Athletic Bib Tapered Design and Perforations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional athletic bibs create drag points and distractions due to loose edges and inadequate breathability, as they are not designed to conform closely to the wearer's 3-D surface shape or the apparel item, and often impede the natural movement of air and moisture.
Innovation Solution
The athletic bib is made from flexible materials with a releasable adhesive and a pattern of slits or perforations to conform to the wearer's and apparel item's shape, providing improved breathability and air permeability while minimizing drag points through a tapered design that maximizes display area for visual indicia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional athletic bibs are secured using safety pins at the corners, then the bib can be easily attached to the apparel item, but loose edges are created that cause drag points and distractions during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the problematic loose edges from the bib design by implementing a tapered configuration where the bottom edge is shorter than the top edge. This extraction of the excess material that causes flapping and drag points eliminates the harmful effect while preserving the safety pin attachment method for ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bib employs asymmetric geometry with the bottom edge length being less than the top edge length. This asymmetric design creates a tapered shape that prevents loose edges from flapping during movement, thereby eliminating drag points and distractions while maintaining secure attachment at the corners.
2Strength
If the bib is made from non-flexible materials like tightly woven material, non-woven material, or paper-like material, then durability is improved, but the bib cannot conform closely to the wearer's 3-D surface shape
Solution Approach 1:
The bib incorporates a pattern of slits that divide the material into segmented sections. These slits allow the rigid or semi-rigid material to flex and conform to the wearer's 3-D surface shape while maintaining the overall structural integrity and durability of the material itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies flexible elements (slits) to the material structure, enabling tightly woven, non-woven, or paper-like materials to bend and adapt to curved body surfaces. The slits create flexible zones within the material that allow conforming to 3-D shapes without compromising the durability of the base material.
3Strength
If the bib is made from solid material without openings, then durability and structural integrity are improved, but breathability and air permeability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bib incorporates a pattern of slits that create a porous structure in the material. These slits allow air and moisture vapor to pass through the bib, providing breathability and permeability while maintaining sufficient structural integrity for durability during athletic activities.
4Shape
If the upper margin of the bib is made longer than the lower margin to mimic body shape, then conformity to wearer's shape is improved, but the display area for sponsorship information is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bib design extends the display area into the vertical dimension by utilizing the full length of the tapered shape. The visual indicia are arranged to maximize use of the available surface area, with information distributed from the longer top edge down to the shorter bottom edge, effectively compensating for the reduced horizontal width at the bottom.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances comfort and performance by reducing distractions and drag, while maintaining a low-profile design that promotes airflow and moisture vapor transmission, ensuring the bib closely follows the body's shape without compromising the display of sponsorship information or race details.
Implementation Method 1
the athletic bib may be formed from a flexible material, such as a knit material, that has a releasable adhesive on an inner-facing surface of the bib
Implementation Method 2
a repeating pattern of slits may be formed through the thickness of the material. When adhered to the apparel item using the releasable adhesive, the slits enable the bib to more closely conform to the wearer's 3-D surface shape and/or to the surface shape of the apparel item in the region at which the bib is being applied. Moreover, as will be discussed below, the slits may impart a degree of breathability and/or permeability to the athletic bib.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects herein provide for an athletic bib configured to be worn during athletic activities. In exemplary aspects, the athletic bib may be formed of a knit material comprising a plurality of perforations. The athletic bib may further comprise a releasable adhesive that is selectively applied to the surface of the athletic bib that is configured to be applied to an apparel item. The result of this configuration is an athletic bib that is able to closely conform to a wearer's body shape while still providing breathability and permeability.