Velcro fasteners is provided. ero The layers of penetration-resistant material forming the panel 10 are osed between an outer cover sheet and a lining of penetration-resistant material. To conform this outer sheet to the shape of the front panel 10, seams 17 are provided, which extend up to and cover the bust level. However, it is emphasized that according to the invention, the inner layers of penetration resistant material have no cuts, but are assembled by means of a series of angularly displaced grippers having bent pleats, as described below with refer to the Figures 2 to 4. If desired, the outer cover sheet may have a clip with a folded fold, such as those of the inner layers of the penetration resistant material. Figures 2-1 to 2-12, each show the right half of one of the twelve layers 30 of penetration-resistant material, prior to the assembly of successive layers to form the formed front panel 10 of the bullet-resistant vest. Figure 1. The other half of each layer 30 is a mirror image around the X line. The lines showing the internal perimeter of each layer 30 are only indications used to locate the fold and join lines. Each layer 30 has two side extensions 31 (corresponding to the parts of the front panel 10 that fit around the wearer's waist), side recesses 32 (corresponding to the parts of the front panel 10 that fit under the user's arms), rounded top portions 33 (corresponding to the front panel parts 10 that cover the user's upper chest, ie, where the fasteners 11 are joined), and a concave upper portion 34 (corresponding to the part of the front panel 10 that fits around the user's neck). Each half of the layer 30 also has a V-shaped section 35, which has a central fold line 36, around which, it can be bent and joined to form a clamp, as illustrated in Figure 3. The Figure shows a layer that corresponds to that of Figure 2-1 or Figure 2-3. As shown, the layer 30 is bent around a vertical fold line 38, which coincides with the fold line 36, where the layer 30 can be joined by stitching or stapling along the lines 37, which define the section in FIG. V-shaped 35, to form a clamp along the joined lines 37, leaving a fold 40, which consists of the V-shaped section 35 folded on itself. As shown for the layers 30 of Figures 4-1 to 4-4, when two clamps 37 are formed in the right and left portions of each line 30, the outer perimeter of the layer 30 assumes a shape, which is essentially the same for all the layers, and corresponding to the peripheral shape of the front panel 10. The successive layers 30 may, however, have different sizes and shapes, as a function of the shape to be constructed. By comparing Figures 2-1 to 2-12, it can be seen that the successive layers have clamps 37, which are angularly offset one from the other around a convergence point 39, each sheet 30 having two laterally separated points of convergence 39, which correspond to the centers of the recessed parts in the front panel 10, which are adapted to receive the user's breasts. These points of convergence 39 are approximately in the same locations for all twelve layers 30. It is understood that the tip ends of the clips 37, could be distributed around a convergence area, for example, a circular area that as a result, does not It is bent. Such an area will be large enough to prevent twisting and unwanted "bending up" at a point of convergence. Alternate pairs of layers 30 of material - namely those of Figures 2-1 and 2-3; 2-2 and 2-4; 2-5 and 2-7; 2-6 and 2-8; 2-9 and 2-11; 2-10 and 2-12, are identical, so that the clamps 37 of the layers of each pair, are located in the same angular location. The clamps 27 of the successive layers (Figures 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 and so on) are angularly offset one from the other. Those of Figures 2-1, 2-2 and 2-3, 2-4 are at 180 degrees from each other; those of the successive layers are at different angles represented in Figures 2-5 to 2-12, by the fold lines 36. In general, the clips 37 in the layers with odd numbers, are located in the upper part and those in the even-numbered layers, they are located in the lower part of their layer 30, except layer 30 of Figure 2-10, where the clamp is located in the middle. In this given example, the angle of the V between the lines 37 forming each clamp is approximately 22.5 degrees, so that six clamps placed side by side would extend over an angle of approximately 135 degrees. However, it can be seen that all the clamps extend over an angle of 195 degrees, starting at one end at the top of the clamps 37 of Figures 2-9 and 2-11, to the clamps 37 of Figures 2 2 and 2-4, at the other end at the bottom, so that there is a gap between the other clips 37 - see Figure 5. As illustrated in Figures 4-1 to 4-4, the creases 40 associated with the clips 37 are bent in alternating directions, in order to achieve the best possible distribution of their extra thickness, when the layers 30 are assembled. Each fold 40 occupies the width of the V-shaped sections and these folds 40 are selectively bent in alternating directions. In Figure 4-1, the fold 40 at the top of the first layer 30 is bent to the right and the right fold 40 is bent to the left. Similarly, in Figure 4-2, the left fold 40 at the bottom of the second layer 30, is bent to the right, and the right fold 40 is bent to the left. For the corresponding two subsequent layers of Figures 4-3 and 4-4, the folding of the corresponding folds 40 is inverted, that is, for the third and fourth layers 30, the folds 40 are bent to the left and the right folds 40 are bent to the right. - The same inversion pattern of folding of the folds 40 is followed in the subsequent groups of pairs of layers 30. The principle is that the folds 40 in the clips 37 located in the same location in alternating layers - like those in Figures 2 -5 and 2-7 and in Figures 2-6 and 2-8, for example - will be bent in opposite directions, so that when the layers 30 are assembled, these folds 40 will not overlap each other (see Figure 5) . This folding of the folds 40 can be done when the pliers 37 are formed, or when the plies 30 are assembled. The assembled and formed layers 30 are held with staples and sewn (or otherwise secured together), around their periphery, taking care to maintain the shape during sewing and pressing out the air, to avoid the formation of pockets of air. air. For this, it is preferable not to sew continuously around the periphery, but to sew the peripheral sections one at a time, beginning at the rounded tops 33 and ending at the bottom corners. If desired, the part that corresponds to the waist, can be covered to provide a better shape. Thanks to the clamps 37, the assembled layers 30 are formed to form two recessed portions laterally spaced in a monocoat configuration, adapted to fit over the wearer's breasts, and the pleats 40 in the various layers 30, are oriented in directions, so that the additional thickness is distributed substantially uniformly around the formed parts, avoiding any protrusion or rigidity. Figure 5 schematically illustrates the angular distribution of the folds 40 in the assembled package. In this figure, the folds 40 are identified by the number Ll to L12 of their respective layer 30, corresponding to Figures 2-1 to 2-12. In this example, proceeding in the clockwise direction, the folds L11-L9, L3-L1, L7-L5, L12-L10, L6-L8 and L2-L4, are arranged together in pairs, bent in opposite directions around the lines forming its clamps 37. The folds L1-L7, L5-L12, L10-L6 and L8-L2, are all angularly separated from one another, by extensions of the layer 30, which are not covered by the folds .Due to the angular scaling of the pliers 37 and the selective orientation of the folds 40, no fold in the package overlaps another. In addition, the folds 40, whose outer edges coincide angularly with one another - in this example, L3 and L9 - are separated by an unfolded portion of at least one intermediate layer 30 - namely, the layers L4-L8 - so that there is no risk of interference between the folds 40, which could cause crowding or bulging. In the final assembly, the folds 40 are evenly distributed around the outer parts of the monocoat recesses, providing two extra protective layers in this sensitive area, in the locations covered by the folds 40. - If it is desired to have two areas of Extra protection over the areas not covered in Figure 5, this can be achieved simply by including extra layers in the package, with tweezers in the extra desired locations. The front panel 10 of Figure 1 can be made by adjusting together a number of packages of the twelve layers 30 assembled as described, for example, two packages forming a 24 layer panel or three packages forming a 36 layer panel, and so on It is also possible to make fractional mounts, for example, two and a half packs that form a panel with 30 layers.

Figure 6 shows how the layers of penetration resistant material can be assembled to form the back panel 20 of Figure 1. Here, the layers 50 formed to form the back panel 20, are placed together, curved to the shape of the back and then sewn or joined together in another way. All layers 50, except the last 5, are sewn around their periphery at 51, and transversely 52. The last five layers 50 (which will be closest to the body) are sewn only around the periphery at 51. Next, the packages are sewn together only in the upper and lateral regions of the periphery 51. The front and rear panels 10, 20 are thus enclosed in their respective cover and liner layer, and with the fasteners Sailboat and tight straps.

Example The front panel formed of a bullet-resistant vest was manufactured as described above with 30 layers of Kevlar® Style 363F fabric, sewn using 930 dtex Kevlar® sewing thread. Kevlar® is a Registered Trademark of DuPont. The layers were mounted on a bust measuring 94-64-97 cm (size 42). The finished formed front panel was mounted on a Plasticine support pile and subjected to standard ballistic tests. The bullets went to the tip, flank and edge of the curved part of the breasts, under standard conditions. All the bullets were stopped in the first half of the package, which indicates a good ballistic design. In addition, the deformation of the support face in the Plasticine was satisfactory. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (24)

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. An armor made of multiple layers of a flexible, relatively non-elastic, penetration-resistant material formed to fit over a formed area to be protected, characterized in that the layers are held by a plurality of clips in successive layers of the material, each the layers of material, has at least one clamp and each clamp in a layer comprises a generally V-shaped section, whose edges join to form the clamp, with the V-shaped section bent over itself and folded on one side , to form an additional thickness that is superimposed or placed below an adjacent part of the layer; the clamps in the multiple layers are offset angularly from one another, with the V-shaped sections oriented so that the additional thickness is distributed substantially uniformly around a formed area, at least one of the layers of material resistant to the penetration comprises a fabric attached to or covered with a continuous reinforcing means, which extends over a selected area to be protected from the at least one layer, with the exception of the one, or each V-shaped section bent over, which forms the, or each clip, the V-shaped section folded over, consists only of cloth.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 1, characterized in that the bent V-shaped sections are oriented in different directions.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 2, characterized in that the pairs of layers of material, have clamps in the same angular location, with their V-shaped parts bent, oriented in opposite directions, so that they do not they overlap each other.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 3, characterized in that the layers forming the pairs with the clamps in the same angular location, are alternating layers.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamps extend radially from at least one convergence point.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 5, characterized in that the clamps are angularly staggered from one another, around a point of convergence, by an angle, which is equal to or greater than the angle of the sections in the form of V.

7. The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a body armor comprising at least one part formed to fit over a formed part of the body.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 7, characterized in that it is formed to fit over the bust of a female user, having two recessed concave, internal, laterally spaced portions, corresponding to the bust, in which the tweezers are angularly displaced about the two recessed, laterally spaced portions around which the additional thickness is distributed substantially uniformly.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 8, characterized in that the two recessed, concave, internal parts, laterally separated, corresponding to the bust, are formed by clamps around the upper, lower and outer edges of the recessed portions. , defining a bust formed continuously ("monocopa"), to receive the two breasts.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the clamps extend radially from two points of convergence, laterally separated, corresponding to the centers of the recessed parts, the clamps extend up and down of two points of convergence over a total angle of at least about 180 degrees.

11. The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the V-shaped sections makes an angle of 10 to 40 degrees.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises clamps in at least three angularly displaced positions, around a point of convergence.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises clamps in at least six angularly displaced positions, around a point of convergence.

The multi-layer formed reinforcement according to claim 12, characterized in that the layers of penetration-resistant material comprise polyaramide fibers.

The armor formed of multiple layers according to claim 1, characterized in that there are discontinuities in the continuous reinforcement medium, in the area of the clamps bent over, the discontinuities are covered by the layers bent above the fabric that Forceps form, the angular displacement of the forceps distributes the clamps and the discontinuities in the continuous reinforcement medium of the different layers, to avoid the protuberances and excessive rigidity.

16. The reinforcement formed of multiple layers according to claim 1, characterized in that the continuous reinforcing means is a film or a polymeric coating layer, a metal sheet or a sheet of a rubber or elastomer.

17. The multi-layer formed reinforcement according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two successive layers of penetration-resistant material are glued or bonded together like a sandwich.

18. A method for manufacturing a multi-layer formed armor according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises: providing multiple layers of a flexible, relatively non-elastic, penetration-resistant material to be mounted on the formed armor, each layer having lines of bending defining at least one clamp comprising a generally V-shaped section of the material, the clamps in the multiple layers are angularly displaced from one another around at least one point of convergence, at least one of the layers of material Penetration resistant comprises a fabric attached to or coated with a continuous reinforcing means, which extends over a selected area to be protected from the at least one layer, with the exception of the one, or each V-shaped section bent over above, which forms the, or each clip, the V-shaped section bent over, consists only of cloth; joining the edges of the V-shaped sections to form the clamp (s) in each layer, the layers with the formed clamps all have substantially the same peripheral shape to be assembled in the formed armor; - assembling the multiple layers to form the formed part, with the pliers of different layers angularly displaced one from the other and with the V-shaped sections of the fabric, folded in directions to distribute the additional thickness in a substantially uniform manner; and - joining the multiple layers formed to form the armor.

19. The method according to the claim 18, characterized in that the pairs of layers of material, have clamps in the same angular location, the V-shaped parts of these layers, are bent in opposite directions, so that they do not overlap with each other.

20. The method of compliance with the claim 19, characterized in that the pairs of layers with grippers in the same angular location are mounted in alternating layers.

21. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that the continuous reinforcement means is applied to the fabric, with the application of heat and pressure, before bending the clamps.

22. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that the continuous reinforcement means is applied to the cloth, after bending the pliers.

23. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that part of the peripheral edge of the fabric is free of the continuous reinforcement means, and the successive layers are joined by stitching around the peripheral edge part of the fabric.

24. The method according to claim 18, 19 or 20, characterized in that the edges of the V-shaped sections are joined to form the grippers by stitching, stapling, riveting or gluing.