Spring assisted articulating window armor system

Abstract

In the spring assisted articulating window armor system invention, lightweight opaque armor is stored in the down position when not needed. When the armor is needed, a locking pin is released and two air cylinders or gas springs move the armor into the protected position. Then the upper half is hinged to the lower half and the upper armor is raised into position and the locking pin is reinstalled to hold the armor in position. The system in the down position allows for a complete unobstructed viewing area. In the semi-deployed or partial up position, the system provides partial ballistic coverage for the occupant, and still allows for some occupant vision capability. In the fully deployed, or full up position, the system provides full ballistic coverage for the occupant.

1 . A ballistic armor assembly for use with openable planar windows of vehicles and boats, the assembly comprising:
 at least one opaque armor panel positioned in permanent parallel juxtaposition to said window on a pair of slide assemblies mounted on a wall surface on opposing sides of said window inside said vehicle or boat for linear translation thereon from a first lower position not obstructing said window to a second upper position at least partially obstructing said window.   
   
   
       2 . The ballistic armor assembly recited in  claim 1  comprising two said opaque armor panels attached to one another along a common edge in hinged overlapped relation by at least one hinge whereby one such panel may be selectively rotated into coplanar contiguous relation with the other such panel. 
   
   
       3 . The ballistic armor assembly recited in  claim 1  further comprising at least one spring-based device connected at a first end to said at least one armor panel and connected at a second end to said wall surface for assisting the translation of said at least one armor panel from said first position to said second position. 
   
   
       4 . The ballistic armor assembly recited in  claim 2  further comprising a pair of spring-based devices positioned on opposed side edges of one of said two armor panels and each being connected at a first end to said one of said two panels and each being connected at a second end to said wall surface for assisting the translation of said hinged panels from said first position to said second position. 
   
   
       5 . The ballistic armor assembly recited in  claim 3  wherein said spring-based device comprises a gas spring. 
   
   
       6 . The ballistic armor assembly recited in  claim 4  wherein each of said spring-based devices comprises a gas spring. 
   
   
       7 . The ballistic armor assembly recited in  claim 2  further comprising a latch affixed to an edge of said rotated panel for attachment of said rotated panel to a first latch retainer affixed to said wall surface above said window to retain said rotated panel in an elevated position. 
   
   
       8 . The ballistic armor assembly recited in  claim 7  further comprising a second latch retainer affixed to said wall surface below said window to retain said two panels in overlapped rotation.