Integrated detachable ballistic shield
A lightweight shield for aircraft protection against threat of high energy impacts, which comprises, a structural layer that has a first side and a second side, the first side being intended for receiving the impact, and a ballistic material layer for absorbing high energy impacts, having a first side and a second side. The first side of the ballistic material layer is faced to the second side of structural layer and joined to the structural layer via a progressively detachable interface and, the second side of the ballistic material layer is a free surface.
1. A lightweight shield for aircraft protection against threat of high energy impacts, comprising:
a structural layer having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is intended for receiving the impact,
a ballistic material layer for absorbing high energy impacts, having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side of the ballistic material layer is faced to the second side of structural layer and joined to said structural layer by means of a progressively detachable interface, and the second side of the ballistic material layer is a free surface,
wherein the progressively detachable interface is selected from the group consisting of a peel ply layer, a non-stick release film layer, and combinations thereof,
wherein the ballistic material layer comprises a small amount of resin diffused from the structural layer through a plurality of discrete detachable joint points of the interface.
2. A lightweight shield according to claim 1 , wherein the ballistic material layer is at least a layer comprising dry high strength and high deformation fibers, wherein dry fibers are those fibers free of resin or with a small amount of resin, such that said small amount of resin allows fibers to elongate under impact without a cross-interference between them.
3. A light weight shield according to claim 1 , wherein the structural layer is a carbon fiber laminate which comprises a resin matrix.
4. A light weight shield according to claim 3 , wherein the resin matrix of the carbon fiber laminate is a thermoplastic resin matrix.
5. A light weight shield according to claim 3 , wherein the resin matrix of the carbon fiber laminate is a thermostable resin matrix.
6. A lightweight shield according to claim 1 , wherein the progressively detachable interface is a patterned layer.
7. A lightweight shield according to claim 6 , wherein the patterned layer is a hexagonal patterned layer.
8. A lightweight shield according to claim 4 , wherein the ballistic material layer comprises a small amount of resin diffused from the structural layer of carbon fiber laminate through a plurality of discrete detachable joint points of the interface, said plurality of discrete detachable joint points being thermoplastic resin joint points.
9. An aircraft comprising a lightweight shield for protection against threat of high energy impacts according to claim 1 .
10. The aircraft according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one lightweight shield is located:
in the fuselage of the aircraft, or
in the empennage skin of the aircraft, or
in the wings of the aircraft, or
in the internal and/or external case engine of the aircraft, or
in any combination of them.