ANTI-MINE PAD "SafeStep"

Abstract

Invention is an anti-mine pad for protecting legs against anti-personnel pressure-type mines. The pad comprises a rigid horizontal platform, support legs and footwear-fastening elements. The platform has an upper surface for footwear and a lower convex surface. The lower convex protrusion's vertex faces downwards. The platform's lower surface lacks parallel planes when projecting a human foot relative to the upper surface. The support legs provide a space between the platform and the ground. Contact points between the support legs and the ground are outside the platform. The arrangement height of the platform's upper surface above the ground is 40-99 mm. Rigid polymeric material of the pad's inner frame has a greater rigidity than an outer shell's material. The pad protects the human foot against explosions of the anti-personnel pressure-type mines, has small weight, dimensions, is convenient for transportation, easily taken off/worn and reliably hold the user on a surface.

Claims

1. An anti-mine pad comprising a rigid horizontal platform (1), support legs (4) and footwear-fastening elements, and said platform (1) has an upper surface (2) for a footwear and a lower surface (3) having a convex shape to reduce an influence of explosion striking factors, and the support legs (4) are connected to the lower surface (3) of the platform (1), contact by their own support surfaces (11) with a ground surface and arranged in such a way that contact points between the support legs (4) and the ground surface are located outside the platform (1), and the platform (1) is arranged on the support legs (4) in such a way that it provides a space h2 between the upper surface (2) and the ground surface, wherein the lower surface (3) of the platform (1) is made such that it has a convex protrusion (6) with a vertex (9) and two inclined surfaces (7), (8), and the vertex (9) of this convex protrusion (6) faces towards a bottom of the anti-mine pad and arranged primarily along a central axis of the lower surface (3) of the platform (1) in such a way that the lower surface (3) of the platform (1) in a form of the inclined surfaces (7), (8) and their shared vertex (9) has no parallel planes in a projection of a human foot relative to the upper surface (2), and the structure of the platform (1) with the support legs (4) is formed by a rigid polymeric inner frame and a polymeric outer shell (10) that is externally applied to the rigid polymeric inner frame, and the inner frame rigid polymeric material has a higher rigidity than a polymeric material of the outer shell (10), and the arrangement height h2 of the upper surface (2) of the platform (1) above the ground surface is from 40 mm to 99 mm.

2. The anti-mine pad according to claim 1, wherein each of the two lateral inclined surfaces (7), (8) of the convex protrusion (6) of the lower surface (3) of the platform (1) is curved or flat and arranged at an angle relative to the upper surface (2).

3. The anti-mine pad according to claim 1, wherein it comprises four support legs (4), and two of them are arranged in a front part of the platform (1), while other two support legs (4) are arranged in a rear part of the platform (1).

4. The anti-mine pad according to claim 1, wherein the support legs (4) are interconnected in an area of their own support surfaces (11) by means of elements which are made of an elastic polymer.

5. The anti-mine pad according to claim 1, wherein a level of the lower support surface (11) of each of the support legs (4) and a lower level of the vertex (9) of the convex protrusion (6) lie in the same plane or a height h1 between the level of the lower support surface (11) of each of the support legs (4) and the lower level of the vertex (9) of the convex protrusion (6) is 0.1 mm or more than 0.1 mm.

6. The anti-mine pad according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface (2) of the platform (1) has a corrugated surface.

7. The anti-mine pad according to claim 1, wherein it is made as an individual device, and the footwear-fastening elements are openings (5) which are provided in both a toe area and a heel area of the platform (1) and straps which are inserted into said openings (5) of the platform (1) so as the straps are attachable to the footwear and enable a detachment of the fastening elements under a brisant action of an explosion and due to a destruction of the platform (1).

8. The anti-mine pad according to claim 1, wherein it is made as an integral part of the footwear.

Description

LIST OF FIGURES OF THE DEVICE

[0049] FIG. 1 is a general bottom view of the anti-mine pad;

[0050] FIG. 2 is a general top view of the anti-mine pad;

[0051] FIG. 3 is a side view of the anti-mine pad;

[0052] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the anti-mine pad;

[0053] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the anti-mine pad;

[0054] FIG. 6 is a top view of the anti-mine pad.

[0055] List of photos (annexes to the Figures for explaining the nature of the invention).

[0056] FIG. 7 illustrates an imitator (model) of the foot in the footwear with the anti-mine pad worn thereon;

[0057] FIG. 8 illustrates an imitator of the foot in the footwear with the anti-mine pad before the explosion;

[0058] FIG. 9 illustrates a disruption of the imitator of the foot in the footwear with the anti-mine pad by means of the anti-personnel mine PMN-4;

[0059] FIG. 10 illustrates consequences and results of the action of the explosion caused by the PMN-4 mine that acts onto the imitator of the foot in the footwear with the anti-mine pad, namely, the footwear and the foot imitator are safe.

[0060] FIG. 11 illustrates consequences and results of the action of the explosion caused by the PMN-4 mine that acts onto the imitator of the foot in the footwear with the anti-mine pad, namely, the footwear and the foot imitator are safe.

[0061] FIG. 12 illustrates consequences and results of the action of the explosion caused by the PMN-4 mine that acts onto the imitator of the foot in the footwear without the anti-mine pad, namely, the footwear and the foot imitator are broken and destroyed.

[0062] Nomenclature list of elements of the anti-mine pad: [0063] 1rigid horizontal platform; [0064] 2upper surface of the platform 1; [0065] 3lower surface of the platform 1; [0066] 4support legs; [0067] 5openings of the platform 1 (footwear-fastening elements); [0068] 6convex protrusion on the lower surface 3 of the platform 1; [0069] 7, 8inclined surfaces of the protrusion 6; [0070] 9vertex of the protrusion 6; [0071] 10polymeric outer shell of the anti-mine pad structure;

[0072] 11lower surfaces of the support legs 4 (contact points between the support legs 4 and the ground surface); [0073] h1height between the level of the lower support surface 11 of each of the support legs 4 and the lower level of the vertex 9 of the convex protrusion 6; [0074] h2height of arrangement of the upper surface 2 of the platform 1 above the ground surface; [0075] inclination angle of each of the two lateral inclined surfaces 7, 8 of the convex protrusion 6 relative to the upper surface 2 of the platform 1.

Description of the Structure in Static

[0076] The structure of the anti-mine pad comprises the following main elements: the rigid horizontal platform 1 with the upper surface 2, the lower surface 3, the support legs 4 which are connected to the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 and contact with the ground surface, and the footwear-fastening elements formed as, e.g., the openings 5 (but without limitation thereto).

[0077] The upper surface 2 (FIG. 2, 3, 4, 6) of the platform 1 is intended to mount the footwear thereon. In separate embodiments of the invention, when the anti-mine pad is made as a separate device, the upper surface 2 may be corrugated (not shown in the drawings). In these particular embodiments (when the pad is the separate device), the footwear-fastening elements are openings 5 (FIG. 1, 2, 5, 6) which are provided in the toe area and the heel area of the platform 1, and the straps or polymeric fixation elements (not shown in the drawings) which are inserted into said openings 5 of the platform 1 so as to enable its fastening to the footwear and its fixation together with the footwear. The straps for fastening the platform 1 and the footwear together may represent belt straps or strap slings or ropes and other similar flexible, lightweight and tough elements (FIG. 7). It should be noted that the inventive structure provides that the footwear-fastening elements in the form of the openings 5 and the straps are made, arranged and mounted so as to enable easy separation of said straps from the platform 1 as a result of the brisant action of the possible explosion. This effect is achieved owing to the fact that one the platform 1 is one of the fixation sides, and upon its destruction, the fixation connection to the leg will be significantly loosened or completely eliminated in any side of the platform. Except for the straps (slings), the polymeric fixation elements (not shown in the drawings) may be inserted into said openings 5, thereby fastening the anti-mine pad to the footwear. The fixation elements also enable easy falling of the shards of the platform 1 from the footwear without capturing together with the destroyed parts of the footwear platform 1 and the human foot, thereby allowing to avoid any serious injure/damage of the leg.

[0078] In other separate embodiments of the claimed structure, when the anti-mine pad is made as an integral part of the footwear (in the form of the sole), the upper surface 2 of the platform 1 is a location (a plane) of connection of the anti-mine pad directly to the lower part of the footwear. In these embodiments, the footwear-fastening elements of the platform 1 are adhesive seams or casting connection points between the upper part of the footwear and the platform 1. Also, the platform 1 may be fastened to the upper surface 2 of the platform 1 not only by adhesion or casting method, but also by any other connection method that is reasonable in terms of technological needs and possibilities. At the same time, it should be noted that the inventive structure provides that the footwear-fastening elements in the form of adhesive seams or casting connection points or other are provided and arranged so as to enable easy separation of the platform 1 from the footwear as a result of the brisant action of the possible explosion. In these embodiments, the upper element of the footwear may be made from special lightweight and flexible soft tissues or materials which will be easily separated from the platform 1 upon explosion and will not fix the foot to the platform 1 in a completely rigid fashion.

[0079] The lower surface 3 (FIG. 1, 3, 4, 5) of the platform 1 has an original aerodynamic convex shape for decreasing the influence of the explosion striking factors. The aerodynamic shape of the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 is made in such a way that it has the convex protrusion 6 facing downwards along the length of the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 with the vertex 9 and with the two inclined surfaces 7, 8 (FIG. 1, 3, 4, 5). The vertex 9 of this protrusion 6 (together with the two adjacent inclined surfaces 7, 8) are made and arranged along the central axis of the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 in such a way that the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 does not have any flat and parallel horizontal surfaces in a projection of the human foot to the bottom of the platform 1 relative to the upper surface 2 of the platform 1 and relative to the ground surface. The vertex 9 of the protrusion 6 may be made rounded along its entire length. In various separate embodiments of the structure, each of the two lateral inclined surfaces 7, 8 may be flat or curved. In any embodiments of the structure, each of the two lateral inclined surfaces 7, 8 is arranged at the angle (FIG. 4) relative to the ground surface and to the surface 2.

[0080] As mentioned above, the platform 1 comprises the support legs 4 which are connected to the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 and contact by their own support surfaces 11 with the surface (ground, soil, snow, other). In preferable embodiments, the structure of the anti-mine pad comprises four support legs 4, and two of them are arranged in the front part of the platform 1, while other two support legs 4 are arranged in the rear part of the platform 1. Preferably, each of the support legs 4 completely extends in longitudinal and lateral directions (along diagonals) relative to nominal corners of the platform 1 so as to provide stable support of the platform 1 on the ground surface in such a way that the points (places) of contact between the support legs 4 (the own support surfaces 11 of the legs 4) and the ground surface are arranged outside the edges of the platform 1 (FIG. 1-6).

[0081] The arrangement location, direction, inclination angle, length and height of the support legs 4 are made so as to provide the arrangement of the upper surface 2 of the platform 1 above the ground surface at the height h2 (FIG. 3) that is from 40 mm to 99 mm.

[0082] In separate embodiments of the invention, the support legs 4 may be interconnected in the area of their own support surfaces 11 by means of elements which are made of elastic polymer (not shown in the drawings). For example, the support legs 4 may be interconnected by means of four horizontal bridges along the circumference or merely by means of two longitudinal bridges which are arranged at sides or by means of two transverse front and rear bridges. Besides, the support surfaces 11 of the support legs 4 may have different area which is greater or smaller depending, e.g., on the size of the anti-mine pad.

[0083] Also, in separate embodiments of the invention, the level of the lower support surface 11 of each of the support legs 4 and the lower level of the vertex 9 of the convex protrusion 6 may lie in the same plane, i.e., in these embodiments, the convex protrusion 6 also serve as a support element together with the support legs 4. Alternatively, the height h1 between the level of the lower support surface 11 of each of the support legs 4 and the lower level of the vertex 9 of the convex protrusion 6 may be greater than 0.1 mm, i.e., in these embodiments, the convex protrusion 6 is arranged higher than the support level and the convex protrusion 6 does not serve as a support element (FIG. 3).

[0084] The platform 1 is formed by the rigid polymeric inner frame (not shown in the drawings) and the polymeric outer shell 10 (FIG. 1, 2) that is applied to the inner frame. The rigid polymeric material of the inner frame has a greater rigidity and mechanical strength as compared to the material of the outer shell 10. Thus, the inner frame is a base which the polymeric outer shell 10 is applied on. In various separate embodiments of the structure, the rigid polymeric inner frame may be made monolithic or composite (made of several parts) which is not shown in the drawings. The material of the polymeric outer shell 10 has a greater flexibility than the rigid polymeric material of the inner frame to provide energy absorption.

[0085] As compared to the known similar devices, owing to the use of polymeric materials only for the inner frame and for the outer shell, as well as owing to the small height of the platform 1 and of the support legs 4 (both along and in combination), the anti-mine pad has light weight and small dimensions, thereby enabling its convenient and easy transportation and intended use.

[0086] The structure of the anti-mine pad completely lacks any metal elements and details, thereby significantly decreasing a probability of activation of magnetic mines, decreasing the weight of the pad and avoids formation of its own damaging metal shards upon explosion.

Anti-Mine Pad Operation

[0087] The anti-mine pads are used when it is necessary to go through mined areas or to clear the mined areas.

[0088] The device is fastened on the footwear by means of the fastening elements (the openings 5 provided on the platform 1 and the straps) in the toe and heel areas (FIG. 7), thereby allowing to fasten the anti-mine pad to the footwear, and this fastening is not completely rigid and it does not encompass, fix and clamp the foot along its entire circumference, rather it fixes the pad merely in the front and rear parts of the platform 1 which is an important factor at the moment of explosion. In other embodiments, special footwear is used, where the claimed anti-mine pad is an integral part (the sole) of this footwear.

[0089] The rigid horizontal platform 1 and the upper surface 2 (formed by the polymeric outer shell 10 and, in some embodiments, with the corrugated upper surface 2) enable to conveniently mount the footwear thereon (FIG. 7) and, together with the several support legs 4, enable the human to go through the mined areas. The rigid polymeric inner frame of the anti-mine pad (the frame is present both inside the platform 1 and inside each of the support legs 4) provides the required vertical and horizontal rigidity of the pad in order to enable withstanding of the mass/weight load of an armed soldier having special equipment during walking.

[0090] If the human leg with the anti-mine pad steps on the anti-personnel mine, the explosion will occur. In most of such cases, the mine will be activated by one or two support legs 4 and their contact points with the ground surface are arranged outside the platform 1 and, thus, the explosion epicenter also will be arranged at a small distance, but still outside the platform 1, which will somehow decrease the influence of the brisant action onto the platform 1, the footwear and the human foot. In the same way, the mine may be activated due to the contact with the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 (at low values of the height h1 or when the vertex 9 of the convex protrusion 6 is arranged at the same level with the support surfaces 11 of the support legs 4), and then the entire energy of the brisant action will act onto the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 from the bottom to the top. The brisant action of the explosion arises only in close proximity to the charge at a distance that is not greater than 2.0-2.5 of the charge radius (https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/) i.e., the brisant action of the explosion takes place at small distance from the explosion epicenter. Thus, upon contact with the mine, in most of cases, the brisant action firstly will affect the aerodynamic convex surface of the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 that is the closest one to the explosion. The convex protrusion 6 of the lower surface 3 (that is arranged with its vertex 9 towards the ground surface) will partially dissect/dissipate/divide the explosion energy from the vertex 9 of the convex protrusion 6 along the two angular inclined surfaces 7, 8 towards lateral sides from the human foot. Therefore, owing to the fact that the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 completely lacks any flat and parallel horizontal surfaces relative to the ground surface and relative to primarily vertical and perpendicular direction of the brisant action of the explosion from the bottom to the top, the explosion energy will not act directly onto the convex lower surface 3 of the platform 1 itself and, thus, will not act directly onto the human foot, since its damaging action will be decreased. However, in practice, the explosion brisant action has such a power that the aerodynamic convex surface of the lower surface 3 does not allow to completely dampen this destructive brisant action and to completely redirect it in other directions. Considering that: Brisance is an ability of explosion substances(ES) to shatter and to break media which are adjacent to the ES charge upon explosion; the brisance is caused by impact action of detonation products and it appears only at close proximity to the charge at a distance that is not greater than 2.0-2.5 of the charge radius (that's why it is called as local action of the explosion); the brisant action is only a portion of the explosion and it is caused by the main part of the explosion impulse, i.e., the operation of the detonation products upon decrease of their pressure in a relatively narrow range (https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/), while according to the invention, the arrangement height h2 of the upper surface 2 of the platform 1 above the ground surface is from 40 mm to 99 mm, i.e., the platform 1 is arranged directly in the brisant action area of the possible explosion of the anti-personnel pressure-type mine, and the 40 mm distancing from the ground surface decreases the brisant action only partially. As a result of a residual energy of the explosion brisant action, the platform 1 is separated at least into two parts, while the rigid frame is destroyed as well (FIG. 11).

[0091] At the same time: [0092] a part of the energy is partially withdrawn in two directions by the convex protrusion 6 and by the two angular inclined surfaces 7, 8 from the human foot that is horizontally and perpendicularly arranged relative to the direction of action of the explosion energy; [0093] most of the explosion energy is consumed to destroy the polymeric platform 1, i e., firstly the polymeric outer shell 10 is destroyed, and then the rigid inner polymeric frame is destroyed; [0094] at the same time, the platform I is destroyed (broken) into pieces (FIG. 11) which do not have any damaging and dangerous properties for the human due to characteristics of the polymeric material of the outer shell 10; [0095] the rigid and fragile inner frame also absorbs the residual destructive energy and, at the same time, is also destroyed (broken) into parts which also do not have any damaging and dangerous properties for the human due to characteristics of the polymeric material of the inner frame; [0096] when the anti-mine pad is made as the separate device, the platform 1 will be destroyed (broken into parts) at the moment of the explosion, and since the fastening elements are made as the openings 5 in the toe area and in the heel area of the platform 1 and as the flexible straps (fixation elements) which are inserted into said openings 5, the human foot will be easily and quickly got free of the remainders of the platform 1 and of the flexible straps (FIG. 10, 11), while there will be no twisting, deformation, destruction, damaging of the foot under the action of the explosion energy, since the foot is not fixed on the platform 1 in a completely rigid fashion; [0097] when the anti-mine pad is made as the integral part of the footwear, the platform 1 also will be destroyed (broken into parts) at the moment of explosion, and owing to the fact that the fastening elements for fastening the platform 1 to the upper part of the footwear are made as adhesive seams or casting connection points which are provided and arranged so as to enable easy separation of the platform 1 from the footwear, the human foot also will be easily and quickly got free of the remainders of the platform 1, while there will be no twisting, deformation, destruction, damaging of the foot under the action of the explosion energy, since the foot is not fixed on the platform 1 in a completely rigid fashion.

[0098] During experimental tests and studies of the anti-mine pad (in the majority of cases), the structure of the platform 1 will be destroyed (broken) into several parts under the explosion action, while absorbing the main part of the explosion energy and significantly decreasing the brisant action that will not reach the human foot itself owing to the structure of the pad. It should be also noted that the aerodynamic shape of the lower surface 3 of the platform 1 in the form of the convex protrusion 6 with the two inclined surfaces 7, 8 also allows to protect the human and the foot against the influence of the explosion striking factors due to absence of any surfaces parallel to the surface 2. Small rigid, solid and sharp shards of the platform 1 itself and other details of the structure which may damage the human do not bear any crucial damage, since the pad does not comprise any metal or other similar elements. The shards of the destroyed platform 1 will easily free the foot (by bouncing away therefrom) without causing any serious injures of the human leg. And as mentioned above, in this case, no twisting of the platform 1 together with the foot will occur and, thus, no traumatic deformation of the leg will occur. A maximum possible injure of the foot that could be caused when using the anti-mine pad upon stepping on the anti-personnel pressure-type mine (e.g., PFM-1 or PFM-2, but without limitation thereto) will be foot bones breakage or serious bruise, but there will be no serious destructive damages of the foot or crush of the foot which could be life-threatening for the human and would require emergency evacuation and taking special complex medical care.

[0099] Since the structure of the pad does not comprise any metal details, elements, pieces, modern magnetic mines will not be activated when using the pad on the mined area.

[0100] The structure of the pad is simple and has relatively small dimensions, thereby allowing its convenient transportation without involvement of any additional equipment.

[0101] Industrial applicability and achievement of the technical effects when using the anti-mine pad SafeStep have been confirmed many times during conduction of experimental tests of the pad in practice together with the footwear and with the foot model. Conduction of these experiments is illustrated in the photos (FIG. 7-FIG. 12) which show a comparative influence of the explosion onto the footwear and onto the foot model with the anti-mine pad (FIG. 7, 10, 11) and without the anti-mine pad (FIG. 12). As it can be seen from these photos: [0102] the footwear with the foot model that has been exploded without the anti-mine pad has been destroyed completely (FIG. 12); [0103] the footwear with the foot model that has been exploded with the anti-mine pad has remained integral and without any significant damages, and only the anti-mine pad has been destroyed (FIG. 10, 11).