Three-dimensional foam replacement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12029307-B2
Application number	US-202017642443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2020
Priority date	Sep 13, 2019
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

Articles are described herein. An example article may comprise a first surface comprising a first lattice. The example article may comprise a second surface at least partially spaced from the first surface. The second surface may comprise a second lattice. The first surface and the second surface may define a cavity therebetween. The first surface and the second surface may be formed as a unitary body. A configuration of the first interconnected struts, the second interconnect struts, and the third struts may be tunable to control a stiffness and ventilation of the example article.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A strap comprising:
a first surface comprising a plurality of first interconnected struts that define a plurality of first apertures through the first surface, wherein the first surface comprises a first region and at least one second region, wherein the first region is a central region and the at least one second region is an outer region disposed radially outwardly from the first region;
a second surface at least partially spaced from the first surface, the first second surface comprising a plurality of second interconnected struts that define a plurality of second apertures through the second surface; and
one or more third struts disposed between the first surface and the second surface and coupled to at least one of the first surface and the second surface,
wherein the first surface and the second surface define a cavity therebetween,
wherein the one or more third struts are disposed within or adjacent the cavity,
wherein the first surface and the second surface are formed as a unitary body,
wherein a configuration of the first interconnected struts, the second interconnected struts, and the one or more third struts is tunable to control a stiffness and ventilation of the strap such that the stiffness of the central region is less than the stiffness of the outer region when measured using ASTM D2240 and the ventilation of the central region is greater than the ventilation of the outer region when measured using ASTM D737, and
wherein the strap forms part of a backpack.

2. The strap of claim 1 , wherein apertures defined in the first region have an average diameter that is less than an average diameter of the apertures defined in the at least one second region.

3. The strap of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first surface or the second surface has a curvilinear shape.

4. The strap of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is at least partially formed using additive manufacturing.

5. The strap of claim 1 , wherein the second surface is at least partially formed using additive manufacturing.

6. The strap of claim 1 , further comprising a first layer disposed to cover at least a portion of the first surface.

7. The strap of claim 1 , further comprising a second layer disposed to cover at least a portion of the second surface.

8. A method of making the strap of claim 1 .

9. An article comprising:
a first surface comprising a first lattice; and
a second surface at least partially spaced from the first surface, the second surface comprising a second lattice;
wherein the first surface and the second surface define a cavity therebetween,
wherein the first surface and the second surface are formed as a unitary body, wherein the first surface comprises a first region and at least one second region,
wherein the first region is a central region and the at least one second region is an outer region disposed radially outwardly from the first region, wherein a configuration of the first region and the at least one second region is tunable to control a stiffness and ventilation of the strap such that the stiffness of the central region is less than the stiffness of the outer region when measured using ASTM D2240 and the ventilation of the central region is greater than the ventilation of the outer region when measured using ASTM D737, and
wherein the strap forms part of a backpack.

10. The article of claim 9 , wherein apertures defined in the first region have an average diameter that is less than an average diameter of the apertures defined in the at least one second region.

11. The article of claim 9 , wherein one or more of the first surface or the second surface has a curvilinear shape.

12. The article of claim 9 , wherein the first surface is at least partially formed using additive manufacturing.

13. The article of claim 9 , wherein the second surface is at least partially formed using additive manufacturing.

14. The article of claim 9 , further comprising a first layer disposed to cover at least a portion of the first surface.

15. The article of claim 14 , further comprising a second layer disposed to cover at least a portion of the second surface.

Assignees

• North Face Apparel Corp

Inventors

• Olson Cory Michael
• Dorton Jeffrey Allen

Classifications

• A45F2003/125

  with ventilation · CPC title

• A45C13/30 Primary

  Straps; Bands · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• A45F3/12 Primary

  Shoulder-pads · CPC title