UNDERGARMENT WITH COMPARTMENTS TO LOCATE BALLISTIC PROTECTION ELEMENTS

Abstract

An undergarment with compartments for placing ballistic protection elements (10) of the type used for personal protection against firearms, knives and related weapons; said garment (10) is comprised of a front (10A) and back (10B), both made of multilayers of fabrics (11) joined by seam or any other type of means of union, which includes musculoskeletal assistance elements that allow the weight of the armor elements to be redistributed and keeps the user in a correct and comfortable posture, a heat dissipative material; and a reinforcement system for the compartments where the different ballistic protection elements are housed.

Claims

1. An undergarment with compartments for the placement of ballistic protection elements, consisting of a front (10A) and a back (10B), composed of multilayers of fabrics (11) joined by seam or any other type of joint, characterized by comprising: a) musculoskeletal assistance elements that allow the weight of the armor elements to be redistributed and keeps the user in a correct and comfortable posture; b) a heat-sinking material; and c) a reinforcement system for the compartments where the different ballistic protection elements are housed.

2. An undergarment in accordance with claim 1, wherein the musculoskeletal assistive elements comprise a continuous elastic frame constructed into such a shirt and consisting of a series of anchor portions and a series of active portions, each of which is designed to coincide with corresponding sectors of the wearer's body.

3. An undergarment according to claim 2, wherein the anchor portions are positioned in such a way that they do not suffer substantially any deformation since they are located on the edges of the shirt, while the active portions are positioned in such a way that when the ballistic protection elements are placed the weight of the same causes them to deform by contracting or elongating, depending on the area of the body where the active portion is located.

4. An undergarment according to claim 3, wherein the rigid components subjected to compression create tensile forces on the flexible components subjected to tension, whereas, conversely, the latter compress the components under compression.

5. An undergarment according to claim 2, wherein the body of the garment covers the elastic frame has a first coefficient of elasticity and the elastic frame has a second coefficient of elasticity, greater than or equal to that first coefficient of elasticity.

6. An undergarment according to claim 2, wherein the active portions comprise elastomeric fibers with a denser warp than the warp of the T-shirt surrounding them and are generally in a pre-stressed condition, such that when the wearer puts on the T-shirt, these active portions fit closer to the wearer's body.

7. An undergarment according to claim 1, wherein the heat-sinking material forms a pattern on the textile of the garment that defines a surface pattern with free portions on which there is no heat-sinking material, and portions occupied by the heat-dissipating material, wherein the surface pattern forms a network of lines that intersect at a plurality of points forming a network.

8. An undergarment in accordance with claim 7, wherein said heat-sinking material is composed of graphene.

9. An under garment according to claim 7, wherein the heat-sinking material is applied to the textile using a printing technique and then heated to seal the heat-sinking material to the textile.

10. An undergarment according to claim 7, wherein the heat dissipative material pattern covers between 10% and 70% of the surface of the garment.

11. An undergarment according to claim 10, wherein the heat sink material pattern covers between 30% and 70% of the surface.

12. An undergarment according to claim 10, wherein the heat sink material pattern covers between 40% and 70% of the surface of the garment.

13. An undergarment according to claim 7, wherein the pattern comprises a basic hexagon design, wherein the hexagons may form a regular pattern.

14. An undergarment according to claim 13, characterized by the design forming patterns with more specific shapes selected from a central point towards the periphery of the shirt and spirals.

15. An undergarment according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement system for the compartments where the different ballistic protection elements are housed consists of an element made of cotton canvas which is located at the bottom of the compartment and is attached to the shirt by means of reinforcement seams.

16. An undergarment according to claim 15, wherein the cotton canvas material may be a 1-, 2- or 3-gauge canvas.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0018] As a complement to this description in order to offer a better understanding of the characteristics of the present invention and according to a preferred practical realization of the same, attached to the description is a set of drawings, where, in an exemplified way, although not limited to its operation, it represents its operation:

[0019] FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the undergarment with central pockets for the location of ballistic protection elements and zippers in the closed position;

[0020] FIG. 2 corresponds to a frontal view of the undergarment in accordance with the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 3 corresponds to a rear view of an embodiment of the undergarment according to the present invention;

[0022] FIG. 4 corresponds to a view in left lateral perspective of an undergarment with musculoskeletal assistance elements in accordance with the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 5 corresponds to a frontal view of the present invention showing the elements of musculoskeletal assistance at the abdominal level.

[0024] FIG. 6 corresponds to a rear view of the present invention that allows us to appreciate the elements of musculoskeletal assistance in the lumbar area and back.

[0025] FIG. 7 corresponds to a perspective view of the present invention, which allows us to appreciate the thermal circuit for heat management.

[0026] FIG. 8 corresponds to a frontal view of the present invention, which allows us to appreciate the thermal heat circuit.

[0027] FIG. 9 corresponds to a later view of the present invention, which allows us to appreciate the thermal heat circuit.

[0028] FIG. 10 corresponds to a view in front left perspective of the present invention, which allows us to appreciate the reinforcement system for the pockets where the ballistic protection elements are placed.

[0029] FIG. 11 corresponds to a front view of the present invention, which shows the reinforcement system for the pockets where the ballistic protection elements are placed.

[0030] FIG. 12 corresponds to a later view of the present invention, which shows the reinforcement system for the pockets where the ballistic protection elements are placed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] A variety of improvements have been made to design satisfying, concealed garments such as body armor or so-called bulletproof vests. In the past, many of these garments have been specifically designed for use by police officers as well as the military and have therefore concentrated solely on trying to provide lightweight, flexible garments that protect against death or serious injury caused by ballistic threats.

[0032] Due to recent advances in textile design and the manufacture of ballistic textile materials that are resistant to projectile penetration, it has become possible to provide seasonal, stylish and portable clothing protection of ready-to-wear fashion items that is relatively lightweight yet allows for the mobility of the user.

[0033] Until now there has been no light, stylish, fashionable, concealable, and flexible body armor available that can be worn comfortably and discreetly under or over ordinary clothing or as part of an ordinary jacket, vest, coats, etc. for long periods of time by an ordinary individual who will be able to protect them against a sudden and unexpected attack with a gun. Certain high-profile individuals such as executives, diplomats, bodyguards, etc. may be under constant threat of being targeted by such an unexpected attack by armed individuals. In such situations, this person would not have enough warning to protect themselves with armored garments from the state of the art.

[0034] In addition, she could not comfortably or realistically wear such heavy and bulky garments as part of her daily wardrobe. Although these individuals may seek protection in state-of-the-art ballistic armor, they may lose their professional appearance due to the poor concealability of these aforementioned garments.

[0035] A police officer will still maintain a professional appearance while wearing state-of-the-art ballistic armor, although most of this armor, as well as its edges and seams can be easily seen through the officer's shirt. However, a businessperson like a banker or an executive wearing the same ballistic armor of the state of the art would stand out among his colleagues. The wearer, if they are a high-profile person, such as an artist or a notable politician, would be under closer scrutiny regarding the garments they wear.

[0036] A garment that provides ballistic protection but resembles the wearer's ordinary daily wear would be advantageous. The advantage would also be increased if that ballistic armor can take the form of a formal, business, or casual type of attire to further suit the wearer's environment.

[0037] State-of-the-art types of concealed body armor panels can become particularly uncomfortable in hot weather, as the panels impede body ventilation and restrict moisture removal. Since body armor cannot be worn in hot weather to avoid discomfort, this can put an individual at risk. Consequently, the need has arisen for an interior garment with compartments to locate concealable ballistic protection elements that is convenient to wear, has a professional appearance for civilian users, and allows ventilation when worn. In addition, the present invention increases the degree of comfort of the wearer, as a garment can be used for the combined purposes of ballistic protection and formal outerwear, unlike prior art examples where separate garments must be worn, one type providing the ballistic protection and another independent type providing the formal wear normally worn over the ballistic garment.

[0038] The undergarment with compartments for locating ballistic protection elements in accordance with the present invention is a sleeveless T-shirt or shirt. Throughout this description, and accompanying claims, the expressions undergarment with compartments for ballistic protection elements, T-shirt and shirt refer to the subject matter of the invention interchangeably, unless otherwise indicated.

[0039] With reference to the illustrated drawings, the present patent of invention is an undergarment with compartments for locating ballistic protection elements (10) of the type used for personal protection against firearms, knives and related weapons. This garment (10) is composed of a front (10A) and a back (10B), both composed of multilayers of different fabrics (11).

[0040] Both the front (10A) and the back comprise a lower edge and two side edges and are made from a single piece of fabric, to which a circular hole is opened in a middle portion of it to allow the passage of the user's head when wearing the garment. On each side of the central hole, two strips are built that communicate the front (10A) and the back (10B) forming a single piece.

[0041] Each of the strips comprises an outer edge, which is configured in such a way that, when the lateral edges of each of the front (10A) and back (10B) parts are joined, they form a hole that allows the passage of the user's arms when putting on the shirt. The side edges of each of the front and back parts can be joined by mechanical fasteners or seams. Examples of mechanical fasteners suitable for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to, zippers, buttons, hooks, snaps, magnets, and other devices widely known in the state of the art.

[0042] According to the present invention, the multilayers (11) that make up the front portion (10A) and the back (10B) of the shirt (10), comprise an outer layer (11a) composed of knitted fabric with 14% elastane and 86% Polyamide 330.23 g/m.sup.2, juxtaposed to the fabric layer is a second layer of fabric (11a), also composed of knitted fabric with 14% elastane and 86% Polyamide 330, 23 g/m.sup.2, being that between layers (11a) and (11a) is fixed an intermediate layer (11b) made of 3D antibacterial fabric 100% polyester or synthetic rubber of the neoprene type and provided with a central opening (11b) in a curved shape and that makes up a wide retention piece (L1). The combination of the juxtaposition of layers (11a), (11a) and (11b) make up a front (BL1) and a rear (BL2) pocket for the reception of the respective removable armor panels (BC).

[0043] The last layers (11C) arranged under the pockets (BL1) and (BL2) and which are in closest contact with the user's skin as a lining, are made of knitted fabric.

[0044] The side areas (10D) of the shirt (10) can be made of mesh with antibacterial properties composed of 16% elastane and 84% Polyamide, weighing 186.9 g/m.sup.2, and lined with 100% Polyamide fabric.

[0045] Both shoulder straps (12) have reinforcements made inside in flat polyester fabric and multiple seams (12a) to prevent the elongation of this piece.

[0046] The edges of the neck (10E) and arms (10F) opening of the shirt (10) comprise knitted fabric with antibacterial properties composed of 88% Polyamide and 12% Elastane.

[0047] These fontal (10A) and posterior (10B) parts include a piece (10G) with width (12) and made of knitted fabric with 16% elastane and 84% Polyamide 186 g/m.sup.2.

[0048] The T-shirt, according to the present invention, incorporates musculoskeletal assistance elements that allow the weight of the armor elements to be redistributed and keeps the wearer in a correct and comfortable posture. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the lumbar support system comprises a continuous elastic frame built into the shirt and comprising a series of anchor portions and a series of active portions, each of which is designed to match corresponding sectors of the wearer's body. The elastic frame is designed in such a way that when the shirt is worn by a wearer who is performing an activity that requires ballistic protection elements to be placed in the pockets, the weight of the pockets causes the active portions to deform following the contour of the user's body regions while the anchor portions remain substantially undeformed. The active portions and the anchor portions are of the same nature and differ only by their location on the shirt. It can also be observed that the position occupied by the anchoring portions and the active portions on the body of the garment identify and define the parts of the body on which they must operate and identify.

[0049] The anchor portions are positioned in such a way that they do not suffer substantially any deformation since they are located on the edges of the shirt, which do not deform when the ballistic protection elements are placed. On the other hand, the active portions are positioned in such a way that when the ballistic protection elements are placed, the weight of them causes them to deform, contracting or elongating, depending on the area of the body where the active portion is located. This lengthening or contraction of the active portion transfers the forces caused by the additional weight of the ballistic protection elements to other regions of the user's body, redistributing the effort of loading the ballistic protection elements more evenly, even across the anchor portions. The combination of the anchor portions and the active portions means the ability to optimize the characteristics of a load-bearing structure comprising stress-bearing components, which have a high degree of flexibility, in contrast to compressive components that have a high degree of rigidity, to form a structure that can withstand stresses and maintain a specific overall shape.

[0050] In such a structure, the rigid components under compression create tensile forces on the flexible components under tension, while vice versa, the latter compress the components under compression. In this way, forces are transmitted and distributed evenly throughout the structure; If the respective voltage on a single element increases, this increase is distributed among all components of the system. In practice, increases in tensile forces on stressed components take place globally and are balanced, throughout the structure, by contrary increases in compression on the components under compression. This type of structure has characteristics of stability and, at the same time, elasticity in all working conditions, both for lower and high levels of stress.

[0051] The body of the garment (in particular the part that covers the frame) has a first coefficient of elasticity and the frame has a second coefficient of elasticity, greater than or equal to that first coefficient of elasticity. In this way, when ballistic protection elements are placed, the portions of the frame locally generate a return force on the parts of the user's body with which they coincide. This allows for increased precision in the positioning of the frame on the wearer's body and synergy between the body of the garment and the frame at certain points to achieve an effective tensioning structure.

[0052] Active portions comprise elastomeric fibers with a denser warp than the warp of the surrounding T-shirt and are generally in a pre-stressed condition, such that when the wearer puts on the T-shirt, these active portions fit closer to the wearer's body. When ballistic protection elements are placed in the pockets of the shirt, the weight of the pockets causes the different elastomeric fibers of the active portions to stretch or shrink depending on their position in the body, transferring the forces to other active portions through the anchoring portions. Also, when the shirt does not have any ballistic protection element, the active portions help the wearer to maintain a good posture.

[0053] The T-shirt according to the present invention also comprises a heat-dissipating material. This heat sink material cooperates with the textile of the shirt to improve heat transmission from the hottest areas of the garment to the cooler areas, while not restricting the breathability of the garment, maintaining its ability to absorb and evaporate sweat. The heat dissipating material forms a pattern on the textile of the garment that defines i) a surface pattern with free portions on which there is no heat dissipating material, and portions occupied by the heat dissipating material, where the surface pattern forms a network of lines that intersect at a plurality of points forming a network; (ii) these occupied portions cover between 10% and 70% of the area defined by the master file; and (iii) such heat dissipative material is composed of graphene.

[0054] The heat sink material is applied to the textile using a printing technique and then the garment is heated to seal the heat sink material to the textile. The heat sink material pattern covers 10% to 70% of the garment surface, preferably 30% to 70% of the surface, more preferably 40% to 70% of the garment surface. The pattern comprises a basic hexagon design, as can be seen in FIGS. 7 through 9, where the hexagons can form a regular pattern or patterns with more specific shapes, such as, but not limited to, rays starting from a central point to the periphery of the shirt, spirals, and so on.

[0055] The T-shirt according to the present invention also includes a reinforcement system for the compartments where the different ballistic protection elements are housed. This reinforcement system can be seen in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, and consists of an element made of cotton canvas which is located at the bottom of the compartment and is attached to the shirt by reinforcement seams. The cotton canvas material can be a 1-, 2- or 3-gauge canvas, depending on the type of use to be given to the garment and the type of armored material to be placed in the compartments.

[0056] Although a description of some of the preferred modalities has been made so far, it is not of a limiting nature and the average technician in the field will be able to appreciate that it is possible to make variations and modifications without moving away from the spirit of the invention. The examiner is kindly reminded that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims accompanying it.