Composite Armor Structure

Abstract

A non-metallic armor structure having lightweight and being capable of withstanding multiple impacts without substantial degradation of the penetration resistance of the armor.

1 . An armor system comprising:
 a polyhedron structure including an outer cellular structure defining individual cavities for receiving a composite insert and wherein said outer cellular structure further defines an inner cavity being substantially filled with a filler.   
     
     
         2 . The armor system of  claim 1  wherein said filler is a ballistic foam. 
     
     
         3 . The armor system of  claim 1  wherein said outer cellular structure includes at least four individual cellular structures forming at least one face and at least three sides and wherein each of said individual structures includes a border and a grid defined by said border. 
     
     
         4 . The armor system of  claim 3  wherein said grid intersects with said border at spaced intervals and wherein said intersects of said grid with said border on said face are substantially aligned with said intersects of said grid with the boarder on each of said sides. 
     
     
         5 . The armor system of  claim 3  further including an inner cellular structure and wherein said inner cellular structure is disposed a distance from said face cellular structure and wherein said filler is disposed between said inner cellular structure and said face cellular structure. 
     
     
         6 . The armor system of  claim 5  further including a second face cellular structure and wherein said second face cellular structure and said inner cellular structure define a second inner cavity and wherein said second inner cavity is substantially filled with a filler. 
     
     
         7 . The armor system of  claim 6  wherein each of said fillers are substantially free of ceramic materials. 
     
     
         8 . The armor system of  claim 5  wherein said inner cellular structure includes a plurality of inserts formed from a composite material. 
     
     
         9 . The armor system of  claim 8  wherein said composite material is a ceramic-based material. 
     
     
         10 . The armor system of  claim 1  wherein said filler is substantially free of ceramic materials and carbon fiber materials. 
     
     
         11 . The armor system of  claim 1  wherein said filler includes a foam structure. 
     
     
         12 . The armor system of  claim 1  wherein said cellular structures may be stacked together, each defining a foam-filled cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The armor system of  claim 1  further including a laminate bonded to at least one surface of said cellular structure. 
     
     
         14 . The armor system of  claim 1  wherein said outer cellular structure includes a plurality of individual cellular structures each having a grid and wherein at least two of said individual cellular structures are within approximately parallel planes and wherein the grids of each of said individual cellular structures for said cellular structures within approximately parallel planes are not in alignment. 
     
     
         15 . The armor system of  claim 1  wherein said outer cellular structure includes a plurality of individual cellular structures each including a substantially planar extent having a grid and wherein at least two of said individual cellular structures are include planar extents that are approximately aligned and wherein the grids of said aligned cellular structures are not aligned. 
     
     
         15 . The armor system of  claim 15  wherein the grid of one of said aligned cellular structures is shifted relative the grid of the other of said aligned cellular structures. 
     
     
         16 . The armor system of  claim 15  wherein the grid of one of said aligned cellular structures is shifted approximately a half a cavity relative to the grid of the other of said aligned cellular structures. 
     
     
         17 . An armor system comprising:
 a plurality of cellular structures each including a plurality of composite inserts, said cellular structures being assembled into a polyhedron shape and a filler being disposed within said polyhedron shape and wherein said filler and said composite inserts are formed from different materials.   
     
     
         18 . The armor system of  claim 17  wherein said filler has a density that is less than said composite inserts. 
     
     
         19 . The armor system of  claim 17  wherein each of said cellular structures includes a grid surrounded by a border and wherein said composite inserts are placed into openings defined within said cellular structure. 
     
     
         20 . The armor system of  claim 17  wherein said cellular structures that form opposing sides of said polyhedron shape each include a grid and wherein the grid patterns of said opposing sides of said polyhedron shape are not aligned when viewed perpendicular to the largest face of said cellular structure. 
     
     
         21 . The armor system of  claim 20  wherein the grid of one of said opposing sides of said polyhedron shape is shifted relative the grid of the other of said opposing sides. 
     
     
         22 . The armor system of  claim 21  wherein the grid of one of said opposing sides of said polyhedron shape is shifted approximately a half a cavity relative to the grid of the other of said opposing sides.