Patent ID: 7415934
Filing Date: 2008-08-26
Classification: D05B,D10B,F41H,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A process for producing a camouflage material having a three-dimensional surface contour comprising: providing a multi-head bonding machine that bonds overlying layers of material together along spaced longitudinal lines of attachment; providing a roll of an elongated web of a substrate material of a predetermined width; positioning the roll in position to feed the substrate material into the bonding machine; providing an elongated web of an outer layer of camouflage material, the outer layer comprising a plurality of elongated strips of camouflage fabric having a desired pattern applied thereto, the strips of camouflage fabric having irregular side edges, each strip being a width substantially narrower than the width of the substrate; arranging the strips in rolls and positioning the rolls adjacent the substrate, such that the strips are fed into the bonding machine with the substrate, the rolls of strips being positioned such that different rolls of strips are aligned with different bonding heads; causing the rolls of camouflage fabric and substrate material to be conveyed through the bonding machine for bonding together at spaced lines of attachment by separate bonding heads; separating the camouflage fabric from the substrate, such that the camouflage fabric is in an un-supported position, prior to entry of the materials in the bonding heads; applying a pulsed jet of hot fluid to the exterior surface of the camouflage fabric while the camouflage fabric is in its unsupported position and moving toward the bonding heads, the pulsed jet being applied at discreet time intervals so as to produce discreet, longitudinally spaced cup-shaped heat deformations along the camouflage fabric prior to the camouflage fabric being bonded to the substrate; and bonding the camouflage fabric to the substrate after the cup-shaped heat deformations are formed therein, the heat deformations causing the cup-shaped portions of the strips of camouflage material to spring away from the plane of the substrate material, giving the camouflage material a three-dimensional surface contour.