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US 12,082,630 B2Granted
System and device for affecting drag properties of an object
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsYuki Aihara, Leonard W. Brownlie, Jorge E. Carbo, Jr., Edward L. Harber, Ryan P. Henry, Irena Ilcheva, Susan L. Sokolowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims17
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.
4 more elements
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.
3 more elements
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.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.