U.S. patent application number 10/440291 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-29 for camouflage net.
Invention is credited to Hexels, Gerd.
Application Number | 20040082245 10/440291 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29285695 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040082245 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hexels, Gerd |
April 29, 2004 |
Camouflage net
Abstract
A camouflage net is provided with a base material in the form of
a formed-loop knit of polyester fiber, having fractions of metal
and plastic in fiber or pigment form and with a camouflage color
coating. The polyester formed-loop knit incorporates metal-sheathed
polyamide fibers and optionally polyamide fibers comprising
electroconductive pigments.
Inventors: |
Hexels, Gerd; (Nettetal,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIS & BUJOLD, P.L.L.C.
FOURTH FLOOR
500 N. COMMERCIAL STREET
MANCHESTER
NH
03101-1151
US
|
Family ID: |
29285695 |
Appl. No.: |
10/440291 |
Filed: |
May 16, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
442/312 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 442/45 20150401;
F41H 3/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
442/312 |
International
Class: |
D04B 021/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 25, 2002 |
DE |
102 23 333.0 |
Claims
What is claim di:
1. A camouflage net having a base material in the form of a
formed-loop knit of polyester fiber, having fractions of metal and
plastic in fiber or pigment form and having a camouflage color
coating, characterized in that the polyester formed-loop knit (1)
incorporates metal-sheathed polyamide fibers (2a).
2. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that
the polyester formed-loop knit (1) incorporates polyamide fibers
(2b) comprising electroconductive pigments or fibers (3).
3. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the polyamide fibers (2a,2b) are randomly distributed in the
polyester fiber formed-loop knit (1).
4. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the polyamide fibers (2a,2b) are disposed in zigzag shape in
the polyester fiber formed-loop knit (1).
5. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the polyamide fibers (2a,2b) are monofilaments.
6. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that
6,6 monofilaments are provided.
7. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the polyamide fibers (2a,2b) have a round cross section.
8. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the polyamide fibers (2a,2b) have a trilobal cross
section.
9. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the polyamide fibers (2a,2b) are incorporated in a layer from
0.5 to .mu. and preferably 1.mu. in thickness.
10. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the weight fraction of the polyamide fibers (2a,2b) in the
formed-loop knit composite is in the range from 3% to 15%.
11. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that
the electroconductivity of the polyamide fibers (2b) provided with
carbon pigments (3) or carbon fibers is between 3.times.10.sup.3 to
35.times.10.sup.3 W.
12. A camouflage net as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that
the metal sheath is a conductive metal (4) and preferably
silver.
13. A camouflage net as claimed in any of claims 1 to 12,
characterized in that the formed-loop knit composite additionally
incorporates a horizontal inlay (6) comprising polyester fibers (1)
and polyamide fibers (2a,2b) which are metal sheathed and/or
provided with electroconductive pigments (3) or fibers.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a camouflage net having a base
material in the form of a formed-loop knit of polyester fiber,
having fractions of metal and plastic in fiber or pigment form and
having a camouflage color coating.
[0002] A camouflage net of the kind described is known, for example
from EP 0 468 173 B1. It consists of a polyester fiber base
material in the form of a loop-formingly knitted material into
which metal fibers are inlaid. Above the polyester fiber knit
containing metal fibers is disposed a polyurethane polymer layer
which contains carbon absorber pigments. The polymer layer is
rendered flame retardant and additionally coated with an infrared
camouflage color.
[0003] The previously known camouflage net is effective not only
against detection in radar and thermal imaging but also against
detection in the near infrared region.
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to further improve
a camouflage net of the kind described, especially with regard to
its effectiveness and its handling in use.
[0005] This object is achieved according to the invention when the
polyester formed-loop knit incorporates metal-sheathed polyamide
fibers.
[0006] The use of metal-sheathed or metalized polyamide instead of
the previous metal fibers provides larger surface areas while
retaining a percentage basis weight of the incorporated metal and
hence also a larger reflective area. The metalized polyamide fibers
incorporated in the polyester formed-loop knit provide a distinctly
improved result in relation to radar absorption and scattering, ie
a superior directional independence.
[0007] The incorporation of metalized polyamide, preferably
disposed randomly or in various directions in the formed-loop knit,
distinctly improves the radar attenuation values. The metalized
polyamide fibers, which are responsible for any reflection, provide
a distinctly superior scattering effect than the previously known
metal fibers, which were predominantly oriented in one
direction.
[0008] In a very advantageous refinement of the invention, the
formed-loop knit may additionally incorporate polyamide fibers
comprising electroconductive pigments or fibers to achieve the
requisite absorption of radar beams. This measure saves one layer,
namely the polymer layer, compared with the known camouflage net.
The many-layered construction and the many-layered add-on plies in
the case of the known camouflage net could lead to varying
dependencies in relation to the employment of the binder quantity
required therefor and the flame retardant system, and this was in
some instances a disadvantage for the effectiveness of the
camouflage net.
[0009] Moreover, dispensing with the polymer layer makes the
camouflage net as a whole lighter and easier to handle as a result.
This means at the same time that the camouflage net of this
invention already possesses basic attenuation for IR reflection and
thus that the printing colors for a camouflage layer and for flame
retardancy require a reduced fraction of carbon and hence binder
quantities. In addition, the camouflage net of this invention also
becomes more flexible as a result.
[0010] In a further advantageous development of this invention, the
formed-loop knit composite additionally incorporates a horizontal
inlay comprising polyester fibers and polyamide fibers which are
metal sheathed and/or provided with electroconductive pigments or
fibers.
[0011] This measure of this invention provides even superior
effectiveness and utility to the camouflage net.
[0012] Advantageous refinements and further developments will be
apparent from the remaining subclaims and from the exemplary
embodiment illustrated in principle below with reference to the
drawing, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows an enlarged outline representation of the
camouflage net according to this invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a detail of a polyester fiber with polyamide
fibers in a much enlarged representation;
[0015] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged detail as per III from FIG. 2;
and
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a similar enlarged detail as depicted in FIG. 3
featuring another cross-sectional shape for the polyamide
fiber.
[0017] FIG. 1 shows, in outline representation, a base material
which is a formed-loop knit of polyester fibers 1 which has been
constructed in known manner from pillar and inlay. The inlay, as
well as the polyester fibers 1, includes metal-sheathed polyamide
fibers 2a and polyamide fibers 2b having electroconductive pigments
3 on the surface of the polyamide fibers. The metalization of the
polyamide fibers 2a is accomplished by providing a coat or sheath
of conductive metal 4 over the polyamide fibers 2a, for which the
metal may be applied by electroplating. An example of a useful
metal is silver with or without aluminum. As is evident from FIG.
3, the polyamide fibers 2a and 2b may have a round cross section.
Alternatively, they may also have a trilobal cross-sectional shape
or a cross-sectional shape in the manner of a three-leaf
clover.
[0018] The polyamide fibers 2a and 2b with their metal sheathing 4
or with their pigments 3 are incorporated into the formed-loop knit
randomly or in zigzag shape. The pillar stitches of the formed-loop
knit are generally formed from polyester fibers 2 only.
[0019] The polyamide fibers 2a and 2b, which are distinctly thinner
in cross section than the polyester fibers 1, can be 6,6
monofilaments. The layer thickness of the polyamide fibers 2a and
2b can be between 0.5 and 2.0.mu. and preferably is 1.0.mu..
[0020] The conductivity of the electroconductive polyamide fibers
2b with their carbon pigments 3 can preferably be between
3.times.10.sup.3 to 35.times.10.sup.3 .OMEGA./cm.
[0021] The linear density of the polyamide fibers 2a and 2b can
preferably be from 0.13 denier to 0.64 denier.
[0022] The weight fraction of the polyamide fibers 2a and 2b in the
formed-loop knit composite can be for example in the range from 3%
to 15%.
[0023] It will be appreciated that other values and fractions are
also possible within the scope of the invention.
[0024] In addition, the formed-loop knit may incorporate an
inserted weft 6 composed of polyester fibers. Here too the
polyester fibers 1 can be twisted with polyamide fibers 2a, which
are sheathed with metal 4, and/or with polyamide fibers 2b, which
are provided with carbon pigments 3.
[0025] The formed-loop knit composite of polyester fibers 1 and
polyamide fibers 2a and 2b is bothsidedly provided with a
flame-retardant coating 7 in known manner in such a way that the
polyester fibers 1 and the polyamide fibers 2a and 2b are encased
by the flame retardant on virtually all sides. In addition, a
camouflage color print 8 can be applied to at least one side of the
formed-loop knit. The manner of the camouflage color print 8
depends on the nature of the terrain for which the camouflage net
is to be used. In open terrain, the camouflage colors used will
usually be mottled green/brown in summer and a white ground color
in winter. If desired, the camouflage net can also be printed with
different camouflage colors on each side, for different
deployments.
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