System and device for affecting drag properties of an object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12082630-B2
Application number	US-202016887793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2020
Priority date	May 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A vortex generator might be attached to various types of articles to reduce the drag. For example, vortex generators might be attached to a garment or to adhesive tape. In addition, vortex generators might be attached to various types of athletic equipment. A mapping can suggest placement of a vortex-generator arrangement on an article, as well as prescribe particular vortex-generator arrangements for regions of a person.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vortex-generator kit comprising:
a detached leg sleeve;
a detached arm sleeve, the detached arm sleeve being independent from the detached leg sleeve, the detached arm sleeve having an anterior midline separating a lateral side from a medial side,
a first vortex-generator arrangement coupled to the detached leg sleeve, the first vortex-generator arrangement comprising a first set of vortex generators having a first substantially consistent spacing and a first substantially consistent vortex-generator height; and
a second vortex-generator arrangement coupled to the lateral side of the anterior midline of the detached arm sleeve, the second vortex-generator arrangement comprising a second set of vortex generators having a second substantially consistent spacing and a second substantially consistent vortex-generator height,
wherein the second substantially consistent spacing is different than the first substantially consistent spacing, the second vortex-generator height is different than the first vortex-generator height, or any combination thereof,
wherein each of the detached leg sleeve and the detached arm sleeve omits vortex generators on the medial side of the anterior midline.

2. The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein the detached leg sleeve omits the first vortex generator arrangement in a shin region of the detached leg sleeve.

3. The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein the detached leg sleeve and the detached arm sleeve include adhesive-tape strips having respective vortex-generator arrangements.

4. The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein the vortex-generator spacing comprises a first positioning of the first vortex-generator arrangement in a first human anatomical zone and a second positioning of the second vortex-generator arrangement in a second human anatomical zone.

5. The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein the first substantially consistent spacing and the second substantially consistent spacing are based on a type of event for which the detached leg sleeve and the detached arm sleeve are configured to be worn.

6. The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 further comprising a set of instructions providing suggested relative positions of the detached leg sleeve and the detached arm sleeve when worn by a human.

7. A vortex-generator kit comprising:
a first article comprising a first vortex-generator arrangement, which includes a first set of vortex generators having a first substantially consistent spacing and a first substantially consistent vortex-generator height, the first article having a first anterior midline separating a first lateral side from a first medial side, the first set of vortex generators positioned on the first lateral side of the first anterior midline, the first article omitting vortex generators on the first medial side of the first anterior midline; and
a second article independent of the first article, the second article comprising a second vortex-generator arrangement, which includes a second set of vortex generators having a second substantially consistent spacing and a second substantially consistent vortex-generator height, the second article having a second anterior midline separating a second lateral side from a second medial side, the second set of vortex generators positioned on the second lateral side of the second anterior midline, the second article omitting vortex generators on the second medial side of the second anterior midline,
wherein the first and second substantially consistent spacing and the first and second substantially consistent vortex-generator height are based on a vortex-generator mapping, wherein the vortex-generator mapping comprises pre-determined patterns for different human anatomical zones; and
wherein the first article comprises a detached leg sleeve and the second article comprises a detached arm sleeve.

8. The vortex-generator kit of claim 7 , wherein the vortex-generator mapping comprises a first positioning of the first vortex-generator arrangement in a first human anatomical zone and a second positioning of the second vortex-generator arrangement in a second human anatomical zone.

9. The vortex-generator kit of claim 7 , wherein the pre-determined patterns for different human anatomical zones are based at least partially on a gender of an athlete for whom the first article and the second article are configured to be worn.

10. The vortex-generator kit of claim 7 , wherein the first substantially consistent spacing and the second substantially consistent spacing are based at least partially on a type of event for which the first article and the second article are configured to be worn.

11. The vortex-generator kit of claim 7 , wherein the first article omits the first vortex generator arrangement in a shin region of the first article.

12. A vortex generator kit, the kit comprising:
a first article having a first vortex-generator arrangement, which includes a first set of vortex generators having a first substantially consistent spacing and a first substantially consistent vortex-generator height; and
a second article independent of the first article, the second article having a second vortex-generator arrangement coupled to the second article, the second vortex-generator arrangement comprising a second set of vortex generators having a second substantially consistent spacing and a second substantially consistent vortex-generator height; and
wherein the first article comprises a detached leg sleeve and the second article comprises a detached arm sleeve, the detached arm sleeve and the detached leg sleeve each having an anterior midline separating a lateral side from a medial side, the first set of vortex generators coupled to the lateral side of the anterior midline of the detached leg sleeve, the second set of vortex generators coupled to the lateral side of the anterior midline of the detached arm sleeve, wherein each of the detached leg sleeve and the detached arm sleeve omits vortex generators on the medial side of the anterior midline.

13. The vortex generator kit of claim 12 , wherein the second substantially consistent spacing is different than the first substantially consistent spacing.

14. The vortex generator kit of claim 12 , wherein the second vortex-generator height is different than the first vortex-generator height.

15. The vortex-generator kit of claim 12 , wherein the first article and the second article include adhesive-tape strips having respective vortex-generator arrangements.

16. The vortex-generator kit of claim 12 , wherein the first article omits the first vortex generator arrangement in a shin region of the first article.

17. The vortex-generator kit of claim 12 , wherein the first substantially consistent spacing and the second substantially consistent spacing are based upon a gender of an athlete for whom the first article and the second article are configured to be worn.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Aihara Yuki
• Brownlie Leonard W
• Carbo Jr Jorge E
• Harber Edward L
• Henry Ryan P
• Ilcheva Irena
• Sokolowski Susan L

Classifications

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• A41D31/185

  using layered materials · CPC title

• B64C23/06

  by generating vortices · CPC title

• A41D2400/24

  Reducing drag or turbulence in air or water · CPC title

• A41D13/0015

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