Protective body armor equipment comprising lateral tightening means
The present invention relates to protective equipment of the protective body armor
vest type, comprising at least one back part, designed to cover at least one part of the
user's back, and at least one front part, designed to cover at least one part of the user's
torso, the back part comprising at least one rear side flap and the front part comprising at
least one front side flap, said flaps being fastened to each other adjustably and defining a
part between them for a passage for the user's arm.
Such equipment is intended for peacekeeping forces or security agents, for
example.
Such equipment must be able to protect its user from violent impacts, potentially
done using heavy objects, for example during demonstrations or confrontations.
The equipment is worn around the upper part of the body, generally accompanied
by a helmet to protect the user's head.
The known vests of this type are generally made in several parts permanently
fastened to each other and passed over the head like a sweater or windbreaker.
This type of equipment must be worn as close as possible to the body in order to
allow its user great freedom of movement and not bother the user's maneuvers.
Furthermore, this type of equipment is generally shared in a barracks such that it can be
worn by different people with different builds. Thus, it is provided to allow the tightening of
the equipment to be adjusted in order to adjust to the build of the person wearing it ahd
optionally in order to make it easier to place and remove by loosening the equipment.
The possibility is in particular provided of adjusting the tightening of the equipment
at the user's ribs, on the side parts of the equipment, which extend below the arm
passages thereof. To that end, it is provided that each lateral part is formed by two flaps,
one of which is secured to the back part and the other of which is secured to the front part,
and provided with self-gripping means making it possible to ensure removable fastening of
one flap on the other in different positions. By adjusting the position of one flap relative to
the other, it is therefore possible to bring the back part more or less close to the front part
and thus to adjust the tightening of the equipment around the user's torso.
However, although such self-gripping means, of the Velcro@ or other type, allow
quick fastening of the flaps, they do not have sufficient strength to ensure maintenance of
the flaps on one another if a third party were to pull on them, for example during a
confrontation. In that case, the flaps could separate and make the equipment ineffective or
even dangerous for its wearer, whose movements would be hindered by making the back
and front parts "floating".
2
Furthermore, when the self-gripping means are regularly biased to alter the
tightening or to remove the equipment, they wear out quickly and the flaps lose their
catching force on one another. The equipment thus can no longer be used under optimal
conditions.
5 The adjustment of the tightening is also problematic because it is not possible to
adjust the position of the flaps on both sides of the equipment at the same time. Thus, the
adjustment must be done on one side of the equipment, then the other side, which makes
the adjustment tedious and can result in different tightening between the two sides of the
equipment.
10 One of the aims of the invention is to offset these drawbacks by proposing
protective equipment making it possible to ensure effective, robust and easily adjustable
tightening.
To that end, the invention relates to protective equipment of the aforementioned
type, in which one of the side flaps comprises at least one fastening point, to which a strap
15 is fastened, the other flap comprising at least one loop, in which the strap is engaged, said
loop forming a return element for returning the strap toward the fastening point such that
the strap is arranged to ensure the fastening and tightening of the flaps relative to one
another by pulling on a free end part of the strap engaged in the loop.
20 By proposing to adjust the position of the flaps using a strap, the tightening can be
done easily in a single pulling operation on the free end part of the strap. Furthermore, the
strap offers robust fastening of the flaps, capable of withstanding a tearing attempt by a
third party. The strap can be manipulated regularly without showing signs of wear, which
extends the lifetime of the protective equipment.
25 According to other features of the protective equipment according to the invention:
- the fastening point is provided on the front side flap, and in that the loop is
provided on the rear side flap such that the free end part of the strap making it possible to
ensure tightening extends from the rear side flap toward the front side flap;
- the end part of the strap making it possible lo ensure tightening is provided with
30 means for removable fastening to another part of the strap, said fastening means making
it possible to keep said free end part against said other part of the strap when tightening
has been done;
- the loop andlor the fastening point are removably fastened to the flap on which
they are provided such that the side flaps can be separated from each other by undoing
35 the removable fastening between said loop andlor said fastening point and the flap on
which it is provided;
3
- one of the flaps comprises two fastening points, a strap being fastened to each of
said fastening points, and two loops, in which said straps are engaged, such that said
straps are arranged to ensure the fastening and tightening of the flaps relative to one
another by pulling on an end part of each of said straps;
- one of the side flaps further comprises a rebate, the strap connecting the flaps
passing between said flaps and said rebate, said rebate covering the strap when the
tightening has been done;
- the rebate comprises means for removable fastening to the flap on which is
provided, said fastening means making it possible to keep said rebate against the flap and
above the strap when the tightening has been done;
-the fastening point is formed by a loop, an end part of the strap opposite the free
end part being fastened to said loop;
- the back part comprises two rear side flaps extending on either side of the back
part and the front part comprises two front side flaps extending on either side of the front
part, each rear side flap being fastened adjustably to the front side flap extending from the
same side using a strap engaged in loops provided on each of said flaps;
- the front part comprises two front panels, the front side flaps being fastened one
of said panels, respectively, each front panel being provided with means for removable
fastening to the other front panel such that said front panels cover at least part of the
user's torso when they are fastened to each other.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will appear upon readingthe
following description, provided as an example and done in reference to the appended
drawings, in which:
- Fig. 1 is a front diagrammatic view of the protective equipment according to the
invention,
- Fig. 2 is a side diagrammatic view of the protective equipment of Fig. 1,
- Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the side flaps of the equipment of Fig. 1
and 2, showing one strap in the tightened position and one strap in the loosened position,
- Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 3 according to another embodiment
of the adjusting straps.
In the description, the term "outer" is defined by that which is turned toward the
outside of the protective equipment, i.e., opposite the part of the body wearing the
equipment, and the term "inner" refers to that which is turned toward the inside of the
equipment, i.e., toward the part of the body wearing the equipment. The term "front"
designates that which is turned toward the equipment user's torso, and the term "rear"
refers to that which is turned toward the back thereof when the equipment is worn.
4
In reference to Fig. 1, protective equipment is described, of the body armor vest 1
type for peacekeeping forces or security or other agents. In the rest of the description, the
protective equipment will simply be called "vest" 1.
The vest 1 is designed to cover at least the user's torso and back and/or abdomen,
as shown in Fig. 1 and 2.
According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the vest 1 essentially
comprises a front part 2 and 4, formed by two front panels 2 and 4, or front parts 2 and 4,
a back part 6 (Fig. 2), the front parts 2 and 4 each being connected to the back part6 by a
shoulder strap 8 designed to receive one of the user's shoulders. According to another
embodiment, the vest 1 only comprises one front part covering the user's abdomen andlor
torso and connected to the back part by two shoulder straps extending on either side of
the back and front parts so as to define a passage for the user's head between the
shoulder straps. In the rest of the description, the vest 1 will be more particularly
described comprising two front parts 2 and 4.
Aside from the shoulder straps 8, the front parts 2 and 4 are connected to the back
part 6 by side flaps, delimiting openings 10 with the shoulder straps 8 for the passage of
the user's arms. More particularly, the back part 6 comprises two rear side flaps 12
extending on either side of the back part 6 and separated from the shoulder straps 8 The
rear side flaps 12 thus extend toward the front parts 2 and 4 substantially at the user's ribs
so as to cover part of the user's sides, as shown in Fig. 2.
Each front part 2, 4 comprises a front side flap 14 separated from a shoulder strap
8 and extending toward the back. Each front side flap 14 thus extends at one of the user's
sides, such that each front side flap 14 can be superimposed on or below at least part of a
rear side flap 12, as more particularly shown in Fig. 2.
The front side flaps 14 and the rear side flaps 12 are provided with mutual
fastening means, making it possible to fasten a front side flap 14 and a rear side flap 12
together on each side of the vest 1 and thus to secure the front parts 2 and 4 to the back
part 6 at a user's waist, as will be described later.
When the flaps are superimposed, their upper edge defines, with the lower edge of
the shoulder straps 8 and the edges of the front and back parts, the openings 10 for the
passage of arms. In the event the vest 1 only comprises a single frontal part, that part
bears both front side flaps 14 on either side of the front part.
Each of the parts mentioned above comprises one or more protective panels, each
panel being provided with at least one cushion made from an elastically compressible
material, for example a foam or elastomer material, for example obtained by injection or
molding. A plate made from a rigid material is positioned in front of the cushion, toward
5
the outside of the vest 1. The plate can be substantially planar or formed so as to hug the
shape of the part of the body that it covers, in order to be ergonomic and thus improve the
comfort of the panel while facilitating the user's freedom of movement. Such a plate allows
a good distribuiion of energy when it undergoes an impact, as well as the absorption of
part of that energy, the absorption next being done by the cushion. The cushion and the
plate are for example coated with a fabric adapted to the field of protective equipment.
The production of such panels is known in itself and will not be described in more detail
here.
Due to the structure of the protective panels, each one is capable of absorbing at
least part of the energy due to an impact, in particular impacts due to blows with bare
hands or with an object or projectiles launched by a third party, in order to protect the user
wearing the equipment, while allowing him to move freely.
The inside of each panel or some of the panels may optionally be lined with one or
more textile materials adapted to absorb andlor evacuate the user's perspiration, as
shown by reference 16 in Fig. 3 and 4, and the ventilation of the vest 1 in order to improve
the user's comfort, for example a so-called "breathable" textiie material.
With the exception of the frontal parts 2 and 4, which may be fastened to each
other removably, as will be described later, the parts are fastened to each other for
example by selling.
The vest 1 further comprises protective panels for part of the arms 18 that are
fastened, for example removably, to the shoulder straps 8 covering the shoulders. ~a'ch
protective panel for the arms 18 thus extends above passage 10 for the arms so as to
cover part of the user's arms. The protective panels for the arms 18 are for example
provided with straps 20, or other means, allowing them to be fastened and tightened with
respect to the user's arms.
According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the shoulder straps 8 and the
protective panels for the arms 18 are reinforced by shells 22 made from a rigid material,
such as polycarbonate, extending over the outside of the shoulder strap 8 and the panel
18 in order to improve the protection of the user wearing the vest 1. Such shells 22 are
known and assume the general shape of the part of the body that they protect. The outer
face of the shells 22 is configured in a known manner to absorb impacts during
confrontations. The configuration is adapted to the part of the body designed to be
protected and for example comprises protuberances extending on either side of hollows,
designed to improve the behavior of the shells 22 in case of impact. Each shoulder strap 8
and panel 18 can be pushed in by a shell 22, the adjacent shells for example being
articulated to each other.
6
The panels 18 can be permanently or removably fastened to the shoulder straps
that they cover, for example by sewing or using self-gripping means or other means.
The front parts 2 and 4 are provided with removable fastening means 24 making it
possible to fasten the front parts 2 and 4 to each other, when the vest 1 has been put on.
"Removable fastening means" means that the front parts can be fastened to each other or
detached from each other by causing the fastening means of the parts to cooperate or not
cooperate with each other.
According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the fastening means 24 are formed
by a slide closure 26, the rails 28 of which are respectively fastened to one of the front
parts 2 and 4. In a known manner, a slider 30 is movable on the rails 28 so as to fasten
them to one another or separate them from one another. The slider 30 and the rails 28
have been shown in the closed position in Fig. 1. The rails 28 are for example sewn on
the end parts 32 of the front parts 2 and 4 situated across from one another when the vest
1 is closed, i.e., the end parts situated opposite the arm passages 10. According to one
embodiment, a rebate (not shown) can be provided to cover the slide closure 26 when the
latter is closed in order to prevent a third party from being able to grasp the slider 30 for
example, or in order to increase the protection at the slider 26. Such a rebate for example
extends over the entire length of the guideway and is fastened on one side thereof
permanently, for example by sewing, and is fastened removably, for example using selfgripping
means, on the other side of the guideway.
The removable fastening means 24 making it possible to fasten or not fasten the
front parts 2 and 4 can be of a type other than the slide closure 26 described above. Thus,
the removable fastening means 24 may for example be snaps or strips of self-adhesive
tape, or a combination of those different means.
The vest 1 described above can therefore be put on like a coat. With the front parts
in the open position, the user passes one arm, then the other through the arm passages
10 in order to put on the vest 1, then actuates the removable closing means 22 in order to
close the vest 1 and keep the front parts 2 and 4 against his abdomen. Thus, the vest 1 is
particularly quick and easy to put on. When the vest only comprises one front part, it is put
on like a sweater.
When the vest 1 is closed and the arm protections are attached, the user's back,
abdomen, shoulders, ribs and part of his arms are protected.
A pectoral protective panel 34 can optionally further be fastened removably to the
inside of the vest 1 in order to offer additional protection across from the removable
fastening means 24 of the front parts 2 and 4. A pelvic panel 36 can also be fastened
removably to the lower end of the pectoral panel 34.
7
According to one embodiment, one or both of the front parts 2 and 4 andlor the
back part 6 can be provided with means for removable fastening on the outer surface of
those parts for at least one additional attached protection element (not shown). The
removable fastening means are for example formed by one or more strips of the selfadhesive
tape type or other means. The additional protective elements can be additional
protective panels, like those forming the different parts of the vest 1, andlor additional
ballistic protection means, or others.
Likewise, the inner face of the front andlor back parts can be provided with
removable fastening means for at least one attached additional protective element, such
as a protective collar 38 for the user's neck and nape.
Thus, the back part and/or the side parts andlor the front parts can for example be
equipped with one or more pockets for receiving an additional protective panel. This
additional protective panel may have different characteristics from the protective panels
previously described in order to make it possible to modulate the protection offered by the
vest 1, depending on whether those additional panels are positioned in the pockets.
The vest 1 thus offers the user graduated protection depending on the type of
threat, the user easily being able to add or remove additional protective panels to the
inside andlor outside of the vest.
The vest 1 further allows an adjustment of the tightening of the vest 1 around the
user's body by providing for tightening of the means for fastening said rear and front side
flaps 12 and 14 previously described.
In reference to Fig. 3 and 4, the means will now be described for fastening a rear
side flap 12 with a front side flap 14, with the understanding that the means for fastening
the other rear side flaps 12 with the other front side flaps 14 are identical.
The fastening means are formed by at least one strap 40 fastened to at least one
fastening point 42 provided on one of the flaps and engaged in a loop 44 provided on the
other flap 12.
The strap 40 is for example formed by a strip of solid textile material capable of
withstanding high traction forces.
According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the fastening point 42 is formed
by a loop and is provided on the front side flap 14. However, the strap 40 could also for
example be fastened on the flap by sewing or other means. In the rest of the description,
the fastening part 42 will be described as being a loop 42. It is, however, understood that
it could be formed by other means, as described above.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, the front side flap 14 extends above the
rear side flap 12 when they are superimposed.
8
In that case and according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 and 4, the front side
flap 14 comprises a front loop 42 and a rear loop 46 for a strap 40, the front loop 42
extending near the front part 2 or 4 and the rear loop 46 extending near the edge of the
front side flap superimposed with the rear side flap 12. The strap 40 is maintained by one
5 of its ends 48 at the front loop 42 and extends toward the rear so as to pass through the
rear loop 46. Thus, the strap 40 is kept pressed against the front side flap 14. The
maintenance of the end 48 of the strap 40 in the front loop 42 is for example ensured by a
stop element (not shown) engaged in the front loop 42 and retaining the strap 40 when the
latter is pulled backward. The rear loop 46 forms a rear fastening point for the strap 40 on
10 the front side flap 14 provided near the rear edge of the front side flap 14, and it is
understood that this rear loop 46 could be replaced by other fastening means of the strap
40, such as a sewing point or other means. The advantage of providing loops 42 and 46
to form the fastening points on the front side flap 14 is that the strap 40 is not permanently
fastened on the flap 14 and can therefore be removed from the flap, for example to be
15 changed if it is been damaged or is worn.
The strap 40 is next engaged in the loop 44 of the rear side flap 12, as shown on
the strap 40 at the bottom of Fig. 3 and 4. The loop 44 is fastened in the vicinity of the
transition between the back part 6 and the rear side flap 12, either on the rear side flap or
on the back part 6. The loop 44 forms a return element for the strap 40, the free end part
20 50 of which is folded toward the front, after it passes in the loop 44, on the part of the
strap 40 extending between the front and rear loops 42 and 46 of the front side flap 14, as
shown by the strap 40 at the top of Fig. 3 and 4. The free end part 50 therefore extends
from the rear side flap 12 toward the front side flap 14 when it is engaged in the loop 44.
The end part 50 is provided with removable fastening means 52 for fastening on the part
25 of the strap 40 extending between the front and rear loops 42 and 46 of the front side flap
14. These fastening means 52 are for example formed by strips of self-adhesive tape 54
and 56, provided on the inner face of the end part 50 of the strap and on the outer face of
the part of the strap extending between the loops 42 and 46. Such fastening means 52
make it possible to fasten the end part 50 in several tightening positions and thus prevent
30 that part from freely hanging from the vast 1, which could be bothersome to the user or
form a gripping area by which a third party could pull on the vest 1. Alternatively, the
fastening means 52 could be formed by snaps or other means.
It will therefore be understood that the vest is worn and when the strap 40 is
engaged in the loops 42, 44 and 46, pulling on the end part 50 of the strap 48 makes it
35 possible to tighten the vest 1 by bringing the loop 44 of the rear side flap closer to the front
loop 42 of the front side flap 14. Once this tightening is done, it suffices to fasten the end
9
part of the strap 50 on the other part of the strap 40 in order to fix that tightening and
ensure maintenance of the end part 50. The adjustment of the tightening of the vest is
therefore particularly simple and ergonomic. Furthermore, by providing a strap 40 on each
side of the vest 1, the tightening can be done on both sides of the vest 1 at the same time,
which guarantees good balance of that tightening and optimal use of the equipment.
According to the embodiment shown in the figures, each pair of side flaps 12 and
14 is fastened using two straps 40 spaced apart heightwise on the flaps 12 and 14 in
order to properly distribute the tightening forces over the entire height of the flaps 12 and
14. The tightening is then done by first tightening the two straps on both sides of the vest
situated at a same height, then the other two straps situated at a different height, in order
to preserve the tightening balance by tightening the vest on both sides at the same time.
The straps 40 can also be concealed and made inaccessible from outside the vest
1 so that a third party cannot grasp them. To that end, the front side flap 14 comprises a
rebate 58 arranged to cover the straps 40 when it is pressed against the front side flap 14,
as shown in Fig. 2. The rebate 58 is provided with removable fastening means 60 on the
flap on which it is provided. These fastening means 60 are for example formed by strips of
self-gripping tape 62 and 64, provided on the inner face of the rebate 58 and on the outer
face of the flap on which the rebate 58 is provided. The distribution of the self-gripping
tapes is arranged so that the entire rebate 58 is kept against the flap on which it is
provided in order to limit grabbing points for a third party. Other removable fastening
means may be provided, such as snaps or other means.
According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the loop 44 provided on the rear
side flap 12 is fastened thereto removably, for example using fastening clips 66. Thus, by
undoing the fastening of the clips 66, it is possible to separate the strap(@ 40 using a
simple gesture without having to remove the end part 50 of the strap 40 from the loop 44.
This makes it possible to remove the vest 1 more quickly, in particular when the vest 1 is
put on like a sweater, and it is easier to put it on and remove it when the side flaps are
detached from one another. According to another embodiment, the fastening points
provided on the front side flap could also be removable.
The embodiments described above are only examples. Modifications may be
made. Thus, it is possible to provide more than two flaps on each side of the vest or more
loops per strap. It is also possible to provide that the front side flap can be positioned
below the rear side flap, in which case the position of the loops would be reversed and the
rebate would be provided on the rear side flap. It is also possible to provide that the
tightening is done from front to back and not from back to front, by providing that the loop
forming a return element is positioned near the front part 2, 4 of the vest.
10
The vest 1 described above allows ergonomic, quick, precise and balanced
tightening of the vest 1 around the user's body. Furthermore, the vest can be tightened
and loosened multiple times without wearing out the tightening straps 40, unlike selfgripping
means. Thus, the lifetime of the vest 1 is extended.
5 As illustrated in figure 1, it is understood that the loop 44 is a tightening loop
designed to guarantee fastening and tightening of the flaps 12, 14 of the front 2 and 4 and
back 6 parts while preventing any movement of the strap under a force of the tearing type.
11

CLAIMS
1.- Protective equipment, of the protective body armor vest (1) type, comprising at
least one back part (6), designed to cover at least one part of the user's back, and at least
one front part (2, 4), designed to cover at least one part of the user's torso, the back part
(6) comprising at least one rear side flap (12) and the front part (2, 4) comprising at least
one front side flap (14), said flaps (12, 14) being fastened to each other adjustably and
defining a part between them for a passage for the user's arm ('lo), one of the side flaps
(12, 14) comprising at least one fastening point (42), to which a strap (40) is fastened, the
other flap (12, 14) comprising at least one loop (44), in which said strap (40) is engaged,
said loop (44) forming a return element for returning the strap toward the fastening point
(42) such that the strap is arranged to ensure the fastening and tightening of the flaps (12,
14) to each other by pulling on a free end part (50) of the strap (40) engaged in the loop
(44), characterized in that the end part (50) of the strap (40) making it possible to perform
the tightening is provided with removable fastening means (52) for fastening to another
part of the strap (40), said fastening means (52) making it possible to keep said free end
part (50) against said other part of the strap (40) when the tightening has been done.
2.- The protective equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the
fastening point is provided on the front side flap (14), and in that the loop (44) is provided
on the rear side flap (12) such that the free end part (50) of the strap (40) making it
possible to ensure tightening extends from the rear side flap (12) toward the front side flap
(14).
3.- The protective equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the
loop (44) and/or the fastening point (42) are removably fastened to the flap (12, 14) on
which they are provided such that the side flaps (12, 14) can be separated from each
other by undoing the removable fastening between said loop (44) and/or said fastening
point and the flap (12, 14) on which it is provided.
4.- The protective equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized
in that one of the flaps (12, 14) comprises two fastening points (42), a strap (40) being
fastened to each of said fastening points (42), and two loops (44), in which said straps
(40) are engaged, such that said straps (40) are arranged to ensure the fastening and
tightening of the flaps (12, 14) relative to one another by pulling on an end part (50) of
each of said straps (40).
12
5.- The protective equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized
in that one of the side flaps (14) further comprises a rebate (58), the strap (40) connecting
the flaps (12, 14) passing between said flaps (12, 14) and said rebate (58), said rebate
(58) covering iine strap (40) when the tightening has been done.
5
6.- The protective equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that the rebate
(58) comprises means (60) for removable fastening to the flap (14) on which is provided,
said fastening means (60) making it possible to keep said rebate (58) against the flap (14)
and above the strap (40) when the tightening has been done.
10
7.- The protective equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized
in that the fastening point (42) is formed by a loop, an end part of the strap (40) opposite
the free end part (50) being fastened to said loop (42).
15 8.- The protective equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized
in that the back part (6) comprises two rear side flaps (12) extending on either side of the
back part (6) and the front part (2, 4) comprises two front side flaps (14) extending on
either side of the front part (2, 4), each rear side flap (12) being fastened adjustably to the
front side flap (14) extending from the same side using a strap (40) engaged in loops (42,
20 44, 46) provided on each of said flaps (12, 14).
9.- The protective equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that the front
part (2, 4) comprises two front panels (2, 4), the front side flaps (14) being fastened one of
said panels (2, 4), respectively, each front panel being provided with means (24) for
25 removable fastening to the other front panel such that said front panels cover at least part
of the user's torso when they are fastened to each other.