US-12624927-B1 - Boltless viewport assembly for a ballistic shield

US12624927B1US 12624927 B1US12624927 B1US 12624927B1US-12624927-B1

Abstract

A boltless viewport assembly for a ballistic shield can include a piece of ballistic glass; a body side viewport retention sleeve, a ballistic glass holder sleeve, and a strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve. The body side viewport retention sleeve can include a body side flange and an aperture insertion portion. The ballistic glass holder sleeve can include an aperture sleeve portion and a ballistic glass nest portion. The strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve can include a strike face side flange. The ballistic glass can be placed in the ballistic glass holder sleeve, and the body side viewport retention sleeve can be attached to the ballistic glass holder sleeve. The strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve can be attached to the ballistic glass holder sleeves.

Inventors

Eliyahu Eichenblatt

Assignees

Ambitec Inc.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241007

Claims (20)

1 . A ballistic shield comprising a boltless viewport assembly, the ballistic shield comprising a shield body having a body side and a strike face side, the shield body having a viewport aperture formed therethrough, and the boltless viewport assembly comprising: a piece of ballistic glass; a body side viewport retention sleeve comprising a body side flange and an aperture insertion portion that is configured to be inserted into the viewport aperture from the body side of the shield body; a ballistic glass holder sleeve comprising an aperture sleeve portion and a ballistic glass nest portion configured to receive the piece of ballistic glass, wherein the aperture sleeve portion is configured to be inserted into the viewport aperture from the strike face side of the shield body; and a strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve comprising a strike face side flange.
2 . The ballistic shield of claim 1 , wherein the aperture insertion portion of the body side viewport retention sleeve comprises aperture insertion portion snap fit projections that are configured to mate with aperture sleeve portion snap fit projections formed on the ballistic glass holder sleeve to attach the body side viewport retention sleeve and the ballistic glass holder sleeve to the shield body.
3 . The ballistic shield of claim 1 , wherein the ballistic glass nest portion of the ballistic glass holder sleeve comprises ballistic glass nest portion grooves formed on an outer surface of the ballistic glass holder sleeve, wherein the ballistic glass nest portion grooves are configured to mate with glass holder nesting portion snap fit projections formed on an inside surface of the strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve to attach the strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve to the ballistic glass holder sleeve.
4 . The ballistic shield of claim 1 , wherein the body side flange is located on the body side of the shield body.
5 . The ballistic shield of claim 1 , wherein the strike face side flange is located on the strike face side of the shield body.
6 . The ballistic shield of claim 1 , wherein the ballistic glass holder sleeve comprises a strike side support flange, and wherein the strike side support flange is configured to support the piece of ballistic glass in cooperation with a ballistic glass support area of the shield body.
7 . The ballistic shield of claim 1 , wherein the boltless viewport assembly is assembled to the shield body without bolts, without welding, and without screws.
8 . A ballistic shield comprising a boltless viewport assembly, the ballistic shield comprising a shield body having a body side and a strike face side, the shield body having a viewport aperture formed therethrough, and the boltless viewport assembly comprising: a piece of ballistic glass; a body side viewport retention sleeve comprising a body side flange and an aperture insertion portion that is configured to be inserted into the viewport aperture from the body side of the shield body; a ballistic glass holder sleeve comprising an aperture sleeve portion and a ballistic glass nest portion configured to receive the piece of ballistic glass, wherein the aperture sleeve portion is configured to be inserted into the viewport aperture from the strike face side of the shield body; and a strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve comprising a strike face side flange, wherein the body side viewport retention sleeve is configured to connect to the ballistic glass holder sleeve, and wherein the strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve is configured to connect to the ballistic glass holder sleeve.
9 . The ballistic shield of claim 8 , wherein the aperture insertion portion of the body side viewport retention sleeve comprises aperture insertion portion snap fit projections that are configured to mate with aperture sleeve portion snap fit projections formed on the ballistic glass holder sleeve to attach the body side viewport retention sleeve and the ballistic glass holder sleeve to the shield body.
10 . The ballistic shield of claim 8 , wherein the ballistic glass nest portion of the ballistic glass holder sleeve comprises ballistic glass nest portion grooves formed on an outer surface of the ballistic glass holder sleeve, wherein the ballistic glass nest portion grooves are configured to mate with glass holder nesting portion snap fit projections formed on an inside surface of the strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve to attach the strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve to the ballistic glass holder sleeve.
11 . The ballistic shield of claim 8 , wherein the body side flange is located on the body side of the shield body.
12 . The ballistic shield of claim 8 , wherein the strike face side flange is located on the strike face side of the shield body.
13 . The ballistic shield of claim 8 , wherein the ballistic glass holder sleeve comprises a strike side support flange, and wherein the strike side support flange is configured to support the piece of ballistic glass in cooperation with a ballistic glass support area of the shield body.
14 . The ballistic shield of claim 8 , wherein the boltless viewport assembly is configured to be assembled to the shield body without bolts, without welding, and without screws.
15 . A ballistic shield comprising a boltless viewport assembly, the ballistic shield comprising a shield body having a body side and a strike face side, the shield body having a viewport aperture formed therethrough, and the boltless viewport assembly comprising: a piece of ballistic glass; a body side viewport retention sleeve comprising a body side flange and an aperture insertion portion that is configured to be inserted into the viewport aperture from the body side of the shield body; a ballistic glass holder sleeve comprising an aperture sleeve portion and a ballistic glass nest portion configured to receive the piece of ballistic glass, wherein the aperture sleeve portion is configured to be inserted into the viewport aperture from the strike face side of the shield body; and a strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve comprising a strike face side flange, wherein the body side viewport retention sleeve is configured to connect to the ballistic glass holder sleeve, and wherein the strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve is configured to connect to the ballistic glass holder sleeve, and wherein the boltless viewport assembly is configured to be assembled without bolts, without welding, and without screws.
16 . The ballistic shield of claim 15 , wherein the aperture insertion portion of the body side viewport retention sleeve comprises aperture insertion portion snap fit projections that are configured to mate with aperture sleeve portion snap fit projections formed on the ballistic glass holder sleeve to attach the body side viewport retention sleeve and the ballistic glass holder sleeve to the shield body.
17 . The ballistic shield of claim 15 , wherein the ballistic glass nest portion of the ballistic glass holder sleeve comprises ballistic glass nest portion grooves formed on an outer surface of the ballistic glass holder sleeve, wherein the ballistic glass nest portion grooves are configured to mate with glass holder nesting portion snap fit projections formed on an inside surface of the strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve to attach the strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve to the ballistic glass holder sleeve.
18 . The ballistic shield of claim 15 , wherein the body side flange is located on the body side of the shield body.
19 . The ballistic shield of claim 15 , wherein the strike face side flange is located on the strike face side of the shield body.
20 . The ballistic shield of claim 15 , wherein the ballistic glass holder sleeve comprises a strike side support flange, and wherein the strike side support flange is configured to support the piece of ballistic glass in cooperation with a ballistic glass support area of the shield body.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to firearms and weapons technologies. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a boltless viewport assembly for a ballistic shield and/or other applications. BACKGROUND Unless otherwise indicated herein, all disclosures in the background are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section. Ballistic shields, also known as bulletproof shields, can include protective devices that can be designed to absorb and/or deflect bullets and/or other projectiles. Ballistic shields may be used by law enforcement, military personnel, security forces, and/or private parties to provide protection from ballistic threats. Ballistic shields can be formed from steel, ceramic, and/or other materials and may include lighting systems, viewing windows or viewports, handles, and/or other features. Generally speaking, these and other features must be bolted to the body of the ballistic shield or formed within the ballistic shield during manufacturing. SUMMARY The present disclosure is directed to a boltless viewport assembly for a ballistic shield or other structure such as a barrier, wall, vehicle structure (e.g., a door), or the like. Embodiments of the boltless viewport assembly for a ballistic shield illustrated and described herein can be formed from at least two components that can be assembled to a shield body of a ballistic shield to avoid the use of bolts, rivets, screws, welds, and/or some other connection mechanisms (e.g., fastening and/or binding mechanisms or the like). In some embodiments of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, adhesives may be used, while in some other embodiments, the boltless viewport assembly can be assembled using adhesives such as an epoxy or other resin, glues, or the like. In some embodiments of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, the boltless viewport assembly can include a body side viewport retention sleeve and a ballistic glass holder sleeve. A piece of ballistic glass or other bulletproof or bullet resistant material (e.g., polycarbonate, transparent polyethylene composite(s), glass-fiber and/or carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate, acrylic(s), high pressure pressed (e.g., hydraulic pressed and/or industrial pressed) composite materials, one or more laminated layers, combinations thereof, or the like) can be located in the ballistic glass holder sleeve, and the body side viewport retention sleeve can be inserted into and/or mated with the ballistic glass holder sleeve to join the boltless viewport assembly to the shield body. In some contemplated embodiments, the ballistic glass or other bulletproof or bullet resistant material can be replaced with a camera and display (e.g., a digital display, which can optionally include lighting devices, thermal devices, night vision, and/or the like) in some embodiments to provide a virtual viewport, with the digital display and/or other components being housed in the boltless viewport assembly illustrated and described herein. In some embodiments of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, the boltless viewport assembly can further include a strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve, which can be further assembled to the ballistic glass holder sleeve to retain the ballistic glass and ballistic glass holder sleeve in a desired configuration relative to the shield body. In some embodiments, the ballistic shield illustrated and described herein can be formed from at least four components that can be assembled to a shield body of a ballistic shield without bolts, rivets, screws, welds, and/or other connection mechanisms. In particular, the boltless viewport assembly can include a body side viewport retention sleeve, ballistic glass holder sleeve, a piece of ballistic glass or other bulletproof or bullet resistant material, and strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve. The ballistic glass can be located inside a portion of the ballistic glass holder sleeve and the ballistic glass holder sleeve can be inserted into a viewport aperture formed in the shield body from a strike face of the shield body. The body side viewport retention sleeve can be located on the body side of the shield body and the ballistic glass holder sleeve can be located on a strike face side of the shield body. A portion of the body side viewport retention sleeve can be inserted into and/or through the viewport aperture from a body side of the shield body and into a portion of the ballistic glass holder sleeve. A portion of the ballistic glass holder sleeve can be inserted into the shield body from the strike face side of the shield body. Features of the body side viewport retention sleeve and the ballistic glass holder sleeve can be mated together, thereby creating a backbone of sorts for the boltless viewport assembly. A strike face side ballistic glass holder retention sleeve can be assemble