# US 11,998,826 B1 · Sports apparatus with piezochromic strike area > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,826 B1 - Document ID: US11998826B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/022,686 - Filed: 2020-09-16 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-16 - Applicants: Brooks River Robinson - Inventors: Brooks River Robinson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998826B1 ## CPC - A63B 71/0622: {Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user} - A43B 3/34: with electrical or electronic arrangements - A43B 3/44: with sensors, e.g. for detecting contact or position - A43B 5/02: Football boots {or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby} - A63B 24/0062: {Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance} - A63B 2071/0063: {Shock absorbers} - A63B 2071/065: {Visualisation of specific exercise parameters} - A63B 2071/0661: {arranged on the user} - A63B 2220/53: Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract Sports apparatus having a piezochromic strike area according to any of devices, systems, assemblies and methods are shown and described. A sports apparatus may include a defined area serving as a strike area, a pod containing at least one piezochromic material integrated with a surface of the sports apparatus, that changes color with an impact force. In some instances, an initial color state is reobtained over a period of time with an absence of impact strikes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A soccer cleat comprising: an upper defining a surface layer, a defined area within the surface layer of the upper configured to strike another surface or implement during a sporting event, said surface layer of the upper comprising a piezochromic strike area, at least one strike zone in the defined area; a series of piezochromic pods embedded within the surface layer and located within the at least one strike zone; each of said piezochromic pods comprising a first layer of a first material and a second layer of a second material; wherein the material of the first layer and the material of the second layer intermingle in an activated state when an impact is directed to the at least one strike zone to form a color changing piezochromic strike area visible on the surface layer of the upper the soccer cleat. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said piezochromic strike area is reversible between a pre-pressure state and an applied pressure state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 including a delay between a reversal from the applied pressure state back to the pre-pressure state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said delay is between about 5 minutes and about 60 minutes. ### Claim 5 A soccer cleat comprising: an upper defining a surface layer, a defined area within the surface layer of the upper configured to strike another surface of a soccer ball during a sporting event, said surface layer of the upper comprising a piezochromic strike area, at least one strike zone in the defined area; a series of piezochromic pods embedded within the surface layer and located within the at least one strike zone; each of said piezochromic pods comprising: a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side and a second side, a first material and a second material contained within each pod wherein the first material and the second material may be separated in a resting state and may be interspersed in an activated state; wherein an impact or force applied to the at least one strike zone acts as a catalyst for the activated state in which a piezochromic reaction occurs to form a color changing piezochromic strike area visible on the surface layer of the upper. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said piezochromic reaction is reversable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6 including a coating on a surface inside each of said pods. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7 including a second coating on a surface inside each of said pods. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first surface attracts said first material creating a congregating effect of the first material around the first surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said second surface attracts said second material creating a congregating effect of the second material around the second surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10 including a middle area where both of the first and second materials do not substantially reside at the same time in the resting state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first material and the second material intersperse in the middle area when said impact or force is applied to the at least one strike zone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 where in the middle area is a space non-preferred by a first material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said pods includes a shock absorbing material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a surface of each of said pods extends above a surface of the apparatus. ### Claim 16 A method of indicating a force applied to a strike zone of a soccer cleat, comprising: said soccer cleat comprising an upper having a surface layer, a defined area within the surface layer of the upper configured to strike another surface or implement during a sporting event, said surface layer of the upper comprising a piezochromic strike area, at least one strike zone in the defined area; a series of piezochromic pods embedded within the surface layer and located within the at least one strike zone; each of said piezochromic pods comprising a first layer of a first material and a second layer of a second material; enabling a color change within each of said piezochromic pods such that the material of the first layer and the material of the second layer intermingle in an activated state when an impact is directed to the at least one strike zone to form a color changing piezochromic strike area visible on the surface layer of the upper; enabling a return to an original color when an impact is absent; and providing a transparent window in each of said pods so the color change is visible. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 including incorporating a second piezochromic material with each of said pods. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 including allowing a color change from an initial color to a second color, and a color change from a second color back to the initial color. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 including adding an impact resistance to each of said pods.