Resiliently mounted armor panel

Abstract

An armor assembly having an armor panel, a base plate, and a resilient member coupled between the armor panel and the base plate is disclosed. An impact blast or projectile will strike the armor assembly and deflect the armor panel and the resilient member. The resilient member and armor panel absorb sufficient energy from the impact blast or projectile to prevent harm to underlying structures. The resilient member can be a spring or a solid member having a desired spring coefficient to protect against a certain impact load.

1 . A resilient armor assembly, comprising:
 an armor panel constructed from an impact-resistant material;   a base;   a resilient member disposed between the armor panel and the base, wherein the resilient member has a spring coefficient that is less than 2000 lbs/inch and the resilient member is elastically deformable over a deformation distance greater than 1 inch while absorbing energy provided by a ballistics projectile that impacts the armor panel, and wherein the impact-resistant material is such that when the projectile impacts the armor panel, the assembly withstands the impact without permitting the projectile to pass through at least one of the armor panel or the base and the panel moves relatively towards or away from the base as the resilient member compresses or expands.   
     
     
         2 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the resilient member comprises a plurality of discrete resilient members spaced apart over the armor panel. 
     
     
         3 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 2  wherein the resilient member comprises a coil spring. 
     
     
         4 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 3  wherein the coil spring has a central axis that is oriented generally normal to the armor panel. 
     
     
         5 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the resilient member comprises an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         6 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the resilient member comprises:
 a coil spring having a central axis; and 
 a guide member positioned within the coil spring and configured to permit the spring to move axially along an axis defined by the coil spring. 
 
     
     
         7 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the resilient member comprises a wire forming a coil spring having a conical shape. 
     
     
         8 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 7  wherein the thickness and pitch of the coil spring permits the spring to deform to a height substantially equal to the thickness of the wire. 
     
     
         9 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base plate comprises part of an installation or vehicle to which the armor panel is coupled. 
     
     
         10 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the armor panel is nearer to a source of an expected impact or projectile than the base, such that the impact or projectile reaches the armor panel before reaching the resilient member or the base. 
     
     
         11 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base includes a base plate, and wherein the base plate is nearer to a source of an expected impact or projectile than the resilient member or the armor panel such that the impact or projectile would contact the base plate before contacting the resilient member or the armor panel. 
     
     
         12 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the resilient member is made from one or more of urethane foam, silicone, steel, stainless steel, titanium, carbon fiber, ceramic, urethane, fiberglass. 
     
     
         13 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the armor panel and base plate are made of ceramic reinforced carbon fiber, ceramic composite, carbon fiber, fiberglass, para-aramid fibers, aramid fibers, steel, stainless steel, a composite grid, and stainless and aluminum alloys. 
     
     
         14 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a guide member having a first guide component and a second guide component, wherein the first guide component is coupled to the armor panel and the second guide component is coupled to the base plate, and wherein the first and second guide component engage together to permit the armor panel and base plate to move toward and away from one another along an axis generally normal to the surface of the armor panel and base plate. 
     
     
         15 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 14  wherein the first guide component is a cylindrical shaft and the second guide component is a hollow cylindrical shaft configured to receive the first guide component. 
     
     
         16 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 14  wherein the resilient member comprises a coil spring encircling the guide member. 
     
     
         17 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the resilient member has a spring coefficient of approximately between 50 and 800 pounds per inch. 
     
     
         18 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the resilient member covers between about 10-50% of the surface area for a given portion of the armor panel. 
     
     
         19 . A resilient armor assembly comprising:
 a base plate;   a resilient member coupled to the base plate and is elastically deformable over a deformation distance greater than 1 inch and has a spring coefficient that is less than 2000 lbs/inch;   an armor panel constructed from an impact resistant material and coupled to the resilient member, wherein the resilient member is positioned between the base plate and the armor panel, wherein the armor panel and the resilient member are configured to absorb energy provided by a incoming projectile that it impacts the armor panel and the impact-resistant material is such that when the projectile impacts the panel, the assembly withstands the impact without permitting the projectile to pass through at least one of the armor panel or the base plate; and   a guide member between the armor panel and base plate, wherein the guide member permits relative movement of the armor panel towards the base plate in a direction generally normal to the armor panel and resists movement of the armor panel relative to the base plate in a direction generally parallel with a surface of the armor panel.   
     
     
         20 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 19  wherein the resilient member comprises a coil spring. 
     
     
         21 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 19  wherein the guide member is positioned concentrically with the resilient member. 
     
     
         22 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 19  wherein the armor panel is positioned nearer to a source of the incoming projectile or blast impact than the resilient member, such that the incoming projectile or blast impact energy would contact the armor panel and cause the resilient member to compress. 
     
     
         23 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 19  wherein the base plate is positioned nearer to a source of the incoming projectile or blast impact than the armor panel, such that the incoming projectile or blast impact, after penetrating the base plate, impacts the armor panel and causes the resilient member to tension. 
     
     
         24 . The resilient armor assembly of  claim 19  wherein the resilient member has a spring coefficient of approximately between 50 and 800 pounds per inch. 
     
     
         25 . An armor assembly, comprising:
 a base plate;   an armor panel constructed from an impact-resistant material; and   means for resiliently absorbing an impact of a predetermined quantity provided by a projectile that impacts the armor panel, the means for resiliently absorbing the impact being positioned between the base plate and the armor panel with the base plate and armor panel being oriented generally parallel to one another, wherein the impact resistant material is such that when the projectile impacts the armor panel, the assembly withstands the impact without permitting the projectile to pass through at least one of the armor panel or the base and the means for resiliently absorbing the includes a spring coefficient that is less than 2000 lbs/inch and undergoes an elastic tension or an elastic compression deformation greater than 1 inch.   
     
     
         26 . The armor assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the armor assembly is configured to be attached to the exterior of a vehicle. 
     
     
         27 . A resilient armor assembly, comprising:
 an armor panel;   a base;   a resilient member disposed between the armor panel and the base, wherein the resilient member has a spring coefficient that is less than 2000 lbs/inch and the resilient member is elastically deformable over a deformation range greater than 1 inch while absorbing energy from a projectile or blast, and wherein the armor panel is free to more toward and away from the base as the resilient member compresses and expands.   
     
     
         28 . A resilient armor assembly, comprising:
 an armor panel constructed from an impact-resistant material of a thickness that is less than 1 inch, wherein the armor panel is operative to withstand a ballistics projectile with a velocity that is greater than 2000 feet per second;   a base;   a resilient member disposed between the armor panel and the base, wherein the resilient member absorbs energy from a projectile or blast, and wherein the armor panel is free to more toward and away from the base as the resilient member compresses and expands.