Body Armor

Abstract

A body armor system has a side-entry vest with armored front and back panels connected at the sides by flexible side closure and fit adjusting panels. The back panel forms a gusseted, bellowing pocket for carrying a liquid-containing hydration pouch. Vulnerable deltoid locations exposed between arm opening edges of the front and back panels and shoulder and upper arm protectors have shield-like deltoid protectors that are affixed to the vest at the arm opening but are not connected to the shoulder and upper arm protector so as to afford relatively free arm movement. The flexible side closure and fit adjusting panels connect to the rear panel with Velcro strips on interior and exterior edge surfaces trapped between Velcro-bearing tabs formed on the edge of the back panel. Large Velcro patches on the interior front end of the flexible panel mate with a Velcro patch on the exterior of the front panel.

1 . A body armor system including:
 (a) a vest having:
 (i) an armored front panel; 
 (ii) an armored back panel; 
 (iii) arm openings defined between the armored front and back panels; 
   (b) a pair of armored shoulder and upper arm protectors for connection to the vest at the arm openings; and   (c) a pair of deltoid protection devices for connection at the arm openings, each having:
 (i) a front armored deltoid protector adapted to close and protect a wearer at a gap between the armored front panel and the upper arm and shoulder protector at each arm opening; and 
 (ii) a back armored deltoid protector adapted to close and protect a wearer at a gap between the armored back panel and the shoulder and upper arm protector at each arm opening. 
   
   
   
       2 . The body armor system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (d) a hydration pouch pocket affixed to the armored back panel having:
 (i) an opening to expose the closure of a flexible liquid container located in a hydration pouch in the pocket; and 
 (ii) gusseted sides and a gusseted bottom of the pocket permitting expansion of the pocket upon filling a contained flexible liquid container pouch situated therein. 
   
   
   
       3 . The body armor system according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 (e) a pair of side closures having:
 (i) a flexible side closure panel for location at side openings between the front and back armored panels at each side of the vest; 
 (ii) the flexible side closure panel having at or proximate one of its front and rear edges a hook or loop patch of hook and loop fastening material; and 
 (iii) the flexible side closure panel at or proximate the remaining of its front and rear edges, two hook or loop strips of the hook and loop fastening material secured on opposite faces of the flexible side closure panel generally parallel to the front or rear edge; 
   (f) a mating hook or loop patch on one of the front and rear armored panels at or adjacent each side opening for mating with the hook or loop patch on the flexible side closure panel; and   (g) a pair of tabs on the other of the front and rear armored panels at or adjacent each side opening and having facing hook or loop strips for receiving between them in mating relation the hook or loop strips secured on opposite faces of the flexible side closure panel.   
   
   
       4 . The body armor system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable shoulder strap subsystem for suspending the armored front and back panels from a wearer's shoulders including at each vest shoulder location a front shoulder strap secured to the armored front panel, and a back shoulder strap secured to the armored back panel, connecting provisions on the front and back shoulder straps providing interconnection between the front and back shoulder straps at a plurality of combined lengths of the interconnected front and back shoulder straps affording fit adjustment of the vest. 
   
   
       5 . The body armor system according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the front and back shoulder straps has hook and loop connector patches on opposite surfaces and in use is trapped between opposing, mating hook and loop patches on a pair of facing straps secured to an adjoining one of the armored front and back panels. 
   
   
       6 . The body armor system according to  claim 4 , wherein the connecting provisions on the front and back shoulder straps include a ring carried by a first of the front and back shoulder straps sized and positioned to have inserted through it the second of the front and back shoulder straps, and mating connectors on the second of the front and back shoulder straps to connect a folded-back end of the second of the front and back shoulder straps to itself at a chosen one of several locations affording a choice of the plurality of combined lengths of the front and back shoulder straps for fit adjustment. 
   
   
       7 . The body armor system according to  claim 6 , wherein the mating connectors on the second of the front and back shoulder straps are a plurality of mating snap pairs permitting the snap-fastening of the folded back end of the second of the front and back shoulder straps at a choice of several lengths. 
   
   
       8 . The body armor system according to  claim 6 , further comprising an upper arm and shoulder protector support strap extending from the top of that protector, mating connectors on the upper arm and shoulder protector support strap and on surfaces of at least one of the first and second front and back shoulder straps facing upward at the location of the shoulder protector support strap. 
   
   
       9 . The body armor system according to  claim 8 , wherein the mating connectors on surfaces of the at least one of the first and second front and back shoulder straps facing upward are connectors on the upward facing surface of the folded back end and on an upward facing surface capable of being exposed when the folded back end is folded back sufficiently to cover only a part of the upward facing underlying surface. 
   
   
       10 . The body armor system according to  claim 9 , wherein the mating connectors on surfaces upper arm and shoulder protector support strap and at least one of the first and second front and back shoulder straps are mating hook and loop connector patches. 
   
   
       11 . The body armor system according to  claim 1 , wherein the front deltoid protector of each deltoid protection device is connected to the back deltoid protector of that device by at least one flexible connector located to extend across a wearer's upper arm or shoulder. 
   
   
       12 . The body armor system according to  claim 1 , wherein each deltoid protector carries means for connecting the protector to the vest proximate an arm opening. 
   
   
       13 . The body armor system according to  claim 12 , wherein the means for connecting carried by each deltoid protector is a hook or loop patch of a hook and loop fastening material and wherein the vest carries mating hook or loop patches proximate the arm openings for mating with the hook or loop patches of the deltoid protectors. 
   
   
       14 . The body armor system according to  claim 12 , wherein each deltoid protector is free of attachment to any shoulder and upper arm protector. 
   
   
       15 . The body armor system according to  claim 2 , wherein the back panel carries a flap that hangs over the opening of the pocket. 
   
   
       16 . The body armor system according to  claim 15 , wherein the back panel and flap carry accessory fastening means on exterior surfaces thereof. 
   
   
       17 . The body armor system according to  claim 16 , wherein mating hook and loop fastener areas on an inside surface of the flap and an outside surface of the pocket fasten the flap against the pocket. 
   
   
       18 . The body armor system according to  claim 3 , wherein each flexible side closure panel has a pull affixed thereto at or near its front edge. 
   
   
       19 . The body armor system according to  claim 18 , wherein the pull is a ring. 
   
   
       20 . A deltoid protector for use in a body armor system of the kind having a vest front armored panel, a vest back armored panel, arm openings and a pair of upper arm and shoulder protectors for location on a wearer's upper arms and shoulders at the arm openings, the deltoid protector comprising:
 (a) a front armored deltoid protector;   (b) a back armored deltoid protector;   (c) the front armored deltoid protector shaped to cover the location on a wearer between a front edge of an arm opening and the shoulder and upper arm protector; and   (d) the back armored deltoid protector shaped to cover the location on a wearer between a back edge of an arm opening and the shoulder and upper arm protector.   
   
   
       21 . The deltoid protector according to  claim 20 , further comprising front deltoid protector connecting means for attaching the front deltoid protector to the vest front panel at or near the front edge of the arm opening, and back deltoid protector connecting means for attaching the back deltoid protector to the vest back panel at or near the back edge of the arm opening. 
   
   
       22 . The deltoid protector according to  claim 21 , wherein the front and rear deltoid protectors are free of movement-restricting connection to the shoulder and upper arm protector. 
   
   
       23 . The deltoid protector according to  claim 21 , wherein the front and back deltoid protectors are interconnected by at least one flexible connector sufficiently long to reach across a wearer's arm or shoulder. 
   
   
       24 . A closure and vest-fitting member for a side entry armored vest of the kind having a front armored panel, a back armored panel and side openings between the front and back armored panels on each side of the vest; the closure and vest-fitting member comprising a flexible side closure panel having a front edge, a rear edge and top and bottom edges, the panel having a length in the front to rear direction sufficient to span the vest side opening when the vest is worn, a hook and loop fastener patch on an interior side of the closure member at or proximate one of the front and rear edges for mating with a hook and loop fastener patch on an adjacent one of the front and back armored panels, and a pair of hook and loop strips substantially parallel to and at or proximate the other of the front and rear edges of the closure panel for capture between and mating with hook and loop areas on tabs along the adjacent remaining one of the front and rear armored panels. 
   
   
       25 . The closure and vest-fitting member according to  claim 24 , wherein the hook and loop fastener patch on the closure and vest-fitting panel is at or adjacent the front edge of that panel for mating with a hook and loop fastener patch on the front armored panel, and the closure panel further comprising a pull at the front edge thereof. 
   
   
       26 . The closure and vest-fitting member according to  claim 25 , wherein the pull is a ring. 
   
   
       27 . In an armored vest of the kind including an armored front panel and an armored back panel, the improvement comprising:
 (a) a hydration pouch pocket having an opening for exposing a closure for filling a contained hydration liquid pouch, and gusseted sides and bottom allowing the pocket to bellow outward when containing a pouch filled with liquid and to lie flat against the armored back panel when empty;   (b) a flap attached to the armored back panel above the pocket and sufficiently long to hang down over and covering the opening; and   (c) interacting fasteners on the armored back panel exterior back surface and an interior surface of the flap to secure the flap in place close to the exterior back surface.   
   
   
       28 . A body armor system including:
 (a) a vest having:
 (i) an armored front panel; 
 (ii) an armored back panel; and 
 (iii) an adjustable shoulder strap subsystem for suspending the armored front and back panels from a wearer's shoulders including at each vest shoulder location:
 (A) a front shoulder strap secured to the armored front panel; 
 (B) a back shoulder strap secured to the armored back panel; and 
 (C) connecting provisions on the front and back shoulder straps providing interconnection between the front and back shoulder straps at a plurality of combined lengths of the interconnected front and back shoulder straps affording fit adjustment of the vest. 
 
   
   
   
       29 . The body armor system according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 (iv) a pair of side closures having:
 (A) a flexible side closure panel for location at side openings between the front and back armored panels at each side of the vest; 
 (B) the flexible side closure panel having at or proximate one of its front and rear edges a hook or loop patch of hook and loop fastening material; and 
 (C) the flexible side closure panel at or proximate the remaining of its front and rear edges, two hook or loop strips of the hook and loop fastening material secured on opposite faces of the flexible side closure panel generally parallel to the front or rear edge; 
   (v) a mating hook or loop patch on one of the front and rear armored panels at or adjacent each side opening for mating with the hook or loop patch on the flexible side closure panel; and   (vi) a pair of tabs on the other of the front and rear armored panels at or adjacent each side opening and having facing hook or loop strips for receiving between them in mating relation the hook or loop strips secured on opposite faces of the flexible side closure panel.   
   
   
       30 . The body armor system according to  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the front and back shoulder straps has hook and loop connector patches on opposite surfaces and in use is trapped between opposing, mating hook and loop patches on a pair of facing straps secured to an adjoining one of the armored front and back panels. 
   
   
       31 . The body armor system according to  claim 29 , wherein the connecting provisions on the front and back shoulder straps include a ring carried by a first of the front and back shoulder straps sized and positioned to have inserted through it the second of the front and back shoulder straps, and mating connectors on the second of the front and back shoulder straps to connect a folded-back end of the second of the front and back shoulder straps to itself at a chosen one of several locations affording a choice of the plurality of combined lengths of the front and back shoulder straps for fit adjustment. 
   
   
       32 . The body armor system according to  claim 31 , wherein the mating connectors on the second of the front and back shoulder straps are a plurality of mating snap pairs permitting the snap-fastening of the folded back end of the second of the front and back shoulder straps at a choice of several lengths. 
   
   
       33 . The body armor system according to  claim 31 , further comprising an upper arm and shoulder protector support strap extending from the top of that protector, mating connectors on the upper arm and shoulder protector support strap and on surfaces of at least one of the first and second front and back shoulder straps facing upward at the location of the shoulder protector support strap. 
   
   
       34 . The body armor system according to  claim 33 , wherein the mating connectors on surfaces of the at least one of the first and second front and back shoulder straps facing upward are connectors on the upward facing surface of the folded back end, and on an upward facing surface capable of being exposed when the folded back end is folded back sufficiently to cover only a part of the upward facing underlying surface is secured further of the mating connectors. 
   
   
       35 . The body armor system according to  claim 34 , wherein the mating connectors on surfaces upper arm and shoulder protector support strap and on the upward facing surfaces are mating hook and loop connector patches.