Articles of apparel providing enhanced body position feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9814273-B2
Application number	US-201414196496-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2014
Priority date	May 31, 2007
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

Articles of apparel include: (a) a garment structure having one or more fabric elements structured and arranged to provide a close fit to at least one predetermined portion of a body (e.g., area(s) of the body for which enhanced position sensing and/or feedback are desired); and (b) a body position feedback system engaged with or integrally formed as part of the garment structure. The body position feedback system may apply higher tensile or constricting (compressive) forces to selected portions of the wearer's body and/or stretch resistance, which can help stimulate or interact with nerves and deep tissue receptors located in various portions of the body. The increased forces at selected locations of the body give the wearer sensory feedback regarding the position or orientation of these parts of the body and can improve or accelerate development of “muscle memory.”

First claim

We claim:

1. An article of apparel, comprising:
a garment structure for covering at least a portion of a torso of a human, wherein the garment structure includes one or more fabric elements, and wherein the garment structure is structured and arranged so as to provide a close fit to at least some of the torso; and
a first body position feedback system engaged with the garment structure, wherein the first body position feedback system includes:
(a) a first material layer having a first compressive force application capability that is greater than a compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up a largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the first material layer is made from a textile or polymer material, wherein the first material layer includes a base area and plural independent legs extending from the base area, and wherein a continuous first opening extends through and along a majority of a length of the plural independent legs and through the base area; and
(b) a second material layer engaged with the first material layer and at least partially covering the first opening, wherein the second material layer is made from a fabric or polymer material, and wherein the second material layer has a second compressive force application capability that is lower than the first compressive force application capability.

2. An article of apparel according to claim 1 , wherein the base area of the first material layer is located at a first side or rear portion of the garment structure and one leg of the plural independent legs extends around to a front abdominal portion of the garment structure.

3. An article of apparel according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a second body position feedback system engaged with the garment structure, wherein the second body position feedback system includes:
(a) a first material layer having a first compressive force application capability that is greater than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the first material layer of the second body position feedback system is made from a textile or polymer material, wherein the first material layer of the second body position feedback system includes a base area and plural independent legs extending from the base area, and wherein a continuous first opening extends through and along a majority of a length of the plural independent legs and through the base area of the second body position feedback system; and
(b) a second material layer engaged with the first material layer of the second body position feedback system and at least partially covering the first opening of the second body position feedback system, wherein the second material layer of the second body position feedback system is made from a fabric or polymer material, and wherein the second material layer of the second body position feedback system has a compressive force application capability that is lower than the first compressive force application capability of the first material layer of the second body position feedback system,
wherein the base area of the first material layer of the second body position feedback system is located at a second side or rear portion of the garment structure and one leg of the plural independent legs of the second body position feedback system extends around to the front abdominal portion of the garment structure, and wherein the second body position feedback system is separated from the first body position feedback system.

4. An article of apparel according to claim 1 , wherein the base area of the first material layer is located at a first side or rear portion of the garment structure and one leg of the plural independent legs extends around to a front abdominal portion of the garment structure, and wherein the article of apparel further comprises:
a second body position feedback system engaged with the garment structure, wherein the second body position feedback system includes:
(a) a first material layer having a first compressive force application capability that is greater than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the first material layer of the second body position feedback system is made from a textile or polymer material, wherein the first material layer of the second body position feedback system includes a base area and plural independent legs extending from the base area, and wherein a continuous first opening extends through and along a majority of a length of the plural independent legs and through the base area of the second body position feedback system; and
(b) a second material layer engaged with the first material layer of the second body position feedback system and at least partially covering the first opening of the second body position feedback system, wherein the second material layer of the second body position feedback system is made from a fabric or polymer material, and wherein the second material layer of the second body position feedback system has a compressive force application capability that is lower than the first compressive force application capability of the first material layer of the second body position feedback system,
wherein the base area of the first material layer of the second body position feedback system is located at the first side or rear portion of the garment structure and one leg of the plural independent legs extends around to the front abdominal portion of the garment structure, and wherein the first body position feedback system and the second body position feedback system at least partially overlap one another.

5. An article of apparel according to claim 1 , wherein the base area of the first material layer is located at a first side or rear portion of the garment structure and one leg of the plural independent legs extends around to the front abdominal portion of the garment structure, and wherein the article of apparel further comprises:
a second body position feedback system engaged with the garment structure, wherein the second body position feedback system includes:
(a) a first material layer having a first compressive force application capability that is greater than the compressive force application capability of the fabric element making up the largest proportion of the garment structure, wherein the first material layer of the second body position feedback system is made from a textile or polymer material, wherein the first material layer of the second body position feedback system includes a base area and plural independent legs extending from the base area, and wherein a continuous first opening extends through and along a majority of a length of the plural independent legs and through the base area of the second body position feedback system; and
(b) a second material layer engaged with the first material layer of the second body position feedback system and at least partially covering the first opening of the second body position feedback system, wherein the second material layer of the second body position feedback system is made from a fabric or polymer material, and wherein the second material layer of the second body position feedback system has a compressive force application capability that is lower than the first compressive force application capability of the first material layer of the second body position feedback system,

wherein the base area of the first material layer of the second body position feedback system is located at the first side or rear portion of the garment structure and one leg of the plural independent legs extends around to the front abdominal portion of the garment structure, and wherein the first body position feedback sy

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Nordstrom Matthew D
• Sokolowski Susan L

Classifications

• A41D13/0015 Primary

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

• A41B1/08

  Details · CPC title

• A41D13/0002 Primary

  Details of protective garments not provided for in groups A41D13/0007 - A41D13/1281 · CPC title

• A41D31/02

  Layered materials (characterised by special function or use A41D31/04) · CPC title

• A41B1/00

  Shirts · CPC title