Three-dimensional foam replacement
AssigneeThe North Face Apparel Corp.
InventorsCory Michael Olson, Jeffrey Allen Dorton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims15
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.