Chromatic architecture for sports equipment

• US 8,360,905 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike International Ltd. (Nike, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Boyer, Clancy G., Avis, Richard G., Reichow, Alan W., Citek, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Steven
• Application Number:
  US10/770,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20050170920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,284 Days
• Field of Search: 473/280, 473/446, 473/603, 473/604, 473/569, 473/607, 473/598, 403/27, D21/712, D21/713
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0027 visually handicapped
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/00 Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00 starting appliances A63K3/02
• CPC Class Codes: B44D 3/003 Methods or devices for colour determination, selection or synthesis, e.g. use of colour tables
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/08 characterised by colour effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/46 Measurement of colour; Colour measuring devices, e.g. colorimeters measuring colour temperature G01J5/60
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/462 Computing operations in or between colour spaces; Colour management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/463 Colour matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/465 taking into account the colour perception of the eye; using tristimulus detection

Abstract

Sporting items such as soccer balls include a casing region and a graphic region that are defined by enhanced-visibility colors (EVCs) that are substantially complementary. Such EVCs can be selected to avoid colors associated with color confusion in color deficient individuals. In addition, such colors can be selected based on total reflectances to obtain a predetermined luminance contrast. EVCs can be selected based on separations of color coordinate locations using CIE chromaticity coordinates or CIE L-a-b coordinates or otherwise selected. Color selection can include consideration of anticipated viewing backgrounds in a general setting, or colors can be customized for a particular location and particular illumination conditions.

Claims

1. A sporting object for use while in motion with an exterior surface, the exterior surface comprising:

a casing region having a luminance L₁; and

a graphic region having a luminance L₂, wherein the graphic region includes a pattern graphic, the pattern graphic being provided in association with one or more axes for perception of ball rotation with respect to the one or more axes;

wherein the casing region has a spectral reflectance associated with a first color of a pair of enhanced visibility colors (EVCs) and the graphic region has a spectral reflectance associated with a second color of the pair, the first color of the pair and the second color of the pair having representations on a CIE (1931) Standard Chromaticity Diagram that are offset in opposing directions from a representation of white with an expected illumination source used during competition,

wherein the luminance contrast between L₁ and L₂ is greater than about 50%, and wherein the casing region and the graphic region are substantially non-reflective in a spectral window associated with a background for viewing the ball during competition.

2. The object of claim 1, wherein the first color and the second color are substantially complementary.

3. The object of claim 1, wherein the first color is substantially yellow and the second color is substantially blue.

4. The object of claim 1, wherein the background is grass.

5. The object of claim 1, wherein the background is an immediate surround to a playing surface.

6. The object of claim 1, wherein the background is blue sky.

7. The object of claim 1, wherein the casing region and the graphic region are substantially diffusely reflective.

8. The sporting object of claim 1, wherein the graphic region includes two or more pattern graphics that are circular bands parallel to each other.

9. The sporting object of claim 8, wherein the first color is substantially yellow and the second color is substantially blue.

10. The sporting object of claim 9, wherein the sporting object is a soccer ball.

11. The soccer ball of claim 10, wherein the first color is associated with a reflectance of greater than about 60% at visible wavelengths greater than about 525 nm and less than about 5% at visible wavelengths shorter than about 460 nm.

12. A soccer ball for use in play with an exterior, the exterior comprising:

a casing region having a luminance L₁; and

a graphic region having a luminance L₂, wherein the graphic region includes a motion graphic selected to enhance perception of the rotation of the ball;

wherein the casing region and the graphic region have spectral reflectances with an expected illumination source used during competition defined by substantially complementary colors, wherein the CIE (1931) Standard Chromaticity Diagram locations of the substantially complementary colors are offset in opposing directions from the location of white and are separated by at least about 50% of a chromatic blend limit,

wherein the luminance contrast between L₁ and L₂ is at least about 50%, and

wherein the substantially complementary colors are substantially non-reflective in a spectral window associated with a background for viewing the ball during competition.

13. The ball of claim 12, wherein a chromatic blend line associated with the complementary colors is separated from a central white color space location by less than about 25% of the chromatic blend limit.

14. The ball of claim 12, wherein color space locations of the substantially complementary colors are separated by at least about 75% of a chromatic blend limit.

15. The ball of claim 14, wherein a chromatic blend line associated with the complementary colors is separated from a central white color space location by less than about 25% of the chromatic blend limit.

16. The ball of claim 15, wherein a chromatic blend line associated with the complementary colors is separated from a central white color space location by less than about 10% of the chromatic blend limit.

17. The ball of claim 12, wherein the substantially complementary colors are associated with respective coordinates C1, C2 in an L-a-b color coordinate system, wherein a color difference is greater than about 50.

18. The ball of claim 17, wherein an L-a-b color space a-coordinate of one of C1 and C2 is greater than zero and an L-a-b color space a-coordinate of the other of C1 and C2 is less than zero.

19. The ball of claim 17, wherein an L-a-b color space b-coordinate of one of C1 and C2 is greater than zero and an L-a-b color space b-coordinate of the other of C1 and C2 is less than zero.

20. The ball of claim 17, wherein the color difference is greater than about 100.

21. The ball of claim 12, wherein a total color difference (TCD) of the casing region and the graphic region is at least about 100.

22. The ball of claim 12, wherein the motion graphic includes a first portion and a second portion associated with a first axis and a second axis, respectively.

23. The ball of claim 21, wherein the total color difference (TCD) between two colors C1 and C2 is calculated based on the equation: