Apparel with Reduced Drag Coefficient

Abstract

An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An athletic garment comprising:
 an aerodynamic panel configured to substantially encircle at least a portion of an appendage of a wearer;   the aerodynamic panel having a plurality of textural regions, the textural regions including a first region having a first surface texture and a second region having a second surface texture, the first surface texture being different than the second surface texture;   wherein the first surface texture of the first region comprises a plurality of nodules; and   wherein the second surface texture of the second region comprises a substantially smooth texture.   
     
     
         2 . The athletic garment of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nodules comprises a substantially convex structure extending away from the appendage of the wearer. 
     
     
         3 . The athletic garment of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nodules have a substantially oval shape. 
     
     
         4 . The athletic garment of  claim 1 , wherein a size of plurality of nodules varies across the first region of the aerodynamic panel. 
     
     
         5 . The athletic garment of  claim 1 , wherein the athletic garment is configured to substantially encircle at least a portion of at least one of an arm, a leg, and a head of the wearer. 
     
     
         6 . The athletic garment of  claim 5 , wherein the athletic garment comprises at least one of a headband, a sock, a wristband, or a sleeve. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic garment of  claim 5 , wherein the athletic garment comprises at least two aerodynamic panels, each aerodynamic panel including the first region having the first surface texture and the second region having the second surface texture. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic garment of  claim 7 , wherein the at least two aerodynamic panels of the athletic garment includes:
 a first aerodynamic panel configured to substantially encircle a first appendage of the wearer; and   a second aerodynamic panel configured to substantially encircle a second appendage of the wearer;   wherein the first aerodynamic panel and the second aerodynamic panel each include the first region having the first surface texture and the second region having the second surface texture.   
     
     
         9 . The athletic garment of  claim 8 , wherein the athletic garment is further configured to substantially encircle at least a portion of at least one of the following combinations of appendages of the wearer: two arms, two legs, an arm and a leg, an arm and a head, a leg and a head. 
     
     
         10 . The athletic garment of  claim 1 , wherein the athletic garment further comprises a body portion; the body portion being disposed at least partially adjacent to the aerodynamic panel. 
     
     
         11 . An athletic garment comprising:
 a first aerodynamic panel configured to substantially encircle at least a portion of a first appendage of a wearer;   a second aerodynamic panel configured to substantially encircle at least a portion of a second appendage of the wearer;   wherein each of the first aerodynamic panel and the second aerodynamic panel includes a plurality of textural regions, the textural regions comprising a first region having a first surface texture and a second region having a second surface texture, the first surface texture being different than the second surface texture; and   wherein the first surface texture of the first region comprises a plurality of nodules and wherein the second surface texture of the second region comprises a substantially smooth texture.   
     
     
         12 . The athletic garment of  claim 11 , further comprising a body portion disposed adjacent to at least one of the first aerodynamic panel and the second aerodynamic panel. 
     
     
         13 . The athletic garment of  claim 12 , wherein one or both of the first aerodynamic panel and the second aerodynamic panel is attached the body portion of the athletic garment via stitching. 
     
     
         14 . The athletic garment of  claim 12 , wherein one or both of the first aerodynamic panel and the second aerodynamic panel is attached the body portion of the athletic garment by being integrally knitted with the body portion. 
     
     
         15 . The athletic garment of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of nodules comprises a substantially convex structure extending away from the first appendage and the second appendage of the wearer. 
     
     
         16 . The athletic garment of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of nodules have a substantially oval shape. 
     
     
         17 . The athletic garment of  claim 11 , wherein the athletic garment is further configured to substantially encircle at least a portion of at least one of the following combinations of appendages of the wearer: two arms, two legs, an arm and a leg, an arm and a head, a leg and a head. 
     
     
         18 . The athletic garment of  claim 11 , wherein the athletic garment includes at least one of a headband, a sock, a wristband, or a sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . The athletic garment of  claim 11 , wherein the athletic garment is made from a textile. 
     
     
         20 . The athletic garment of  claim 19 , wherein the textile includes one or more of a woven material, a knitted natural material, and a knitted synthetic material.