Article of apparel incorporating a zoned modifiable textile structure

• US 20050204449A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Wise, LaShurya M., Carter, Karin Elizabeth, Baron, Michael Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/69
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 2400/20 Air permeability; Ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 2400/60 Moisture handling or wicking function
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/04 Vests, jerseys, sweaters or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0015 Sports garments other than provided for in groups A41D13/0007 - A41D13/088
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/10 Heat retention or warming
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/28 Means for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/285 with closure adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/00 Materials specially adapted for outerwear
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/06 Thermally protective, e.g. insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/12 Hygroscopic; Water retaining
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/18 Elastic
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2201/12 Shape memory
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/00 Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/283 synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/49 textured chenille D03D27/18; curled; crimped
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/50 characterised by the properties of the yarns or threads
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/63 Straps, e.g. leather straps
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 9/00 Open-work fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/16 synthetic threads
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/16 incorporating synthetic threads
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/02 : Cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/24 : Viscose
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/02 : Wool
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/04 : Silk
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/10 : polymers of unsaturated nitriles, e.g. polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene cyanide
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/02 : polyamides D10B2331/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/04 : polyesters, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET]
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/02 : Moisture-responsive characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/046 : Shape recovering or form memory
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0114 : with one or more yarns appearing predominantly on one face, e.g. plated or paralleled yarns for pile fabrics D03D27/00, D04B1/02, D04B21/02; for intarsia fabrics D04B1/126
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02 : Cross-sectional features for three-dimensional features D10B2403/033
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/021 : Lofty fabric with equidistantly spaced front and back plies, e.g. spacer fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/00 : Wearing apparel

Abstract

An article of apparel is disclosed that includes zones with a textile having a structure that changes or is otherwise modified by a physical stimulus, such as the presence of water or a temperature change, to modify a property of the textile. The zones may be along a center back area and side areas of the apparel, and the textile may increase in air permeability when exposed to water. The zones may also be in an upper area of the torso and in a lower back area, and the textile may increase in texture when exposed to water. In some embodiments, slits are formed in the textile.

Claims

1. An article of apparel comprising:

a first material that exhibits a dimensional transformation upon exposure to a physical stimulus to change a property of the first material; and

a second material that is substantially stable upon exposure to the physical stimulus.

2. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the article of apparel includes a torso region and a pair of arm regions.

3. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein the first material is located at a center back area of the torso region.

4. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein the first material is located at side areas of the torso region.

5. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein the first material is located at a center back area of the torso region and side areas of the torso region.

6. The article of apparel recited in claim 5, wherein the physical stimulus is water and the property of the first material is air permeability, and the air permeability of the first material increases upon exposure to the water.

7. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein the first material is located at an upper area of the torso region.

8. The article of apparel recited in claim 7, wherein the first material is located at least a portion of the pair of arm regions.

9. The article of apparel recited in claim 7, wherein the first material is located at a lower back area of the torso region.

10. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein the first material is located at an upper area of the torso region, at least a portion of the pair of arm regions, and a lower back area of the torso region.

11. The article of apparel recited in claim 10, wherein the physical stimulus is water and the property of the first material is texture, and the texture of the first material increases upon exposure to the water.

12. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of slits are formed in the first material.

13. An article of apparel comprising:

a torso region having a front area, a back area, and a pair of side areas for covering a torso of a wearer; and

a pair of arm regions extending from the torso region for receiving arms of the wearer, wherein the article of apparel is formed from at least a first material and a second material, the first material extending in a vertical direction along a central portion of the back area, and the first material extending along the side areas, the first material including a yarn that exhibits a dimensional transformation upon exposure to water to increase an air permeability of the first material, and the second material being different than the first material.

14. The article of apparel recited in claim 13, wherein the apparel is a shirt.

15. The article of apparel recited in claim 13, wherein a plurality of slits are formed in the first material.

16. An article of apparel having a torso region with a textile extending in a vertical direction along a central back area of the torso region and extending along side areas of the torso region, the textile having a plurality of openings defined between yarns that exhibit a dimensional-transformation upon exposure to the water, the yarns having a first set of dimensions when unexposed to the water, and the yarns having a second set of dimensions when exposed to the water, a structure of the textile being modified by exposing the textile to the water such that the yarns transform from the first set of dimensions to the second set of dimensions and change an air permeability of the textile by changing a size of the openings defined between yarns.

17. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein the apparel is a shirt.

18. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein a plurality of slits are formed in the first material.

19. An article of apparel comprising:

a torso region having a neck opening for receiving a neck of a wearer and having a front area, a back area, and a pair of side areas for covering a torso of a wearer, the front area extending downward from the neck area, the back area extending downward from the neck area and positioned opposite the back area, and the pair of side areas extending between the front area and the back area; and

a pair of arm regions extending from the torso region for receiving arms of the wearer, wherein the article of apparel is formed from at least a first material and a second material, the first material forming an upper portion of the front area and the back area, and the first material forming at least a portion of the arm regions, the first material including a yarn that exhibits a dimensional transformation upon exposure to water to increase a texture of an interior surface of the first material, and the second material being different than the first material.

20. The article of apparel recited in claim 19, wherein the apparel is a shirt.

21. The article of apparel recited in claim 19, wherein the increase in texture is a plurality of nodes that extend outward from the interior surface of the first material.

22. The article of apparel recited in claim 19, wherein the first material includes the yarn that exhibits the dimensional transformation upon exposure to the water, and the first material includes another yarn that is substantially stable upon exposure to the water, the yarn that exhibits the dimensional transformation upon exposure to the water being concentrated at the interior surface of the first material, and the another yarn being concentrated at an exterior surface of the first material.

23. The article of apparel recited in claim 19, wherein the texture includes a plurality of nodes that project outward from the interior surface.

24. An article of apparel having a torso region and a pair of arm regions, an upper portion of the torso region and at least a portion of the arm regions being formed of a textile having yarns that exhibit a dimensional transformation upon exposure to water, the yarns having a first set of dimensions when unexposed to the water, and the yarns having a second set of dimensions when exposed to the water, a structure of the textile being modified by exposing the textile to the water such that the yarns transform from the first set of dimensions to the second set of dimensions and increase a texture of a surface of the textile.

25. The article of apparel recited in claim 24, wherein the apparel is a shirt.

26. The article of apparel recited in claim 24, wherein the textile includes the yarn that exhibits the dimensional transformation upon exposure to the water, and the textile includes another yarn that is substantially stable upon exposure to the water, the yarn that exhibits the dimensional transformation upon exposure to the water being concentrated at the surface of the textile, and the another yarn being concentrated at an opposite surface of the textile.

27. The article of apparel recited in claim 24, wherein the texture includes a plurality of nodes that project outward from the surface of the textile.