Vehicle Protection Grating
A vehicle protection grating, system, and method protect a vehicle against projectiles. In one embodiment, the vehicle protection grating includes a stabilizer. The vehicle protection grating also includes a second stabilizer on an opposing side of the vehicle protection grating from the stabilizer. The stabilizer and the second stabilizer each have a plurality of stabilizer links. Each stabilizer link is connected to another stabilizer link by a bar. In addition, the bar extends from the stabilizer to the second stabilizer. The vehicle protection grating is sufficiently flexible to be rolled into an overlapping configuration.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of vehicle protection and more specifically to protection for vehicles against projectiles.
2. Background of the Invention
There is an increasing need for protection of vehicles against projectiles. In various regions of the world, both military and civilian vehicles have come under increased attacks from projectiles such as rocket propelled grenades. Methods for protection against projectiles have included vehicles with armored plates and reactive aimer. Drawbacks to such methods include the armored plates and reactive minor positioned directly on the vehicle, which does not prevent the projectile from contacting the vehicles.
Methods have been developed to overcome such drawbacks. One of such methods is bar armor. Bar armor includes rigid panels of metal bars attached around the perimeter of a vehicle. Drawbacks include the complication of attaching the panels to the vehicle in the field. For instance, the panel sequence must typically be known to allow a user to attach the panels to the vehicle. Further drawbacks include inflexibility of the rigid panels. Additional drawbacks include inefficiencies in attaching the panels to different sizes and types of vehicles.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved method for protecting vehicles against projectiles. Further needs include improved vehicle minor for protection against projectiles.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSThese and other needs in the art are addressed in one embodiment by a vehicle protection grating. The vehicle protection grating includes a stabilizer. The vehicle protection grating also includes a second stabilizer on an opposing side of the vehicle protection grating from the stabilizer. The stabilizer and the second stabilizer each have a plurality of stabilizer links. Each stabilizer link is connected to another stabilizer link by a bar. In addition, the bar extends from the stabilizer to the second stabilizer. The vehicle protection grating is sufficiently flexible to be rolled into an overlapping configuration.
These and other needs in the art are addressed in another embodiment by a grating protection system for a vehicle. The grating protection system includes a plurality of vehicle protection gratings. Each vehicle protection grating includes a stabilizer. The vehicle protection gratings also include a second stabilizer on an opposing side of the vehicle protection grating from the stabilizer. The stabilizer and the second stabilizer each have a plurality of stabilizer links. In addition, each stabilizer link is connected to another stabilizer link by a bar. The bar extends from the stabilizer to the second stabilizer. Each of the vehicle protection gratings is sufficiently flexible to be rolled into an overlapping configuration. Moreover, the grating protection system includes a plurality of attachment brackets. The attachment brackets are secured to the vehicle. The attachments brackets attach the vehicle protection gratings to the vehicle.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that from the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the concept and the specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other embodiments for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent embodiments do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
For a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
As shown in
In embodiments, vehicle protection grating 5 has an adjustable length. The length of vehicle protection grating 5 may be adjusted by removing a desired number of stabilizer links 15 and bars 20 or by adding a desired number of stabilizer links 15 and bars 20. For instance, without limitation, in an embodiment to reduce the length of vehicle protection grating 5 as shown in
In embodiments, vehicle protection grating 5 has bar locking mechanism 25, for instance as shown in
Vehicle protection grating 5 may be secured to a vehicle by any suitable means. In an embodiment, vehicle protection grating 5 is secured to a vehicle by an attachment bracket 35.
In embodiments, a plurality of vehicle protection gratings 5 are attached to vehicle 30 in a grating protection system 75. In an embodiment, grating protection system 75 has a sufficient number of vehicle protection gratings 5 attached to vehicle 30 to substantially prevent a projectile from directly contacting vehicle 30. In such an embodiment, the plurality of vehicle protection gratings 5 of grating protection system 75 may be attached in any desired configuration to vehicle 30. In some embodiments, grating protection system 75 has vehicle protection gratings 5 attached to vehicle 30 in overlapping configurations. Without limitation, vehicle protection gratings 5 may provide increased protection to vehicle 30 from projectiles in the locations at which the vehicle protection gratings 5 overlap.
It is to be understood that vehicle 30 may be any type of vehicle. For instance, without limitation, vehicle 30 may be a military vehicle, a civilian vehicle, a construction vehicle, a train, and the like. In embodiments, vehicle 30 is a military vehicle.
Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations may be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A vehicle protection grating, comprising:
- a stabilizer;
- a second stabilizer on an opposing side of the vehicle protection grating from the stabilizer;
- wherein the stabilizer and the second stabilizer each comprise a plurality of stabilizer links, and wherein each stabilizer link is connected to another stabilizer link by a bar, and further wherein the bar extends from the stabilizer to the second stabilizer; and
- wherein the vehicle protection grating is sufficiently flexible to be rolled into an overlapping configuration.
2. The vehicle protection grating of claim 1, further comprising a fixed distance between each bar.
3. The vehicle protection grating of claim 1, wherein the vehicle protection grating comprises flame retardant materials, a flame retardant coating, or any combinations thereof.
4. The vehicle protection grating of claim 1, wherein each stabilizer link comprises a bar opening on opposing longitudinal ends of each stabilizer link.
5. The vehicle protection grating of claim 4, wherein each bar comprises a bar end on opposing longitudinal ends of each bar, and wherein each bar end is passable through a bar opening.
6. The vehicle protection grating of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the bar end is exposed on an opposing side of the stabilizer link from a remaining portion of the bar.
7. The vehicle protection grating of claim 1, wherein the vehicle protection grating comprises an adjustable length.
8. The vehicle protection grating of claim 7, wherein a stabilizer link and an opposing stabilizer link are removed from the vehicle protection grating to reduce the vehicle protection grating length.
9. The vehicle protection grating of claim 7, wherein stabilizer links are added to opposing sides of the vehicle protection grating to increase the vehicle protection grating length.
10. The vehicle protection grating of claim 1, further comprising a bar locking mechanism.
11. A grating protection system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of vehicle protection gratings, wherein each vehicle protection grating comprises: a stabilizer; a second stabilizer on an opposing side of the vehicle protection grating from the stabilizer, wherein the stabilizer and the second stabilizer each comprise a plurality of stabilizer links, and wherein each stabilizer link is connected to another stabilizer link by a bar, and further wherein the bar extends from the stabilizer to the second stabilizer; and wherein the vehicle protection grating is sufficiently flexible to be rolled into an overlapping configuration; and
- a plurality of attachment brackets, wherein the attachment brackets are secured to the vehicle, and wherein the attachment brackets attach the vehicle protection gratings to the vehicle.
12. The grating protection system of claim 11, wherein the attachment brackets each comprise a bracket base and a plurality of bracket arms.
13. The grating protection system of claim 12, wherein each attachment bracket comprises a longitudinal length, and wherein the bracket base extends for substantially about the longitudinal length.
14. The grating protection system of claim 12, wherein each bracket arm comprises a bracket arm side and a second bracket aim side opposing the bracket aim side.
15. The grating protection system of claim 14, wherein each bracket arm comprises a bracket arm interior disposed between the bracket aim side and the second bracket arm side.
16. The grating protection system of claim 15, wherein the bracket arm interior comprises a distance between the bracket arm side and the second bracket arm side greater than a diameter of a bar.
17. The grating protection system of claim 16, further comprising a bracket locking mechanism, wherein the bracket locking mechanism prevents a portion of a bar disposed within the bracket aim interior from exiting the bracket aim interior.
18. The grating protection system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the vehicle protection gratings is disposed between the vehicle and another vehicle protection grating.
19. The grating protection system of claim 11, further comprising a distance x between each bar, wherein the distance x is between about one inch and about three inches.
20. The grating protection system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle protection gratings comprise an adjustable length.
Type: Application
Filed: May 18, 2012
Publication Date: Nov 21, 2013
Applicant: BLACK MOUNTAIN INDUSTRIES, INC. (Bryan, TX)
Inventors: Kyle L. Greenwood (Bryan, TX), Rattaya C. Yalamanchili (Houston, TX)
Application Number: 13/475,774
International Classification: F41H 7/02 (20060101);