Armor System Comprising Dilatant Material To Improve Armor Protection

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an armor system comprises a plurality of armor layers. The armor system further comprises one or more dilatant material layers located in between two or more armor layers of the plurality of armor layers.

1 . An armor system comprising:
 a plurality of armor layers;   one or more dilatant material layers located in between two or more armor layers of the plurality of armor layers, wherein
 at least a first armor layer of the plurality of armor layers is located at an outer side of the armor system, the outer side being located toward a projectile impact site; 
 at least a dilatant material layer is located at a first depth from the outer side of the armor system, wherein the first dilatant material layer is at least 0.25 inches thick and operable to improve resistance to penetration by a shape charge, an explosively formed penetrator (EFP), an improvised explosive device (IED), a ballistic device or a hypervelocity impact; and 
 at least a second armor layer of the plurality of the armor layers is located at a second depth from the outer side of the armor system; and 
   wherein the armor layers are rigid armor layers that include rigid sheet steel.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein the dilatant material layer comprises polyethylene glycol and silica. 
     
     
         4 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein the dilatant material layer comprises dilatant material in a cavity formed by the first armor layer and the second armor layer. 
     
     
         5 . An armor system comprising:
 a plurality of armor layers; and   one or more dilatant material layers located in between two or more armor layers of the plurality of armor layers;   wherein the armor layers are rigid armor layers that include rigid sheet steel.   
     
     
         6 . The armor system of  claim 5 , wherein
 at least a first armor layer of the plurality of armor layers is located at an outer side of the armor system, the outer side being located toward a projectile impact site;   at least a first dilatant material layer of the one or more dilatant material layers is located at a first depth from the outer side of the armor system;   at least a second armor layer of the plurality of the armor layers is located at a second depth from the outer side of the armor system; and   at least a second dilatant material layer of the one or more dilatant material layers is located at a third depth from the outer side.   
     
     
         7 . The armor system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of armor layers includes a third armor layer, the third armor layer located at a fourth depth from the outer side. 
     
     
         8 . The armor system of  claim 5 , wherein the first dilatant material layer comprises dilatant material in a cavity formed by the first armor layer and the second armor layer. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The armor system of  claim 5 , wherein the dilatant material layer comprises polyethylene glycol and silica. 
     
     
         11 . The armor system of  claim 5 , wherein the dilatant material layer is at least 0.25 inches thick. 
     
     
         12 . The armor system of  claim 5 , wherein the surface area of a shape charge is increased after penetrating through at least a portion of the dilatant material layer. 
     
     
         13 . The armor system of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the armor layers comprises fiber made material impregnated by a dilatant material. 
     
     
         14 . An armor system comprising:
 a plurality of armor layers; and   one or more dilatant material layers located in between two or more armor layers of the plurality of armor layers;   wherein a dilatant material in the dilatant material layer is created using a material in a shape charge, an explosively formed penetrator (EFP), an improvised explosive device (IED), a ballistic device or a hypervelocity impact.   
     
     
         15 . The armor system of  claim 5 , operable to improve resistance to impact by a shape charge, an explosively formed penetrator (EFP), an improvised explosive device (IED), a ballistic device or a hypervelocity impact. 
     
     
         16 . An armored vehicle, comprising:
 a vehicle having an armor system operable to enhance resistance to a shape charge, an EFP, an IED, a ballistic device, an explosive device or a hypervelocity impact, the armor system comprising:   a plurality of armor layers;   one or more dilatant material layers located in between two or more rigid armor layers of the plurality of armor layers, wherein
 at least a first armor layer of the plurality of armor layers is located at an outer side of the armor system, the outer side being located toward a projectile impact site; 
 at least a dilatant material layer is located at a first depth from the outer side of the armor system, wherein the first dilatant material layer is at least 0.25 inches thick and operable to improve resistance to impact by the shape charge, the explosively formed penetrator (EFP), the improvised explosive device (IED), the ballistic device or the hypervelocity impact; and 
 at least a second armor layer of the plurality of the armor layers is located at a second depth from the outer side of the armor system; and 
   wherein the rigid armor layers include rigid sheet steel.   
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The armored vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the dilatant material layer comprises polyethylene glycol and silica. 
     
     
         19 . The armored vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the dilatant material layer comprises dilatant material in a cavity formed by the first armor layer and the second armor layer. 
     
     
         20 . The armored vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the surface area of the shape charge, the explosively formed penetrator (EFP), the improvised explosive device (IED), the ballistic device or the hypervelocity impact is increased after penetrating through at least a portion of the dilatant material layer. 
     
     
         21 . The armor system of  claim 6 , wherein the first dilatant material layer has a different thickness than the second dilatant material layer. 
     
     
         22 . An armor system comprising:
 a plurality of armor layers; and   one or more dilatant material layers located in between two or more armor layers of the plurality of armor layers;   wherein at least a first armor layer of the plurality of armor layers is located at an outer side of the armor system, the outer side being located toward a projectile impact site;   wherein at least a first dilatant material layer of the one or more dilatant material layers is located at a first depth from the outer side of the armor system;   wherein at least a second armor layer of the plurality of the armor layers is located at a second depth from the outer side of the armor system, with the second depth greater than the first depth;   wherein at least a second dilatant material layer of the one or more dilatant material layers is located at a third depth from the outer side, with the third depth greater than the second depth; and   wherein the first dilatant material layer has a different thickness than the second dilatant material layer.   
     
     
         23 . The armor system of  claim 22 , wherein the first dilatant material layer is thicker than the second dilatant material layer.