WO2009151643A2

WO2009151643A2 - Body armor support system

Info

Publication number: WO2009151643A2
Application number: PCT/US2009/003560
Authority: WO
Inventors: Randy H. Butler; David J. French
Original assignee: Butler Randy H; French David J
Priority date: 2008-06-12
Filing date: 2009-06-12
Publication date: 2009-12-17
Also published as: WO2009151643A3

Abstract

The body armor support system (100) includes a weight transfer belt comprised of a front portion (150a) removably attachable to a rear portion (150b), both portions encircling a wearer's waist adjacent to the wearer's hip area. The weight transfer belt is secured to the wearer's hip area by quick release buckles (200). A plurality of substantially rigid elongate members (250) extend upward from the weight transfer belt, the upward extending elongate members (250) being removably attachable to a body armor suit, such as the Interceptor Body Armor (IBA), the Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) or the like, at a plurality of attachment points, each attachment point transferring a portion of the weight of the body armor to the wearer's hips.

Description

BODY ARMOR SUPPORT SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to protective apparel, and more particularly to a body armor support system in which the weight of the body armor is substantially supported by the wearer's hips.

BACKGROUND ART

A variety of bulletproof vests have been designed by a large number of designers. Generally these vests must be constructed from a variety of interwoven and/or laminated materials. As the complexity and laminations increase, the safety factor provided for the wearer increases but this added safety comes with the cost of having to support a heavy vest in all types of weather and situational environments which have the potential to add fatigue to the wearer. For example, the Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) includes a Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS) which is a webbing grid disposed on the IBA from which equipment can be attached. It should be understood that the more equipment is attached via the PALS, the heavier the IBA will get. This problem has also been observed by those using the Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) backpack/carry vest system since the MOLLE webbing is similar to the PALS webbing and can support attachment of a variety of soldier equipment.

Thus, a body armor support system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The body armor support system includes a weight transfer belt that can be positioned adjacent to a wearer's hip area. The weight transfer belt is secured to the wearer's hip area. A plurality of substantially rigid, elongate members extend upward from the weight transfer belt, the upward extending elongate members being removably attachable to a body armor suit, such as an Interceptor Body Armor suit (IBA), an Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) or the like, at a plurality of attachment points, each attachment point transferring a portion of the weight of the body armor to the wearer's hips.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a front, environmental perspective view of a body armor support system according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear, environmental perspective view of the body armor support system according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the body armor support system according to the present invention.

Fig. 4A is a side view of the body armor support system according to the present invention. Fig. 4B is a side view of the body armor support system according to the present invention looped into the IBA MOLLE's.

Fig. 5 is a front, environmental perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a body armor support system according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a rear, environmental perspective view of the body armor support system of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a partially exploded, rear perspective view of the body armor support system of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a top rear perspective view of the front belt piece of the body armor support system of Fig. 5, showing details of the loop retainers. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative configuration of a support member for a body armor support system according to the present invention, the support member having reconfϊgurable hinged fasteners.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As shown in Figs 1-4B, the body armor support system has a weight transfer belt 15 that can be positioned adjacent to a wearer's hip area. The weight transfer belt 15 is secured to the wearer's hip area utilizing belt buckle 20. The belt buckle 20 facilitates a custom fit of the weight transfer belt 15 around a crotch protector that may be worn by the user. The belt 15 may optionally include webbing loops on its outside surface to support accessory equipment. The belt may be made of a padded ballistic or non-ballistic material. A plurality of substantially rigid elongate members 25a, 25b (front) and 30a, 30b (rear) extend upward from the weight transfer belt, the upward extending elongate members being removably attachable to a body armor suit, such as the Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) or the like, at a plurality of attachment points, each attachment point transferring a portion of

5 the weight of the body armor to the wearer's hips. All materials of the body armor support system 10 may present an Army Combat Uniform (ACU) digital camouflage appearance. The elongate support members (25a, 25b, 30a, and 30b) may be composed of aluminum, carbon fiber, or similar high strength load-bearing material.

In the embodiment shown in Figs 1-4B, fastening loops 35 are disposed at intervals

IO on the elongate support members (25a, 25b, 30a, and 30b). Each fastening loop 35 can be looped through a respective aperture 33 on the elongate support member. At least one snap- fastening member 47 may be disposed on the elongate support member (25a, 25b, 30a, 30b) in a position below a respective aperture 33 of the elongate support member. The fastening loops 35 may be composed of nylon webbing, hook and loop fasteners, or the like.

15 A free end of fastening loop 35 may have a complementary snap fastening member 45 engageable with a respective snap fastener 47. Thus, an end of fastening loop 35 can be secured to a lower snap fastener 47 on the support member. As shown in Figs 4A and 4B lower ends of the support members (25a, 25b, 30a, 30b) each have a bend followed by straight edge 400a. Support member attachment pockets 400b are disposed on the belt 15.

!0 Support member straight edges 400a removably fit in the support member attachment pockets 400b.

The Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) worn by the user shown in Figs 1 and 2 and shown in the side view of Fig. 4B includes a Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) webbing grid of loops 405 from which equipment can be attached. As shown in

!5 Figs 1 and 2, the user wears the body armor support system assembly 10 with the support members disposed through the MOLLE loops 405. The fastening loops 35 can then engage a "Molle" 405 of the body armor suit by being laced from behind the MOLLE loop 405 through aperture 33 of the support member to engage one of the snap fastening members 47. If the user judiciously selects a fastening loop-"Molle" height combination, a portion of the i0 body armor weight is transferred to the elongate support member where the loop 35 meets the Molle 405. A similar method of fastening the loops to the "Molles" is done for all of the support members to evenly distribute the body armor weight to all of the support members (25a, 25b, 30a, and 30b), thus to the weight transfer belt 15 at the user's hips. An alternative embodiment 100 of the body armor support system is illustrated in Figs 5-6. As most clearly shown in Figs 5 and 6, the ACU weight transfer belt may comprise a front portion 150a and a rear portion 150b. The front portion 150a wraps around a user's anterior waist area and is removably attachable via quick release side buckles 200 to the rear

5 portion 150b, which wraps around the user's posterior waist area. Webbing 201 has a portion sewn onto weight transfer belt front portion 150a, the remainder of the webbing being removably fastened to outside hook and loop patch 701, thereby forming a quick release mechanism for removal of the belt 150a in emergency situations.

As most clearly shown in Fig. 7, an inside hook and loop fastener patch 702 is

10 disposed on an inside surface of weight transfer belt front portion 150a. Complementary flexible hook and loop strips 700 can be formed into attachment loops and attached to the fastener patch 702. Utilizing support member prongs 330, the universal support members 250 can then be fastened to front portion 150a of the weight transfer belt at the attachment loops formed by the strips 700. Belt Molle webbing loops 152 may be arranged at various

15 locations on outer surface of the belt's rear portion 150b. Additional universal support members 250 can then be fastened to rear portion 150b at the belt Molle webbing loops 152. Prongs 330 are arranged along the length of each universal support member 250, the prongs 330 fitting in Molle webbing 405 of an Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) to transfer some of the body armor weight to the wearer's hips.

>0 As shown in Fig. 8, the loop strips 700 can be straightened into an elongate configuration, attached to the inside hook and loop fastener patch 702, and retained by loop strip retainers 704.

As shown in Fig. 9, an alternative elongate support member 900 may have reconfigurable hinged fasteners, the reconfϊgurable hinged fasteners facilitating attachment of

>5 the elongate support member 900 at various weight transferring attachment points on the body armor. Utilizing living hinges 913a and 913b, the upper portion of support member 900 can be fit under and over a molle into a loop configuration which is secured around the molle by snapping fastening components 970a and 970b together.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments

10 described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1 A body armor support system, comprising: a weight transfer belt adapted for positioning adjacent a wearer's hip area; at least one buckle disposed on the weight transfer belt, the at least one buckle securing the weight transfer belt to the wearer's hip area; and a plurality of substantially rigid, elongate members extending upward from the weight transfer belt, the upward extending elongate members being removably attachable to body armor at a plurality of attachment points, each of the attachment points being adapted for transferring a portion of the weight of the body armor to the wearer's hips.

2. The body armor support system according to claim 1, wherein said weight transfer belt has an inside surface adapted for placement adjacent the wearer's body, the system further comprising: a hook and loop fastener patch disposed on an inside surface of the weight transfer belt, said inside belt surface being placed adjacent to a wearer's body; and complementary flexible hook and loop strips removably attachable to the fastener patch, the strips forming attachment loops, the upward extending substantially rigid elongate members being fastened to the weight transfer belt at the attachment loops.

3. The body armor support system according to claim 1, further comprising molle webbing loops disposed on the weight transfer belt, the upward extending substantially rigid elongate members being fastened to the weight transfer belt at the molle webbing loops.

4. The body armor support system according to claim 1, wherein the substantially rigid elongate members have reconfigurable hinged fasteners, the reconfigurable hinged fasteners facilitating attachment of the elongate members at said weight transferring attachment points.

5. The body armor support system according to claim 1, wherein the substantially rigid elongate members have prongs, the prongs facilitating attachment of the elongate members at said weight transferring attachment points.

6. The body armor support system according to claim 1, wherein a rear portion of the weight transfer belt is removably attachable to a front portion.

7. The body armor support system according to claim 6, wherein said at least one buckle comprises a plurality of quick release buckles removably attaching the front and the rear portions of said weight transfer belt to each other.

8. The body armor support system according to claim 6, wherein the rear portion of the weight transfer belt has a higher profile than the front portion.

9. The body armor support system according to claim 1, wherein said weight transfer belt is made of a padded ballistic material.

10. The body armor support system according to claim 1, wherein all constituent materials present an Army Combat Uniform (ACU) digital camouflage appearance.

11. The body armor support system according to claim 1 , wherein the substantially rigid elongate members are made of a high strength load bearing material.