Bullet-proof garment

1 BULLET-PROOF GARMENT

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 282,135, filed 7/ 10/81, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,146, granted Nov. 22, 1983.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bullet-proof garments, and moreparticularly, to flexible bullet-proof garments in which the weight of the upper section of the garment is supported primarily by the wearer’s hips.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The prior art discloses a variety of different devices for supporting weight from a wearer’s hips. U.S. Pat. No. 744,477 (Bush) discloses a body brace useful to a laborer or soldier for transferring the weight of a load to the wearer’s hips. This device includes a pair of shoulder blades coupled to a collar in combination with a pair of spaced apart rigid stays. The stays are held against the wearer’s body by first and second vertically spaced apart belts. A hip pad is coupled to the lower section of each stay. These elements function together to transfer the weight of a backpack type load to the wearer’s hips.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,587 (Swearingen) discloses a shoulderless apron. A wire frame is coupled to the apron and surrounds the wearer’s hip region. A portion of this frame extends into the upward front part of the apron to maintain that section of the apron in snug contact with the wearer’s chest. U.S. Pat. No. 925,655

. (Round) discloses an apron having a similar wire frame " support which maintains both the front of the apron and

a pair of shoulder straps in contact with the wearer’s body.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,451,282 (Feibel) discloses an X-ray apron which includes a belt for supporting the lower portion of the apron from the wearer’s hips. '

U.S. Pat. No. 2,414,590 (Folb) discloses a strapless brassiere which includes a framework for maintaining the front of the garment in contact with the wearer’s chest. This device avoids a requirement for shoulder straps by utilizing a hip-mounted belt section in combination with upwardly extending wire elements.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,298,618 (Wloszek) discloses a bulletproof vest fabricated from a plurality of square armor segments. This device further includes a ‘shoulder section and collar in combination with a belt. This device appears to utilize the wearer’s shoulders as a primary support element.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,414 (Bailey) discloses a bulletproof vest fabricated from a flexible material. U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,071 (McDonald) discloses another type of body armor.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,276,200 (Flanagan) discloses a bulletproof garment which includes internally mounted shoulder straps and torso straps. This device also includes a head shield which includes structure for transferring a portion of the weight of the entire device to the wearer’s head.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,404,255 (Green) discloses a protective apron having broadened shoulder straps to distribute the weight of the apron over the full width of the wearer’s shoulders and a portion of the wearer’s back. This apron also includes fixed position tie straps for securing the back wings.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,642,542 (Weinberg) discloses a radiation protective jacket which includes a semi-cylindrical

2

body section having ends joined together by a zipper or vertically aligned snaps; or button. Two shoulder caps are coupled to the top of the body section to support and maintain the body section at a fixed position on the wearer.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,829 (Maine) discloses a protective apron having a high friction inner surface which causes the upper section of the apron to cling to the wearer’s body across the shoulder region and permits the upper shoulder region of the apron to support the entire weight of the apron.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,494,664 (Lubow) discloses an X-ray protective apron having wide shoulder straps which surround the wearer’s shoulders and distribute the weight of the apron over the shoulder area. This unique upper structure alleviates the need for retaining straps or tie straps.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,799 (Hollands) discloses a radiation protection garment which includes diagonal crossing flap members which overlap one another in the wearer’s back region. This garment includes a fixed position tie string which is coupled to the diagonal crossing flap members.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,355 (Maine) discloses a two-piece radiation shield garment which includes vest and skirt sections.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a bullet-proof garment which is coupled to the wearer’s body in a manner which permits the wearer’s hips to support a large percentage of the weight of the upper section of the garment to significantly enhance wearer comfort and to reduce wearer fatigue.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bullet-proof garment which includes first and second vertical stiffeners which are coupled to the garment and extend upward through a weight transfer region and the upper section of the garment to transfer the weight of the garment’s upper section to the wearer’s hips.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a bullet-proof garment including a collar which can be displaced between a retracted position flat against the upper section of the garment and an extended position surrounding the neck of the wearer to partially shield the wearer’s neck.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bullet-proof garment which can be divided into first and second detachable parts coupled together by fastening means.

Briefly stated, an in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a bullet-proof garment includes an upper section for shielding a wearer’s torso. The upper section includes first and second apertures for the wearer’s arms and a third aperture for the wearer’s neck. A lower section of the garment shields the wearer’s hip and thigh areas. A substantial amount of the weight of the upper section of the garment is transferred through a weight transfer region to the wearer’s hips. First and second U-shaped, vertical stiffeners are coupled to the garment and extend upward through the weight transfer region and the upper section of said garment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, other objects and advan