IP Library Granted Patent US 12,127,608
Granted Patent B2
US 12,127,608 · App. 17/816,647 · Granted Oct 29, 2024

Article of apparel including a bladder

Inventors: Tina M. Casillas (Portland, OR); Risha Dupre (Tigard, OR); Sam Lacey (Portland, OR); Austin J. Orand (Portland, OR); Nadia M. Panian (Beaverton, OR); Adam Parkinson (Beaverton, OR); Victoria Rind (Beaverton, OR); Jeffrey C. Spanks (Portland, OR); Simon Quay (Portland, OR); Kimberly A. Sokol (Vancouver, WA)
Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
A41C3/146
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,127,608
App. No.
17/816,647
Granted
Oct 29, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An article of apparel includes a bladder including an interior void, a compressible component disposed within the interior void and including a first zone, the first zone operable between a contracted state and a relaxed state, and a port fluidly coupled to the bladder and operable to selectively permit fluid communication with the interior void.

Claims (46)

1. An article of apparel comprising:

a back panel; and

a front panel attached to the back panel, the front panel including:

a bladder including an interior void, the bladder extending across a majority of the front panel;

a compressible component disposed within the interior void and including a first zone, the first zone operable between a contracted state and a relaxed state; and

a port fluidly coupled to the bladder and operable to selectively permit fluid communication with the interior void.

2. The article of apparel of claim 1 , wherein the compressible component includes a first apparel cup and the first zone is spaced apart from the first apparel cup.

3. The article of apparel of claim 1 , wherein the compressible component includes a first apparel cup and the first zone extends over at least a portion of the first apparel cup.

4. The article of apparel of claim 1 , wherein the first zone includes a first plurality of reliefs having a first shape.

5. The article of apparel of claim 4 , wherein the compressible component includes a second zone disposed adjacent to the first zone and including a second plurality of reliefs.

6. The article of apparel of claim 5 , wherein reliefs of the second plurality of reliefs include the same shape as reliefs of the first plurality of reliefs.

7. The article of apparel of claim 5 , wherein the reliefs of the second plurality of reliefs are oriented in a transverse direction relative to the reliefs of the first plurality of reliefs.

8. The article of apparel of claim 2 , wherein the front panel and the back panel cooperate to form a lining operable to surround a torso of a wearer and a second apparel cup spaced apart from the first apparel cup, the first apparel cup and the second apparel cup extending to a respective apex in a direction away from the lining.

9. The article of apparel of claim 8 , wherein the compressible component extends at least partially over the first apparel cup and the second apparel cup.

10. The article of apparel of claim 8 , wherein the port is disposed between the first apparel cup and the second apparel cup, the first apparel cup and the second apparel cup being in fluid communication.

11. The article of apparel of claim 1 , wherein the compressible component includes a static region and the first zone of the compressible component includes a plurality of reliefs oriented in a radial direction relative to the static region.

12. An article of apparel comprising:

a back panel; and

a front panel attached to the back panel, the front panel including:

a bladder including an interior void;

a compressible component disposed within the interior void and including a first apparel cup extending to a first apex and a second apparel cup extending to a second apex, the compressible component including a first zone operable between a contracted state and a relaxed state; and

a port fluidly coupled to the bladder and operable to move the first zone between the contracted state and the relaxed state by selectively permitting fluid communication with the interior void.

13. The article of apparel of claim 12 , wherein the first zone at least partially extends over the first apex and/or the second apex.

14. The article of apparel of claim 12 , wherein the first zone includes a first plurality of reliefs having a first shape.

15. The article of apparel of claim 14 , wherein the compressible component includes a second zone disposed adjacent to the first zone and including a second plurality of reliefs.

16. The article of apparel of claim 15 , wherein reliefs of the second plurality of reliefs include the same shape as the reliefs of the first plurality of reliefs.

17. The article of apparel of claim 12 , wherein the port is disposed between the first apparel cup and the second apparel cup.

18. The article of apparel of claim 12 , wherein a height of the first apex and the second apex is reduced when the first zone is in the contracted state relative to a height of the first apex and the second apex when the first zone is in the relaxed state.

19. A bra incorporating the article of apparel of claim 12 .

20. The article of apparel of claim 12 , wherein the compressible component includes a static region and the first zone of the compressible component includes a plurality of reliefs oriented in a radial direction relative to the static region.

21. A method of manufacturing an article of apparel, the method comprising:

forming an outer barrier layer and an inner barrier layer of a bladder;

forming a compressible component, the compressible component including a first zone and a first apparel cup, the first zone operable between a contracted state and a relaxed state;

coupling the outer barrier layer, the compressible component, and the inner barrier layer at a peripheral edge of the bladder;

coupling the bladder to a front panel;

coupling the front panel to a back panel; and

fluidly coupling a port to the bladder, the port operable to selectively permit fluid communication between the compressible component and the bladder.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising spacing the first zone apart from the first apparel cup of the compressible component.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising extending the first zone over at least a portion of the first apparel cup.

24. The method of claim 21 , further comprising providing the first zone with a first plurality of reliefs having a first shape.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising providing the compressible component with a second zone disposed adjacent to the first zone and including a second plurality of reliefs.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising providing reliefs of the second plurality of reliefs with the same shape as reliefs of the first plurality of reliefs.

27. The method of claim 21 , wherein forming the inner barrier layer, the outer barrier layer, and the compressible component includes forming each of the inner barrier layer, the outer barrier layer, and the compressible component into a three-dimensional shape.

28. The method of claim 22 , wherein coupling the front panel to the back panel forms a lining operable to surround a torso of a wearer and a second apparel cup spaced apart from the first apparel cup, the first apparel cup and the second apparel cup extending to a respective apex in a direction away from the lining.

29. The method of claim 28 , further comprising extending the compressible component at least partially over the first apparel cup and the second apparel cup.

30. The method of claim 28 , further comprising positioning the port between the first apparel cup and the second apparel cup, the first apparel cup and the second apparel cup being in fluid communication.

Assignments (6)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NAME OF ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 062128 FRAME: 0082. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Dec 22, 2022
From: SOKOL, KIMBERLY A.
To: SIGMA DESIGN, INC.
Reel/Frame 062209/0193 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: CASILLAS, TINA; DUPRE, RISHA; LACEY, SAM; ORAND, AUSTIN J.; PANIAN, NADIA M.; PARKINSON, ADAM; RIND, VICTORIA; SPANKS, JEFFREY C.
To: NIKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 062125/0612 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: QUAY, SIMON
To: TERRAZIGN, INC.
Reel/Frame 062126/0749 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: TERRAZIGN, INC.
To: NIKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 062126/0898 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: SOKOL, KIMBERLY A.
To: NIKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 062128/0082 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: SIGMA DESIGN, INC.
To: NIKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 062128/0125 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63366768 · Jun 21, 2022
Provisional Application 63228310 · Aug 2, 2021
Related Publication 20230032939A1 · Feb 2, 2023
Cited By (3)
US 12,557,872 US 12,635,739 US 12,714,201