초록 ▼

A ballistic shield is detachably attachable to a weapon. The shield may be manipulated into a deployed configuration, a gun rest configuration, and a storage configuration. The shield has a shield body with a rigid upper portion, a flexible lower portion, and a quick release connector. That shield m

A ballistic shield is detachably attachable to a weapon. The shield may be manipulated into a deployed configuration, a gun rest configuration, and a storage configuration. The shield has a shield body with a rigid upper portion, a flexible lower portion, and a quick release connector. That shield may also have a visor attachable to the shield that extends above the rigid upper portion of the shield. The quick release is secured to the shield body for removable connection of the weapon. The flexible lower portion drapes from the rigid upper portion when in the deployed configuration where the weapon is connected to the shield and the responder aims the weapon in a shooting position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A ballistic shield assembly to provide ballistic protection to a user, the shield assembly for detachable attachment to a weapon and having a deployed configuration while attached and draping from the weapon, a gun rest configuration while resting upon a support surface, and a storage configurati

1. A ballistic shield assembly to provide ballistic protection to a user, the shield assembly for detachable attachment to a weapon and having a deployed configuration while attached and draping from the weapon, a gun rest configuration while resting upon a support surface, and a storage configuration while folded into a relatively small foot print and low profile, the shield assembly comprising: a shield body having an upper rigid portion, a lower flexible portion, a threat side, and a rear side;a quick release connector secured to the rear side of the shield body for detachable connection of the weapon, wherein the lower flexible portion drapes downward from the upper rigid portion in the deployed configuration when the weapon is connected to the shield assembly and the weapon is moved to the ready; andwherein the quick release connector comprises a hinge assembly having a folded configuration and an aiming configuration, the hinge assembly comprising a shield attachment portion that is secured to the rear side of the upper rigid portion of the shield body, a weapon attachment portion for detachably attaching the weapon thereto, and a hinge pin connecting the shield attachment portion to the weapon attachment portion in pivotal engagement, whereby the hinge assembly is moveable between the folded configuration where the weapon attachment portion is substantially parallel to the shield attachment portion and the aiming configuration where the weapon attachment portion is substantially perpendicular to the shield attachment portion by pivoting the weapon attachment portion about the hinge pin. 2. The shield assembly of claim 1 wherein shield assembly is in the gun rest configuration when the weapon is detachably connected to the quick connector and the upper rigid portion of the shield body is positioned to rest on the support surface, thereby enabling the user to use the shield assembly as a gun rest. 3. The shield assembly of claim 1 wherein the lower flexible portion of the shield body is sufficiently flexible that lower flexible portion is foldable at least once so that the shield body folds into a relatively compact space having a foot print that is at least half of the area of the shield body and a profile lower than the height of the upper rigid portion when the shield assembly is in the storage configuration. 4. The shield assembly of claim 1 further comprising indicia on the threat side of the shield body that provides identification of the user of the shield assembly. 5. The shield assembly of claim 4, wherein the indicia comprises at least one of lettering and lights. 6. The shield assembly of claim 1 further comprising lights disposed on the threat side of the shield body, at least one of the lights provides illumination of the vicinity forward of the shield assembly. 7. The shield assembly of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the shield body is made of a lightweight flexible ballistic material comprising Dyneema. 8. A ballistic shield assembly for detachable attachment to a weapon, the shield comprising: a shield body having an upper rigid portion with an upper edge, a lower flexible portion, a threat side, and a rear side, the lower flexible portion;a visor for attachment to and deployment extending above the upper rigid portion of the shield body, the visor being transparent and made of a ballistic material and having a lower edge;a quick release connector secured to the rear side of the shield body for detachable connection of the weapon to the shield assembly, the lower flexible portion drapes downward from the upper rigid portion when the weapon is connected to the shield assembly and the weapon is moved to the ready; andwherein the quick release connector comprises a hinge assembly having a folded configuration and an aiming configuration, the hinge assembly comprising a shield attachment portion that is secured to the rear side of the upper rigid portion of the shield body, a weapon attachment portion for detachably attaching the weapon thereto, and a hinge pin connecting the shield attachment portion to the weapon attachment portion in pivotal engagement, whereby the hinge assembly is moveable between the folded configuration where the weapon attachment portion is substantially parallel to the shield attachment portion and the aiming configuration where the weapon attachment portion is substantially perpendicular to the shield attachment portion by pivoting the weapon attachment portion about the hinge pin. 9. The shield assembly of claim 8, wherein the lower edge of the visor is disposed below and rearward of the upper edge of the upper rigid portion of the shield body when the visor is attached and deployed extending above the shield body, whereby at least a portion of the visor overlaps at least a portion of the upper rigid portion of the shield body. 10. The shield assembly of claim 9 further comprising lockable hinges that connecting the shield body to the visor in pivoting engagement, the visor being pivotable between a downward disposition forward of the threat side of the upper rigid portion of the shield and a deployed disposition extending above the shield body. 11. The shield assembly of claim 10 further comprising indicia on the threat side of the shield body that provides identification of the user of the shield assembly, the indicia being visible through the visor when the visor is disposed in the downward disposition. 12. The shield assembly of claim 11, wherein the indicia comprises at least one of lettering and lights. 13. The shield assembly of claim 9 further comprising insertable posts attached to the visor and receiving channels attached to the rear side of the upper rigid portion of the shield body, the insertable posts being removably insertable into the receiving channels in sliding engagement. 14. The shield assembly of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of the shield body is made of a lightweight flexible ballistic material comprising Dyneema. 15. A method for protecting a user with a weapon from projectiles from an assailant, the method comprising the step of: providing a shield assembly with an upper rigid portion, a lower flexible portion, and a quick release connector for releasably securing the weapon to the shield assembly;securing the weapon to the quick release connector;deploying the shield assembly so that the lower flexible portion drapes downward from the weapon when the user grasps the weapon and moves the weapon to the ready; andfurther comprising the step of folding the shield assembly into a storage configuration and wherein the quick release connector comprises a hinge assembly having a folded configuration and an aiming configuration, the securing of the weapon to the quick release connector while the shield assembly is in the storage configuration and the hinge assembly is in the folded configuration. 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of folding the shield assembly into a storage configuration and wherein the quick release connector comprises a hinge assembly having a folded configuration and an aiming configuration, the securing of the weapon to the quick release connector while the shield assembly is in the storage configuration and the hinge assembly is in the folded configuration. 17. The method of claim 15 wherein the shield assembly moves from the storage configuration to the deployed configuration with the lower flexible portion draping downward from the weapon as the user grasps the weapon moves the weapon to the ready. 18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of deploying a visor to overlap with and extend above the upper rigid portion of the shield assembly. 19. The method of claim 15 wherein the shield assembly further comprising indicia on a threat side of the shield assembly, the indicia body providing identification of the user of the shield assembly.