Ballistic shield device

Abstract

The present application discloses a lightweight ballistic shield device comprising a composite material that meets or exceeds National Institute of Justice (NIJ) III-A ballistic protection standards and provides ballistic protection at point blank range. In certain embodiments, the ballistic shield device comprises a composite material having multiple layers of a fabric material laminated together with an adhesive disposed between each layer of the fabric material. A thermoplastic film is laminated to the top and bottom surfaces of the composite material. The ballistic shield device may be formed in a variety of ways. For example, the ballistic shield device may be formed as a ballistic clipboard.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A ballistic shield device, comprising:
 a composite material having multiple layers of a fabric material laminated together with an adhesive disposed between each layer of the fabric material;   a first thermoplastic film laminated to a top surface of the composite material; and   a second thermoplastic film laminated to a bottom surface of the composite material.   
     
     
         2 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 1  further comprising an edge trim attached to the periphery of the composite material, wherein the edge trim extends between the top and bottom surfaces of the composite material. 
     
     
         3 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the composite material is between about ¼ inch and about ½ inch. 
     
     
         4 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 1 , wherein the areal density of the composite material is between about 1.1 psf and about 1.5 psf. 
     
     
         5 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric material comprises at least one of an aramid fabric, a fiberglass fabric, an innegra fabric, and a polystrand fabric. 
     
     
         6 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric material is a woven aramid fabric. 
     
     
         7 . The ballistic shield device of the  claim 1 , wherein two or more fibers of the fabric material are orientated at different angles relative to a longitudinal axis of the fabric material. 
     
     
         8 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is a polyurethane based thermoplastic film disposed between each layer of the fabric material. 
     
     
         9 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 8 , wherein the density of the adhesive is between about 80 grams/m 2  and about 100 grams/m 2 . 
     
     
         10 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second thermoplastic films comprise a layer of polypropylene less than 0.02 inch thick. 
     
     
         11 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermoplastic film comprises a layer of polypropylene less than 0.01 inch thick. 
     
     
         12 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 11 , wherein the layer of polypropylene provides a substantially smooth writing surface on the top surface of the composite material. 
     
     
         13 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 1 , wherein the composite material comprises alternating layers of a first fabric material and a second fabric material, and wherein at least one of the type of material, fiber orientation, weave, weight, and density of the first fabric material is different than the second fabric material. 
     
     
         14 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 13 , wherein the fibers of the first fabric material are orientated at either a first angle or a second angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the first fabric material, and wherein the fibers of the second fabric material are orientated at either a third angle or a fourth angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the second fabric material, and wherein the first and second angles are different than the third and fourth angles. 
     
     
         15 . The ballistic shield device of  claim 14 , wherein the first angle is about 0 degrees, the second angle is about 90 degrees, the third angle is about 45 degrees, and the fourth angle is about 135 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . A ballistic clipboard, comprising:
 a composite material comprising multiple layers of a fabric material laminated together with an adhesive disposed between each layer of the fabric material, wherein a first thermoplastic film is laminated to a top surface of the composite material and a second thermoplastic film is laminated to a bottom surface of the composite material;   an edge trim attached to the periphery of the composite material, wherein the edge trim extends between the top and bottom surfaces of the composite material; and   a clip attached to the top surface of the composite material.   
     
     
         17 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 16 , wherein the composite material comprises an opening that forms a handle of the ballistic clipboard. 
     
     
         18 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 16 , wherein the fabric material is a woven aramid fabric, the adhesive is a polyurethane based thermoplastic film having a density between about 80 grams/m 2  and about 100 grams/m 2 , and the first and second thermoplastic films comprise a layer of polypropylene less than 0.02 inch thick. 
     
     
         19 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 16 , wherein the first thermoplastic film comprises a layer of polypropylene less than 0.01 inch thick that provides a substantially smooth writing surface on the top surface of the composite material. 
     
     
         20 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 16 , wherein the thickness of the composite material is between about ¼ inch and about ½ inch and the areal density of the composite material is between about 1.1 psf and about 1.5 psf. 
     
     
         21 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 16 , wherein the thickness of the composite material is about ⅜ inch and the areal density of the composite material is about 1.3 psf. 
     
     
         22 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 16 , wherein the composite material comprises fifteen layers of the fabric material. 
     
     
         23 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 16 , wherein the ballistic clipboard weighs less than 2.0 lbs. 
     
     
         24 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 16 , wherein uniform heat and temperature are used to simultaneously bond the first thermoplastic film, the second thermoplastic film, and the composite material together. 
     
     
         25 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 16 , wherein temperatures between about 265 degrees F. and about 300 degrees F. and pressures between about 100 psi and about 300 psi are used to laminate the first thermoplastic film, the second thermoplastic film, and the composite material together. 
     
     
         26 . A ballistic clipboard, comprising:
 a composite material comprising fifteen layers of a woven aramid fabric material laminated together with a polyurethane based thermoplastic film disposed between each layer of the fabric material, wherein a first layer of polypropylene is laminated to a top surface of the composite material and a second layer of polypropylene is laminated to a bottom surface of the composite material;   an edge trim attached to the periphery of the composite material, wherein the edge trim extends between the top and bottom surfaces of the composite material; and   a clip attached to the top surface of the composite material.   
     
     
         27 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 26 , wherein the ballistic clipboard weighs less than 2.0 lbs. 
     
     
         28 . The ballistic clipboard of  claim 27 , wherein the ballistic clipboard meets the National Institute of Justice III-A ballistic protection standards.