Apparel with Reduced Drag Coefficient
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsSteven P. Wright, Kenneth T. Craig, Richard C. MacDonald, Leonard W. Brownlie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.
Claims20
An athletic garment comprising:
- an aerodynamic panel configured to substantially encircle at least a portion of an appendage of a wearer;
- the aerodynamic panel having a plurality of textural regions, the textural regions including a first region having a first surface texture and a second region having a second surface texture, the first surface texture being different than the second surface texture;
- wherein the first surface texture of the first region comprises a plurality of nodules;
- and
- wherein the second surface texture of the second region comprises a substantially smooth texture.
An athletic garment comprising:
- a first aerodynamic panel configured to substantially encircle at least a portion of a first appendage of a wearer;
- a second aerodynamic panel configured to substantially encircle at least a portion of a second appendage of the wearer;
- wherein each of the first aerodynamic panel and the second aerodynamic panel includes a plurality of textural regions, the textural regions comprising a first region having a first surface texture and a second region having a second surface texture, the first surface texture being different than the second surface texture;
- and
- wherein the first surface texture of the first region comprises a plurality of nodules and wherein the second surface texture of the second region comprises a substantially smooth texture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.