Armor panels having strip-shaped protection elements

Abstract

An armor panel having an impact face is provided. The armor panel includes at least one rigid absorbing layer and a high-tensile confining layer surrounding the at least one rigid absorbing layer. The at least one rigid absorbing layer can have a plurality of strip-shaped protection elements that are adhered to one another along a plane substantially orthogonal to the impact face. The at least one rigid absorbing layer can be formed of a glass-ceramic material having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially equal to zero and that, upon impact by a projectile, converts to a dilatant power at least in an area of impact.

1 . An armor panel having an impact face, comprising:
 at least one rigid absorbing layer having a plurality of strip-shaped protection elements adhered to one another along a plane substantially orthogonal to the impact face; and   at least one high-tensile confining layer surrounding the at least one rigid absorbing layer.   
     
     
         2 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein each strip-shaped protection element of the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements has a smallest dimension along an axis other than an axis that is perpendicular to the impact face. 
     
     
         3 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements have a length extending along an x-axis, a width extending along a y-axis, and a thickness extending along a z-axis, each strip-shaped protection element having either a z:x aspect ratio or a z:y aspect ratio that is equal to or greater than 1:1. 
     
     
         4 . The armor panel of  claim 3 , wherein either the z:x aspect ratio or the z:y aspect ratio is between about 2:1 and 60:1. 
     
     
         5 . The armor panel of  claim 3 , wherein either the z:x aspect ratio or the z:y aspect ratio is between about 8:1 and 40:1. 
     
     
         6 . The armor panel of  claim 3 , wherein either the z:x aspect ratio or the z:y aspect ratio is between about 15:1 and 25:1. 
     
     
         7 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , further comprising a second rigid absorbing layer having a second plurality of strip-shaped protection elements adhered to one another along a plane substantially orthogonal to the impact face, the rigid absorbing layers and the second rigid absorbing layer being offset from one another by an angle between from above 0° to 180°, the high-tensile confining layer surrounding the rigid absorbing layer and the second rigid absorbing layer. 
     
     
         8 . The armor panel of  claim 7 , wherein the angle is equal to 90°. 
     
     
         9 . The armor panel of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one intervening plate between the rigid absorbing layer and the second rigid absorbing layer, the at least one high-tensile confining layer surrounding the rigid absorbing layer, the second rigid absorbing layer, and the at least one intervening plate. 
     
     
         10 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one high-tensile confining layer encloses all six sides of the armor panel. 
     
     
         11 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one high-tensile confining layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal, polymer, glass-reinforced polymer, fiber-reinforced polymer, carbon-reinforced polymer, aramid fiber ballistic fabrics, Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethelyne ballistic fabrics, fiber glass, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , further comprising a hoop-stress inducing device. 
     
     
         13 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements comprises glass-ceramic. 
     
     
         14 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements comprises a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially equal to zero. 
     
     
         15 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements has a density of about 3 grams per cubic centimeter or less. 
     
     
         16 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements comprises resin and/or epoxy that is filled with a plurality of reinforcing particles. 
     
     
         17 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one adhesive-layer between each of the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements. 
     
     
         18 . The armor panel of  claim 17 , wherein the strip-shaped protection elements have a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the at least one adhesive-layer. 
     
     
         19 . The armor panel of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements are in a state of pre-compression and the at least one adhesive-layer is in a state of tension. 
     
     
         20 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements are in a state of pre-compression. 
     
     
         21 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one plate shaped layer, the at least one high-tensile confining layer surrounding the at least one rigid absorbing layer and the at least one plate shaped layer. 
     
     
         22 . The armor panel of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one plate shaped layer comprises a plate selected from the group consisting of an impact plate, an intervening plate, a bottom plate, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The armor panel of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one plate shaped layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of metal, polymer, polycarbonate, wood, glass, ceramics, ballistic fabric, fiber glass, glass-ceramic, an aramid reinforced polymer, an Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethelyne reinforced polymer, a polymer impregnated with one or more of these materials, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , further comprising a backing plate secured to an outer surface of the at least one high-tensile confining layer. 
     
     
         25 . The armor panel of  claim 24 , where in the backing plate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, aluminum, steel, or any alloys thereof, an aramid reinforced polymer, an Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethelyne reinforced polymer, polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements has a height along the plane substantially orthogonal to the impact face that is larger than a height of others of the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements to define an area therebetween. 
     
     
         27 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one interlayer-strip positioned between adjacent strip-shaped protection elements. 
     
     
         28 . The armor panel of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one interlayer-strip is formed of a material having density different than the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements. 
     
     
         29 . The armor panel of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one interlayer-strip is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of steel, titanium diboride (TiB 2 ), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), a resin and/or epoxy that is filled with a plurality of reinforcing particles, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The armor panel of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one interlayer-strip is formed of a material having a percent elongation of greater than about 5%. 
     
     
         31 . The armor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements are curved about an axis orthogonal to the impact face or parallel to the impact face. 
     
     
         32 . An armor panel having an impact face, comprising:
 a first rigid absorbing layer having a first plurality of strip-shaped protection elements adhered to one another along a plane substantially orthogonal to the impact face; and   a second rigid absorbing layer having a second plurality of strip-shaped protection elements adhered to one another along a plane substantially orthogonal to the impact face,   the first and second rigid absorbing layers being offset from one another by an angle between from above 0° to 180°.   
     
     
         33 . The armor panel of  claim 32 , wherein the angle is equal to 90°. 
     
     
         34 . The armor panel of  claim 32 , further comprising at least one high-tensile confining layer surrounding the first and second rigid absorbing layers. 
     
     
         35 . An armor panel having an impact face, comprising at least one rigid absorbing layer having a plurality of strip-shaped protection elements adhered to one another along a plane substantially orthogonal to the impact face, each strip-shaped protection element of the plurality of strip-shaped protection elements having a smallest dimension along an axis other than an axis that is perpendicular to the impact face. 
     
     
         36 . The armor panel of  claim 35 , further comprising at least one high-tensile confining layer surrounding the at least one rigid absorbing layer. 
     
     
         37 . An armor panel, comprising:
 at least one rigid absorbing layer comprising a glass-ceramic material having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially equal to zero and that, upon impact by a projectile, converts to a dilatant power at least in an area of impact; and   a high-tensile confining layer surrounding the at least one rigid absorbing layer.   
     
     
         38 . A method of absorbing energy of a projectile, comprising:
 impacting the projectile on an impact face of an armor panel to convert a first strip-shaped protection element of the armor panel into a dilatant powder; and   confining the dilatant powder via a confining layer and strip-shaped protection elements adhered to the first strip-shaped protection element along a plane substantially orthogonal to the impact face so that strain of the projectile on the dilatant powder causes an increased viscosity sufficient to absorb at least a portion of the energy of the projectile.