GB2576370A - Illuminable glove - Google Patents

Abstract

A light-up glove to allow a user to provide illuminating signals (for example, signals for directing traffic) comprising a palm surface 4 comprising at least one illuminating region 6, a rear (dorsal) surface 8 comprising at least one second illuminating region 10, a power source (such as a battery cell) and means to selectively independently illuminate each of the first and second regions. The lights may be coloured- for example the palm lights may be green LEDs and the dorsal lights red LEDs. The dorsal region may further comprise blue lighting. The control means and power supply may be located in the wrist. The glove may further include additional lighting, for example lights on the sides of the hand 18 or the torch/flashlight 20 for improving visibility in tasks such as writing notes or examining/searching vehicles. By providing lights of different colors on the front and rear of the glove cars can be directed in an easily visible way at night without the need for holding separate lights.

Description

ILLUMINABLE GLOVE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an illuminable glove, and in particular an illuminable glove which can provide visual signals to other road users to help for example direct flow of traffic and/or give warning as to the location of hazards in the road.

Background

Traffic officers are regularly deployed to scenes of traffic accidents, locations of hazards in the road, and to congested traffic locations. At the scene, the traffic officers can direct traffic away from or past the incident safely thereby reducing the risk of additional traffic incidents and keeping the flow of traffic moving. Traffic officers usually direct traffic using clear hand signals.

In low light conditions, traffic officers rely on fluorescent clothing to make their presence known to other road users. In these conditions, the visibility of hand signals made by the traffic officers is significantly reduced. As a result, it can be difficult for other road users to see and/or understand the hand signals made by the traffic officer. This can lead to confusion, an increase in traffic delays, an increase the risk of a further traffic accident and can also put the officer’s safety at risk.

There is therefore a need for a device which can be used to provide clear hand signals visible to other road users in low light conditions.

Prior Art

CN-106473275 discloses night-time lighting work gloves comprising a main body comprising a switch, transparent PVC shield, LED bulb, slide fastener, wire, an inner interlayer and a battery.

CN-205456289 discloses a construction site illumination glove comprising an integrally moulded hand back and palm portion providing LED lamps located on the finger portions.

CN-205161988 discloses a compass illumination glove, the glove comprising a dorsal portion fixed too a middle level illumination lamp providing two LED lamps. The illumination lamp is connected to a battery. .

The present invention arose in order to overcome problems suffered by existing devices.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an illuminable glove configured in use to be worn by a user to provide illuminated signals comprising:

a palm surface comprising at least one first illuminable region;

an opposed rear surface comprising at least one second illuminable region;

a power source in in electrical communication with each first and second illuminable region; and an actuator operable to independently illuminate each of the at least one first and second illuminable regions.

Preferably, one or more of the first and/or second illuminable regions comprise LED lighting, in other embodiments the illuminable regions may comprise bioluminescent, fluorescent or retroreflective material.

Some embodiments may comprise a combination of illuminable means may be arranged across the glove, where most appropriate in size, dimension and/or intensity for example bioluminescent for panels or main or larger areas and LED lights for a torch or highlighted areas.

In one embodiment, the first illuminable region comprises green LED lighting.

In one embodiment, the second illuminable region comprises red LED lighting.

One or more of the first and second illuminable regions may comprise additional lighting, such as for example additional LED lighting. For example, the second illuminable region may additionally comprise blue LED lighting.

The illuminable glove may further comprise a pair of opposed side portions extending between the palm and rear surfaces of the glove. One or more of the side portions may additionally comprise at least one third illuminable region. The third illuminable region preferably comprises LED lighting, such as for example white LED lighting.

One or more of the illuminable region(s) are preferably configured to provide continuous or intermittent lighting.

In one embodiment, the glove may further comprise a lighting device or panel located on the rear surface. For example, the additional lighting device may be in the form of for example a torch.

In one embodiment, the glove may comprise a lighting device or panel located on the palm surface. For example, the additional lighting device may be in the form of a panel to provide additional illumination.

The additional lighting device or panel preferably comprises LED lighting, in the form of for example white LED lighting.

The glove may be formed of any suitable material. For example, one or more surfaces or portions of the glove may be composed of leather material.

The power source and/or the actuator may be located at or adjacent a wrist portion of the glove.

The power source may be a battery pack, a rechargeable power supply, or solar powered.

In this way the glove of the present invention provides a glove for traffic officers, police and other emergency services. The user of such a glove may utilise the glove or gloves may be deployed to incidents on the road in low lights conditions.

The user of the glove or gloves may be envisaged to serve other agencies such as highways, for example wherein non-emergency services may have orange panels to replace blue ones, and may be used by highways traffic officers and breakdown or vehicle rescue companies.

According to a further aspect there is provided a method for manufacturing an illuminable glove as herein described comprising:

producing a palm surface of the glove and securing at least one first illuminable region to the palm surface;

producing a rear surface of the glove and securing at least one second illuminable region to the rear surface;

optionally producing a pair of opposed side portions and securing at least one third illuminable region to one or more of the side portions;

securing the palm surface to the opposed side portions or rear surface;

connecting each illuminable region to an actuator configured to independently operate each illuminable region; and connecting the actuator to a power source.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which:

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of a perspective view from above of the illuminable glove according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a schematic illustration of a perspective view from below of the illuminable glove according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 3 shows a schematic illustration of an exploded view of the illuminable glove according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of Figures

With reference to the Figures, the illuminable glove 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention is composed of weather proof, and in particular water resistant, and ideally water proof material such as for example leather.

The glove 2 comprises a palm surface 4 comprising a plurality of spaced apart first illuminable regions 6. Each first illuminable region 6 comprises red or blue LED lighting. In the illustrated embodiment, the glove 2 comprises first illuminable regions comprising both red and blue LED lighting. It is however to be understood that in some embodiments, the first illuminable regions may comprises a single coloured LED lighting such as for example red or blue, preferably red.

The glove 2 further comprises an opposed rear surface 8 comprising a plurality of spaced apart second illuminable regions 10. Each second illuminable region 10 comprises green LED lighting.

The glove 2 further comprises a power source 12 in the form of a battery pack in communication with each first and second illuminable region 6, 10. The power source 12 may in other embodiments comprises any suitable source such as for example a solar panel.

The glove 2 further comprises side portions 14, 14’ extending between the palm surface 4 and the rear surface 6. Each side portion 14, 14’ comprises a third illuminable region 16, 16’. Each third illuminable region 16, 16’ comprises white LED lighting.

The glove 2 further comprises an actuator 18 locate adjacent a finger portion of the glove 2 operable to independently illuminate each of the first, second and third illuminable regions 6, 8, 16, 16’.

One or more of the illuminable regions 6, 10, 16, 16’ may be operated to provide continuous or intermittent lighting depending on the particular requirements for the glove 2.

In the illustrated embodiment, the illuminable glove 2 further comprises a lighting device 16 in the form of a directional torch located on the rear surface 8. It is to be understood that in some embodiments the lighting device 20 may not be present.

In the illustrated embodiment, the glove 2 further comprises a lighting panel 122located on the palm surface 4. It is to be understood that in some embodiments the lighting panel 18 may not be present.

In use, the traffic officer puts on one or both gloves 2. At an incident, during low light conditions, the officer may switch on the gloves 2 using the actuator such that one or more of the illuminable regions 6, 10, 16, 16’ are illuminated either in a continuous or intermittent manner.

When directing traffic, the rear surface 8 of the glove 2 is illuminated green signalling to the road user that they’re free to move forward. The palm surface 4 of the glove 2 is in contrast illuminated red signalling to the road user that they need to stop the vehicle. In emergency situations, the officer may activate the blue LED lighting on the palm surface 4 of the glove 2 to signal the emergency to oncoming road users.

In low lighting conditions, an officer may need to inspect the interior of a room of vehicle through a window. The officer may therefore actuate the third illuminable regions providing a white light which provides directed white illumination when the officer cups their gloved hands around their face to see into the room or vehicle.

The officer may also need to use a torch in low lighting conditions. Advantageously, in some embodiments the glove 2 comprises a torch 20 on the rear surface 8 of the glove 2. The direction and/or brightness of the torch 20 may in some embodiments be adjustable.

The officer may also need to take notes in low lighting conditions. The glove 2 provides a lighting device 22 on the palm surface 4 providing sufficient illumination to help aid the officer in taking notes.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention as defined by the claims, in particular but not solely combination of features of described embodiments. For example, although the invention is described in relation to the use of red, green, blue and white LED lighting it is to be understood that any suitable colours of LEDs may be used.

Claims (18)

Claims

1. An illuminable glove configured in use to be worn by a user to provide illuminated signals comprising:

a palm surface comprising at least one first illuminable region;

an opposed rear surface comprising at least one second illuminable region;

a power source in electrical communication with each first and second illuminable region; and an actuator operable to independently illuminate each of the at least one first and second illuminable regions.

2. An illuminable glove as claimed in claim 1, in which one or more of the first and/or second illuminable regions comprise LED lighting.

3. An illuminable glove as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2, in which the first illuminable region comprises green LED lighting.

4. An illuminable glove as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the second illuminable region comprises red LED lighting.

5. An illuminable glove as claimed in claim 4, in which the second illuminable region additionally comprises blue LED lighting.

6. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a pair of opposed side portions extending between the palm and rear surfaces of the glove, and in which one or more of the side portions comprises at least one third illuminable region.

7. An illuminable glove as claimed in claim 6, in which the third illuminable region(s) comprise white LED lighting.

8. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one or more of the illuminable region(s) are configured to provide continuous or intermittent lighting.

9. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a lighting device or panel located on the rear surface.

10. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a lighting panel located on the palm surface.

11. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the glove is composed of leather material.

a wrist portion of the

12. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the power source and/or the actuator are located at or adjacent glove.

13. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding illuminable regions comprise bioluminescence claim, in which the

14. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding illuminable regions comprise fluorescence.

claim, in which the

15. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding illuminable regions comprise retroreflective material.

claim, in which the claim, comprising a

16. An illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding combination of illuminable regions arranged across the glove, where most appropriate in size, dimension and/or intensity

17. An illuminable glove as claimed in claim 16 with bioluminescent panels and LED lights for a torch.

18. A method for manufacturing an illuminable glove as claimed in any preceding claim comprising:

producing a palm surface of the glove and securing at least one first illuminable region to the palm surface;

producing a rear surface of the glove and securing at least one second illuminable region to the rear surface;

optionally producing a pair of opposed side portions and securing at least one third illuminable region to one or more of the side portions;

securing the palm surface to the opposed side portions or rear surface;

connecting each illuminable region to an actuator configured to independently operate each illuminable region; and

5 connecting the actuator to a power source.