CN215649448U

CN215649448U - Warming unit patterns for garments and other outdoor equipment

Info

Publication number: CN215649448U
Application number: CN201990001138.XU
Authority: CN
Inventors: A·沃恩; B·勒芙勒斯
Original assignee: Mamoshan Co ltd
Current assignee: Mamoshan Co ltd
Priority date: 2018-11-01
Filing date: 2019-11-01
Publication date: 2022-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 2029-11-01
Also published as: EP3873284B1; KR20210071082A; CA3118443A1; JP2022506307A; EP3873284A4; WO2020092873A1; US20210392980A1; EP3873284A1; EP3873284C0

Abstract

A warming unit pattern for garments and other outdoor equipment is provided that can be disposed on an interior portion of the garment or other outdoor equipment to improve the warming quality of the garment or equipment. The thermal units may take a variety of shapes, sizes and styles, but they are preferably cube-shaped and arranged in a "tiled" or offset brick-like pattern, forming vertical and horizontal channels between adjacent units. When the garment is worn or the equipment is used, an air-filled space can be formed by the channel and the body of the user. Because air is a strong insulator, air pockets filled with air will retain heat, and therefore a jacket or garment incorporating a warming unit pattern will have improved warming characteristics.

Description

Warming unit patterns for garments and other outdoor equipment

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority from currently pending U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/754,506 entitled "warming unit pattern for garments and other outdoor gear" filed on 2018, 11/1. The entire disclosure of the above-referenced application, including the specification and drawings, is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to garments and/or other outdoor equipment, and more particularly to patterns of thermal units that may be used to improve the thermal insulation and retention characteristics of garments and/or other outdoor equipment.

Background

Both down insulation and synthetic insulation are commonly used as thermal insulation in jackets, pants, gloves, comforters, sleeping bags, and the like. Such insulation can affect the warmth, weight, water resistance, compressibility, and price of the garment and/or sleeping bag.

Down insulation consists of down feathers found under the outer feathers of waterfowls such as ducks and geese. Down insulation consists of soft, fluffy, fine filaments rather than feathers, but some products use a mixture of down and feathers. Down is insulated by trapping air and is desirable because it is lightweight, easily compressible, durable, and breathable.

Synthetic insulating materials are popular for their strong overall performance and lower price compared to down. Synthetic insulating materials are usually made of polyester, can dry quickly, and insulate even when wet. In addition, synthetic insulating materials are durable and have low allergenicity (hypoallergenic).

Some manufacturers combine down and synthetic insulation together to make garments and/or sleeping bags. This hybrid configuration provides both the benefits of two materials and limits the disadvantages of each material.

In garments and/or sleeping bags, the down and/or synthetic insulating material is typically sewn in a grid-like manner, with different "pockets" of down material sewn spaced apart from each other but adjacent to each other. Alternatively, in garments and/or sleeping bags made in a "waffle-style" fashion, elongated blocks or gussets (basbles) of sewn down are sewn adjacent to each other. Such designs are typically provided on both the interior and exterior of the garment and/or outdoor gear. For example, both the inside and outside of a jacket or sleeping bag may be of the "lattice down-garment type".

For garments or sleeping bags having such a sewn down jacket pattern, portions of the sewn portion may be compressed when the garment is worn or when sleeping in the sleeping bag. In the case where particular portions are compressed, whether they are formed as squares, diamonds, or other shapes, or if they are provided as elongated portions, the insulating material associated with any particular portion is also compressed. The compressed portion of the insulation material provides a thinner layer with the person wearing or using the garment or sleeping bag, and therefore the quality of the insulation is lower. Thus, the thinner portions of the garment caused by compression are cooler than the other portions, thereby reducing the overall performance of the garment or sleeping bag.

The down portion exposed in each of the interior and exterior of the garment or sleeping bag further exacerbates this performance degradation. When the down portion is compressed, it places only a thin barrier of material between the wearer and the cold air. There is a need for a solution that can keep the wearer or user of down insulated garments or other outdoor equipment warm, but is less susceptible to performance degradation due to compression in the down portions that exist inside and outside the garment or sleeping bag.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The utility model disclosed herein improves upon prior art systems designed to increase the warmth of garments and other outdoor equipment. More specifically, the present invention uses a plurality of thermal units arranged in a pattern that warms and insulates an interior portion of a jacket, sleeping bag, or the like.

In the first embodiment, the warming unit is formed as a three-dimensional cube having four equal sides. The cube-shaped warming units are preferably formed separately and spaced apart from each other such that an air channel is formed completely around each unit. The thermal units may be provided at a height ranging from about 1/4 inches to 3 inches, and these thermal units may have the same height within a single product. Each of the thermal units is preferably filled with goose down or duck down, featherless material, synthetic material, or a combination thereof.

Cube-shaped thermal units preferably lose less heat when pressure is applied by the wearer or user than prior art long standing liners. Even if one cell is compressed, the other surrounding cells do not have to be compressed, as the individual warming cells are formed as smaller cells, whereby they are able to better hold the down in place.

The cube-shaped thermal units are preferably arranged in a "tiled" brick-like pattern. More specifically, the warming units are placed end-to-end in a specific row, and vertical passages are formed adjacent to each other between the side edges of the warming units in the same row. In any particular row, the vertical channels are aligned with the middle of the thermal units in the row above or below that particular row.

This "tiling" pattern is a well known pattern in other industries, including the tile paving industry, and creates an offset arrangement between adjacent units positioned and located above and below a particular unit. Horizontal channels are also formed between the sides of the cube-shaped thermal units in rows adjacent to each other. Although the channels may be of various widths, they are preferably between 3/8 and 1/4 inches in width.

Both vertical and horizontal channels play an important role in the warming properties of the warming unit pattern. When the wearer's or user's body covers the channels, the channels and the person's body form air-filled spaces or pockets. Air pockets (air pockets) can trap and contain body heat therein to increase the warmth of the garment or outdoor gear. Since air has strong heat-insulating properties, the air pockets can improve the heat-insulating properties of the interior including the heat-insulating unit.

In alternative embodiments, other cell shapes may be used, such as rectangular, triangular, diamond, hexagonal (and other polygonal shapes), and the like. Similarly, combinations of differently shaped thermal units may be provided, and the thermal units may be arranged in other patterns, including thermal units having variable thicknesses. In any given embodiment, the shape and pattern should create channels that form air pockets when the garment is worn or the equipment is used.

Drawings

For a better understanding of various embodiments of the present invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

figure 1 is a top plan view of a jacket including an interior thermal unit pattern constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a first perspective view of the interior thermal unit pattern of fig. 1;

fig. 3 is a second perspective view of the interior thermal unit pattern of fig. 1 and 2;

fig. 4 is a top plan view of a first alternative form of thermal unit for garments and other outdoor equipment;

fig. 5 is a top plan view of a second alternative form of thermal unit for use in garments and other outdoor equipment; and

fig. 6A is a plan view of a first panel (panel) of a garment with an additional embodiment of a thermal unit pattern.

Figure 6B is a plan view of a second panel of the garment having the thermal unit pattern of figure 6A.

Figure 6C is a plan view of a third panel of the garment having the thermal unit pattern of figures 6A and 6B.

Fig. 7A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7A-7A in fig. 6A.

Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7B-7B in fig. 6B.

Fig. 7C is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7C-7C in fig. 6C.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the garment shown in fig. 6A-6C and 7A-7C assembled and worn by a user.

While the utility model is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description presented herein are not intended to limit the disclosure to any particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Detailed Description

The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. The components are not necessarily to scale in the drawings to clearly illustrate the features of the utility model.

Referring to the drawings, fig. 1 shows a jacket 1 having an inner portion 5 and an outer portion 10. As shown in fig. 1, the outer portion 10 of the jacket 1 comprises a sewn down elongated or synthetic portion 15, similar to those described in the prior art, but in the case of this particular jacket 1, the down portion 15 does not serve as a primary insulator. The outer portion 10 is preferably made of a synthetic material that is commonly used as a "shell".

The inner portion 5 of the jacket 1 preferably comprises a plurality of thermal units 20 arranged with respect to each other in a pattern that preferably increases the thermal insulating properties of the inner portion 5 of the jacket 1. Although the thermal unit 20 is shown on the interior portion 5 of the jacket 1 in fig. 1-3, in other embodiments, the thermal unit 20 may be disposed inside a garment (including, but not limited to, pants, gloves, hats, etc.), as well as inside outdoor equipment (including, but not limited to, sleeping bags, camping pillows, comforters, etc.). Furthermore, in yet another alternative embodiment, each or only one of the inner and

outer portions

5, 10 may comprise a warming unit 20.

Turning to fig. 2 and 3, a first embodiment of the thermal unit 20 and the pattern formed by the plurality of thermal units 20 of the inner portion 5 of the jacket 1 is shown in more detail. In the embodiment shown, most of the thermal units 20 are formed as three-dimensional cubes, which means that the sides 25 that make up each of the thermal units 20 are of equal length. In the illustrated embodiment, the thermal unit 20 has side edges 25 that are approximately 4 inches long, but in alternative embodiments, the side edges 25 can be an infinite number of different lengths depending on the application of the thermal unit 20 style used.

Although the height of the individual thermal units 20 is not explicitly shown, the height of the units 20 may be about 1/4 inches to 3 inches, and they may have the same height within a single product. Each of the thermal units 20 is preferably filled with goose or duck down, featherless material, synthetic material, or any combination thereof. The warming unit 20 is preferably made of a material of down-and fiber-proof, which means that neither down nor synthetic fibers can escape through the fabric.

Unlike the long down stands described in the prior art, the warming units 20 preferably hold down in place when pressure is applied, as the individual units 20 are formed as smaller units that are close to each other. Thus, even if one of the warming units 20 is compressed, there is no sharp temperature drop caused by the compressed standing liners. Furthermore, thermal effects are generated when an outer shell or layer (or down or a comparable outer layer) made of synthetic material, such as provided for the outer part 10, is combined with an inner shell/layer of down, such as the inner part 5 comprising a pattern of the warming unit 20. Between these two layers, a dead air chamber (dead air chamber) is formed, which is filled with warm air, thereby maintaining a warmer temperature.

It should be noted, however, that only a thermal unit 20 without an outer synthetic layer may be used. In such an embodiment, there may be no additional warming effect provided by the air cavity formed between the outer synthetic layer and the shell/inner layer of the down. Additional warming properties are created by the presence of the spaces formed between adjacent warming units 20. Such characteristics are described in more detail below.

The warming units 20 are shown in fig. 2 and 3 as being arranged in a "running bond" brick-like pattern. More specifically, the thermal units 20 are placed end-to-end in a particular row, with vertical channels 30 formed between the side edges 25 of adjacent thermal units 20 within the same row. The purpose of the vertical channels 30 and the benefits they provide will be described in more detail below. For a given row, the vertical channels 30 are aligned with the middle of the thermal units 20 on the row above or below the given row. For example, in row 35, the vertical channels 30a formed adjacent the side edges 25a of the thermal units 20a are aligned with the central portions 40 of the thermal units 20b of row 45 above row 35 (see fig. 2). It is recognized and contemplated that the vertical channel 30 may be aligned with any portion above or below the thermal unit.

Between adjacent rows, such as

rows

35, 45, horizontal channels 50 are formed between the side edges 25 of the warming units 20. Unlike the vertical channels 30, the horizontal channels 50 may abut each other such that they form one continuous channel between adjacent rows. In the preferred embodiment, the width of the

channels

30, 50 is between 1/4 and 3/8 inches, but in alternative embodiments the

channels

30, 50 may be wider or even narrower, or their widths may vary. Furthermore, while the units 20 are described in a "tiled" fashion, in alternative embodiments, the thermal units 20 may be arranged in a completely different fashion.

When the inner portion 5, and more particularly the warming unit 20, abuts the wearer or user (e.g. when wearing the jacket 1), the wearer's body covers the

channels

30, 50 such that the

channels

30, 50 and the wearer's body form air-filled spaces or pockets (not shown) between the units 20. The space preferably traps and contains body heat therein, which increases the warmth of the garment or outdoor gear (in this case jacket 1). Because air is a better insulator than down itself, the air pockets formed by the

channels

30, 50 improve the quality of the warming unit pattern on the inner portion 5.

In a preferred embodiment, the horizontal channels 50 are formed as continuous vertical channels instead of the vertical channels 30, because air escaping the horizontal channels 50 is more likely to remain in the inner portion 5 than air in the vertical channels 30, in which case air is more likely to escape from a neck or waist opening provided in a jacket such as the jacket 1. Even in a non-limiting alternative embodiment, the pattern shown in fig. 2 and 3 may be rotated 90 degrees (not shown) so that the vertical channels form a continuous channel rather than the horizontal channels.

Other cell shapes, such as rectangular, triangular, diamond, etc., may be used to form the thermal unit. For example, at the upper portion 55 of the jacket 1, a rectangular thermal unit 60 is provided above a row of cube-shaped thermal units 20. These rectangular warming units 60 are arranged above the uppermost row of cube-shaped warming units 20 in the "tiled" brick-like pattern described above. Thus, in some embodiments, including the embodiments shown in fig. 1-3, combinations of differently shaped thermal units may be provided. In other embodiments, only one shape of the thermal unit may be provided.

In fig. 4 and 5, two alternative thermal unit shape patterns are provided, which may be used for an interior portion of a garment or outdoor gear, such as interior portion 5 of jacket 1. Turning first to fig. 4, a portion of a thermal unit pattern 65 is provided that is made up of a plurality of three-dimensional triangular thermal units 70, each of which includes three sides 75. Three rows (80a, 80b, and 80c) of thermal units 70 are shown in this portion of the thermal unit pattern 65. As shown, each

row

80a, 80b, and 80c includes each of the thermal units 70a with the triangle apex pointing upward and the thermal units 70b with the triangle apex pointing downward.

As with the warm keeping unit 20 versions described above, the channels that form the air-filled spaces or pockets are located between adjacent units 70 when the garment or other outdoor equipment is worn or used. More specifically, the angled channels 85 are formed between adjacent triangular thermal units 70 in the same row, while the horizontal channels 90 are formed between triangular thermal units 70 in one row and triangular thermal units 70 in the previous or next row of a given row. The channels 85 are offset relative to those in

adjacent rows

80a, 80b, and 80c, as shown in fig. 4.

As in the case of the thermal unit 20, when the thermal unit 70 is adjacent to the wearer or user (e.g., when wearing the jacket 1), the wearer's body covers the

channels

85, 90, thereby forming air-filled spaces or pockets (not shown) between the units 70. The space preferably traps and contains body heat to increase the warmth of a garment or outdoor gear such as jacket 1.

In fig. 5a further part of a warming unit pattern 95 is provided, which may be used for an interior part of a garment or outdoor equipment, such as the interior part 5 of jacket 1. The thermal unit pattern 95 is made up of a plurality of hexagonal thermal units 100, each hexagonal thermal unit 100 including six sides 105. Preferably, the thermal units 100 are spaced in a pattern 95 using known methods such that the columns 110 of units 100 are offset relative to adjacent columns 115. The column arrangement may alternate continuously in either direction to form that portion of pattern 95. Regardless, a plurality of channels 120 extending in six different directions are formed around and between adjacent sides 105 of adjacent cells 100. As with the

thermal units

20, 70, when the thermal unit 100 abuts the wearer or user (e.g., when the jacket 1 is worn), the channels 120 are blocked by the wearer to form air-filled spaces or pockets (not shown) between the units 100. As with the spaces associated with the above-described thermal unit patterns, the spaces preferably trap and contain body heat to increase the warmth of the garment or outdoor gear being worn or utilized.

Fig. 6A, 6B and 6C show three garment panels 125A, 125B and 125C which, when attached to one another, can form a vest-shaped garment that can be worn separately or integrated into a garment such as a jacket or coat. As shown in fig. 6A, 6B, and 6C, when the panels 125A, 125B, and 125C are assembled, the columns 130A, 130B, and 130C may be located near the wearer's midline. The cells 135A, 135B, 135C that make up the columns 130A, 130B, 130C, respectively, are approximately rectangular in shape. The area of the part 135A may be slightly smaller from the upper part 140A of the part 125A, the upper part 140B of the part 125B, and the upper part 140C of the part 125C toward the lower parts 145A, 145B, and 145C, respectively. In alternative embodiments, the cells 135A, 135B, 135C may be the same size, or may even increase in size from the upper portions 140A, 140B, 140C toward the lower portions 145A, 145B, 145C.

A second column 150A, 150B, 150C and a third column 155A, 155B, 155C may also be provided within each panel 125A, 125B, 125C, respectively. The cells 160A, 160B, 160C and 165A, 165B, 165C that make up the columns 150A, 150B, 150C and 155A, 155B, 155C, respectively, may be generally quadrilateral. The cells 160A, 160B, 160C also decrease in size from the upper portions 140A, 140B, 140C toward the lower portions 145A, 145B, 145C. The cells 165A, 165B, 165C may also be quadrilateral, but in a preferred embodiment, as shown in fig. 7A, 7B and 7C, the cells are elongated compared to the other cells that make up the panels 125A, 125B, 125C.

The garment panels 125A, 125B, 125C generally include each of horizontal channels 170A, 170B, 170C and vertical channels 175A, 175B, and 175C, respectively. The channels 170 and 175 that make up the panels 125A, 125B, and 125C may be less linear than those provided in other embodiments. This is because the cells making up the tiles 125A, 125B, 125C may be asymmetrical quadrilaterals, such as those shown in fig. 6A, 6B, and 6C. However, the channels 170A, 170B, and 175C may function in substantially the same manner as the channels described above.

In the illustrated embodiment, the panels 6A and 6C are substantially mirror images of each other, and the panel 6B is symmetrical about its vertical axis. In alternative embodiments, this may not be the case, and the panels 6A and 6C may be more substantially different relative to one another.

Turning now to fig. 7A, 7B, and 7C, an exemplary embodiment of a thermal unit from panels 125A, 125B, and 125C is shown. Unlike the above units, the thickness of the units 135, 160, and 165 that make up the panel 125 may vary. For example, as provided in FIG. 7A, cell 135A is thicker than cell 160A, which in turn is thicker than cell 165A. In FIG. 7B, cell 135B is thicker than cell 160B, and cell 160B is thicker than cell 165B. In FIG. 7C, cell 135C is thicker than cell 160C, and cell 160C is thicker than cell 165C in substantially the same manner as in FIG. 7A, but in a mirror image. The variable shape and thickness of the cells 135, 160, and 165 may correspond physiologically to the body to more easily conform thereto.

Fig. 8 shows a garment 180 that a wearer 185 has worn. The garment 180 is implemented as a vest, but it is merely a portion of a larger garment, such as a jacket or coat, into which the garment 180 has been integrated into its assembled structure. In the garment 180, the plurality of thermal units 190 are arranged in a quadrilateral shape having four sides (although alternative geometries are contemplated and contemplated). In some cells 190 (such as cell 190A), the upper edge 195 may be at least partially curved. In at least some embodiments of garment 180, more edges (such as edge 195) may be curved, or fewer edges (such as edge 195) may be curved.

In the garment 180, various horizontal channels 200 and vertical channels 205 are provided. The

channels

200, 205 provide substantially the same function as the channels of the embodiments described above. However, unlike the previously described channels, the

channels

200, 205 have a variable width across their entire length. This change may serve to facilitate the flow of air upward or from side to side, thereby increasing the insulative properties of the garment 180.

The thermal units described herein can be attached to the fabric of a garment or other outdoor equipment by a variety of methods. More specifically, the thermal units may be attached to the fabric strips prior to attaching them to the garment or other outdoor equipment, or they may be sewn directly to the garment or other outdoor equipment. The lower portion of the unit may be attached (directly or indirectly) to a garment or other outdoor equipment at the edge of the turn using edge stitching. The corners of the cells are also preferably darted. Nevertheless, other foreseeable stitching methods of attaching the thermal unit to a garment or other outdoor equipment are also contemplated herein.

The above description identifies the thermal units as cubes, triangles, or hexagons. However, any particular style of cell may take on many cross-sectional shapes, including diamonds, rectangles, octagons (and other polygons), stars, circles, parallelograms, and many other shapes, and any combination of shapes. In any case, the channels are preferably formed between and around any shape of elements used so that those channels can be covered when the garment or other outdoor equipment is worn or used. In this way, air-filled spaces or pockets are formed by the channels, and the body of the user traps and warms air in such channels, thereby increasing the warmth of the garment or equipment being worn.

This description generally provides that the thermal unit may be in the "core" of a jacket or garment. It should be noted that warming units substantially similar to those described above may also be present in the hood, sleeve or anywhere else on the garment of the jacket or garment. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the warming unit may also be used in equipment such as sleeping bags, blankets, etc.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and advantages mentioned as well as others which are obvious and inherent to the structure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations of the embodiments of the utility model are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Since many possible embodiments may be made of the utility model without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. The various configurations described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concept, principles and scope of the present invention.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the specific details of the examples illustrated herein and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms "having" and "including" and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of "optional" or "may include" and are not used as "required".

Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subject innovation structure will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the utility model are deemed to be covered by the utility model which is limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A unit pattern for clothing or other outdoor equipment, wherein the unit pattern comprises:

part of clothing or other outdoor gear;

a pattern of cells disposed on the section, the cell pattern comprising a plurality of individual cells positioned in a spaced relationship on the section so as to form air passages completely surrounding each cell, each The cells are three-dimensionally shaped and filled with insulating material.

2. The cell pattern of claim 1, wherein the individual cells are offset relative to adjacent cells positioned above and below a particular cell.

3. The cell pattern of claim 1, wherein each cell has a height of about 1/4 inches to about 3 inches.

4. The cell style of claim 1, wherein the air passages surrounding each cell have a width of about 1/4 inch to about 3/8 inch.

5. The unit pattern of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a square.

6. The unit pattern of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a rectangle.

7. The unit pattern of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a rhombus.

8. The unit pattern of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a triangle.

9. The unit pattern according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a polygon.

10. The unit pattern of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a circle.

11. A unit pattern for clothing or other outdoor equipment, characterized in that the unit pattern comprises:

a plurality of individual cells positioned in spaced relation to one another to form at least one of a horizontal air channel and a vertical air channel between adjacent cells, each cell being three-dimensionally shaped and filled with Insulation Materials.

12. The cell pattern of claim 11, wherein the individual cells are offset relative to adjacent cells positioned above and below a particular cell.

13. The cell pattern of claim 11, wherein each cell has a height of about 1/4 inches to about 3 inches.

14. The cell style of claim 11, wherein the air passages surrounding each cell have a width of about 1/4 inch to about 3/8 inch.

15. The unit pattern of claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a square.

16. The unit pattern of claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is rectangular.

17. The unit pattern of claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a rhombus.

18. The unit pattern of claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a triangle.

19. The unit pattern of claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is a polygon.

20. The unit pattern of claim 19, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each unit is circular.