Body armor protection system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a body armor system designed to maximize protection, optimize mobility and reduce fatigue. More particularly, the system consists of a set of external, highly ergonomic hard armor plates in both ballistic and non-ballistic (riot) configurations, some of which utilize articulating, and/or interleaving segments, in combination with ballistic fabrics and or highly contoured pressed foam padding and harness systems that is flexible and lighter but still provides maximum protection. According to a preferred embodiment, an articulating plate assembly is formed by using plate segments that have at least two (2) step variation in the thickness of each plate along the adjoining seam line between each plate segment so as to facilitate an interleaving, articulating plate system that aids in defeating projectiles that may strike along the seam of adjoining plate segments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Body armor wearable by a person comprising:
 a ballistic chest plate contoured to a chest of the person and adapted to protect against projectiles from firearms;   a right ballistic side plate contoured to a right side of the person and adapted to protect against projectiles from firearms;   a left ballistic side plate contoured to a left side of the person and adapted to protect against projectiles from firearms;   a ballistic back plate contoured to a back of the person and adapted to protect against projectiles from firearms;   a harness system adapted to provide a way for the person to wear the ballistic chest plate, the right ballistic side plate, the left ballistic side plate and the ballistic back plate, and wherein the harness system comprises:
 separate pockets for each said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate with a cavity respectively surrounding said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate; 
 a respective soft armor for each said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate respectively extending at least partially from an outer perimeter of each pocket for each said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate toward an interior of each said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate and extending at least partially outward from the outer perimeter of the pocket of each said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate away from respective interiors of each said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate, wherein each respective soft armor is adapted to protect gaps between said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate that are adjacent to each other from projectiles when the body armor is worn, and wherein the each soft armor does not entirely span each respective said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The body armor of  claim 1  wherein the ballistic chest plate further comprises:
 between 50 and 70 plies of a pressed polymer-based armor material. 
 
     
     
         3 . The body armor of  claim 1  wherein the ballistic chest plate further comprises:
 a ceramic-based breaker plate attached to an exterior surface of the ballistic chest plate providing National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Level IV protection. 
 
     
     
         4 . The body armor of  claim 1  wherein each pocket further comprises:
 an external pocket forming a chamber of the cavity of a respective pocket; and 
 an internal face covering each respective chamber. 
 
     
     
         5 . The body armor of  claim 4  wherein each exterior pocket further comprises:
 an exterior pocket perimeter tab formed along at least a portion of an outer perimeter of each exterior pocket; and wherein each interior face further comprises: 
 a face tab formed along at least a portion of an outer perimeter of each interior face, and wherein each respective exterior pocket perimeter tab and each respective face tab are at least partially attached together forming each respective cavity. 
 
     
     
         6 . The body armor of  claim 5  wherein each respective exterior pocket perimeter tab and each respective face tab are at least partially stitched together. 
     
     
         7 . The body armor of  claim 6  wherein hook-and-loop fasteners are used to connect together portions of each respective exterior pocket perimeter tab and each respective face tab that are not stitched together. 
     
     
         8 . The body armor of  claim 1  wherein each respective soft armor extends between 0.5 inches and 2.0 inches from each respective outer perimeter of each respective pocket toward each respective interior of each respective said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate and extends between 0.5 inches and 2.0 inches outward from each respective outer perimeter of each respective pocket away from the interior of each respective said ballistic chest plate, said right ballistic side plate, said left ballistic side plate and said ballistic back plate. 
     
     
         9 . The body armor of  claim 1  wherein each respective soft armor is formed with between 20 and 40 plies of a pressed polymer-based armor material. 
     
     
         10 . The body armor of  claim 1  further comprising:
 padding located on an interior side of the pocket with the ballistic chest plate. 
 
     
     
         11 . The body armor of  claim 1  wherein the pocket with the ballistic chest plate is formed with press formed urethane foam sheets. 
     
     
         12 . Body armor for wear by a person comprising:
 a first ballistic plate adapted to protect against firearm projectiles;   a second ballistic plate adapted to protect against firearm projectiles; and   soft armor spanning a gap between the first ballistic plate and the second ballistic plate when the body armor is worn by the person, wherein the soft armor does not span the entire first ballistic plate, and wherein the soft armor does not span the entire second ballistic plate.   
     
     
         13 . The body armor of  claim 12  wherein the first ballistic plate provides National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Level IV protection, wherein the second ballistic plate provides NIJ Level IV protection and wherein the soft armor provides NIJ IIIA protection.