Colored Multilayered Composite Fabrics for Tactical Vest Covers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional tactical vest covers with webless attachment systems face issues with durability and camouflage, as the high-strength base layer underlying the camouflaged face fabric can be visible through perforations, compromising the camouflaged appearance due to poor color bonding with high tenacity fibers.

Innovation Solution

A multilayer composite material with a perforated, colored outer fibrous material layer and a high tenacity base layer, where a colored polymeric material is positioned between the layers to obscure the base layer's visibility through perforations, matching the color of the outer layer for camouflage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a high-strength base layer is used to improve durability, then the vest cover gains enhanced strength and resistance to stretching/sagging, but the base layer becomes visible through perforations compromising the camouflaged appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovedurabilityVSAvoidcamouflage compromise
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A colored polymeric material is introduced as an intermediary layer between the high-strength base layer and the perforated face fabric. This intermediary layer matches the color of the face fabric and obscures the base layer through the perforations, preventing the base layer from compromising the camouflaged appearance while maintaining the structural integrity provided by the base layer

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The solution adds a new dimensional element (the colored polymeric material layer) between existing layers. This additional layer in the vertical dimension solves the visual exposure problem without affecting the horizontal structural properties of the base layer

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Strength

If high tenacity fibers are used for the base layer, then the fabric strength is improved, but colorant bonding becomes difficult compromising the camouflaged visual appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefabric strengthVSAvoidcolor bonding
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The colored polymeric material serves as a mediator that carries the desired camouflage color. Since this polymeric material can be easily colored unlike the high tenacity fibers, it transfers the camouflaged appearance function without requiring difficult fiber coloration processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The coloration function is extracted from the base layer (high tenacity fibers) and assigned to a separate colored polymeric material layer. This separation allows each layer to specialize: the base layer provides strength while the polymeric material provides color bonding and visual camouflage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3510342B1Colored multilayered composite fabrics
Publication Date: 2022.11.02 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP3510342B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3510342B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3510342B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Multilayer composite materials having a camouflaged appearance. More particularly, camouflaged tactical vest covers having slots for the webless attachment of accessories. An easily colored outer fabric is provided with a colored camouflage pattern and backed with a non-colored high tenacity fabric for enhanced durability. A colored intermediate adhesive is employed to maintain a camouflaged visual appearance without the added complexity of dying the high tenacity fibers of the backing material.