Apparel with dynamic vent structure
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsDaniel P. Morgan, Kyle Schepke, Joshua Patrick Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aspects herein are directed to an article of apparel having a vent opening formed by overlapping the edges of a first panel and a second panel. A plurality of discrete overlay film structures are applied to the second panel adjacent to the vent opening. When the article of apparel is exposed to an external stimulus, the film structures undergo a reversible increase in dimension in at least the z-direction which cause the second panel of material to undergo a reversible decrease in dimension in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the vent opening thereby causing the vent opening to dynamically transition from a closed state to an open state.
Claims20
An article of apparel comprising:
- a panel comprising a first surface and an opposite second surface;
- a slit extending through the panel from the first surface to the second surface, the slit comprising a first edge, an opposing second edge, a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end;
- a plurality of discrete overlay film structures affixed to the panel, the plurality of discrete overlay film structures comprising a first discrete overlay film structure and a second discrete overlay film structure positioned adjacent to the first edge of the slit, and;
- two spaced-apart stiffening panels affixed to the first surface between the first discrete overlay film structure and the second discrete overlay film structure, the two spaced-apart stiffening panels comprising a different material than the plurality of discrete overlay film structures.
An article of apparel comprising:
- a panel comprising a textile material with a first surface and an opposite second surface;
- a slit extending through the panel from the first surface to the second surface, the slit comprising a first edge, an opposing second edge, a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end;
- a plurality of discrete overlay film structures affixed to the textile material, the plurality of discrete overlay film structures comprising:
- a first discrete overlay film structure and a second discrete overlay film structure positioned adjacent to the first edge of the slit, and;
- at least one additional discrete overlay film structure adjacent to the second edge of the slit, and
- two spaced-apart stiffening panels affixed to the first surface between the first discrete overlay film structure and the second discrete overlay film structure, the two spaced-apart stiffening panels comprising a different material than the plurality of discrete overlay film structures;
- wherein:
- the textile material has a first degree of stiffness, and the two spaced-apart stiffening panels have a second degree of stiffness greater than the first degree of stiffness;
- when the panel is exposed to an external stimulus, the plurality of discrete overlay film structures undergo an increase in dimension in a z-direction to cause the slit to transition to a more open state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.