Releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels

1. A releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels comprising:

a first ballistic-resistant panel comprising a ceramic plate system, said first ballistic-resistant panel having opposing first ballistic-resistant panel front and back surfaces;

a second ballistic-resistant panel having opposing second ballistic-resistant panel front and back surfaces;

a plurality of first fasteners coupled to said ceramic plate system, at least one said first fastener disposed proximate an upper portion of said first ballistic-resistant panel back surface and at least one said first fastener disposed proximate a lower portion of said first ballistic-resistant panel back surface; and

a plurality of second fasteners inset within said second ballistic-resistant panel to inwardly extend into said second ballistic-resistant panel front surface, at least one said second fastener disposed proximate an upper portion of said second ballistic-resistant panel front surface and at least one said second fastener disposed proximate a lower portion of said second ballistic-resistant panel front surface;

said second fasteners configured to releasably engage with said first fasteners to fasten said second ballistic-resistant panel front surface to said first ballistic-resistant panel back surface in fixed adjacent relation to provide releasably engaged ballistic-resistant panels; and

said first and second fasteners comprise corresponding first and second magnets.

2. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 1 , wherein said releasably engaged ballistic-resistant panels afford greater protection against ballistic threats than said first ballistic-resistant panel or said second ballistic-resistant panel provides individually.

3. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 1 , wherein said ceramic plate system comprises a ceramic plate encased in a containment layer.

4. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 3 , wherein said containment layer comprises a ballistic-resistant fabric sheet combined with a resin.

5. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 4 , wherein said containment layer comprises a plurality of said ballistic-resistant fabric sheets.

6. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 3 , further comprising an adhesive layer disposed between said ceramic plate and said containment layer.

7. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 6 , wherein said adhesive layer effectively bonds said containment layer to said ceramic plate.

8. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 3 , wherein said first ballistic-resistant panel further comprises a backer plate coupled to said ceramic plate system.

9. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 1 , said second ballistic-resistant panel formed from a plurality of ballistic-resistant fabric sheets.

10. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 1 , said first fasteners coupled to said first ballistic-resistant panel back surface in spaced apart relation proximate a first ballistic-resistant panel perimeter, and said second fasteners coupled to said second ballistic-resistant panel front surface in spaced apart relation proximate a second ballistic-resistant panel perimeter.

11. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 10 , a first ballistic-resistant panel inner portion and a second ballistic-resistant panel inner portion void of corresponding said first and second fasteners.

12. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 1 , wherein said first and second magnets generate an audible indicium upon releasable magnetic engagement to audibly alert a user that said first and second ballistic-resistant panels are releasably magnetically engaged to provide releasably magnetically engaged ballistic-resistant panels.

13. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional ballistic-resistant panel capable of releasable engagement with said first ballistic-resistant panel or said second ballistic-resistant panel to provide said releasably engaged ballistic-resistant panels.

14. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 1 , said plurality of second fasteners directly coupled to said second ballistic-resistant panel.

15. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 1 , wherein said first and second ballistic-resistant panels comply with NIJ Standard-0101.06.

16. A releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels comprising:

a first ballistic-resistant panel comprising a ceramic plate system, said first ballistic-resistant panel having opposing first ballistic-resistant panel front and back surfaces;

a second ballistic-resistant panel having opposing second ballistic-resistant panel front and back surfaces;

a plurality of first fasteners coupled to said ceramic plate system; and

a plurality of second fasteners inset within said second ballistic-resistant panel to inwardly extend into said second ballistic-resistant panel front surface;

said second fasteners configured to releasably engage with said first fasteners to fasten said second ballistic-resistant panel front surface to said first ballistic-resistant panel back surface in fixed adjacent relation to provide releasably engaged ballistic-resistant panels; and

said first and second fasteners comprise corresponding first and second magnets.

17. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 16 , said plurality of second fasteners directly coupled to said second ballistic-resistant panel.

18. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 16 , at least one said first fastener disposed proximate an upper portion of said first ballistic-resistant panel back surface and at least one said first fastener disposed proximate a lower portion of said first ballistic-resistant panel back surface.

19. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 18 , at least one said second fastener disposed proximate an upper portion of said second ballistic-resistant panel front surface and at least one said second fastener disposed proximate a lower portion of said second ballistic-resistant panel front surface.

20. The releasably engagable system of ballistic-resistant panels of claim 16 , wherein said first and second ballistic-resistant panels comply with NIJ Standard-0101.06.