Textured Garment Drag Reduction via Gradient Fabric
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sports clothing technologies fail to effectively reduce aerodynamic drag on the human body, as they are sensitive to position, limited in texture types, and unable to adapt to changing environmental conditions, leading to increased drag and performance limitations in athletic sports.
Innovation Solution
A garment with a textured fabric that features a texture height increasing substantially continuously with the surface angle, minimizing pressure drag while maintaining low surface drag, utilizing zones with specific texture height ranges and incremental increases to optimize airflow attachment and separation, and potentially seamless designs to avoid disrupting airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If trip edges are used to reduce pressure drag, then pressure drag is reduced, but the position sensitivity increases and manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different texture heights at different locations on the garment surface. The texture height varies continuously from the front to the rear of the garment, with smaller textures at the front and larger textures at the rear. This local variation optimizes flow control at each specific location without requiring precise positioning of uniform trip edges throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment surface is divided into multiple zones with different texture characteristics. Rather than using a single uniform trip edge, the surface is segmented into regions with progressively increasing texture heights, allowing each zone to address specific flow separation issues at that location.
2Force
If uniform textured surfaces are used to reduce drag, then pressure drag is reduced, but adaptability to varying environmental conditions and body shapes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The texture height is varied locally across the garment surface to adapt to changing flow conditions. The continuous increase in texture height from front to rear accommodates the developing boundary layer and varying surface angles encountered at different locations on the body.
Solution Approach 2:
The texture pattern is designed to dynamically adapt to varying conditions through its gradual variation. As airflow progresses along the body and environmental conditions change, the continuously varying texture height provides appropriate flow control at each stage, making the system adaptable without requiring active control mechanisms.
3Force
If seams are added to incorporate different fabric textures, then drag reduction is achieved, but the overall aerodynamic performance deteriorates due to seam disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple texture variations into a single seamless fabric structure. By integrating the variable texture pattern throughout the garment in a continuous manner, the design eliminates the need for separate fabric pieces and seams, thereby maintaining aerodynamic performance while achieving drag reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment utilizes a composite fabric structure with varying texture characteristics integrated into a single material. This composite approach allows different texture heights and patterns to be combined within one seamless fabric, avoiding the aerodynamic penalties of joining separate textured panels.
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 garment significantly reduces pressure drag without increasing surface friction, enhancing athletic performance by adapting to varying airflow conditions and body angles, providing a consistent drag reduction across different sports and environmental factors.
Implementation Method 1
pressure drag caused primarily by the separation of vortices from the boundary layer
Implementation Method 2
the separation of vortices from the boundary layer
Implementation Method 3
surface drag, caused by friction as the air passes over the surface
Data Source
AI summary
A low drag garment is made from a fabric having a textured region with a texture height H, wherein the texture height H increases substantially continuously with the surface angle θ in said textured region. Optionally, the substantially continuous increase in texture height H comprises a plurality of incremental increases in texture height, and wherein each incremental increase in texture height is less than 200 μm.