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

Claim 5:
6. A method of manufacturing an article of apparel, the method comprising:
forming a first layer comprising 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, and
the second form-fitting leg portion adapted to encompass a second leg of the wearer when in the as-worn configuration;
forming a first panel portion by coupling a first front panel to a second front panel along an anterior midline, the first panel portion having at least a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge opposite to the first lateral edge;
forming a second panel portion by coupling a first back panel to a second back panel along a posterior midline, the second panel portion having at least a third lateral edge and a fourth lateral edge opposite to the third lateral edge;
coupling the first lateral edge of the first panel portion and the third lateral edge of the second panel portion to a first lateral area of the first form-fitting leg portion such that the first form-fitting leg portion is exposed in a first gap between the first lateral edge and the third lateral edge;
coupling the second lateral edge of the first panel portion and the fourth lateral edge of the second panel portion to a second lateral area of the second form-fitting leg portion such that the second form-fitting leg portion is exposed in a second gap between the second lateral edge and the fourth lateral edge;
coupling each of the first front panel, the second front panel, the first back panel, and the second back panel to a waistband of the article of apparel such that upper margins of each of the first front panel, the second front panel, the first back panel, and the second back panel terminate at the waistband; and
coupling the first panel portion to the second panel portion between the first form-fitting leg portion and the second form-fitting leg portion by forming a crotch seam, 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,
wherein the first form fitting leg portion and the second form-fitting leg portion each comprise a stretch characteristic.