Article of footwear with color change portion and method of changing color

• US 10,021,933 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Donovan, Sharna M., Hartford, Sean D., Mishler, Michelle L., Malhotra, Vikram, Molyneux, James, Owings, Andrew A., Weast, Aaron B., Wilkins, Bradley W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US15/056,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20160174650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 33 3 A, 33 3 B, 33 3 C, 33 3 R
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0027 made at least partially from a material having special colours
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0205 characterised by the material material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0036 characterised by a special shape or design
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0078 provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration A43B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/24 Collapsible or convertible
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/36 with light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1536 additional, e.g. protective, layer inside the cell

Abstract

An article with a color change portion and a method of changing color. The article includes at least one color change portion capable of changing colors. The color change portion includes composite material including a photonic lattice. The color change portion can change colors according to one or more performance parameters. The article can be connected to a computer and the color change portion can be controlled using the computer.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

a color change portion operable to display a first color in a first mode of operation and operable to display a second color different than the first color in a second mode of operation, the color change portion including an electrochromographic material comprising a photonic lattice and operable in the first mode of operation when a performance parameter of the article of footwear is in a first range of values and operable in the second mode of operation when the performance parameter of the article of footwear is in a second range of values different than the first range of values.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the electrochromographic material comprises a composite material comprising the photonic lattice.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein the photonic lattice includes a cross-linked polymeric network having an electronic configuration.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3, further comprising controlling the electronic configuration of the polymeric network.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the color change portion is operable to reflect infrared radiation or ultraviolet radiation.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the performance parameter is at least one of a number of heel strikes of the article of footwear, the number of steps taken, the number of jumps performed, the temperature of a region of the article of footwear, and the moisture of a region of the article of footwear.

7. An article of footwear comprising:

a color change portion operable to display a first color in a first mode of operation and operable to display a second color different than the first color in a second mode of operation, the color change portion including an electrochromographic material comprising a photonic lattice and operable in the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation based on an electrical signal applied to the electrochromographic material.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein the electrochromographic material comprises a composite material comprising the photonic lattice.

9. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein the photonic lattice includes a cross-linked polymeric network having an electronic configuration.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9, further comprising controlling the electronic configuration of the polymeric network.

11. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein the color change portion is operable to reflect infrared radiation or ultraviolet radiation.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the electrochromographic material comprises two or more independently electrically addressable composite materials comprising the photonic lattice.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the electrochromographic material displays a multi-colored visual image upon application of the electrical signal.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the multi-colored visual image is a still image or an animated image.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the electrochromographic material comprises two or more composite materials comprising the photonic lattice that are not independently electrically addressable.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the electrochromographic material is shaped into a three-dimensional conformation.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the color change portion comprises an entire upper of the article of footwear.

18. An article of footwear comprising:

a color change portion including an electrochromographic material comprising a photonic lattice, the electrochromographic material operable to receive an electrical signal to change a color of the color change portion based on a color of an object associated with a user of the article of footwear.

19. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the electrochromographic material comprises a composite material comprising the photonic lattice.

20. The article of footwear of claim 19, wherein the photonic lattice includes a cross-linked polymeric network having an electronic configuration.