Controllable apparel venting

Abstract

An article of apparel can include an aperture. An electroadhesive clutch device can be coupled to, or integrated with, the article of apparel, and the clutch device can be configured to selectively open and close the aperture. An electric signal generator can be coupled to the clutch device and configured to provide one or more signals to the clutch device to thereby open or close the aperture.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of apparel comprising:
 an aperture in the article of apparel;   a flap in the article of apparel
 an electroadhesive clutch device integrated into the article of apparel; and 
 an electric signal generator configured to provide one or more signals to the electroadhesive clutch device to thereby cause the flap to selectively cover or uncover the aperture. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is a first aperture of a plurality of apertures and the flap is first flap of a plurality of flaps, the first flap corresponding to the first aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The article of apparel of  claim 2 , wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures has a corresponding flap of the plurality of flaps, and each flap corresponds to a different electrode pair in the electroadhesive clutch device. 
     
     
         4 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the electroadhesive clutch device, and the flap being configured to cover the aperture when a wearer of the article has a temperature less than a threshold temperature and to uncover the aperture when the wearer has a temperature greater than the threshold temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the article of apparel comprises cool down pants that include a panel having the aperture behind one of a knee region, an ankle region, an inner thigh area, or an outer thigh area of the cool down pants. 
     
     
         6 . The article of apparel of  claim 4 , wherein side edges or portions of the aperture are coupled to electrodes of the electroadhesive clutch device to selectively open or close the aperture in the cool down pants. 
     
     
         7 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture includes a slit at a textile seam or pocket so as to facilitate selective venting of body heat or help dissipate perspiration, and wherein the article includes a mesh layer at or under the aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein electrodes of the electroadhesive clutch device are configured to disengage to thereby open the aperture and allow airflow therethrough. 
     
     
         9 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the flap includes a manual affixation mechanism to physically couple the flap over the aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a lower-body apparel item and includes a right leg panel and a left leg panel having an elongated vertical aperture traversing a lower portion of the right and left leg panels. 
     
     
         11 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is horizontally oriented and extends laterally across the article of apparel. 
     
     
         12 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the article of apparel is an upper-body apparel item and includes an upper-back panel having a horizontal aperture. 
     
     
         13 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the electroadhesive clutch device includes a first and a second electrode assembly, the electric signal generator is configured to provide first and second signals to the first and second electrode assemblies, respectively, and the first and second signals are opposite-polarity signal components of an alternating current control signal. 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 an article of apparel;   an aperture in the article of apparel;   a flap in the article of apparel;   an electroadhesive clutch device; and   an electric signal generator communicatively coupled to the electroadhesive clutch device, the electric signal generator configured to provide one or more signals to the electroadhesive clutch device to thereby cause the flap to selectively cover or uncover the aperture.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the electroadhesive clutch device, and the flap being configured to cover the aperture when a wearer of the article has a temperature less than a threshold temperature and to uncover the aperture when the wearer has a temperature greater than the threshold temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the article of apparel comprises cool down pants that include a panel having the aperture behind one of a knee region, an ankle region, an inner thigh area, or an outer thigh area of the cool down pants. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein side edges or portions of the aperture are coupled to electrodes of the electroadhesive clutch device to selectively open or close the aperture in the cool down pants. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the aperture includes a slit at a textile seam or pocket so as to provide selective venting of body heat or to help dissipate perspiration, and wherein the article includes a mesh layer at or under the aperture. 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 forming an aperture in an article of apparel;   forming a flap in the article of apparel;   integrating an electroadhesive clutch device with the article of apparel; and   coupling an electric signal generator with the clutch device, the electric signal generator configured to provide one or more signals to the clutch device to selectively cover or uncover the aperture.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising disengaging the clutch device to uncover the aperture to thereby allow airflow therethrough.