Body armor

Abstract

Body armor formed from a piece of fabric ( 1 ) comprising a plurality of layers of strong fabric with layers of film adhesive interposed between at least two adjacent ones of said layers of fabric. The layers of fabric are compressed together in at least one region. A rigid, e.g. ceramic, plate ( 4 ) is bonded to the fabric in said at least one region.

1 . Body armor comprising a piece of soft, strong fabric, and at least one rigid armor plate bonded to a region of said piece of fabric. 
     
     
         2 . Body armor according to  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is aramid or ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fabric. 
     
     
         3 . Body armor according to  claim 1 , wherein the piece of fabric comprises a plurality of layers. 
     
     
         4 . Body armor according to  claim 3 , wherein, in the region in which the rigid plate is bonded thereto, said layers are compressed together. 
     
     
         5 . Body armor according to  claim 1 , wherein said region of said piece of fabric is a rigid region. 
     
     
         6 . Body armor according to  claim 3 , wherein a film of adhesive is disposed between each two adjacent layers of fabric, at least in the region in which the rigid plate is bonded to the piece of fabric. 
     
     
         7 . Body armor according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one rigid armor plate comprises ceramic material. 
     
     
         8 . Body armor according to  claim 1 , wherein the rigid armor plate is bonded to a central region of the piece of fabric, which is arranged to cover a wearer's chest and abdomen or a wearer's back, lateral regions of the piece of fabric being arranged to overlie the wearer's sides. 
     
     
         9 . Body armor according to  claim 8 , including rigid armor side plates bonded to said lateral regions. 
     
     
         10 . A method of forming body armor, comprising the steps of: providing a piece of fabric comprising a plurality of layers of strong fabric with layers of film adhesive interposed between at least two adjacent ones of said layers of fabric; heating said layers and compressing them together in a direction of their thickness in at least one region thereof; and bonding a rigid plate to the fabric in said at least one region. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the fabric is aramid or ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fabric. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the rigid armor plate comprises ceramic material.