USRE42628EExpiredUtility

Thermochromic water proof apparel

69
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jun 2, 2003Filed: Jan 30, 2008Granted: Aug 23, 2011
Est. expiryJun 2, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Lauren M. AperfineDebra B. Aperfine
A41D 31/00A41D 2500/52A41D 3/04D06P 1/004A41D 27/08
69
PatentIndex Score
8
Cited by
32
References
34
Claims

Abstract

Waterproof apparel constructed of a flexible PVC sheet or other polymeric flexible sheet material that changes color due to a change in ambient conditions. Thermochromic dyes and/or photochromatic dyes are incorporated into the resin mix for fabricating the flexible sheet material. The color of the waterproof apparel changes when the temperature rises above or drops below a pre-defined temperature and/or when the ultra-violet light level is above or below a pre-defined level.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1. Waterproof apparel comprising a sheet material that evidences a change in color in response to an ambient condition, wherein said sheet material is a flexible PVC material containing an ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive that is incorporated into a PVC resin compound for fabricating said flexible PVC material. 
     
     
       2. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1 , wherein said ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive is a thermochromic dye and said ambient condition that effects said change in color is an ambient temperature range, wherein said ambient temperature range includes a base temperature range and a thermochromic temperature range, and wherein said sheet material evidences a base color within said base temperature range and a thermochromic color within said thermochromic temperature range. 
     
     
       3. The waterproof apparel of  claim 2 , wherein said thermochromic dye includes more than one thermochromic dye and said sheet material evidences a first thermochromic color with a first thermochromic temperature range and at least a second thermochromic color within a second thermochromic temperature range. 
     
     
       4. The waterproof apparel of  claim 2 , wherein said thermochromic dye includes more than one thermochromic dye and said sheet material evidences a thermochromic color scheme that includes said more than one thermochromic dye. 
     
     
       5. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1 , wherein said ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive is a photochromatic dye and said ambient condition that effects said change in color is an ambient ultra-violet light (UV) range, wherein said ambient UV light range includes a base UV light range and a second UV light range, and wherein said sheet material evidences a base color within said base UV light range and a second color within said second UV light range. 
     
     
       6. The waterproof apparel of  claim 5 , wherein said photochromatic dye includes more than one photochromatic dye and said sheet material evidences a first ultra-violet-light-dependent color within a first UV light range and at least a second ultra-violet-light-dependent color within a second UV light range. 
     
     
       7. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1 , wherein said ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive includes a combination of a thermochromic dye and a photochromatic dye. 
     
     
       8. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising a coat. 
     
     
       9. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising a hat. 
     
     
       10. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising a jacket. 
     
     
       11. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising pants. 
     
     
       12. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising a tote bag. 
     
     
       13. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising a backpack. 
     
     
       14. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising a shoulder bag. 
     
     
       15. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising boots. 
     
     
       16. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising a protective shoe covering. 
     
     
       17. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1  comprising an umbrella. 
     
     
       18. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1 , wherein said sheet material includes non-PVC polymers, copolymers, terpolymers, alloys, and an ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive which is compounded in said sheet material. 
     
     
       19. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1 , wherein said sheet material is supported on a backing fabric. 
     
     
       20. The waterproof apparel of  claim 1 , wherein said thermochromic temperature range is lower than said base temperature range so as to effect a color change when said ambient condition cools an ambient temperature below that of said thermochromic temperature range. 
     
     
       21. A waterproof sheet material that evidences a change in color in response to an ambient condition, the waterproof sheet material comprising:
 a. a polymeric compound formed into a single layer flexible sheet, the polymeric compound having waterproofing characteristics; and   b. an ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive that is incorporated into said polymeric compound and wherein only the ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive effects the change in color of the waterproof sheet material.   
     
     
       22. The waterproof sheet material of claim 21, wherein said ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive is a thermochromic dye and said ambient condition that effects said change in color is an ambient temperature range, wherein said ambient temperature range includes a base temperature range and a thermochromic temperature range, and wherein the waterproof sheet material evidences a base color within said base temperature range and a thermochromic color within said thermochromic temperature range. 
     
     
       23. The waterproof sheet material of claim 22, wherein said thermochromic dye includes more than one thermochromic dye and the waterproof sheet material evidences a first thermochromic color with a first thermochromic temperature range and at least a second thermochromic color within a second thermochromic temperature range. 
     
     
       24. The waterproof sheet material of claim 21, wherein said ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive is a photochromatic dye and said ambient condition that effects said change in color is an ultra-violet (UV) light range, wherein said ambient UV light range includes a base UV light range and a second UV light range, and wherein said sheet material evidences a base color within said base UV light range and a second color within said second UV light range. 
     
     
       25. The waterproof sheet material of claim 24, wherein said photochromatic dye includes more than one photochromatic dye and the waterproof sheet material evidences a first ultra-violet-light-dependent color within a first UV light range and at least a second ultra-violet-light-dependent color within a second UV light range. 
     
     
       26. The waterproof sheet material of claim 21, wherein said ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive includes a combination of a thermochromic dye and a photochromatic dye. 
     
     
       27. The waterproof sheet material of claim 21, wherein said polymeric compound is selected from the group consisting of one or more of: PVC polymers, non-PVC polymers, copolymers, terpolymers, and polymer alloys. 
     
     
       28. The waterproof sheet material of claim 22, wherein said thermochromic temperature range is lower than said base temperature range so as to effect a color change when said ambient condition cools an ambient temperature below that of said thermochromic temperature range. 
     
     
       29. The waterproof sheet material of claim 21, wherein the ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive is formed as a plurality of microencapsulated particles distributed through the polymeric compound. 
     
     
       30. Waterproof apparel comprising a sheet material that evidences a change in color in response to an ambient condition, wherein said sheet material is a flexible material containing an ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive that is incorporated into a polymeric compound for fabricating said flexible sheet material and wherein said polymeric compound is selected from the group consisting of one or more of: PVC polymers, non-PVC polymers, copolymers, terpolymers, and polymer alloys. 
     
     
       31. The waterproof apparel of claim 30, wherein said ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive is a thermochromic dye and said ambient condition that effects said change in color is an ambient temperature range, wherein said ambient temperature range includes a base temperature range and a thermochromic temperature range, and wherein said sheet material evidences a base color within said base temperature range and a thermochromic color within said thermochromic temperature range. 
     
     
       32. The waterproof apparel of claim 30, wherein said ambient-condition-dependent color-changing additive is a photochromatic dye and said ambient condition that effects said change in color is an ambient ultra-violet light (UV) range, wherein said ambient UV light range includes a base UV light range and a second UV light range, and wherein said sheet material evidences a base color within said base UV light range and a second color within said second UV light range. 
     
     
       33. A waterproof sheet material that evidences a change in color in response to an ambient condition, the waterproof sheet material comprising:
 a. a polymeric compound suitable for forming into a flexible sheet, the polymeric compound having waterproofing characteristics; and   b. a plurality of thermochromic dyes incorporated into said polymeric compound for fabricating the waterproof sheet material as a single layer and wherein only the plurality of thermochromic dyes effect the change in color of the waterproof sheet material, wherein the waterproof sheet material evidences a first thermochromic color within a first thermochromic temperature range and at least a second thermochromic color within a second thermochromic temperature range.   
     
     
       34. A waterproof sheet material that evidences a change in color in response to an ambient condition, the waterproof sheet material comprising:
 a. a polymeric compound suitable for forming into a flexible sheet, the polymeric compound having waterproofing characteristics; and   b. a photochromatic dye incorporated into said polymeric compound for fabricating the waterproof sheet material as a single layer, wherein only the photochromatic dye effects the change in color of the waterproof sheet material, wherein the ambient condition that effects said change in color is an ultra-violet (UV) light range, wherein said ambient UV light range includes a base UV light range and a second UV light range, and wherein said sheet material evidences a base color within said base UV light range and a second color within said second UV light range.

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