Reinforced ceramic tile armor

Abstract

A ceramic armor is disclosed that utilizes a titanium frame assembly surrounding monolithic ceramic tiles combined with aluminum pressure infiltration. The aluminum pressure infiltration serves to “wet” the ceramic, bonding the ceramic to the titanium frame on the top, bottom, sides and interior of the frame assembly. After aluminum pressure infiltration at high temperature followed by cooling, this combination creates compressive stress in all directions surrounding the ceramic thereby enhancing localization of a blast/projectile hit to enhance the armors effectiveness. Even after damage due to a projectile hit, adjacent tiles retain their structural integrity, residual stress, and bond to the frame assembly.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A ceramic armor comprising:
 a plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a plurality of side surfaces, each of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a top and bottom surface;   an interconnected frame assembly, said frame assembly including an interior having a plurality of cells, said cells including a plurality of walls, said tiles disposed within said plurality of cells, said plurality of walls and said plurality of tile side surfaces having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches, said frame assembly further including side rails surrounding said plurality of cells, said side rails and said periphery of said plurality of cells having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches;   at least one top plate and at least one backing plate having a top and bottom surface, said top plate bottom surface and said top surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches, said backing plate top surface and said bottom surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches;   a metallic material encapsulating said plurality of cells, said top plate said backing plate, and said side rails, said metallic material infiltrating said gap between said plurality of said tile side surfaces and said plurality of cell walls forming a bond therebetween, infiltrating said gap between said side rails and said periphery of said plurality of cells forming a bond therebetween, infiltrating said gap between said top plate bottom surface and said top surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles forming a bond therebetween, and infiltrating said gap between said backing plate top surface and said bottom surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles forming a bond therebetween,   wherein the CTE of said frame assembly, said top plate and said backing plate, is greater than the CTE of said plurality of said ceramic core tiles, said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles being under compressive stress.   
     
     
         2 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 1 , wherein said metallic material infiltrant has a shear strength exceeding 25 MPa, a tensile strength exceeding 50 MPa, and a melting point less than 900 degrees celcius. 
     
     
         3 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 1 , wherein said frame assembly, said top plate and said backing plate are titanium. 
     
     
         4 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 3 , wherein the CTE of said frame assembly, said top plate and said backing plate is at least 2.5 times greater than the CTE of said plurality of said ceramic core tiles, said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles being under compressive stress. 
     
     
         5 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 3 , wherein said yield strength of said titanium is at least 900 MPa. 
     
     
         6 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 5 , wherein said yield strength of said titanium frame assembly is increased with said metallic material bonding, said bonding of said metallic material throughout said ceramic armor preserving said compressive state of said plurality of tiles adjacent to a projectile hit. 
     
     
         7 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 3 , wherein said titanium walls are at least 0.010 inches thick. 
     
     
         8 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 5 , wherein said side rails further include ports for the distribution of said metallic infiltrant throughout the ceramic armor. 
     
     
         9 . A ceramic armor comprising:
 a plurality of dense ceramic core tiles, having a plurality of side surfaces each of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a top and bottom surface;   an interconnected frame assembly, said frame assembly including an interior having a plurality of cells, said cells including a plurality of walls, said tiles disposed within said plurality of cells, said plurality of walls and said plurality of tile side surfaces having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches, said frame assembly further including side rails surrounding said plurality of cells, said side rails and said periphery of said plurality of cells having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches;   a metallic material encapsulating said plurality of cells, and said side rails, said metallic material infiltrating said gap between said plurality of said tile side surfaces and said plurality of cell walls forming a bond therebetween, infiltrating said gap between said side rails and said periphery of said plurality of cells forming a bond therebetween.   
     
     
         10 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 9 , further including:
 at least one top plate and at least one backing plate having a top and bottom surface, said top plate bottom surface and said top surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches, said backing plate top surface and said bottom surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches;   a metallic material encapsulating said at least one top plate and at least one backing plate, said metallic material infiltrating said gap between said top plate bottom surface and said top surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles forming a bond therebetween, and infiltrating said gap between said backing plate top surface and said bottom surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles forming a bond therebetween.   
     
     
         11 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 9 , wherein said metallic material infiltrant has a shear strength exceeding 25 MPa, a tensile strength exceeding 50 MPa, and a melting point less than 900 degrees celcius. 
     
     
         12 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 10 , wherein said frame assembly, said top plate and said backing plate are titanium. 
     
     
         13 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 12 , wherein said yield strength of said titanium is at least 900 MPa. 
     
     
         14 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 9 , wherein said yield strength of said frame assembly is increased with said metallic material bonding, said bonding of said metallic material throughout said ceramic armor preserving said compressive state of said plurality of tiles subsequent to a projectile hit. 
     
     
         15 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 12 , wherein said titanium walls are at least 0.010 inches thick. 
     
     
         16 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 9 , wherein the CTE of said frame assembly is greater than the CTE of said plurality of said ceramic core tiles, said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles being under compressive stress. 
     
     
         17 . A ceramic armor comprising:
 a plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a plurality of side surfaces, each of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a top and bottom surface;   an interconnected frame assembly, said frame assembly including an interior having a plurality of cells, said cells including a plurality of walls, wherein said walls are at least 0.010 inches thick, said tiles disposed within said plurality of cells, said plurality of walls and said plurality of tile side surfaces having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches, said frame assembly further including side rails surrounding said plurality of cells, said side rails and said periphery of said plurality of cells having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches;   at least one top plate and at least one backing plate having a top and bottom surface, said top plate bottom surface and said top surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches, said backing plate top surface and said bottom surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles having a gap therebetween of at least 0.0005 inches;   wherein said frame assembly, said top plate and said backing plate are titanium, said titanium having a yield strength of at least 900 MPa;   a metallic material encapsulating said plurality of cells, said top plate, said backing plate, and said side rails, wherein said metallic material has a shear strength exceeding 25 MPa, a tensile strength exceeding 50 MPa, and a melting point less than 900 degrees celcius, said metallic material infiltrating said gap between said plurality of said tile side surfaces and said plurality of cell walls forming a bond therebetween, infiltrating said gap between said side rails and said periphery of said plurality of cells forming a bond therebetween, infiltrating said gap between said top plate bottom surface and said top surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles forming a bond therebetween, and infiltrating said gap between said backing plate top surface and said bottom surface of said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles forming a bond therebetween;   wherein the CTE of said frame assembly, said top plate and said backing plate, is at least 2.5 times greater than the CTE of said plurality of said ceramic core tiles, said plurality of dense ceramic core tiles being under compressive stress;   wherein said yield strength of said titanium frame assembly is increased with said metallic material bonding, said bonding of said metallic material throughout said ceramic armor preserving said compressive state of said plurality of tiles subsequent to a projectile hit.   
     
     
         18 . A ceramic armor as in  claim 1  wherein said bonding infiltrant is aluminum.