GB2162930A

GB2162930A - Reflective device to be used on the target in a simulated shooting exercise

Info

Publication number: GB2162930A
Application number: GB08519420A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Gilbertson
Original assignee: LASER SPORTING PRODUCTS LIMITE
Current assignee: LASER SPORTING PRODUCTS LIMITE
Priority date: 1984-08-10
Filing date: 1985-08-01
Publication date: 1986-02-12
Also published as: GB8519420D0; GB8519158D0

Abstract

In a simulated shooting exercise a light beam is projected from a simulated weapon towards a target, the target being retro- reflective and the reflected beam detected by a receiver and an indication made when a "hit" has been scored. The reflective device in this case comprises retro- reflective means which is camouflaged to the naked eye. Various targets may be used and a variety of ways of camouflaging the retro-reflective means are disclosed. The preferred embodiment is an under garment made of a sheet of retro-reflective material 13 over which is superimposed a sheet of camouflage netting 14. The proportion of reflective material which may be obscured depends on the reflective capabilities of the material and the distance at which the target is to be from the marksman. At a range of 40 metres the netting need obscure only between 25 and 35% of the surface area of the reflective material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Reflective device to be used on a proposed target in a-simulated shooting exercise The present invention relates to simulated shooting and is particularly concerned with providing equipment to be used on a proposed human or animal target as might be used for example by police or militia in target practice or on a tank or aircraft.

The practice of simulating the firing of a weapon by replacing the bullet or shot with a laser or LED beam is known. To know whether or not a target has been hit it is necessary to equip the target with means whereby the arrival of the beam on the target can be identified.

One proposal for clothing in this context comprises a vest containing detectors for laser light emitted from a gun to simulate a bullet.

The detectors provide an indication that the wearer has been hit by lighting up a red bulb on detection of the light The fact that many detectors are required for an effective result makes the system extremely expensive.

Instead of using individual detectors the present invention seeks to reflect the beam of incident light to a single detector located at or close to the weapon and user, or to illuminate the target with a light beam. In either case the target must incorporate retro-reflective material. The- problem then arises that the target becomes obvious to the nakes eye because of the existence of this reflective material.

Acco?ding-to the present invention there is provided a reflective device to be used on a proposed target in a simulated shooting exercise, the device comprising retroreflective means which is camouflaged to the naked eye as a result of which only a proportion of the surface area of the device is operative to reflect a beam.

Thus the device would usually be only partly retro-reflective. The percentage area of the device which shines on being illuminated by a light flash will depend on the reflective capabilities of the retro-reflective means and the range of the target from the light flash.

The area is expected to vary between 20% and 75% of the surface area of the device.

Preferably the-device comprises a layer of retro-reflective material on which is superimposed a layer of camouflage cloth. In this case it is possible to use a layer of netting as camouflage cloth, the material of which will cover 25-35% of the surface of the retroreflective surface.

The device may take a number of different forms. Any type of clothing would be suitable, or any piece of material, such as a band, that a target could wear or incorporate.

Examples of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in Which: Figure 1 is a garment according to the invention comprising camouflage cloth onto which spots of retro-reflective ink or paint have been applied.

Figure 2 is a band-according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a garment according to the invention comprising a retro-reflective surface to be worn under camouflage netting, and Figure 4 is a garment according to the invention comprising retro-reflective material containing up to 80% of the area cut or punched out, or painted out in one or more camouflage colours.

All the drawings illustrate specific garments and particular ways of camouflaging the retroreflective nature of the garment. It will be appreciated that the ways of camouflage in each case are not limited to the garments illustrated, but can be adapted for use on any suitable target.

The term "retro-reflective'' refers to the characteristic of reflecting an incident beam substantially in a parallel direction to the incident beam back towards the projector of the incident beam irrespective of the angle of incidence of the beam. Glass beads act in this way. It is also possible to obtain retro-reflective paint. One such paint is sold under the Trade Mark "Scotchlite".

The garment of Fig. 1 is a vest and beret and the retro-reflective ink or paint may be applied over any selected area, such as the heart, or may be dispersed over the whole garment as illustrated. The camouflage cloth used will depend on the simulation required.

If the target is a simulated terrorist or bank robber, for example, the cloth would be normal clothing whereas for a military target the cloth would be appropriate to that context. To be effective, the area ratio pf the retro-reflective means to camouflage may need to be of the order of 60% because ink and paint are less reflective than, for example, glass beads.

The garments of Fig. 2 is a band which can be worn over the head or heart and is illustrated on a beret and over a vest of cámoufl- age material. The band has a surface of retroreflective material 11, the major part of the visible portion of which has been obscured by painting in one or more camouflage colours 1 2 in a broken pattern. Depending on the reflective capabilities of the reflective means, and the range that the reflective means has to be effective, up to 75% of the surface area could be obscured in this way-.

The garment of Fig. 3 consists of an under material comprising a solid piece of retroreflective surface 1 3. This may be just one area, say around the heart, or the entire garment. A second, over garment 14 is then worn over the under material. This over garment, which may be camouflage netting, obscures some of the under material leaving only part of the reflective means still active to reflect the incident beam. Using this sort of double layer arrangement and a weapon simulator with a LED light source having a power of less than 40mW producing a beam with a spread of 75cm at a distance of 35 metres, it has been found that the netting forming the over garment should cover from 25-35% of the reflective material for a reasonable reflection of the beam up to 65 metres target range.If too much material is covered the reflection is not adequate and if too little material is covered the camouflage effect is reduced as normal daylight might cause the material to reflect and thus be seen by the naked eye.

The garment of Fig. 4 is made from a sheet of retro-reflective material, for example a surface of glass beads 15, by removing the effectiveness of a proportion of the reflective particles, say up to 75%. This may be achieved by punching out some of the beads or pattern perforating in a broken pattern; or alternatively painting over a proportion of the beads with a non;reflective camouflage paint 16.

The retro-reflective elements in the garment can be used to reflect either infra-red light or visible light. Thus in one example the simulated shot may be in the form of an infra-red beam which is reflected by the garment. The reflected beam is then detected at a receiver near the marksman and an indication may be provided either at the receiver or at a remote location that a "hit' has been made. The ability of the garment to reflect visible light means that the simulated shot may be in the form of a light flash such as a photo-flash, which will illuminate any reflective particles in its range, causing the garment to shine, thus indicating a "hit". The light flash can be used in conjunction with an infra-red beam. In this case the detection of the reflected infra-red beam activates the firing of a photo-flash, as described in our co-pending patent application No 8420414.

Examples of clothing which could be used with the above means of camouflage include vest, jacket with or without hood, head gear, sweater, trousers.

Another use of the camouflaged reflective device would be on military hardwear, in particular tanks and aircraft. This is particularly appropriate where a "hit" on a special area of the target is required. An example of such an area is the reserve fuel tank of a military tank. Either the metal of the target can be coated with reflective material or paint and the reflective portion alone, or the whole target is then covered with camouflage cloth or netting. Alternatively any of the arrangements described with respect to clothing can be used to provide a camouflaged reflective area.

Claims

1. A reflective device to be used on a proposed target in a simulated shooting exercise, the device comprising retro-reflective means which is camouflaged to the naked eye.

2. A reflective device according to claim 1 wherein 65-75% of the surface area of the device is operative to reflect an impinging beam.

3. A reflective device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the device is in the form of a garment of forms part of a garment.

4. A reflective device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the retro-reflective means is camouflaged by a covering material which allows the reflectivity of the refletive means to operate through the covering.

5. A reflective device according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the reflective means is is in the form of a reflective ink or paint applied to a piece of cloth over a portion of the area of the device.

6. A reflective device according to claim 1 or 3 wherein the reflective means is a retroreflective surface up to 75% of which has been camouflaged by painting the surface with one or more camouflage colours.

7. A reflective surface according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the reflective means is a surface of glass beads a proportion of which have been removed or camouflaged.

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8. A reflective device according to any of claims 1,2,4,5,6 or 7 wherein the target is a piece of military hardware.

9. A reflective device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.