LIQUID COOLED BODY ARMOR

Abstract

A body armor system comprising an existing body armor vest with a plurality of armor plates, an adhering layer, an insulation layer and a plurality of heat exchangers wherein said plurality of armor plates is attached with said plurality of heat exchangers via said adhering layer; the plurality of heat exchangers comprises plurality of metallic plates made preferably of copper or aluminium with pipes brazed to the back-side of the metallic plates.

Claims

1. A liquid cooled body armor system, comprising: a body armor vest (10) with a plurality of armor plates (12,14) and a plurality of flexible polymer tubes (16,18); an adhering insulation layer (28); and a plurality of heat exchangers (20,22); wherein, the plurality of armor plates (12,14) is attached with said plurality of heat exchangers (20,22) via said adhering insulation layer (32); the plurality of heat exchangers (20,22) comprises a plurality of flexible metallic plates made preferably of copper or aluminium with said flexible metal tubes/pipes (26,24) brazed to the back-side of the metallic plates; and the insulation layer (28) is placed on an inner surface of the armor plates (12,14) to prevent cooling of the armor plate (12,14), thus obviating condensation.

2. The liquid cooled body armor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulation layer (28) is placed between the armor plates (12,14) and the flexible metallic plates of the heat exchanger (20,22) to improve the efficiency of the system.

3. The liquid cooled body armor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heat exchangers (20,22) comprise a thin flexible metal plate having thickness between 0.05 mm and 10 mm, to which a series of thin flexible metal tubes (26, 24) having outer diameter between 0.5 mm and 10 mm, are soldered, brazed, or bonded.

4. The liquid cooled body armor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible polymer tubes (16,18) have a fluid flowing through them, said fluid exchanges heat with walls of the thin flexible metal tube (26,24) through convection, which in turn exchanges heat with the thin flexible metal plate of said heat exchanger (20,22) through conduction, which in turn exchanges heat with the skin of the wearer through conduction.

5. A liquid cooled body armor system comprising: an body armor vest (10) with a plurality of armor plates (12,14) and plurality of flexible polymer tubes (16,18); a plurality of latching means; and a plurality of heat exchangers (20,22); wherein, the plurality of armor plates (12,14) is attached with said plurality of heat exchangers (20,22) via said latching means; and the plurality of heat exchangers (20,22) comprises plurality of flexible metallic plates made preferably of copper or aluminium with flexible tubes/pipes (26,24) brazed to the back-side of the metallic plates.

6. The liquid cooled body armor system as claimed in claim 5, wherein an insulation material is used between the armor plates (12,14) and the flexible metallic plates of the heat exchanger (20,22) to improve efficiency of the system.

7. The liquid cooled body armor system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the latching means includes but not limited to magnetic latches, mechanical latches, Velcro® fastener, clipped fasteners etc.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] A complete understanding of the method of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following drawings:

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates the liquid cooled body armor system, front plate and back plate, including a cooling layer, being worn around the human body;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows the body armor assembly, in isolation;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a transparent view of the body armor, cooling plate and tubing assembly;

[0024] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the liquid cooled body armor system; and

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates the liquid cooled body armor system along with an external coolant pumping device in accordance with an embodiment of present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The present invention will now be described more fully. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates the liquid cooled body armor system with front armor plate and back armor plate, which includes a cooling layer (not shown), worn around the human body. Water circulates through the flexible tubes shown.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows liquid cooled body armor system, in isolation.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a transparent view of the body armor vest 10, armor plates 12, 14, an adhering layer and heat exchangers 20, 22. The heat exchangers 20, 22 comprising metallic plates preferably made of copper or aluminium with metallic pipes brazed to the back-side of the metallic plates 12, 14. Water flows through the flexible polymer tubes 16, 18 that go above the shoulders. The metallic pipes 24, 26 that are in between the armor plates 12, 14 and heat exchangers 20, 22 are metallic, and it is brazed to the heat exchange plate 20, 22 that is closest to the skin. The armor plate 12, 14 is the bulletproof steel strike plate or other polymer used in bulletproof equipments. In between the armor plates 12, 14, and the metallic pipes 24, 26 is an insulation layer (not shown), which prevents heat transfer from the cooling circuit to the steel bulletproof plate. This prevents the bulletproof plate from getting cooled, and water condensing. The flexible polymer tubes 16, 18 deliver water to the metallic pipes 24, 26 that are sandwiched between the armor plates 12, 14 and the heat exchange plate 20, 22. Preferably, the armor plates 12, 14 made of steel or other polymer used in bulletproof equipments having thickness from 2 mm to 4 mm and the heat exchange plate 20, 22 is metallic (e.g. copper or aluminum), having thickness from 0.1 mm to 2 mm, with a preferable thickness of 0.2 to 0.4 mm as ideal for most applications. Foam or insulation is used to fill the gaps between the armor plates 12, 14 and the heat exchange plate 20, 22, to prevent water from condensing in these gaps, and to also provide insulation for the colder heat-transfer plate. This improves the energy efficiency of the system, by preventing the cooling of the bulletproof plate, which the person would never feel.

[0030] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the liquid cooled body armor system comprising armor plates 12, an insulation layer 28, metallic pipes 24 and heat exchanger 20.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows an engagement of the liquid cooled body armor system along with an external coolant pumping device 34. The liquid cooled body armor system having provision such as, but not limited to quick connector, etc. at the distal end of tubes 30, 32 to connect it with an external coolant pumping device 34 which circulates coolant at a rate of up to 400 ml/min i.e. in and out of the liquid cooled body armor system. The coolant is pumped into the system at a temperature of 15.1° C. and pumped out of the system at 15.6° C.

[0032] The foregoing description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principals of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

[0033] Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will readily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.