Abstract:
This disclosure pertains to an apparatus for varying a footwear&#39;s color. The apparatus comprises a first variable filter having a first reservoir portion and a first non-reservoir portion. The first reservoir portion houses a first dye when the first variable filter is in a first state. The first non reservoir portion houses the first dye when the variable filter is in a second state. The apparatus further comprises a first air pouch adjacent to the first variable filter and a casing surrounding the first variable filter and the first air pouch.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/570,658, filed on May 12, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to footwear comprising logos and/or trimmings having at least one color that can be varied by a user. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently consumers are limited to one color choice for each pair of sneakers. As a result collecting footwear (e.g. sneakers) of similar styles but having different color logos and trimmings can become expensive for the consumer. 
     SUMMARY 
     This disclosure pertains to an apparatus for varying a footwear&#39;s color. The apparatus comprises a first variable filter having a first reservoir portion and a first non-reservoir portion. The first reservoir portion houses a first dye when the first variable filter is in a first state. The first non reservoir portion houses the first dye when the variable filter is in a second state. The apparatus further comprises a first air pouch adjacent to the first variable filter and a casing surrounding the first variable filter and the first air pouch. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  shows a diagram of the variable color logo and trimming sneaker; 
         FIG. 2  shows a diagram of fixed and variable color filters; 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view diagram of inner and outer air pouches; 
         FIG. 4  shows a front view diagram of outer air pouch; 
         FIG. 5  shows a diagram of the exploded view of the variable color logo; 
         FIG. 6  shows a diagram showing alternate exploded view of variable color logo; 
         FIG. 7  shows a diagram of assembled variable color logo; 
         FIG. 8  shows a diagram showing the attachment of the variable color logo; and 
         FIG. 9  shows a diagram of the sneaker pump system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Note that throughout this specification, the terms shoe, shoes, footwear, sneaker, sneakers and other terms indicating articles to be worn on a person&#39;s feet may be used interchangeably. Varying the color of footwear can be accomplished by color subtraction. In various aspects of the present invention, two types of filters are used to vary the color of footwear, a fixed color filter and a variable color filter. The fixed color filter is fixed with respect to which colors it filters and can be made from a thin colored plastic fashioned into a shape such as the shape of a desired logo and/or trimmings. In addition, the variable color filter can be controlled such that the filter operates in varying states. A first state may be one in which the filter admits all the colors. A second state may be one in which only a single color is admitted. Note that admitting a color means light having that color is allowed to pass through the filter and filtering a color means subtracting that color light from light having combination of colors. 
     For example the fixed filter may filter blue light and the variable filter may filter green light. Therefore, when the variable filter is in the first state, only the fixed filter is subtracting blue light and the footwear&#39;s logo and/or trimmings would be yellow. When the variable filter is in the second state, variable filter would subtract green light and the footwear&#39;s logo and/or trimmings would be red. The color of the variable filter is determined by a dye color. 
     Turning now to the figures,  FIG. 1  depicts a sneaker  100  fitted with a color changing logo  102  and color changing trimmings  104 . Openings  106  and  108  are used to vary the color of logos  102  and  104 .  FIG. 2  shows a fixed filter  202  and a variable filter  204 . In various embodiments of the invention, fix filter  202 &#39;s thickness should be no greater than 1 mm. Variable filter  204  can be controlled by an applied force to a reservoir portion  206 . This force can be pneumatic. 
     Variable filter  204  can be made from a thin colorless transparent plastic. In fabricating variable filter  204  two plastic sheets can be placed together and then heat stamped in a desired shape. One end of variable filter  204  should be left unsealed for the purpose of filling it with a dye having the desired color for color subtraction. Enough liquid dye should be added so that a thin layer of the dye fills non-reservoir portion  208 . Reservoir portion  206  of variable filter  204  is denoted by the hatched area. After filling variable filter  204  with an appropriate amount of dye, variable filter  204 &#39;s open end can then be heat sealed so that the dye is confined within variable filter  204 . The same fabrication process can be used to fabricate variable filters for trimmings. In various aspects of the invention, variable filter  204 &#39;s thickness should be no greater than 1 mm. 
       FIG. 3  shows the front view of an air pouch  300 . Air pouch  300  can be fashioned in the shape of the desired logo and/or trimmings and are made from two different grades of plastic. One of the plastic grades is comparable to that used in variable filter  204 &#39;s fabrication. The second plastic is of a higher grade plastic than the first plastic. Heat sealing methods used in fabricating variable filter  204  can be used to fabricate air pouch  300 . The two different grades of plastic used in fabricating air pouch  300  are used because one side air pouch  300  is inflated by internal air pressure. The side of air pouch  300  made from the lower grade plastic is more responsive to internal pressure changes. It is this more responsive plastic that is placed in direct contact with variable filter  204 . Placing the more responsive plastic in contact with variable filter  204  isolates the influence air pouch  300  to variable color filter  204 . 
     Consistent with various embodiments of the invention, there are two types of air pouches can be used, both of which are identical in all aspects except for the side of the air pouch that is allowed to inflate.  FIG. 4  depicts both types of air pouches. An inner air pouch  402  inflates on the side facing toward the footwear surface. An outer air pouch  404  inflates on the side facing away from the footwear surface. Air pouches  402  and  404  should have a thickness no greater than 1 mm. In addition, air pouches  402  and  404  comprise air lines  406  and  408 . Air lines  406  and  408  are be connected to air pouches  402  and  404  in a manner that ensures that there will be no pressure leaks. 
     The operation of variable filter  204  in conjunction with and associated air pouch is as follows: if the air pouch is not inflated (i.e. empty), the dye contained in variable filter  204  is unperturbed and remains in non-reservoir region  208  (i.e. a non-active condition). If the air pouch is inflated (i.e. full of air), the air pressure forces the dye in variable filter  204  into the reservoir  206  (i.e. an active condition). Any footwear component layer adjacent to variable filter  204  acts as a supporting force which compliments the air pouch&#39;s effect on variable filter  204 . The dye, now in non-reservoir region  208  established the footwear&#39;s color. 
       FIG. 5  gives an exploded view of various components of color changing logo materials. In  FIG. 5  there are two variable filters  502  and  504 , two fixed filter  510 , backing  512 , air pouches  514  and  516  and casings  518  and  520 . Each variable filter  502  and  504  can filter different wavelengths (i.e. colors of light). For example, variable filter  502  can permit light having a wavelength corresponding to cyan to pass while variable filter  504  can permit light having a wavelength corresponding to yellow to pass. The hatched regions denoted by reference numerals  506  and  508  represent the reservoirs of variable filters  502  and  504 , respectively. Backing  512  may be any color (e.g. white) and/or may be a white piece of plastic or paper that is cut in the shape of the desired logo and/or trimmings. Backing  512  can act as a reflector to reflect incident light back to an observer. The thickness of backing  512  should be no greater than 1 mm. 
       FIG. 6  shows an alternative to using backing  512 . This alternative is to paint the rear side of variable filter  502  or  504  a color (e.g. white). Painting variable filter  502 &#39;s or  504 &#39;s rear side can eliminate the need for a separate layer to perform color reflection. This same alternate configuration can be used to eliminate the need for a fixed color filter layer. In order to implement this alternate configuration, variable filter  502 &#39;s rear side can be painted the same color as the removed fixed filter. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the active layers of the variable color logo  102  are sandwiched between two pieces of sturdy, high-grade plastic (e.g. casing  518  and  520 ). Active layers are all the components lying between the casing  518  and  520 . Casings  518  and  520  act as a protective casing. Casing  520  must be transparent while the transparency of the back side is irrelevant. The perimeter of casings  518  and  520  should be greater than the perimeter of the active layers. 
     Casings  518  and  520  can be attached to one another by stitch or adhesive. The advantage of attaching casings  518  and  520  by stitch is that the attachment to a sneaker can be accomplished simultaneously. The assembled variable color logo  102  is shown in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 7  shows the stitching of the variable color logo  102 . This stitching is denoted by reference numeral  702 . The hatched region denoted by reference number  704  represents the area of variable color logo  102  that changes color. The area around region  704  can be painted the same color as the sneaker. The composition and fabrication of the color changing trimming material is analogous to the previously mentioned composition and fabrication methods of the color changing logo material. 
     The example described above in regards to  FIG. 5  describes a color combination of magenta, yellow and cyan. This color combination provides four possible color options for the logo and/or trimming material: 1) pink; 2) red; 3) blue; and 4) black. These color options are determined by use of color perception theory. For example, 1) the combination of magenta (pink) and yellow equals red. The combination of pink and cyan equals blue and the combination of pink, yellow and cyan add to give black. Finally the absence of yellow and cyan leaves pink. The filter color combination can be set arbitrarily so as to provide the desired logo and/or trimming color options. 
     After variable color logo  102  has been assembled it can then be attached to sneaker  100 .  FIG. 8  gives a graphic depiction of this attachment. The leather flap  802  has been shown lifted for clarity. Next, variable color logo  102  is attached to sneaker  100  and leather flap  802  is lowered back into place. Finally, leather flap  802  is either stitched or glued to sneaker  100 . 
     The air pouches are inflated by a pump system  900  shown in  FIG. 9 . Pump system  900  includes air pouch  514  (air pouch  516  is not shown), air lines  902 ,  904 ,  906 , and  908  and a pump mechanism  910 . Air lines  902  and  906  correspond to air pouch  514 . Air lines  904  and  908  correspond to their respective air pouches in the color changing trimming. Air lines  902 ,  904 ,  906 , and  908  should be placed so as to provide minimum intrusion. It is recommended that they be placed within the shoe lining. 
     Pump  910  is composed of three basic parts: a pump bulb  912 , a pressure release valve  914 , and an air line  916 . Pump  910  should be fabricated to be as small as possible and placed on the inner side of the shoe tongue so as to be relatively non-intrusive. The exact specifications for pump  910  are left to the discretion of a manufacturer. The only stipulation for pump  910  is that it be discrete, non-bulky, and pressure release valve  914  should be placed on or near pump bulb  912 . 
     The number of pumps needed is dependent on the desired number of distinct logo and/or trimming colors. For example, in order to produce four distinct colors you need two pumps, one for each of the two variable filters. Two colors are a result of the fixed filters and the combined effect of both the fixed filter and the variable filters. An increase in color options coincides proportionately with an increase in system complexity. 
     For operation of embodiments of the present invention, assume there are four distinct color options (i.e. there are two variable filters, two fixed filters, and two pumps). With two pumps the variable filters can operate independently of each other. For an initial condition, assume both variables filters&#39; air pouches are not inflated. The logo&#39;s trimming&#39;s apparent color is approximately black. A next possible state occurs when one of the pumps is activated. This causes an air pouch to inflate which in turn forces the dye in a variable filter into a reservoir labeled, thus leaving the non-reservoir portion. As a result, the variable filter no longer acts as a color filter, but instead, allows all colors to pass. Now only one variable filter and a fixed filter remain to indicate a color. The combination of these filters causes the logo and trimming&#39;s color to appear a certain color (e.g. red). 
     A next possible state for this system occurs when the previously applied pressure is released and the second pump is activated. The release of the pressure of the first pump causes the previously inflated air pouch to deflate, which returns the filter to its original state (i.e. the shoe its original color). The activation of the second pump inflates a second air pouch and as a result dye in the second variable filter is forced into its reservoir leaving the non-reservoir area. Thus, the remaining filters (the variable color filter and the fixed filters) add to give the logo and trimming a second color (e.g. blue). 
     A fourth state of this system occurs when both pumps are activated. As a result, the dye in both variable filters are contained in their respective reservoirs and the non-reservoir areas of both variable color filters are left empty. This condition gives the logo and trimming a third color (e.g. pink). As previously mentioned, these color combinations are only one of many possible color combinations. Using different color filters will result in a separate set of color options for the logo and trimming. 
     Reference may be made throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “embodiments,” “an aspect,” or “aspects” meaning that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, usage of such phrases may refer to more than just one embodiment or aspect. In addition, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or aspects. Furthermore, reference to a single item may mean a single item or a plurality of items, just as reference to a plurality of items may mean a single item. Moreover, use of the term “and” when incorporated into a list is intended to imply that all the elements of the list, a single item of the list, or any combination of items in the list has been contemplated. 
     One skilled in the relevant art may recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, resources, materials, etc. In other instances, well known structures, resources, or operations have not been shown or described in detail merely to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
     While example embodiments and applications of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise configuration and resources described above. Various modifications, changes, and variations apparent to those skilled in the art may be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and systems of the present invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. 
     The above specification, examples and data provide a description of the manufacture and use of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended. 
     The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the claims attached hereto. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the following claims.