RECONFIGURABLE APPAREL MANUFACTURE AND BUSINESS PROCESSES

• US 20140137965A1
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Code Footwear, LLC
• Original Assignee: Code Footwear, LLC
• Inventors: Truitt, Nicole Justis, Sullivan, Benjamin David, Moussa, Zeyad, Kincade, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,675,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/596
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/00 Details of garments or of their making buttons, pins, buckles, slide fasteners or the like A44B
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/08 Trimmings; Ornaments
• 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 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/026 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/24 Ornamental buckles; Other ornaments for shoes without fastening function
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0078 provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration A43B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/242 characterised by the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/244 said joint lines being non-straight, e.g. forming non-closed contours
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/438 Joining sheets for making hollow-walled, channelled structures or multi-tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/712 the composition of one of the parts to be joined being different from the composition of the other part
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73152 of different hardness, i.e. the hardness of one of the parts to be joined being different from the hardness of the other part
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/742 to metals or their alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/00 Processes for producing special ornamental bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00119 Arrangement of basic structures like cavities or channels, e.g. suitable for microfluidic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/004 : based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/24 : Liquid filters G02B5/23 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/24 : using tubes or the like filled with liquid, e.g. bubbling liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/02 : by a carrier person or animal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87169 : Supply and exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 : Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

Provided herein are methods for the modulation of appearance or material properties within items of apparel or equipment. Also provided herein are design articles having alterable designs.

Claims

1. An article of apparel or equipment comprising one or more microfluidic circuits integrated into the article, each comprising an inlet, and an outlet, wherein a microfluidic channel connects an inlet to an outlet, a connector to provide mechanical access to the inlet and outlet, and variations in density, angle or color of the plurality of microfluidic channels allow the user to define an appearance through use of a docking station.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the docking station comprises a manually actuated plunger assembly, a fluid cartridge, a waste cartridge, and an integrated connector.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein the docking station further comprises a ratcheted syringe in the waste cartridge, and a syringe nub in the fluid cartridge.

5. The article of claim 3, wherein the connector comprises a freely rotating screw ring and tapered ports to allow an interference seal to the female connector.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the docking station comprises a fluid cartridge, a waste cartridge filled with a vacuum, and an integrated connector.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a dry break connector.

22. The article of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of microcapsules integrated into or onto a surface of the article, the plurality of microcapsules with at least a portion thereof exposed to an external surface of the apparel or equipment, and the plurality of microcapsules containing ink therein.

23. The article of claim 22, further comprising one or more microfluidic channels.

24. The article of claim 22, wherein each microcapsule is configured to provide the appearance of color change upon application of an external field thereto.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the external field causes external rotation of the microcapsule, whereby as the microcapsule rotates, and the ink domain that is visible on a surface of the article of apparel or equipment changes.

27. The article of claim 1, wherein a microfluidic channel has at least one segment exposed to an external surface of the apparel or equipment, and the microfluidic circuit comprises a plurality of microparticles therein.

28. The article of claim 27, wherein microparticle orientation is controlled electrophoretically by a passive electronic array embedded in within the fluidic circuit.

2. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. A system for configuring the design of a design element comprising a microfluidic circuit, the system comprising:

(a). a module configured to set a color sequence for filling the microfluidic circuit with one or more colored fluid; and

(b). a module configured to set the flow rate or pressure of fluid filled into the microfluidic channel.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a module configured to access a remote server comprising color sequence, flow rate, and/or pressure information for configuring the design of the design element.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising

(c). a module configured to detect the type of design element comprising the microfluidic circuit;

and

(d). one or more module configured to adjust the color sequence, flow rate of fluid, and/or pressure of fluid.

14. The system of claim 11, comprising a central processing unit comprising the module of (a) and/or (b).

15. A process for preparing a design element or design article, the process comprising:

providing a first material that is configured in a channel network; and

laminating a second material onto the first material.

17. The process of claim 15, wherein a first thermoplastic material is of a harder or softer durometer than a second thermoplastic material.

19. The process of claim 15, wherein a second thermoplastic material is laminated onto the first metal foil material using heat and/or pressure.

21. The process of claim 15, wherein a connector is overmolded to the channel network.

16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

26. (canceled)