Vehicle protection system

• US 8,042,449 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2010
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: LaValley, Scott, Howard, Loren, Farinella, Michael D., Hafer, Thomas F., Moeller, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): HAYES, BRET C
• Application Number:
  US12/806,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20100319524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 89/360.1, 89/360.4, 89/360.7, 89/360.8, 89/360.9, 89/361.1, 89/361.2, 89/361.5, 89/361.7, 114/241, 296/187.07, 43/7, 43/98, 43/99.5, 87/12
• US Class Current: 89/36.01
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/026 Slat armour; Nets

Abstract

A structure or vehicle protection system including a removable frame on the structure or vehicle, and a net within the frame and spaced from the structure or vehicle and having a mesh size designed to disarm an incoming threat.

Claims

1. A structure or vehicle protection system comprising:

a frame on a structure or vehicle on one or more of its sides, front, rear, or roof, the frame defining a periphery; and

a lightweight net within the periphery of the frame and spaced 8-48 inches from the structure or vehicle and having a mesh size configured to dud an RPG-7, RPG-7M, and/or RPG-18, the net made of synthetic line 0.5-3 mm in diameter forming meshes 30-60 mm in size.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the net has a knotless weave.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the net is made of PBO material.

4. The system of claim 1 in which there are two or more nets on the frame.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the net includes at least a first layer of smaller diameter line material and a layer of larger diameter line material.

6. The system of claim 5 in which there are between 2-4 layers of smaller diameter line material over a single layer of larger diameter line material.

7. A protection system for a an RPG having a nose diameter less than its body diameter, the system comprising:

a mobile vehicle;

a frame attached to the vehicle; and

a net made of line within the frame spaced from the vehicle and having a mesh size between a nose diameter and a body diameter of an RPG-7, RPG-7M, and/or RPG-18 and configured to disarm the RPG by crushing its nose.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the net includes at least a first layer of smaller diameter line material and a layer of larger diameter line material.

9. The system of claim 7 in which there are between 2-4 layers of smaller diameter line material over a single layer of larger diameter line material.