Richard B Brazfield

US Patent:

7571493, Aug 11, 2009

Filed:

Aug 4, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/197245

Inventors:

James W. Purvis - Albuquerque NM, US
Larry D. Whinery - Albuquerque NM, US
Richard Brazfield - Albuquerque NM, US
Catherine Lawrie - Tijeras NM, US
David Lawrie - Tijeras NM, US
Dale S. Preece - Watkins CO, US

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

F41H 1/02
F41H 1/00

US Classification:

2 25

Abstract:

A lightweight, armored protective garment for protecting an arm or leg from blast superheated gases, blast overpressure shock, shrapnel, and spall from a explosive device, such as a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) or a roadside Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The garment has a ballistic sleeve made of a ballistic fabric, such as an aramid fiber (e. g. , KEVLAR) cloth, that prevents thermal burns from the blast superheated gases, while providing some protection from fragments. Additionally, the garment has two or more rigid armor inserts that cover the upper and lower arm and protect against high-velocity projectiles, shrapnel and spall. The rigid inserts can be made of multiple plies of a carbon/epoxy composite laminate. The combination of 6 layers of KEVLAR fabric and 28 plies of carbon/epoxy laminate inserts (with the inserts being sandwiched in-between the KEVLAR layers), can meet the level IIIA fragmentation minimum Vrequirements for the US Interceptor Outer Tactical Vest.