6997218

Claims

• What is claimed is: 1. An inflatable body armor system, comprising: at least one body armor section adapted to be worn by a user, each said body armor section including a flexible and sealable plenum defined by spaced apart walls when said plenum is inflated, a ballistic armor fabric encasing said plenum, and means, dispersed in said plenum, for altering trajectory of a projectile entering said plenum. 2. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 1 wherein said means for altering comprises a plurality of flexible lines coupled to said walls of said plenum, said plurality of flexible lines being placed in tension when said plenum is inflated. 3. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 2 wherein said means for altering further comprises a plurality of shaped objects in said plenum. 4. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 3 wherein each of said plurality of shaped objects comprises a ceramic object. 5. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 3 wherein said means for altering further comprises a plurality of ballistic armor fabric sheets in said plenum with said plurality of flexible lines passing therethrough. 6. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 5 wherein said plurality of ballistic armor fabric sheets are disposed at a plurality of angles relative to said walls of said plenum. 7. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 1 wherein said means for altering comprises a plurality of shaped objects in said plenum. 8. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 7 wherein each of said plurality of shaped objects comprises a ceramic object. 9. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 7 wherein said means for altering further comprises a plurality of ballistic armor fabric sheets in said plenum. 10. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 9 wherein said plurality of ballistic armor fabric sheets are disposed at a plurality of angles relative to said walls of said plenum. 11. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 2 wherein said means for altering further comprises a plurality of ballistic armor fabric sheets in said plenum with said plurality of flexible lines passing therethrough. 12. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 11 wherein said plurality of ballistic armor fabric sheets are disposed at a plurality of angles relative to said walls of said plenum. 13. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 1 wherein said means for altering comprises a plurality of ballistic armor fabric sheets mounted in and coupled to said plenum. 14. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 13 wherein said plurality of ballistic armor fabric sheets are disposed at a plurality of angles relative to said walls of said plenum. 15. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 2 wherein each of said plurality of flexible lines comprises at least one fiber. 16. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 1 further comprising a polymeric sealing material coupled to each of said walls of said plenum for sealing punctures therein. 17. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 1 wherein said plenum is divided into a plurality of sealable chambers. 18. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 1 wherein, at a portion thereof that will come into contact with the user when said body armor section is worn by the user, said ballistic armor fabric presents a three-dimensional surface wherein air gaps are created between said surface and the user. 19. An inflatable body armor system, comprising: at least one body armor section adapted to be worn by a user, each said body armor section including a flexible and sealable plenum defined by spaced apart walls when said plenum is inflated, a ballistic armor fabric encasing said plenum, and a plurality of flexible members disposed in said plenum and coupled thereto that are placed in tension when said plenum is inflated. 20. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 19 further comprising a plurality of shaped objects in said plenum. 21. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 20 wherein each of said plurality of shaped objects comprises a ceramic object. 22. An inflatable body armor as in claim 19 wherein said plurality of flexible members comprises one of (i) fibers, (ii) fibers and ballistic armor fabric sheets, and (iii) ballistic armor fabric sheets. 23. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 22 further comprising a plurality of shaped objects in said plenum. 24. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 23 wherein each of said plurality of shaped objects comprises a ceramic object. 25. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 19 further comprising a polymeric sealing material coupled to said walls of said plenum for sealing punctures therein. 26. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 19 wherein said plenum is divided into a plurality of sealable chambers. 27. An inflatable body armor system as in claim 19 wherein, at a portion thereof that will come into contact with the user when said body armor section is worn by the user, said ballistic armor fabric presents a three-dimensional surface wherein air gaps are created between said surface and the user.