Color-changing fabric and applications

Abstract

A color-changing product includes a fabric and a color-changing fiber embroidered into a portion of the fabric. The color-changing fiber includes an electrically conductive core and a coating disposed around the electrically conductive core. The coating includes a thermochromic pigment.

1 . A color-changing product comprising:
 a fabric; and   a color-changing fiber embroidered into a portion of the fabric, the color-changing fiber including:
 an electrically conductive core; and 
 a coating disposed around the electrically conductive core, the coating including a thermochromic pigment. 
   
     
     
         2 . The color-changing product of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source configured to provide electrical current to the electrically conductive core to activate the thermochromic pigment to cause a color-change to the color-changing fiber. 
     
     
         3 . The color-changing product of  claim 2 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively activate the power source in response to receiving an input from an input device. 
     
     
         4 . The color-changing product of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is electrically connected to the input device. 
     
     
         5 . The color-changing product of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is wirelessly connectable to the input device. 
     
     
         6 . The color-changing product of  claim 1 , wherein the color-changing fiber is a first color-changing fiber and the portion is a first portion of the fabric, further comprising a second color-changing fiber embroidered into a second portion of the fabric. 
     
     
         7 . The color-changing product of  claim 6 , wherein the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber are electrically connected together such that a color change feature thereof is simultaneously activatable. 
     
     
         8 . The color-changing product of  claim 6 , wherein the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber are electrically isolated from each other such that a color change feature thereof is independently activatable. 
     
     
         9 . The color-changing product of  claim 6 , wherein the first color-changing fiber is a first color when activated, and wherein the second color-changing fiber is a second color different than the first color when activated. 
     
     
         10 . The color-changing product of  claim 1 , wherein the color-changing fiber is a first color-changing fiber and the portion of the fabric is a first portion, wherein at least a second portion of the fabric is arranged using a second color-changing fiber. 
     
     
         11 . The color-changing product of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion at least partially overlap such that the first color-changing fiber is embroidered into the second portion. 
     
     
         12 . The color-changing product of  claim 1 , wherein the color-changing fiber is braided with a second fiber to form a color-changing yarn. 
     
     
         13 . The color-changing product of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive core has a first tensile strength, and wherein the color-changing fiber includes a reinforcement core having a second tensile strength that is greater than the first tensile strength. 
     
     
         14 . The color-changing product of  claim 13 , wherein the color-changing fiber includes a plurality of reinforcement cores disposed within the coating and positioned variously about the electrically conductive core. 
     
     
         15 . The color-changing product of  claim 13 , wherein the second tensile strength can withstand greater than a five pound tensile load. 
     
     
         16 . The color-changing product of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is at least one of (i) a patch that is securable to a consumer product or (ii) useable to form the consumer product. 
     
     
         17 . A color-changing product comprising:
 a fabric;   a first color-changing fiber embroidered into a first portion of the fabric; and   a second color-changing fiber embroidered into a second portion of the fabric;   wherein each of the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber includes:
 an electrically conductive core having a first tensile strength; 
 a reinforcement core having a second tensile strength that is greater than the first tensile strength; and 
 a coating disposed around and along the electrically conductive core and the reinforcement core, the coating including a polymeric material having a color-changing pigment; and 
   wherein the color-changing pigment of the first color-changing fiber is different than the color-changing pigment of the second color-changing fiber.   
     
     
         18 . The color-changing product of  claim 17 , wherein the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber are electrically connected together such that a color change feature thereof is simultaneously activatable. 
     
     
         19 . The color-changing product of  claim 17 , wherein the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber are electrically isolated from each other such that a color change feature thereof is independently activatable. 
     
     
         20 . A method for manufacturing a color-changing product, the method comprising:
 providing a fabric or a product including the fabric;   providing a first color-changing fiber and a second color-changing fiber, each of the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber including (i) an electrically conductive core and (ii) a coating disposed around the electrically conductive core, the coating including a thermochromic pigment;   embroidering the first color-changing fiber into a first portion of the fabric;   embroidering the second color-changing fiber into a second portion of the fabric; and   electrically connecting the electrically conductive core of the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber to a power source;   wherein the power source is configured to facilitate selectively providing an electrical current to the electrically conductive core of the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber to activate the thermochromic pigment within the coating of the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber; and   wherein the first color-changing fiber and the second color-changing fiber are electrically isolated from each other such that a color change feature thereof is independently activatable.