MX2008003463A - Motion-responsive illuminated garment - Google Patents

Abstract

A garment is illuminated with flashing lights in response to movement by a wearer and is protected against water damage.

Description

ILLUMINATED DRESS CLOTHES SENSITIVE TO THE MOVEMENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to clothing and, more particularly, to a garment which is illuminated in response to the movement of the wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Garments are, of course, used by men, women and children. Advantageously as known garments have been, improvements in their use can still be made, particularly, to provide a more visually stimulating appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a general objective of this invention is to provide a visually stimulating presentation that draws attention to a garment. Yet another objective of the present invention is to promote safety when a garment is worn. Consistent with the foregoing objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter, a feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in an illuminated garment responsive to movement, preferably made of fabric. The garment includes a lighting module for emitting light in response to the movement of the user. The module includes a battery, at least one light source and preferably a plurality of light sources, a processor, and a motion-sensitive switch to connect the battery to the processor and the light sources to make the latter light up in accordance with a pattern determined by the processor. A coating is attached to the garment. The liner joins the garment with a compartment in which the module is received and maintained. The coating becomes transmitter to the light flashed by the sources of light. Preferably, a graph is provided on a coating. Means are provided to resist water ingress to the module. Water can come from a variety of sources, for example, as the evaporation of moisture from the user's body, such as rain, or as the wash water used during the washing of the garment. That water can cause the lights to fail to flash. To resist this failure, the resistive means includes a heat-melt seal that extends around, a periphery of the liner and that seals the liner to the garment and / or the sealed envelope in which the module is contained so sealed and / or a synthetic plastic material to encapsulate the module. The encapsulated module has flat, opposite surfaces. Even the light sources, which are preferably light-emitting diodes, have electrodes that are mounted level with the flat surfaces of the module, and thus do not provide any raised points that can serve as a source of discomfort when placed adjacent to the module. to the user's body. The encapsulated module is a generally flat disk which does not cause discomfort to the user. In accordance with this invention, bright or flashing lights create a presentation that captures the view if the garment is worn during the day or at night. In addition, the flashing lights improve the safety of the user, especially at night, since the user becomes more visible. Moreover, many users wear clothing for the bed and, if those users walk at night, then the lights serve as night lighting to guide their way in the darkness. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a garment in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view, amplified, formed on line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an illumination module 'encapsulated for use with this invention; Figure 4 is an exploded view of the lighting module before assembly and encapsulation; and Figure 5 is an electrical schematic of a circuit used in a lighting module of Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally defines a garment, such as a shirt or blouse. The garment is preferably made of materials such as cotton, nylon, wool, silk, or similar fabric materials. A liner 20 is attached to the garment 18. The liner 20 is fused to the garment along a heat-melt seal 22 that extends around the entire periphery of the liner. The coating is constituted of a soft, flexible light transmitting material, such as rubber or plastic, and is preferably molded with a graphic, such as the illustrated three-dimensional clown face, on it. The liner forms a compartment 24, as best seen in the sectional view of Figure 2, with the garment. An illumination module 26 is received and maintained in the compartment 24. As best seen in the exploded view of Figure 4, the module 26 includes a battery 28, typically a flat circular discoidal battery commonly used in cameras, a battery holder 30 having an elastic finger 32 for coupling one side of the battery, a flat support such as a printed circuit board 34, a processor 36 mounted on the board 34, at least one light source and preferably a plurality of light sources 38A, B, C, D also mounted on the board 34, and a movement sensitive switch 40, electrically connected to the processor 36, the battery 28, and the light sources 38A, B, C, D in the manner illustrated in the circuit Figure 5. The switch 40 includes an electrically conductive outer sleeve 42 on which an electrically conductive helical spring 44 is mounted for movement of an open position in which the spring is located. outside of the physical conductor contact with the sleeve 42, and a closed position in which the spring comes into contact with the sleeve 42. The movement of the spring is caused by the movement of the user, and to assist that spring movement, the free end of cantilevered spring 44. can be heavy. In a closed position of the switch 40, the processor is energized by the battery and causes the light sources to emit light, preferably flashes of light in a pattern predetermined by the processor. The pattern can be predetermined or random. The flash may occur immediately when the closed position is reached, or after a time delay. The flash ends after a predetermined time, or after a randomly selected time interval. Continuous lighting was contemplated, but it is not preferred to minimize the energy consumption. The light sources are light-emitting diodes that operate to emit light of the same or different colors. Each diode includes a pair of flat electrodes, as best seen in Figure 3, which are mounted in level on the outer flat surface of the board 34. As best seen in Figure 3, the module 26 is encapsulated in a material of synthetic plastic which is preferably a light transmitter. The encapsulated module has smooth, flattened larger surfaces and has a circular or ovoidal disc shape. All module components are inserted into the encapsulated plastic, and are not exposed to rough edges. The encapsulating plastic was not shown in Figure 4 so as not to complicate this Figure. Water is prevented from entering and damaging the module by the aforementioned seal 20, by the aforementioned encapsulating plastic, and by an enclosure comprised of juxtaposed plastic sheets 46, 48 (see Figure 2) which seal around its periphery and which sandwich the module between them. In use, the module is mounted on an outer surface of the garment. Even if a force press the module against the user, there is no discomfort, because the module has not been exposed to rough edges and is padded by the material of the garment. When the user moves, the light emitted by the module passes through the light-transmitting encapsulating plastic, the light-transmitting sheath, and the light-transmitting sheath and illuminates the graphic on it. What is claimed as novel and desired to be protected by the invention patent is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:
2. CLAIMS 1. A light-sensitive illuminated article of clothing that includes a source of energizable light and a battery, characterized in that: the lighting module is attached to the garment to emit light in response to the movement of the wearer of the garment. To dress, the battery is located in the module to supply electrical power, the switch sensitive to movement operates to connect the battery to the light source to energize the latter to emit light; and means are provided to resist the entry of water into the battery in the module. The garment according to claim 1, characterized in that the illumination module includes a processor in the module for making the light source flash, when the battery is connected to the light source by the movement-sensitive switch, and where the resistance means operate to resist the water input to the processor in the module.
3. 3. The garment according to claim 2, characterized in that the additional light sources are operatively connected to the processor to flash all the light sources in a pattern. The garment according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement-sensitive switch includes a coil spring mounted within a sleeve for movement between an open position in which the spring is separated from the sleeve, and a closed position in which the spring comes into contact with the sleeve. The garment according to claim 1, characterized in that the illumination module includes a flat support and where the light source has flat electrodes mounted at the level with the flat support. The garment according to claim 1, characterized in that the resistance means include a sealed envelope in which the module is contained in a sealed manner, the envelope being made of a flexible material, light transmitter, including the envelope juxtaposed sealed sheets of the light-transmitting material, and sandwiching the leaves of a module between them. The article of clothing according to claim 1, characterized in that the resistance means include a synthetic plastic material, light transmitter, for encapsulating the battery. 8. The garment according to claim 1, and the flexible covering, characterized in that it has a periphery fully connected to the garment and attached to a compartment in which the module is received and maintained permanently, the transmitter coating being of the light emitted by the light source. 9. The garment according to claim 8, and a design on the lining. The garment according to claim 8, characterized in that the resistance means includes a heat-melt seal extending around the periphery of the lining and sealing the lining to the garment. The garment according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source switch responsive to movement are in the module, and where the resistance means operate to resist the entry of water to the light source and the sensitive switch. to the movement in the module.