Drag inducing armor and method of using same

Abstract

A drag inducing armor includes a projectile hindering layer and a pliant layer operably associated with the projectile hindering layer to envelop a projectile that has passed through the projectile hindering layer. A drag inducing armor includes a forward face sheet, a projectile hindering layer disposed adjacent the forward face sheet, a rear face sheet, and a pliant layer disposed between the projectile hindering layer and the rear face sheet. A method for using a drag inducing armor includes providing a projectile hindering layer and a pliant layer disposed behind the projectile hindering layer, hindering a projectile with the projectile hindering layer, and enveloping the projectile after the projectile passes through the projectile hindering layer.

1 . A drag inducing armor, comprising: 
 a projectile hindering layer; and    a pliant layer operably associated with the projectile hindering layer to envelop a projectile that has passed through the projectile hindering layer.    
   
   
       2 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 1 , wherein the pliant layer is affixed behind the projectile hindering layer.  
   
   
       3 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a rear face sheet, the pliant layer being disposed between the projectile hindering layer and the rear face sheet.    
   
   
       4 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 3 , wherein the pliant layer is affixed to at least one of the projectile hindering layer and the rear face sheet.  
   
   
       5 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a forward face sheet, such that the projectile hindering layer is disposed between the forward face sheet and the pliant layer.    
   
   
       6 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 1 , wherein the pliant layer comprises: 
 a plurality of sheet portions.    
   
   
       7 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 6 , wherein the pliant layer defines portions of reduced tensile strength between the plurality of sheet portions  
   
   
       8 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sheet portions comprises: 
 a plurality of separate sheet portions.    
   
   
       9 . A drag inducing armor, comprising: 
 a forward face sheet;    a projectile hindering layer disposed adjacent the forward face sheet;    a rear face sheet; and    a pliant layer disposed between the projectile hindering layer and the rear face sheet.    
   
   
       10 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 9 , wherein the projectile hindering layer comprises: 
 at least one of a ceramic, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, steel, titanium, a metal-matrix composite, and a ceramic-matrix composite.    
   
   
       11 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 9 , wherein the projectile hindering layer comprises: 
 a plurality of tiles disposed edge-to-edge.    
   
   
       12 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 9 , wherein the pliant layer comprises: 
 one or more plies of woven fabric.    
   
   
       13 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 12 , wherein the woven fabric comprises: 
 at least one of aramid fibers, high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, and p-phenylene-2,7-benzobisoxazole fibers.    
   
   
       14 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the one or more plies of woven fabric comprises: 
 a plurality of sheet portions.    
   
   
       15 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 9 , wherein the pliant layer comprises: 
 a first ply of woven fabric, comprising: 
 a plurality of separate sheet portions disposed edge-to-edge forming joints therebetween; and  
   a second ply of woven fabric, comprising: 
 a plurality of separate sheet portions disposed edge-to-edge forming joints therebetween;  
   wherein the plurality of separate sheet portions of the first ply of woven fabric extend across at least some of the joints formed by the plurality of separate sheet portions of the second ply of woven fabric.    
   
   
       16 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 9 , wherein the pliant layer comprises: 
 a first ply of woven fabric, comprising: 
 a plurality of sheet portions separated by portions of reduced tensile strength; and  
   a second ply of woven fabric, comprising: 
 a plurality of sheet portions separated by portions of reduced tensile strength;  
   wherein the plurality of sheet portions of the first ply of woven fabric extend across at least some of the portions of reduced tensile strength between the plurality of sheet portions of the second ply of woven fabric.    
   
   
       17 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 16 , wherein the portions of reduced tensile strength of at least one of the first ply of woven fabric and the second ply of woven fabric comprise perforations.  
   
   
       18 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 16 , wherein the woven fabric of at least one of the first ply and the second ply is woven to create the portions of reduced tensile strength.  
   
   
       19 . The drag inducing armor, according to  claim 9 , wherein the forward face sheet is adapted to hinder a projectile.  
   
   
       20 . A method for using a drag inducing armor, comprising: 
 providing a projectile hindering layer and a pliant layer disposed behind the projectile hindering layer;    hindering a projectile with the projectile hindering layer; and    enveloping the projectile in the pliant layer after the projectile passes through the projectile hindering layer.    
   
   
       21 . The method, according to  claim 19 , wherein the step of hindering the projectile comprises: 
 at least one of breaking, blunting, fragmenting, deforming, and tipping the projectile.