Archery camouflage system

Abstract

A custom configurable camouflage method and apparatus for bows or firearms. An elongated string terminating in spaced-apart ends is wound around the structure. The string slidably constrains a plurality of flexible, leaf-shaped camouflage elements. Each camouflage leaf has a stem with an orifice penetrated by the string. When the string is tightened, the camouflage elements are pressed against supporting structure and sandwiched in place. A variety of differently colored leaf elements including varying camouflage patterns may be used. The string ends are specially configured with an enlarged mushroomed region. The string is wrapped around available structure, forming a loop that encircles the chosen anchor point. This loop is firmly held in place by a cable tie that encircles the abutting string loop portions, and the mushroomed string end prevents withdrawal of the string from the cable tie.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the outdoors and to hunting sports, and specifically to archery. More particularly, the present invention relates to camouflage schemes for hunters that can be used with hunting equipment such as bows, rifles, shotguns or the like.

II. Description of the Prior Art

It has long been recognized by skilled outdoorsman and hunters that proper camouflaging aids in concealment, and thus increases the chances of seeing and harvesting wild game. Hunters commonly wear clothing colored with various camouflage patterns that resemble the surroundings. Typical camouflage patterns attempt to match the various colors in the immediate background. To properly match the surroundings, camouflage colors and patterns may be varied as the seasons or conditions change. Although the use of proper camouflage can substantially conceal a hunter and increase the chances of taking game, the bow or firearm used by the hunter may still be visible. As a bow is raised and drawn in preparation for a shot, for example, reflections may occur, or its silhouette may be seen by the game. While the hunter will remain as still as possible, movement of the bow or firearm into a properly aimed firing position is necessary to maximize concealment. Unless the bow or firearm is properly camouflaged, the chances of game animals seeing its movement will not be minimized.

Even if the bow or firearm has been camouflaged by the manufacturer, the chosen patterns or colors are usually fixed, and they may conflict with the situation at hand. For example, if the camouflage pattern of an archers bow conflicts with that of his clothing, movement of the bow as it is drawn and aimed may be detected by the game. A stark contrast between the colors or pattern of the bow's camouflage pattern and that of then hunter's clothing, for example, may render bow movements quite detectable by the targeted game animal.

Thus a need exists for a system to quickly camouflage the hunter's weapons with suitable camouflage that matches the conditions or colors of the hunt, and which tends to blend in with the hunter's clothing. As mentioned previously, conditions change over the seasons, and brighter colors tend to fade late into the fall. Further, hunting conditions can change day to day. For example, overcast or rainy conditions present camouflage requirements that are different from those experienced on bright sunny days. Of course if it snows, colored camouflage patterns may be discarded in favor of white clothing and accessories. While hunters often possess different sets of clothing with varying colors or camouflage for use in typical changing conditions, it is seldom that firearms or bows used by the hunter can be quickly “custom-camouflaged” as demanded. For example, a green, tan and gray camouflage pattern that applied to a bow by its manufacturer may be less than optimum when the hunter's clothing varies to match the conditions. As the colors of the leaves and background bushes and foliage change over time, different weapon camouflage patterns are desirable as well.

Many prior art camouflage systems exist. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,105 issued Oct. 26, 1971 discloses an artificial tree branch made of foliage that is cut or stamped from plastic sheet material. The leaves of the branch extend from a supporting strip of the plastic that is supported by a stem, such as a wire, to which the leaf supporting strip is attached.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,471 issued Dec. 20, 1988 reveals a body wrap camouflage strip for hunters. An elongated strip material having mutually engageable fasteners at longitudinally spaced positions along the length of the strip receives artificial foliage elements fastened at longitudinally spaced apart intervals. The device requires that separate fasteners be installed at preselected positions, and the camouflage elements can be installed only at such positions, whether desirable or not. In other words, when this system is used upon a bow, for example, camouflage elements may not be directly positionable over shiny bow structure that might be reflect light.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,817 issued Oct. 31, 1989 reveals a blind for archery bows that camouflages movements of the archer, bowstring, and arrows. The preferred apparatus includes a sheet of camouflage material, a pair of support members for supporting the sheet therebetween, and a pair of attachment straps for coupling the support members to a bow. The camouflage sheet has a plurality of flaps that simulate foliage.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,772 issued Aug. 17, 1993 shows a camouflage shield for archery bows. Upper and lower curved wire frame members covered with camouflage fabric are attached to the bow.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,041 issued Aug. 31, 1999 also shows a portable camouflage blind that can be used with an archery bow.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,142 issued May 9, 2000 shows a three-dimensional camouflage system comprising bundles of material strips attached to a spring-loaded clip. The bundles are attached to garments or equipment for camouflaging.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,058 issued Mar. 30, 2004 shows a camouflage apparatus that can be mounted to a quiver on a bow. The apparatus comprises hollow shaft to which artificial foliage bundles are attached.

U.S. Pat. No. Application 20050144697 filed Jul. 7, 2005 discloses a camouflage system for clothing. An open, interlaced fabric substrate is employed as part of a garment to be worn by the user. A plurality of preconfigured camouflage elements are coupled to the fabric substrate. The camouflage elements are dyed or otherwise colored with contrasting indicia in a manner consistent with the hunting surroundings.

However, there is no known system ideally adapted for custom camouflaging a bow upon demand. No such system enables the hunter to quickly change between camouflage patterns while in the woods, to instantly meet changes in the hunting environment. No known camouflage system for bows readily provides a means to custom camouflage bows of different styles and configurations, by placing camouflage elements directly where they are needed, for example, rather than upon preexisting fastening locations that may or may not align with critical bow structure that needs concealment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a user-applied, custom camouflage system that is ideal for archery bows. Since the system is customizable it fits various firearms and bows of varying shapes, configurations and sizes.

The invention may be quickly and easily applied or removed as necessary, to adapt a bow for different camouflage conditions. The concealing elements may be positioned exactly as desired by the hunter upon or proximate those structural elements of the bow that are most likely to be seen. In other words, the system may be custom applied to maximally conceal the bow or firearm, and once applied, it may be easily removed as desired and replaced if necessary with an alternate camouflage pattern that may become necessary in changing weather conditions, for example, to optimize concealment.

The invention utilizes an elongated string terminating in special spaced-apart ends adapted to be secured to the bow structure. The string slidably supports and constrains a plurality of camouflage elements, which are preferably shaped like leaves and formed from flexible plastic or fabric. Each camouflage element has a flexible stem with an orifice penetrated by the string. When the string is tightened the camouflage elements will be pressed against supporting structure on the bow (or other structure upon which the system is mounted). The camouflage elements may be slidably positioned anywhere the hunter desires, as long as they are, positioned over supporting structure, against which they will be sandwiched by the string. A variety of differently colored leaf elements including varying camouflage patterns may be quickly installed or uninstalled.

The string ends are specially configured, preferably terminating in a mushroomed region that has a diameter larger than the string body. The string is wrapped around available structure, forming a loop that encircles the chosen anchor point. This loop is firmly held in place by a cable tie that encircles the abutting string loop portions, and the mushroomed string end prevents it from coming loose.

Thus a primary object of this invention is to provide a custom camouflaging system for archery bows and miscellaneous firearms that fits a wide variety of weapon shapes, sizes, and configurations.

It is also a basic object to provide an improved camouflage system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved camouflage system that employs concealing elements that visually simulate the hunting environment.

It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved camouflage system that employs camouflage elements that can be positioned as desired over the object being concealed without special fasteners.

Another object is to provide a camouflaging system comprising a plurality of individually positional concealing elements that can be located virtually anywhere over or upon the bow or firearm being concealed as desired by the hunter, not just upon preexisting fasteners.

A further objective of the invention is to provide an improved camouflage system of the character described that comprises a plurality of concealing elements in the form of soft plastic or fabric colored leaves that can be positioned as desired and/or interchanged as desired with groups of leaves with alternate colors and patterns.

Another fundamental object is to provide a simulated leaf camouflaging system of the character described that can be applied to any type of equipment such as bows, guns, tree stands or the like, as well as upon the hunter's body or clothing.

Yet another object is to provide a camouflage system of the character described that can be installed upon or removed from hunting equipment without damage or noise.

A related object is to provide a camouflage system of the character described that can be easily and quickly applied without modifications to the hunter's clothing or equipment.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a camouflage system that is fully portable. It is a feature of the invention that the entire system, including supplies of concealing leaves of varying patterns and colors, maybe readily carried in a single pocket.

Another object of my invention is to minimize noise and preserve silence.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent in the course of the following descriptive sections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following drawings, which form a part of the specification and which are to be construed in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals have been employed throughout wherever possible to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a typical compound archery bow upon which the invention has been installed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, isometric view of the top of the bow of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary, isometric view of the center of the bow of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged. fragmentary, isometric view of the preferred terminal attachment means; and,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to the drawings, a conventional compound archery bow upon which the invention has been installed has been generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The camouflage system constructed in accordance with the best mode of the invention has been generally designated by the reference numeral 12.

As will be recognized by those skilled in the archery arts, bow 10 comprises a central handle 14 from which a pair of oppositely extending limbs 16 and 17 upwardly diverges. Each limb terminates in a forked end region 19 having a channel 20 in which an eccentric pulley 22 is rotatably mounted in association with mandrels 21 (FIG. 2). Pulleys 22 receive the draw string 24 that is conventionally strung and routed over pulleys 22 according to standards in the art. It should be understood that the invention is not limited for use upon bows, as it may be used with various firearms. Further, it is not limited to compound bows of the illustrated construction, as it may be employed with a variety of bows of different configurations and shapes and sizes.

The invention comprises an elongated string 30 that terminates in a pair of ends 32 (i.e., FIGS. 3, 4) adapted to be fastened to the bow or other object upon which the string is wound. The preferred string end fastening arrangement is discussed hereinafter. The string 30 supports a plurality of camouflage elements 34, nominally in the shape of leaves. Elements 34 are made from flexible plastic sheet or fabric, and can be rapidly cut from suitable dies. Each camouflage element 34 has a flexible stem 35 that integrally connects to the rest of the element's body. A suitable orifice 36 defined in stem 35 is adapted to be penetrated by string 30 for installation of the leaf elements 34. Once the string 30 penetrates various orifices 36, the camouflage elements 34 will not be secured in a given location until the string 30 is tightened against or adjacent bow structure. As the string 30 is positioned and wound about the body of the bow 10 (or other object upon which it is mounted) the camouflage elements 34 are freely movable. They may be slidably positioned anywhere the hunter desires, as long as they end up adjacent some supporting structure.

Importantly, a variety of differently camouflaged or colored leaf elements may he chosen. In this regard, it is to be noted that leaf elements 34B seen in FIG. 3 are colored differently than the other leaf elements 34.

String 30 may be attached at the top of the bow 10 to the forked region 19 (FIG. 1) and then wound about various portions of the bow body, continuing downwardly (i.e., as viewed in FIG. 1) upon the bow body for termination at the bottom fork or elsewhere. Alternatively and end of the string may terminate in the handle (i.e., FIG. 3) penetrating a handle orifice 37 and being terminated as hereinafter described. It should be appreciated that the camouflage system of the invention contemplates that more than one string 30 may be desirable in some circumstances, so more than one plurality of leaf elements 34 may be deployed.

Once a first string end of a first string 30 is attached to the bow as in FIG. 1, 2 or 3, the string is tightly deployed around the bow in such a manner as to gently press the camouflage leaf elements 34 against the bow structure. In other words, each camouflage element is gently pressed against bordering structure of the bow. For example, as best seen in FIG. 2, each stem 35 of the camouflage leaf elements 34 is pressed by the penetrating string 30 against the surface of bow portion 40 upon which the string is wound. In this manner the leaf elements 34 are gently captivated, their stem 35 being sandwiched between the outer portion of the string 30 and the surface of adjacent bow structure 40.

Before string 30 is tightened and terminated at an opposite end, for example, the leaf camouflage elements may be slidably moved between alternate positions by the user. They may be moved out of the way of the bow sighting mechanism for example, and/or they may be positioned over shiny or reflective regions of the bow that need concealment. They cannot be positioned in mid air, since they must have bordering structure, and must be sandwiched against something. On the other hand, it is apparent that none of the leaf camouflage elements 34 need special mounting fixtures or clips or hook-type fasteners for operation.

With emphasis now directed to FIGS. 4 and 5, the string ends 32 are preferably terminated to appropriate anchoring structure by the means thereshown. Preferably the string ends terminate in a mushroomed region 50 that has a larger diameter than the main body of the string 30. The string is looped over structure upon which it terminates, forming a loop 52 (FIG. 4) that encircles the anchor point. This loop is firmly held in place by a cable tie that encircles the abutting string loop portions, as seen in FIG. 5. As the string is terminated in this fashion, it can be seen that each end can be independently tightened even after the cable tie 54 is installed, by gentle but firm pulling of the terminal end or mushroomed end 52. The cable tie can be tightened gently as well, allowing some slippage so periodic tightening of the string is allowed. Furthermore, it will be seen that the mushroomed end 52 prevents the string from withdrawing from the encircling cable tie. With a bit of jiggling, the string 30 can be firmly placed as desired, with ends firmly tensioned at spaced-apart locations. When the cable tie 54 is cut with a pocketknife or nail clippers, for example, the string 30 may be quickly removed and an alternate set of leaf elements may be installed as desired.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to obtain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages that are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. A camouflage system for bows, firearms or hunting equipment comprising:

an elongated string adapted to be wound about structural portions of said bow, firearm or hunting equipment, said string terminating in a pair of spaced-apart ends;

a plurality of flexible camouflage elements slidably secured by said string against said structural portions, the camouflage elements comprising an orifice adapted to be penetrated by said string for installation;

means for securing said string ends to mount the string and the camouflage elements; and,

whereby the camouflage elements, when installed and the string is secured, are slidably sandwiched between the string and said structural portions.

2. The camouflage system as defined in claim 1 wherein the camouflage elements are shaped like leaves.

3. The camouflage system as defined in claim 1 wherein the camouflage elements comprise a body, and an integral stem, and said orifice is defined in said stem.

4. The camouflage system as defined in claim 1 wherein the camouflage elements are made from flexible plastic sheet or fabric.

5. The camouflage system as defined in claim 4 wherein the camouflage elements are shaped like leaves and comprise a body, and an integral stem, and said orifice is defined in said stem.

6. The camouflage system as defined in claim 1 wherein the string ends are attached by forming a loop over anchoring structure, and the loop is constrained by a cable tie.

7. The camouflage system as defined in claim 6 wherein said string ends terminate in a mushroomed region that has a larger diameter than the main body of the string to prevent the loop from escaping from the cable tie.

8. The camouflage system as defined in claim 7 wherein the camouflage elements comprise a body, and an integral stem, and said orifice is defined in said stem.

9. The camouflage system as defined in claim 8 wherein the camouflage elements are made from flexible plastic sheet or fabric.

10. The camouflage system as defined in claim 9 wherein the camouflage elements are shaped like leaves and comprise a body, and an integral stem, and said orifice is defined in said stem.

11. A method for camouflaging hunting equipment comprising the steps of:

winding an elongated string about structural portions of said equipment, said string terminating in a pair of ends;

slidably securing a plurality of flexible, spaced-apart camouflage elements upon said equipment by passing said string through orifices defined in said elements that are adapted to be penetrated by said string for installation;

slidably positioning the camouflage elements adjacent supporting structure of said equipment;

securing said string ends to said equipment to mount and tighten said string; and,

thereby, when the camouflage elements are positioned as the string is secured, sandwiching the camouflage elements between the string and said structural portions.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 including the step of shaping the camouflage elements like leaves.

13. The method as defined in claim 11 including the step of providing the camouflage elements with an integral stem and positioning said orifices in said stem.

14. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the camouflage elements are made from flexible plastic sheet or fabric.

15. The method as defined in claim 11 including the step of attaching string ends to said equipment by forming a loop over anchoring structure, and constraining the loop with a cable tie.

16. The method as defined in claim 15 including the step of terminating the string ends in a mushroomed region that has a larger diameter than the main body of the string to prevent the loop from escaping from the cable tie.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 including the step of shaping the camouflage elements like leaves.

18. The method as defined in claim 17 including the step of providing the camouflage elements with an integral stem and positioning said orifices in said stem.

19. The method as defined in claim 18 including the step of forming said camouflage elements from flexible plastic sheet or fabric.