Ballistic armor

Abstract

Ballistic armor for providing ballistic protection from an impacting projectile threat. The armor comprises a plurality of composite armor units. Each unit comprises a ceramic body having a cylindrical body portion with two end faces, one of which is adapted to face said threat. Each unit further comprises a non-ceramic belt member assembled with the ceramic body so that said member contiguously surrounds the cylindrical body portion without covering the one end face.

1 . A composite armor unit for providing ballistic protection from an impacting projectile threat, the unit comprising a ceramic body having a cylindrical body portion with two end faces, one of which is adapted to face said threat, and a non-ceramic belt member assembled with said ceramic body so that said member contiguously surrounds said cylindrical body portion without covering said one end face.  
     
     
         2 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic body and the belt member each has an average density such that the average density of said member is lower than that of said body.  
     
     
         3 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic body is made from one of the following: Alumina, Silicon Carbide, Silicon Nitride, Boron Carbide, ceramic glass.  
     
     
         4 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt member is made from a material having a tensile strength of at least 3 kg/mm 2 .  
     
     
         5 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 4 , wherein said material is a metallic alloy.  
     
     
         6 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 5 , wherein said alloy includes one of the following: Aluminum, Titanium, Steel.  
     
     
         7 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt member is made from one of the following: glass, carbon, aramids, Kevlar™, Nylon, polycarbonates, polyamids, High Density Poly-Ethylene, carbon fibers.  
     
     
         8 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic body has a diameter and the belt member has a maximal thickness, which is at most about 10% of said diameter.  
     
     
         9 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt member includes recesses disposed therein.  
     
     
         10 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt member is in the form of a spiral.  
     
     
         11 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt member has a height and thickness, which varies along said height.  
     
     
         12 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt member is adapted to provide the cylindrical body portion with inward radial compression.  
     
     
         13 . A composite armor unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt member has a cup-shape and is adapted to receive said ceramic body therein.  
     
     
         14 . Ballistic armor for providing ballistic protection from an impacting projectile threat, comprising a plurality of composite armor units as defined in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         15 . Ballistic armor according to  claim 14 , further including a backing layer adapted to trap fragments resulting from the impacting projectile threat.  
     
     
         16 . Ballistic armor according to  claim 15 , wherein said backing layer is made from one of the following: aluminum, Spectra®, Dyneema®, Kevlar™, Twaron™, High Density Poly-Ethylene, aramids, S 2  glass fibers, E glass fibers.  
     
     
         17 . Ballistic armor according to  claim 14 , further including a frontal spall cover adapted to trap fragments resulting from the impacting projectile threat.  
     
     
         18 . Ballistic armor according to  claim 17 , wherein said spall cover is made from one of the following: fiberglass, Kevlar™, themoset resin, thermoplatic resin.  
     
     
         19 . Ballistic armor according to  claim 14 , wherein said units are bound together by a binding material.  
     
     
         20 . Ballistic armor according to  claim 19 , wherein said binding material is thermoset plastic.  
     
     
         21 . Ballistic armor according to  claim 19 , wherein said binding material is a thermoplastic.