Apparel With Selectively Attachable And Detachable Elements

Abstract

An article apparel has a surface with a first part of a fastening system, and an attachment element has an outer area with a second part of the fastening system. The first part of the fastening system is joinable to the second part of the fastening system to attach the attachment element to the apparel. The first part of the fastening system is also separable from the second part of the fastening system to separate the attachment element from the apparel. The attachment element may be formed from a polymer foam material, may include a fluid-filled chamber, or may incorporate an electronic device, for example. In some configurations, the attachment element is secured to an exterior of the apparel. In other configurations, the attachment element is secured between two layers of the apparel.

1 . An apparel system comprising:
 an article of apparel having a plurality of textile elements joined together to define an inner apparel surface and an opposite outer apparel surface, the textile elements having two-directional stretch of at least thirty percent prior to tensile failure, and at least fifty percent of an area of at least one of the inner apparel surface and the outer apparel surface having a first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system; and   an attachment element formed from a compressible material and having an outer area with a second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being joinable to the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to attach the attachment element to the article of apparel, and the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being separable from the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to separate the attachment element from the article of apparel.   
   
   
       2 . The apparel system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the attachment element incorporates a polymer foam material. 
   
   
       3 . The apparel system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the attachment element includes a fluid-filled chamber. 
   
   
       4 . The apparel system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the outer area of the attachment element includes a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the attachment element defines at least one incision extending through at least fifty percent of a distance between the first surface and the second surface, the second surface including the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system. 
   
   
       5 . The apparel system recited in  claim 4 , wherein the incision extends through substantially all of a distance between the first surface and the second surface. 
   
   
       6 . The apparel system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the outer area of the attachment element includes a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the attachment element defines a plurality of incisions extending through at least fifty percent of a distance between the first surface and the second surface to define a plurality of separable attachment element portions, and the second surface includes the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system. 
   
   
       7 . The apparel system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the article of apparel is a shirt-type garment having a torso region and a pair of arm regions extending outward from the torso region, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being positioned in the torso region and in each of the arm regions. 
   
   
       8 . The apparel system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the article of apparel is a pants-type garment having a pelvic region and a pair of leg regions extending outward from the pelvic region, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being positioned in the pelvic region and in each of the leg regions. 
   
   
       9 . The apparel system recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least seventy-five percent of the area of the outer apparel surface has the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system. 
   
   
       10 . The apparel system recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least ninety percent of the area of the outer apparel surface has the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system. 
   
   
       11 . An apparel system comprising:
 an article of apparel incorporating a textile that defines an inner surface and an opposite outer surface of the apparel, at least fifty percent of an area of the outer surface of the textile having a first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system; and   an attachment element at least partially formed from a polymer foam material and having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the attachment element defining at least one incision extending through at least eighty percent of a distance between the first surface and the second surface, and the second surface including a second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system,   
     the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being joinable to the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to attach the attachment element to the outer surface, and the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being separable from the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to separate the attachment element from the outer surface. 
   
   
       12 . The apparel system recited in  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the textile is a material with two-directional stretch of at least thirty percent prior to tensile failure, and 
   
   
       13 . The apparel system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the apparel is a shirt-type garment having a torso region and a pair of arm regions extending outward from the torso region, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being positioned in the torso region and in each of the arm regions. 
   
   
       14 . The apparel system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the apparel is a pants-type garment having a pelvic region and a pair of leg regions extending outward from the pelvic region, the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being positioned in the pelvic region and in each of the leg regions. 
   
   
       15 . The apparel system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the incision defines at least two separable attachment element portions. 
   
   
       16 . The apparel system recited in  claim 15 , wherein the attachment element portions are joined by at least the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system. 
   
   
       17 . The apparel system recited in  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the attachment element portions defines an aperture extending from the first surface to the second surface. 
   
   
       18 . An apparel system comprising:
 a shirt-type garment-type garment having a torso region and a pair of arm regions extending outward from the torso region, the shirt-type garment-type garment incorporating a plurality of textile elements joined together to define an inner apparel surface and an opposite outer apparel surface of the shirt-type garment-type garment, each of the textile elements having two-directional stretch of at least thirty percent prior to tensile failure, and at least fifty percent of an area of the outer apparel surface including a first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system; and   a polymer foam component having an outer area with a second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system,   
     the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being joinable to the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to attach the polymer foam component to the shirt-type garment-type garment, and the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being separable from the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to separate the polymer foam component from the shirt-type garment-type garment. 
   
   
       19 . The apparel system recited in  claim 18 , wherein the outer area of the polymer foam component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, the polymer foam component defining at least one incision extending through the first surface and through at least fifty percent of a distance between the first surface and the second surface, and the second surface including the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system 
   
   
       20 . The apparel system recited in  claim 19 , wherein the incision defines at least two separable component portions that are joined by at least the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system. 
   
   
       21 . An apparel system comprising:
 a pants-type garment having a pelvic region and a pair of leg regions extending outward from the pelvic region, the pants-type garment incorporating a plurality of textile elements joined together to define an inner apparel surface and an opposite outer apparel surface of the pants-type garment, each of the textile elements having two-directional stretch of at least thirty percent prior to tensile failure, and at least fifty percent of an area of the outer apparel surface including a first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system; and   a polymer foam component having an outer area with a second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system,   
     the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being joinable to the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to attach the polymer foam component to the pants-type garment, and the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system being separable from the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to separate the polymer foam component from the pants-type garment. 
   
   
       22 . The apparel system recited in  claim 21 , wherein the outer area of the polymer foam component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, the polymer foam component defining at least one incision extending through the first surface and through at least fifty percent of a distance between the first surface and the second surface, and the second surface including the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system 
   
   
       23 . The apparel system recited in  claim 22 , wherein the incision defines at least two separable component portions that are joined by at least the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system.