IP Library Granted Patent US 11,871,806
Granted Patent B2
US 11,871,806 · App. 17/589,305 · Granted Jan 16, 2024

Article of apparel

Inventor: Kyle S. Blakely (Baltimore, MD)
Assignee: Under Armour, Inc.
A41D31/185A41D1/04A41D13/0015
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,871,806
App. No.
17/589,305
Granted
Jan 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An article of apparel includes a plurality of textile panels and a textile material. The plurality of textile panels includes a first textile panel and a second textile panel. The first textile panel is spaced apart from the second textile panel to define a gap between the first textile panel and the second textile panel on the article of apparel. Each of the plurality of textile panels possesses an elongation value and includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending across said textile panel. The textile material is positioned in the gap between the first textile panel and the second textile panel. The textile material possesses an elongation value that is different than the elongation value of each of the first textile panel and the second textile panel.

Claims (27)

1. An article of apparel comprising:

a plurality of textile panels including a first textile panel and a second textile panel, the first textile panel spaced apart from the second textile panel to define a gap between the first textile panel and the second textile panel on the article of apparel, wherein each of the plurality of textile panels possesses an elongation value and includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending across said textile panel; and

a textile material positioned in the gap between the first textile panel and the second textile panel on the article of apparel, the textile material possessing an elongation value that is different than the elongation value of each of the first textile panel and the second textile panel.

2. The article of apparel of claim 1 wherein the elongation value possessed by the textile material is greater than the elongation value possessed by the first textile panel and the second textile panel.

3. The article of apparel of claim 2 wherein the textile material is an elastic textile material.

4. The article of apparel of claim 1 wherein the textile material defines a first layer on the article of apparel and the plurality of textile panels define a second layer on the article of apparel.

5. The article of apparel of claim 4 further comprising a bonding layer positioned between the first layer and the second layer.

6. The article of apparel of claim 4 wherein the first layer is an inner layer and the second layer is an outer layer on the article of apparel.

7. The article of apparel of claim 6 wherein the second layer covers at least 50% of an exterior surface area of the first layer.

8. The article of apparel of claim 1 wherein the plurality of reinforcing ribs are disposed at regular intervals and oriented in a crosshatch pattern.

9. The article of apparel of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of textile panels are comprised of a core fabric with the reinforcing ribs stitched into the core fabric.

10. The article of apparel of claim 9 wherein the reinforcing ribs are comprised of non-elastic yarns woven into the core fabric.

11. An article of apparel comprising:

an elastic material;

a first panel coupled to the elastic material, the first panel comprised of a first core fabric with reinforcing ribs stitched into the core fabric; and

a second panel coupled to the elastic material, the second panel comprised of a second core fabric with reinforcing ribs stitched into the core fabric, wherein the first panel is distinct from the second panel on the article of apparel such that a separation is defined between the first panel and the second panel with the elastic material in the separation.

12. The article of apparel of claim 11 wherein the first core fabric and the second core fabric are a same fabric possessing a first elongation value.

13. The article of apparel of claim 12 wherein the elastic material possesses a second elongation value that is different than the first elongation value.

14. The article of apparel of claim 13 wherein the second elongation value is greater than the first elongation value.

15. The article of apparel of claim 11 wherein the elastic material defines a first layer on the article of apparel and the first and second panels define a second layer on the article of apparel.

16. The article of apparel of claim 15 wherein the first layer is an inner layer and the second layer is an outer layer on the article of apparel.

17. The article of apparel of claim 11 wherein the first panel and second panel cover at least 50% of an exterior surface area of the article of apparel.

18. The article of apparel of claim 11 wherein the reinforcing ribs of both the first core fabric and the second core fabric are comprised of non-elastic yarns woven into the core fabric and disposed at regular intervals and oriented in a crosshatch pattern.

19. A method of forming an article of apparel, the method comprising:

providing an elastic textile material; and

joining a plurality of textile panels to the elastic textile material, the plurality of textile panels including a first textile panel and a second textile panel each comprised of a core fabric with reinforcing ribs stitched into the core fabric, the first textile panel spaced apart from the second textile panel on the article of apparel to define a gap between the first textile panel and the second textile panel, wherein the elastic textile material is positioned in the gap between the first textile panel to the second textile panel on the article of apparel.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the width of the gap is less than two inches.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN UNITED STATES PATENTS Recorded Jul 3, 2025
From: UNDER ARMOUR, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 071827/0288 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: BLAKELY, KYLE S
To: UNDER ARMOUR, INC.
Reel/Frame 058858/0211 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 16552941 · Aug 27, 2019
Continuation 16011104 · Jun 18, 2018
Continuation 15597203 · May 17, 2017
Continuation 14597051 · Jan 14, 2015
Provisional Application 61926996 · Jan 14, 2014
Related Publication 20220151327A1 · May 19, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,302,969