Bullet proof barriers

Abstract

A method of using an anti-ballistic protection system for protecting an interior space in a building. The ballistic barrier includes a laminated material having a plurality of layers of lightweight, flexible, ballistic resistant material such as woven sheets which are secured together into the laminate using a adhesive, heat weld, or stitching. The ballistic barrier in the deployed state is configured to be resistant to penetration by high-speed ballistic projectiles such as a bullet fired from a gun or a shrapnel from a bomb to protect the interior space, and can be used to protect windows, doors, hallways, and walls from penetration by the ballistic projectiles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of protecting an interior space of a building from a ballistic projectile using a flexible ballistic barrier, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing the flexible ballistic barrier comprised of a plurality of sheets of lightweight anti-ballistic material fixedly laminated together, wherein each one of said plurality of sheets has said anti-ballistic material distributed uniformly throughout said sheet; and   fixedly mounting a mounting structure on a portion of the perimeter of the ballistic barrier to a structure within a building to protect the interior space from the ballistic projectile entering the interior space, wherein   said fixedly mounting is configured in a manner permitting said ballistic barrier to move and/or flex when impacted by the ballistic projectile to absorb kinetic energy from said ballistic projectile.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting structure is mounted at a doorway such that said ballistic barrier is mounted in a manner to protect said interior space from ballistic projectiles entering through said doorway. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting structure is mounted at a window such that said ballistic barrier is mounted in a manner to protect said interior space from ballistic projectiles entering through said window. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting structure is mounted on or at a wall of the building such that said ballistic barrier is mounted in a manner to protect said interior space from ballistic projectiles entering through said wall. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting structure is mounted in or at a hallway of the building such that said ballistic barrier is mounted in a manner to protect said interior space from ballistic projectiles entering through said hallway. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ballistic barrier is configured with the mounting structure provided at a top portion of the ballistic barrier, said mounting structure being configured to retract and deploy said ballistic barrier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ballistic barrier is configured with the mounting structure for permanently deploying said ballistic barrier in the building for protecting occupants of the building in said interior space during normal operation of said building. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of fixedly forming the laminate by sewing the plurality of sheets together to form a substantially flat lam inate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein laminate is configured by gluing or spot welding the plurality of sheets together. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sheets of anti-ballistic material is comprised of fibers woven into cloth to form said sheets of anti-ballistic material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ballistic barrier includes an outer decorative layer or treatment. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ballistic barrier is configured for fire resistance. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of separately mounting a different portion of the perimeter of the barrier to said structure in a manner preserving the ballistic barrier ability to move and/or flex when impacted by a ballistic projectile to absorb kinetic energy from said ballistic projectile. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting is configured to allow a substantial portion of said ballistic barrier to hang freely. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ballistic barrier is configured with a weighted portion that allows a substantial portion of said ballistic barrier to hang freely in a weighted manner. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ballistic projectile is a bullet fired from a weapon. 
     
     
         17 . A method of protecting an interior space of a building from a bullet fired from a gun using a flexible ballistic barrier, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing the ballistic barrier comprised of a plurality of sheets of lightweight flexible anti-ballistic material fixedly laminated together by sewing and/or gluing and/or welding said sheets together to form a substantially flat laminate, wherein each one of said plurality of sheets has said anti-ballistic material distributed uniformly throughout said sheet;   providing a decorative treatment on an outer surface of said ballistic barrier; and   mounting a portion of the perimeter of the ballistic barrier to a structure within the building to protect the interior space from the bullet fired from a gun from entering the interior space, wherein said ballistic barrier is configured to remain permanently deployed in the building, wherein   said mounting is configured in a manner permitting said ballistic barrier to move and/or flex when impacted by the bullet to absorb kinetic energy from said bullet.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said structure of the building is at a doorway such that said ballistic barrier is mounted in a manner to protect said interior space from ballistic projectiles entering through said doorway. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said structure of the building is at a window such that said ballistic barrier is mounted in a manner to protect said interior space from ballistic projectiles entering through said window. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said structure of the building is at a wall or a hallway of the building such that said ballistic barrier is mounted in a manner to protect said interior space from ballistic projectiles entering through said wall or hallway, respectively. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of providing a weighted component on said ballistic barrier that allows said ballistic barrier to hang freely in a weighted manner. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said ballistic barrier is configured with a mounting structure provided at a top portion of the ballistic barrier, said mounting structure being configured to retract and deploy said ballistic barrier. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of forming the laminate by sewing the plurality of sheets together. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sheets of anti-ballistic material is comprised of fibers woven to form said sheets of anti-ballistic material into a cloth. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said ballistic barrier includes an outer decorative layer. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said ballistic barrier is configured for fire resistance. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said mounting is configured to allow said ballistic barrier to hang freely. 
     
     
         28 . A method of protecting an interior space of a building from a high-speed ballistic projectile from a weapon through a doorway of the building using a flexible ballistic barrier, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing the ballistic barrier comprised of a plurality of sheets each comprised of woven fibers of lightweight flexible anti-ballistic material, said sheets being fixedly laminated together by sewing said sheets together to form a substantially flat laminate, wherein each one of said plurality of sheets includes the fibers of anti-ballistic material distributed uniformly throughout said sheets; and   fixedly mounting a portion of the ballistic barrier to a structure at the doorway in an indefinitely deployed manner such that a substantial portion of said ballistic barrier hangs within the doorway to protect the interior space from the ballistic projectile entering through said doorway such that said ballistic barrier is configured to move and/or flex when impacted by the ballistic projectile to absorb kinetic energy from said ballistic projectile.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said ballistic barrier is configured for fire resistance. 
     
     
         30 . A method of protecting an interior space of a building from bullet fired from a weapon through a doorway of the building using a flexible ballistic barrier, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing the ballistic barrier comprised of a plurality of sheets each comprised of woven fibers of lightweight flexible anti-ballistic material, said sheets being fixedly laminated together by sewing said sheets together to form a substantially flat laminate, wherein each one of said plurality of sheets includes the fibers of anti-ballistic material distributed uniformly throughout said sheets;   providing a decorative layer or treatment on an outer surface of said ballistic barrier; and   fixedly mounting a top portion of the ballistic barrier to a structure at the doorway in an indefinitely deployed manner such that a substantial portion of said ballistic barrier freely hangs within the doorway to protect the interior space from the bullet entering through said doorway such that said ballistic barrier is configured to move and/or flex when impacted by the bullet to absorb kinetic energy from said bullet.