Wearable airfoil

Abstract

A wearable airfoil garment for reducing the cyclist aerodynamic drag. A garment material is elastically tethered between two or more anchor locations on the garment. The anchor locations are positioned and arranged to form transient, self-adaptive, body-conforming airfoil surfaces on the garment. The self-adjustment of the airfoil surfaces preserves the cyclist's comfort as well as the aerodynamic efficiency. The airfoil surfaces change in a body-conforming manner in response to the movements of a person wearing the garment. The aerodynamic performance of the garment is adjustable to the preference of the wearer. Garment airfoils constructed with seams suitably placed to trigger transition of boundary layers.

1 . A wearable airfoil for reducing cyclist air drag comprising:
 a garment;   wherein a portion of the garment is elastically tethered between two or more anchor locations on the garment;   wherein the two or more anchor locations on the garment are positioned and arranged to form a changeable airfoil surface on the garment;   wherein the airfoil surface changes in response to movement of the body of a person wearing the garment; and   wherein an elastic band is tethered between the gluttons and ankle region of the body of a person wearing the garment, suspending a surface portion of the garment to form a trailing edge of the changeable airfoil surface.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 1  wherein a second wearable airfoil is tethered between a torso and an arm location. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 1  wherein a second wearable airfoil is tethered between a torso and an elbow location. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 1  wherein a second wearable airfoil is tethered between a shoulder and an arm location. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 1  wherein a second wearable airfoil is tethered between a shoulder and a wrist location. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 1  wherein a second wearable airfoil is tethered between a back of the ankle location and a back of the leg location. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 6  wherein the back of the leg location is an upper portion of the adductor longus. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 1  wherein the wearable garment comprises airfoils tethered on the arms and airfoils tethered on the torso. 
     
     
         9 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 1  wherein the wearable garment comprises airfoils tethered for the arms and airfoils tethered for the torso and airfoils tethered for the legs. 
     
     
         10 . A system of two or more wearable garments of  claim 1  combined to provide airfoils tethered for the arms or the torso and airfoils tethered for the legs. 
     
     
         11 . A system two or more wearable garments of  claim 1  combined to provide airfoils tethered for the arms and airfoils for the torso and airfoils tethered for the legs. 
     
     
         12 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 1  wherein the band is attached or integrated into the garment material to form a cusp shape of the trailing edge of the changeable airfoil surface. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable airfoil of  claim 1  further comprising a front garment portion covering the front portion of a leg of the body of a person wearing the garment, the front garment portion attaching along a seam to the portion of the garment that forms the changeable airfoil surface.