Vacuum locking for article of athletic equipment

Abstract

A locking structure for an article includes a bladder including a first barrier element attached to a second barrier element to define a chamber having an interior void. A locking system includes locking elements that each attach to at least one elastic element. The locking elements each include at least one interface surface. The interior void of the bladder operable between a first pressure to move the locking system to a locked state and a second pressure to move the locking system to an unlocked state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of equipment comprising:
 a main body including a first surface operable to oppose a wearer during use and a second surface disposed on an opposite side of the main body than the first surface;   a first strap including a first end attached to the main body and a second end disposed on an opposite end of the first strap than the first end and attached to the main body at a different location than the first end, the first strap cooperating with the first surface of the main body to define a receptacle operable to receive a body portion of the wearer therein;   a first bladder including a first barrier element attached to a second barrier element to define a chamber having an interior void, the first bladder disposed within the main body, extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end of the main body, and including one of an adjustment element and a plurality of locking elements disposed within the interior void of the first bladder; and   a second bladder including a third barrier element attached to a fourth barrier element to define a chamber having an interior void, the second bladder disposed within the first strap and including the other of the adjustment element and the plurality of locking elements disposed within the interior void of the second bladder.   
     
     
         2 . The article of equipment of  claim 1 , further including at least one elastic element, the at least one elastic element including a first fastening portion coupled to a first attachment region of each of the plurality of locking elements and a second fastening portion coupled to a second attachment region of each of the plurality of locking elements. 
     
     
         3 . The article of equipment of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second attachment regions of each of the plurality of locking elements are defined along an outer edge of each of the plurality of locking elements and are asymmetrically coupled to the first and second fastening portions. 
     
     
         4 . The article of equipment of  claim 2 , wherein the first attachment region is offset from the second attachment region relative to a longitudinal axis of the at least one elastic element. 
     
     
         5 . The article of equipment of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of locking elements defines an opening at a central region of each locking element and the first and second attachment regions are disposed proximate to the opening at the central region of each locking element. 
     
     
         6 . The article of equipment of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one elastic element includes an outer fastening portion coupled to the first attachment region of the plurality of locking elements and an inner fastening portion coupled to the second attachment region of the plurality of locking elements. 
     
     
         7 . The article of equipment of  claim 1 , further including at least one elastic element, the at least one elastic element including a locking strip that defines a locking system with the plurality of locking elements, the locking system including a tether attached to one of the first bladder and the second bladder. 
     
     
         8 . The article of equipment of  claim 1 , wherein each of the locking elements includes a pair of interface surfaces disposed on opposite sides of each locking element, the interface surfaces of the locking elements being in direct contact with the interface surfaces of adjacent locking elements to form a locking layer. 
     
     
         9 . The article of equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment element includes a compressible component. 
     
     
         10 . The article of equipment of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump operable to selectively remove fluid from the interior void of the first bladder and the interior void of the second bladder. 
     
     
         11 . An article of equipment comprising:
 a main body including a first surface operable to oppose a wearer during use and a second surface disposed on an opposite side of the main body than the first surface;   a first strap including a first end attached to the main body and a second end disposed on an opposite end of the first strap than the first end and attached to the main body at a different location than the first end, the first strap cooperating with the first surface of the main body to define a receptacle operable to receive a body portion of the wearer therein;   a first bladder including a first barrier element attached to a second barrier element to define a chamber having an interior void, the first bladder disposed within the main body and extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end of the main body;   a second bladder including a third barrier element attached to a fourth barrier element to define a chamber having an interior void, the second bladder disposed within the first strap;   a plurality of locking elements disposed within the interior void of the first bladder, the locking elements including an interface surface operable to selectively engage an interface surface of another one of the locking elements in response to fluid being removed from the interior void of the first bladder to restrict elongation of the first bladder; and   an adjustment element disposed within the interior void of the second bladder, the adjustment element including a compressible component including an infill having a plurality of recesses interspaced by a plurality of ridges and operable between a relaxed state and a constricted state.   
     
     
         12 . The article of equipment of  claim 11 , further including at least one elastic element, the at least one elastic element including a first fastening portion coupled to a first attachment region of each of the plurality of locking elements and a second fastening portion coupled to a second attachment region of each of the plurality of locking elements. 
     
     
         13 . The article of equipment of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second attachment regions of each of the plurality of locking elements are defined along an outer edge of each of the plurality of locking elements and are asymmetrically coupled to the first and second fastening portions. 
     
     
         14 . The article of equipment of  claim 12 , wherein the first attachment region is offset from the second attachment region relative to a longitudinal axis of the at least one elastic element. 
     
     
         15 . The article of equipment of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of locking elements defines an opening at a central region of each locking element and the first and second attachment regions are disposed proximate to the opening at the central region of each locking element. 
     
     
         16 . The article of equipment of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one elastic element includes an outer fastening portion coupled to the first attachment region of the plurality of locking elements and an inner fastening portion coupled to the second attachment region of the plurality of locking elements. 
     
     
         17 . The article of equipment of  claim 11 , further including at least one elastic element, the at least one elastic element including a locking strip that defines a locking system with the plurality of locking elements, the locking system including a tether attached to one of the first barrier element and the second barrier element. 
     
     
         18 . The article of equipment of  claim 11 , wherein each of the locking elements includes a pair of interface surfaces disposed on opposite sides of each locking element, the interface surfaces of the locking elements being in direct contact with the interface surfaces of adjacent locking elements to form a locking layer. 
     
     
         19 . The article of equipment of  claim 11 , wherein the compressible component is corrugated along a width of the compressible component. 
     
     
         20 . The article of equipment of  claim 11 , further comprising a pump operable to selectively remove fluid from the interior void of the first bladder and the interior void of the second bladder.