Three-dimensional camouflage material having cupped heat deformations at discreet locations and method for making same

摘要

A process for producing a camouflage material having a three-dimensional surface contour comprises providing a plurality of parallel strips of thermoplastic camouflage material having irregular side edges and positioning the strips, preferably with overlapping edges, on an underlying substrate in a multiple head bonding machine, such as a quilting machine, that simultaneously bonds a number of strips of material to the substrate in parallel fashion. Prior to bonding the strips to the substrate, the strips are spaced apart from the substrate and freely suspended. While freely suspended, a series of hot gas pulses (typically hot air) are delivered at spaced, discreet locations along the longitudinal outer surface of the strips of camouflage fabric. The temperature and duration of the air pulses are such that the hot pulses form shallow, cup-shaped depressions in the camouflage fabric, causing the camouflage fabric to spring away from the plane of the substrate at intermittent intervals along its length.