ARTICLES OF APPAREL INCLUDING ZONES HAVING INCREASED THERMALLY INSULATIVE AND THERMALLY RESISTIVE PROPERTIES

• US 20150000005A1
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Mather, Sophie Louise
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/69
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 9/06 Undershirts; Chemises
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/04 Vests, jerseys, sweaters or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/00 Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches helmets A42B3/00; clothing affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes A62B17/00; life-saving garments for use at sea, diving suits B63C; bulletproof or armoured clothing F41H; clothing affording protection against radiation G21F3/02
• 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 3/00 Overgarments fur garments A41D5/00; for children A41D11/00; professional or sporting protective garments A41D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 3/005 with pullover structure

Abstract

Thermal garments with reduced weight and bulk and improved packability include targeted zones of increased thermal resistive properties. Such garments may include: (a) a first garment region extending along a central back portion of the garment from the waist area of the garment to the neck area; (b) second and third garment regions extending along the sides of the garment from the waist area to the underarm area; and (c) a fourth garment region extending between the first and second garment regions, between the first and third garment regions, and between the second and third garment regions. The fourth garment region includes a thermal material having a lower thermal resistive value than the thermal resistive values of the thermal materials associated with the first, second, and third garment regions. Methods of making such garments also are described.

Claims

1. An outerwear garment for covering at least a portion of an upper human torso, comprising:

a first garment region including a first thermal fabric material extending along a central back portion of the outerwear garment from proximate to a waist area of the outerwear garment to proximate to a neck area of the outerwear garment;

a second garment region including a second thermal fabric material extending along a first side of the outerwear garment from proximate to the waist area to proximate to a first underarm area of the outerwear garment;

a third garment region including a third thermal fabric material extending along a second side of the outerwear garment from proximate to the waist area to proximate to a second underarm area of the outerwear garment; and

a fourth garment region located at;

(a) the back of the outerwear garment between the first and second garment regions, (b) the back of the outerwear garment between the first and third garment regions, and (c) the front of the outerwear garment between the second and third garment regions, wherein the fourth garment region makes up at least 50% of an overall exterior surface of the outerwear garment,

wherein the fourth garment region includes one or more pieces of a first thermal material having a first thermal resistive value,

wherein the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively, may be the same as or different from one another and may be provided as part of one or more pieces of fabric material,

wherein the first thermal material of the fourth garment region is separate from the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively,

wherein each of the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively, has a thermal resistive value higher than the first thermal resistive value,

wherein the first thermal resistive value is at least 10% lower than the thermal resistive values of the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively, and

wherein all thermal resistive values are measured according to International Organization for Standardization Test ISO 11092 under constant measuring parameter conditions.

2. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the fourth garment region extends between the first and second garment regions, the first and third garment regions, and the second and third garment regions at the waist area of the outerwear garment to thereby completely separate the first, second, and third garment regions from one another along the waist area.

3. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, further comprising a neck opening size adjusting system located at a front neck opening of the outerwear garment.

4. An outerwear garment according to claim 3, wherein the neck opening size adjusting system includes a zipper type closure system that extends from the front neck opening of the outerwear garment in a direction toward the waist area of the outerwear garment, and wherein the zipper type closure system does not extend to the waist area of the outerwear garment.

5. An outerwear garment according to claim 3, wherein the neck opening size adjusting system includes a zipper type size adjusting mechanism.

6. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the fourth garment region makes up at least 70% of an overall exterior surface of the outerwear garment.

7. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein a majority of the first garment region is at least 3 inches wide across the central back portion in a direction from the first side to the second side.

8. An outerwear garment according to claim 7, wherein the second garment region is at least 3 inches wide along the waist area at the first side of the outerwear garment and the third garment region is at least 3 inches wide along the waist area at the second side of the outerwear garment.

9. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein a majority of the first garment region is at least 4 inches wide across the central back portion in a direction from the first side to the second side.

10. An outerwear garment according to claim 9, wherein the second garment region is at least 4 inches wide along the waist area at the first side of the outerwear garment and the third garment region is at least 4 inches wide along the waist area at the second side of the outerwear garment.

11. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the first garment region includes a majority of a back portion of the outerwear garment.

12. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the first garment region includes at least 75% of a back portion of the outerwear garment.

13. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the first garment region includes a scapular area of the outerwear garment.

14. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the fourth garment region extends between the first and second garment regions, the first and third garment regions, and the second and third garment regions at the waist area of the outerwear garment to thereby completely separate the first, second, and third garment regions from one another along the waist area;

wherein a majority of the first garment region is at least 3 inches wide across the central back portion in a direction from the first side to the second side;

wherein the second garment region is at least 3 inches wide along the waist area at the first side of the outerwear garment; and

wherein the third garment region is at least 3 inches wide along the waist area at the second side of the outerwear garment.

15. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the fourth garment region extends between the first and second garment regions, the first and third garment regions, and the second and third garment regions at the waist area of the outerwear garment to thereby completely separate the first, second, and third garment regions from one another along the waist area;

wherein a majority of the first garment region is at least 4 inches wide across the central back portion in a direction from the first side to the second side;

wherein the second garment region is at least 4 inches wide along the waist area at the first side of the outerwear garment; and

wherein the third garment region is at least 4 inches wide along the waist area at the second side of the outerwear garment.

16. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the first thermal resistive value is at least 0.13 m²×

K/W.

17. An outerwear garment according to claim 16, wherein each of the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively, has a thermal resistive value of at least 0.18 m²×

K/W.

18. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the first thermal resistive value is at least 0.19 m²×

K/W.

19. An outerwear garment according to claim 18, wherein each of the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively, has a thermal resistive value of at least 0.21 m²×

K/W.

20. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the outerwear garment constitutes a coat, a jacket, or a vest.

21. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively, has a thermal resistive value of at least 0.15 m²×

K/W.

22. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively, has a thermal resistive value of at least 0.21 m²×

K/W.

23. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively, has a thermal resistive value of at least 0.25 m²×

K/W.

24. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the outerwear garment includes a waist opening defined therein, wherein the first garment region extends to the waist opening, wherein the second garment region extends to the waist opening, wherein the third garment region extends to the waist opening, wherein the fourth garment region extends:

(a) between the first and second garment regions and to the waist opening, (b) between the first and third garment regions and to the waist opening, and (c) between the second and third garment regions and to the waist opening, and wherein the fourth garment region completely separates the first, second, and third garment regions from one another at the waist opening.

25. An outerwear garment according to claim 24, further comprising a neck opening size adjusting system located at a front neck opening of the outerwear garment, wherein the neck opening size adjusting system includes a zipper type size adjusting mechanism that extends from the front neck opening of the outerwear garment in a direction toward the waist opening of the outerwear garment, and wherein the zipper type closure system does not extend to the waist opening of the outerwear garment.

26. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the first thermal resistive value is at least 20% lower than the thermal resistive values of the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively.

27. An outerwear garment according to claim 1, wherein the first thermal resistive value is at least 50% lower than the thermal resistive values of the first, second, and third thermal fabric materials of the first, second, and third garment regions, respectively.