| United States Patent |
6,519,038 |
| Kritchman |
February 11, 2003 |
Process for dying material to match a predetermined color
Abstract
The instant invention is a process for dying a-non-skin material to match an
individual's skin tone. The skin is scanned by any color measuring device which
digitalizes the color value and imputes that value into a computer based
software program. The software program compares the individual's color value to
a-digitalized predetermined library of colorants and a-digitalized predetermined
library of non-skin materials. The program considers such things as the
properties of the non-skin material to-determine a colorant mix. The colorant
mix consists of the particular colorants needed and the quantity of each
colorant needed to formulate a color match. The data for the color match is
transferred to a computer controlled pumping mixing system which produces the
amount of color match needed. The non-skin material is dyed and dried. To ensure
that the dyed non-skin material matches the individual's skin tone, the dried
non-skin material is then scanned by the color measurement device, given a
non-skin material color value, digitalized, and imputed into the software
program. The digital non-skin material color value is compared to the
individual's color value. If the two values are within an acceptable
predetermined range, then the dyed product is finished, if not the dyed product
is rejected.
| Inventors: |
Kritchman; Jerold (Tequesta, FL) |
| Appl. No.: |
09/702,269 |
| Filed: |
October 30, 2000 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
356/425 ; 356/402 |
| Current International Class:
|
G01J 3/46 (20060101) |
| Field of Search: |
356/425,402,405 602/58 604/304
|
References Cited [Referenced
By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Evans; F. L.
Assistant Examiner: Punnoose; Roy M
Attorney, Agent or
Firm: McHale & Slavin
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A process for dying a material to match a
chosen skin tone color comprising; scanning a chosen skin tone color to retrieve
a value therefore; assigning a digital value to said retrieved value; inputting
said digital value into a computer based software program wherein said digital
value is assigned a color value; comparing said color value to a predetermined
library of colorant values and predetermined library of material values to
determine a colorant mix; formulating a color match from said colorant mix;
transferring data relating to said color match to a computer controlled pumping
mixing system; producing an amount needed of said color match; dying said
material with said amount needed of said color match; drying said dyed material;
scanning said dyed material to determine dyed material color value and;
comparing said dyed material color value with said skin tone color value to
determine if any variance is within a predetermined statistical range.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein said assigning a color value
comprises; scanning the chosen color twice, retrieving two values, digitalizing
said two values; inputting said two digital values into said computer software
program; determining if said two digital values are within an acceptable
predetermined statistical range; if within said acceptable predetermined
statistical range then averaging said two digital values to determine said color
value; if not within said acceptable predetermined statistical range then doing
a third scan, retrieving a third value, digitalizing said third value, inputting
said third digital value into said computer; determining the closest two values
among said two digital values and said third digital value; averaging said two
closest values to determine said color value.
3. The process of claim 2
wherein said predetermined statistical range is a plus or minus five percent.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein said chosen color is an individual's
skin tone.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein said retrieved value is
obtained by scanning with an optical measurement.
6. The process of
claim 5 wherein said optical measurement is a spectrophotometer.
7. The
process of claim 1 wherein said software program includes a color matching
algorithm.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein said colorant library is
comprised of digitalized data for a color range of inks and dyes.
9. The
process of claim 1 wherein said material library is digitalized data for a range
of materials comprising elastic,plastic, latex, textiles, rubber, and velcro.
10. The process of claim 1 wherein said colorant-mix contains the
determined colorants and determined quantity said determined colorants.
11. A process for dying a non-skin material to match an individual's
skin tone comprising; scanning said individual's skin to retrieve a color value
therefore; assigning a digital color value to said retrieved color value;
inputting said digital color value into a computer based software program
wherein said digital color value is assigned an individual color value;
comparing said individual color value to a predetermined library of colorant
values and predetermined library of non-skin material values to determine a
colorant mix; formulating a color match from said colorant mix; transferring
data relating to said color match to a computer controlled pumping mixing
system; producing an amount needed of said color match; dying said non--skin
material with said amount needed of said color match; drying said dyed non-skin
material; scanning said dyed non-skin material to determine dyed non-skin
material color value and; comparing said dyed non-skin material color value with
said skin color value to determine if any variance is within a predetermined
statistical range.
12. The process of claim 11 wherein said assigning an
individual color value comprises; scanning the individual's skin twice,
retrieving two color values, digitalizing said two color values; inputting said
two digital color values into said computer software program; determining if
said two digital color values are within an acceptable predetermined statistical
range; if within said acceptable predetermined statistical range then averaging
said two digital color values to determine said individual color value; if not
within said acceptable predetermined statistical range then doing a third scan,
retrieving a third color value, digitalizing said third color value, inputting
said third digital color value into said computer software program; determining
the closest two values among said two digital color values and said third
digital color value; averaging said two closest values to determine said
individual color value.
13. The process of claims 12 wherein said
predetermined statistical range is a plus or minus five percent.
14. The
process of claim 11 wherein said retrieved color value is obtained by scanning
with an optical measurement.
15. The process of claim 11 wherein said
optical measurement is a spectrophotometer.
16. The process of claim 11
wherein said colorant library is comprised of digitalized data for a color range
of inks and dyes.
17. The process of claim 11 wherein said non-skin
material library is digitalized data for range of non-skin materials comprising
elastic, plastic, latex, textiles, rubber, and velcro.
18. The process
of claim 11 wherein said colorant mix contains the determined colorants and
determined quantity of said determined colorants.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a
process for matching non-skin material to skin tone and more particularly to a
process that scans the skin and then electronically determines a colorant mix
for dying non-skin material to match an individual's skin tone.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Trauma to an individual's body can
result in permanent disfigurement. Should the disfiguration reside on an exposed
body part then psychological as well as physiological damage can occur. For
example, if a burn victim suffers severe scars on an arm or hand, body parts
commonly exposed, the burn victim can be subjected to constant scrutiny from the
public in addition to the permanent reminder of the trauma. An individual who
has experienced severe trauma to an arm or leg that has left a prominent scar
is, also, exposed to the same intense scrutiny from the public.
Attempts
to cover these areas, such as an ace bandage, will often produce unwanted
questions and reminders of the trauma, something most scar victims wish to
avoid. In addition, covering the area is often not aesthetically pleasing to the
user. Further, individuals needing prosthesis must be content with the
pre-manufactured skin tone closest to theirs instead of an exact match. Thus, if
non-skin material such as an elastic wrap, plastic, textiles, latex, rubber,
etc., could be dyed to match an individual's skin tone, the dyed non-skin
material, which would blend with the individuals normal skin tone, could be used
to cover the unsightly appearance of scars, burns, etc. As result, the non-skin
material would be virtually unnoticeable except under close scrutiny. Thus, what
is needed is a process for dying a non-skin material to exactly match an
individual's skin tone.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
U.S. Pat.
No. 4,887,906 discloses a color match predictability system and method. The
system and method allow a user to analyze which one of many possible formulation
of colorants will produce the best color match.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,632
discloses a method for selecting personal compatible colors. The method uses a
spectrophotometer to determine the color temperature of the skin of the user
then a determination of the classification within a category in which the color
temperature falls is made.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant
invention is a process for dying a non-skin material to match an individual's
skin tone. The individual's skin is scanned by any device which can measure
color. Preferable color measuring devices are optical measuring devices such as,
but not limited to, a spectrophotometer, densimeter, or colorimeter. In the
preferred embodiment, a SP64 Spectrophotometer will be utilized. After being
scanned, the retrieved color value of the skin tone is digitalized and
automatically uploaded into an electronically coupled computer based software
program. Alternatively, the color value may be uploaded manually.
The
computer contains a software program for comparing the individual color value to
a predetermined library of colorant values and predetermined library of non-skin
material values to determine a colorant mix. The library of colorant values is
composed of pre-scanned inks, dyes, or similar colorants. After being scanned,
each colorant is assigned a colorant value which is digitalized and stored in
the colorant library. The library of non-skin material is composed of
pre-scanned non-skin material such as textiles, plastics, elastic, velcro,
latex, rubber, etc. After being scanned, each non-skin material is assigned a
non-skin material color value which is digitalized and stored in the non-skin
material library.
An algorithm within the software then compares the
individual's color value with the colorant value and the non-skin material color
value to determine the mix of colorants necessary to match the individual's skin
tone. The mix of colorants is used to formulate a color match. The data for the
color match is transferred to an electronically coupled computer controlled
pumping mixing system such as a Fluid Management/Miller Accutiner 3200 though
any similar computer controlled system may be used. The computer controlled
system produces that amount of color match needed, taking into account the color
and non-linear fluid properties of the colorants, to dye the non-skin material.
The non-skin material is than dyed.
After the dyed non-skin material
drys, the dyed non-skin material is scanned and given a dyed non-skin material
color value. The dyed non-skin material color value is compared to the
individual's color value to determine if there is any variance. If there is any
variance it must be within an acceptable predetermined statistical range, such
as plus or minus five percent.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the
instant invention to disclose a process for dying a material to match a chosen
color.
It is a further objective of the instant invention to disclose a
process for dying non-skin material to match an individual's skin tone.
It is yet another objective of the instant invention to disclose a
process for electronically determining an exact color match to a scanned color
for producing a colorant mix for a dye used to dye a material.
Other
objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set
forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this
invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include
exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects
and features thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1
depicts a flow chart of the process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
INVENTION
Initially, an individual is assigned a user code. In the
preferred embodiment, the code consists of the client first name and the last
four digits of their phone number although any combination of letters or numbers
may be used. A client file is then created in an Internet server.
Now
referring to FIG. 1, depicted is a flow chart of the process. First, the
individual's skin is scanned 10 by a color measuring device. In the preferred
embodiment, the skin is scanned twice. Preferably the color measuring device is
an optical measurement for example, but not limited to, a spectrophotometer,
densitometer, or a colorimeter. In the preferred embodiment, a SP64
spectrophotometer, manufactured by X-Rite, Inc., is used. The SP64
spectrophotometer is a handheld, lightweight, portable sphere spectrophotometer
designed to give fast precise and accurate color measurement information. The
SP64 is available with an option in which data can be uploaded and/or downloaded
via a bi-directional communications link to computer software.
Briefly,
a spectrophotometer measures color by directing light at the color sample. The
light then passes into the spectrophotometer where its color spectrum is
analyzed and converted into data. The output from the spectrophotometer may be a
series of standard digital output signals. These digital signals will relate the
amount of measured light energy associated with a plurality of wave lengths
across the visible spectrum from ultraviolet to blue, green, yellow, red, etc.
Many different color notation and specification systems are available.
The most common being the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) System.
The CIE color notation system uses three unique color stimulus specifications
which are generally referred to as tristimulus values. These tristimulus values
represent a mathematical transformation from the inconvenient mixed
relationships of a set of three primaries. The tristimulus values, usually
denoted as X, Y, and Z, can be used to accurately specify any desired color.
The scanner retrieves a color value 12. Preferably there is two values
from scanning the individual twice. The color value is assigned a digital color
value 14. The digital color value is automatically uploaded into an
electronically coupled computer based software program 16. In an alternative
embodiment, the color value is not digitalized but is manually programmed into a
computer based software program.
The software program compares the two
digital color values 18. If the values are within an acceptable predetermined
statistical range 20, then the values are averaged to an individual color value
22. For example, an acceptable range may be a plus or minus five percent. If the
values are not within the acceptable predetermined statistical range, then a
third skin scan is taken 24. A third color value is retrieved 26, digitalized
28, and uploaded into the computer based software program 30. The two closest
values from among the three digital color values will be selected 32. The
software program will average the two selected digital color values to determine
an individual color value 22.
The individual color value is compared to
a predetermined library of colorants and a predetermined library of non-skin
material 33. The colorant library is comprised of pre-scanned inks, dyes, and
similar colorants. Such inks, dyes, and similar colorants are well known to
those skilled in the art Each color is assigned a colorant value, digitalized,
and stored in the colorant library. The non-skin material library is comprised
of various non-skin material such as, but not limited to, textiles, plastics,
elastics, latex, rubber, etc. Each material is assigned a value, digitalized,
and stored in the non-skin material library.
A colorant mix 34 is
determined by the software algorithm by comparing the individual color value to
the colorants in the colorant library and the selected non-skin material from
the non-skin material library. The software takes into consideration the
properties of the non-skin material, for example the materials color,
porousness, texture, etc. The software then determines which of the colorants
are needed and the quantity of each colorant needed to formulate a color match
36.
Data consisting of the chosen colorants and their desired quantities
i.e. the color match is then transferred to an electronically coupled computer
controlled pumping mixing system 38 such as, but not limited to, for example, a
Miller Accutinter 3200, manufactured by Fluid Management. The Accutinter 3200 is
a high speed automatic dispenser for fluids. It utilizes an advanced calibration
algorithm that models the non-linear fluid properties of a colorant thus
providing accuracy at both small and large dispensing. Alternatively, the data
may be manually programmed into the pumping mixing system.
The computer
controlled pumping mixing system produces enough of the color match to dye the
non-skin material 40. In the preferred embodiment, a control test is preformed.
A test amount of the non-skin material is dyed, dried, and scanned. The scanned
non-skin material test patch is then compared to the individual color value to
ensure that the match is exact or within an acceptable variance.
The
non-skin material is dyed 42 and dried 44. Once dried, the dyed non-skin
material is scanned 46 and a dyed non-skin material color value is retrieved 48,
digitalized 50, and inputted to the computer software program 52. The
digitalized dyed non-skin material color value is then compared to the
individual color value for any variance 54. If there is no variance then the
product is finished 56. If there is a variance but the variance is within a
predetermined acceptable statistical variance, for example a plus or minus five
percent, then the product is finished 56. If there is a variance but the
variance is not within the predetermined acceptable range, then the product is
rejected 58.
It is to be understood that while a certain form of the
invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or
arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those
skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the
scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what
is shown and described in the specification and drawings.
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