Claims:TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to vehicles. Particularly, but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to opening port for vehicles. Further embodiments of the disclosure disclose the opening port with a mechanism to selectively open and close the opening port for inserting objects from the vehicle.

BACKGROUND
It is well known to provide one or more opening ports on walls or body of the vehicles to facilitate access from inside to outside. For example, vehicles including but not limited to naval vessels, military vehicles, military aircrafts, police cars and turrets are commonly provided with one or more opening ports for inserting weapons and/or to release ammunitions. The bodies of the above mentioned vehicles are manufactured such that they have fortified or armoured structures to provide ample protection to the personnel, as well as to the objects present within the compartment of the vehicle. On the other hand, one or more opening ports are provided on bodies and protective walls of these vehicles. Such opening ports serve as access points for the personnel inside the vehicle compartment to aim and counter attack the opponents. Generally, the opening ports are made of transparent material to provide visibility to the personnel inside the vehicle, so that the port can be opened and closed to counter attack and defend appropriately. The transparency of these opening ports allow the personnel inside the vehicle to monitor the positions of approaching enemy easily, and accordingly open or close the port for defending or attacking purposes. Alternatively, the opening ports are enclosed by metal shields. In such type of opening port, the visibility means such as but not limited to one or more armoured windows are provided on the body of the vehicle. These visibility means are provided above or on sides of the opening ports, and have advantages over transparent type opening port counterparts.

Conventional opening ports are configured such that they comprise a mounting body which is either integral with the vehicle body, or is externally mounted and fixed to an opening present in the vehicle body. The port is also provided with an armoured plate which is either hingedly connected to one end of the mounting body, or is rotatably connected concentrically to the mounting body. In the first case, the armoured plate is opened and closed about the hinges by applying force from inside the vehicle body, and is locked when the plate is in closed position to restrict access from outside the vehicle to inside. In the second case, the armored plate is provided on the outer surface of the opening port such that it is exposed to the enemy crew. A lever connected to one end of the armored plate is present on the inner surface of the opening port such that it allows the operator to rotate and open the outer armoured plate. Once the lever is rotated, the armored plate rotates about a pivoted axis and uncovers the opening port to allow the personnel inside to insert objects such as but not limiting to gun, pistol, etc. outside the vehicle body. In either of case, the personnel and objects inside vehicle compartments are exposed to opponent crew through opening port when the armoured plate is in fully open condition. More specifically, in case of armoured vehicles, exposure of inner compartment to outside through the opening port when armoured plate is in fully opened condition puts the inner compartment at risk, making the personnel and objects inside the vehicle vulnerable to attacks, consequently causing deaths or injuries.

Further, the conventional opening ports have closure plates that require manual elevation or movement, followed by separate insertion or projection of the ammunition or weapon through the open port. This is time consuming. Hence, the conventional opening ports having hinged type armored plate or rotatable armoured plate are disadvantageous from safety point of view. In addition to the above, the hinge mechanism or actuating mechanism (such as lever mechanism) which is used to open and close the closure plate has limitations such as complexity in design, bulkiness and requirement of more number of parts during assembly. Hence, providing a plurality of such conventional opening ports in vehicle bodies adds to weight of the vehicle, and increases cost of manufacturing and assembling. Another major drawback of conventional hinged type and rotatable type opening ports is the effort required to open and close the armoured plate during attacking and defending. Requirement of more effort to open and close the armored plate delays response time of the personnel inside the vehicle during attacks, and thereby increases the potential risk of personnel being attacked and injured.

In light of foregoing discussion, it is necessary to develop an improved opening port for inserting objects from the vehicle, to overcome one or more limitations stated above.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
One or more drawbacks of conventional opening ports for inserting objects from vehicles as described in the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the assembly as claimed in the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the technicalities of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered to be a part of the claimed disclosure.

In a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an opening port for inserting an object from a vehicle. The opening port comprises a first plate fixed to the body of the vehicle from outside, and the first plate is provisioned with at least one first opening. Further, the opening port comprises an inner flange configured to abut a body of the vehicle from inside. The inner flange comprises an extension member configured to reside in at least one provision provided in the body of the vehicle. A second plate is movably disposed in the extension member of the inner flange, and comprises at least one second opening. The second plate is configured to be movable to selectively align the second opening with the first opening for inserting the object from the vehicle. At least one locking mechanism provided in the opening port, and is configured to selectively constrain the movement of the second plate.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first plate abuts to a body of the vehicle from outside.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening port comprises an intermediate member between the first plate and the body of the vehicle.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the inner flange abuts to a periphery of at least one provision in the body of the vehicle from inside, and the first plate abuts to a periphery of the at least one provision in the body of the vehicle from outside.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second plate is accommodated in a recess provided in the extension member of the inner flange, and the second plate is configured to rotate in the recess of the extension member.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second plate comprises at least one protrusion to move the second plate.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one locking mechanism comprises a locking plate provisioned on an actuating knob, and the actuating knob is movably disposed on the inner flange.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the locking plate is configured to anchor at least one protrusion provided on the second plate when the actuating knob is moved to a first position.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the locking plate is configured to release a protrusion provided on the second plate when the actuating knob is moved to a second position.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening port comprises a first elastomeric member provisioned in between the inner flange and the body of the vehicle, and a second elastomeric member provisioned in between the first plate and the body of the vehicle.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening port comprises a plurality of sealing members provisioned on outer periphery of the second plate.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, alignment of the at least one first opening with the at least one second opening forms a through hole for inserting the object from the vehicle.

It is to be understood that the aspects and embodiments of the disclosure described above may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the aspects and embodiments may be combined together to form a further embodiment of the disclosure.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES
The novel features and characteristics of the disclosure are set forth in the appended description. The disclosure itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures. One or more embodiments are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures wherein like reference numerals represent like elements and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates schematic front perspective view of the opening port for inserting objects from a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates schematic rear perspective view of the opening port of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates schematic exploded view of the opening port of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate perspective views of opening port of FIG. 1, with locking plate in first position (FP) and second position (SP) respectively.

The figures depict embodiments of the disclosure for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The foregoing has broadly outlined the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description of the disclosure that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the disclosure. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the disclosure, both as to its assembly and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.

To overcome one or more limitations stated in the background, the present disclosure provides an opening port for inserting objects from vehicle body. The opening port is provided on the vehicle body to provide selective access to the personnel inside the vehicle compartment to external environment. This selective access from inside the vehicle compartment is particularly useful in naval, air-force and military applications, and in some non-military applications. The opening port in accordance with present disclosure comprises inner flange which is configured to abut to the protective wall or body of the vehicle from inside. This is achieved by mounting the opening port to at least one provision or opening formed on wall or body of the vehicle, and firmly securing the opening port with the wall or body. The inner flange is generally designed and fabricated in such a way that it has a central opening which acts as a mount for placing and inserting the objects from inside. The inner flange comprises an extension member which resides in the at least one provision provided in the body of the vehicle.

Further, a first plate is provided in the opening port which comprises at least one first opening. In an embodiment, the first plate abuts to the body of the vehicle, and at least one intermediate member is provided in between the first plate and the body of the vehicle. The first plate is made of at least one toughened material strong enough to resist external loads, and is configured to cover the surface area of the opening port. The at least one first opening provided in the first plate includes but not limited to at least one hole. The opening port further includes a second plate which is configured inside a recess formed in the extension member of the inner flange. The second plate is provisioned in the recess such that the second plate is movably accommodated in the extension member. The second plate therefore can have a movement relative, with the inner flange remaining fixed. The second plate is also made of at least one toughened material and is configured to have either a rotary movement or a linear movement inside the recess. The second plate comprises at least one second opening including but not limited to at least one through hole on its surface. It is movable inside the recess such that the second opening selectively aligns with the first opening of the first plate, thereby forming an opening to gain access for inserting objects from the vehicle.

The opening port also comprises one or more locking mechanisms configured for selectively constraining the movement of the second plate. In an embodiment of the disclosure, the locking mechanism comprises at least one actuating knob for actuating at least one locking plate. The locking plate is configured to move between a first position (FP) and a second position (SP) under the actuating motion of the actuating knob. The locking plate is adapted to anchor the second plate when alignment of first opening and second opening are not required (i.e. when port is in closed condition). This anchoring of second plate is achieved through a protrusion provided on inner surface of the second plate, wherein the protrusion is made to engage a slot provided in the locking plate. When the port is to be opened, i.e. when the second opening of second plate is to be aligned with first opening of the first plate for inserting objects outside the vehicle, the actuating knob is actuated in opposite direction. This releases the protrusion from locking plate, and the second plate is rotated through required angle for aligning second opening with the first opening. The alignment of first and second openings allows personnel inside the vehicle to view the external environment, and allows insertion of objects including but not limiting to ammunitions and weaponries. A first and second elastomeric members are adapted to abut inner flange and first plate respectively to provide a leak proof connectivity between members constituting the opening port, and to minimize vibrational movement of the second plate during vehicle movement.

Use of terms such as “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof in the description, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup system, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a mechanism proceeded by “comprising… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the mechanism.

Reference will now be made to an opening port of a vehicle, and is explained with the help of figures. The figures are for the purpose of illustration only and should not be construed as limitations on the assembly. Further, vehicle is not included in the figures, and the figures are illustrated without showing objects extending from the vehicle for the purpose of simplicity. One should note that any type of vehicle which can accommodate the opening port is considered to be part of present disclosure. Also, any type of object can be extended from the vehicle. In the figures, shape and configuration of one of the variants of opening port is illustrated. However, any shape and configuration of opening port which serve requirement of is considered to part of the present disclosure. Wherever possible, referral numerals will be used to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure which illustrates a schematic perspective view of an opening port (100) for a vehicle (not shown). The opening port (100), as explained clearly in trailing paragraphs, is provided to insert one or more objects from the body of the vehicle for various purposes. In particular, the opening port (100) which resides or abuts to the body of the vehicle provides limited access to the personnel inside the vehicle compartment. The opening port (100) is essentially an assembly of number of components and sub-assemblies, and is fixed to the body of the vehicle. Generally, two or more opening ports (100) are fixed to body and/or armoured walls of the vehicle so that two or more persons can have simultaneous access from each of the opening ports (100) for inserting objects. The opening ports (100) may either be assembled to one or more openings or provisions provided in the body of the vehicle, or may be fabricated integrally with the vehicle during vehicle manufacturing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the opening port (100), in accordance with the present disclosure comprises an inner flange (5) which is the basic supporting and mounting structure. The vehicle to which the opening ports (100) are to be assembled is pre-fabricated and machined with predetermined number of openings, also referred as provisions, to accommodate the components or sub-assemblies of the opening ports (100). The inner flange (5) of each of the opening port (100) is configured to abut to the periphery of the at least one provision provided on the vehicle body from inside. The inner flange (5) has an extension member (5a) integral to it on one side which resides in provisions or openings provided on body or armoured walls of the vehicle. The material selected for fabricating the inner flange (5) with extension member (5a) of the opening port (100) should have desirable mechanical and structural properties to withstand various types of loads applied on the opening port (100). In addition, the opening port (100) should be designed and manufactured with appropriate design parameters so that they transfer loads to load bearing structure of the vehicles, without giving rise to stress concentration and other adverse loading effects. To impart these desirable properties, the inner flange (5) is manufactured by processes including but not limited to casting, and may be subjected to various heat treatment processes and mechanical processes including but not limited to hot and cold working processes. The heat treatment and mechanical forming processes impart good mechanical properties and stability to the inner flange (5). The opening port (100) also comprises a first plate (10) which comprises at least one first opening (10a). In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first plate (10) is fixed to the body of the vehicle, and at least one intermediate member [not shown] is provided in between the first plate (10) and the body of the vehicle.

In the above described condition, the inner flange (5) extends inside the vehicle compartment and is accessible to the personnel inside the vehicle compartment, and first plate (10) extends outside the vehicle body, being exposed to the external environment. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the inner flange (5) and first plate (10) is connected to the body of the vehicle by fastening using a plurality of fasteners. In alternative embodiment, the inner flange (5) and first plate (10) can be joined to body or armoured wall of the vehicle by any permanent or temporary joining mechanisms. In an embodiment of the disclosure, the inner flange (5) and first plate (10) are manufactured in circular shape, rectangular shape, elliptical shape and any other shape which serves the purpose.

Further, the inner flange (5) comprises an extension member (5a) such that it forms a stepped formation on the inner flange (5). In an embodiment of the disclosure, cross section area of inner flange (5) is different from the cross section area of the extension member (5a). The outer periphery of the extension member (5a) accommodates sealing members including but not limited to sealing rings and gaskets, and is explained in detail in forthcoming paragraphs of detailed description. Further, the access to outside the vehicle for inserting objects is facilitated by concentric opening configured on the inner flange (5) which extends through the extension member (5a). When the openings of first and second plates (10 and 20) are aligned with each other (described in detail later), the personnel inside the vehicle compartment can view external environment through the opening of the opening port (100), and insert objects from the vehicle body.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure which illustrates another schematic perspective view of the opening port (100) for vehicles. As shown in FIG. 2, the outer surface of the vehicle body abuts with a first plate (10). The first plate (10) covers the at least one provision provided on vehicle body so that the inner flange (5) with extension member (5a) is eclipsed behind the first plate (10) when viewed from outside. In an embodiment of the disclosure, dimensions of the first plate (10) are configured to be identical to the dimensions of the inner flange (5). However, the thickness of the first plate (10) is selected such that it does not rupture or wear out under external loads or due to environmental factors. In an embodiment, the first plate (10) is permanently secured to the inner flange (5) through vehicle body (interchangeably referred to as armoured wall or protective wall) by securing members including but not limited to fasteners, rivets and other mechanical joints, or may be metallurgically joined by processes including but not limited to brazing and welding. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first plate (10) is an armoured plate. The material used to manufacture the first plate (10) is selected from a group of metals, metal alloys, composite materials including but not limited to metal matrix composites, and polymeric materials. Desired characteristics of any of the materials stated above is to have ample resistance to withstand external and internal loadings, and to impart stability to the opening port (100). In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first plate (10) is configured to abut with the body of the vehicle through at least one intermediate member (not shown) including but not limited to sheet like member and plate. The term “abut” herein above and below refers to the process of adjoining or establishing contact between one or member(s) and supporting structure either directly, or through intermediate connecting elements.

The first plate (10) comprises at least one first opening (10a) at one or more predetermined locations on the plate (10) surface. The first opening (10a) serves as an opening to provide access to insert objects from the vehicle, which will be described in detail later. The geometry of the first opening (10a) is selected depending on the nature and dimensions of the objects to be inserted from the body of the vehicle. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first opening (10a) is in the form of a hole, a cutout or a notch having cross sections including but not limited to circular, semi-circular, elliptical, square shaped and other geometrical shapes based on the requirement. The first plate (10) essentially protects the inner compartment of the vehicle by preventing objects from entering into the vehicle compartment through the opening port (100). The first plate (10) also prevents unauthorized entry of personnel or insertion of objects into the vehicle compartment.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the opening port (100) comprises a second plate (20) which is disposed in the extension member (5a) of the inner flange (5). More specifically, the second plate (20) is movably disposed in a recess (not shown) provided on the inner periphery of the extension member (5a), such that the second plate (20) can easily move inside the recess. The movement of second plate (20) is either translatory movement (vertical and horizontal direction) or rotary movement in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions in the same plane. The recess [not shown] acts as rail or guide way to guide the movement of second plate (20). A negligibly small clearance can be provided in radial direction in between the second plate (20) and recess of the extension member (5a) to facilitate hassle free movement of second plate (20) inside the recess. The second plate (20), similar to the first plate (10) is manufactured using a material having high mechanical strength and other properties. In an embodiment, the material to manufacture the second plate (20) is selected from a group of metals, metal alloys, composite materials including but not limited to metal matrix composites, and polymeric materials. Desired characteristics of any of the materials stated above is to have good resistance to withstand external and internal loadings, and to impart stability to the opening port (100).

The second plate (20) also comprises at least one second opening (20a) configured on its surface. The at least one second opening (20a) is configured at predetermined locations on the second plate (20) and is adapted to selectively align with the first opening (10a) of the first plate (10) when the requirement arises. The alignment of second opening (20a) with the first opening (10a) is achieved by moving the second plate (20) inside the recess relative to the inner flange (5), with the flange (5) remaining stationary. For easy movement of second plate (20) inside the recess, the inner surface of the second plate (20) is provided with at least one protrusion (33). The protrusion (33) can easily be gripped by the persons inside the vehicle compartment for moving the second plate (20). In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the protrusion (33) includes but not limited to a hook like member, a latch or a cylindrical pin which can be anchored appropriately for constraining the movement of the second plate (20). The protrusion (33) is fixed to the inner surface of the second plate (20) by processes including but not limited to screw and bolt fastening. The presence of protrusion (33) on second plate (20) allows the person inside the vehicle compartment to move the second plate (20) with less effort for selectively aligning the first and second openings (10a and 20a). In the embodiment shown in figures of the present disclosure, the first and second plates (10 and 20) are provided with only one opening in each. However, one can provide a plurality of first and second openings (10a and 20a) in first and second plates (10 and 20) respectively for inserting a plurality of objects from the vehicle.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure which illustrates exploded view of the opening port (100). The second plate (20) which is movably disposed in the recess of the extension member (5a) is surrounded by a plurality of sealing members (26) on its outer circumference. The sealing members (26) are essentially deformable elastic members which deform on application of load, and return to their original shape and dimensions when load is removed. The sealing members (26) are provided to prevent undesired vibration of second plate (20) inside the recess during vehicle movements. The sealing members (26) also conceal the recess of the extension member (5a) and provide leak proof contact between the second plate (20) and the extension member (5a). Thus, the sealing member (26) functions as a damping member to prevent vibrational loads from being transmitted to the second plate (20), and also prevent entry of fluids such as rain water into the vehicle. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sealing member (26) includes but not limited to sealing ring and a packing ring which accommodates on outer circumference of second plate (20) having circular cross section.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the inner flange (5) of the opening port (100) abuts with a first elastomeric member (25a) on its inner surface. More particularly, the first elastomeric member (25a) is accommodated in the opening port (100) such that it contacts inner surface of the inner flange (5) on one side, and abuts vehicle body on the other side. Similarly, the first plate (10) abuts with a second elastomeric member (25b) on its inner surface. More particularly, the second elastomeric member (25b) is accommodated in the opening port (100) such that it contacts inner surface of the first plate (10) on one side, and abuts vehicle body on the other side. The first and second elastomeric members (25a and 25b) assist in firm gripping of inner flange (5) and first plate (10) respectively with the vehicle body, and act as load absorbing elements to absorb and dissipate loads acting on them. They also function as damping elements to damp out vibrations to which the vehicle body is subjected to, during vehicle movement.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure which illustrate perspective views of opening port (100) with locking plate (32) in first position (FP) and second position (SP) respectively. The opening port (100) of the present disclosure further comprises at least one locking mechanism (30) configured to selectively constrain the movement of the second plate (20). The locking mechanism (30) as shown in FIGS. 1, 4A and 4B comprises actuating knob (31) and locking plate (32). The actuating knob (31) secures one end of the locking plate (32) and is configured to establish contact between the protrusion (33) and the locking plate (32) when movement of second plate (20) is to be constrained. Alternatively, the actuating knob (31) releases the locking plate (32) from the protrusion (33), thereby allowing the movement of second plate (20) for aligning second opening (20a) with the first opening (10a). This can be explained in detail as follows: The actuating knob (31) which secures one end of the locking plate (32) is configured to actuate the locking plate (32) to a first position (FP) [shown in FIG. 4A] so that the protrusion (33) gets inserted into the slot (32a) of the locking plate (32). A further actuation of the locking plate (32) towards first position (FP) increases frictional grip between locking plate (32) and the protrusion (33) which rigidly holds the second plate (20) in the first position (FP). In this way, the protrusion (33) is anchored by the locking plate (32) in the first position (FP). Movement of locking plate (32) to first position (FP) to anchor the protrusion (33) of second plate (20) is done when alignment of second opening (20a) with the first opening (10a) is not required. In such conditions, the alignment of second opening (20a) of second plate (20) with the first opening (10a) of first plate (10) is prevented by anchoring the protrusion (33) in the locking plate (32) moved to first position (FP). This anchoring of second plate (20) is necessary to prevent objects and persons from entering into the vehicle compartment through opening port (100). In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the locking plate includes but not limited to a latch receiving member, a bracket, a plate with slot to accommodate protrusion (33), or any other mechanical member which serves the purpose of anchoring. The anchoring of protrusion (33) in the slot (32a) of locking plate (32) (i.e. first position (FP) of the locking plate (32)) is clearly shown in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4B illustrates perspective view of the opening port (100) with the locking plate (32) in second position (SP). When the personnel inside the vehicle compartment need access to outside, the actuating knob (31) is actuated to second position (SP) such that the locking plate (32) gets released from the protrusion (33), allowing the second plate (20) to move inside the recess. When the locking plate (32) is actuated by the actuating knob (31) towards the second position (SP), the frictional contact between slot (32a) of locking plate (32) and protrusion (33) reduces, thereby releasing the protrusion (33) so as to allow unconstrained movement of second plate (20) inside the recess. This movement of locking plate (32) towards second position (SP) releases protrusion (33) from the locking plate (32). This allows rotation of second plate (20) in the recess and facilitates second opening (20a) to be aligned with the first opening (10a) of the first plate (10). The alignment of second opening (20a) with the first opening (10a) in turn allows access to outside, facilitating insertion of objects from the vehicle body. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the actuating knob (31) is configured to be moved between the first position (FP) and the second position (SP) by a suitable mechanism including but not limiting to spring, threaded mechanical members and the like. In an alternate embodiment, any other mechanism which serves the purpose of the movement between first and second position (SP) could be used in the actuating knobs.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening port (100) would be configured with a frame comprising an inner flange and outer flange. The inner flange and the outer flange are interconnected by a connecting member. The frame is configured to reside in at least one first provision provided in the body of the vehicle. The frame can be assembled such that the inner flange resides inside the vehicle and the outer flanges reside outside the vehicle body. In this embodiment, the first plate would be fixed to the outer flange, and the second plate would be disposed in a recess provided in the connecting member. One should note that other features of the opening port as explained in previous paragraphs would be used in the configuration of the opening port as per this embodiment.

Exemplary embodiment:
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening port (100) of the present disclosure is used as gun port (101), and is mounted on the body of armoured vehicles including but not limited to naval vessels, ships, police cars, military tankers and turrets. The gun port comprises an inner flange (5) with extension member (5a) abutted to holes or openings provided on vehicle body. The inner flange (5) is generally designed and fabricated in such a way that it has a central opening which acts as a mount for placing the objects, including but not limited to gun barrels, barrels on cannons, rifles and other weaponries. In addition, the opening port (100) allows attacking the opposite crew with ammunitions, and at the same time protects personnel and objects inside vehicle compartment. The inner flange (5) is exposed to vehicle compartment, and a first plate (10) fixed or configured to abut to the vehicle body from outside is exposed to external environment (i.e. extends outside the vehicle body).

The first plate (10) is referred to as armoured plate including but not limited to bullet proof and explosive resistant plate, and is configured to cover the surface area of the opening port (100). The first plate (10) comprises at least one first opening (10a) including but not limited to at least one hole. A second plate (20) is configured inside a recess formed in the extension member (5a) such that the second plate (20) is movably accommodated in the recess in between the inner flange (5) and the first plate (10). The second plate (20) is also made up of armoured plate including but not limited to bullet proof and explosive resistant plate. The second plate (20) is configured to have either a rotary movement or a linear movement inside the recess. The second plate (20) comprises at least one second opening (20a) including but not limited to at least one through hole on its surface. The second plate (20) is moved inside the recess such that the second opening (20a) selectively aligns with the first opening (10a) of the first plate (10), thereby forming an opening to gain access for placing weaponries and launching ammunitions including but not limited to bullets from the vehicle.

One or more locking mechanisms (30) are configured on the gun port (100) for selectively constraining the movement of the second plate (20). The locking mechanism (30) comprises at least one actuating knob (31) for actuating at least one locking plate (32). The locking plate (32) is configured to move between a first position (FP) and a second position (SP) under the actuating motion of the actuating knob (31), and is adapted to anchor the second plate (20) when alignment of first opening (10a) and second opening (20a) are not required (i.e. when gun port is in closed condition). This anchoring of second plate (20) is achieved through a protrusion (33) provided on inner surface of the second plate (20), wherein the protrusion (33) is made to engage a slot (32a) provided in the locking plate (32). When the port (100) is to be opened, i.e. when the second opening (20a) is to be aligned with first opening (10a) for inserting weaponries and launching ammunitions outside the vehicle, the actuating knob (31) is actuated in opposite direction. This releases the protrusion (33) from locking plate (32) and the second plate (20) is rotated through required angle for aligning second opening (20a) with the first opening (10a). A plurality of sealing members (26) are accommodated on an outer circumference of the second plate (20) to provide a leak proof connectivity between members constituting the opening port (100), and to minimize vibrational movement of the second plate (20) during vehicle movement.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the vehicles equipped with one or more opening ports (100) are also provisioned with a plurality of transparent windows adjacent to the opening port or around the periphery of the opening port (100). Such transparent windows help the personnel inside the vehicle to view outside, and target accordingly. In alternative embodiment of the disclosure, the first and second plates (10 and 20) in the opening port are made of transparent bullet proof material to serve the purpose of window.

It is to be understood that a person of ordinary skill in the art would design the opening port of any configuration without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure covers such modifications and variations provided they come within the ambit of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Advantages:
The present disclosure provides an opening port for a vehicle which has a simple mechanism to facilitate access from vehicle. This eliminates the need of bulkier hinges and lever mechanisms to open or close the first plate (i.e. armoured plate). This also simplifies the design of the opening port and allows easier installation and detachment of the opening port to and from the vehicle body.

The present disclosure provides an opening port for a vehicle which uses a movable plate (i.e. second plate) which can be moved inside the recess with significantly reduced effort in comparison with the conventional opening port counterparts. This makes the opening and closing of opening port easier, and the personnel inside can quickly and easily respond in times of attacks from opponent crew.

The present disclosure provides an opening port for a vehicle which does not require complex hinge mechanism and lever mechanism to open and close the armoured plate. This elimination of complex mechanisms helps in achieving significant reduction in weight, cost of manufacturing and cost of assembling.

The present disclosure provides an opening port for a vehicle which has a characteristic of providing limited access to insert objects outside the vehicle. This increases the extent of safety to the personnel and objects inside the vehicle compartment.

Equivalents
With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or "an" should typically be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one or more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations," without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include the possibilities of "A" or "B" or "A and B."

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.

TABLE OF REFERRAL NUMERALS

Referral Numerals Description
100 Opening port
5 Inner flange
5a Extension member
10 First plate
10a First opening
20 Second plate
20a Second opening
25a and 25b Elastomeric members
26 Sealing member
30 Locking member
31 Actuating member
32 Locking plate
32a Slot in locking plate
33 Protrusion

, Description:We claim:
1. An opening port (100) for inserting an object from a vehicle, the opening port (100) comprising:
a first plate (10) comprising at least one first opening (10a);
an inner flange (5) configured to abut the body of the vehicle from inside, wherein the inner flange (5) comprises an extension member (5a);
a second plate (20) movably disposed in the extension member (5a) of the inner flange (5), wherein the second plate (20) comprises at least one second opening (20a), and is configured to be movable to selectively align the second opening (20a) with the first opening (10a) for inserting the object from the vehicle; and
at least one locking mechanism (30) configured to selectively constrain the movement of the second plate (20).

2. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first plate (10) abuts to a body of the vehicle from outside.

3. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 2 comprises at least one intermediate member between the first plate (10) and the body of the vehicle.

4. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner flange (5) abuts to a periphery of at least one provision in the body of the vehicle from inside, and the first plate (10) abuts to a periphery of the at least one provision in the body of the vehicle from outside.

5. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second plate (20) is accommodated in a recess provided in the extension member (5a) of the inner flange (5).

6. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second plate (20) is configured to rotate in the recess of the extension member (5a).

7. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second plate (20) comprises at least one protrusion (33) to move the second plate (20).

8. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one locking mechanism (30) comprises a locking plate (32) provisioned on an actuating knob (31).
9. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the actuating knob (31) is movably disposed on the inner flange (5).

10. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locking plate (32) is configured to anchor at least one protrusion (33) provided on the second plate (20) when the actuating knob (31) and locking plate (32) are moved to a first position (FP).

11. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locking plate (32) is configured to release a protrusion (33) provided on the second plate (20) when the actuating knob (31) and locking plate (32) are moved to a second position (SP).

12. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 1 comprises a first elastomeric member (25a) provisioned in between the inner flange (5) and the body of the vehicle.

13. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 1 comprises a second elastomeric member (25b) provisioned in between the first plate (10) and the body of the vehicle.

14. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 1 comprises a plurality of sealing members (26) provisioned on outer periphery of the second plate (20).

15. The opening port (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein alignment of the at least one first opening (10a) with the at least one second opening (20a) forms a through hole for inserting the object from the vehicle.

16. An armored vehicle comprising an opening port for inserting an object as claimed in claim 1.