Abstract:
A camouflage apparatus having a plurality of artificial leaves that include individual leaf members. The leaf members are hingedly connected to one another, wherein the leaf members can be positioned for exposure thereof for blending in with one&#39;s environment. The leaf members provide hook and loop fasteners on the first and second side thereof for attachment to one another. The camouflage apparatus can be integral with a garment or attached thereto via a heat activated adhesive. The leaf members may include camouflage pattern and colors thereon, wherein the camouflaged colors correspond with various seasons such as winter, autumn, spring and summer.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/983,104 filed on Apr. 23, 2014. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a camouflage apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to a camouflage apparatus comprising a plurality of artificial leaves, wherein the artificial leaves can be attached to a garment by means of fasteners thereon in order to provide an interchangeable camouflage to accommodate various environments and seasons. 
         [0004]    It is important for hunters to remain camouflaged while tracking an animal. Hunters often wear various camouflaged garments, such as jackets, hats, and pants, among others. However, conventional camouflage includes only a specific pattern and coloration and may not help the hunter to blend in with the environment. Conventional camouflaged garments do not include natural elements, such as leaves or branches, and thus do not allow the hunter to completely blend in with his or her surroundings. 
         [0005]    Further, conventional camouflage garments include a single pattern and coloration that cannot be adjusted or changed. Thus, a camouflaged jacket that is suited for use in the summer having green and brown coloration is not likely to be effective as camouflage in the winter when the landscape includes white and grey colors. However, conventional camouflage garments do not provide the hunter with means for adjusting the look or appearance of the garment. Thus, a customizable camouflage apparatus is desired. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0007]    Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to camouflage apparatuses. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to camouflage garments and/or apparatuses for attachment to clothing. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art. 
         [0008]    Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,230 to Crawford discloses an artificial leaf camouflage construction having a plurality of artificial leaves that are permanently attached to a strip of separable fastening material. The device provides leaf stems that can bend and extend outwardly from the hunter to provide a three dimensional camouflage effect thereto. The present invention, however, provides a camouflage apparatus having artificial leaves having layers, wherein the user can fold the layers in order to reveal various colors in order to accommodate one&#39;s surrounding. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,033 to Sheppard provides a camouflaged garment that consists of a pair of simulated leaves having a common stem, wherein each leaf is located at each end of the stem. The stem is flexible and can be interlocked with a connector loop and can support the simulated leaves on the outside of a garment. The present invention, however, provides a camouflage apparatus having a plurality of artificial leaves hingedly connected to one another, wherein the invention provides an iron-on adhesive for attachment to clothing. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,863 to Slagle provides a camouflage material that comprises multiple layers of material, wherein the outer layer of material can be patterned with different colors or shadings and can include leaf patterns. The material can also be used for tarps. This device, however, does not utilize a camouflage apparatus that can be integral with or attached to a garment. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,848 to Shamblin discloses a camouflage system that consists of a garment having a camouflage structure that can be attached to a garment in overlapping rows for concealment of body parts of the wearer. The garment can create the illusion of trees, shrubs and other foliage in a three dimensional manner for blending into one&#39;s environment. Still, the present invention can be removably affixed to a garment and includes a plurality of hingedly attached artificial leaves. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,381 to Tarrell provides a three dimensional camouflage garment that utilizes varying heights of three dimensional materials placed in strategic panels to provide a three dimensional camouflage fabric. The present invention however, provides a camouflage apparatus that comprises artificial or simulated leave structures, wherein the leaves can be folded in order to reveal various colors to coincide with the changes of seasons and/or weather. 
         [0013]    These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. The above discussed camouflage garments do not utilize a garment attachment having a plurality of artificial leaves hingedly attached to one another, wherein the individual leaf members can be positioned in order to reveal specific leaves. In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing camouflage garment devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of camouflage garments now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new camouflage garment attachment, wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when blending in with different surroundings and landscapes. 
         [0015]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved camouflage apparatus that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
         [0016]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a camouflage apparatus that can be attached to garment. 
         [0017]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a camouflage apparatus that can be integral with a garment. 
         [0018]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a camouflage apparatus having a plurality of artificial leaves, wherein the plurality of leaves include individual leaf members. 
         [0019]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a camouflage apparatus having a plurality of artificial leaves hingedly connected to one another. 
         [0020]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide camouflage apparatus that can be applied to a garment via a heat activated adhesive. 
         [0021]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a view of the camouflage apparatus having a plurality of artificial leaves hingedly connected to one another. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2A  shows a view of an embodiment of the camouflage apparatus in a first configuration. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2B  shows a view of an embodiment of the camouflage apparatus in a second configuration. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  shows a view of the camouflage apparatus having a plurality of artificial leaves hingedly connected to one another and affixed to a garment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the camouflage apparatus. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for providing camouflage that can be attached to garments in order to help the user to blend in with the surroundings and environment. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a view of the camouflage apparatus  11  having a plurality of artificial leaves pivotally connected to one another. The plurality of artificial leaves comprise individual artificial leaf members  13 . In the illustrated embodiment, there are shown three individual leaf members  13 . However, in alternate embodiments, there may be only a single leaf member  13  or there may be any number of individual leaf members  13 . The three leaf members  13  provide a first leaf, a second leaf and a third leaf. Each artificial leaf member  13  provides a first side, a second side, and an outer edge. The outer edge of the individual leaf members  13  provides curves, shapes and contours that imitate the appearance of a real leaf margin found in nature. 
         [0029]    The leaf members  13  can be adapted to simulate an oak leaf in a preferred embodiment. However, the leaf members  13  are not limited to a simulated oak leaf and can resemble maple leaves, dogwood leaves, beech leaves and/or other suitable leaf shapes and/or structures. The outer edge of the leaf members  13  can be serrate, undulate, sinuate, entire, crenate, toothed and/or other suitable shapes. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , there are shown views of an embodiment of the camouflage device in different configurations. In the illustrated embodiment, the camouflage device  11  comprises a first leaf member  17 , a second leaf member  18 , a third leaf member  19 , and a fourth leaf member  20 . Each individual leaf member comprises a first side and a second side. The first leaf member  17  comprises a first side with an adhesive thereon adapted to be affixed to a garment, and a second side  21  with a green camouflage pattern. A second leaf member  18  comprises a first side  25  with a green camouflage pattern and a second side with a white camouflage pattern. A third leaf member  19  comprises a first side  23  with a white camouflage pattern and a second side with an orange camouflage pattern. Finally, a fourth leaf member  20  comprises a first side  24  with an orange camouflage pattern and a second side with an adhesive thereon for securement to a user&#39;s garment. Thus, the sides of leaf members that face one another share a common color. In this way, the user can pivot the leaf members such that only a single color camouflage is visible, and camouflage of different colors are obscured or concealed. This allows the user to easily customize the type of camouflage pattern displayed depending upon the season and environment. 
         [0031]    For example, in  FIG. 2A , the second side  21  of the first leaf member  17  and the first side  25  of the second leaf member  18  each comprise a green camouflage pattern. The leaf members can be arranged so that only the green camouflage pattern is visible, and the second leaf member  18  is placed over the third leaf member so as to cover the same. Similarly, in  FIG. 2B  the second side  22  of the second leaf member  18  and the first side  23  of the third leaf member  19  comprise a white camouflage pattern. In this way, the second leaf member  18  can be folded against the first leaf member  17  and the third leaf member  19  can be folded against the fourth leaf member  20  so that only the white camouflage is visible. 
         [0032]    In order to reveal a specific side of specific leaf members and thus a specific color, a user can secure the leaf members together using fasteners  15  disposed thereon. Fasteners  15  are disposed on the outer edge of each side of the individual leaf members. Preferably, the fasteners  15  comprise hook and loop fastening material. The individual leaf members can be removably secured to one another in order to display a desired coloration on the first or second side of the leaf member. The hook and loop fasteners  15  on adjacent leaf members can be placed in contact with one another and thus become affixed to one another so that only the desired color is revealed. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  shows a view of the camouflage apparatus  11  having a plurality of artificial leaves hingedly connected to one another and affixed to a garment  12 . The individual leaf members that make up the plurality of artificial leaves of the camouflage apparatus are connected at an edge thereof in a hinged manner, wherein the individual leaf members can rotate about one another. Thus, the first edge of the first leaf member is pivotally secured to the first edge of the second leaf member, and also to the first edge of the third leaf member. The edges of the plurality of leaf members  13  are connected to one another via an adhesive in a preferred embodiment, wherein the individual leaf members  13  are permanently connected to one another. However, the outer edges of the plurality of leaf members can be connected via stitching, hook and loop fasteners, heat sealing and/or other suitable fastening means. 
         [0034]    The camouflage apparatus  11  can be affixed to the user&#39;s garment  12  via a heat activated adhesive, wherein the heat activated adhesive can be located on the outer surface of one or more leaf members. The user can place the camouflage apparatus  11  onto the surface of the garment  12  to which it is to be applied, wherein the outer surface of the camouflage apparatus can contact the surface of the garment and lays thereagainst. The user can then apply a hot iron to the first or second side of at least one individual leaf member  13 , whereby the iron contacts the heat activated adhesive and results in the bonding of the outer edge of the individual leaf members to the clothing to which it is applied. 
         [0035]    In an alternative embodiment, the camouflage apparatus can be integral with a garment  12  and thus, can be permanently affixed to a garment  12  via stitching, heat sealing and/or other suitable fasteners. However, the camouflage apparatus  11  can further be removably attached to a garment via buttons, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, clips and/or other suitable fasteners. The camouflage apparatus  11  can be made from nylon, cotton, polyester, acrylic and heat activated adhesives such as polyurethane, and/or other suitable heat activated adhesives. 
         [0036]    It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0037]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.