Information-presentation structure using electrode assembly for impact-sensitive color change
First Claim
1. An information-presentation (“
- IP”
) structure comprising an object-impact (“
OI”
) structure having an exposed surface for being impacted by an object during an activity, the OI structure comprising a variable-color (“
VC”
) region which extends to the exposed surface at a surface zone and normally appears along it largely as a principal color during the activity, the VC region comprising an impact-sensitive (“
IS”
) component and a color-change (“
CC”
) component, wherein;
an impact-dependent (“
ID”
) segment of the IS component responds to the object impacting the surface zone at an ID object-contact (“
OC”
) area spanning where the object contacts the surface zone by providing an impact effect if the impact meets threshold impact criteria; and
the CC component comprises an electrode assembly comprising (a) near electrode structure, (b) far electrode structure situated generally opposite to, spaced apart from, and situated farther from the surface zone than the near electrode structure, and (c) a core layer situated at least partly between the electrode structures, light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming the principal color normally leaving the core layer along the near electrode structure for enabling the VC region to normally appear along the surface zone largely as the principal color, a CC control signal provided by the VC region in response to the impact effect, if provided, being applied between a location in the near electrode structure and a location in the far electrode structure, at least one of the locations dependent on where the object contacts the surface zone, an ID segment of the core layer responding to the control signal by enabling light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming color different from the principal color to temporarily leave the ID segment of the core layer along an ID segment of the near electrode structure such that an ID portion of the VC region temporarily appears along an ID print area of the surface zone largely as changed color materially different from the principal color, the print area at least partly encompassing, at least mostly outwardly conforming largely to, and being largely concentric with the OC area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A variable-color region (106) of an information-presentation structure extends to an exposed surface (102) at a surface zone (112), normally appears along it as a principal color, and includes impact-sensitive and color-change components (182 and 184). A segment (192) of the impact-sensitive component responds to an object (104) impacting the zone at an object-contact area (116) by providing an impact effect if the impact meets threshold impact criteria. A segment (194) of the color-change component responds to the effect by causing an impact-dependent portion (138) of the variable-color region to temporarily appear along a print area (118) of the zone as changed color materially different from the principal color. The print area closely matches the object-contact area in size, shape, and location. The color-change component employs an electrode assembly (202) having a core layer (222) sandwiched between two electrode structures (224 and 226) for controlling the color change.
79 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. An information-presentation (“
- IP”
) structure comprising an object-impact (“
OI”
) structure having an exposed surface for being impacted by an object during an activity, the OI structure comprising a variable-color (“
VC”
) region which extends to the exposed surface at a surface zone and normally appears along it largely as a principal color during the activity, the VC region comprising an impact-sensitive (“
IS”
) component and a color-change (“
CC”
) component, wherein;an impact-dependent (“
ID”
) segment of the IS component responds to the object impacting the surface zone at an ID object-contact (“
OC”
) area spanning where the object contacts the surface zone by providing an impact effect if the impact meets threshold impact criteria; andthe CC component comprises an electrode assembly comprising (a) near electrode structure, (b) far electrode structure situated generally opposite to, spaced apart from, and situated farther from the surface zone than the near electrode structure, and (c) a core layer situated at least partly between the electrode structures, light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming the principal color normally leaving the core layer along the near electrode structure for enabling the VC region to normally appear along the surface zone largely as the principal color, a CC control signal provided by the VC region in response to the impact effect, if provided, being applied between a location in the near electrode structure and a location in the far electrode structure, at least one of the locations dependent on where the object contacts the surface zone, an ID segment of the core layer responding to the control signal by enabling light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming color different from the principal color to temporarily leave the ID segment of the core layer along an ID segment of the near electrode structure such that an ID portion of the VC region temporarily appears along an ID print area of the surface zone largely as changed color materially different from the principal color, the print area at least partly encompassing, at least mostly outwardly conforming largely to, and being largely concentric with the OC area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- IP”
-
19. An information-presentation (“
- IP”
) structure comprising;an object-impact (“
OI”
) structure having an exposed surface for being impacted by an object during an activity, the OI structure comprising a variable-color (“
VC”
) region which extends to the exposed surface at a surface zone and normally appears along it largely as a principal color during the activity, the VC region comprising an impact-sensitive (“
IS”
) component and a color-change (“
CC”
) component, wherein;(i) an impact-dependent (“
ID”
) segment of the IS component responds to the object impacting the surface zone at an ID object-contact (“
OC”
) area spanning where the object contacts the surface zone by providing a general characteristics-identifying impact signal if the impact meets threshold impact criteria, the impact signal identifying an expected location of an ID print area in the surface zone and general supplemental impact information for the impact; and(ii) the CC component comprises an electrode assembly comprising (a) near electrode structure, (b) far electrode structure situated generally opposite to, spaced apart from, and situated farther from the surface zone than the near electrode structure, and (c) a core layer situated at least partly between the electrode structures, light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming the principal color normally leaving the core layer along the near electrode structure for enabling the VC region to normally appear along the surface zone largely as the principal color; and a CC controller responsive to the impact signal, if provided, for determining whether the supplemental impact information meets supplemental impact criteria and, if so, for providing a general CC initiation signal that is applied between a location in the near electrode structure and a location in the far electrode structure, at least one of the locations dependent on where the object contacts the surface zone, an ID segment of the core layer responding to the initiation signal, if provided, by enabling light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming color different from the principal color to temporarily leave the ID segment of the core layer along an ID segment of the near electrode structure such that an ID portion of the VC region temporarily appears along an ID print area of the surface zone largely as changed color materially different from the principal color, the print area at least partly encompassing, at least mostly outwardly conforming largely to, and being largely concentric with the OC area. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- IP”
Specification