Transparent Armor Coupling System

Abstract

A panel mounting assembly operable to mount a panel in an opening defined by at least two frame members. More particularly, a panel mounting assembly operable to mount a ballistic resistant panel in the opening between lower and upper frame members of a vehicle window frame of a vehicle.

1 . An armor system for a vehicle, comprising:
 a ballistic resistant panel having an inner panel surface opposite an outer panel surface joined at a perimeter edge, said perimeter edge including a perimeter upper edge and a perimeter lower edge; and   a panel mounting assembly including:
 a panel mount having a lower mount face affixable to lower frame member of a vehicle window frame; and 
 a cam surface engagable with said perimeter lower edge of said ballistic resistant panel, said cam surface rotatable to move said perimeter upper edge of said ballistic resistant panel to engage an upper frame member of said vehicle window frame. 
   
     
     
         2 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein said panel mount further comprises an upper mount face opposite said lower mount face, said upper mount face having a pair of legs defining a longitudinally extending channel which receives said perimeter lower edge of said ballistic resistant panel to engage said cam surface rotatably disposed between said pair of legs. 
     
     
         3 . The armor system of  claim 2 , further comprising a flange outwardly projecting from said lower mount face, said flange removably insertable into a lower receiving channel of said lower frame member of said vehicle window frame. 
     
     
         4 . The armor system of  claim 3 , wherein said flange extends along the length of said lower mount face. 
     
     
         5 . The armor system of  claim 2 , further comprising a shaft rotatably supported by said pair of legs, said cam surface coupled to said shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The armor system of  claim 5 , further comprising a handle coupled to said shaft, said handle movable about a shaft rotation axis of said shaft to correspondingly rotate said at least one cam surface to move said perimeter upper edge of said ballistic resistant panel to engage an upper frame member of said vehicle window frame. 
     
     
         7 . The armor system of  claim 6 , further comprising a locking member disposed on said shaft between said pair of legs and said handle, said locking member rotatingly responsive to said shaft to align a locking element outwardly projecting from said locking member with a locking aperture disposed in said pair of legs, said locking aperture insertingly receiving said locking element to prevent rotation of said cam surface. 
     
     
         8 . The armor system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a springing element disposed between said pair of legs and said locking member, wherein said handle further comprising a pivot end pivotally coupled to said shaft, said pivot end including a pivot end cam surface engaging said locking member, said handle rotatable about said shaft rotation axis to align said locking element with said locking aperture, said handle rotatable about said pivot axis between an unlocked condition in which said springing element maintains said locking element outside of said locking aperture and a locked condition in which said pivot end cam surface forcible urges said locking element into said locking aperture.   
     
     
         9 . The armor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a groove disposed along the length of said perimeter upper edge between said inner panel surface and said outer panel surface to divide said perimeter upper edge into an inner furcate edge and an outer furcate edge. 
     
     
         10 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein said groove disposed only along the length of said perimeter upper edge between said inner panel surface and said outer panel surface to divide said perimeter upper edge into an inner furcate edge and an outer furcate edge. 
     
     
         11 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein said groove insertingly receives a door seal flange of said upper frame member of said vehicle window frame to dispose said inner furcate edge and an outer furcate edge on opposite sides of said door seal flange. 
     
     
         12 . The armor system of  claim 11 , further comprising a recessed margin disposed in said inner panel surface along said perimeter lower edge of said panel inner surface which matingly receives one of said pair of legs. 
     
     
         13 . The armors system of  claim 12 , wherein said inner surface and said outer surface of said ballistic resistant panel comprise substantially planar inner and outer surfaces. 
     
     
         14 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein said cam surface comprises a pair of cam surfaces each engagable with said lower edge of said ballistic resistant panel and each of said pair of cam surfaces rotatable to move said upper edge of said ballistic resistant panel to engage said upper frame member of said vehicle window frame. 
     
     
         15 . The armor system of  claim 14 , further comprising a pair of shafts rotatably supported by said pair of legs, one of said pair of cam surfaces correspondingly coupled to each of said pair of shafts. 
     
     
         16 . The armor system of  claim 5 , further comprising a pair of handles one coupled to each of said pair of shafts, each of said pair of handles correspondingly movable about a pair of shaft rotation axis of said pair of shafts to correspondingly rotate said pair of cam surfaces to move said upper edge of said ballistic resistant panel to engage said upper frame member of said vehicle window frame. 
     
     
         17 . The armor system of  claim 16 , further comprising a pair of locking members one disposed on each of said pair of shafts between said pair of legs and said pair of handles, each of said pair of locking member rotatingly responsive to a corresponding one of said pair of shafts to align each one of a pair locking element outwardly projecting from said pair of locking member with a pair of locking apertures disposed in said pair of legs, said pair of locking aperture corresponding insertingly receiving said pair of locking elements to prevent rotation of said pair of cam surfaces. 
     
     
         18 . The armor system of  claim 17 , further comprising a pair of springing elements one disposed between said pair of legs and each of said pair of locking members, wherein said pair of handles each further comprise a pivot end pivotally coupled to one of said pair of shafts, each said pivot end including a pivot end cam surface correspondingly engaging said pair of locking members, each of said pair of handles correspondingly rotatable about said pair of shaft rotation axis to align said pair of locking elements with said pair of locking aperture, said pair of handles each rotatable about one of said pair of pivot axes between an unlocked condition in which a corresponding one of said pair of springing elements maintains a corresponding one of said locking elements outside of a corresponding one of said locking apertures and a locked condition in which each one of said pivot end cam surfaces forcible urges a corresponding one of said pair of locking elements into a corresponding one of said locking apertures. 
     
     
         19 - 23 . (canceled)