Accessory Appearance Control via Photochromic Light
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional accessories, such as eyeglasses and technology devices, lack the ability to change appearance based on user desire, leading to limited options and increased production costs for manufacturers due to the need for multiple color variants, resulting in waste and restricted design flexibility.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a container with adjustable lighting and a photochromic material that changes color in response to light, allowing users to dynamically alter the appearance of accessories through a smartphone app or voice commands, enabling on-demand changes in color and design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manufacturers produce multiple color variants of accessories, then consumer choice and appearance options are improved, but production costs, complexity, and waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies photochromic material to accessories that can change color when exposed to light of specific wavelengths. A portable device emits light at different wavelengths to trigger color changes in the photochromic material, allowing a single accessory to display multiple colors without manufacturing multiple variants. This resolves the contradiction by providing appearance versatility through optical manipulation rather than physical production of multiple color versions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the optical parameters of the accessory by using light of different wavelengths to alter the appearance of the photochromic material. Instead of producing accessories with different physical properties (different colors), the system changes the appearance parameter dynamically through light exposure, reducing production complexity while maintaining appearance versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If consumers purchase multiple versions of accessories for different colors, then appearance options are improved, but cost and waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The photochromic material in the accessory changes color in response to light exposure from the portable device. Consumers no longer need to purchase multiple accessories in different colors; instead, a single accessory can be transformed into different color variants through light exposure, eliminating the waste associated with discarding unused color variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable device serves multiple functions: it acts as a light source for color changing, a storage container for the accessory, and potentially a charging device. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate products, decreasing waste while providing versatile color options.
3Ease of manufacture
If accessories are made in a single color, then production costs and complexity are reduced, but consumer choice and enjoyment are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory is manufactured in a single color with photochromic material that can be transformed into multiple colors through light exposure. This maintains production simplicity while adding design flexibility, as the accessory can be dynamically changed to different colors based on user preference or ambient conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The accessory transitions from a static single-color design to a dynamic multi-color design through the photochromic material's response to light. The color is not fixed but can be changed on demand, providing design flexibility without complicating the manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to change the appearance of accessories multiple times, providing enjoyment and flexibility while reducing production costs and waste by allowing a single product to serve multiple design options, with changes being semi-permanent until reapplication of light.
Implementation Method 1
A reactive material of the contents of the container may be configured to change appearance in response to the characteristic of light
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a container, a plurality of lights and a circuit. The container may comprise an outer shell comprising a material configured to protect contents of the apparatus and an inner surface. The outer shell may be configured to open to enable the contents to be placed on the inner surface. A cavity may be formed within the container when the outer shell is closed. The plurality of lights implemented on the inner surface may each be configured to adjust a characteristic of light output in response to a signal. The circuit may be configured to generate the signal in response to an input. The circuit may be implemented between the outer shell and the inner surface. A reactive material of the contents of the container may be configured to change appearance in response to the characteristic of light.