Continous ballistic vest

Abstract

A ballistic garment ( 10 ) including tensioned body panels ( 12, 22, 32 and 38 ) to resist successive ballistic impacts.

1 . A ballistic resistant garment for protecting a wearer from penetration by a projectile, the garment comprising: 
 a back panel configured to cover the width of the back and extending from the shoulders to the waist of a wearer;    a front panel configured to cover the width of the chest and extending from the shoulders to the waist of a wearer;    a first side panel coupling the back panel to the front panel and configured to cover a first side of the wearer from the axilla to the waist;    the back panel, the front panel, and the first side panel being formed from ballistic material configured to resist penetration therethrough by a projectile; and    wherein the first side panel is directly coupled to the back panel and the front panel, such that the back panel, the front panel, and the first side panel are configured to be in tension around the body of the wearer and return substantially to an original shape after an impact from a projectile.    
   
   
       2 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 1 , wherein the back panel, the front panel, and the first side panel are formed from a single continuous sheet of ballistic material.  
   
   
       3 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first side panel includes a joint secured by a rigid coupler.  
   
   
       4 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 1 , wherein the tension is further configured to resist backface deformation of the back panel, the front panel, and the first side panel in response to impact from a projectile.  
   
   
       5 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 1 , wherein the back panel and the front panel define left and right shoulder portions configured to be coupled and extend over the left and right shoulders of a wearer.  
   
   
       6 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 1 , further comprising a second side panel coupling the back panel and the front panel, the second side panel being configured to cover a second side of the wearer from the axilla to the waist, the second side panel being directly coupled to the back panel and the front panel.  
   
   
       7 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 6 , wherein the back panel, the front panel, the first side panel and the second side panel are formed from a single continuous sheet of ballistic material.  
   
   
       8 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 1 , further comprising a semi-rigid coupling connecting the back panel and the front panel proximate a second side of the wearer  
   
   
       9 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 8 , wherein the semi-rigid coupling includes a body having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end connected to the back panel and the second end connected to the front panel, the semi-rigid coupling further including an elastic mode of operation where the body is stretched between the first end and the second end over a predetermined length, and a rigid mode of operation where the body is configured to not stretch beyond the predetermined length.  
   
   
       10 . A ballistic resistant garment for protecting a wearer from penetration by a projectile, the garment comprising: 
 a back panel configured to cover the width of the back and extending from the shoulders to the waist of a wearer;    a front panel configured to cover the width of the chest and extending from the shoulders to the waist of a wearer;    a connecting panel coupling the back panel and the front panel;    the back panel, the front panel, and the connecting panel being formed of multiple layers of ballistic resistant material; and    the ballistic resistant material of the connecting panel including an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer having a length shorter than the outer layer.    
   
   
       11 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 10 , wherein the connecting panel comprises: 
 a side panel coupling the back panel to the front panel and configured to cover a side of the wearer from the axilla to the waist; and    wherein the back panel, the front panel, and the side panel are continuous and formed from an uninterrupted sheet of ballistic material configured to resist penetration therethrough by a projectile, such that impact upon any one of the back panel, the front panel, and the side panel results in tension within an adjacent one of the back panel, the front panel, and the side panel.    
   
   
       12 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 11 , further comprising a second side panel coupling the back panel and the front panel, the second side panel being configured to cover a second side of the wearer from the axilla to the waist, the second side panel being continuous with the back panel and the front panel.  
   
   
       13 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 11 , further comprising a limited travel coupler connecting the back panel and the front panel proximate a second side of the wearer  
   
   
       14 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 13 , wherein the limited travel coupler includes a body having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end connected to the back panel and the second end connected to the front panel, the limited travel coupler further including an elastic mode of operation where the body is stretched between the first end and the second end over a predetermined length, and a rigid mode of operation where the body is configured to not stretch beyond the predetermined length.  
   
   
       15 . A ballistic resistant garment for protecting a wearer from penetration by a projectile, the garment comprising: 
 a back panel of ballistic resistant material, the back panel including a front face and a back face;    a front panel of ballistic resistant material, the front panel including a front face and a back face; and    a coupler including a body having a first end coupled to move with the back panel and a second end coupled to move with the front panel, the coupler comprising a side panel integrally formed with the back panel and the front panel from a continuous sheet of ballistic material, the coupler being configured to tension the back panel and the front panel around the body of the wearer such that each of the back panel and the front panel resist back face deformation in response to impact from a projectile.    
   
   
       16 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 15 , wherein the tension is further configured to cause each of the back panel and the front panel to return substantially to an original shape after an impact from a projectile.  
   
   
       17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 the side panel couples the back panel to the front panel and is configured to cover a side of the wearer from the axilla to the waist;    the back panel, the front panel, and the side panel are formed from a continuous sheet of ballistic material configured to resist penetration therethrough by a projectile; and    the back panel, the front panel, and the side panel are configured to be in tension around the body of the wearer, such that each of the back panel, the front panel, and the first side panel returns substantially to an original shape after an impact from a projectile.    
   
   
       19 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 15 , further comprising left and right shoulder portions configured to couple the back panel and the front panel, and to extend over the left and right shoulders of a wearer.  
   
   
       20 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 15 , wherein the coupler connects the back panel and the front panel proximate a side of the wearer.  
   
   
       21 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 15 , further comprising a carrier receiving at least one of the back panel and the front panel and including openings for receiving the first end and the second end of the coupler.  
   
   
       22 - 26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 15 , further comprising a reinforcing edge member secured to at least one of the back panel and the front panel, wherein at least one of the first end and the second end of the coupler is secured to the reinforcing edge member.  
   
   
       28 . A ballistic resistant garment comprising: 
 a panel formed of ballistic resistant material; and    a coupler connected to the panel and including a body having a first end and an opposing second end, the body including a resilient portion and a substantially rigid portion, the resilient portion configured to permit the body to stretch, and the rigid portion configured to prevent the body from stretching more than a predetermined length defined between the first end and the second end.    
   
   
       29 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 28 , wherein the rigid portion is embedded within the resilient portion, the rigid portion including fibers arranged in a serpentine path when the body is permitted to stretch, and the fibers arranged in a straight path when the body is prevented from stretching beyond the predetermined length.  
   
   
       30 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 28 , wherein the coupler is directly secured to the panel and is configured to tension the panel to resist backface deformation in response to impact from a projectile.  
   
   
       31 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 30 , further comprising a carrier receiving the panel and including an opening for receiving the coupler.  
   
   
       32 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 28 , further comprising a reinforcing edge member secured to the panel, wherein a the coupler is secured to the reinforcing edge member.  
   
   
       33 . A ballistic resistant garment for protecting a wearer from impact strikes from at least one of a ballistic projectile, high speed shrapnel, explosive force, and a sharp edged object, the garment comprising: 
 a back panel;    a front panel;    a connecting panel coupling the back panel to the front panel;    the back panel, the front panel, and the connecting panel being formed from ballistic resistant material; and    wherein the back panel, the front panel, and the connecting panel are coupled together through at least one of a continuous sheet of ballistic resistant material, a rigid coupler, and a limited travel coupler such that the back panel, the front panel, and the connecting panel are in tension around the body of the wearer for limiting shrinkage of the impacted panel during initial and subsequent strikes.    
   
   
       34 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 33 , wherein the impacted panel is configured to return substantially to an original shape after a strike.  
   
   
       35 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 33 , wherein the impacted panel is configured to resist backface deformation after a strike.  
   
   
       36 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 33 , wherein the connecting panel comprises left and right shoulder portions configured to couple the back panel and the front panel, and to extend over the left and right shoulders of a wearer.  
   
   
       37 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 33 , wherein the connecting panel connects the back panel and the front panel proximate a side of the wearer.  
   
   
       38 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 33 , wherein the connecting panel comprises a side panel integrally formed with the back panel and the front panel from a continuous sheet of ballistic material.  
   
   
       39 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 33 , wherein the connecting panel couples the back panel with the front panel through a rigid coupler.  
   
   
       40 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 33 , wherein the connecting panel couples the back panel with the front panel through a limited travel coupler having a resilient portion and a substantially rigid portion configured to limit travel of the resilient portion.  
   
   
       41 . The ballistic resistant garment of  claim 33 , further comprising a reinforcing edge member secured to at least one of the back panel and the front panel, wherein the connecting panel is secured to the reinforcing edge member.