Method of manufacturing an article of apparel having dynamic vent-slits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814514-B2
Application number	US-201514719883-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2015
Priority date	May 22, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an article of apparel having dynamic vent-slits includes providing a fabric having a first surface and a second surface, forming a plurality of slits in a repeating fashion on the fabric, wherein a spacing between two adjacent slits in linear alignment is less than a length of a slit in non-linear alignment with the two slits and that is offset from the two slits such that the slit in non-linear alignment overlies the spacing between the slits in linear alignment, and the slit in non-linear alignment is parallel to the slits in linear alignment. The method further includes forming the fabric into at least part of the article of apparel. The slits may be positioned in one or more groupings, or aligned in different directions to open in response to different directions of stretch or movement, to provide dynamic ventilation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing an article of apparel, the method comprising:
providing a fabric having a first surface and an opposite second surface;
cutting a plurality of slits in the fabric, the plurality of slits comprising at least a first slit in linear alignment with a second slit and a third slit parallel to but offset from the first slit and the second slit and positioned such that the third slit overlies a spacing between the first slit and the second slit,
wherein the plurality of slits cut in the fabric form a repeating pattern across the fabric, wherein each of the plurality of slits includes a first end, a second end, a first side, and a second side, wherein the first side and the second side both extend from the first end to the second end, and wherein the plurality of slits provide a substantially open configuration when the fabric is in a stretched state in which a stretching force is applied to the fabric,
wherein when the fabric is in an unstretched state the first slit has a first shape partially defined by a first radius of curvature that extends along the second side of the first slit and decreases near the first end and the second end of the first slit and the second slit has a second shape partially defined by a second radius of curvature that extends along the second side of the second slit and increases near the first end and the second end of the second slit, the first radius of curvature being different than the second radius of curvature; and
forming the fabric into at least part of the article of apparel, wherein the fabric is in the unstretched state when formed into at least part of the article of apparel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the
repeating pattern comprises:
a first column of slits in linear alignment, wherein each of the first slit and the second slit are positioned in the first column of slits; and
a second column of slits in linear alignment, the second column of slits extending in parallel to, and offset from, the first column of slits, wherein the third slit is positioned in the second column of slits.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each slit of the first column of slits is spaced apart a first distance, wherein each slit of the second column of slits is spaced apart the first distance.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first distance is shorter than a length of each slit of the plurality of slits.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first column of slits is offset from the second column of slits by a second distance that is shorter than the length of each slit of the plurality of slits.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein a slit in each column is aligned perpendicular from a portion of a long axis of a slit in an adjacent column.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the article of apparel comprises at least one of:
a woven fabric; and
a knit fabric.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slits are skewed from a vertical axis of the article of apparel and form a direct path between a wearer's skin and an outside environment of the article of apparel.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming at least a portion of the plurality of slits using one of the following techniques:
knife cutting;
ultrasonic cutting;
die-cutting; or
laser cutting.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fabric comprises at least one of:
a natural fiber;
a synthetic fiber; or
a blend of natural and synthetic fibers.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fabric comprises at least one of:
a woven fabric; and
a knit fabric.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first slit is arc-shaped when in the unstretched state.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second slit is half-moon shaped when in the unstretched state.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first shape and the second shape are arcuate shapes.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a line extending between the first end and the second end of the first slit is normal to a direction of venting of the first slit.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first slit has a first crescent shape and the second slit has a second crescent shape when the fabric is in the stretched state.

17. A method of manufacturing an article of apparel, the method comprising:
providing a fabric having a first surface and an opposite second surface;
cutting a plurality of slits in the fabric, the plurality of slits comprising at least a first slit in linear alignment with a second slit and a third slit parallel to but offset from the first slit and the second slit and positioned such that the third slit overlies a spacing between the first slit and the second slit,
wherein the spacing between the first slit and the second slit is less than a length of the third slit, wherein the plurality of slits cut in the fabric form a repeating pattern across the fabric, wherein each of the plurality of slits includes a first end, a second end, a first side, and a second side, wherein the first side and the second side both extend from the first end to the second end, wherein the plurality of slits provide a substantially closed configuration with the first and second sides of each slit of the plurality of slits being parallel to each other when the fabric is in an unstretched state, and wherein the plurality of slits provide a substantially open configuration with the first and second sides of each slit of the plurality of slits not being parallel to each other when the fabric is in a stretched state in which a stretching force is applied to the fabric, the stretching force having a component that is perpendicular to a long axis of the plurality of slits,
wherein the second side of the first slit has a first radius of curvature that increases as the second side of the first slit extends away from the first end and the second end of the first slit, the second side of the third slit has a second radius of curvature that decreases as the second side of the third slit extends away from the first end and the second end of the third slit, the first radius of curvature being different than the second radius of curvature; and
forming the fabric into at least part of the article of apparel, wherein the fabric is in the unstretched state when formed into at least part of the article of apparel.

18. A method of manufacturing an article of apparel, the method comprising:
providing a fabric having a first surface and an opposite second surface;
cutting a first plurality of slits having a first shape defined by a first radius in the fabric;
cutting a second plurality of slits having a second shape defined by a second radius in the fabric, the first radius being different than the second radius,
wherein the first plurality of slits and the second plurality of slits are cut into the fabric to form at least a first column of linearly spaced slits adjacent to a second column of linearly spaced slits, the first column of linearly spaced slits being staggered from the second column of linearly spaced slits such that a slit in the first column overlies a spacing between two slits in the second column; and
forming the fabric into at least part of the article of apparel,
wherein, when the fabric is an unstretched state, the first plurality of slits are arc shaped and the second plurality of slits are half-moon shaped,
wherein the arc shape has a first radius of curvature that extends along the first radius of the arc shape and decreases near a first end of each of the first plurality of slits,
wherein the half-moon shape has a secon

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Aihara Yuki

Classifications

• A41D31/00

  Materials specially adapted for outerwear · CPC title

• B32B5/026

  Knitted fabric · CPC title

• A41D27/08

  Trimmings; Ornaments · CPC title

• B32B2250/20

  All layers being fibrous or filamentary · CPC title

• B32B5/18

  characterised by features of a layer {of} foamed material · CPC title