GB2511135A - A camouflage retaining and dispensing pouch - Google Patents

Abstract

A camouflage retaining and dispensing pouch (20, 30) comprises attachment means for attaching the pouch to another article. The pouch further comprises camouflage material (40) releasably retained substantially inside the pouch and temporarily dispensed therefrom. The camouflage material (40) is attached to the pouch (20, 30) or attachment means.

Description

A camouflage retaining and dispensing pouch The present invention relates generally to a camouflage retaining and dispensing pouch and finds particular, although not exclusive, utility in applying and removing camouflage to/from a military helmet.

Presently, in the US and UK armed forces, camouflage is applied to helmets by the individual personnel attaching strips of camouflage material (typically 4cm wide by 50cm long) thereto. This is achieved by using a helmet covering which includes a web of elasticated straps and weaving the strips into and out of the straps. To remove the camouflage, as must he done when the soldier is in different situation, each strip must he removed individually. The whole process of application and removal is time consuming. Furthermore, the strips are easily lost when not in use. Tt has become apparent that some soldiers are either not using any camouflage on their helmets or are instead using their own systems to provide camouflage such as painting the outer surface of their helmets. This is undesirable for many reasons, such as discipline, lack of efficacy and in some cases increasing the risk to the soldiers through the use of inappropriate camouflage materials.

Accordingly, it is desirable to have a system which allows soldiers to apply and remove camouflage to/from their helmets quickly and easily, and \vhich allows the camouflage to he less easily lost.

/\lthough, the information is described with reference to helmets it will be understood that it may be applied to anything from any fonn of clothing to equipment, buildings and hardware (such as vehicles).

In a first aspect, the invention provides a camouflage retaining and dispensing pouch compnslng attachment means for attaching the pouch to another article, the pouch further comprising camouflage material for being releasably retained substantially inside the pouch and for being temporarily dispensed therefrom, wherein the camouflage material is attached to the oucli or attachment means.

In this regard, camouflage material is of the type which is used by the military or armies in any country hut preferentially by the British or US i\rmy. It may comprise cloth, or another substrate, printed, dyed, or in some other known way, coloured.

Typical, but not lhniting, colours are shades of brown and green, and black. The material may comprise closely woven material, or loosely woven material with a net-type

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etiect. Other materials may he non-woven. The material may comprise man-made and/or non-man-made materials. Examples include cotton, wool, polyester and nylon.

The material may include an array of holes within it which aids in reducing its weight.

The material may he inflexible, semi-flexible and/or flexible and may comprise metallic or other materials which do not include cloth.

The camouflage material may comprise several different forms of material attached to one another such that an irregular appearance is achieved with the camouflage material dispensed from the pouch.

i0 With the camouflage material being attached to the pouch and/or attachment means it cannot easily be lost and allows for quick replacement within the pouch. No winding of the camouflage material about straps is required as it is retained to the pouch and/or attachment means.

\Vith regard to the term "pouch", it may have a pocket-like form with all hut one edge or portion of an edge attached to another article such that when an article is placed within the poucl it cannot he entirely removed accidentally. Ilowever, other forms of pouch are contemplated such as having only corners attached to the other arncl e.

The pouch may comprise a first layer of material forming an outer surface of the pouch. The first layer may be continuous or discontinuous in that it may comprise holes therein. The first layer of material may comprise camouflage material.

The pouch may have at least one elasticated edge. In this way the length of the edge may he resiliently extended. This may allow the edge or side of the pouch to he pulled temporarily in a direction to thus allow the camouflage material to he inserted or removed.

The first layer of material may he at least partially elasticated. This may have the effect of the pouch expanding to allow the camouflage material to he stored within, followed by the pouch contracting after removal of the camouflage material.

The attachment means may be the first layer of material. This first layer of material may he attached to another article hy sewing, or otherwise adhering the two together at distinct points of the first layer, such as its corners, sides and/or edges.

The pouch may further comprise a second sayer of material forming a tear surface of the pouch. This second layer may have a camouflage appearance. It may comprise the attachment means.

The attachment means may comprise at least one of a strap, a button, a hook and loop closure, such as Velcro (RTM), a popper fastening, a sheet of material, and a helmet covcr. The strap may bc fled or placed around another article, such as a helmet.

The Velcro RTM may allow one of the hook and loop byers to be adhered to the other article with the other layer being adhered to, or forming part of, the attachment means of the pouch such that the pouch may be releasably attached to the other article.

lO A similar situation exists for the poppers and buttons \vherelfl one of the sides of the pooper or a button hole is provided on one of the other article and the pouch. The sheet of material may he attached to, draped over, or held relative to another artick to provide it with a camouflage appearance. Helmet covers are known in the form of a sheet of material shaped to fit relatively closely to the outside of a military helmet and including means for releasably attaching it to the helmet, such as by the provision of flaps which may he tucked inside. Tn one embodiment, the pouch may take the form of a single layer of material attached to a helmet cover at least at its corners.

The attachment means iiiay comprise a web of straps. These nriay comprise a series of loops with interconnecting straps extending approximately perpendicularly thereto.

In a second aspect, the invention provides an array of more than one camouflage retaining and dispensing pouch as described with reference to the first aspect.

In this manner, a series of ioops of pouches held together by other interconnecting poucles may he formed in a net-like form having the approximate shape of a helmet or other article to which it is to he attached. If the pouches include elasticated elements (such as sides or front faces) the net may he stretched to fit over the helmet or other article and then allowed to return to its unstretched state such that it is substantially held in place.

The elasticated nature of the pouches and/or attachment means also allow for other natural camouflage materials to he inserted hetween the pouch and attachment means and/or hetween the attachment means and the other article. For instance, branches, twigs and grass may he introduced.

In a third aspect, the invention provides a military helmet including the array of according to the second aspect.

In a fourth aspect, the invention provides a method of canu)ufiaging a helmet comprising the steps of providing a pouch according to the tirst aspect, providing a helmet, attaching said pouch to said helmet using said attachment means, and dispcnsing said camouflage from said pouch. The method may include the step of including other camouflage materials by inserting them between the pouch and/or attachment means and the helmet.

The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present i0 invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, \vhich illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. This description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an array of two pouches according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a military helmet including several arrays of poucts with some camouflage having been dispensed therefrom; anti Figure 3 is a perspective view of the helmet of Figure 2 with more camouflage having been dispensed from the pouches.

The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings hut the invention is not limited thereto hut only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the si2e of some of the elements may he exaggerated and not drawn to scale for ill ustrative p poses The dimensions and the relative dimensions tb not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third anti the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to he understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily &r describing relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

It is to be noticed that the term "comprising", used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It is thus to he interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the lO presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device comprising means A and II" should not he limited to devices consisting only of components A and 13. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B. Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or ccan embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phìrases in one ernhodirrieiit'' or iii an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may refer to different embodiments.

Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics of any embodiment or aspect of the invention may he combined in any suitable manner, as would he apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Similarly, it should he appreciated that in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various invcntivc aspccts. This method of clisclosurc, however, is not to hc interprcted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this iii\TeiatlotL Furthermore, xvhile some en-ilxdiments described herein include some features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to he within the scope of the invention, and form yet further embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

Tn the descnption provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth.

However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised without lO these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of

this description.

In the discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to he construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said iess preferred value arid aiso to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

The use of the term "at least one" may, in some embodiments, mean only one.

The invention will now be described by a detailed description of several embodiments of the invention. It is clear that other embodiments of the invention can he configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

In Figure 1 an array 10 of two pouches 20, 30 is shown. Each pouch comprises a first outer layer of material including small holes 29, 39 therein. Each pouch is approximately 75mm by 35mm in size, although other sizes arc contemplated.

Each pouch is attached at its corners 21, 22, 23, 24, 31, 32 to a piece of material.

This material 5 is not shown as including any camouflage pattern hut it may include such. In the embodiment shown, the side edges 25, 35 are also attached to the material 5, although this may not he essential for the invention to function. The material 5 is not limited in size; its edges are shown for example only.

Each pouch 20, 30 contains camouflage material 40. The pouch 30 on the left has had some of the camouflage material 40 dispensed from the pouch such that it loosely protrudes from the pouch. The camouflage material 40 compnses two type of material 41, 4-2. The first type 41 has a net-like form. The second type 41 has a sheet-like form. The camouflage 40 is of any size which fits within the pouch when stored therein. Each piece of camouflage material 41, 42 may comprise any single colour or more than one colour as is typically known from army camouflage.

The pouch 20 on the right of Figure -t shows the camouflage material 40 stored within it. It is seen that the pouch bulges slightly due to the camouflage within it, lO although if the amount of material 40 and the size of the pouch are selected this bulge may be negligible or even not present.

Although the array shows two pouches any number may he included from one upwards. Furthermore, although the two pouches are shown arranged hi linear formation, other forms are possible such as cross shapes, and zigzags.

In Figure 2, a military helmet i-to is shown. The helmet comprises a cover of material 120. This cover is shown as having a camouflage patteni, although this is not essential to the invention as a single or multiple colours may be used. Onto this cover 12) several aiays of pouches 10 have heen attached. In this ettihodirtient, two arrays of three pouches are shown running from front to back of the helmet across the top hut to the side of the helmet's apex (or crown). Further, an array of approximately ten pouches has been attached in a circular form around the circumference of the helmet approximately mid-way between the crown and the base. Finally, a further array in another circular form has been attached to the helmet cover just above the base.

Other arrangements of pouches relative to the helmet cover are contemplated.

Moreover, the pouches could he adhered directly to the helmet without the need for a cover in sonic circumstances.

Some of the pouches are shown to have had their camouflage contents dispensed while others are shown with their camouflage contents stored therein.

Figure 3 shows the same helmet of Figure 2 with all of the pouches having had their camouflage contents dispensed therefrom.

The helmet is thus shown to have a non-regular appearance including differently coloured materials wherein the materials are of non-uniform appearance and texture.

As the pouches are only attached to the cover at their corners, other camouflage nuterials may be infloduced and he held in place between the pouches and the cover.

These materials may be introduced in the direction indicated by reference "250".

If the pouches are elasticated or include elasticated sides then the additional camouflage materials may he relatively firmly held in place. Such other camouflage materials (not shown), may be additional material printed with a camouflage pattern and/or may be natural materials such as grasses, twigs and branches. lo

Claims (13)

1. (1AThS 1. A camouflage retaining and dispensing pouch comprising attachment means for attaching the pouch to another article, the pouch further comprising camouflage material for being releasably retained substantially inside the pouch and for being temporarily dispensed therefrom, wherein the camouflage material is attached to the pouch or attachment means.
2. 2. The pouch of claim 1, comprising a first layer of material forming an outer surface of the pouch.
3. 3. The pouch of claim 2, wherein the first layer of material comprises camouflage material.
4. 4. The pouch of any preceding claim, wherein the pouch has at least one elasticated edge.
5. 5. The pouch of any preceding claim, wherein the first layer of material is at least prtia1Iy elasticated.
6. 6. The pouch of any preceding claim, thrther comprising a second layer of material forming a rear surface of the pouch.
7. 7. The pouch of claim 6, wherein the second layer of material comprises the attachment means.
8. 8. The pouch of any preceding claim, wherein the attachment means comprises at least one of a strap, a button, hook and loop closure, a popper fastening, a sheet of material, and a helmet cover.
9. 9. The pouch of any preceding claim, wherein the attachment means comprises a web of stnps.
10. 10. An array of more than one camouflage retaining and dispensing pouch according to daim 9.
11. 11. A military helmet including the array according to claim 10.
12. 12. A method of camouflaging a helmet comprising the steps of providing a pouch according to any one of claims I to 9, providing a helmet, attaching said pouch to said heliret using said attachment means, and dispensing said camouflage from said pouch.
13. 13. A camouflage retaining and dispensing pouch substantially as hereinhefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.