US20060143775A1

US20060143775A1 - Multipurpose vest for leisure and sport

Info

Publication number: US20060143775A1
Application number: US11/114,049
Authority: US
Inventors: Nam-Woo Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-01-06
Filing date: 2005-04-26
Publication date: 2006-07-06

Abstract

A multipurpose vest for leisure and sports, includes a plurality of shoulder belts placed on both shoulders of a user wearing the vest, and front and rear covers put around the breast of the user in connection with the shoulder belts and combined with each other by a buckle. Speakers are installed to outer sides of the shoulder belts. The front cover includes a signal transmission unit, a sound device receiving unit, and a cellular phone receiving unit, which are electrically connected to the speakers. A volume adjustment unit is electrically connected to the signal transmission unit, the cellular phone receiving unit, the sound device receiving unit and the speakers, and adjusts a volume of sound generated through the speakers. A controller has a shifting switch for selecting operation of the cellular phone and the sound device, a power switch and a battery.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multipurpose vest for leisure and sports, and more particularly to a multipurpose vest for leisure and sports with speakers mounted to shoulder belts near the ears so that a user may listen to music or make a cellular phone call with free hands.
2. Description of the Related Art
As persons are recently more interested in health, the population who enjoys various leisure and sports activities is increased, which results in various auxiliary products in consideration of such activities.
A leisure vest is one example of these auxiliary products. The leisure vest has many pockets to receive various equipments such as a sound device such as a radio and MP3, a cellular phone, a multipurpose knife and so on.
Here, the cellular phone and the sound device such as a radio and MP3 are generally equipped with an earphone so as not to disturb activity of a user. However, such an earphone may cause problems in the hearing ability when it is used for a long time. In addition, the earphone makes the user not hear the surrounding sounds, so the user may not prepare himself/herself against an accident, thereby capable of causing very serious situation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is designed to solve the problems of the prior art, and therefore an object of the invention is to provide a multipurpose vest for leisure and sports in which speakers are installed to shoulder belts which are positions nearest to a user who wears the vest, and in which a sound device such as MP3 and a radio, a cellular phone or a wireless communication device is received in connection with the speakers so that the user may listen to music or make a phone call through the speakers, thereby ensuring free activities of the user, preventing the user by means of indirect hearing, and doubling safety since the user may heat surrounding sounds to recognize a dangerous situation instantly.
Another object of the invention is to provide a multipurpose vest for leisure and sports, which may prevent accidents since a light emitting unit is provided to a front or rear side for recognition at night.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a multipurpose vest for leisure and sports, which includes a plurality of shoulder belts placed on both shoulders of a user who wears the vest, and front and rear covers put around the breast of the user in connection with the shoulder belts and combined with each other by means of a buckle, wherein speakers are installed to outer sides of the shoulder belts, wherein the front cover includes: a signal transmission unit electrically connected to the speakers; a sound device receiving unit electrically connected to the speakers; a cellular phone receiving unit electrically connected to the speakers; a volume adjustment unit electrically connected to the signal transmission unit, the cellular phone receiving unit, the sound device receiving unit and the speakers, and adjusting a volume of sound generated through the speakers; and a controller having a shifting switch for selecting operation of the cellular phone and the sound device, a power switch and a battery.
In addition, the front cover and the rear cover may be provided with a light emitting unit.
In addition, a wireless communication device receiving unit may be further provided to one side of the front cover so as to receive a wireless communication device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a multipurpose vest for leisure and sports according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing circuitry configuration of the multipurpose vest for leisure and sports according to the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the multipurpose vest for leisure and sports according to the present invention, which is in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a multipurpose vest for leisure and sports according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing circuitry configuration of the multipurpose vest for leisure and sports according to the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a front view showing the multipurpose vest for leisure and sports according to the present invention, which is in use.
The vest (A) for leisure and sports according to the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as ‘leisure vest’) includes a front cover 100 and a rear cover 200 that are put around the breast of a user who wears the leisure vest, as shown in FIG. 1. The leisure vest (A) also has a plurality of shoulder belts 300 that connect the front cover 100 and the rear cover 200 and are also placed on the shoulders of the user.
In addition, at the center of the front cover 100, a buckle 102 with a known shape is provided to be combined in a clip manner for easy detachment. In one side of the front cover 100, there are provided a sound device receiving unit 5 and a cellular phone receiving unit 6.
Speakers 2 are respectively installed to outer sides of a plurality of the shoulder belts 300. The speakers 2 are preferably installed to a substantially middle portion of the shoulder belts 300 so as to be nearest to the ears of the user who wears the leisure vest.
In addition, a signal transmission unit 4 includes a small microphone 42 and an On/Off switch 44. The signal transmission unit 4 has a well-know hand-free configuration and is installed to one side of the front cover 100 in electric connection to a controller 8 by wire. The signal transmission unit 4 takes a charge of transmission when the user uses a cellular phone 60 or a wireless communication device (not shown).
The sound device receiving unit 5 or the cellular phone receiving unit 6 is a predetermined pocket for receiving a sound device 53 such as a radio or MP3 or a cellular phone 60. The pocket has a connection jack 54 or 62, put into a terminal of the sound device 52 or the cellular phone 60 and electrically connected to the controller 8, therein.
The controller 8 is electrically connected to the signal transmission unit 4, the cellular phone receiving unit 6, the sound device receiving unit 5 and the speakers 2. The controller 8 is a kind of amplifier for controlling the speaker 2, which enables the user to make a call using the cellular phone 60 or listen to music using the sound device 52 through the speakers 2. The controller 8 includes a shifting switch 82 for selecting operation of the cellular phone 60 or the sound device 52, a volume adjustment unit 84 for adjusting a volume of sound of phone call or music, a power switch 86 and a battery. The controller 8 is received and fixed in a predetermined receiving unit 80 formed on the front cover 100.
The controller 8 has input wires connected to the connection jacks 54 and 62 provided in the sound device receiving unit 5 and the cellular phone receiving unit 6, and output wires connected to the speakers 2. Thus, sound signals input from the cellular phone 60 or the sound device 52 may be output through the speakers 2 by means of the controller 8.
At this time, the cellular phone receiving unit 6 is not connected to the controller 8 on the front cover 100 due to the buckle. Thus, the wire of the connection jack 62 provided in the cellular phone receiving unit 6 is connected to the controller 8 through the rear cover 200 (see FIG. 1).
The shifting switch 82 is used for selectively determining usage of the cellular phone 60 and the sound device 52. For example, if a phone call is received while the user listens to music using the sound device 52 such as a radio and MP3, the user may manipulate the shifting switch 82 to temporarily stop the sound device 52 and use the cellular phone 60 by shifting the operation. If the phone call is closed, the user may manipulate the shifting switch 82 to be capable of listening to music using the sound device 52.
The user may also adjust a volume of sound generated through the speakers 2 by manipulating the volume adjustment unit 84.
In addition, a wireless communication device receiving unit (not shown) may be provided to one side of the front cover 100 so as to receive a small wireless communication device such as a walky-talky. The wireless communication device receiving unit has a similar configuration to the sound device receiving unit 5 and the cellular phone receiving unit 6 and also has a similar connection to the controller, which is thus not described in detail.
Wires for electrically connecting the cellular phone receiving unit 6, the sound device receiving unit 5, the controller 8 and the speakers 2 are preferably buried in the front or rear cover 100 or 200 and the shoulder belts 300 so as not to damage appearance and also so as to prevent danger of a short circuit.
Meanwhile, the front cover 100 and the rear cover 200 may be further provided with a predetermined light emitting unit so as to ensure safety of the user even at night. The light emitting unit may be a light emitting band with luminous or noctilucent material or a light emitting lamp operated by electric power.
Now, operation of the multipurpose vest according to the present invention, configured as above, is described.
First, a user receives the sound device 52 such as a radio and MP3 in the sound device receiving unit 5 and then puts its connection jack 54, and then receives the cellular phone 60 and connects the connection jack 62 similarly.
After that, when the user desires to listen to music using the sound device 52, the user manipulates the controller 8 to turn on the power and then sets the shifting switch 82 to the sound device. Then, the user turns on the sound device 52 for operation so as to listen to music through the speakers 2. Then, the user controls a volume of sound by adjustment of the volume adjustment unit 84.
At this time, since the speakers 2 are positioned just below the ears of the user, the user may listen to music with a small volume of sound.
Meanwhile, if a phone call is received, the user sets the shifting switch 82 of the controller 8 to the cellular phone so as to temporarily stop the sound generated in the sound device 52, and then manipulates the On/Off switch 44 of the signal transmission unit 4 to turn on the cellular phone 60. Then, the user may use the cellular phone 60 like a common hand-free manner.
After that, if the phone call is ended, the user manipulates the On/Off switch 44 to turn off the cellular phone 60, and then sets the shifting switch 82 of the controller 8 to the sound device so as to listen to music through the speakers 2 continuously.
As described above, the multipurpose vest for leisure and sports according to the present invention allows a user to listen to music and make a phone call using a sound device such as a radio or MP3, a cellular phone and a wireless communication device. In addition, the multipurpose vest of the present invention may ensure a user to make activities required for leisure and protect the hearing ability of the user by means of indirect hearing.
Moreover, a user may heat surrounding sounds, so the user may instantly recognize dangerous situations.
Furthermore, the light emitting unit installed to the front or rear cover may be identified even at night, thereby preventing accidents.

Claims

1. A multipurpose vest for leisure and sports, which includes a plurality of shoulder belts placed on both shoulders of a user who wears the vest, and front and rear covers put around the breast of the user in connection with the shoulder belts and combined with each other by means of a buckle,

wherein speakers (2) are installed to outer sides of the shoulder belts (300),

wherein the front cover (100) includes:

a signal transmission unit (4) electrically connected to the speakers (2);

a sound device receiving unit (5) electrically connected to the speakers (2);

a cellular phone receiving unit (6) electrically connected to the speakers (2);

a volume adjustment unit (84) electrically connected to the signal transmission unit (4), the cellular phone receiving unit (6), the sound device receiving unit (5) and the speakers (2), and adjusting a volume of sound generated through the speakers (2); and

a controller (8) having a shifting switch (82) for selecting operation of the cellular phone (60) and the sound device (52), a power switch (86) and a battery.

2. The multipurpose vest according to claim 1, wherein the speakers (2) are installed at the middle of the shoulder belts (300) so as to be nearest to the ears of the user.

3. The multipurpose vest according to claim 1, wherein the signal transmission unit (4) includes a microphone (42) and an On/Off switch (44).

4. The multipurpose vest according to claim 1, wherein the sound device receiving unit (5) and the cellular phone receiving unit (6) are pockets provided with connection jacks (54)(62) that are put into terminals of the sound device (52) and the cellular phone (60) and electrically connected to the controller (8).

5. The multipurpose vest according to claim 1, wherein a wireless communication device receiving unit (7) is further provided to one side of the front cover (100) so as to receive a wireless communication device.

6. The multipurpose vest according to claim 1, wherein the front cover (100) and the rear cover (200) are provided with a light emitting unit (400).