Drag-Inducing Apparel Flaps for Athletic Training
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing athletic apparel does not effectively induce sufficient drag to enhance training performance without interfering with the wearer's cadence or form, leading to inadequate resistance during movement.
Innovation Solution
The integration of integrally-formed flaps on a panel with trim pieces to create air pockets that capture air and increase drag when the wearer moves, specifically designed for various types of athletic movements by orienting flaps to maximize resistance in anticipated directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If existing athletic apparel is used, then the wearer experiences comfortable and unrestricted movement, but insufficient drag resistance is provided to enhance training performance
Solution Approach 1:
The flaps are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically respond to airflow during movement. The flaps can rotate or flex to capture air effectively during specific phases of motion (such as the downstroke in rowing or the swing phase in running) while minimizing resistance during return phases, thus providing dynamic drag adjustment that enhances training without restricting natural movement patterns
Solution Approach 2:
The apparel is divided into multiple panels with individual flaps on each panel, allowing localized drag induction at specific body areas. This segmentation enables targeted resistance application that mimics specific movement patterns (e.g., flaps on the front of the body for forward motion resistance) while leaving other areas relatively unrestricted, maintaining ease of operation in non-target zones
2Force
If drag-inducing elements are added to athletic apparel, then training resistance is increased, but the wearer's cadence or form may be interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
Drag resistance is applied locally at specific panels and flaps rather than uniformly across the entire apparel. The flaps are positioned and oriented to create resistance in specific directions (e.g., anterior-posterior or lateral) while leaving other directions relatively unaffected. This localized application allows athletes to maintain proper form and cadence in unaffected areas while receiving targeted resistance training benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The flaps are designed to activate drag resistance periodically during the movement cycle rather than continuously. For example, flaps may be oriented to capture air during the power phase of a stroke or stride while retracting or aligning smoothly during recovery phases. This periodic activation provides resistance when most beneficial for training while minimizing interference with natural cadence and form during transition phases
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 provides increased air resistance, requiring the wearer to exert greater effort, thereby improving performance benefits during training without disrupting natural movement patterns.
Implementation Method 1
the one or more air pockets are configured to capture air between one or more pairs of adjacent flaps for creating drag between the one or more pairs of adjacent flaps
Data Source
AI summary
An article having a panel and a trim piece. The panel may have at least a first panel edge, an outer surface, and a plurality of integrally-formed flaps that extend from the outer surface. The trim piece may be affixed to the panel proximate the first panel edge and may secure an end portion of at least one of the plurality of integrally-formed flaps between the trim piece and the outer surface of the panel. A plurality of panels may form, or be secured to, a garment in different orientations. Each of the plurality of panels may be separated by one or more trim pieces.