# US 8,769,836 B2 · Article of footwear with color change portion and method of changing color > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,769,836 B2 - Document ID: US8769836B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/528,240 - Filed: 2012-06-20 - Published: 2013-02-07 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-22 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: Sharna M. Donovan; Sean D. Hartford; Michelle L. Kvernmo; Andrew A. Owings; Bradley W. Wilkins - Inventors: Sharna M. Donovan; Sean D. Hartford; Michelle L. Kvernmo; Andrew A. Owings; Bradley W. Wilkins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8769836B2 ## CPC - A43B 3/36: with light sources - A43B 1/0027: {made at least partially from a material having special colours} - A43B 3/0078: {provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration (A43B23/24 takes precedence)} - A43B 3/34: with electrical or electronic arrangements - A43B 3/38: with power sources - A43B 5/06: Running shoes; Track shoes - A43B 23/0205: {characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08)} - G02F 1/155: Electrodes - G02F 1/15165: {Polymers} - G02F 1/1533: {structural features not otherwise provided for} - G02F 2001/164: {the electrolyte is made of polymers} - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## 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 comprised electrochromic fiber or fabric. 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 ### Claim 1 A method of operating an article of footwear with a color change portion, comprising: measuring a performance parameter; coloring the color change portion with a first color when the performance parameter is in a first range of values; coloring the color change portion with a second color when 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; and wherein the color change portion comprises an electrochromographic material comprising electrochromic fiber or fabric. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrochromic fiber or fabric comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of electrically conductive materials, nonconductive materials and combination thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the electrically conductive materials are selected from the group consisting of electrically conductive metals, electrically conductive organic material and combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the electrically conductive metals are selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, gold, iron, aluminum, zinc, nickel, tin and combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the electrically conductive organic materials are conjugated polymers selected from the group consisting of poly(thiophene), poly(pyrrole), poly(aniline), poly(acetylene), poly(p-phenylenevinylene), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) and combinations thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the nonconductive materials are selected from the group consisting of natural materials and synthetic organic polymers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the natural materials are selected from the group consisting of cotton, silk, wool and combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the synthetic organic polymers are selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, polyethylene, polyacrylic, polyurethane, polylactide and combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the nonconductive fiber or fabric is coated or impregnated with an electrically conductive material and subsequently coated with an electrochromic material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the electrochromic material is selected from the group consisting of transition metal oxides, fullerenes, ferric ferricyanide, ferrocenes, ferrocenyl salts, phthalocyanines, viologens, dyes, iodine-doped poly(acetylene), poly(thiophene), poly(phenylene), poly(phenylene sulfide), poly(pyrrole), poly(aniline), silane precursors, norbornene precursors, soluble conducting polymers, and combination thereof. ### Claim 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; and 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; and wherein the electrochromographic material comprises electrochromic fiber or fabric. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the electrochromic fabric comprises conductive material or nonconductive material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the nonconductive fabric is coated with conductive material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the fabric comprising conductive material and the fabric comprising nonconductive material coated with conductive material are further coated with electrochromic material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the fabric comprising electrochromic material is further coated with gel electrolyte. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the electrochromic material and gel electrolyte are applied to the fiber or fabric with one or more technique selected from the group consisting of spray coating, ink jet coating, stamping, screen printing, rotary press, dip coating, electrostatic spinning, gravure coating methods, and extrusion coating. ### Claim 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; applying an electrical signal to an electrochromographic material associated with the color change portion; and thereby changing the color change portion to the second color; and wherein the electrochromographic material comprises electrochromic fiber or fabric. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the electrochromic fabric comprises two or more independently electrically addressable electrochromic fibers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the electrochromic fabric displays a multi-colored visual image upon application of the electrical signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the multi-colored visual image is a still image or an animated image. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the electrochromic fabric comprises two or more electrochromic fibers which are not independently electrically addressable. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the electrochromic fabric is a two-dimensional woven or non-woven planar sheet. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the electrochromic fabric is shaped into a three-dimensional conformation. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the color change portion comprises an entire upper of the article of footwear.