Article Of Apparel With Detachably-Secured Attachment Components

• US 20110307998A1
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Turner, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,521,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/455
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0153 having hinged or separable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/05 protecting only a particular body part ear protectors A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0562 with hook and loop fastener

Abstract

An article of apparel may include a base component and an attachment component. The base component may be formed from a plurality of joined material elements, with at least one of the material elements including a first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system. The attachment component may include (a) a cover layer, (b) a plurality of pad elements, and (c) a plurality of securing elements. Each of the pad elements are joined to the cover layer, and each of the securing elements are joined to at least one of the pad elements opposite the cover layer, with the securing elements including a second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system. Moreover, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system is joinable to the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to secure the attachment component to the base component.

Claims

1. An article of apparel comprising:

a base component formed from a plurality of joined material elements, at least one of the material elements including a first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system; and

an attachment component that includes (a) a cover layer, (b) a plurality of pad elements, and (c) a plurality of securing elements, each of the pad elements being joined to the cover layer, and each of the securing elements being joined to at least one and less than all of the pad elements opposite the cover layer, the securing elements including a second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system,

the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being joinable to the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to secure the attachment component to the base component.

2. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the base component defines (a) an exterior surface that faces away from a wearer and (b) an interior surface that faces toward the wearer, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being located on the exterior surface, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system including a plurality of hooks, and the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system including a plurality of loops.

3. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the base component defines (a) an exterior surface that faces away from a wearer and (b) an interior surface that faces toward the wearer, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being located on the interior surface, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system including a plurality of loops, and the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system including a plurality of hooks.

4. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the base component defines (a) an exterior surface that faces away from a wearer and (b) an interior surface that faces toward the wearer, at least twenty-five percent of the exterior surface or the interior surface including the first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system.

5. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the base component defines (a) an exterior surface that faces away from a wearer and (b) an interior surface that faces toward the wearer, at least fifty percent of the exterior surface or the interior surface including the first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system.

6. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the pad elements are spaced from each other on the cover layer.

7. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the securing elements are joined to one of the pad elements.

8. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein each of the securing elements are joined to one of the pad elements.

9. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the cover layer is formed from a textile material and the pad elements are formed from a polymer foam material.

10. An article of apparel comprising:

a base component defining (a) an exterior surface that faces away from a wearer and (b) an interior surface that faces toward the wearer, the exterior surface being opposite the interior surface, and at least twenty-five percent of the exterior surface or the interior surface including a first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system; and

an attachment component that includes (a) a cover layer, (b) a first pad element and a second pad element, and (c) a first securing element and a second securing element, the first pad element and the second pad element being joined to spaced areas of a surface of the cover layer, the first securing element being joined to the first pad element opposite the cover layer, and the second securing element being joined to the second pad element opposite the cover layer, the first securing element and the second securing element including a second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system,

the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being joinable to the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to secure the attachment component to the base component.

11. The article of apparel recited in claim 10, wherein the base component is formed from a plurality of joined material elements, at least one of the material elements including the first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system.

12. The article of apparel recited in claim 10, wherein the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system is located on the exterior surface, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system including a plurality of hooks, and the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system including a plurality of loops.

13. The article of apparel recited in claim 10, wherein the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system is located on the interior surface, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system including a plurality of loops, and the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system including a plurality of hooks.

14. The article of apparel recited in claim 10, wherein at least fifty percent of the exterior surface or the interior surface includes the first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system.

15. The article of apparel recited in claim 10, wherein the cover layer is formed from a textile material and the first pad element and the second pad element are formed from a polymer foam material.

16. An article of apparel comprising:

a base component defining (a) an exterior surface that faces away from a wearer and (b) an interior surface that faces toward the wearer, the exterior surface being opposite the interior surface, and the interior surface including a loop part of a hook-and-loop fastening system; and

an attachment component that includes (a) at least one pad element and (b) at least one securing element that is joined to the pad element, the securing element including a hook part of the hook-and-loop fastening system,

the hook part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being joinable to the loop part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to secure the attachment component to the interior surface.

17. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein the loop part of the hook-and-loop fastening system covers at least twenty-five percent of the interior surface.

18. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein the loop part of the hook-and-loop fastening system covers at least fifty percent of the interior surface.

19. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein the attachment component includes a cover layer joined to the pad element opposite the securing element.

20. The article of apparel recited in claim 16, wherein (a) the attachment component includes a cover layer, (b) the at least one pad element includes a first pad element and the second pad element, and (c) the at least one securing element includes a first securing element and a second securing element, the first pad element and the second pad element being joined to spaced areas of a surface of the cover layer, the first securing element being joined to the first pad element opposite the cover layer, and the second securing element being joined to the second pad element opposite the cover layer.

21. The article of apparel recited in claim 20, wherein the cover layer is formed from a textile material and the first pad element and the second pad element are formed from a polymer foam material.