Everyone knows that going to the gym is a good way to keep on top of fitness, but most people struggle to make that kind of commitment. There are many reasons that people give up on their gym membership or let their good intentions slide, and companies like Nike are constantly working on ways to make exercising more enjoyable and convenient.
The problem of sweat
Nike’s latest patent tackles the problem of sweat. Obviously, we sweat when we exert ourselves, but for some people it can throw up some off-putting challenges to their workout. Nobody likes sweat dripping from their body or feeling other people’s on exercise equipment. It can ruin your grip if you’re weightlifting and cause chafing in inconvenient places.
So, Nike has come up with a potential new kind of workout clothing designed to alleviate the sweat problem. They are intended to perform at the highest level and give the user a way to contain and wipe away excess perspiration as they go.
Patent granted
The company was issued a patent last week for its plans to integrate so-called ‘wipe zones’ into traditional pieces of athletic wear. These would be constructed from a different kind of material than usually used and would allow the wearer to efficiently wipe away sweat. Designed to keep the user’s forehead and hands drier, the patches won’t interfere with how they exercise in any way.
The patent filing describes these wipe zones as being created with yarn that has a ‘very small denier-per-filament’ ration. This means that the material is made up of extremely fine fibres that work to make a larger surface area due to more filaments contained in a smaller area. This means an increased amount of sweat is removed when the fabric is wiped across perspiring skin. AS the yarn is hydrophobic, the perspiration wouldn’t be absorbed, but instead would quickly evaporate.
Nike plans to place these wipe zones on pieces of clothing in strategic places. For example, the neckline of a shirt is often used to wipe sweat from the brow and eyes, and the front of a pair of shorts could be used to dry hands quickly and easily. By incorporating this low denier per filament fabric into these places, there will be no interference with the garment’s ability to wick moisture or vent heat.
Temperature control patent
This follows another athletic wear patent Nike was granted earlier to incorporate technology into sportswear to help the user maintain a core body temperature, no matter the weather. Trying to maintain this core temperature is another challenge for athletes looking to improve their performances in the face of changeable weather conditions.
The patent filing reveals lots of technical information describing how Nike would use a TEM (thermoelectric module) to infuse warmth into the garment. A TEM is essentially a heat pump that can transfer heat from a warm place to a cooler one, therefore maintaining a consistently ambient temperature. It can also be reversed so that it cools the temperature instead.
Wherever the device is located in the garment (the patent shows the TEM on the chest of the athletic shirt), it will provide a flexible network of cooling and heating elements that could regulate temperature but stay flexible and breathable. As a theory, this could revolutionise athleticwear, and help endurance athletes stay more comfortable while cycling or running.
Constant innovation
Whether either of these patents will convert to an affordable consumer product on our shelves remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Nike continues to be a frontrunner when it comes to innovation in sportswear.
If these kinds of patents fascinate you, and you have a strong scientific background, you might consider becoming a trainee patent attorney. Combining all the excitement of sometimes potentially game-changing inventions with the legalities of achieving them, a career within Intellectual Property law offers the best of both worlds. Talk to the team at Dawn Ellmore Employment for more information.