Transparent ballistic-resistant shield and mounting therefor

Abstract

A shield (3) is mounted in the driver's side window frame (7) of a vehicle by a lower support (5) containing a flat spring (49) which releasably pushes the shield against the upper window frame. A stand-off (17, 18) at the upper end of the shield spaces other portions the upper edge of the shield from the window frame. A shield handgrip (9) is angled 45° with respect to a lower edge of the shield, to permit the shield to be carried with one apex of the shield up.

1 . In combination,
 a ballistic-resistant transparent shield sized to be mounted in a side window opening of a vehicle, the shield comprising a shield body and a handgrip on an inner face of the shield body, and   a lower support mounted in the window opening, the lower support comprising at least one spring sized and proportioned to urge the shield upwardly into locked engagement with the window opening, the shield being releasable from the window opening by exerting a downward force on the handgrip and swinging an upper portion of the shield inward to a position in which the shield can be lifted off the lower support.   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the shield body further comprises a stand-off formed in a portion of an upper face of the shield body, the stand-off being sized to hold the remainder of the upper face of the shield body away from an upper margin of the window opening, the stand-off being urged into engagement with the upper margin of the window frame by the at least one spring. 
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the stand-off has a length less than half the length of the upper face of the shield body. 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the upper margin of the window frame comprises a standing seam, the stand-off comprising a first ear engaging a portion of the upper margin outside the standing seam and a second ear engaging a portion of the upper margin inside the standing seam. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the lower support rests on a windowsill. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 5  wherein the at least one spring comprises at least one flat spring on which the shield rests, the at least one flat spring having sufficient stiffness to prevent the shield from coming loose when jostled by movement of the vehicle, but permitting an occupant of the vehicle to remove the shield while seated, by applying downward force to the handgrip portion of the shield, swinging the upper portion of the shield inward, and lifting the shield free of the window opening. 
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the shield is spaced from the top, front, and rear portions of the window frame. 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the shield has a thickness of between 0.5″ and 1.5″. 
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the shield body is made entirely of a polyurethane or polyurea material. 
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the handgrip is mounted to the shield at an angle of from 30° to 60° with respect to a lower margin of the shield. 
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 10  wherein the handgrip is angled 45°+/−5° with respect to the lower margin of the shield. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . In combination,
 a ballistic-resistant transparent shield sized to be mounted in a side window opening of a vehicle, the shield comprising a shield body and a handgrip on an inner face of the shield body, the shield comprising an upper face comprising a stand-off sized to engage an upper portion of a window frame defining the window opening and to space at least half the length of the upper face of the shield body away from the window frame, and   a lower support formed to be mounted in the window opening, the lower support comprising a flat spring urging the shield upwardly into locked engagement with the window opening,   the shield being releasable from the window opening by exerting a downward force on the handgrip and swinging an upper portion of the shield inward to a position in which the shield can be lifted off the lower support.   
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 15  wherein the stand-off comprises a first ear sized and shaped to engage a portion of the upper margin outside a standing seam in the upper margin and a second ear sized and shaped to engage a portion of the upper margin inside the standing seam. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 16  wherein the handgrip is mounted to the shield at an angle of from 30° to 60° with respect to a lower margin of the shield. 
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 15  wherein the handgrip is mounted to the shield at an angle of from 30° to 60° with respect to a lower margin of the shield. 
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 15  wherein the flat spring has a flattened spring force of forty to sixty pounds. 
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein the flat spring is deflected at least fifty percent when the shield is in locked engagement with the window opening.