PROTECTION DEVICE FOR COMBAT VEHICLE

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a protective device for a combat vehicle. The protective device includes a net which protects the combat vehicle from a rocket bomb, and net support assemblies which are provided to install the net on the combat vehicle. Each net support assembly includes a net fixing unit which is coupled to a corresponding one of intersection portions of the net, a vehicle body mounting unit which is mounted to the combat vehicle, and a spacing unit which connects the net fixing unit to the vehicle body mounting unit. The protective device further includes a distance adjuster which adjusts the distance between the net and the vehicle body, a shock absorber which absorbs impact, a protective member which is provided to reduce friction between the rocket bomb and the net strand, and a rocket bomb removal assembly which is installed on each intersection portion of the net.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to protective devices for combat vehicles and, more particularly, to a protective device for a combat vehicle which can be markedly reduced in overall weight and installation cost and provide a wide field of vision for a crew in the combat vehicle, thus enhancing the performance and combat power of the combat vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, protective devices for combat vehicles cover the combat vehicles to protect them against the attack of antitank rockets, e.g., when ambushed or sudden attacked by enemies. Bar armor and net armor technologies are widely used to embody such a protective device, which were developed for the purpose of preventing the warhead of a rocket bomb from striking a combat vehicle based on the fact that upon a warhead provided on a front end of a rocket bomb striking a combat vehicle a detonator is operated by the impact so that gunpowder explodes.

A net armor type protective device for a combat vehicle is formed in a net shape and is made of carbon fiber which is comparatively light and has high tensile strength. Compared to a bar armor type protective device in which metal bars are disposed at regular intervals, the net armor type protective device is advantageous in that it is light and provides a wide field of vision to the crew in the combat vehicle.

The net armor type protective device which is much lighter than the bar armor type can reduce the total weight of the vehicle, thus reducing the burden on a drive system of the vehicle, and improving the fuel efficiency. Moreover, the protective performance of the net armor type protective device is 75% which is superior to that of the bar armor type which is 50%.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a conventional net armor type protective device for a combat vehicle. FIG. 13 is a side view showing a process of making a rocket bomb useless. The conventional protective device for a combat vehicle includes a net 101 which is made of carbon fiber, a rectangular frame 102 which keeps the net taut, and support rods 103 which mount the rectangular frame 102 to the combat vehicle with a predetermined distance defined between the frame 102 and the surface of the combat vehicle.

When a rocket bomb flies at the combat vehicle in a rocket attack by the enemy, a conical front part of the rocket bomb is caught by the net 101 so that the warhead of the rocket bomb cannot collide with the surface of the combat vehicle, thus preventing the rocket bomb from exploding. In addition, upon the conical part of the rocket bomb being caught by the net 101 an electric device in the rocket bomb is shorted by bending deflection, whereby a fuse cannot be normally operated, causing the bomb to misfire.

However, in the conventional protective device using the net 101, the rectangular frame 102 made of metal is used to keep the net 101 taut. Most of the weight of the rectangular frame 102 is consumed by the entire protective device.

Therefore, removing the rectangular frame 102 which is comparatively heavy and reducing the weight of the entire protective device installed on the combat vehicle is required to enhance the mobility of the combat vehicle, reduce a burden on the drive system and improve the fuel efficiency.

If the width and length of the rectangular frame 102 are large to ensure a wide field of vision, it is difficult to keep the net under tension. On the contrary, if they are set small to maintain the tension of the net, not only is the weight of the entire protective device installed on the vehicle increased, but combat power also deteriorates because the rectangular frame 102 obstructs the field of vision of the crew in the combat vehicle.

Furthermore, although the material of the net 101 is carbon fiber which has high tensile strength so that it does not snap easily, because the net 101 is tightly supported by the rectangular frame 102, it may frequently be snapped by a strong impact transmitted from a rocket bomb that strikes the net 101. In addition, the conventional protective device has a basic structure such that a conical part of a rocket bomb is merely caught by the net 101. Therefore, the rocket bomb that has been caught by the net 101 may remain in the caught state rather than being removed from the net 101. In this case, there is the possibility of explosion of the rocket bomb that has been caught by the net 101 when the vehicle is moving. Hence, safety countermeasures are also urgently required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a net armor type protective device for a combat vehicle which is configured such that a plurality of net support assemblies, in place of a rectangular frame which account for most of the weight of the entire protective device installed on the combat vehicle, are used to install a net, thus reducing the weight of the entire protective device, thereby enhancing the mobility of the combat vehicle, and reducing the burden on a drive system of the vehicle, and improving the fuel efficiency.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective device for a combat vehicle in which each net support assembly has a shock absorption function which can absorb impact applied from a rocket bomb to the net, and a distance adjustment function which can adjust the distance between the surface of the combat vehicle and the net.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a protective device for a combat vehicle which is configured such that friction between the net and the rocket bomb is reduced, thus minimizing abrasion of the net, and the rocket bomb that is caught by the net can be easily removed from the net when the rocket bomb is moved backwards by reaction of the net.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a protective device for a combat vehicle which is configured such that when the rocket bomb that has been launched from a rocket launcher and has gotten lodged in the net and moves forwards along with the net, the net is brought into close contact with the circumferential outer surface of the rocket bomb, and when the rocket bomb is moved backwards by reaction of the net, the net that has been put into close contact with the circumferential outer surface of the rocket bomb is loosened so that the rocket bomb can be easily removed from the net, thus avoiding the possibility of explosion of the rocket bomb after it has been caught by the net.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a protective device for a combat vehicle, including: a net protecting the combat vehicle from a rocket bomb; and a plurality of net support assemblies provided to install the net on the combat vehicle, each of the net support assemblies including a net fixing unit coupled to a corresponding one of intersection portions of the net, a vehicle body mounting unit mounted to the combat vehicle, and a spacing unit connecting the net fixing unit to the vehicle body mounting unit so that a distance is maintained between the net and a vehicle body of the combat vehicle.

The net fixing unit may include a fixing body having a plurality of fixing slots into which the corresponding intersection portion of the net is inserted, and a fixing cover coupled to the fixing body so that the intersection portion of the net that has been disposed in the fixing body is fixed to the fixing body.

The spacing unit may include a distance adjuster adjusting the distance between the net and the vehicle body. The distance adjuster may include a left-handed threaded part provided at a side adjacent to the vehicle body mounting unit, a right-handed threaded part provided at a side adjacent to the net fixing unit, a rotary body having an internal thread so that both ends of the rotary body are respectively threaded over the left-handed threaded part and the right-handed threaded part.

The spacing unit may include a shock absorber absorbing shock when the rocket bomb is caught by the net. The shock absorber may include a coil spring coupled at a first end thereof to the net fixing unit and at a second end thereof to the vehicle body mounting unit.

The protective device may further include a protective member provided around each of net strands of the net to reduce friction between the net stand and the rocket bomb. The protective member may comprise a coil spring wound around the net strand.

The protective device may further include a rocket bomb removal assembly provided on each of the intersection portions of the net, the rocket bomb removal assembly having first intersection support points supporting net strands of the net that are brought into close contact with a circumferential outer surface of the rocket bomb and are changed into a shape of a circle when the rocket bomb moves forwards after having been caught by the net, and second intersection support points supporting the net strands that are brought into close contact with the circumferential outer surface of the rocket bomb and are changed into a shape of a circle when the rocket bomb is moved backwards by a reaction of the net, wherein a diameter of the circle formed by the net strands that are supported on the second intersection support points and have changed in shape is greater than a diameter of the circle formed by the net strands that are supported on the first intersection support points and have changed in shape.

The rocket bomb removal assembly may include: a removal body disposed outside the net, the removal body comprising support parts extending predetermined lengths in directions in which the corresponding net strands of the intersection portion extend, each of the support parts having a support depression into which the corresponding net strand of the intersection portion of the net is inserted, so that the support parts support the corresponding net strands at the outside of the net; and a removal cover disposed inside the net and coupled to the removal body, the removal cover covering the intersection portion of the net such that the net strands that are disposed in the support depressions of the removal body are exposed, wherein the first intersection support points are formed on distal ends of the respective support parts of the removal body, and the second intersection support points are formed at respective beginnings of portions of the net strands exposed outside the removal cover.

The rocket bomb removal assembly may include: a removal body disposed outside the net, the removal body having support depressions extending predetermined lengths in directions in which the corresponding net strands of the intersection portion extend, so that the net strands of the intersection portion are inserted into the respective support depressions such that the removal body supports the net strands at the outside of the net, with an inclined surface formed on a circumferential outer surface of the removal body, the inclined surface being reduced in diameter with respect to a direction in which the rocket bomb moves forwards; and a removal cover disposed inside the net and coupled to the removal body, the removal cover covering the intersection portion of the net such that the net strands that are disposed in the support depressions of the removal body are exposed outside, wherein the first intersection support points are formed at respective junctions between ends of the support depressions and the inclined surface, and the second intersection support points are formed at respective beginnings of portions of the net strands exposed outside the removal cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a protective device for a combat vehicle, according to the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are, respectively, a perspective view and a sectional view showing a net support assembly which supports a net in the protective device of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A through 4C are plan views showing fixed states of the net depending on a position on the net according to the present invention;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views showing an example of the installation of the protective device according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a front view showing the installation of protective members of the protective device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are perspective views illustrating the installation of a first embodiment of a rocket bomb removal assembly of the protective device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 8A through 8C are views showing the operation of the rocket bomb removal assembly of the protective device according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged front view of the net to show first and second intersection support points of the rocket bomb removal assembly of the protective device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are perspective views illustrating the installation of a second embodiment of the rocket bomb removal assembly of the protective device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 11A through 11C are views showing the operation of the rocket bomb removal assembly of FIGS. 10A and 10B;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a conventional protective device using a net for a combat vehicle; and

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing the installation of the conventional protective device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a protective device for a combat vehicle according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. FIGS. 1 through 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the protective device according to the present invention. As shown in the drawings, the protective device according to the present invention includes a net 10 which protects the combat vehicle from a rocket bomb, and a plurality of net support assemblies 20 which are provided to install the net 10 on the combat vehicle.

The material of the net 10 is carbon fiber which has high tensile strength so that it does not easily snap. The net 10 is manufactured by intersecting net strands 11 at right angles. A distance between adjacent intersection portions 12 at which the net strands 11 intersect is set to be wide enough for a conical front part of a rocket bomb to be caught by the net 10. Such structure of the net 10 is well known to those skilled in this art, therefore further explanation will be omitted.

The net support assemblies 20 are configured such that the net 10 is maintained tight and is installed at a position spaced apart from a surface of a vehicle body of the combat vehicle by a predetermined distance. The material of the net support assemblies 20 is metal that has a high structural strength. Each net support assembly 20 includes a net fixing unit 30 which is fixed to a corresponding intersection portion 12 of the net 10, a vehicle body mounting unit 40 which is mounted to the combat vehicle, and a spacing unit 50 which connects the net fixing unit 30 to the vehicle body mounting unit 40 and maintains a distance between the net 10 and the vehicle body.

The net fixing unit 30 of the net support assembly 20 includes a fixing body 31 which is disposed below the net 10, and a fixing cover 32 which is disposed above the net 10. A plurality of fixing slots 31a are formed in the fixing body 31 so that the intersection portion 12 of the net 10 is inserted into the fixing slots 31a. In this embodiment, four fixing slots 31a are formed at positions spaced apart from each other at angular intervals of 90° to correspond to the intersection portion 12 of the net 10. The fixing cover 32 is disposed above the net 10 and coupled to the fixing body 31 with the intersection portion 12 of the net 10 interposed between the fixing cover 31 and the fixing body 31, so that the intersection portion 12 of the net 10 is fixed to the net fixing unit 30.

In this embodiment, although the coupling of the fixing cover 32 to the fixing body 31 has been illustrated as being embodied by threaded coupling between an internal thread 31b formed in the fixing body 31 and an external thread 32a formed on the fixing cover 32, the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, any coupling means can be used to embody the coupling of the fixing cover 32 to the fixing body 31, so long as it can coupling the fixing cover 32 to the fixing body 31. The shape of the fixing cover 32 is a conical shape so that when a rocket bomb collides with the fixing cover 32, the conical fixing cover 32 causes the rocket bomb to slip, so that explosion of the rocket bomb can be avoided.

The body mounting unit 40 of the net support assembly 20 functions to fix the net support assembly 20 to the vehicle body at a desired position. The body mounting unit 40 may be fastened to the vehicle body by a method wherein a plurality of fastening holes 41 are formed in the body mounting unit 40 and a fastening means such as a screw is tightened into each fastening hole 41. Alternatively, the body mounting unit 40 may be directly welded to the vehicle body.

The spacing unit 50 of the net support assembly 20 includes a distance adjuster 51 which adjusts the distance between the net 10 and the vehicle body, and a shock absorber 52 which absorbs the shock when a rocket bomb is caught by the net 10.

The distance adjuster 51 includes a left-handed threaded part 53 which is coupled to the vehicle body mounting unit 40, a right-handed threaded part 54 which is coupled to the net fixing unit 30, and a rotary body 55 which has an internal thread 55a so that both ends of the rotary body 55 are respectively threaded over the left-handed threaded part 53 and the right-handed threaded part 54. The left-handed threaded part 53 may be integrally formed with the vehicle body mounting unit 40. Alternatively, the left-handed threaded part 53 may be integrally welded to the vehicle body mounting unit 40 after they are separately manufactured. As illustrated in this embodiment, in the case where the shock absorber 52 is provided, the right-handed threaded part 54 may be welded to and integrated with the shock absorber 52. If there is no shock absorber, although this case is not shown in the drawings, the right-handed threaded part 54 may be integrally formed with the net fixing unit 30 or, alternatively, the right-handed threaded part 54 may be welded to and integrated with the net fixing unit 30 after they are separately manufactured.

Preferably, the shock absorber 52 comprises a coil spring which is fixed at a first end thereof to the net fixing unit 30 and fixed at a second end thereof to the vehicle body mounting unit 40. As illustrated in this embodiment, in the case where the distance adjuster 51 is provided, the first end of the shock absorber 52 is welded to the net fixing unit 30, and the second end thereof is welded to the right-handed threaded part 54 of the distance adjuster 51. If there is no distance adjuster, although this case is not shown in the drawings, the first end of the shock absorber 52 is welded to the net fixing unit 30 while the second end thereof is welded to the vehicle body mounting unit 40.

The net support assembly 20 having the above-mentioned construction can be used as follows. As shown in FIG. 4A, in a central portion of the net 10 in which the net strands 11 that intersect form a “+” shape, each net support assembly 20 supports the net 10 in such a way that the net strands 11 are fitted into the four corresponding fixing slots 31a. As shown in FIG. 4B, in edges of the net 10 in which the net strands 11 form a “T” shape, the net strands 11 are fitted into the three corresponding fixing slots 31a. As shown in FIG. 4C, in each corner of the net 10 which forms an “L” shape, the net strands 11 are fitted into the two corresponding fixing slots 31a.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, if the net support assemblies 20 are installed at appropriate positions of the net 10, the net 10 can be reliably fixed thereto such that it is maintained taut even without using a conventional rectangular frame which has been used to maintain the net 10 taut. Furthermore, the installation of the protective device can be facilitated, and the entire weight of the protective device which is installed on the combat vehicle can also be markedly reduced.

As shown in FIG. 1, not only can the shape of the installed net 10 be a rectangular shape but it can also be other polygonal shapes, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, etc. depending on installation positions of the support assemblies 20. That is, the shape of the installed net 10 can be easily modified in a variety of shapes corresponding to the area of the vehicle body that is required to be protected. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, because the net 10 can be easily installed merely by disposing the net support assemblies 20 at appropriate positions on the vehicle body, the protective device of the present invention can be easily adopted to different shapes of vehicle bodies regardless of the kinds of combat vehicles.

As shown in FIG. 3, if the distance adjuster 51 provided in the spacing unit 50 of the net support assembly 20 is rotated in a normal or reverse direction, the left-handed threaded part 53 and the right-handed threaded part 54 that engage with the internal thread 55a of the rotary body 55 move in opposite directions, thus varying the distance between the vehicle body mounting unit 40 and the net fixing unit 30. Thereby, the distance between the vehicle body and the net 10 can be easily adjusted as necessary.

Particularly, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the net 10 is installed on front and rear surfaces of the vehicle body, if the distance between the vehicle body and the net 10 placed on a central portion of each of the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle body is increased, the net 10 can be slanted from the central portion towards outer edges of the surface rather than being parallel to the surface. In this case, when a rocket bomb that has flown towards the front or rear surface of the combat vehicle collides with the net 10, the rocket bomb bounces sideways rather than in front of the combat vehicle with respect to the direction in which the combat vehicle is moving, so that the rocket bomb does not affect the tires or drive device of the vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 3, the shock absorber 52 provided in the spacing unit 50 of the net support assembly 20 can absorb the shock applied to the net 10 in all directions including vertical and horizontal directions, thus further reducing the possibility of the rocket bomb exploding because it is subject to an intense shock. This makes it possible to reduce the strength of the net 10, in other words, to reduce the thickness of the net 10, thereby further reducing the weight of the entire protective device.

As shown in FIG. 6, the present invention further includes protective members 60 which are provided around the net strands 11 of the net 10 to reduce friction between the net 10 and a rocket bomb. It is preferable for the protective members 60 to be coil springs which are wound around the net strands 11. The protective members 60 function to prevent the rocket bomb from coming into direct contact with the net 10, thus minimizing abrasion of the net 10 that is caused by friction.

Furthermore, the protective members 60 that are coil springs reduce a contact area between the rocket bomb and the net strands 11 so that abrasion of the net 10 that is caused by friction can be further reduced. Moreover, the contact area between the protective member 60 and the rocket bomb is comparatively small. Thus, when the rocket bomb that has entered the net 10 is moved backwards by reaction of the net 10, the protective members 60 cause the rocket bomb to slip from the net, thus easily removing the rocket bomb from the net 10.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are perspective views illustrating the construction and installation of a rocket bomb removal assembly 70 of the protective device according to the present invention. The rocket bomb removal assembly 70 is installed on each intersection portion 12 of the net 10. The rocket bomb removal assembly 70 has first intersection support points 13a which support, on the intersection portion 12, the net strands 11 that are brought into close contact with the circumferential outer surface of the rocket bomb so that their shape changes into the shape of a circle when the rocket bomb is moving forwards after having been caught by the net 10, and second intersection support points 13b which support, on the intersection portion 12, the net strands 11 that are in close contact with the circumferential outer surface of the rocket bomb and whose shape changes into that of a circle when the rocket bomb is being moved backwards by the reaction of the net 10. The diameter of the circle formed by the net strands 11 that are supported on the second intersection support points 13b and have changed in shape is greater than that of the circle formed by the net strands 11 that are supported on the first intersection support points 13a and have changed in shape.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a first embodiment of the rocket bomb removal assembly 70. The rocket bomb removal assembly 70 of this embodiment includes a removal body 71 which is disposed outside the net 10, and a removal cover 72 which is disposed inside the net 10 and coupled to the removal body 71. The intersection portion 12 of the net 10 is interposed between the removal body 71 and the removal cover 72.

The removal body 71 includes support parts 73 which extend predetermined lengths in directions in which the corresponding net strands 11 of the intersect portion extend. Each support part 73 has a support depression 73a into which the corresponding net strand 11 of the intersection portion 12 of the net 10 is inserted, so that the support parts 73 can support the intersection portion 12 at the outside of the net 10. The removal cover 72 is disposed inside the intersection portion 12 and coupled to the removal body 71 to cover the intersection portion 12 of the net 10 such that the net strands 11 that are inserted into the support depressions 73a are exposed to the outside. The first intersection support points 13a are formed on distal ends of the respective support parts 73 of the removal body 71. The second intersection support points 13b are formed at the respective beginnings of the portions of the net strands 11 exposed outside the removal cover 72.

In the first embodiment of the rocket bomb removal assembly 70, although the coupling of the removal cover 72 to the removal body 71 has been illustrated as being embodied by a configuration wherein a plurality of coupling holes 71a are formed in the removal body 71 and a plurality of coupling protrusions 72a are provided on the removal cover 72 so that the coupling protrusions 72a are forcibly fitted into the respective coupling holes 71a, the present invention is not limited to this. Any type of coupling structure can be used so long as the removal cover 72 can be coupled to the removal body 71. The outer shape of the removal body 71 is a conical shape so that when the removal body 71 is put into contact with the rocket bomb, it causes the rocket bomb to slip therefrom, thus preventing a collision between the removal body 71 and the rocket bomb from causing the rocket bomb to explode.

With regard to the rocket bomb removal assembly 70 having the above-mentioned construction, as shown in FIG. 8A, when the rocket bomb enters the net 10, the conical part of the rocket bomb is caught by the net 10, and the net 10 is bent in the direction in which the rocket bomb moves, as shown in FIG. 8B. At this time, the circumferential outer surface of the conical part of the rocket bomb comes into close contact with the net strands 11 so that the shape of the net strands 11 is changed into a circular shape corresponding to the circumferential shape of the conical part of the rocket bomb, wherein as shown in FIGS. 8B and 9, the change in shape of the net strands 11 is based on the first intersection support points 13a that are formed on the distal ends of the support parts 73 which are disposed outside the net 10 and support the net strands 11.

When the rocket bomb that has been caught by the net 10 is moved backwards by the reaction of the net 10, as shown in FIG. 8C, the net 10 is also bent in the direction in which the rocket bomb moves backwards. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 8C and 9, because the net strands 11 move away from the support depressions 73a of the support part 73, the change in shape of the net 10 is based on the second intersection support points 13b that are formed at the beginnings of the portions of the net strands 11 exposed outside the removal cover 720 which is disposed inside the net 10 and grasps the net strands 11.

Thus, a diameter D2 of the circle defined by the net strands 11 that are being changed in shape and supported at the second intersection support points 13b is greater than a diameter D1 of the circle defined by the net strands 11 that are being changed in shape and supported at the first intersection support points 13a. Therefore, when the rocket bomb enters the net 10, the conical part of the rocket bomb is tightly caught by the net strands 11 that are forming the circle that is based on the first intersection support point 13a and have a comparatively small diameter D1. When the rocket bomb is moved backwards by the reaction of the net 10, the circle defined by the net strands 11 is based on the second intersection support points 13b so that the diameter of the circle is extended to the diameter D2. As a result, the rocket bomb can smoothly come out of the net 10 and be easily removed therefrom.

As such, in the present invention, the rocket bomb removal assemblies 70 can make it easy for the rocket bomb to be removed from the net 10, thus avoiding a problem of the rocket bomb, still having the possibility of exploding, remaining in the net 10 rather than being removed from the net 10.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are perspective views illustrating the construction and installation of a second embodiment of the rocket bomb removal assembly. The rocket bomb removal assembly 700 of this embodiment includes a removal body 710 which is disposed outside the net 10, and a removal cover 720 which is disposed inside the net 10 and coupled to the removal body 710 with the intersection portion 12 of the net 10 interposed therebetween.

The removal body 710 has support depressions 711 which extend predetermined lengths in directions in which the corresponding net strands 11 of the intersection portion extend. The net strands 11 of the corresponding intersection portion 12 of the net 10 are inserted into the respective support depressions 711 such that the removal body 710 supports the intersection portion 12 at the outside of the net 10. The removal body 710 has, on a circumferential outer surface thereof, an inclined surface 712 which is gradually reduced in diameter with respect to the direction in which the rocket bomb moves forwards.

The removal cover 720 is disposed inside the intersection portion 12 and coupled to the removal body 710 to cover the intersection portion 12 of the net 10 such that the net strands 11 that are inserted into the support depressions 711 are exposed to the outside. Therefore, the first intersection support points 13a are formed at respective junctions between ends of the support depressions 711 and the inclined surface 712, and the second intersection support points 13b are formed at respective beginnings of portions of the net strands exposed outside the removal cover 720.

In the second embodiment of the rocket bomb removal assembly 70, the coupling of the removal cover 720 to the removal body 710 has been illustrated as being embodied by a configuration wherein a plurality of coupling holes 713 are formed in the removal body 710 and a plurality of coupling protrusions 721 are provided on the removal cover 720 so that the coupling protrusions 721 are forcibly fitted into the respective coupling holes 713, the present invention is not limited to this. Any coupling structure can be used so long as the removal cover 720 can be coupled to the removal body 710. The overall shape of the removal body 710 is a conical shape so that when the removal body 710 is put into contact with the rocket bomb, it causes the rocket bomb to slip therefrom, thus preventing the rocket bomb from colliding with the removal body 710 and exploding.

In the rocket bomb removal assembly 700 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11A, when the rocket bomb enters the net 10, the conical part of the rocket bomb is caught by the net 10, and the net 10 is bent in the direction in which the rocket bomb moves, as shown in FIG. 11B. At this time, the circumferential outer surface of the conical part of the rocket bomb comes into close contact with the net strands 11 so that the shape of the net strands 11 is changed into a circular shape corresponding to the circumferential shape of the conical part of the rocket bomb, wherein as shown in FIG. 11B, the change in shape of the net strands 11 is based on the first intersection support points 13a that are formed on the inclined surface 712 of the removal body 710 which is disposed outside the net 10 and supports the net strands 11.

When the rocket bomb that has been caught by the net 10 is moved backwards by the reaction of the net 10, as shown in FIG. 11C, the net 10 is also bent in the direction in which the rocket bomb moves backwards. At this time, as shown in FIG. 11C, because the net strands 11 move away from the support depressions 711 of the removal body 710, the change in shape of the net 10 is based on the second intersection support points 13b that are formed at the beginnings of the portions of the net strands 11 exposed outside the removal cover 720 which is disposed inside the net 10 and grasps the net strands 11.

Thus, a diameter (D2, refer to FIG. 9) of the circle defined by the net strands 11 that are being changed in shape and supported at the second intersection support points 13b is greater than a diameter (D1, refer to FIG. 9) of the circle defined by the net strands 11 that are being changed in shape and supported at the first intersection support points 13a. Therefore, when the rocket bomb enters the net 10, the conical part of the rocket bomb is tightly caught by the net strands that form the circle that is based on the first intersection support point 13a and has a comparatively small diameter D1. When the rocket bomb is moved backwards by the reaction of the net 10, the circle defined by the net strands 11 is based on the second intersection support points 13b so that the diameter of the circle is increased to the diameter D2. As a result, the rocket bomb can smoothly come out of the net 10, thus being easily removed therefrom.

As such, the second embodiment of the rocket bomb removal assembly 700 can also make it easy for the rocket bomb to be removed from the net 10, thus avoiding a problem in which there is the possibility of the rocket bomb exploding when it remains in the net 10 rather than being removed from the net 10.

As described above, in a protective device for a combat vehicle according to the present invention, a net for protecting the combat vehicle can be easily installed because a plurality of net support assemblies is used. Therefore, compared to a conventional technique which has used the rectangular frame to install the net, the present invention can markedly reduce the weight of the entire protective device installed on the combat vehicle. Due to the reduced weight, the mobility of the combat vehicle can be enhanced, the drive system of the vehicle can be prevented from being damaged by the heavy load, and the fuel efficiency of the combat vehicle can be improved. In addition, using the net support assemblies to install the net can ensure that the crew in the combat vehicle has a wide field of vision, unlike the conventional technique using the rectangular frame. This can enhance the combat power of the combat vehicle.

Further, a spacing unit of each net support assembly is provided with a shock absorber. The shock absorber absorbs the shock generated when a rocket bomb is caught by the net, thus preventing the net or parts for fixing the net from being damaged. Moreover, given the shock absorption function of the shock absorber, the tensile strength of the net is allowed to be set comparatively low. This makes it possible to reduce the thickness of the net, thus further reducing the weight of the net.

In addition, the spacing unit of the net support assembly is provided with a distance adjuster. The distance between the net and the surface of the vehicle body can be adjusted by using the distance adjuster. Therefore, it is very convenient to adjust the distance between the net and the vehicle body depending on the shape of the vehicle body or a position on the vehicle body. Especially, if the net is installed such that it is inclined relative to the vehicle body, the inclination of the net creates an angle so that the rocket bomb enters the net at an angle, thus mitigating the impact power of the rocket bomb, and causing the rocket bomb to bounce off the net sideways relative to the combat vehicle.

Furthermore, rocket bomb removal assemblies are installed on respective intersection portions of the net and make it easy for the rocket bomb that has been caught by the net to be removed from the net, thus avoiding a problem in which there is the possibility of explosion of the rocket bomb when the combat vehicle moves with the rocket bomb that remains in the net.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A protective device for a combat vehicle, comprising:

a net protecting the combat vehicle from a rocket bomb; and

a plurality of net support assemblies provided to install the net on the combat vehicle, each of the net support assemblies comprising: a net fixing unit coupled to a corresponding one of intersection portions of the net; a vehicle body mounting unit mounted to the combat vehicle; and

a spacing unit connecting the net fixing unit to the vehicle body mounting unit so that a distance is maintained between the net and a vehicle body of the combat vehicle.

2. The protective device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the net fixing unit comprises:

a fixing body having a plurality of fixing slots into which the corresponding intersection portion of the net is inserted; and

a fixing cover coupled to the fixing body so that the intersection portion of the net that has been disposed in the fixing body is fixed to the fixing body.

3. The protective device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spacing unit comprises a distance adjuster adjusting the distance between the net and the vehicle body.

4. The protective device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the distance adjuster comprises:

a left-handed threaded part provided at a side adjacent to the vehicle body mounting unit;

a right-handed threaded part provided at a side adjacent to the net fixing unit; and

a rotary body having an internal thread so that both ends of the rotary body are respectively threaded over the left-handed threaded part and the right-handed threaded part.

5. The protective device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spacing unit comprises a shock absorber absorbing shock when the rocket bomb is caught by the net.

6. The protective device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the shock absorber comprises a coil spring coupled at a first end thereof to the net fixing unit and at a second end thereof to the vehicle body mounting unit.

7. The protective device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a protective member provided around each of net strands of the net to reduce friction between the net stand and the rocket bomb.

8. The protective device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the protective member comprises a coil spring wound around the net strand.

9. The protective device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a rocket bomb removal assembly provided on each of the intersection portions of the net, the rocket bomb removal assembly having first intersection support points supporting net strands of the net that are brought into close contact with a circumferential outer surface of the rocket bomb and are changed into a shape of a circle when the rocket bomb moves forwards after having been caught by the net, and second intersection support points supporting the net strands that are brought into close contact with the circumferential outer surface of the rocket bomb and are changed into a shape of a circle when the rocket bomb is moved backwards by a reaction of the net, wherein a diameter of the circle formed by the net strands that are supported on the second intersection support points and have changed in shape is greater than a diameter of the circle formed by the net strands that are supported on the first intersection support points and have changed in shape.

10. The protective device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the rocket bomb removal assembly comprises:

a removal body disposed outside the net, the removal body comprising support parts extending predetermined lengths in directions in which the corresponding net strands of the intersection portion extend, each of the support parts having a support depression into which the corresponding net strand of the intersection portion of the net is inserted, so that the support parts support the corresponding net strands at the outside of the net; and

a removal cover disposed inside the net and coupled to the removal body, the removal cover covering the intersection portion of the net such that the net strands that are disposed in the support depressions of the removal body are exposed,

wherein the first intersection support points are formed on distal ends of the respective support parts of the removal body, and the second intersection support points are formed at respective beginnings of portions of the net strands exposed outside the removal cover.

11. The protective device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the rocket bomb removal assembly comprises:

a removal body disposed outside the net, the removal body having support depressions extending predetermined lengths in directions in which the corresponding net strands of the intersection portion extend, so that the net strands of the intersection portion are inserted into the respective support depressions such that the removal body supports the net strands at the outside of the net, with an inclined surface formed on a circumferential outer surface of the removal body, the inclined surface being reduced in diameter with respect to a direction in which the rocket bomb moves forwards; and

a removal cover disposed inside the net and coupled to the removal body, the removal cover covering the intersection portion of the net such that the net strands that are disposed in the support depressions of the removal body are exposed outside,

wherein the first intersection support points are formed at respective junctions between ends of the support depressions and the inclined surface, and the second intersection support points are formed at respective beginnings of portions of the net strands exposed outside the removal cover.

12. The protective device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the spacing unit comprises a shock absorber absorbing shock when the rocket bomb is caught by the net.