Drag-reducing exercise equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10918141-B2
Application number	US-201815866988-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2018
Priority date	Jun 24, 2009
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

Drag-reducing exercise equipment in the form of a aerodynamic garment may comprise zones with applied textures. Each zone may be associated with properties and characteristics based on the movement of the garment associated with each zone through air during an athletic activity. The texture in each zone may be applied using a variety of methods such as printing. The resulting aerodynamic garment improves the performance of an athlete wearing the aerodynamic garment by reducing the aerodynamic drag experienced during the performance of the athletic activity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A garment comprising:
a first zone located on an arm portion of the garment, the first zone having a first applied surface texture, the first applied surface texture comprising a first plurality of three-dimensional (3-D) nodules each extending outwardly from a surface of the garment;
a second zone located on a torso portion of the garment, the second zone having no applied surface texture, wherein:
the first applied surface texture begins at a shoulder region of the arm portion of the garment, and wherein the first applied surface texture smoothly and continuously transitions from a minimum amount of surface roughness at the shoulder region of the garment, to a maximum amount of surface roughness at a distal end of the arm portion of the garment; and
a hem affixed to the distal end of the arm portion of the garment and extending to a distal edge of the arm portion of the garment, wherein the hem is printed with silicone, and wherein the distal edge forms a sleeve opening of the arm portion.

2. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the first applied surface texture comprises a first property that gives rise to a first aerodynamic characteristic, the first aerodynamic characteristic adapted to trip air flow around an extremity of a wearer to prompt eddy formation when the garment is in an as-worn configuration.

3. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of 3-D nodules are applied to the garment in a first density range, and wherein the first density range comprises a first density of the first plurality of 3-D nodules located at the shoulder region of the garment, and a second density of the first plurality of 3-D nodules at the distal end of the arm portion of the garment, and wherein the second density is greater than the first density.

4. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of 3-D nodules are flocked.

5. The garment of claim 1 , wherein a three-dimensional shape of the first plurality of 3-D nodules comprises a rectangular shape.

6. The garment of claim 1 , wherein a three-dimensional shape of the first plurality of 3-D nodules comprises an elongated circular shape.

7. The garment of claim 1 , wherein a three-dimensional shape of the first plurality of 3-D nodules comprises a doughnut shape.

8. The garment of claim 1 , wherein a three-dimensional shape of the first plurality of 3-D nodules comprises a disc shape.

9. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of 3-D nodules comprises silicone printed on the garment.

10. The garment of claim 9 , wherein the silicone is applied to the garment through a screen printing process.

11. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the first zone and the second zone are located on a base fabric layer of the garment.

12. The garment of claim 11 , wherein the base fabric layer of the garment comprises elastic yarns.

13. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the first zone and the second zone are located on the garment based on exposure of each zone to air profiles associated with an athletic activity when the garment is in an as-worn configuration.

14. A garment comprising:
a first zone located on an arm portion of the garment, the first zone having an applied surface texture, the applied surface texture comprising a first plurality of three-dimensional (3-D) nodules each extending outwardly from a surface of the garment;
a second zone located on a torso portion of the garment;
a third zone having another applied surface texture and located between the first zone and the second zone, wherein:
the second zone has no added surface roughness, and the applied surface texture begins at a shoulder region of the first zone of the arm portion of the garment, and the applied surface texture smoothly and continuously transitioning from the another applied surface texture adjacent to the third zone to a maximum surface roughness at a distal end of the arm portion of the garment; and

a hem affixed to the distal end of the arm portion of the garment and extending to a distal edge of the arm portion of the garment, the distal edge forming a sleeve opening of the arm portion of the garment, wherein the hem is flocked.

15. The garment of claim 14 , wherein the applied surface texture gives rise to a first aerodynamic characteristic.

16. The garment of claim 15 , wherein the first zone and the second zone are located on the garment based on exposure of each zone to air profiles associated with an athletic activity when the garment is in an as-worn configuration.

17. A garment comprising:
a torso portion, and a first arm portion and a second arm portion extending from the torso portion, each of the first arm portion and the second arm portion comprising a first applied surface texture comprising a first plurality of three-dimensional (3-D) nodules each extending outwardly from a surface of the garment;
wherein:
the first applied surface texture begins at a shoulder region of the first arm portion and the second arm portion of the garment, and wherein the first applied surface texture smoothly and continuously increases from the shoulder region of the first arm portion to a first distal end of the first arm portion, and wherein the first applied surface texture smoothly and continuously increases from the shoulder region of the second arm portion to a second distal end of the second arm portion,
the torso portion comprises no applied surface texture; and

a first hem affixed to the first distal end of the garment and extending to a first distal edge of the garment, and a second hem affixed to the second distal end and extending to a second distal edge of the second arm portion, wherein the first hem and the second hem are printed with silicone, and further wherein the first distal edge forms a first sleeve opening of the first arm portion and the second distal edge forms a second sleeve opening of the second arm portion.

18. The garment of claim 17 , wherein the first applied surface texture gives rise to a first aerodynamic characteristic comprising greater air flow tripping around the first distal end of the first arm portion and the second distal end of the second arm portion of the garment as compared to air flow tripping around a first proximal end of the first arm portion and a second proximal end of the second arm portion of the garment when the garment is in an as-worn configuration.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Nordstrom Matthew D
• Carbo Jr Jorge E
• Brownlie Leonard W

Classifications

• A41D13/0015 Primary

  Sports garments other than provided for in groups A41D13/0007 - A41D13/088 · CPC title

• A41D2600/10

  for sport activities · CPC title

• A41D2400/24

  Reducing drag or turbulence in air or water · CPC title

• A41D31/185

  using layered materials · CPC title

• A41H43/04 Primary

  Joining garment parts or blanks by gluing or welding (mending garments by adhesives or adhesive patches A41H27/00) {; Gluing presses} · CPC title