Modular concealable armored garment and system

Abstract

A modular concealable armored garment and system to be worn under shirts, blouses, tunics, and the like, can include an armored front or chest panel, an armored rear or back panel, and two side panels, all of which panels can be individually selected by size and/or shape from a supply of interchangeable ones of the panels having different dimensions, to provide a custom fit, and the side panels connecting to the chest and back panels with ends of the side panels concealed, while allowing relative movement of the panels for comfort and range of motion. As one manner of concealment, the ends of the side panels are rounded, and overlapped by the associated chest or back panel, and connect to the associated chest or back panel in a manner to provide relative movement while maintaining the overlap, to provide mobility and flexibility.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A concealable armored garment, comprising:
 a chest panel of an armored material, configured to be worn in covering relation to a person's chest, including a lower portion configured to cover and provide forwardly facing ballistic protection for the person's stomach region, the lower portion having generally forwardly facing first and second forward side portions including first connecting elements, respectively;   a back panel of an armored material, configured to be worn in covering relation to the person's back, including a lower portion configured to cover and provide rearwardly facing ballistic protection for the person's lower back region, the lower portion having generally rearwardly facing first and second rear side portions including second connecting elements, respectively; and   at least one side panel, having an elongate shape terminating at opposite rounded ends, the side panel having third and fourth connecting elements connected thereto spaced from the opposite rounded ends, respectively, the third and fourth connecting elements being configured to be positioned over the opposite ends, respectively and to connect to the first and second connecting elements, to connect the side panel to the chest and back panels with the rounded ends at least substantially concealed by the side portions thereof, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The concealable armored garment of  claim 1 , wherein the side panel is of an armored material. 
     
     
         3 . The concealable armored garment of  claim 1 , comprising two of the side panels. 
     
     
         4 . The third and fourth connecting elements connected thereto spaced from the opposite rounded ends. 
     
     
         5 . The concealable armored garment of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting elements comprise hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
         6 . The concealable armored garment of  claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth connecting elements are resiliently connected to the side panel, to allow resilient relative movements of the chest and back panels, and the side panel, with the rounded ends of the side panels remaining at least substantially concealed. 
     
     
         7 . The concealable armored garment of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the chest and back panels are selected from a plurality of panels having different dimensions. 
     
     
         8 . The concealable armored garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is modular, to allow disconnection and replacement of any of the panels with a panel of a different size. 
     
     
         9 . A modular concealable armored garment system, comprising:
 a plurality of armored chest panels of different sizes, the chest panels being configured to be interchangeably worn in covering relation to a person's chest, each of the chest panels including a lower portion configured to cover and provide forwardly facing ballistic protection for the person's stomach region, the lower portion having generally forwardly facing first and second forward side portions including first connecting elements, respectively;   a plurality of armored back panels of different sizes, each of the back panels being configured to be interchangeably worn in covering relation to the person's back, each of the back panels including a lower portion configured to cover and provide rearwardly facing ballistic protection for the person's lower back region, the lower portion having generally rearwardly facing first and second rear side portions including second connecting elements, respectively;   at least one side panel, having an elongate shape terminating at opposite rounded ends, the side panel having third and fourth connecting elements connected thereto spaced from the opposite rounded ends, respectively, the third and fourth connecting elements being configured to be positioned over the opposite ends, respectively and to connect to the first and second connecting elements of a selected one of the chest panels and a selected one of the back panels, to connect the side panel to the selected chest and back panels with the rounded ends at least substantially concealed by the side portions thereof, respectively, and;   wherein the selected one of the chest panels and the selected one of the back panels have been selected to fit dimensions of the person's body, and can be replaced by others of the chest and back panels, respectively, if the dimensions change.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the side panel is of an armored material. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , comprising two of the side panels. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the third and fourth connecting elements are connected to the side panel by a stretchable elastic material stretchable to allow relative movements of the panels when connected. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the connecting elements comprise hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the third and fourth connecting elements are resiliently connected to the side panel, to allow resilient relative movements of the chest and back panels, and the side panel, with the rounded ends of the side panels remaining at least substantially concealed. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one side panel is selected from a plurality of side panels having different dimensions.