Plate carrier apparatus and method

Abstract

Embodiments include a method and apparatus for mounting wearable ballistic body armor plates and accessories to a user. Embodiments may include a plate frame assembly comprising one or more plate frames and one or more ballistic body armor plates. The one or more plate frames may at least partially house the one or more ballistic body armor plates and hold them in position with respect to the one or more plate frames. A method of embodiments may include providing one or more plate frames and one or more ballistic body armor plates and using the one or more plate frames to hold the one or more ballistic armor plates in a fixed position with respect to the body armor plates. In some embodiments, the plate frame assembly is resistant to the absorption and/or accumulation of liquids and chemicals.

1 . A plate carrier wearable by a user, comprising:
 a chest plate frame formed of a rigid material including an inner surface that faces the user’s chest when the plate carrier is worn by the user, and an outer surface that faces away from the user when the plate carrier is worn by the user, the chest plate frame configured to hold a ballistic body armor chest plate in a fixed position with respect to the chest plate frame with the ballistic body armor chest plate between the inner surface of the chest plate frame and the user;   a back plate frame formed of a rigid material including an inner surface that faces the user’s back when the plate carrier is worn by the user, and an outer surface that faces away from the user when the plate carrier is worn by the user, the back plate frame configured to hold a ballistic body armor back plate in a fixed position with respect to the back plate frame with the ballistic body armor back plate between the inner surface of the back plate frame and the user; and   one or more shoulder straps connecting the chest plate frame and the back plate frame and configured to allow the plate carrier to be at least partially supported by the user’s shoulders,   wherein, each of the chest plate frame and the back plate frame include a plurality of adjustable attachment mechanisms connected to and disposed around an outer perimeter of the respective plate frame and configured to hold the respective ballistic body armor plate in the fixed position with respect to the respective plate frame by wrapping at least partially around an edge of the respective ballistic body armor plate, and   wherein, each of the chest plate frame and the back plate frame includes one or more built-in features for securing tactical equipment thereto, the one or more built-in features including holes formed in the chest plate frame and the back plate frame.   
     
     
         2 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the chest plate frame and the back plate frame are made of a non-porous rigid material. 
     
     
         3 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the chest plate frame and the back plate frame are made of a plastic material. 
     
     
         4 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more cummerbund straps extending through the chest plate frame and the back plate frame to connect the chest plate frame and the back plate frame to one another and to provide straps around a torso of the user to stabilize the plate carrier around the user. 
     
     
         5 . The plate carrier of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more cummerbund straps is attached to an overlapping portion of said at least one of the one or more cummerbund straps to secure said at least one of the one or more cummerbund straps to the chest plate frame and back plate frame. 
     
     
         6 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more shoulder straps is attached to an overlapping portion of said at least one of the one or more shoulder straps to secure said at least one of the one or more shoulder straps to the chest plate frame and the back plate frame. 
     
     
         7 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more built-in features for securing tactical equipment thereto include a modular attachment system integrated in the plate carrier, the modular attachment system comprising one or more holes between the outer surface and the inner surface of the chest plate frame and between the outer surface and the inner surface of the back plate frame for securing one or more attachments thereto. 
     
     
         8 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising the ballistic body armor chest plate and the ballistic body armor back plate, wherein the ballistic body armor chest plate is at least partially housed in the chest plate frame and the ballistic body armor back plate is at least partially housed in the back plate frame. 
     
     
         9 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adjustable attachment mechanisms include one or more adjustable tabs which are adjustable to accommodate different dimensions of the ballistic body armor plates. 
     
     
         10 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the chest plate frame comprises one or more first extensions extending from an outer perimeter of the chest plate frame to hold the ballistic body armor chest plate in the fixed position, and   the back plate frame comprises one or more second extensions extending from an outer perimeter of the back plate frame to hold the ballistic body armor back plate in the fixed position.   
     
     
         11 . The plate carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second extensions include tabs which are removable from the respective plate frame, and are interchangeable with one or more tabs of a different size to accommodate ballistic body armor plates with different dimensions. 
     
     
         12 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adjustable attachment mechanisms include a plurality of extensions configured to hold at least two differently sized ballistic body armor plates to the respective plate frame by selectively adjusting the extensions outward of the outer perimeter of the respective plate frame. 
     
     
         13 . The plate carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising the ballistic body armor chest and back plates. 
     
     
         14 . A ballistic plate carrier wearable by a user, comprising:
 a rigid frame configured to hold a ballistic body armor plate in a fixed position with respect to the rigid frame, the rigid frame having
 at least a pair of built-in shoulder strap attachment points, 
 at least a pair of built-in belt attachment points, 
 a plurality of adjustable attachment features connected to and disposed around an outer perimeter of the rigid frame, and configured to hold the ballistic body armor plate in the fixed position with respect to the rigid frame by wrapping at least partially around an edge of the ballistic body armor plate, and 
 one or more built-in features for securing tactical equipment thereto, the one or more built-in features including holes formed in the rigid frame, 
   wherein, the rigid frame includes an inner surface and an outer surface, the fixed position being disposed on the inner surface such that the ballistic body armor plate is between the inner surface of the rigid frame and the user when the plate carrier is worn, and the one or more built-in features are configured for securing the tactical equipment to the outer surface of the rigid frame.   
     
     
         15 . The ballistic plate carrier of  claim 14 , wherein the rigid frame is made of a plastic material. 
     
     
         16 . The ballistic plate carrier of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of adjustable attachment features include at least three holes on the rigid frame, disposed at least on opposite side edges of the rigid frame and a bottom edge of the rigid frame. 
     
     
         17 . The ballistic plate carrier of  claim 14 , wherein the rigid frame includes a chest plate frame configured to hold a ballistic body armor chest plate, and a back plate frame configured to hold a ballistic body armor back plate, the chest plate frame and the back plate frame being connected via shoulder straps extending through the shoulder strap attachment points and cummerbund straps extending through the belt attachment points. 
     
     
         18 . The ballistic plate carrier of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more built-in features for securing tactical equipment thereto include a modular attachment system integrated in the plate carrier, the modular attachment system comprising one or more holes between an outer surface and an inner surface of the chest plate frame and between an outer surface and an inner surface of the back plate frame for securing one or more attachments thereto. 
     
     
         19 . A plate carrier wearable by a user, comprising:
 a rigid chest frame including an inner surface and an outer surface, the rigid chest frame configured to substantially surround an outer perimeter of a ballistic body armor chest plate, and to hold the ballistic body armor chest plate in a fixed position with respect to the rigid chest frame such that the ballistic body armor chest plate is between the rigid chest frame and the user when the plate carrier is worn; and   a rigid back frame including an inner surface and an outer surface, the rigid back frame configured to substantially surround an outer perimeter of a ballistic body armor back plate, and to hold the ballistic body armor back plate in a fixed position with respect to the rigid back frame such that the ballistic body armor back plate is between the rigid back frame and the user when the plate carrier is worn,   wherein, the rigid chest frame includes a plurality of first adjustable attachment features connected to and disposed around an outer perimeter of the rigid chest frame and configured to hold the ballistic body armor chest plate in the fixed position with respect to the rigid chest frame, the plurality of first adjustable attachment mechanisms being configured to accommodate ballistic body armor chest plates of different dimensions,   wherein, the rigid back frame includes a plurality of second adjustable attachment features connected to and disposed around an outer perimeter of the rigid back frame and configured to hold the ballistic body armor back plate in the fixed position with respect to the rigid back frame, the plurality of second adjustable attachment mechanisms being configured to accommodate ballistic body armor back plates of different dimensions, and   wherein, each of the rigid frames are made of a plastic material.   
     
     
         20 . The plate carrier of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of adjustable attachment features of the rigid chest frame and the rigid back frame include at least three holes on rigid chest frame, disposed at least on opposite side edges of rigid chest frame and a bottom edge of rigid chest frame and at least three holes on the rigid back frame, disposed at least on opposite side edges of the rigid back frame and a bottom edge of the rigid back frame.