Ballastic plate carrier

Abstract

A ballistic plate or panel carrier, system, and method, has at least one panel of lightweight polymer foam or similar material formed by a pressing process to include an integral stiffened perimeter rim or frame bounding and defining an armor plate or panel cavity making the carrier overall inexpensive to manufacture and lightweight, yet adequately securely holds and supports the armor plate or panel and is safe and comfortable. The carrier can further include one or more cover panels for the plate cavity and outer face of the carrier that can optionally be made using the same process, in the case of covering the cavity, to incorporate one or more lightweight energy absorbing and dispersing standoff spacers for reducing traumatic effect on a wearer from ballistic impact on the associated plate or panel, and in the case of the outer face, to include features, e.g., slits, MOLLE PALS webbing, and/or hook and loop or other fastening system, such as, but not limited to a loop pile fabric, for fastening articles, indicia, and the like to the outer surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ballistic plate carrier, comprising at least one unitary panel of compressed foam having an integral stiffened perimeter rim or frame bounding and defining a cavity for receiving and holding an armor plate or panel. 
     
     
         2 . The ballistic plate carrier of  claim 1 , comprising an outer surface having a pattern of slits or openings therethrough for attaching articles thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The ballistic carrier of  claim 1 , comprising an outer surface of a component of a hook and loop fastening system for attaching articles thereto. 
     
     
         4 . The ballistic plate carrier of  claim 1 , comprising a cover panel attached to the stiffened perimeter rim or frame in covering relation to the cavity, and comprising an outwardly facing surface having features cooperatively engageable with mating features on a spacer panel for attaching the spacer panel thereto. 
     
     
         5 . The ballistic plate carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffened perimeter rim or frame is composed of the foam compressed to a first extent, and the panel further comprises an outer perimeter integrally formed with the stiffened perimeter rim or frame composed of the foam in an uncompressed state or compressed to a second extent less than the first extent. 
     
     
         6 . The ballistic carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the foam comprises EVA. 
     
     
         7 . The ballistic carrier of  claim 1 , comprising a cover panel attached to the stiffened perimeter rim or frame in covering relation to the cavity, the cover panel having an outwardly facing surface comprising outwardly extending protuberances arranged in a pattern and cooperatively retained in a like pattern of concavities in a spacer panel, attaching the spacer panel to the outwardly facing surface. 
     
     
         8 . The ballistic carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer panel has an opposite surface comprising a pattern of outwardly extending protuberances cooperatively retained in a like pattern of concavities in a second spacer panel, attaching the second spacer panel to the cover panel. 
     
     
         9 . The ballistic carrier of  claim 7 , wherein each of the outwardly extending protuberances of the spacer panel is surrounded by a perimeter of a stiffened compressed foam. 
     
     
         10 . A carrier for an armor plate having a predetermined plate thickness, the carrier comprising at least one unitary panel of polymer foam, the panel comprising a center region facing in a first direction and bounded by a perimeter integral therewith, the perimeter having an integral inwardly located rim that extends about and laterally joins the center region, the rim extending in the first direction from the center region to define a cavity receiving the armor plate and having an extent in the first direction about equal to the thickness of the armor plate. 
     
     
         11 . The carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the foam comprising the rim is in a compressed state. 
     
     
         12 . The carrier of  claim 11 , wherein a portion of the perimeter about the rim is uncompressed or has a compressed state less than the compressed state of the rim. 
     
     
         13 . The carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the foam comprising the center region is in a compressed state. 
     
     
         14 . The carrier of  claim 13 , wherein the compressed state is less than a compressed state of the perimeter. 
     
     
         15 . The carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the foam comprises EVA. 
     
     
         16 . The carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the center region comprises a pattern of slits therethrough. 
     
     
         17 . The carrier of  claim 16 , wherein the pattern is a MOLLE PALS pattern. 
     
     
         18 . The carrier of  claim 10 , comprising a cover panel attached to the perimeter in covering relation to the armor plate. 
     
     
         19 . The carrier of  claim 18 , wherein the cover panel comprises an outwardly facing surface comprising outwardly extending protuberances arranged in a pattern and cooperatively retained in a like pattern of concavities in a spacer panel, attaching the spacer panel to the outwardly facing surface. 
     
     
         20 . The carrier of  claim 19 , wherein the spacer panel has an opposite surface comprising a pattern of outwardly extending protuberances cooperatively retained in a like pattern of concavities in a second spacer panel, attaching the second spacer panel to the cover panel.