Portable bullet resistant screen

Abstract

A portable bullet resistant screen is disclosed. The screen consists of a flexible sheet made of a bullet resistant material such as kevlar, or ballistic nylon. The flexible sheet has a width, a length and an opposite first and second ends. A first member is rigidly attached to the first end of the sheet and a second member is rigidly attached to the second end of the sheet. The first and second members are each adapted and configured to support the sheet in a substantially upright position. The first member is also adapted and configured to gather the sheet for storage. Preferably the first and second members are elongated and span substantially the entire width of the sheet. The first member is preferably dimensioned and configured to permit the sheet to be rolled onto the first member in a scroll-like fashion. Both the first and second members each have handle portions which are adapted to permit a user to comfortably hold the screen by the handle portions. Also, the first and second members each have a collapsible leg member adapted and configured to support the first and second members in the upright position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates generally to portable bullet resistant screens.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Bullet proof shields are well known. Generally they consist of a rigid shield behind which a person may hide if faced with gunfire. These rigid shields generally have handles to permit the user to grasp the shield. Since the shields are generally designed as rigid structures they tend to be cumbersome and heavy.

[0003] Over the years, lightweight shields have been produced from bullet resistant materials such as Lexan™, Kevlar™ and Ballistic Nylon. While these lighter weight materials have resulted in lighter weight shields, the rigid designs of existing bullet proof shields still limit their use. A portable bullet resistant screening shield device able to protect a number of different people and which is portable and easily assembled in the field would be of great benefit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In accordance with the present invention, a portable bullet resistant screen is disclosed. The bullet resistant screen includes a flexible sheet having a length, a width and opposite first and second ends. The flexible sheet is made of a bullet resistant material. The portable screen also consists of a first member rigidly attached to the first end of the sheet and a second member rigidly attached to the second end of the sheet. The first and second members are each adapted and configured to support the sheet in a substantially upright position. The first member is also adapted and configured to gather the sheet for storage.

[0005] With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1. Is a perspective view of the present invention in it's rolled up configuration.

[0007] FIG. 2. Is a perspective view of the present invention in it's deployed configuration.

[0008] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

[0009] FIG. 3. Is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention in its deployed configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Referring firstly to FIG. 2, a bullet resistant screen made in accordance with the present invention is shown generally as item 10 and consists of a flexible sheet 12 having opposite ends 18 and 20 mounted to elongated support members 14 and 16, respectively. Elongated support 20 members 14 and 16 are provided with collapsible legs 22 and 24 and member 16 has handle portion 28, respectively. Elongated members 14 and 16 are rigidly mounted to the opposite ends of sheet 12 and span the entire width of the sheet between top edge 30 and bottom edge 32.

[0011] Flexible sheet 12 is made of a flexible bullet resistant material such as Kevlar™ or Ballistic Nylon. The sheet must be sufficiently bullet resistant such that bullets fired from small caliber rifles or handguns impacting on sheet 12 will cause sheet 12 to deform without actually penetrating the sheet. Preferably sheet 12 will consist of multiple layers of bullet resistant sheeting material. Suitable bullet resistant sheeting material is generally available on the marketplace under a variety of brand names.

[0012] Elongated member 14 is rigidly attached to end 18 of sheet 12 along it's entire width between edges 30 and 32. Elongated member number 14 is provided with collapsible leg 22 having opposite ends 38 and 40. End 38 of leg 22 is preferably pivotally attached to elongated member number 14. Member 14 has slot 46 which is dimensioned to receive collapsible leg 22. Collapsible leg 22 is also supported by brace member 34 which holds leg 22 at a set angle relative to elongated member 14. Brace 34 may comprise an elongated member having opposite ends 50 and 52 movably attached to elongated member 14 and leg member 22, respectively. Alternatively, brace 34 may comprise a strong cable. Elongated member 16 is also provided with collapsible leg 24 having opposite ends 42 and 44. End 42 is pivotally attached to elongated member 16. Elongated member 16 has slot 48 which is dimensioned to receive collapsible leg 24, such that the leg can be folded into the slot. Brace 36 helps to position leg 24 against elongated member 16. Legs 22 and 24 are dimensioned and configured such that they can support members 14 and 16, respectively, when the legs are fully deployed.

[0013] Elongated member 16 is provided with handle 28. Handle 28 permits a user to grab the elongated member and position the screen as required. When screen 10 is to be stored, collapsible legs 22 and 24 are first folded in towards elongated members 14 and 16 respectively. Elongated member 14 may then be used to roll up sheet 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The device is then more compact and portable. In an emergency situation where the unit is to be deployed quickly, a user may simply grab elongated member 16 via handle portion 28 and then unroll sheet 12 from elongated member 14. Collapsible legs 22 and 24 may then be deployed in order to stand the screen up to form a shield.

[0014] Referring again to FIG. 1, top edge 30 of screen 12 has elongated envelope 60 having a slit like opening 71. Elongated envelope 60 is dimensioned such that foldable spar 26 can unfolded and then inserted into the envelope through opening 71 to stiffen top edge 30. Likewise, bottom edge 32 has elongated envelope 62 having opening 72 which is also dimensioned to receive another spar 26. Spar 26 is preferably made from a plurality of hollow rigid spar elements 25 which are linked together by an elastic cord. Suitable foldable spars are available on the market. When folded out and inserted into both envelopes 60 and 62, spar 26 stiffens both upper edge 30 and lower edge 32.

[0015] Referring back to FIG. 2, elongated members 14 and 16 are provided with bottom ends 54 and 56 respectively. Bottom ends 54 and 56 are preferably configured to firmly secure the ends to the ground. Preferably ends 54 and 56 are provided with high friction rubber pads which are adapted to make good frictional contact with the ground. Likewise, ends 40 and 44 of collapsible legs 22 and 24 are also provided with high friction rubber pads permitting the unit to be stood up in substantially an upright position. Since upper and lower edges 30 and 32 are stiffened by spars located in envelopes 60 and 62, respectively, screen 10 has sufficient rigidify to stand upright.

[0016] Sheet 12 also has portals 64 and 66 adjacent top edge 30 and adjacent elongated members 16 and 14, respectively. These portals permit a user to look through the portals when positioning screen 10.

[0017] When screen 10 is fully deployed, sheet 12 acts as a bullet resistant shield. People hiding behind sheet 12 will be relatively safe from gunfire. Bullets striking sheet 12 will cause the sheet to deform and pull against elongated members 14 and 16. The energy of the bullets will be displaced by sheet 12 from the impact point to elongated members 14 and 16 and then through legs 22 and 24, respectively. If ends 54, 40, 56 and 44 are firmly attached to the ground, then elongated members 14 and 16 will be able to absorb the energy of the impacting bullet while maintaining screen 12 in a substantially upright position. The spars stiffening edges 30 and 32 also help transmit the energy of the impacting bullet towards elongated members 14 and 16.

[0018] The present invention can be made available in a variety of different grades of bullet resistant material, depending on the type of gun fire a user may be faced with. If the user is likely to face only small handgun fire, then sheet 12 forming screen 10 may be made of a relatively light weight gauge of bullet resistant material. However, if the user is likely to face fire from higher velocity weapons such as larger caliber rifles, then sheet 12 may be made more robust. Since sheet 12 may be made from a plurality of sheets of bullet resistant fabric such as Kevlar™, it is relatively simple to produce screens intended to protect against higher caliber fire simply by increasing the number of bullet resistant fabric sheets forming sheet 12.

[0019] Referring now to FIG. 3 an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown as item 100 and consists of elongated member 102 and 104 securely attached to flexible sheet 106. Flexible sheet 106 is also made of a flexible bullet resistant material as in the previous embodiment. Also as in the previous embodiment, sheet 106 is provided with elongated envelopes 110 and 112 which are adapt to receive a collapsible reinforcing spar (not shown). As in the previous embodiment, elongated member 104 and 102 are configured to permit sheet 106 to be rolled on to the elongated members for storage. Elongated member 102 is provided with a handle 114 and elongated member 104 is provided with handle 116. Since both members 104 and 102 are provided with handles, the entire screen mechanism 100 can be manipulated by two individual officers, 120 and 122. Officer 120 can grasp handle 116 in order to maneuver member 104 such that sheet 106 partially covers the officer. Likewise, officer 122 can grasp on to handle 114 in order to manipulate and 102 such that he is protected by sheet 106. In this way, both officers 120 and 122 can enter a zone of fire while being protected by screen 106. If both members 102 and 104 were not provided with handle members, then it would be very awkward for both officers to manipulate screen 106 while ensuring that the screen covers both officers.

[0020] A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A portable bullet resistant screen comprising;

(a) a flexible sheet having a length, a width and opposite first and second ends, the sheet being made of a bullet resistant material,

(b) a fist support member rigidly attached to the first end of the sheet and a second support member rigidly attached to the second end of the sheet, the first and second members each adapted and configured to support the sheet in a substantially upright position, the first member being further adapted and configured to gather the sheet for storage.

2. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second support members are elongated and span the width of the sheet.

3. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 2 wherein the first support member is dimensioned and configured to permit the sheet to be rolled onto the first support member.

4. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 3 wherein the first support member has a handle portion.

5. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 4 wherein the first and second support members each have a collapsible leg member, each leg member adapted and configured to support the first and second support members in the upright position.

6. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 5 wherein the first and second support members each have an elongated slot, each elongated slot dimensioned and configured to receive the collapsible leg member.

7. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 6 wherein each leg member comprises a first elongated leg having opposite first and second ends, the first end of each leg being pivotally attached to its respective support member, each leg member further comprising a brace member having opposite first and second ends, the first end of the brace member being attached to the leg and the second end of the brace member being attached to the legs respective support member.

8. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 1 wherein the sheet has opposite top and bottom edges, the sheet forming a first elongated envelope extending the length of said sheet and adjacent one of said edges, said envelope dimensioned and configured to receive an elongated spar.

9. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 1 wherein the sheet has opposite top and bottom edges, the sheet forming a first elongated envelope extending the length of said sheet and adjacent the top edge, the sheet also forming a second elongated envelope extending the length of said sheet and adjacent the bottom edge, said envelopes each dimensioned and configured to receive an elongated spar.

10. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 1 wherein the sheet has opposite top and bottom edges, the sheet having at least one opening adjacent the top edge, said opening configure to permit a user to look through the opening.

11. A portable bullet resistant screen as defined in claim 4 wherein in the second support member has a handle portion.