Overhead protection system

Abstract

A protective shelter is disclosed. The shelter may be sized to protect an existing, unhardened structure, and its contents. Or, the shelter may be sized to protect an individual or other objects of similar size. In either case, the shelter provides protection from blasts from explosive shells, rockets, and the like. The shelter has a support frame that supports a blast cover that is positioned above the object or objects to be protected. A burster screen is positioned above the blast cover and may be supported by the support frame. The burster screen serves to detonate incoming ordinance before the ordinance reaches the protected object or objects. The blast cover is strong enough to withstand the resulting shock from the detonated ordinance, and thus prevents damage to the protected object or objects located below the protective shelter. This invention may be used to retrofit existing, unhardened structures in areas where additional protection is needed. It also may be used as part of the design of new facilities, and offers the option to later remove the hardened, protective part of the structure if the threat level changes for the better. In the smaller, personnel-protection embodiment, the invention may be air dropped to remote locations and assembled by personnel in the field.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to a protective structure, and in particular to a protective structure built to protect another structure or personnel from harm caused by blasts resulting from explosive shells, rockets, and the like.BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION[0002]Terrorism, war, and other hostile situations are regrettably common around the world. The nature of the threat level often changes, making it difficult to have the proper type of protective structures in place at all locations. For example, military facilities in some locations are built with a relatively low level of hardening because the threat level in the area was not particularly high when the facilities were constructed, or for other reasons. In some instances, facilities originally built by one government or force are taken over by another, and the facilities may not have sufficient protection given the new threat levels faced.[0003]When this happens, the government or other entity ope...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]When this happens, the government or other entity operating the facilities must make difficult decisions. It can withdraw key forces from the location to reduce their exposure to threat. That, however, may leave the force unable to respond to the threat in an effective manner. Alternatively, the government or entity may build new facilities that are hardened against incoming blasts to replace the existing unhardened facilities. That is a very expensive and time-consuming approach, but it does yield good results in terms of protecting the force and keeping the force where it needs to be.

[0006]The present invention provides the needed alternative. A protective structure designed to be built around an existing, unhardened structure is disclosed. This retrofit approach is cost-effective, easy to build, and relatively quick to construct. It does not require any change to the existing structure, and in many cases, will allow operation and use of the existing structure to continue without interruption during construction. This latter benefit is important, particularly if the facility being retrofitted is involved in active operations against an enemy threat.

[0008]Once the support frame and blast cover have been constructed, a burster screen is installed an appropriate distance above the blast cover. The burster screen is made of thin, light material. Its function is to create enough resistance to incoming ordinance to cause the ordinance to detonate. By positioning the burster screen away from the blast cover, the incoming ordinance will explode above the blast cover rather than on it. This greatly reduces the destructive force of the ordinance, and allows a relatively modest blast cover to provide adequate protection against most types of ordinance. The burster screens serves to trigger the explosives a fixed distance away from the blast cover.

[0010]There is a further, and related, need for blast protective structures that are small enough to be air lifted to remote locations. Such structures should be easy to assemble by field personnel. The structures should provide protection to personnel from blasts, in the manner summarized above. The present invention meets these needs, too, by providing a smaller version of the blast protection structure. This smaller version is ideally suited to protect individual soldiers or others in harms way.

Problems solved by technology

The nature of the threat level often changes, making it difficult to have the proper type of protective structures in place at all locations.

In some instances, facilities originally built by one government or force are taken over by another, and the facilities may not have sufficient protection given the new threat levels faced.

When this happens, the government or other entity operating the facilities must make difficult decisions.

That, however, may leave the force unable to respond to the threat in an effective manner.

That is a very expensive and time-consuming approach, but it does yield good results in terms of protecting the force and keeping the force where it needs to be.

If these hangers were not built to withstand the blast of incoming ordinance, they will be at risk if the threat situation changes such that incoming ordinance is a real threat.

Such a missile could pose a serious threat to an unhardened aircraft hanger like those mentioned above.

The option of constructing entirely new buildings (e.g., new, hardened aircraft hangers) may be too expensive and typically takes a long time to accomplish.

If the structure is too wide, it is difficult to provide the needed support using only a frame constructed around the existing structure.

If a protective structure built in accordance with the present invention comes under attack, the burster screen will be destroyed or heavily damaged.

If a sufficiently large explosion occurs, it is quite possible that some or all of the blast cover might also be damaged and require repair or replacement.

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