Wearable body armor

Abstract

The present invention provides a wearable body armor suit, comprising a plurality of body armor components that are connected together by an impact-resistant material, wherein the impact-resistant material comprises Vectran™ or woven chain mail, and wherein the body armor components are formed of carbon fiber or liquid crystal polymer fiber that is woven or formed into a platen. The platen is molded or curved to accommodate the shape of a body part being covered by the body armor component, for localized and directed protection of strategically important body parts.

1 . A wearable body armor suit, comprising:
 a plurality of body armor components that are connected together by an impact-resistant material.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 1 , wherein the impact-resistant material comprises Vectran™ or woven chain mail. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 1 , wherein the body armor components are formed of carbon fiber or liquid crystal polymer fiber that is woven or formed into a platen. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 3 , wherein the platen is molded or curved to accommodate the shape of a body part being covered by the body armor component, for localized and directed protection of strategically important body parts. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 1 , wherein the body armor components are modular and selectively detachable. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 1 , wherein the body armor components are detachably or fixedly connected to a base clothing layer. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 6 , wherein the base clothing layer is formed as a conventional body suit to which the body armor components are attached. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 1 , wherein the body armor components include a vest component adapted to cover a chest and back of a wearer's body. 
     
     
         9 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 8 , further comprising a groin protector that is selectively detachable from the vest component. 
     
     
         10 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 8 , wherein the vest component includes raised projections at selected locations to provide stiffness and additional protection from impacts. 
     
     
         11 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 8 , wherein the vest comprises three layers including an outer metal layer featuring raised projections, a middle layer, and an inner layer of protective fabric. 
     
     
         12 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 11 , wherein the middle layer comprises polycarbonate or sorbothane for distributing a resultant load 90 degrees with respect to an impact. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 11 , wherein the inner layer of protective fabric comprises Vectran™. 
     
     
         14 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 1 , wherein the body armor components include an arm component including an upper arm sleeve and a lower arm sleeve attached via a hinge such that the arm sleeves may pivot with respect to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 14 , wherein the upper arm sleeve is pivotably attached to the lower arm sleeve by way of heavy-duty articulation comprising a series of overlapping plates that permit the arm sleeves to pivot with respect to one another. 
     
     
         16 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 1 , wherein the body armor components include a leg component including an upper leg sleeve and a lower leg sleeve attached via a hinge such that the leg sleeves may pivot with respect to one another. 
     
     
         17 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 1 , wherein the body armor components comprise titanium, steel, and/or hardened aluminum. 
     
     
         18 . The wearable body armor suit of  claim 1 , wherein the body armor components comprise an outer body armor shell made of titanium and an inner protective shell made from stainless steel or hardened aluminum.