Patent ID: 11969031
Assignee: NIKE, INC.
Field: Other consumer goods (Other fields)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An article of apparel, comprising:
a first layer comprising at least a first form-fitting leg portion and a second form-fitting leg portion that together define a pair of tights,
the first form-fitting leg portion adapted to encompass a first leg of a wearer when in an as-worn configuration,
the second form-fitting leg portion adapted to encompass a second leg of the wearer when in the as-worn configuration; and
a second layer comprising a first front panel, a second front panel, a first back panel, and a second back panel,
the first front panel and the second front panel coupled along an anterior midline of the article of apparel, wherein the first front panel and the second front panel together comprise a first panel portion,
the first back panel and the second back panel coupled along a posterior midline of the article of apparel, wherein the first back panel and the second back panel together comprise a second panel portion,
the first panel portion and the second panel portion directly coupled between the first form-fitting leg portion and the second form-fitting leg portion thereby forming at least in part a pair of shorts having a first leg opening and a second leg opening, the first leg opening circumscribing at least a front, a back, and a medial side of the first form-fitting leg portion, and the second leg opening circumscribing at least a front, a back, and a medial side of the second form-fitting leg portion,
a first edge of the first panel portion secured to the first layer at a first location in a first lateral area of the first form-fitting leg portion of the first layer,
a first edge of the second panel portion secured to the first layer at least at a second location in the first lateral area such that a first gap is formed between the first panel portion and the second panel portion in the first lateral area, wherein the first layer is exposed in the first gap,
a second edge of the first panel portion secured to the first layer at a first location in a second lateral area of the second form-fitting leg portion of the first layer,
a second edge of the second panel portion secured to the first layer at a second location in the second lateral area of the second form-fitting leg portion of the first layer such that a second gap is formed between the first panel portion and the second panel portion in the second lateral area, wherein the first layer is exposed in the second gap,
wherein each of the first front panel, the second front panel, the first back panel, and the second back panel comprises an upper margin terminating at a waistband of the article of apparel,
wherein the first panel portion and the second panel portion are coupled together with a crotch seam, and
wherein the first form fitting leg portion and the second form-fitting leg portion each comprise a stretch characteristic.