GB2160759A

GB2160759A - A cloth article with sound reproducing means

Info

Publication number: GB2160759A
Application number: GB08513627A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Kwok; Donald M Lusnak
Original assignee: MUSIC WEAR Inc
Current assignee: MUSIC WEAR Inc
Priority date: 1984-06-29
Filing date: 1985-05-30
Publication date: 1986-01-02
Also published as: KR860000038A; FI852338L; FR2566983A1; IT1185134B; KR900003633B1; GR851529B; GB8513627D0; AU4425285A; IT8521338A0; ZA854185B; DE3522162A1; FI852338A0; JPS6125197A

Abstract

A cloth article (11) includes a sound reproducing means (15) for playing a tune. Activating means (16) for starting the tune includes a momentary contact switch (36) and an operating button (40). The sound reproducing means (15) and activating means (16) is covered by cloth which includes a pattern or other graphic depiction which is oriented with the operating button (40), and is enclosed in a sealed plastic envelope (17) which is fastened to a portion of the cloth. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A cloth article with sound reproducing means The field ofthe present invention is a cloth article which includes a sound reproducing means and particularly a cloth article which includes a sound reproducing means which plays a musical tune.

Articles such as wearing apparel, blankets, sheets and even wall pictures may be made with cloth or a cloth-like material.

The present invention provides a cloth article which comprises an electronic sound reproducing means positioned adjacent the cloth and activating means for starting the sound reproducing means.

In one embodimentthe sound activating means is covered by cloth which includes a graphic depiction adjacent and oriented to the activating means. In another embodiment the sound reproducing means and activating means are enclosed in a flexible liquid tight envelope. This permits the cloth article to be washed with the sound reproducing means and the activating means remaining in the cloth article.

Generally cloth articles do not reproduce sound.

Applicant has invented a novel cloth article which reproduces sound. Where the cloth article is a garment such as a T-shirt or sunshade, a tune may be broadcast from the garment upon pressing a particular point in the pattern. Where the garment is a shoe or sandal the toe may be contacted to actuate a tune.

Where the cloth article is a wall hanging the pattern may be pressed at a predefined place to activate a tune. Cloth articles which play a catchy tune our a song or a speech may cheer up a person or capture the attention of a person or maintain the attention of a person such as a child.

Some embodiments ofthe invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a cloth article of the invention as a cloth garment such as a T-shirt having sound reproducing means and activating means shown in Figure 2, Figure 2 is a partial plan view of the cloth article of Figure 1 including the sound reproducing means and activating means, Figure 3 is a partial side view along line 3-3 ofthe cloth article of Figure 2, and Figure 4 shows a cloth article of the invention as a cloth garment such as a head covering having an eye -shade including the sound reproducing means and activating means shown in Figure 2.

Figure lisa cloth article 10 such as an article of apparel 11 having a front 12. The article of apparel 11 is ofcloth 13 and includes a cloth portion 14 atthe front.

Referring to Figure 2, an electronic sound reproducing means 15 and an activating means 16to startthe sound reproducing means is positioned in the garment 11 adjacent the cloth portion 14. The electronic sound reproducing means 15 and activating means 16 are enclosed in a flexible envelope 17 (shown by dashed lines in Figure 1).Theflexibleenvelope 17 includes a first side 18 and a second side 19. The two sides are fastened together by a seam 20 atthe periphery 21 as shown in Figure 2. In the preferred embodiment the flexible envelope 17 is made oftwo thin sheets of plastic such as 0.25mm thick polyvinyl acetate. The size ofthe envelope 17 is about 45 mm by 50 mm. The flexible envelope 17 is positioned in the front 12 ofthe article of apparel 11 and fastened or fixed to the inside ofthe cloth portion 14. One of the firstorsecond sides 18 or 19may form attachment means 22 to permit the fastening or stitching of the envelope 17 to the cloth portion 14. The attachment means may be formed by making one of the first or second sides largerthan the other side or one side may have tabs 23 extending outward which can be used to stitch the envelope 17 to the cloth portion 14.

In one preferred embodiment the garment includes a first (outer) layer of cloth 14 and a second (inner) layer of cloth 24. The two layers of cloth 14 and 24form a second cloth envelope 25. The inner layer of cloth 24 is preferably stitched or glued to the outer layer of cloth 14. In the preferred embodimenttheflexible envelope 17 is enclosed in the cloth envelope 25. The purpose of the flexible envelope 17 and the cloth envelope 25 is to permit normal washing or laundering ofthe article of apparel 12 without damage to the electronics or other component parts ofthe sound reproducing means 15 or activating means 16. The flexible envelope 17 is heat sealed atthe seam 20to prevent the entry of any liquid. This also prevent possible liquid spills such as from a soft drink interfering with the operation of the sound reproducing means 15 or activating means 16.

The electronic sound reproducing means 15 and activating means 16 is more fully shown in Figure 2.

The electronic sound reproducing means 15 includes a speaker 26, a battery 27 and a CMOS integrated circuit device 28. The speaker 26, battery 27 and CMOS device 28 are fastened or mounted to a printed circuit board 29. The CMOS device 28 contains the operating circuits and interfaces to the speaker 26 bytwo wires 30 and 31 to the battery 27 bytwo wires 32 and 33 and to the activating means 16 bytwo wires 34 and 35. The CMOS device 28 is marketed by K-Markindustrial Ltd., 389 Castle Peak Road, Hong Kong.

The activation means 16 shown in Figures 2 and 3 is in the preferred embodiment a momentary contact switch 36. The switch includes a contact 37 and a contact plate 38 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The contact plate 38 is fastened at one end 39 to the printed circuit board 29 and includes an actuating button 40 on the other end 41. The centre portion 42 ofthe contact plate 38 includes a small projection or contact member 43. The contact 37 is U-shaped and is attached to the printed circuit board 29 at ends 44 and 45. The top 46 ofthe U-shaped contains a contact surface 47. The contact member 43 and contact surface 47 are maintained apart by the spring force of the contact plate 38. The electronicsound reproducing means 15 and activating means 16 is shown positioned on the printed circuit board 29 and sealed in the flexible envelope 17. As noted from Figure 3 the activating button 40 is in slightcontactwith the inside surface oftheflexible envelope 17. In the preferred embodimenttheflexible envelope 17 is positioined in the cloth envelope 25 with the activating button 40 facing the outer cloth layer14.

In an operational sequencetheoutercloth layer 14 is pressed as by the hand in the direction shown by the arrow in Figure 3. This pressure should occur directly overthe activating button 40. Initially the pressure forces the cloth layer 14 and plastic layer 18 against the activating button 40 and then the pressure actuates the activating button 40. On activation the contact member43 ofthe contact plate 38 makes electrical contact with the contact surface 47 ofthe contact 37. This starts or turns on the CMOS device 28.

The CMOS device 28, onceturned on, will play a populartunethrough the speaker 26. The activation means 16is ofthe momentarycontacttype and once the activation means 16 is operated, the CMOS device 28 turns on and remains on until a complete tune is played.

The article of apparel 11 may contain on the cloth portion 14 ofthefront 12 a graphic depiction. It also may contain a contrasting pictorial pattern of at least twodifferentcolours.The pattern may be an advertisementfora drink orfor an eventorforanything.

When a graphic depiction or pattern occurs on the article ofapparel 11 the actuating button 40 ideally may be oriented with reference to the pattern. This may provide a unique location on the article of apparel 11 to actuate the populartune. One example of a graphic depiction (notshown) is a picture of an "elephantdancing on a wind-up platform". In this exampletheactivating button 40 is oriented with respectto a partofthewind-up platform such as a "wind-up crank".

A second embodiment of a cloth article such as an article ofapparel 48 is shown in Figure 4 as headwear 49. The headwear49 shown in Figure 4 is in sun shade 50 which includes a headband 51 and a visoror eyeshade 52. The eyeshade 52 extends outward from a person's head to shade the eyes from the sun. The eyeshade 52 includes a stiffener 53 which defines the shape ofthe eyeshade 52. The stiffener53 also has a top cover 54which may be formed of a flexible plastic or cloth and a bottom cover 55 which also may be formed of a flexible plastic or cloth.

The article ofapparel 48 includes the electronic sound reproducing means 15 and an activating means 16 shown in Figure 2. The electronic sound reproduc ins means 15 and activating means 16 are enclosed in the flexible envelope 17 in the article of apparel 48 shown by the dashed lines in Figure 4. Theflexible envelope 17 is positioned inapocketorcutout56in the stiffener 53 between the top cover54 and the bottom cover55.

The activating means 16 is operated by pressing at a defined positicn on the eyeshade 52. A pattern which is embossed or printed is provided on the top cover 54 ofthe eyeshade 52. One pattern is a starburst 57. The centre of the starburst57 marks the position ofthe activating means 16. Pressing onthestarburst57 starts the sound reproducing means 15to reproduce a tune. Oncethetunestarts it will complete and automatically turn off.

The article of apparel 11 is commonly referred to as a T-sh rtand the article of apparel 48 is commonly referred to as a sunshade. Applicant's novel invention may also be used on other cloth articles to include but not limited to dresses, tops, coordinated sportswear, swimwear, underwear, outerwear, footwear, headwear, bottoms and socks. Cloth articles designed for men, women, children, animals, etc. are within the scope ofthe invention.

Although an activating button is shown and described other actuating means such as a proximity switch or a voice actuating switch may also be used.

The cloth may be woven or simulated cloth formed of a flexible cloth-like sheet.

Claims

1. Acloth article comprising an electronicsound reproducing means positioned adjacentthe cloth and activating meansforstarting said sound reproducing means.

2. A cloth article as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the activating means is covered by at least one cloth sheet, and there is a graphic depiction on the cloth article adjacent and oriented to said activating means.

3. A cloth article as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the electronic sound reproducing means is capable of producing at least a musical tune.

4. A cloth article as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the activating means is a switch having an activating member positioned behind a cloth memberfor activation by pressing the cloth member againstthe activating member.

5. A cloth article as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the activating means comprises a switch having an actuating member positioned adjacent said cloth portion atthefront.

6. A cloth article as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the activating means is a button for positioning between the cloth and a wearer's body, and is operated by pressing the cloth againstthe button.

7. A cloth article as claimed in anyone ofthe preceding claims, which is an article of apparel.

8. A cloth article as claimed in Claim 7, comprising a garmentfor covering at least a portion of a body, and having a region containing at least two layers of cloth with the electronicsound reproducing means positioned between two layers.

9. A cloth article as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to8,furthercomprising an envelope enclosing the sound reproducing means,whichenvelopeisfixedto the cloth article.

10. A cloth article as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the envelope also encloses the activating means.

11. Acloth article as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein the envelope isformed of two flexible sheet members which are attached to form the envelope.

12. A cloth article as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the flexible envelope is formed of two thin plastic sheets sealed at their periphery.

13. A cloth article as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the envelope is a water and heat resistant sealed plastic envelope enclosing the electronic sound reproducing means, and a cloth envelope formed in the article of apparel encloses the plastic envelope.

14. Acloth article as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein the plastic envelope includes an attachmenu means for affixing the envelope to the cloth.

15. A cloth article as claimed in Claim 8, comprising a contrasting pictorial pattern contained on said cloth, and wherein the sound reproducing means for playing a tune is located so as to be positioned at said pattern between the cloth and the body, and a switch for activating the sound reproducing means oriented to said pattern.

16. A cloth article substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.