System and device for affecting drag properties of an object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020288794-A1
Application number	US-202016887793-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 29, 2020
Priority date	May 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 17, 2020
Grant date	—

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

1 . A vortex-generator kit comprising:
a first article and a second article; a first vortex-generator arrangement coupled to the first article, 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 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, 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.

2 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein the first article includes a pant-type garment and the second article includes a shirt-type garment.

3 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first article or the second article includes an arm sleeve or a leg sleeve.

4 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein the first article and the second article include adhesive-tape strips having respective vortex-generator arrangements.

5 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein the vortex-generator spacing suggests 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.

6 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein the first substantially consistent spacing and the second substantially consistent spacing are gender specific.

7 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 1 , wherein the first article and the second article include adhesive-tape strips having respective vortex-generator arrangements.

8 . 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; and a 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, 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.

9 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 8 , wherein the vortex-generator mapping suggests 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.

10 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 8 , wherein the vortex-generator mapping is gender specific.

11 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 8 , wherein the vortex-generator mapping is based on relative velocities to which the first human anatomical zone and the second human anatomical zone are subjected in a running-based event.

12 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 8 further comprising, a set of instructions providing suggested relative positions of the first article and the second article when worn by a human.

13 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 8 , wherein the first article is a garment and the second article is an adhesive-tape strip.

14 . A vortex generator kit, the kit comprising:
a first garment 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 garment 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.

15 . The vortex generator kit of claim 14 , wherein the second substantially consistent spacing is different than the first substantially consistent spacing.

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

17 . The kit of claim 14 , wherein the first article includes a pant-type garment and the second article includes a shirt-type garment.

18 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 14 , wherein the first article and the second article include adhesive-tape strips having respective vortex-generator arrangements.

19 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first article or the second article includes an arm sleeve or a leg sleeve.

20 . The vortex-generator kit of claim 14 , wherein the first substantially consistent spacing and the second substantially consistent spacing are gender specific.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• A41D2400/24

  Reducing drag or turbulence in air or water · CPC title

• A41D1/08 Primary

  specially adapted for sporting purposes · CPC title

• A41D13/0015 Primary

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

• A41D31/185

  using layered materials · CPC title