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

• US 8,474,146 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartford, Sean D., Kvernmo, Michelle L., Owings, Andrew A., Wilkins, Bradley W., Donovan, Sharna M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US12/820,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20110308113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 33/3.A, 33/3.B, 33/3.C, 33/3.R
• US Class Current: 33/3.A
• 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 23/24 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 3/24 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 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes

Abstract

An article with a color change portion and a method of changing color is disclosed. The article includes at least one color change portion capable of changing colors. 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. A method of operating an article of footwear with a color change portion, comprising:

measuring a performance parameter;

incrementing an initial value of the performance parameter based on the measured performance parameter to obtain a current value;

coloring the color change portion with a first color when the current value of the performance parameter is in a first range of values;

coloring the color change portion with a second color when the current value of the performance parameter is in a second range of values, the second range of values being substantially different from the first range of values and the second color being substantially different from the first color;

resetting the performance parameter to the initial value; and

wherein the color change portion comprises an electrochromographic material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the performance parameter is related to a distance traveled by the user of the article of footwear.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the performance parameter is related to the number of jumps accomplished by the user of the article of footwear.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the color change portion comprises a transistor based electrochromographic material.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of changing the color change portion comprise a step of changing a voltage through the electrochromographic material.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of changing the color change portion comprise a step of changing a current through the electrochromographic material.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the color change portion is colored so as to display a pattern including the second color.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the color change portion is colored so as to display a graphic including the second color.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the color change portion is colored so as to display a word including the second color.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the color change portion is colored so as to display a number including the second color.

11. A method of operating an article of footwear with a color change portion, comprising:

receiving a user selected color;

applying an electrical signal to an electrochromographic material associated with the color change portion;

thereby changing the color change portion from an initial color to the user selected color, the initial color being different from the user selected color;

wherein the user selected color comprises one of;

a color automatically selected to either coordinate or clash with colors associated with a plurality of articles of clothing to be worn by a user; and

a color design received via a network.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the article comprises a plurality of color change portions and wherein the user selected color is associated with a plurality of colors that correspond to the plurality of color change portions.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the color change portion comprises a substantial majority of an upper of the article of footwear.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the color change portion is associated with a logo of the article of footwear.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the color change portion is associated with trim of the article of footwear.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the color design is associated with a predetermined design for the article of footwear provided by a party other than the user.

17. A method of operating an article of footwear with a color change portion, comprising:

receiving information related to a first color of an object, the object being associated with a user of the article of footwear;

determining a second color for the color change portion according to the first color;

receiving information related to a power source;

applying an electrical signal to an electrochromographic material associated with the color change portion;

operating the color change portion according to a low power mode when the information related to the power source indicates that the power source is an internal power source, wherein the electrical signal to the electrochromographic material maintains a current color of the color change portion; and

operating the color change portion according to a high power mode when the information related to the power source indicates that the power source is an external power source, wherein the electrical signal to the electrochromographic material changes the color change portion to the second color.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first color is substantially similar to the second color.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first color is substantially different from the second color.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the first color and the second color are color coordinated.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of receiving information related to the first color comprises a step of receiving a radio signal from the object.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of receiving information related to the first color comprises a step of receiving an image of the object.

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of receiving information related to the first color comprises a step of receiving information from a barcode associated with the object.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein the object is an article of clothing.