Suit for Athletic Activities
A suit wearable by a human user includes a torso section, an arm section extending from an upper portion of the torso section, and a leg section extending from a lower portion of the torso section. An exterior surface region of the suit is uneven and has at least one of a different surface friction property and a different surface roughness property in relation to another exterior surface region of the suit.
1 . A suit wearable by a human user, the suit comprising:
a torso section;
an arm section extending from an upper portion of the torso section; and
a leg section extending from a lower portion of the torso section;
wherein a first exterior surface region of the suit is uneven and has a different surface friction property in relation to a second exterior surface region of the suit, the first exterior surface region comprises a roughened material that exhibits a variance in surface roughness or surface friction based upon a direction of movement of a fluid along the roughened material, and the roughened material is configured such that the surface roughness or surface friction of the roughened material is greater along a rough direction of the roughened material in relation to a smooth direction of the roughened material that opposes the rough direction.
2 . The suit of claim 1 , wherein the roughened material comprises a textile material having an uneven exterior surface formed by rows or courses of fibers or yarns, at least some of the rows or courses of fibers or yarns extend further outward from an exterior surface of the roughened material in relation to other rows or courses of fibers or yarns.
3 . The suit of claim 1 , wherein the roughened material is further configured to exhibit a variance in surface roughness or surface friction in response to a degree of stretching or elongation applied to the roughened material.
4 . The suit of claim 1 , wherein the textile material comprises nylon and copolymers of polyester and polyurethane.
5 . The suit of claim 1 , wherein the second exterior surface region is located along a portion of the torso section.
6 . The suit of claim 1 , wherein the first exterior surface region is located along one or more portions of the arm section.
7 . The suit of claim 6 , wherein the second exterior surface region is located along another portion of the arm section.
8 . The suit of claim 6 , wherein the first exterior surface region is located at an intermediate location of the arm section that aligns with and covers an elbow of the user when the suit is worn by the user.
9 . The suit of claim 1 , wherein the first exterior surface region is located along one or more portions of the leg section.
10 . The suit of claim 9 , wherein the second exterior surface region is located along another portion of the leg section.
11 . The suit of claim 1 , wherein the first exterior surface region is located along two portions of the leg section.
12 . The suit of claim 11 , wherein the leg section includes a lower leg portion that extends below the user's knee when the suit is worn by the user and an upper leg portion that extends above the user's knee when the suit is worn by the user, and each of the upper and lower leg portions include the first exterior surface region.
13 . The suit of claim 12 , wherein the roughened material of the upper leg portion for the leg section is incorporated into the suit in a different orientation in relation to the roughened material of the lower leg portion for the leg section such that the rough and smooth directions for the upper leg portion roughened material are transverse the corresponding rough and smooth directions for the lower leg portion roughened material for the leg section.
14 . The suit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pair of arm sections extending from the upper portion of the torso section;
a pair of leg sections extending from the lower portion of the torso section; and
a hood section extending from the torso section, the hood section being oriented and configured as part of the suit so as to receive the user's head when the suit is worn by the user.
15 . An article of apparel wearable by a human user, the article of apparel comprising:
a main section; and
an elongated section extending from the main section, the elongated section comprising an arm section configured to receive the user's arm or leg section configured to receive the user's leg;
wherein a first exterior surface region of the article of apparel is uneven and has a different surface friction property in relation to a second exterior surface region of the article of apparel, the first exterior surface region comprises a roughened material that exhibits a variance in surface roughness or surface friction based upon a direction of movement of a fluid along the roughened material, and the roughened material is configured such that the surface roughness or surface friction of the roughened material is greater along a rough direction of the roughened material in relation to a smooth direction of the roughened material that opposes the rough direction.
16 . The article of apparel of claim 15 , wherein the first exterior surface region is located on the elongated section.
17 . The article of apparel of claim 16 , wherein the second exterior surface region is located on the elongated section or the main section.