U.S. patent application number 14/222977 was filed with the patent office on 2015-09-24 for three-dimensional product camouflage.
This patent application is currently assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Ford Global Technologies, LLC. Invention is credited to Steve Norman Bazinski, Ian McLaughlin.
Application Number | 20150268003 14/222977 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53749989 |
Filed Date | 2015-09-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150268003 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bazinski; Steve Norman ; et
al. |
September 24, 2015 |
THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRODUCT CAMOUFLAGE
Abstract
A camouflage sheet comprises a reflector layer. The sheet has
formed thereon a plurality of three-dimensional shapes. The
camouflage sheet, and possibly also one or more other camouflage
sheets, may be affixed to a product such as a test vehicle.
Inventors: |
Bazinski; Steve Norman;
(Amherstburg, CA) ; McLaughlin; Ian; (Bloomfield
Hills, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ford Global Technologies, LLC |
Dearborn |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Ford Global Technologies,
LLC
Dearborn
MI
|
Family ID: |
53749989 |
Appl. No.: |
14/222977 |
Filed: |
March 24, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/187 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 13/04 20130101;
B60J 11/06 20130101; F41H 3/00 20130101; Y10T 428/24736
20150115 |
International
Class: |
F41H 3/00 20060101
F41H003/00 |
Claims
1. A camouflage sheet, comprising: a reflector layer, wherein the
sheet has formed thereon a plurality of three-dimensional
shapes.
2. The camouflage sheet of claim 1, further comprising a reflector
backing layer and an adhesive layer.
3. The camouflage sheet of claim 1, wherein the reflector layer is
an elastomeric film.
4. The camouflage sheet of claim 1, wherein the reflector layer is
holographic.
5. The camouflage sheet of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
three-dimensional shapes is formed to a height of approximately
three to four times a thickness of the reflector layer together
with any other layer forming the sheet.
6. The camouflage sheet of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional
shapes are formed by a vacuum-forming process.
7. The camouflage sheet of claim 1, dimensioned to match a vehicle
component.
8. The camouflage sheet of claim 1, wherein different ones of the
shapes have different respective dimensions.
9. The camouflage sheet of claim 1, wherein the shapes are randomly
selected.
10. A test product, wherein the test product has affixed thereto at
least one camouflage sheet comprising a reflector layer, wherein
the sheet has formed thereon a plurality of three-dimensional
shapes.
11. The test product of claim 10, wherein the test product is a
vehicle.
12. The test product of claim 10, wherein the test product further
has affixed thereto a reflective coating.
13. The test product of claim 10, wherein the camouflage sheet is
affixed to the product with at least one of a magnet and an
adhesive.
14. The test product of claim 10, wherein the test product further
has affixed thereto at least one dummy component.
15. The test product of claim 10, wherein the at least one
camouflage sheet affixed to the test product is a plurality of
camouflage sheets.
16. The test product of claim 15, wherein a first one of the
camouflage sheets includes a first pattern of three-dimensional
shapes, and a second one of the camouflage sheets includes a second
pattern of three-dimensional shapes.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Current mechanisms for camouflaging new, test, and/or
prototype products such as vehicles are inadequate. For example,
given current camera technology, it is often possible for
photographs to identify not only a general shape, but geometric
detail of a prototype product. Existing camouflage methods, such as
using painted strips and/or stencils to apply other patterns,
generally with black and white shapes, do not hide a vehicle shape
or geometric details. Further, present techniques for using
three-dimensional mechanisms to camouflage products suffer from
drawbacks, including adding weight to a product being tested, as
well as altering its behavior during tests, e.g., in a wind tunnel,
etc.
DRAWINGS
[0002] FIG. 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of sheets of a
camouflage sheet prior to formation of three-dimensional shapes
thereon.
[0003] FIG. 2 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of the
camouflage sheet of FIG. 1, following formation of
three-dimensional shapes thereon.
[0004] FIG. 3 is an exemplary top view of the camouflage sheet of
FIG. 1, following formation of three-dimensional shapes
thereon.
[0005] FIG. 4 is an exemplary top view of a vehicle having a
plurality of camouflage sheets affixed thereto.
[0006] FIG. 5 is an exemplary perspective view of a vehicle having
a plurality of camouflage sheets affixed thereto.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0007] An advantageous camouflage apparatus, e.g., a sheet of
plastic material or the like having formed thereon
three-dimensional shapes, may be applied to a product such as a
vehicle, e.g., a vehicle interior and/or exterior. For example, a
camouflage apparatus may be created using reflective and/or
holographic plastic sheets subjected to a vacuum formation process
to form three-dimensional shapes in the plastic sheets.
Alternatively, the sheets could be formed via some other process,
such as a combination of heat and pressure. The camouflage sheet
including the sheets may be further include an adhering mechanism
for being affixed to a product such as a test vehicle, e.g., the
adhering mechanism being an adhesive backing or the like.
Three-dimensional shapes formed in the plastic sheets may be
combined with various colors, materials (e.g., creating or
enhancing reflectivity with a film with interlaced foil, combining
different pigments, etc.), and/or patterns to enhance a camouflage
effect. In general, various combinations of materials, pigments,
etc. may be used. Accordingly, when affixed to a product such as a
test vehicle, the camouflage sheet may produce a specular
reflection or the like that makes it difficult or impossible to
accurately capture an image, e.g., a photograph, of the product.
Further, the camouflage sheet may be affixed to and/or combined
with other camouflage mechanisms on a product. For example, with
respect to a test vehicle, a location of grill work, door-opening
mechanisms, events, window and/or pillar lines, exterior lights,
etc., could be disguised with mock or "dummy" parts or components
that, yet further alternatively or additionally, could be further
covered and/or located adjacent to the camouflage sheet.
[0008] Because the three-dimensional shapes included in the
camouflage sheet extend a relatively short distance from a surface
of the plastic sheet, the camouflage sheet provides benefits of
three-dimensional camouflage while also providing benefits
generally enjoyed with a two-dimensional sheet. For example, noise
in a wind tunnel may be reduced. Further, disadvantages of
three-dimensional camouflage mechanisms are avoided. For example,
using a drape or mesh camouflage, e.g., made of canvas or a cloth
material, may often result in noise absorption and/or altering
behavior of a vehicle such as a product, e.g., in a wind tunnel,
add weight and/or other undesirable or altering characteristics,
etc. The camouflage sheet disclosed herein avoids these
disadvantages.
[0009] FIG. 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of sheets of a
camouflage sheet 10 prior to formation of three-dimensional shapes.
As mentioned above, the camouflage sheet 10 may comprise plastic
layers or the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the plastic sheet 10 may
include three layers, including a reflector layer 12, a reflector
backing 14, and an adhesive layer 16. The reflector layer, as
mentioned above, is reflective and/or holographic. Further, the
term "reflective" should be understood to include, in addition to
mirror-like surfaces, surfaces that include metallic flakes,
aluminum, and/or other metals or surface that tend to reflect light
and/or diffract and/or absorb light. Accordingly, the layer 12 can
be used to camouflage a product in a photograph or video, e.g., by
creating areas that are too bright or too dark to be accurately
seen and/or depicted, e.g., a photographic or video image. Further,
as mentioned above, the layer 12 may combine various materials,
pigments, colors, metallic and/or plastic surfaces, etc.
[0010] The layers 12, 14, 16 are generally plastic, as mentioned
above, e.g., may be made from an elastomeric film or the like, and
may be adhered to one another using an epoxy such as is known. For
example, an elastomeric film used for one or more of the layers 12,
14, 16 could be an ABS (ammonia, butyl, styrene) film, a
polycarbonate film, or some other elastomeric film. Further,
implementations of the plastic sheet 10 are possible that omit one
or both of the layers 14, 16. For example, instead of using an
adhesive layer 16 to hear the sheet 10 to a product such as a
vehicle, other attachment mechanisms, e.g., magnets, glue, tape,
mechanical attachment, etc., could be used. Layers 12, 14, 16 of
various thicknesses, e.g., 0.5 millimeters, may be used.
[0011] FIG. 2 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of the
camouflage sheet 10 of FIG. 1, following formation of
three-dimensional shapes 20. For example, the sheet 10 may be
subjected to a vacuum formation process, where a vacuum forming
machine is applied to a side of the sheet 10 including in the
reflector layer 12. A mold of the vacuum forming machine may be
used to create various three-dimensional shapes 20. A pattern of
three-dimensional shapes 20, and/or specific shapes 20, may be
randomly generated. For example, a set of one or more shapes 20
could be provided for inclusion in a vacuum formation process of
the sheet 10. Some or all of the shapes 20 could be randomly
selected, and/or a pattern in which various shapes 20 were deployed
could be randomly selected, for inclusion on the vacuum-formed
sheet 10. As mentioned above, processes other than vacuum
formation, e.g., a heat process, may be used to form the shapes
20.
[0012] Shape 20 dimensions, i.e., height, length, and width, may
vary, and/or may be dependent on a thickness and/or material used
in one or more of the layers 12, 14, 16. For example, if a stack of
layers 12, 14, 16 is 0.6 millimeters, then a shape 20 could have a
height of around 2 millimeters. In general shapes 20 may have a
thickness 3-4 times, or up to 10-20 times, a total thickness of
layers 12, 14, 16, although for many materials it should be noted
that a thickness or height with respect to the layer 12 surface of
20 times the thickness of layers 12, 14, and 16 may be too thick.
In general, weight is a concern in determining a thickness of
layers 12, 14, 16, and also shapes 20 should not have a height that
could interfere with product performance, e.g., when deployed on an
exterior of a vehicle 22.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an exemplary top view of the camouflage sheet 10
of FIG. 1, following formation of three-dimensional shapes 20. As
illustrated in FIG. 3, a variety of one or more shapes 20 may be
included on the sheet 10. As mentioned above, the sheet 10 may, but
need not be, further be provided with a variety of colors to
enhance a camouflage effect of the sheet 10.
[0014] Note that the shape of the camouflage sheet 10 is exemplary
and not limiting. In fact, the camouflage sheet 10 is flexible, and
moreover may be cut to any desired shape and/or size. Accordingly,
a camouflage sheet 10 may be applied to various surfaces of a
product, e.g., a vehicle, exterior. For example, a camouflage sheet
10 may be cut to conform to a shape and size of a vehicle
component, e.g., a hood, a door, etc.
[0015] Moreover, a first camouflage sheet 10 may be applied to a
product such as a vehicle in combination with one or more
additional camouflage sheets 10. FIG. 4 is a top view of an
exemplary vehicle 22 having sheets 10 affixed thereto. FIG. 5 is an
exemplary perspective view of a vehicle 22 having a plurality of
camouflage sheets 10 affixed thereto. As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and
5, the sheets 10 may generally match or conform to a shape of a
vehicle 22 component, e.g., a hood and a trunk lid, in the example
of FIG. 4.
[0016] Further, where a plurality of camouflage sheets 10 are used
to disguise or secure a product, various camouflage sheets 10 may
have different respective patterns of shapes 20 formed thereon. As
mentioned above, shapes 20 may be randomly formed on a sheet 10,
e.g., a variety of shapes of a variety of dimensions could be
specified, and then randomly formed on the sheet 10. To further
disguise a product, a first sheet 10 having a first random pattern
of specified shapes could be formed, and adhered to a first portion
of the product, e.g., a right front vehicle door. Then a second
sheet 10 having a second random pattern of the specified shapes (or
additional or other shapes than shapes used to form the first sheet
10) could be formed, and adhered to a second portion of the
product, e.g., a right rear vehicle door. Third, fourth, fifth,
etc., sheets 10 could likewise be formed and adhered to a product,
varying as described above from at least some other sheets 10
applied to the product.
[0017] The camouflage sheet 10 may alternatively or additionally be
combined with other camouflage mechanisms. For example, in the case
of a vehicle, a vehicle body could be covered with one or more
camouflage sheets 10, and one or more vehicle windows could be
coated with a reflective material.
[0018] In the drawings, the same reference numbers indicate the
same elements. Further, some or all of these elements could be
changed. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above
description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive.
Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided
would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the
above description. The scope of the invention should be determined,
not with reference to the above description, but should instead be
determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the
full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is
anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the
arts discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods
will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it
should be understood that the invention is capable of modification
and variation and is limited only by the following claims.
[0019] All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their
broadest reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as
understood by those skilled in the art unless an explicit
indication to the contrary in made herein. In particular, use of
the singular articles such as "a," "the," "said," etc. should be
read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim
recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.
* * * * *