USOO6805957B1 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,805,957 B1 Santos et al. (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 19, 2004 (54) CAMOUFLAGE U.S. MARINE CORPS 6,061,828 A * 5/2000 Josephs ........................... 2/69 UTILITY UNIFORM: PATTERN, FABRIC, AND DESIGN OTHER PUBLICATIONS Maj. Timothy R. O'Neil, Dual-Tex Camouflage Pattern, (75) Inventors: Luisa DeMorais Santos, Franklin, MA Armor, Nov-Dec, pp cvr. & 21-26, 1977. (US); Deirdre E. Townes, Newton, MA Canadian Army Poster, Clothe the Soldier, Design: Land SR(US); GabrielCarl R.e Patricio, Yeats Stafford, VA http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/uS/DailyNewS/Staff Det Tech Team, 08/99. arlborougn, (US); Ana ela camouflage010620.html June 20, 2001 edition. Dugas, Fall River, MA (US); Timothy Def. Tech Info Cntr. Report ADB020592, Dual-Tex 2: Field R. O'Neill, Fall River, VA (US); E 2 N. Rosemary Ann Lomba, Westport, MA valuation of Dual-Texture Gradient Pattern, O’Neill, (US); Barbara J. Quinn, Framingham, mined)Report Date Jul. 1, 1977 (Release to public not yet deter MA (US) Def. Tech Info Cntr. Report ADB053013, Investigation of (73) Assignee: The United States of America as Psychometric Correlates of Camouflaged Target Detection e presentedted byby theline SecretaryS t orf thline and Identification, O’Neill- & Johnsmeyer, Report date: May Navy, Washington, DC (US) 1, 1977 (General Distribution Date Unknown). (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer,- the term of this * cited by examiner patent is extended or adjusted under 35 Primary Examiner Merrick Dixon U.S.C. 154(b) by 22 days. (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm United States Marine Corps; A. David Spevack; Charles H. Harris (21) Appl. No.: 09/986,016 (57) ABSTRACT (22) Filed: Nov. 7, 2001 A disruptive camouflage pattern System to be used for both (51) Int. Cl. .................................................. D02G 3/00 military and civilian applications. The System includes Spe (52) U.S. Cl. ....................... 428/400; 428/913; 428/207; cialized techniques for printing the camouflage pattern SyS 428/180; 428/190; 428/310.5; 428/919 tem unto fabric. The System provides camouflage in both the (58) Field of Search ................................. 428/919,913, human visible light and the near infrared range. The System 428/400, 310.5, 207, 180, 190, 17, 95 depends on macro pattern resulting from a repeat of a micro pattern. The coloring used includes at least four colorings (56) References Cited from dyes that in combination produce a percent reflectance value comparable to that of the negative Space of the U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS camouflaged Subject's Surroundings. The System functions 4,095,940 A 6/1978 Weingarten et al. by a macro pattern being disruptive of the Subject's shape 4,656,065. A 4/1987 Yacovella .................... 428/17 and a micro pattern having Sharp edge units of a size capable 5,074,889. A 12/1991 Hodge et al. of blending the subject into its background. The relative 5,077,101 A * 12/1991 Conway et al................ 428/17 lightness values and percentages of total pattern, wet or dry, D391401 S 3/1998 Josephs are Sufficient to produce a percent reflectance of acceptable D391402 S 3/1998 Josephs colors, in terms of lightness values unlike current four-color D391403 S 3/1998 Josephs camouflage D393,547 S 4/1998 Josephs 9.C. 5,845,333 A 12/1998 Crampton 5,972.479 A * 10/1999 Lehman ...................... 428/195 10 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 1 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 2 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 6" (2100% Actual Size- --ressurviva...wrvaxerxerrirrus U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 3 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 s S. SC Sa U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 4 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 5 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 Fig. 5 U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 6 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 ?-- Fig. 6 U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 7 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 Fig. 7 U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 8 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 9 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 CAMPBELL 92 Fig. 9 U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 10 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 Fractal Dimension of Camouflage F 12337x + 9.7694 R = 0.9895 In(1/L) Fig. 10 U.S. Patent Oct. 19, 2004 Sheet 11 of 11 US 6,805,957 B1 Fractal Dimension of Line y = 1.0074x + 5.9326 R = 0.9947 In(1/L) Fig. 11 US 6,805,957 B1 1 2 CAMOUFLAGE U.S. MARINE CORPS tion is often idiosyncratic and keyed to narrow co-evolution UTILITY UNIFORM: PATTERN, FABRIC, histories of predator and prey in a Specific econiche-that is, AND DESIGN the Zebra’s stripes tell us more about the visual system of the lion than about usable principles of military camouflage. Second, organisms are limited in the strategies (patterns) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION they can “employ.’ The coloration patterns of animals reflect Survival probabilities over a long period of time passed on 1. Field of the Invention genetic advantage. However, animals do not “design' their This invention relates to a camouflage pattern, and tech appearance; the proceSS is passive and represents genetic niques that can be used to create a camouflage pattern. More exploitation of random mutations. In addition, the processes particularly, the invention relates to a camouflage pattern by which natural patterns develop are constrained by biol used on fabric based structures that in combination with Ogy. certain dyes, fabrics, and materials as well as certain printing techniques, provides improved concealment for military Murray (1992) describes, for example, the process by which local interaction between two populations of color perSonnel, vehicles, and other equipment in a range of 15 tactical environments. Also, the invention pertains to a producing cells (melanophores) create different categories camouflage System used on non-fabric equipment. In of patterns (stripes, spots, blotches, etc.) reminiscent of addition, the camouflage pattern is useful in the civilian Standing waves of different frequencies in metal sheets. It is Sector for fashion, as well as Sportsman. This invention Significant requirement for this invention that a particular combines principles of human perception, natural frequency or local melanophore interaction may produce a camouflage, and psychophysics to create two pattern ele pattern that interrupts internal Symmetry axes. Biological ments of a macro-pattern and a micro-pattern combined into entities have the disadvantage of not being able to produce a Single configuration: one to disrupt the features of the an animal with both spots and Stripes, or with complex Subject target, the other to match the Subject target to the patterns of certain types. Deliberate military camouflage as well as Sportsman and characteristics of the background. The combinations of this 25 invention provide counter Surveillance from Visual and fashion patterns does not Suffer from these limitations. It is near-infrared detection for combat utility uniforms and useful as well to remember that animals choose to inhabit equipment. certain fairly narrow econiches which in turn allows cam ouflage “Strategies' very Specific to particular places and 2. Related Applications backgrounds. Military forces do not have this luxury, and Design patent application Ser. No 29/143,340 titled must adopt Strategies more generally effective acroSS a range “united states marine corps combat utility uniform” filed of terrain and environmental conditions to which they may Jun. 13, 2001. be deployed. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/143,683 titled Brassey's Book of Camouflage by Tim Newark traces "camouflage pattern for sheet material and uniforms' filed Some of the history of camouflage. In 1812, Some of the first 19 Jun. 22, 2001. 35 experimentation done with camouflage found that the color Provisional patent application No. 60/312,743 titled the that blended in the best in the wild was gray. In 1857, one same as above, filed Aug. 17, 2001 from which filing date of the first true uses of camouflage occurred when British benefit is claimed. soldiers dyed their white tunics and belts tan, or khaki 3. Description of the Prior Art (which means literally “dusty” colored), to blend in with the Camouflage is an art in the process of becoming a Science. 40 environment in India. The first Section de camouflage in Camouflage, also called protective concealment, is a means military history was established in 1915 by the French, to disguise a Subject, whether animate or inanimate, in plain under the command of an artist. Thereafter, comparable Sight So as to conceal the Subject from Something or Some units were used by the British and Americans, and, to lesser one. Beginning with Abbott and Gerald Thayer in the late 45 extent, by the Germans, Italians, and Russians. These units 1800's and Pycraft in the 1920's, camouflage evolved from were largely made up of camoufluerSS who in civilian life a study of naturalistic observations of organisms in their had been artists of one kind or another, including fine artists, complex environments to designs that purposely effect per designers, and architects. As a result, participants on all sides ception. The basic canon of natural camouflage includes of the conflicts used hundreds of artists during both World “evolved tactics” such as mimicry (contrived similarity to Wars. These artists acted as military or civil defense cam background features, like the walking Stick bug), counter 50 ouflage experts. Included in this group were Such familiar Shading (lightened ventral Surfaces to combat the contrast of names as Jacques Villon, Franz Marc, Arshile Gorky, Tho shadow), and disruption (Thayer’s “ruption”), the breakup mas Hart Benton, Grant Wood, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and of boundary features or internal Structures.