Performance gauge for fabric and cushioning material

Abstract

Athletic apparel, including compression garments and athletic footwear, is disclosed as capable of monitoring the wear of compression fabric and/or cushioning material by attaching a performance gauge onto the apparel. The performance gauge includes microcapsules that contain a co-reactant, wherein the microcapsules can breakdown in concert with the wear and degradation of the compression fabric or cushioning material, thereby allowing the co-reactant to produce color indication. As the wear of the fabric and cushioning material increases, more microcapsules breakdown resulting in a progression of color change visible through additional layers on the performance gauge, or by the fabric and/or cushioning material. The microcapsules can be engineered to breakdown based on any variation of factors that correspond to the degradation of compressive fabric and cushioning material, including shear force, tension, impact force, and/or exposure to high temperature and water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A performance gauge that provides for monitoring fabric degradation and/or cushioning material degradation, comprising:
 a body that can be affixed to fabric and/or cushioning material, the body having a halochromatic material therein;   a plurality of microcapsules embedded within said body, each microcapsule having (a) a outer shell encompassing a inner volume and b) a co-reactant that is contained within said inner volume, wherein said co-reactant can escape the inner volume upon rupture of the outer shell, and said co-reactant activates upon contact with the halochromatic material, to produce color indication.   
     
     
         2 . The performance gauge defined in  claim 1 , wherein the outer shells for each microcapsule will progressively rupture when subjected to pressure and shear forces, impact forces, ground resultant forces, tension, friction, high temperature, and/or exposure to detergent, sweat, or water. 
     
     
         3 . The performance gauge defined in  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a layer of textile, foam, or rubber, and further comprises a laminate or coating layer that absorbs and displays the color indication, said laminate or coating layer further comprising a) a hydrophobic film that is microporous and/or b) a hydrophilic film that is non-porous. 
     
     
         4 . An athletic apparel that provides for monitoring fabric degradation, comprising:
 an apparel body having a compressive fabric, the apparel body configured to conform to a portion of the wearer; and   a performance gauge secured to the compressive fabric of the apparel body, the performance gauge having:
 a body that can be affixed to fabric and/or cushioning material, the body having a halochromatic material therein; 
 a plurality of microcapsules embedded within said body, each microcapsule having (a) a outer shell encompassing a inner volume and b) a co-reactant that is contained within said inner volume, wherein said co-reactant can escape the inner volume upon rupture of the outer shell, and said co-reactant activates upon contact with the halochromatic material, to produce color indication. 
   
     
     
         5 . The athletic apparel defined in  claim 4 , wherein the performance gauge further comprises a binder layer affixed to the compressive fabric, and said plurality of microcapsules are embedded within the binder layer. 
     
     
         6 . The athletic apparel defined in  claim 4 , wherein the outer shell for each microcapsule will progressively rupture when subject to pressure and shear forces, tension, friction, high temperature, and/or exposure to detergent, sweat, or water. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic apparel defined in  claim 6 , further comprising any combination of microcapsules of any size less than or equal to 100 micrometers with any outer shell thickness less than the corresponding microcapsule size. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic apparel defined in  claim 4 , wherein the performance gauge further comprises at least one indicating substrate that absorbs and displays the color of the activated dye. 
     
     
         9 . The athletic apparel defined in  claim 8 , wherein at least one indicating substrate comprises a laminate or coating with a rubbery material that absorbs impact and/or shock. 
     
     
         10 . The athletic apparel defined in  claim 8 , wherein at least one indicating substrate comprises a laminate or coating with a) a hydrophobic film that is microporous and/or b) a hydrophilic film that is non-porous.