Advanced armor laminate structure

Abstract

A transparent armor laminate apparatus includes a hard disrupter layer having a substantially planar surface of transparent material configured to erode a ballistic projectile responsive to impact from the projectile, and an absorber configured proximate to the disrupter layer. The absorber includes a first absorber layer and a second absorber layer. The first and second absorber layers may be disposed proximate to each other to define an interface. The first absorber layer may include molecules substantially aligned in a mixture to form a first polymer chain orientation having a first angle relative to the interface and the second absorber layer may include molecules substantially aligned in a mixture to form a second polymer chain orientation having a second angle relative to the interface. A discontinuity exists between the first angle and the second angle or between the first polymer chain orientation and the second polymer chain orientation at the interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A transparent armor laminate apparatus comprising:
 a hard disrupter layer comprising a substantially planar surface of transparent material configured to erode, break up, or destroy a ballistic projectile responsive to impact from the ballistic projectile; and   an absorber configured proximate to the hard disrupter layer, the absorber comprising a first absorber layer and a second absorber layer, the first absorber layer and the second absorber layer being disposed proximate to each other to define an interface therebetween,   wherein the first absorber layer comprises molecules substantially aligned in a mixture to form a first polymer chain orientation having a first angle relative to the interface,   wherein the second absorber layer comprises molecules substantially aligned in a mixture to form a second polymer chain orientation having a second angle relative to the interface, and   wherein a discontinuity exists between the first angle and the second angle or between the first polymer chain orientation and the second polymer chain orientation at the interface.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein polymer chains of each of the first and second absorber layers are defined via equal channel angular extrusion. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first absorber layer is the same as a thickness of the second absorber layer. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first absorber layer is different than a thickness of the second absorber layer. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first angle is the same as the second angle, and wherein the first polymer chain orientation is different than the second polymer chain orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer chain orientation is the same as the second polymer chain orientation, and wherein the first angle is different than the second angle. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first angle is different than the second angle, and wherein the first polymer chain orientation is different than the second polymer chain orientation. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an adhesive layer is provided between the first absorber layer and the second absorber layer. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an adhesive layer is provided between the first absorber layer and the hard disrupter layer. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first angle and the second angle are between about 20° and about 40°. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the hard disrupter layer is about ⅜ inch to about ⅝ inch, and wherein a thickness of the absorber is about ¼ inch to about ¾ inch. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein an adhesive layer is provided either or both of between the first absorber layer and the hard disrupter layer and between the first absorber layer and the second absorber layer, and wherein a thickness of the adhesive layer is about 40 mils to about 60 mils. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first absorber layer and the second absorber layer each have a free volume defined by a free space between adjacent polymer chains, and wherein the free volume in each of the first absorber layer and the second absorber layer is defined within a range of about 2% to about 10%. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the free volume is set via shear induced molecular orientation. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the hard disrupter is glass and wherein the free volume is set via control of a glass transition temperature of the glass. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hard disrupter is glass. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hard disrupter is ceramic. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an adhesive layer is provided either or both of between the first absorber layer and the hard disrupter layer and between the first absorber layer and the second absorber layer, and wherein a material used to provide the adhesive layer comprises an aliphatic or aromatic polyurethane. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an adhesive layer is provided either or both of between the first absorber layer and the hard disrupter layer and between the first absorber layer and the second absorber layer, and wherein a material used to provide the adhesive layer comprises polyvinyl butyral, silicon, or polyester. 
     
     
         20 . A method of providing a transparent armor comprising:
 providing a hard disrupter layer comprising a substantially planar surface of transparent material configured to erode or destroy a ballistic projectile responsive to impact from the ballistic projectile; and   disposing an absorber proximate to the hard disrupter layer, the absorber comprising a first absorber layer and a second absorber layer, the first absorber layer and the second absorber layer being disposed proximate to each other to define an interface therebetween,   wherein the first absorber layer comprises molecules substantially aligned in a mixture to form a first polymer chain orientation having a first angle relative to the interface,   wherein the second absorber layer comprises molecules substantially aligned in a mixture to form a second polymer chain orientation having a second angle relative to the interface, and   wherein a discontinuity exists between the first angle and the second angle or between the first polymer chain orientation and the second polymer chain orientation at the interface.