Back to results
US 10,463,097 B2Granted
Article of apparel incorporating a zoned modifiable textile structure
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsMichael R. Baron, Karin E. Carter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of apparel is disclosed that includes zones with a textile having a structure than changes or is otherwise modified by a physical stimulus, such as the presence of water or a temperature change, to modify a property of the textile. The zones may be along a center back area and/or side areas of the apparel, and the textile may increase in air permeability when exposed to water. In some embodiments, slits are formed in the textile.
Claims15
An article of apparel comprising:
- a torso region having a front area, a back area, and a pair of side areas for covering a torso of a wearer when the article of apparel is in an as-worn configuration, and the torso region having at least a neck opening and an opposite waist opening, a first portion of the torso region being formed from a first material, a second remaining portion of the torso region being formed from a second material different from the first material, the first material comprising a dimensionally transformative yarn formed at least from a moisture-absorbing material that exhibits a dimensional transformation upon absorbing water and a dimensionally stable yarn that is dimensionally stable upon exposure to water, wherein the first portion of the torso region includes a central vertical portion of the back area and the pair of side areas;
- and
- a plurality of flaps formed in the first material of the first portion of the torso region, each flap of the plurality of flaps comprising a first surface and an opposite second surface, wherein the first surface of the each flap comprises the dimensionally transformative yarn, wherein the second surface of the each flap comprises the dimensionally stable yarn, and wherein the each flap of the plurality of flaps is configured to curl toward the second surface of the each flap when the first portion of the torso region is exposed to water.
An article of apparel comprising:
- a torso region having at least a front area, a back area, a first side area, and a second side area, at least the front area, the back area, the first side area, and the second side area adapted to cover a torso of a wearer when the article of apparel is in an as-worn configuration, wherein a first portion of the torso region is formed from at least a first material and a second remaining portion of the torso region is formed from a second material different from the first material, the first material comprising a moisture-absorbing material that exhibits a dimensional transformation upon absorbing water and a dimensionally stable material that is dimensionally stable upon exposure to water, wherein the first portion of the torso region includes a central vertical portion of the back area, the first side area, and the second side area;
- and
- a plurality of flaps formed in the first material of the first portion of the torso region, each flap of the plurality of flaps comprising a first surface and an opposite second surface, wherein the first surface of the each flap comprises the moisture-absorbing material, wherein the second surface of the each flap comprises the dimensionally stable material, and wherein the each flap of the plurality of flaps is configured to curl toward the second surface of the each flap when the first portion of the torso region is exposed to water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.