Camouflage article

Abstract

A novelty article or article of wearing apparel is provided having an exposed surface that is covered by contiguous distinct zones of at least two contrasting colors. These contiguous distinct zones are arranged to define a camouflage pattern. The colors used in the article are colors that do not blend with environmental colors and are selected to correspond to colors adopted by a group, such as a team or school, for which the user of the article has an affinity or affiliation. In specific embodiments, the colors correspond to the team colors of a professional or amateur sports team. In further specific embodiments, the novelty article may additionally include a logo or symbol of the team.

1 . A novelty article having an exposed surface that is covered by contiguous distinct zones of at least two contrasting colors, wherein said contiguous distinct zones are arranged to define a camouflage pattern, and wherein said at least two colors are colors that do not blend with environmental colors and are selected to correspond to colors adopted by a particular group for which the user of the article has an affinity or affiliation.  
   
   
       2 . The novelty article of  claim 1 , wherein the group is a school, team or government entity and the selected colors correspond to the school colors, team colors or flag colors of the government entity.  
   
   
       3 . The novelty article of  claim 2 , wherein the article has no more than three predominant colors.  
   
   
       4 . The novelty article of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the colors is a bright color selected from the group consisting of yellow, orange, gold, red, blue and purple.  
   
   
       5 . The novelty article of  claim 4 , wherein another of the at least two contrasting colors is white, black, silver or another bright color.  
   
   
       6 . The novelty article of  claim 4 , wherein at said at least two colors do not include beige, tan, brown, olive drab or hunter orange.  
   
   
       7 . The novelty article of  claim 1  in the form of an article selected from the group consisting of wearing apparel, coolers, umbrellas, stadium blankets, seat cushions and insulated drink covers.  
   
   
       8 . The novelty article of  claim 2 , additionally including a team, school or government entity logo or symbol.  
   
   
       9 . The novelty article of  claim 8 , wherein the logo or symbol is formed as an applique or by embroidery.  
   
   
       10 . The novelty article of  claim 8 , wherein the logo or symbol is integrated into the camouflage pattern.  
   
   
       11 . The novelty article of  claim 1 , wherein said exposed surface is the surface of a flexible sheet material and the contiguous distinct zones of color that define the camouflage pattern are irregular in shape but repeat along at least one dimension of the sheet material.  
   
   
       12 . The novelty article of  claim 11 , wherein the flexible sheet material is a textile fabric.  
   
   
       13 . The novelty article of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two contrasting colors are of color shades matching the official colors of said group in accordance with the Pantone Matching System.  
   
   
       14 . An article of wearing apparel comprising a fabric material substrate having an exposed outer surface that is covered throughout by contiguous distinct zones of at least two contrasting colors, wherein said contiguous distinct zones are arranged to define a camouflage pattern, and wherein said at least two colors are colors that do not blend with environmental colors and are selected to correspond to colors adopted by a particular group for which the user of the article has an affinity or affiliation.  
   
   
       15 . The apparel  claim 14 , wherein the group is a school, team or government entity and the selected colors correspond to the school colors, team colors or flag colors of the government entity.  
   
   
       16 . The apparel of  claim 15 , additionally including a logo or symbol of the group.  
   
   
       17 . The apparel of  claim 15  in the form of a jacket, poncho, shirt, pants, shorts, skirt, hat, cap, visor or bandanna.  
   
   
       18 . An article of wearing apparel comprising a fabric material substrate having an exposed outer surface that is covered throughout by contiguous distinct zones of no more than three contrasting colors that do not blend with environmental colors, one of said colors being selected from the group consisting of red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple and shade variations thereof, and another of said colors being either another color selected from said group or white, black or silver, wherein said contiguous distinct zones are arranged to define a camouflage pattern, and wherein the combination of said colors is identifiable as corresponding to the colors of a particular group whereby the wearer of the apparel can demonstrate his or her affinity for or affiliation with that group.  
   
   
       19 . A method for producing a novelty article, said method comprising forming on an exposed surface of the article contiguous distinct zones of at least two contrasting colors, arranging said contiguous distinct zones to define a camouflage pattern, and selecting as said at least two colors of the camouflage pattern, colors that do not blend with environmental colors and that correspond to colors adopted by a particular group for which a user of the article has an affinity or affiliation.  
   
   
       20 . A method for producing a novelty article, said method comprising selecting at least two contrasting colors corresponding to the colors of a team, school or government entity, the selected colors being colors that do not blend with environmental colors, providing an article having an exposed surface, providing on the exposed surface of the article contiguous distinct zones of the selected colors arranged to define a camouflage pattern, and providing the novelty article to a person having an affinity for or affiliation with the team, school or government entity corresponding to the selected colors.