Patent Grant
11708649
Current fabric products having appearance and color-changing capabilities are passively controlled in response to environmental stimuli (e.g., sunlight, body heat, etc.). By way of example, photochromic dyes may be used in prints on clothing that change color in sunlight. By way of another example, thermochromic dyes may be used to passively change the color of a fabric through body heat and/or ambient heat. Thermochromic pigments change color in response to a thermal stimulus (e.g., as they change temperature, etc.). Thermochromic pigments may include liquid crystals, while other thermochromic pigments may use organic dyes (e.g., carbon-based dyes, etc.) known as leucodyes. Leucodyes are (i) optically transparent or have a particular color at a first temperature and (ii) become visible or change to a different color at a second temperature. Such a change is evident to an observer as the temperature rises or falls. Leucodyes are organic chemicals that change color when heat energy makes their molecules shift back and forth between two subtly differently structures, known as the leuco (colorless) and non-leuco (colored) forms. Thermochromic liquid crystals may shift color up and down the visible spectrum as they get hotter or colder, while leucodyes may be mixed in various ways to produce different kinds of color-changing effects at a wide range of temperatures.
One embodiment relates to a color-changing product. The color-changing product includes a fabric. The fabric includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is arranged using at least one fiber. The at least one fiber includes (a) an electrically conductive core and (b) a coating disposed around and along the electrically conductive core. The second layer is printed onto the first layer. The second layer includes a foreground thermochromic pigment that is selectively activatable by providing an electrical current to the electrically conductive core of the at least one fiber to change at least one of a foreground color or a pattern of the second layer.
Another embodiment relates to a method for manufacturing a color-changing product. The method includes arranging a plurality of fibers to form a fabric, two or more of the plurality of fibers including (a) an electrically conductive core and (b) a coating disposed around and along the electrically conductive core; welding a connection bus along the fabric, the connection bus forming a weld between the electrically conductive cores of the two or more of the plurality of fibers; and printing a pattern onto the fabric, the pattern including a color-changing pigment configured to transition the pattern from a first state to a second state different than the first state in response to an electrical current being provided to the connection bus.
Still another embodiment relates to a camouflage product. The camouflage product include a fabric, a connection bus disposed along at least a portion of the fabric, a power source electrically connected to the connection bus, and a controller. The fabric includes a base layer and a pattern layer. The base layer is arranged using a plurality of color-changing fibers. Each of the plurality of color-changing fibers includes an electrically conductive core and a coating disposed around and along the electrically conductive core. The coating includes a polymeric material having a first color-changing pigment. The pattern layer is printed onto the base layer. The pattern layer includes a second thermochromic pigment and provides a camouflage pattern along the base layer. The connection bus forms a weld between the electrically conductive cores of the plurality of color-changing fibers. The connection bus includes a connection layer and a sealing layer. The connection layer is manufactured from a metallic material that electrically connects the electrically conductive cores. The sealing layer electrically isolates the weld from a surrounding environment. The controller is configured to selectively activate the power source to provide an electrical current to the connection bus and, thereby, the electrically conductive cores to activate the first color-changing pigment and the second color-changing pigment to transition the camouflage pattern from a first camouflage pattern to a second camouflage pattern different than the first camouflage pattern.
This summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the devices or processes described herein will become apparent in the detailed description set forth herein, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.
Before turning to the figures, which illustrate certain exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.
Overview
The present disclosure is generally directed to the field of fabric technology and, more particularly, is directed to fibers, yarns, and fabrics having an on-demand (e.g., active, dynamic, selectively controllable, etc.) color-changing capability. According to an exemplary embodiment, a color-changing monofilament (e.g., a filament, a strand, a fiber, etc.), which is optionally formed (e.g., combined, twisted, braided, etc.) into a multifilament (e.g., yarn, thread, etc.), is configured to be either (i) incorporated into (e.g., stitched into, sewn into, embroidered into, integrated into, coupled to via a patch, etc.) an existing product or (ii) arranged (e.g., knit, woven, etc.) to form a new product. The color-changing monofilament includes at least one conductive core (e.g., an electrically conductive core, a thermally conductive core, a multi-core, etc.) and a color-changing coating disposed around and along the at least one conductive core. The color-changing coating includes one or more layers (e.g., one, two, three, four, etc.). Each of the one or more layers has one or has a respective thermochromic pigment. An electrical current provided to the conductive core, and thereby the temperature of the conductive core, is selectively controllable to actively and dynamically adjust the color of the color-changing coating. Advantageously, the color-changing monofilament of the present disclosure facilitates dynamically changing one or more visual characteristics of a fabric or product on-demand.
The color-changing monofilament or multifilament can be arranged (e.g., woven, knitted, etc.), with or without other monofilaments and/or multifilaments, to form a color-changing fabric. The color-changing monofilaments and/or multifilaments provide a base layer of the color-changing fabric having one or more background thermochromic pigments. A pattern layer may then be printed onto the base layer of the color-changing fabric. According to an exemplary embodiment, the pattern layer includes one or more foreground thermochromic pigments. Accordingly, the background thermochromic pigments and the foreground thermochromic pigments are selectively activatable by providing an electrical current to the conductive cores of the color-changing monofilaments to change the background color and the foreground color of the color-changing fabric.
In some embodiments, the base layer does not include the background thermochromic pigments. In some embodiments, a first portion of the base layer includes the background thermochromic pigment(s) and a second portion of the base layer does not include the background thermochromic pigment(s). In some embodiments, the first portion of the base layer includes a first background thermochromic pigment and the second portion of the base layer includes a second background thermochromic pigment different than the first background thermochromic pigment. In some embodiments, a first portion of the pattern layer includes a foreground thermochromic pigment and a second portion of the pattern layer does not include a foreground thermochromic pigment (e.g., includes a traditional, non-color-changing pigment; includes no pigment; etc.). In some embodiments, the first portion of the pattern layer includes a first foreground thermochromic pigment and the second portion of the pattern layer includes a second foreground thermochromic pigment that is different than the first foreground thermochromic pigment. In some embodiments, the pattern layer does not include the foreground thermochromic pigments. In some embodiments, a first portion of the pattern layer includes one or more first sections having one or more foreground thermochromic pigments, a second portion of the pattern layer includes one or more second sections having one or more non-color-changing pigments, and/or a third portion of the pattern layer includes one or more third sections that do not include a pigment (i.e., expose the base layer).
According to various exemplary embodiments, the color-changing fabric can be arranged (e.g., cut, sewn, etc.) to form (i) apparel such as headbands, wristbands, ties, bowties, shirts, jerseys, gloves, scarves, jackets, vests, pants, shorts, dresses, skirts, blouses, footwear/shoes, belts, hats, etc.; (ii) accessories such as purses, backpacks, luggage, wallets, jewelry, hair accessories, etc.; (iii) home goods, décor, and fixed installations such as curtains, window blinds, furniture and furniture accessories, table cloths, blankets, bed sheets, pillow cases, rugs, carpet, wallpaper, art/paintings, automotive interiors, etc.; (iv) outdoor applications and equipment such as tents, awnings, umbrellas, canopies, tarps, signage, etc.; and/or (v) still other suitable applications. Further applications may include camouflage (e.g., military camouflage, hunting camouflage, etc.), which may be dynamically (e.g., selectively, adaptively, etc.) changed to suit daytime, nighttime, season, desert locations, snow locations, forest locations, urban locations, and/or other environmental conditions.
Color-Changing Fiber
According to the various exemplary embodiments shown in
According to an exemplary embodiment, the coating 14 includes one or more layers of polymeric material (e.g., a polymer, a polymer composite, a polymer with polycrystalline material, Hytrel, cyclic olefin copolymer, polypropylene, nylon, polyester, etc.). At least one of the one or more layers of polymeric material includes a reversible thermochromic pigment combined (e.g., mixed, compounded, impregnated, etc.) therewith such that the respective layer changes color (i) in response to a temperature change thereof (e.g., the thermochromic pigment transitions from a first color to a second color when heated and transitions from the second color to the first color when cooled, etc.) and/or (ii) in response to an electrical current being provided to the conductive core 12. Generally, any suitable reversible thermochromic pigment composition may be used. For example, the thermochromic pigment may include a liquid crystal material and/or a leucodye. In one embodiment, the coating 14 includes a single layer of polymeric material. In another embodiment, the coating 14 includes a plurality of concentric layers of polymeric material. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of concentric layers of polymeric material includes a respective thermochromic pigment. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of layers of polymeric material does not include a thermochromic pigment, but rather the pigment of the at least one polymeric material is substantially fixed and does not change (due to temperature or electrical current). The material of the coating 14 may be appropriately chosen for its properties based on the specific application for the color-changing fiber 10.
In operation, an electrical current (e.g., provided by a power source such as a battery, a solar panel, a photovoltaic fiber, etc. for portable applications; provided by a power source such as battery, a solar panel, a photovoltaic fiber, a mains power supply, a standard wall socket, etc. for fixed installations or non-wearable applications; etc.) is passed through the conductive core 12. The resistance of the conductive core 12 to the electrical current causes the temperature of the conductive core 12 to elevate and thereby heat and activate the thermochromic pigment of the coating 14 to transition the color thereof from a first color to a second color (e.g., from a darker color to a lighter color, from one opaque color to a different opaque color, from opaque to transparent, or the like when a temperature transition threshold is reached). In some embodiments, the color-changing fiber 10 transitions from the first color to the second color in 10s or 100s of milliseconds (e.g., depending on the amount of power applied, etc.). In some embodiments, the transition may be extended to seconds or even minutes to reduce energy consumption.
The color-changing fiber 10 may remain continuously biased at the second color and thus retain the second color until the user decides to remove the applied power to enable transitioning the color of the coating 14 back to the first color. In some embodiments, removing the electrical current results in the coating 14 transitioning from the second color back to the first color. The coating 14 may remain at the second color for several seconds or minutes following the removal of the electrical current. The transition time from the second color back to the first color may depend on the environmental temperature (e.g., body temperature of the person, temperature of the ambient environment, etc.) and the temperature at which the thermochromic pigment activates/deactivates (e.g., the temperature transition threshold, etc.).
In some embodiments, removing the electrical current does not result in the coating 14 transitioning from the second color back to the first color. By way of example, the temperature at which the thermochromic pigment returns to the first color may be below the environmental temperature. In such a case, removing the electrical current does not result in the color transitioning from the second color back to the first color. Rather, in such embodiments, the color of the coating 14 may remain fixed until extra cooling is applied to the color-changing fiber 10 to change the color back to the first color. By way of another example, the coating 14 may include a respective thermochromic pigment that exhibits thermal hysteresis in its photo-thermal behavior. For example, once the respective thermochromic pigment reaches its temperature transition threshold, the color thereof transitions. However, the coating 14 may retain the new color even when the temperature drops below the temperature transition threshold. In such a case, the respective thermochromic pigment may need to be brought to a temperature lower than the temperature transition threshold to return to its original color (e.g., 5, 10, 15, etc. degrees lower than the temperature transition threshold, etc.). Such an asymmetric transition capability may advantageously assist in reducing the electrical power needed for maintaining the second color of the coating 14 following the transition from the original, first color of the coating 14 to the second color.
According to an exemplary embodiment, impregnating or otherwise mixing the material of the coating 14 with one or more thermochromic pigments facilitates controlling the optical properties of the resultant fabric or other end product that the color-changing fiber 10 is incorporated into. By way of example, changing the pigment concentration may yield a variety of dynamically controllable optical effects, such as transitioning from one solid color to another, transitioning from a solid color to a semi-transparent sheer effect, transitioning from a solid color to transparent or substantially transparent, etc. By way of another example, the selection of the type and concentration of the pigments within the material of the coating 14 may be specifically tailored to suit each individual application in order to provide a desired original color and transition color, optimize the transition temperature, provide a desired transition time, and/or minimize power consumption required to perform and/or maintain the transition.
The thermochromic pigment may transition the coating 14 from a first color to a second color at a first temperature transition threshold. The first temperature transition threshold may be dependent on (i) the respective polymer or polymer composite, (ii) the respective thermochromic pigment, and/or (iii) the concentration of the respective thermochromic pigment. The first temperature transition threshold may be designed to be at a temperature between about 0 degrees Celsius and about 70 degrees Celsius. The temperature transition threshold may be selected based on the intended application of the end product including the color-changing fibers 10. By way of example, the temperature transition threshold may be about 0 degrees Celsius (e.g., between −15 and 15 degrees Celsius, at 0 degrees Celsius, at −5 degrees Celsius, at 5 degrees Celsius, below 5 degrees Celsius, below 10 degrees Celsius, etc.) for a garment intended for an outdoor winter application. By way another of example, the temperature transition threshold may be about 27 degrees Celsius (e.g., between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius, etc.) for a garment intended for an indoor application. By way of yet another example, the temperature transition threshold may be about 38 degrees Celsius (e.g., between 30 and 45 degrees Celsius, etc.) for a garment intended for an outdoor summer application. By way of still another example, the temperature transition threshold may be about 49 degrees Celsius (e.g., between 45 and 50 degrees Celsius, etc.) for a garment intended for a desert environment application (e.g., military use, etc.). In some embodiments, the transition from the first color to the second color includes a spectrum of colors between the first color and the second color. By way of example, the thermochromic pigments may transition from the first color to the second color with one or more intermediate colors before completing the transition. In some embodiments, the second color is colorless or transparent such that the color of the conductive core 12 is exposed and visible or a second layer beneath become visible.
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According to the various exemplary embodiments shown in
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According to an exemplary embodiment, the color-changing fiber 10 has dimensions (e.g., diameter, etc.) suitable for weaving in an industrial loom. By way of example, the transverse dimensions (e.g., diameter, width, etc.) of the color-changing fiber 10 and/or a multifilament fiber (e.g., thread, yarn, etc.) formed therefrom may generally be less than 1 millimeter. In some embodiments, the transverse dimensions are less than 700 micrometers. In some embodiments, the transverse dimensions are less than 40 micrometers. In some embodiments, the transverse dimensions are in a range from 15 micrometers to 30 micrometers. The diameter of the conductive core(s) 12 may range between 1 micrometer and 500 micrometers. The diameter of the reinforcement core(s) 16 may range from 1 micrometer and 500 micrometers (e.g., 200-300 micrometers, 50 micrometers, 100 micrometers, less than 300 micrometers, less than 200 micrometers, 260-350 micrometer, etc.). The diameter of reinforcement core(s) 16 may be less than, greater than, or substantially the same as the conductive core 12 (e.g., dependent upon the desired tensile strength and overall diameter of the color-changing fiber 10, 100-150 micrometer, etc.). The internal cross-sectional structure of the color-changing fiber 10 may have many variations from, for example, a single conductive core with a cladding coating, a multi-conductive-core within a cladding coating, a single conductive core with concentric ring coating layers, a single conductive core with a multi-segment coating in the azimuthal direction, combinations thereof, all of the above with one or more reinforcement cores, etc. All such variations are described in greater detail in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2019/0112733, filed Oct. 17, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further, while the color-changing fiber 10 is shown in
In some embodiments, the color-changing fiber 10 includes phosphor (e.g., within the coating 14, disposed between the conductive core 12 and/or the reinforcement core 16 and the coating 14, in an independent coating layer, etc.). The phosphor may facilitate providing a color-changing fiber 10 with a selectively controllable “glow-in-the-dark” effect. By way of example, if the coating 14 transitions to a transparent state from an opaque state, with the phosphor disposed underneath the coating, the phosphor may glow through the coating 14 when in the transparent state to provide a luminescent fiber. By way of another example, if the coating 14 includes phosphor, the phosphor may “glow” as an electrical current is provided to the color-changing fiber 10.
In some embodiments, the color-changing fiber 10 is used to form fabric (e.g., in weaving or knitting processes, etc.) as a monofilament and/or is incorporated into an existing product or fabric (e.g., sewn into an existing fabric, embroidery, etc.) as a monofilament. In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the non-color-changing fiber is a photovoltaic fiber. The photovoltaic fibers may be used to generate electrical energy from light energy to (i) charge or power a power source and/or (ii) directly provide an electrical current to the color-changing fibers 10 within the color-changing yarn 100 to facilitate the transition between the possible colors thereof. In some embodiments, the color-changing fiber 10 and/or the color-changing yarn 100 includes a glass core or another type of transparent core. In some embodiments, the color-changing fiber 10 includes sensors, the non-color-changing fiber includes sensors, and/or sensors are otherwise embedded within the color-changing yarn 100 (e.g., sensors to measure temperature, force, pressure, acceleration, moisture, etc.). By way of example, the sensors may be or include piezoelectric sensors that sense a depressive force or pressure (e.g., on the fabric that the color-changing yarn 100 is woven into, etc.). The piezoelectric sensors may send an electrical signal to a controller and the controller may take an appropriate action in response to the depression (e.g., provide electrical current to the color-changing fibers 10 to activate the thermochromic pigment to transition the color, etc.).
Fiber Manufacturing
According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
According to an exemplary embodiment, the first hopper 210 is configured to receive a first raw material of the coating 14 and the second hopper 212 is configured to receive a second raw material of the coating 14. By way of example, the first raw material may be a polymeric material such as thermoplastics, thermoplastic elastomers, polycrystalline polymers, and/or any other suitable material that softens sufficiently to traverse a fiber spinning system and then solidify upon cooling. The second raw material may be (i) a concentrate of the thermochromic pigment, (ii) a concentrate of the thermochromic pigment with added fillers or additives, and/or (iii) a concentrate of the thermochromic pigment and/or additives in a polymer host. The concentrate of the thermochromic pigment may come in the form of powder, pellets of any shape, slurry, ink, and/or another liquid. In other embodiments, the first hopper 210 and the second hopper 212 receive the same material (e.g., a thermochromic pigment and polymer mixture; see, e.g.,
According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
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In some embodiments, as shown in
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The newly formed color-changing fiber 10 may then be quenched to solidify and prevent deformation of the coating 14 around the wire 206. As shown in
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According to an exemplary embodiment, the controller 290 is configured to control operation of the first screw extruder 220, the second screw extruder 222, the melt pump 230, the spinneret 240, the drive motor 262, and/or the traverse 266. By way of example, the controller 290 may control the speed of the wire 206 through the fiber fabricator 200 (e.g., by controlling the speed of the drive motor 262, etc.), the thickness of the coating 14 disposed onto the wire 206 (e.g., by controlling the flow of the melted coating provided by the melt pump 230, the speed of the drive motor 262, etc.), the temperature of the heating elements in the first screw extruder 220 and the second screw extruder 222, and/or the speed at which the first screw extruder 220 and the second screw extruder 222 are driven.
It should be understood that the description of the fiber fabricator 200 in relation to
Increased production is possible by adjusting the fiber fabricator 200 to include multiple spinnerets 240 with an equal number of winders 260. More complex monofilament structures may be produced through the use of distribution plates. The distribution plates may be placed directly above and/or within the spinneret 240, and through carefully designed internal channels, combine raw materials from different screw extruders to produce the desired structure. By way of example, the distribution plates may guide softened polymer in such a way as to create a desired cross-sectional pattern onto the conductive core 12. These structures may enable the production of the color-changing fiber 10 having multiple different thermochromic pigments segregated into each a plurality of segments within the cross-sectional structure. Color-changing fibers 10 with multi-layer coatings may be produced by passing the color-changing fiber 10 through the fiber fabricator 200 or a different fiber fabricator 200 one or more additional times to add additional layers to the coating 14. The melt-spinning process may be employed to produce fibers with highly complex, multi-component cross sections, which can enable optical effects that cannot be achieved by simply mixing the thermochromic pigments in polymer or braiding different threads into a yarn.
In some embodiments, a pixelated cross-section pattern of the coating 14 is generated using distribution plates. In such embodiments, the pixelated cross-sections may be arranged in such a way to form or generate an image in the resulting fabric.
According to another example embodiment, a second fabrication procedure involves the continuous injection of a conductive core material, rather than using a prefabricated wire such as the wire 206. The second fabrication procedure includes the use of raw materials. The raw materials for the coating 14 include those described above, in addition to a raw material or raw materials to form the conductive core 12 (i.e., no pre-existing wire is used). The raw materials to form the conductive core 12 may include (i) low-melting-temperature metals such as tin, indium, etc., (ii) low-melting-temperature metal alloys, (iii) a semiconductor material, (iv) a conductive polymer, or (v) combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the melt temperature of the raw materials for the conductive core 12 is less than the melt temperature of the raw materials for the coating 14.
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The second fabrication procedure may be performed as follows: (i) the raw materials for the coating 14 are fed into a hopper (e.g., the first hopper 210, the second hopper 212, etc.), (ii) the raw materials for the conductive core 12 are loaded into the conductive core injection system 800 (e.g., the heating cabinet 804, etc.), (iii) the raw materials for the conductive core 12 are melted and delivered via the conductive core injection system 800 to a specialized spinneret (e.g., a bicomponent melt extrusion pack, the spinneret 240, etc.), (iv) the raw materials for the coating 14 are melted and delivered via the first screw extruder 220, the second screw extruder 222, and/or the melt pump 230 to the specialized spinneret, (v) the specialized spinneret co-extrudes the conductive core 12 and the coating 14 into a core/cladding monofilament architecture (i.e., the color-changing fiber 10), and (vi) the color-changing fiber 10 is quenched and spooled.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the fiber fabrication processes disclosed herein provide flexibility with respect to the materials selection, structure, size, and even shape of each individual fiber. Exercising control over these degrees of freedom facilitates optimizing the heat transfer and thermal distribution over a fabric formed from the individual fibers. For example, materials with different thermal conductivities may heat up and cool down at different rates. The freedom to choose materials that either hold heat (i.e., allowing for less electrical energy to maintain the color change) or dissipate heat (i.e., allowing for quicker color change/return) facilitates tailoring the material to the application. Further, control over the size of the color-changing fiber 10 and the ratio of the diameter of the conductive core 12 and/or the reinforcement core 16 to the diameter of the coating 14 facilitates optimizing the largest material volume change per unit electrical energy. Furthermore, control over the diameter of the conductive core 12 (which is the typically a heavier metal component) and/or the reinforcement core 16 facilitates controlling the weight (i.e., how “heavy”) of the resultant fabric. Such control therefore facilitates tailoring the fibers based on different application needs.
The fabrication of the color-changing yarn 100 may be performed in many ways. In one embodiment, the color-changing fiber 10 on the fiber spool 280 is combined (e.g., twisted, braided, etc.) with (i) one or more other color-changing fibers 10 from other fiber spools 280 and/or (ii) one or more non-color-changing fibers from other spools. In another embodiment, multiple fiber fabricators 200 are set up in parallel (e.g., each including the hoppers, the screw extruders, the melt pumps, the spinnerets, etc.). The resultant color-changing fiber 10 from each fiber fabricator 200 may be fed into a combining machine (e.g., a braiding machine, etc.) that forms the color-changing yarn 100 from the plurality of color-changing fibers 10. The color-changing yarn 100 may then be spooled. In still another embodiment, as shown in
Fabric Manufacturing
As shown in
Various weaving and/or knitting techniques may be used to arrange the color-changing fibers 10 and/or the color-changing yarns 100 into the color-changing fabric 300. By way of example, the weaving and/or knitting techniques may include a twill/herringbone weave, a satin weave, a loom weave, a basket weave, a plain weave, a Jacquard weave, an Oxford weave, a rib weave, courses and wales knitting, weft and warp knitting, and/or other suitable weaving and/or knitting techniques.
According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
In some embodiments, the base layer 302 does not include the background thermochromic pigments. In some embodiments, the base layer 302 has differing portions. By way of example, (i) one or more first portions of the base layer 302 may include background thermochromic pigments, which may be the same or different between the one or more first portions, and (ii) one or more second portions of the base layer 304 may not include a background thermochromic pigment. By way of another example, a first portion of the base layer 302 may include a first background thermochromic pigment and a second portion of the base layer 302 may include a second background thermochromic pigment that is different than the first background thermochromic pigment.
Pattern Printing
In some embodiments, the color-changing fabric 300 undergoes additional processing that includes printing a pattern onto the base layer 302. In some embodiments, the pattern printing is omitted. According to the exemplary embodiments shown in
In some embodiments, the pattern layer 304 has differing portions. By way of example, (i) one or more first portions of the pattern layer 304 may include foreground thermochromic pigments, which may be the same or different between the one or more first portions, and (ii) one or more second portions of the pattern layer 304 may not include a foreground thermochromic pigment (e.g., includes a traditional, non-color-changing pigment; no pigment is printed on a portion, exposing the base layer 302; etc.). By way of another example, a first portion of the pattern layer 304 may include a first foreground thermochromic pigment and a second portion of the pattern layer 304 may include a second foreground thermochromic pigment that is different than the first foreground thermochromic pigment. In some embodiments, the pattern layer 304 does not include the foreground thermochromic pigments. By way of example, a first portion of the pattern layer 304 may include a non-color-changing pigment and a second portion of the pattern layer 304 may include no pigment (i.e., exposing the base layer 302). In some embodiments, a first portion of the pattern layer 304 includes one or more first sections having one or more foreground thermochromic pigments, a second portion of the pattern layer 304 includes one or more second sections having one or more non-color-changing pigments, and/or a third portion of the pattern layer 304 includes one or more third sections that do not include a pigment (i.e., expose the base layer 302).
As shown in
Electrical Connectorization
In some embodiments, the color-changing fabric 300 undergoes additional processing that includes electrically connecting the conductive cores 12 thereof. The electrical connectorization may occur prior to pattern printing or after pattern printing (if pattern printing is performed on the color-changing fabric 300). As shown in
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According to an exemplary embodiment, the ultrasonic welder 370 is positioned relative to or coupled to the welding surface 364 such that the interface between the anvil 372 and the horn 374 is at the same level as the color-changing fabric 300 as the color-changing fabric 300 moves along the welding surface 364 between the feed roller 346 and the intake roller 356. According to an exemplary embodiment, the feed motor 348, the intake motor 358, and/or the anvil 372 and the horn 374 are configured to cooperate to guide and push/pull the color-changing fabric 300 and the bus 380 from the feed roller 346 and bus spool at the bus interface 349, respectively, through the ultrasonic welder 370 to the intake roller 356 to provide the color-changing fabric 300 having the bus 380 welded thereto (e.g., a continuous weld along the edge of the color-changing fabric 300; see, e.g.,
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In some embodiments, the bus 380 is folded along the edge of the color-changing fabric 300 such that the bus 380 is positioned on the top and bottom of the color-changing fabric 300. In some embodiments, individual buses 380 are positioned on the top and bottom of the color-changing fabric 300 and aligned with one another. In other embodiments, the bus 380 only includes the foil layer 384 or includes one or more metallic wires. In such embodiments, the color-changing fabric 300 may include a cover (e.g., a fabric cover, etc.) positioned over the welds and secured (e.g., glued, welded, stitched, etc.) along the edge of the color-changing fabric 300. The cover may be positioned to protect and insulate the connections of the welds between the bus 380 and the conductive cores 12.
While the connectorization system 330 has been described as forming a continuous weld of the bus 380 along the edge of the color-changing fabric 300, in some embodiments, the color-changing fabric 300 includes a plurality of discrete and separate pieces of the bus 380 along the edge thereof. In some embodiments, the connectorization system 330 includes a cutting/isolation apparatus that works alongside the ultrasonic welder 370. The cutting/isolation apparatus is configured to cut or otherwise isolate the bus 380 at programmed intervals as it is applied to the color-changing fabric 300 by the ultrasonic welder 370 to provide groups of the conductive cores 12 that are electrically connected.
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Applications
According to an exemplary embodiment, the color-changing fibers 10 and/or the color-changing yarns 100 are capable of being incorporated into existing products (e.g., using embroidery, as a patch, etc.) and/or arranged to form the color-changing fabric 300 (e.g., using weaving, knitting, etc.) with color-changing capabilities. As shown in
As described above, the base layer 302 can be provided with various different arrangements (e.g., with thermochromic pigments, without thermochromic pigments, with differing portions, etc.) and the pattern layer 304 can also be provided with various different arrangements (e.g., with thermochromic pigments, without thermochromic pigments, differing portions, etc.). The differing arrangements of the base layer 302 and the pattern layer 304, and the various possible combinations thereof, facilitate providing numerous different color-changing capabilities of the color-changing fabric 300 and the color-changing product 400. By way of example, the foreground color may change while the background color may remain static. By way of another example, a first portion of the foreground may change color while a second portion of the foreground may remain static (i.e., a portion that does not include thermochromic pigments). The static portion of the foreground may be affected by a color change of the background beneath it, however. By way of still another example, the foreground color may disappear (i.e., become transparent), exposing the background color (e.g., a dark foreground color printed over a light background color, etc.). By way of another example, the combination of the background color and foreground color may be designed to create varying shades or colors to the eye. For example, a first foreground color (e.g., black, etc.) may be printed on top of a second background color (e.g., red, etc.) to provide a third color (e.g., a deep red color, etc.). As the first color is transitioned (e.g., to transparent, etc.), the shade of third color may start to become brighter and more vibrant (e.g., more red, etc.). The background color may also change to provide even further color combinations. For example, the foreground color may change at a first temperature and the background color may change at a second higher temperature. Therefore, the colors may transition between three or more colors.
According to various other exemplary embodiments, the color-changing fabric 300 can be arranged (e.g., cut, sewn, etc.) to form other types of color-changing products 400 such as: (i) apparel such as headbands, wristbands, ties, bowties, shirts, jerseys, gloves, scarves, jackets, vests, pants, shorts, dresses, skirts, blouses, footwear/shoes, belts, hats, etc.; (ii) accessories such as purses, backpacks, luggage, wallets, jewelry, hair accessories, etc.; (iii) home goods, décor, and fixed installations such as curtains, window blinds, furniture and furniture accessories, table cloths, blankets, bed sheets, pillow cases, rugs, carpet, wallpaper, art/paintings, automotive interiors, etc.; (iv) outdoor applications and equipment such as tents, awnings, umbrellas, canopies, tarps, signage, etc.; and/or (v) still other suitable applications.
Product Control System
Any of a variety of systems and methods may be used to control the color-changing fibers 10, the color-changing yarns 100, the color-changing fabrics 300, and/or the color-changing products 400 disclosed herein. According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
As shown in
According to an exemplary embodiment, the power supply 620 is configured to facilitate selectively providing an electrical current to the color-changing fibers 10 and/or the color-changing yarns 100 of the color-changing product 400 (e.g., based on commands provided by the controller 610, etc.) to activate the background thermochromic pigments in the coatings 14 and/or the foreground thermochromic pigments in the pattern layer 304. The power supply 620 may be a rechargeable battery pack, a replaceable battery pack, and/or another suitable power supply. The power supply 620 may be chargeable using a direct connection to an external power source (e.g., a mains power line, etc.), wirelessly using wireless charging technology, and/or require that batteries therein be replaced on occasion. In some embodiments, as shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the color-changing product 400 does not include the pocket 402. In such embodiments, the controller 610 and/or the power supply 620 may be integrated into the color-changing product 400. By way of example, the controller 610 and/or the power supply 620 may be directly coupled to the color-changing product 400 (e.g., with clips, Velcro, sewn thereto, etc.). By way of another example, the controller 610 and/or the power supply 620 may be disposed within a liner of the color-changing product 400 (e.g., with the insulation of a liner within a vest or jacket, etc.). In such an embodiment, the color-changing product 400 may include a charging port that facilitates charging the internally disposed power supply 620. By way of another example, the power supply 620 may be a “free-floating” power supply that is carried by the wearer or within a compartment of the color-changing product 400 (e.g., a pursue compartment, a bag compartment, a jacket pocket, etc.) and may be selectively connectable to the controller 610 and/or the other components of the color-changing product 400 (e.g., directly, using a connection port within the compartment, etc.).
As shown in
As shown in
According to an exemplary embodiment, the input device 630 is configured to facilitate a user or operator of the color-changing product 400 with selectively controlling the visual appearance (e.g., color, pattern, etc.) of the color-changing product 400 (e.g., may be used to remotely control the color and/or pattern of the color-changing fabric 300, etc.). The input device 630 may be configured to communicate with the controller 610 via any suitable wireless communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, NFC, Zigbee, radio, cellular, Wi-Fi, etc.) and/or wired communication protocol. The input device 630 may be a cellular phone, a “smart” phone, a remote control, a computing device such as a laptop computer, a switch device, a button device, a touch-sensitive feature, a “smart home” controller device or hub (e.g., Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Z-wave controller, etc.), etc.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As an example, an article of clothing or another product incorporating color-changing fibers may normally exhibit a first color or first pattern in a first state (e.g., the state 306), and a user may select a second, different color or pattern using the input device 630 (e.g., by pressing the button 632, swiping across the touch-sensitive portion 634, selecting an appropriate command on the smartphone 636, etc.), which in turn sends a signal to the controller 610 to turn the color-changing fabric 300 from the first color/pattern to the second color/pattern such that the color-changing fabric 300 is in a second state (e.g., the state 308) that differs from the first state (see, e.g.,
As shown in
In some embodiments, the sensors 494 and/or the sensors 640 include a piezoelectric sensor that is configured to sense a depressive force or pressure on the color-changing fabric 300 (e.g., similar to the touch-sensitive portion 634 in
In some embodiments, the sensors 494 and/or the sensors 640 include a hazard sensor configured to facilitate detecting a hazardous substance such as one or more specific gasses, liquids, and/or chemicals. By way of example, in a personal protective equipment embodiment (e.g., a lab coat, a hazmat suit, medical scrubs, gloves, military gear, etc.), the color-changing product 400 may include such a hazard sensor that is configured to detect harmful gasses in the ambient air around the color-changing product 400, harmful liquids that come into contact with the color-changing product 400, and/or harmful chemicals that come into contact with the color-changing product 400. In such embodiments, the controller 610 may (i) receive a signal from the hazard sensor when it detects a harmful substance and (ii) activate the color-changing product 400 to notify the wearer of the color-changing product 400 and/or people nearby. Such activation may include changing the color of the entire color-changing product 400, changing the color of the portion of the color-changing product 400 where the harmful substance was detected on the color-changing product 400, changing a pattern on the color-changing product 400 to a predefined warning pattern, dynamically changing the pattern, flashing the pattern, and/or still otherwise change the appearance of the color-changing product 400 to provide a warning notification.
In some embodiments, the sensors 494 and/or the sensors 640 include a light sensor configured to facilitate detecting a level of ambient light around the color-changing product 400. In such embodiments, the controller 610 may (i) receive a signal from the light sensor regarding light intensity and (ii) activate the color-changing product 400 in response to the light intensity falling below a threshold light intensity (e.g., when it gets relatively dark outside, a low light condition, etc.) and deactivate the color-changing product 400 in response to the light intensity exceeding the threshold light intensity.
In some embodiments, the sensors 494 and/or the sensors 640 include an activity or health sensor configured to facilitate monitoring physiological characteristics of the wearer of the color-changing product 400. By way of example, the physiological characteristics may include a heart rate, breathing patterns, temperature, sleeplessness/alertness, time of activity, SpO2 levels, glucose levels, salt levels, hydration levels, and/or other physiological characteristics that may be affected by physical exertion. Such an activity or health sensor may be or include a heart rate sensor, a temperature sensor, a sweat sensor, a timer, a respiratory or breathing sensor, and/or still other sensors, to acquire the physiological characteristics regarding conditions of the wearer of the color-changing product 400. In such embodiments, the controller 610 may (i) receive a signal from the activity or health sensor regarding one or more physiological characteristics of the wearer of the color-changing product 400 and (ii) activate the color-changing product 400 in response to a physiological characteristic of the wearer not satisfying a corresponding physiological threshold (e.g., exceeding a threshold; falling below a threshold; a maximum heart rate, a minimum heart rate, a maximum time of activity, an irregular heartbeat, an irregular breathing pattern, a maximum temperature, a minimum temperature, a minimum glucose level, a maximum glucose level, a minimum salt level, a maximum salt level, etc.) to notify the wearer of the color-changing product 400 and/or people nearby. Such activation may include changing the color of the entire color-changing product 400, changing the color of a portion of the color-changing product 400, changing a pattern on the color-changing product 400 to a predefined warning pattern, flashing the pattern, and/or still otherwise change the appearance of the color-changing product 400 to provide a warning notification.
In some embodiments, the sensors 494 and/or the sensors 640 include an audio sensor (e.g., a microphone, a micro-electro-mechanical systems (“MEMS”) microphone, etc.) configured to facilitate detecting sound waves. In some embodiments, the audio sensor is integrated into the input device 630. By way of example, the color-changing product 400 (or the input device 630) may include an audio sensor that is configured to detect voice commands. In such embodiments, the controller 610 may (i) receive a signal from the audio sensor when the audio sensor detects a voice command and (ii) activate the color-changing product 400 based on the voice command. Such activation may be specific to the voice command. For example, a first voice command (e.g., “active mode 1,” etc.) may activate a first color, activate a first pattern, cause the pattern to flash/blink at a first rate, activate a first portion, etc.; while a second voice command (e.g., “active mode 2,” etc.) may activate a second color, activate a second pattern, cause the pattern to flash/blink at a second rate, activate a second portion, etc.
In some embodiments, the sensors 494 and/or the sensors 640 include an activity sensor (e.g., a motion sensor, a proximity sensor, an occupancy sensor, etc.) configured to facilitate detecting a person and/or movement around the color-changing product 400. In some embodiments, the activity sensor is integrated into the color-changing product 400. In some embodiments, the activity sensor is an external sensor that is electrically connected to the color-changing product 400. The controller 610 may (i) receive a signal from the activity sensor when the activity sensor detects a person and/or movement and (ii) activate the color-changing product 400 based on the detection. By way of example, the controller 610 may be configured to activate the color-changing product 400 when a person enters a room or comes into a certain proximity and deactivate the color-changing product 400 when the person exits the room or is outside of the certain proximity.
In some embodiments, the controller 610 is configured to provide notifications to the wearer of the color-changing product 400 based on certain programmed activation settings. By way of example, the controller 610 may be wirelessly connected (e.g., via Bluetooth, etc.) to the wearer's personal device (e.g., smartphone, smartwatch, etc.). The controller 610 may be configured to activate the color-changing product 400 in response to the wearer's personal device generating a notification (e.g., a phone call notification, a text notification, an email notification, a social media notification, an alarm notification, a calendar notification, etc.). Such activation may include changing the color of the entire color-changing product 400, changing the color of a portion of the color-changing product 400, changing a pattern on the color-changing product 400 to a predefined notification pattern, flashing the pattern at a predefined frequency, and/or still otherwise change the appearance of the color-changing product 400 to provide a notification. The activation color, pattern, flashing frequency, and/or location for a first type of notification (e.g., a text message, etc.) may be different than the activation color, pattern, flashing frequency, and/or location for a second, different type of notification (e.g., an email, etc.).
The controller 610 may additionally or alternatively be configured to activate the color-changing product 400 based on data available on the wearer's personal device. The wearer's personal device may run or operate numerous applications such as a weather application, a maps application, etc. By way of example, the controller 610 may be configured to activate the color-changing product 400 or a portion thereof based on the data in the weather application indicating characteristics regarding the current weather (e.g., sunny, rain, snow, fog, hot, cold, etc.). For example, the controller 610 may be configured to activate a first color, activate a first pattern, cause the pattern to flash/blink at a first rate, activate a first portion, etc. based on a first weather characteristic; while the controller 610 may be configured to activate a second color, activate a second pattern, cause the pattern to flash/blink at a second rate, activate a second portion, etc. based on a second weather characteristic.
By way of another example, the controller 610 may be configured to activate the color-changing product 400 or a portion thereof based on the data in the maps application indicating directions to a destination during a GPS session (e.g., turn left, turn right, continue straight, arrived, etc.). For example, the controller 610 may be configured to activate a first color, a first pattern, cause the pattern to flash/blink at a first rate, activate a first portion (e.g., a right sleeve, etc.), etc. based on a first direction characteristic (e.g., turn right, etc.); while the controller 610 may be configured to activate a second color, activate a second pattern, cause the pattern to flash/blink at a second rate, activate a second portion (e.g., a left sleeve, etc.), etc. based on a second direction characteristics (e.g., turn left, etc.).
According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
The first pattern button 730, the second pattern button 740, and/or the third pattern button 750 may facilitate selectively manipulating the color and/or pattern of the color-changing product 400. By way of example, the first pattern button 730 may be associated with a first predefined pattern (e.g., a striped pattern, a checkered pattern, a first camouflage pattern, etc.), the second pattern button 740 may be associated with a second predefined pattern (e.g., a gradient color pattern, a second camouflage pattern, etc.), and the third pattern button 750 may be associated with a third predefined pattern (e.g., a solid color pattern, a third camouflage pattern, etc.). In some embodiments, the patterns associated with the first pattern button 730, the second pattern button 740, and/or the third pattern button 750 are selectively set by the user (e.g., downloadable, chosen from a larger list, etc.) and/or selectively customizable. In some embodiments, the GUI 700 provides fewer or more than three pattern options (e.g., two, four, five, etc. selectable patterns).
In some embodiments, the GUI 700 additionally or alternatively provides a notification button that facilitates defining which types of notifications cause activation of the color-changing product 400 and/or selecting what color, pattern, flash/blink rate, portion of the color-changing product 400, etc. is activated based on a respective type of notification.
The battery meter button 760 may facilitate selectively presenting a battery status or power level of the power supply 620 or the PV source 492 to the user of the input device 630 (e.g., upon selection by the user, etc.). The temperature button 770 may facilitate selectively presenting a temperature setting and/or a current temperature of the color-changing product 400 or various individual portions thereof to the user of the input device 630 (e.g., upon selection by the user, etc.). The network information button 780 may facilitate (i) selectively connecting the input device 630 to a respective color-changing product 400 (i.e., the controller 610 thereof) and/or (ii) selectively presenting network connection information to the user of the input device 630 (e.g., upon selection by the user, etc.) regarding communication between (a) the input device 630 and (b) the controller 610 (e.g., communication protocol type, connection strength, an identifier of the color-changing product 400 connected to the input device 630, etc.) and/or an external network (e.g., communication protocol type, connection strength, etc.). The social media button 790 may facilitate linking the app on the input device 630 to the user's social media account(s) (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc.). Such linking may allow the user to share the patterns they have generated with their peers and/or facilitate downloading patterns generated by others via their social media account.
These examples are not intended as limiting but are provided merely to provide certain non-exclusive examples of how fabrics incorporating the color-changing fibers 10 disclosed herein may be controlled by a user. It should be noted that although the aforementioned examples contemplate the use of a wireless electronic device such as a smartphone to communicate with and change the color and/or pattern of a fabric and/or an individual fiber, any of a variety of other types of controllers may be used to control the color and/or pattern of a fabric, and may employ wired or wireless communications connections, and may use any useful wired or wireless communications protocols that are now known or that may be hereafter developed. The color and/or pattern changes may be manually activated at a desired time by a user or may be programmed to occur (or not occur) at defined times and/or intervals in the future. In some embodiments, the controller 610 is configured to activate at least a portion of the color-changing fibers 10 in response to the smartphone receiving a notification (e.g., a text message, an email, a call, etc.). The type of activation (e.g., color, pattern, etc.) or portion of the color-changing product 400 that is activated may correspond with the type of notification or the cause of such notification (e.g., the person texting, emailing, calling, etc.). The controller 610 may allow for programming of such timer settings and/or notifications using any of a variety of possible programming methods, all of which are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”, and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The term “coupled” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition than the generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic.
The term “or,” as used herein, is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used to connect a list of elements, the term “or” means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is understood to convey that an element may be either X; Y; Z; X and Y; X and Z; Y and Z; or X, Y, and Z (i.e., any combination of X, Y, and Z). Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z to each be present, unless otherwise indicated.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
The hardware and data processing components used to implement the various processes, operations, illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose single- or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or, any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor also may be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, particular processes and methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function. The memory (e.g., memory, memory unit, storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash memory, hard disk storage) for storing data and/or computer code for completing or facilitating the various processes, layers and modules described in the present disclosure. The memory may be or include volatile memory or non-volatile memory, and may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in the present disclosure. According to an exemplary embodiment, the memory is communicably connected to the processor via a processing circuit and includes computer code for executing (e.g., by the processing circuit or the processor) the one or more processes described herein.
The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing various operations. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.
Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless specified differently above. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above. Such variation may depend, for example, on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations of the described methods could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps, and decision steps.
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the fibers, yarns, fabrics, and end products as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein. Although only one example of an element from one embodiment that can be incorporated or utilized in another embodiment has been described above, it should be appreciated that other elements of the various embodiments may be incorporated or utilized with any of the other embodiments disclosed herein.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210363669 A1 | Nov 2021 | US |
