A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The following notice applies to the software and data as described below and in the drawings that form a part of this document: Copyright Raven Industries, Inc., Sioux Falls, S. Dak. All Rights Reserved.
This document pertains generally, but not by way of limitation, to the manufacture and assembling of camouflage, concealment and deception garments and devices.
Multi-spectral concealment materials are incorporated into garments and devices (tarps, sheets, tents and the like) to provide a plurality of concealment types including, but not limited to, visual concealment, infrared (IR) concealment, ultraviolet (UV) concealment and the like. In one example, concealment materials are cut into elongate strips, gathered or folded and then applied to an underlying substrate, for instance a liner. Manual gathering or folding and stitching of the camouflage strips provides variability in the frequency and degree (e.g., length) of gather or folds across a single strip and between individual strips of concealment material. Accordingly the appearance and concealment properties of a garment or other device may be negatively impacted by this variability.
Additionally, in other examples, multi-spectral concealment materials are cut into strips (e.g., by a laser cutter or other similar machine) to allow gathering of the material into folds in a first step followed by a second step of stitching of the strips to an underlying liner. Elongate strips are difficult to handle. The strip length increases the chance that the strips become disorganized (tangled, curled, misaligned from a straight configuration or the like) when handled between cutting and loading into a sewing machine. These issues are further frustrated with strips having non-linear edges (e.g., to further assist with concealment). The non-linear features easily tangle with the corresponding features of adjacent strips (e.g., cut in a corresponding pattern). Additionally, these elongated strips are configured for gathering and are not dimensioned to fit onto the underlying liner resulting in excessive material waste.
Further, in still other examples, multi-spectral concealment materials are constructed with a plurality of layers to form a laminate. Laser cutting of the material is used to sear the edges, maintain the integrity of the laminate and prevent fraying (e.g., from wear). That is to say laser cutting melts the edges of the laminate together. Laser cutting of multiple plies of a laminate melts the edges of adjacent plies together and accordingly frustrates the separation of the plies for use in assembling garments and other devices.
The present inventors have recognized, among other things, that a problem to be solved can include inconsistencies in gathering (e.g., folding) of a concealment material caused through manual or automated gathering of strips of the material to form the gathers or folds. The strips of material are prone to tangling and disorganization because of their length, flexible nature and in some examples the non-linear shape of the strips. In one example, the present subject matter can provide a solution to this problem by providing a multi-spectral concealment sheet assembly including a garnish panel having a panel perimeter and a web of a plurality of garnish bands spanning the panel perimeter. The plurality of garnish bands extend between opposed sides of the panel perimeter and accordingly are not formed into separate strips that are prone to tangling or spreading apart from each other.
Additionally, the garnish panel provides a unitary piece (as opposed to a plurality of separate strips) that is readily fed to a sewing station for coupling with a liner. For instance, the garnish panel including each of the garnish bands of the web is fed in an organized fashion at a first feeding rate while the liner is fed at a second slower feeding rate. Accordingly, joining of the garnish panel with the liner includes a consolidated process that allows for fixing of the garnish panel to the liner at a plurality of locations while at the same time gathering the garnish panel into a plurality of garnish gathers or folds according to the difference between the first and second feeding rates. The individual feeding and variance in feed rates between separate strips of a camouflage material is accordingly avoided. Providing a method that consistently joins the garnish panel to the liner with corresponding consistent gathering of the garnish panel (e.g., including the garnish bands) ensures that a multi-spectral concealment sheet has enhanced and predictable concealment characteristics throughout the sheet as opposed to the varying concealment characteristics provided with the individual gathering or folding and sewing of separated strips.
The present inventors have further recognized, among other things, that a problem to be solved can include cutting multiple plies of a multi-spectral concealment sheet laminate without fusing one or more plies during cutting. In an example, the present subject matter can provide a solution to this problem, such as by interposing an isolation sheet between each ply of a plurality of plies of the sheet laminate. Laser cutting is conducted on the plurality of plies and the isolation sheets therebetween to form the garnish panels including a web of garnish bands spanning a panel perimeter. Laser cutting sears each of the garnish panels along its respective edges to prevent fraying and delamination of the sheet laminate. The isolation sheets isolate searing to the respective garnish panels and substantially prevent fusing of adjacent garnish panels. Accordingly, a multi-ply stack of garnish panels is rapidly produced and ready for further processing, for instance with the assembly method described herein including joining having consolidated fixing and gathering steps.
This overview is intended to provide an overview of subject matter of the present patent application. It is not intended to provide an exclusive or exhaustive explanation of the invention. The detailed description is included to provide further information about the present patent application.
In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document.
The exemplary multi-spectral concealment assembly 100 can be made of a plurality of panels, each corresponding to one of the body parts previously described. For instance, as shown in
While the invention is not limited to particular construction methods, the multi-spectral concealment assembly 100 can be constructed with a multi-spectral concealment material that provides enhanced concealment from viewing in one or more of the optical (visible), IR or UV spectrums. Stated another way, the multi-spectral concealment material provides concealment of the user wearing the multi-spectral concealment garment to one or more spectrums of energy including for instance visible light, infrared light and ultraviolet light.
In the exemplary multi-spectral concealment assembly 100, each of the panels—formed for the corresponding body parts—includes one or more garnish panels each including a panel perimeter around the garnish panel. Each of the garnish panels includes a web of garnish bands extending between opposed sides of the garnish panel perimeter. The plurality of garnish bands can be cut or slit to form gaps between each of the bands. The garnish panels are thereafter gathered, for instance the plurality of garnish bands are folded or gathered along their lengths and optionally attached to an underlying liner. The gathering process folds the garnish bands and provides a visual appearance that breaks up the silhouette of the underlying user. Furthermore, the gathered garnish bands can enhance the multi-spectrum concealment benefits of the underlying material. For instance, the plurality of gathers of each of the plurality of garnish bands can enhance one, two or more of the concealment properties of the underlying material for instance visibility concealment, IR concealment or UV concealment.
Referring now to
The multi-spectral concealment material making up a panel can be formed from a single layer or a laminate of two or more layers. In one example, the laminate includes two layers—one a thermally transparent visually opaque substrate including a polymeric material and a colorant and the other a thermally reflective layer including a low emissivity component. The laminate can be formed by coupling each of these layers together at one or more locations along a sheet or film of the material.
In one assembly and construction method, the multi-spectral concealment material is coupled with an underlying liner. With this method, for example, the overlying concealment material is gathered and bonded at one or more base locations (e.g., along the lengths of the garnish bands with the folds perpendicular to the length) to form the folds and the gathered appearance as shown in
As further shown in
As will be described herein, in one example a portion of the garnish panel 300 for instance the first side 306 serves as a leading edge that is fed into a differential sewing system. The garnish panel 300 is fed from the first side toward the second side 308 (e.g., substantially parallel to the lengths of the garnish bands 314). As the garnish panel 300 is fed into the differential sewing system the garnish panel 300 is gathered to form folds 301 perpendicular to the lengths of the garnish bands 314. The gathering of the garnish bands 314 into a plurality of gathers or folds 301 forms the broken silhouette appearance provided in
The configuration of the garnish bands 314 can vary depending on the application (e.g., based on the terrain, spectrum of energy or the like). The garnish bands 314 shown in
Optionally, the garnish bands 314 include one or more bridges 318 extending between each of adjacent garnish bands 314. The bridges 318 can, for example, maintain the garnish bands 314 in an organized pattern within the panel perimeter 302. That is to say, the plurality of bridges 318 maintain portions of the garnish bands 314 for instance adjacent to each of the bridges 318 in an organized fashion and retain the garnish bands in the pattern shown in
Referring still to
By forming the panel 300 in this manner, the garnish bands 314 are substantially prevented from tangling with one another or becoming disarrayed through handling. Stated another way, each of the panels of a multi-spectral concealment assembly 100 (or 200) can be constructed in the manner of a panel 300 having a panel perimeter 302 and a plurality of garnish bands 314 extending as a web 304 across the garnish panel 300. In certain applications, multiple panels 300 can thereafter be assembled into a garment such as the assembly 100 shown in
Depending on the application, a garnish panel can be formed with different patterns along the outer edges of the garnish bands, different spacing between the bands and different stitching profiles across the garnish bands. This can, for example, provide different concealment properties to the panel. Variations are optionally provided within a single panel or between the panels in a multiple panel assembly. In the latter case, different panels can be made with different characteristics (e.g., different band edge patterns, different band spacing or different stitching) so that the assembly provides different concealment properties from panel to panel. In this way, for example, the assembly can be made to visually appear as something other than what is being concealed.
Referring now to
Still referring to
Referring now to
The gathering and joining may, as previously described, be provided by a differential sewing mechanism. The use of a differential sewing technique reliably gathers the garnish panel 406 (and the garnish bands 408) as the garnish panel 406 and the liner 400 are gradually joined and can shorten the ungathered panel length 412 (
Optionally, a garnish panel such as a garnish panel for the chest, arms, legs or the like can be made with more or less gathering to account for movement of the underlying user. For instance with the legs 106 shown in
As further shown in
In an exemplary process, the differential sewing station 500 receives a garnish panel 502 (in an ungathered configuration) and a liner 504 with a differential dividing member 506 interposed between each of the fed garnish panel 502 and the fed liner 504. The dividing member 506 typically lies proximal to a panel liner interface 508 and facilitates sliding of the panel relative to the liner. In particular, the dividing member 506 can, for example, separate the garnish panel 502 and the liner 504 from one another prior to engagement at the panel liner interface 508. In addition, the fed portion of the garnish panel 502 and the fed portion of the liner 504 may be moved at different rates for instance with a corresponding garnish panel feed dog 522 and a liner feed dog 520.
In an exemplary process, the garnish panel 502 and the liner 504 meet at the panel liner interface 508 prior to joining for instance, by way of stitching with a needle 524. The needle 524 can, for example, join the garnish panel 502 to the liner 504 while at the same time cooperating with one or more feed dogs (e.g., garnish panel feed dog 522 and a liner feed dog 520) to gather the garnish panel 502 into a plurality of garnish folds 510 (e.g., parallel to the fold 301 lines shown in
The differential sewing station 500, in one example, includes a separate garnish panel feed dog 522 and a liner feed dog 520 configured to interact with the garnish panel 502 and the liner 504, respectively. The garnish panel feed dog 522 moves the garnish panel 502 over top of the liner 504 (e.g., relative movement) at the panel liner interface 508. The garnish panel feed dog 522 and the liner feed dog 520 may further include one or more of coated surfaces or materials having low coefficients of friction on the engagement feet to mitigate damage to the material surface (for instance, of the garnish panel 502).
In one example, the liner feed dog 520 moves at a second feeding rate while the garnish panel feed dog 522 moves at a first feeding rate greater than the second feeding rate of the liner feed dog 520. The difference between the feed rates accordingly allows the garnish panel feed dog 522 to fold the garnish panel 502 into the plurality of garnish folds 510 as shown in
The process of folding can be illustrated with reference to the stitched garnish panel 502 with garnish folds 510 shown to the left of the needle 524. During the stitching process, the needle 524 first sews the garnish panel 502 to the liner 504 at a garnish panel first location 512 corresponding to a liner first location 516. As stitching continues, the garnish panel 502 is pulled into the garnish fold 510 and the needle 524 continues to stitch the garnish panel 502 to the liner 504 at a garnish panel second location 514 corresponding to a liner second location 518. The difference in feed rates between the panel 502 and liner 504 generates the garnish folds 510. Typically, the difference between the feed rates of the two feed dogs 520 and 522 remains constant during the stitching of a panel to provide a consistent generation of garnish folds 510. In other applications, the feed rates can be varied during the course of stitching a panel to create different spacing between the folds 510.
The differential sewing station 500 can, for example, by moving the garnish panel 502 at a rate different than that of the liner 504, generate the garnish folds 510 (e.g. gather the garnish panel 502) and at the same time join the garnish panel 502 to the liner 504 in a single consolidated step. The differential sewing station 500 joins the garnish panel 502 to the liner 504 at a garnish panel first location 512 and a liner first location 516 with this interface corresponding to a base of one the garnish folds 510. As described above, the feed dogs 520, 522 gather the garnish panel 502 relative to the first locations 512, 516 through varied feed rates. Thereafter, the needle 524 working with the feed dogs 520, 522 forms a second base of the garnish fold 510 by joining the garnish panel 502 to the liner 504 at the garnish panel second location 514 to the corresponding liner second location 518.
Referring now to
At 600, a garnish panel such as the garnish panel 502 of a multi-spectral concealment material is fed to a sewing station such as the differential sewing station 500 at a first feeding rate. The garnish panel 502 includes a panel perimeter 410 and a web of garnish bands 408 separated by gaps spanning the panel perimeter 410. At 604, a liner such as the liner 504 is fed to the sewing station such as a differential sewing station 500 at a second feeding rate where the first feeding rate of the garnish panel 502 is greater than the second feeding rate of the liner 504. In one example the garnish panel 502 and the liner 504 are fed by corresponding feed dogs such as the garnish panel feed dog 522 and liner feed dog 520 shown in
At 606, the method 600 includes joining the garnish panel 502 with the liner 504 at a panel liner interface 508. Joining of the garnish panel with the liner includes for instance fixing a garnish panel first location 512 at a liner first location 516 with the sewing station using, for example, the needle 524 of the differential sewing station 500 at step 608. Joining further includes gathering the garnish panel 502 into a garnish fold 510 at the garnish panel first location 512 with the spacing between garnish folds 510 being a function of a difference between the first and second feeding rates of the garnish panel 502 and the liner 504 (in one example the differing feeding rates are provided by the corresponding feed dogs 522, 520). At 612, joining of the garnish panel 502 with the liner 504 includes fixing a garnish panel second location 514 with a liner second location 518 with the differential sewing station 500 using, for instance, the needle 524. In this way, a garnish fold 510 extends between the first and second garnish panel locations 512, 514 and accordingly the corresponding first and second liner locations 516, 518.
Several options for the method 600 follow. In one example, gathering the garnish panel 502 into the garnish fold 510 includes gathering each of the garnish bands such as the garnish bands 408 shown in
Optionally, joining of the garnish panel 502 with the liner 504 is repeated at a plurality of locations between the garnish panel and the liner and the plurality of garnish folds are gathered between the plurality of locations. In still another example feeding the garnish panel at the first feeding rate includes cycling a garnish panel feed dog 522 at the first feeding rate corresponding to a first frequency of engagement with the garnish panel 502 and a first engagement travel of the garnish panel feed dog 522. In still another example feeding the liner 504 at the second feeding rate includes cycling a liner feed dog 520. The second feeding rate of the liner feed dog 520 corresponds to a second frequency of engagement with the liner 504 and a second engagement travel of the liner feed dog 520. One or both of the second frequency of engagement or the second engagement travel are less than the respective first frequency of engagement and the first engagement travel. As previously described herein, in one example the length of the garnish folds 410 is determined according to the difference of the first feeding rate relative to the second feeding rate.
In another example, the method 600 includes isolating the fed garnish panel 502 from the fed liner 504 upstream from the panel interface 508 with a differential dividing member 506, as shown for instance in
In another example, fixing the garnish panel first location 512 at the liner first location 516 includes stitching the garnish panel first location to the liner first location. Similarly, fixing the garnish panel second location 514 at the liner second location 518 includes stitching the garnish panel second location to the liner second location. In yet another example, the garnish panel (whether at the first location or the second location) is joined with the corresponding first or second location of the liner with one or more of a rivet, adhesive, mechanical fitting or the like as opposed to a stitch provided by the needle 524.
Gathering the garnish panel into the fold 510 includes moving the garnish panel first location 512, the garnish panel 502 and the liner distal to the garnish panel first location 512 at the second feeding rate. Conversely, the garnish panel 502 proximal to the garnish panel first location 512 is moved at the first feeding rate for instance the accelerated feeding rate provided by the garnish panel feed dog 522. The garnish fold length 510 is based on the difference between the first and second feed rates. Stated another way, the garnish panel downstream from the garnish panel first location 512 including for instance the liner 504 coupled thereto is moved at the second slower feeding rate while that portion of the garnish panel upstream from the first location (and accordingly not yet coupled with the liner 504) is moved at the second faster rate to accordingly form the garnish fold 510 shown in
Optionally, joining the garnish panel 502 with the liner 504 is repeated with a plurality of garnish panels and a plurality of liners to form a plurality of corresponding garment panels. The method 600 further includes coupling the plurality of garment panels together to form a garment such as the multi-spectral concealment assembly 100 shown in
In still another example, the garnish panel 406 includes a panel leading edge 406, a panel trailing edge 409 and a fed garnish panel length 412 (ungathered as shown in
As shown in
In one example cutting of the sheet laminate frays the edges of the laminate and accordingly allows for delamination of one or more of the layers relative to the other layers of the multi-spectral laminate sheet 700. In use, the laser cutter 712 cuts the multi-spectral laminate sheet 700 through the plies 702. During the cutting process, the laser cutter 712 sears the edges of the multi-spectral laminate sheet 700 and cuts the sheet 700 to form a garnish panel (such as the garnish panel 300 shown in
When multiple plies 702 of the multi-spectral laminate sheet 700 are stacked and cut using a laser cutter, for example, fusing between the plies 702 may occur. The interposing isolation sheet, such as the isolation sheet 704 shown in
The laser cutter 712 can cut through the stack of plies 702 and accordingly generate a plurality of stacked garnish panels bounded, for instance, by the panel perimeter edges 706 shown in
In one example, the plies 702 are stacked two or more plies 702 deep. In another example, the plies are stacked in a configuration of 2 to 20 plies deep. The laser cutter 712 can cut through the plies 702 and the interposed isolation sheets 704 and generate one or more garnish panels 300 from each laminate sheet 700 of plies 702.
After the laser cutter 712 is finished cutting each of the panel perimeter edges 706 and the garnish band edges 708 corresponding to the gaps 316 (along with searing and fusing along each of the edges), the remainder of the material of the multi-spectral laminate sheet 700 is removed to leave a stack of aligned garnish panels having a consistent size and shape configured for easy use for instance in a sewing mechanism such as the differential sewing station 500 shown in
The characteristics of the isolation sheet 704 may vary depending on the application as well. By way of example and not of limitation, the isolation sheet 704 can be a paper material such as a high yield separating paper. Typically, the isolation sheet 704 is interposed between the plies 702 during stacking of the plies on top of one another. For instance, the isolation sheet 704 is placed on top of an individual ply 702 as the ply is positioned in a stack. An isolation sheet 704 of high yield separating paper can prevent slippage of the ply 702 and has a strong tensile strength but is otherwise lightweight. The isolation sheet 704 may further have sufficient porosity to enable the vacuum drawing down of the stack of plies 702 and isolation sheets 704 against the sheet platform 710 and to facilitate accurate cutting with the laser cutter 712.
802, the method 800 includes stacking the multiple spectral camouflage sheet laminate 700 into a plurality of plies 702. For instance, as shown in
At 804, an isolation sheet (e.g., isolation sheets 704) is interposed between one or more of the plies 702. That is to say an isolation sheet 704 is provided between each of the plies 702 to accordingly isolate each of the adjacent plies 702 from other adjacent plies. The optional isolation sheet may be positioned by placing a sheet of isolation material over a sheet of ply material (or a layer of ply material if unrolled). Alternatively, a roll formed from ply material and isolation material may be unrolled and layered over itself in multiple passes.
At 806, the method 800 includes laser cutting garnish panels (such as the garnish panel 300 shown in
The method 800 further includes isolating the searing provided by the laser cutting along the edges of the garnish panels 300 from searing along edges of another garnish panel 300 of another adjacent ply 702 of the plurality of plies 702 by way of the isolation sheet 704. That is to say, the isolation sheet 704 substantially prevents the fusing of adjacent plies 702 during a laser cutting process. Accordingly, a plurality of plies 702 stacked together are cut with the laser cutter 712 to provide a series of separated garnish panels 300 (or other garnish panels having other shapes) that are easily separated and accordingly formed into one or more of the garment panel sheets for the like as described herein for instance when provided to a differential sewing station such as the sewing station 500 shown in
Several options for the method 800 follow. In one example, searing includes, searing each garnish panel 300 along edges of both its perimeter 302 and the plurality of garnish bands 314. Searing with plies 702 of two or more layers can further include fusing the layers 700A, B of a ply 702 together at the edges (e.g., along the panel perimeter edges 706 and the garnish band edges 708 shown for instance in
In yet another example, laser cutting the garnish panels such as the garnish panels 300 includes laser cutting at least one garnish panel from each of the plurality of plies 702 at the same time. That is to say, with the laser cutter 712, a plurality of garnish panels (separated by the isolation sheet 704) are cut in a single cutting procedure with the laser cutter 712, for instance by penetrating each of the plies 702 as well as the interposed isolation sheets 704. In another example, laser cutting the garnish panels includes laser cutting a plurality of garnish panels from each of the plurality of plies 702. Stated another way, the multi-spectral laminate sheet 700 is in one example patterned to include a plurality of garnish panels thereon oriented in a manner to maximize the amount of material usable from each of the multi-spectral laminate sheets 700 (e.g., the plies 702). Accordingly, a plurality of garnish panels are cut from each of the plies 702 and formed into separate stacks on the sheet platform 710. Furthermore, the method 800 includes removing excess material, for instance material cut away by the laser cutting process from the plurality of plies 702, after the laser cutting process. In this manner, a stack of garnish panels such as the garnish panels 300 can be made with consistent configurations in a number corresponding to the number of plies 702. Elsewhere, on the same laminate sheet 700, laser cutting may be used to form a stack of garnish panels of the same or different configuration, to maximize use of the laminate sheet material.
In still another example forming the web of the garnish panels includes forming a plurality of bridges 318 between adjacent garnish bands 314 of each of the plurality of garnish panels 300 (e.g., each garnish panel 300 includes its own web of garnish bands 314 coupled with the bridges 318). Each of the plurality of bridges 318 are spaced from the panel perimeter 302 or are between the gaps 316. As previously described, the plurality of bridges 318 ensure the organization of the garnish panels 314 within the web 304 and further within the panel perimeter 302 of each of the garnish panels 300. Stated another way, by providing the bridges 318 each of the adjacent garnish bands 314 is retained in an organized fashion within the garnish panel 300 prior to joining with an underlying liner during a joining process (e.g., with the differential sewing station 500 previously described herein). In yet another example, the method 800 includes forming the web with a plurality of nonlinear garnish bands 314, for instance as shown in
Example 1 can include a multi-spectral concealment assembly comprising: one or more garnish panels constructed with a multi-spectral concealment material, each of the one or more garnish panels including: a panel perimeter extending around the garnish panel, the panel perimeter including opposed sides spaced from each other; and a web spanning the panel perimeter, the web including: a plurality of garnish bands extending from at least one opposed side to another opposed side of the panel perimeter, and a plurality of gaps, and one or more gaps of the plurality of gaps are positioned between each of the garnish bands.
Example 2 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 1, to optionally include wherein the garnish panel is constructed with the multi-spectral concealment material providing two or more of visibility concealment, IR concealment or UV concealment.
Example 3 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 or 2 to optionally include one or more liners, each of the one or more liners including: a liner length and a liner width, the garnish panel having an ungathered panel length and an ungathered panel width, and at least one of the ungathered panel length or width is greater than the respective liner length or width; wherein each of the one or more garnish panels is coupled with a respective one of the one or more liners with the plurality of garnish bands gathered, and the garnish panel has one or more of a gathered panel length and a gathered panel width, and each of the gathered panel length and width correspond to the respective liner length and width.
Example 4 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 through 3 to optionally include wherein the gathered plurality of garnish bands include one or more folds along the length of each garnish band, the folds including bases, and the plurality of garnish bands are coupled with the liner at the bases.
Example 5 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1-4 to optionally include wherein each of the one or more garnish panels coupled with the respective one or more liners are coupled together to form a multi-spectral camouflage garment.
Example 6 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-5 to optionally include wherein the adjacent garnish bands of the plurality of garnish bands are coupled at one or more locations along the plurality of gaps with one or more bridges spaced from the panel perimeter.
Example 7 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-6 to optionally include wherein the garnish panel including the panel perimeter and the web are constructed with a unitary piece of the multi-spectral concealment material.
Example 8 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-7 to optionally include wherein the panel perimeter continuously extends around the web.
Example 9 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-8 to optionally include wherein the plurality of gaps includes one or more slits formed in the web.
Example 10 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-9 to optionally include wherein the one or more garnish bands of the plurality of garnish bands extends non-linearly from the at least one opposed side to the other opposed side.
Example 11 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-10 to optionally include a method for assembling a multi-spectral concealment assembly comprising: feeding a garnish panel of a multi-spectral concealment material to a sewing station at a first feeding rate, the garnish panel including a panel perimeter and a web of garnish bands separated by gaps spanning the panel perimeter; feeding a liner to the sewing station at a second feeding rate, the first feeding rate greater than the second feeding rate; and joining the garnish panel with the liner at a panel-liner interface, joining including: fixing a garnish panel first location of the garnish panel at a liner first location of the liner with the sewing station, gathering the garnish panel into a garnish fold beginning at the garnish panel first location and based on a difference between the first and second feeding rates, and fixing a garnish panel second location at a liner second location with the sewing station, the fold extending between the first and second garnish panel locations.
Example 12 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-11 to optionally include wherein gathering the garnish panel into the garnish fold includes gathering each of the garnish bands of the web into the garnish fold, and the garnish fold extends across each of the garnish bands.
Example 13 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-12 to optionally include wherein gathering each of the garnish bands includes gathering each of a plurality of non-linear garnish bands.
Example 14 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-13 to optionally include wherein feeding the garnish panel at the first feeding rate includes rotating a garnish panel feeding dog, the first feeding rate corresponding to a first frequency of engagement with the garnish panel and a first engagement travel of the garnish panel feeding dog.
Example 15 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-14 to optionally include wherein feeding the liner at the second feeding rate includes rotating a liner feeding dog, the second feeding rate corresponding to a second frequency of engagement with the liner and a second engagement travel of the liner feeding dog, and one or both of the second frequency of engagement or the second engagement travel are less than the respective first frequency of engagement and the first engagement travel.
Example 16 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-15 to optionally include isolating the fed garnish panel from the fed liner with a differential dividing member interposed between the fed garnish panel and the fed liner, and the panel-liner interface is adjacent to an end of the differential dividing member.
Example 17 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-16 to optionally include wherein feeding the garnish panel includes translating the fed garnish panel along a first surface of the differential dividing member, and feeding the liner includes translating the fed liner along a second surface of the differential dividing member.
Example 18 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-17 to optionally include wherein fixing the garnish panel first location at the liner first location includes stitching the garnish panel first location to the liner first location, and fixing the garnish panel second location at the liner second location includes stitching the garnish panel second location to the liner second location.
Example 19 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-18 to optionally include wherein gathering the garnish panel into the fold includes: moving the garnish panel first location, the garnish panel and the liner distal to the garnish panel first location at the second feeding rate, and moving the garnish panel proximal to the garnish panel first location at the first feeding rate, a garnish fold length based on the difference between the first and second feeding rates.
Example 20 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-19 to optionally include wherein joining the garnish panel with the liner is repeated with a plurality of garnish panels and a plurality of liners to form a plurality of garment panels, and the method comprises coupling the plurality of garment panels together to form a garment.
Example 21 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-20 to optionally include repeating joining of the garnish panel with the liner at a plurality of locations between the garnish panel and the liner and accordingly gathering a corresponding plurality of garnish folds between the plurality of locations.
Example 22 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-21 to optionally include wherein gathering the corresponding plurality of garnish folds includes enhancing at least an IR concealment characteristic of the multi-spectral camouflage material.
Example 23 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-22 to optionally include wherein the garnish panel has a leading garnish panel edge, a trailing garnish panel edge and a fed garnish panel length, and the liner has a leading liner edge, a trailing liner edge and a fed liner length, and the fed garnish panel length is greater than the fed liner length, and
the method comprises: mating the leading garnish panel edge with the leading liner edge, and mating the trailing garnish panel edge with the trailing liner edge based on a difference between the fed garnish panel length and the fed liner length corresponding to the difference between the first and second feeding rates.
Example 24 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-23 to optionally include a method for cutting multiple plies of a multi-spectral concealment sheet laminate comprising: stacking the multi-spectral camouflage sheet laminate into a plurality of plies; interposing an isolation sheet between each ply of the plurality of plies; and laser cutting garnish panels having a consistent configuration from each of the plurality of plies at the same time, laser cutting including in each of the garnish panels: forming a panel perimeter extending around the garnish panel, forming a web including a plurality of garnish bands separated by gaps spanning the panel perimeter, searing the garnish panel along edges of both the panel perimeter and the plurality of garnish bands, and isolating the searing along the edges of the garnish panel from searing along edges of another garnish panel of another adjacent ply of the plurality of plies with the isolation sheet.
Example 25 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-24 to optionally include wherein the multi-spectral camouflage sheet laminate includes a plurality of layers, and searing the garnish panel along edges of both the panel perimeter and the plurality of garnish panels includes fusing the plurality of layers together at the edges.
Example 26 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-25 to optionally include wherein isolating the searing along the edges of the garnish panel form searing along edges of another garnish panel includes localizing searing to the respective garnish panels of each of the plurality of plies.
Example 27 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-26 to optionally include wherein stacking the multi-spectral concealment sheet laminate into a plurality of plies includes stacking the multi-spectral concealment sheet laminate into two or more plies.
Example 28 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-27 to optionally include wherein stacking the multi-spectral concealment sheet laminate into a plurality of plies includes stacking the multi-spectral concealment sheet laminate into between two or twenty plies.
Example 29 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-28 to optionally include wherein laser cutting garnish panels includes laser cutting at least one garnish panel from each of the plurality of plies at the same time.
Example 30 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-29 to optionally include wherein laser cutting garnish panels includes laser cutting a plurality of garnish panels in each of the plurality of plies at the same time.
Example 31 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-30 to optionally include removing excess material from the plurality of plies after laser cutting, and forming a stack of garnish panels with the consistent configuration corresponding to a number of plies of the plurality of plies.
Example 32 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-31 to optionally include wherein forming the web includes forming a plurality of bridges between adjacent garnish bands of the plurality of garnish bands, each of the plurality of bridges are spaced from the panel perimeter and between the gaps.
Example 33 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 1-32 to optionally include wherein forming the web including the plurality of garnish bands includes forming the web with non-linear garnish bands.
Each of these non-limiting examples can stand on its own, or can be combined in any permutation or combination with any one or more of the other examples.
The above detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. These embodiments are also referred to herein as “examples.” Such examples can include elements in addition to those shown or described. However, the present inventors also contemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described are provided. Moreover, the present inventors also contemplate examples using any combination or permutation of those elements shown or described (or one or more aspects thereof), either with respect to a particular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with respect to other examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein.
In the event of inconsistent usages between this document and any documents so incorporated by reference, the usage in this document controls. In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more.” In this document, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “A or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unless otherwise indicated. In this document, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Also, in the following claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, composition, formulation, or process that includes elements in addition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemed to fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.
Method examples described herein can be machine or computer-implemented at least in part. Some examples can include a computer-readable medium or machine-readable medium encoded with instructions operable to configure an electronic device to perform methods as described in the above examples. An implementation of such methods can include code, such as microcode, assembly language code, a higher-level language code, or the like. Such code can include computer readable instructions for performing various methods. The code may form portions of computer program products. Further, in an example, the code can be tangibly stored on one or more volatile, non-transitory, or non-volatile tangible computer-readable media, such as during execution or at other times. Examples of these tangible computer-readable media can include, but are not limited to, hard disks, removable magnetic disks, removable optical disks (e.g., compact disks and digital video disks), magnetic cassettes, memory cards or sticks, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs), and the like.
The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b), to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description as examples or embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment, and it is contemplated that such embodiments can be combined with each other in various combinations or permutations. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
This patent application claims the benefit of priority, under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e), to Matthies et al., U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/772,789, entitled “MULTI-SPECTRAL CAMOFLAGE GARMENTS AND DEVICES AND METHODS FOR MAKING THE SAME,” filed on Mar. 5, 2013 (Attorney Docket No. 2754.095PRV), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61772789 | Mar 2013 | US |