Articles of apparel utilizing targeted venting or heat retention zones that may be defined based on thermal profiles

• US 20060179539A1
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Harber, Edward Louis
• Granted Patent: US 9,332,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/69
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/002 with controlled internal environment
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/10 Heat retention or warming
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/28 Means for ventilation

Abstract

Garments may include targeted vent or heat retention zones including openings or heat insulation areas in the fabric of various different sizes. The locations and sizes of these openings or heat insulation areas, at least in part, may be determined based on a thermal profile of a body from which the garment is designed. For example, openings or heat insulation areas of a larger size may be provided in the garment at locations where the body typically releases a large amount of heat, and openings or heat insulation areas of smaller sizes may be provided at other locations, e.g., where the body releases less heat. Several thermal profiles may be collected and used to develop a collection of opening patterns, e.g., corresponding to specific body characteristics, body types, and/or ultimate end uses for the garment. Custom patterns may be determined and used in garments specially designed for individual users.

Claims

1. A garment, comprising:

a first fabric panel; and

a pattern of openings defined in the first fabric panel, wherein the pattern of openings is defined based on a thermal profile of a body, wherein the thermal profile distinguishes between areas of the body having different thermal characteristics, wherein the thermal profile defines at least a first area of the body having a first thermal characteristic and a second area of the body having a second thermal characteristic, and wherein the pattern of openings defines locations for plural openings of a first size corresponding to the first area and locations for plural openings of a second size corresponding to the second area.

2. A garment according to claim 1, wherein the thermal profile is determined during or after the body is engaged in a particular type of exercise, event, or activity.

3. A garment according to claim 1, wherein the thermal characteristics represent, at least in part, amounts of heat released at the different areas of the body, wherein the first area of the body releases more heat than the second area of the body, and wherein the openings of the first size are larger than the openings of the second size.

4. A garment according to claim 1, wherein the thermal profile further defines at least a third area of the body having a third thermal characteristic, and wherein the pattern of openings defines locations for plural openings of a third size corresponding to the third area.

5. A garment according to claim 1, wherein the thermal profile is obtained based on the body of a user of the garment such that the pattern of openings in the fabric panel is custom designed for the user.

6. A garment according to claim 5, wherein the thermal profile is determined during or after the body of the user is engaged in a particular type of exercise, event, or activity.

7. A garment, comprising:

a garment structure for at least a portion of an upper torso, wherein the garment structure includes at least a first fabric panel; and

a pattern of openings defined in the garment structure, wherein the pattern of openings includes;

plural openings of a first size or larger provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s spine, and

plural openings smaller than the first size provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to a first area of the wearer'"'"'s back laterally located on a first side of the wearer'"'"'s back from the wearer'"'"'s spine.

8. A garment according to claim 7, wherein the pattern of openings further includes additional plural openings of the first size or larger provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to a second area of the wearer'"'"'s back laterally located from the wearer'"'"'s spine and proximate to the wearer'"'"'s neck.

9. A garment according to claim 7, wherein the pattern of openings further includes additional plural openings smaller than the first size provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to a second area of the wearer'"'"'s back laterally located on a second side of the wearer'"'"'s back from the wearer'"'"'s spine.

10. A garment according to claim 9, wherein the pattern of openings further includes additional plural openings of the first size or larger provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to a third area of the wearer'"'"'s back laterally located from the wearer'"'"'s spine and proximate to the wearer'"'"'s neck.

11. A garment according to claim 7, wherein the plural openings smaller than the first size located on the first side of the wearer'"'"'s back include plural openings of a second size, wherein the second size is smaller than the first size, and plural openings of a third size or smaller, wherein the third size is smaller than the second size.

12. A garment, comprising:

a garment structure for at least a portion of an upper torso, wherein the garment structure includes at least a first fabric panel; and

a pattern of openings defined in the garment structure, wherein the pattern of openings includes;

plural openings of a first size or larger provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to at least a portion of a wearer'"'"'s spine,

plural openings smaller than the first size provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to a first area of the wearer'"'"'s back laterally located on a first side of the wearer'"'"'s back from the wearer'"'"'s spine,

plural openings smaller than the first size provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to a second area of the wearer'"'"'s back laterally located on a second side of the wearer'"'"'s back from the wearer'"'"'s spine,

plural openings of the first size or larger provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to a third area of the wearer'"'"'s back laterally located on the first side of the wearer'"'"'s back from the wearer'"'"'s spine and proximate to the wearer'"'"'s neck, and

plural openings of the first size or larger provided in a portion of the garment structure corresponding to a fourth area of the wearer'"'"'s back laterally located on the second side of the wearer'"'"'s back from the wearer'"'"'s spine and proximate to the wearer'"'"'s neck.

13. A garment according to claim 12, wherein the plural openings smaller than the first size provided in the portion of the garment structure corresponding to the first area of the wearer'"'"'s back includes plural openings of a second size smaller than the first size and plural openings of a third size or smaller, wherein the third size is smaller than the second size.

14. A garment according to claim 13, wherein the plural openings smaller than the first size provided in the portion of the garment structure corresponding to the second area of the wearer'"'"'s back includes plural openings of the second size and plural openings of the third size or smaller.

15. A garment produced by a method comprising:

determining a thermal profile of a body, wherein the thermal profile distinguishes between areas of the body having different thermal characteristics, and wherein the thermal profile defines at least a first area of the body having a first thermal characteristic and a second area of the body having a second thermal characteristic;

forming fabric into a garment structure; and

producing plural openings in the fabric based on the thermal profile, wherein plural openings of a first size are produced in a first portion of the fabric at a location corresponding to the first area, and wherein plural openings of a second size are produced in a second portion of the fabric at a location corresponding to the second area.

16. A garment according to claim 15, wherein the thermal profile is determined during or after the body is engaged in a particular type of exercise, event, or activity.

17. A garment according to claim 16, wherein the thermal characteristics represent, at least in part, amounts of heat released at different areas of the body, wherein the first area of the body releases more heat than the second area of the body, and wherein the openings of the first size are larger than the openings of the second size.

18. A garment according to claim 15, wherein the thermal profile further defines at least a third area of the body having a third thermal characteristic, and the producing includes producing plural openings of a third size in a third portion of the fabric at a location corresponding to the third area.

19. A garment according to claim 15, wherein the thermal profile of the body is determined on an individual user basis, and wherein the garment structure is formed with the plural openings custom located in the garment structure based on the individual user from whom the thermal profile was determined.

20. A garment according to claim 15, wherein the thermal profile of the body is determined on a general body type basis to provide an opening pattern including the plural openings of the first size and the plural openings of the second size, and wherein plural garment structures are formed using the opening pattern.