Ballistic construction panel

Abstract

A ballistic resistant construction panel having a series of elongated channels formed by coupling a corrugated member to adjacent planar wall members. These channels are filled with sand to provide the ballistic resistance of the panel. These panels are constructed of a fiber-reinforced plastic material and may be assembled together to form a temporary shelter.

1 . A ballistic construction panel comprising:
 a plurality of generally planar structural sheets, said plurality of sheets including an inner-most sheet and an outer-most sheet, each of said inner-most sheet and outer-most sheet being formed from a monolithic thermoplastic material and comprising:
 a generally rectangular body portion, wherein the thermoplastic material of said body portion has been consolidated, said body portion having a certain length and height; 
 a flexible portion that depends from a top edge of said body portion and runs said length of said body portion, wherein the thermoplastic material of said flexible portion has not been consolidated; and 
 an attachment portion that depends from and runs the length of said flexible portion, wherein the thermoplastic material of said attachment portion has been consolidated; 
   wherein each of said plurality of sheets are disposed parallel to each other;   at least one rigid corrugated member, wherein a corrugated member is disposed between each adjacent sheet and is coupled to said adjacent sheets, said corrugated member and adjacent sheets cooperate to define a plurality of elongated cells; and   a reinforcing filler material which is disposed within and fills said plurality of cells.   
   
   
       2 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the body portion of said inner-most and outer-most sheets are equal in both length and height and said body portions are coextensive. 
   
   
       3 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said corrugated member has a length and height that is equal to the length and height of the body portions of said inner-most and outer-most sheets, said corrugated member is coextensive to the body portions of said inner-most and outer-most sheets. 
   
   
       4 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 3 , wherein each of said inner-most sheet and outer-most sheet further comprise:
 a second flexible portion that depends from a side edge of said body portion and runs said height of said body portion, wherein the thermoplastic material of said second flexible portion has not been consolidated; and   a second attachment portion that depends from said second flexible portion and runs said height of said body portion, wherein the thermoplastic material of said second attachment portion has been consolidated.   
   
   
       5 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said ballistic construction panel has a uniform thickness and the flexible portion depending from said outer-most sheet extends from the body portion a distance that is greater than said thickness of said ballistic construction panel. 
   
   
       6 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said filler material is sand. 
   
   
       7 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of sheets and said at least one rigid corrugated member are formed from a fiber-reinforced plastic material. 
   
   
       8 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one corrugated member has a cross-section shaped as a trapezoid waveform. 
   
   
       9 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal-insulating sheathing panel that is secured flatwise to said inner-most sheet on the side opposite to said corrugated member. 
   
   
       10 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic material is a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. 
   
   
       11 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the body portion of said inner-most sheet is coextensive and equal in both length and height with said corrugated member and wherein the body portion of said outer-most sheet has a height that is greater than said coextensive body portion and corrugated member. 
   
   
       12 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the body portion of said inner-most sheet is coextensive and equal in both length and height with said corrugated member and wherein the body portion of said outer-most sheet has a length that is greater than said coextensive body portion and corrugated member. 
   
   
       13 . A ballistic construction panel comprising:
 a monolithic inner sheet of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, said inner sheet comprising a rigid first body portion, a first flexible portion that depends from and runs along at least one edge of said first body portion and a rigid first attachment portion that depends from and runs the length of said first flexible portion;   a monolithic outer sheet of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, said outer sheet comprising a rigid second body portion, a second flexible portion that depends from and runs along at least one edge of said second body portion and a rigid second attachment portion that depends from and runs the length of said second flexible portion;   a corrugated member of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, said corrugated member is adjacent to and sandwiched between said first and second body portions and cooperates with said inner and outer sheets to define a plurality of elongated channels, wherein said attachment portions extend beyond said corrugated member; and   a reinforcing filler material which is disposed within and fills said plurality of channels.   
   
   
       14 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said first flexible portion and said second flexible portions depend from side edges of said said inner sheet and outer sheet, respectively, said inner sheet and outer sheet each further comprise:
 a top flexible portion that depends from and runs along a top edge of said first body portion, wherein the thermoplastic material of said top flexible portion has not been consolidated; and   a top attachment portion that depends from and runs the length of said top flexible portion, wherein the thermoplastic material of said second attachment portion has been consolidated.   
   
   
       18 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a sill having a web and two opposing upright flanges on opposite ends of said web, wherein said inner sheet, corrugated member and outer sheet are disposed within said sill, said inner and outer sheets being in facial contact with one of said upright flanges and said channels being oriented vertically;   wherein said web cooperates with said sheets and said corrugated member to retain said reinforcing material within said channels.   
   
   
       15 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the first and second body portions and the corrugated member are coextensive and are equal in length and height. 
   
   
       16 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said corrugated member and said first body portion are coextensive and are equal in length and height, wherein a bottom edge of said second body portion is coextensive with bottom edges of said first body portion and said corrugated member and a top edge of said second body portion extends beyond said first body portion and corrugated member. 
   
   
       17 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said corrugated member and said first body portion are coextensive and are equal in length and height, wherein a first side edge of said second body portion is coextensive with adjacent side edges of said first body portion and said corrugated member and the opposite side edge of said second body portion extends beyond said first body portion and corrugated member. 
   
   
       18 . A ballistic construction panel as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said corrugated member has a trapezoid waveform cross-section which includes a plurality of parallel faces which abut an adjacent sheet flatwise.