Body armor structure, method and performance

Abstract

Body armor structure including a unitary material body having strike and opposite faces, and an internal structure disposed between these faces which progresses from shatter-prone to ductile. The methodology of the invention includes the steps of responding to a projectile impact first with a fragmentation energy-dissipating mechanism, and thereafter augmenting such responding with a ductile elastic yield mechanism. The methodology further includes the step of telegraphing the responding action through a brittle/ductile transition region in the structure of the invention to engage the ductile elastic yield mechanism.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . A method of forming an anti-projectile armoring element consisting entirely of a single oxidizable ductile metal and an oxide of that metal, and having opposite faces comprising
 providing a precursor element consisting of an oxidizable, ductile metal and possessing both (a) such opposite faces, and (b) a defined thickness profile between such faces, such element having a capability for processing to create, within the element, and adjacent one only of its opposite faces which is to become a projectile strike face, an oxidized, brittle ceramic region formed of an oxide of the mentioned metal which, progressing through the element's thickness profile to its opposite face, transitions continuously through a brittle/ductile transition region to a non-oxidized, metal, ductile region which is adjacent the opposite face, and   so processing the element.   
   
   
       11 - 12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A method of forming an anti-projectile armoring element consisting entirely of titanium and an oxide of titanium, and having opposite faces comprising
 providing a ductile-quality precursor element consisting of titanium and possessing both (a) such faces, and (b) a defined thickness profile between such faces, such element having a capability for processing to create, within the element, and adjacent only one of its faces which is to become a projectile strike face, an oxidized, brittle ceramic region formed of an oxide of titanium which, progressing through the element's thickness profile to its opposite face, transitions continuously through a brittle/ductile transition region to a non-oxidized, metal, ductile region which is adjacent the opposite face, and   so processing the element.   
   
   
       14 . A method of forming an anti-projectile armoring component having opposite faces comprising
 providing a ductile-quality, precursor component formed oxidizable elemental metal, and possessing both (a) such faces, and (b) a defined thickness profile between such faces, the metal in such component having a capability for processing to create, within the component, and adjacent one only of its faces which is to become a projectile strike face, an oxidized, brittle ceramic region formed of an oxide of the metal which, progressing through the component's thickness profile to its opposite face, transitions continuously through a brittle/ductile transition region to a non-oxidized, metal, ductile region which is adjacent the opposite face, and   so processing the component whereby, following processing, it consists solely of the elemental metal and its formed oxide.