Nike, Inc.

Yuki Aihara

Kevin C Sze

Jorge Emilio Carbo, Jr

David Curtis Turner

Susan L Sokolowski

Ryan P Henry

David Sagan

Edward Louis Harber

Irena Ilcheva

Alice Fockele

Kimberly D Baschak

Carmen L Zolman

Leonard W Brownlie

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.

System and device for affecting drag properties of an object

A cord-lock assembly for slidably adjusting a length of cord is provided. The assembly may include various components such as a cord, a cord lock, and an article layer into which the cord lock and cord may be at least partially integrated. The cord lock may include one or more components that releasably clamp onto the cord and engage the cord through resistance provided by a biasing element. The cord-lock assembly may be configured such that a force applied to the cord lock in axial alignment with an aperture in which the cord lock is positioned allows adjustment of a length of cord extending through the cord lock and/or through the aperture layer.

Cord lock

A dynamic vent-slit structure for a lower body article of apparel is provided. The article includes a pelvic portion for covering a pelvic area of a wearer when the article is in an as-worn position, and a plurality of slits in a repeating fashion, wherein a spacing between two adjacent slits in linear alignment is less than a length of a slit in non-linear alignment with the two slits and that is offset from the two slits such that the slit in non-linear alignment overlies the spacing between the slits in linear alignment, and the slit in non-linear alignment is parallel to the slits in linear alignment. The slits may be positioned in one or more groupings or aligned in different directions to open in response to different directions of stretch or movement, to provide dynamic or motion activated venting in the article.

Lower body article of apparel having dynamic vent-slit structure

An article that includes a vortex-generator device may include various features. For example, the article may include a material layer and one or more elongate members coupled to the material layer. In addition, the one or more elongate members interconnect two or more vortex generators.

Vortex-generator device

A cord lock includes various components used to slidably adjust a cord length, such as one or more housing components that releasably clamp around the cord. In one aspect, the cord lock includes an arrangement of magnets that bias the cord-lock housing components away from one another, in order to secure the cord between the housing components. The housing components can be pressed towards one another to slidably adjust the cord. In a further aspect, the cord lock may also include a magnetized excess-cord retainer that attaches to a portion of the cord and that releasably attaches to the cord lock in order to help gather excess cord pulled through the cord lock.

Decals with dimensional offsets are disclosed. The decals may be part of a decal kit or may be applied to an article. The decals include an overlay having multiple dimensional spacers. When applied to an article, the decal overlay bonds to the article, securing the dimensional spacers between the overlay and the article creating dimensional offsets. The dimensional offsets are positioned on an interior surface of the article so that contact with a wearer's skin is minimized, reducing the perception of cling.

Decals with dimensional offsets

A method of manufacturing an article of apparel having dynamic vent-slits includes providing a fabric having a first surface and a second surface, forming a plurality of slits in a repeating fashion on the fabric, wherein a spacing between two adjacent slits in linear alignment is less than a length of a slit in non-linear alignment with the two slits and that is offset from the two slits such that the slit in non-linear alignment overlies the spacing between the slits in linear alignment, and the slit in non-linear alignment is parallel to the slits in linear alignment. The method further includes forming the fabric into at least part of the article of apparel. The slits may be positioned in one or more groupings, or aligned in different directions to open in response to different directions of stretch or movement, to provide dynamic ventilation.

Method of manufacturing an article of apparel having dynamic vent-slits

Aspects herein relate to apparel items and apparel systems that utilize applied or printed foam nodes to provide, among other things, stand-off between an apparel item and a wearer's skin surface. One or more of the foam nodes, or areas of the textile surrounding the foam nodes, may be perforated to provide a fluid communication path between an inner-facing surface and an outer-facing surface of the apparel item. The communication path may be used to facilitate air exchange between the external environment and the wearer's body and/or to provide an exit path for moisture vapor generated by the wearer.

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

Yuki Aihara