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

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention generally relates to hosiery and, more particularly, to a stocking which is illuminated in response to motion by a wearer.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Stockings are, of course, worn by men, women and children, typically for reasons of comfort, hygiene, and fashion when shoes are worn over the stockings. Also, stockings are often worn instead of shoes, especially indoors. As advantageous as the known stockings have been, improvements can still be made in their use, particularly for providing a more visually stimulating appearance and for enhancing their safe use.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to improve the state of hosiery.  
         [0006]     More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a visually stimulating, eye-catching display on hosiery.  
         [0007]     Still another object of the present invention is to promote safety when wearing the hosiery.  
       FEATURES OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In keeping with the above objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a motion-responsive illuminated stocking comprising a covering, preferably constituted of knitted yarn, having a foot portion closely fitted on a wearer&#39;s foot, and a leg portion closely fitted on a part of the wearer&#39;s leg, especially at the ankle. An open end portion of the covering is foldable to form an annular cuff.  
         [0009]     The stocking includes a lighting module for emitting light in response to motion by the wearer. The module includes a battery, at least one light source and preferably a plurality of light sources, a processor, and a motion-responsive switch for connecting the battery to the processor and to the light sources to cause the latter to flash light in accordance with a pattern determined by the processor.  
         [0010]     An overlay is attached to the covering, preferably at the cuff. The overlay bounds with the covering a compartment in which the module is received and held. The overlay is transmissive to the light flashed by the light sources. Preferably, a graphic is provided on the overlay.  
         [0011]     Means are provided for resisting entry of water to the module. The water may come from a variety of sources, for example, as moisture evaporating from the wearer&#39;s body, as rain, or as wash water used during laundering of the stocking. Such water can cause failure of the lights to flash. To resist such failure, the resisting means includes a heat-fused seal extending around a periphery of the overlay and sealing the overlay to the cuff and/or a sealed envelope in which the module is sealingly contained and/or a synthetic plastic material for encapsulating the module.  
         [0012]     The encapsulated module has opposite, flattened surfaces. Even the light sources, which are preferably light emitting diodes, have electrodes that are flush-mounted with the flattened surfaces of the module, and thus do not provide any raised points which might serve as a source of discomfort when placed adjacent the wearer&#39;s body. The encapsulated module is a generally planar disk which does not cause wearer discomfort.  
         [0013]     In accordance with this invention, the flashing lights create an eye-catching display whether the stocking is worn by day or by night. In addition, the flashing lights enhance the wearer&#39;s safety, especially at night, since the wearer&#39;s stockinged feet are more visible. Still further, many wearers don stockings to bed and, should such wearers walk at night in their stockinged feet, then the lights serve as a nightlight to guide their way in the dark.  
         [0014]     The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a stocking in accordance with this invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged sectional view taken on line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an encapsulated lighting module for use with this invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the lighting module prior to assembly and encapsulation; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is an electrical schematic of a circuit used in the lighting module of  FIG. 3 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]     Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral  10  generally identifies a stocking or sock, one of a matched pair, to be worn either with or without shoes. Sock  10  includes a foot portion  12  closely fitted around the wearer&#39;s foot, a leg portion  14  closely fitted around a lower part of the wearer&#39;s leg, especially around the ankle, and an end portion  16  having an open end through which the wearer&#39;s foot is inserted upon donning the sock. The foot portion  12  may be opened or closed at the wearer&#39;s toes. The foot portion  12  has a floor-engaging surface on which treads may be fused to enhance the use of the stocking without a shoe.  
         [0021]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the end portion  16  is folded down over the leg portion  14  to form an annular cuff  18 , primarily for fashion reasons, and for this purpose, the lower end of the cuff  18  may be scalloped, or provided with a piping of a contrasting color, or the cuff itself may be made with material of a contrasting color. The sock itself is preferably knitted of yarn selected from such materials as cotton, wool, nylon or silk.  
         [0022]     An overlay  20  is attached to the sock, especially on the cuff  18 . The overlay  20  is fused to the cuff along a heat-fused seal  22  that extends around the entire periphery of the overlay. The overlay is constituted of a soft, flexible, light-transmissive material, such as rubber or plastic, and is preferably molded with a graphic, such as the illustrated three-dimensional cat face, thereon. The overlay forms a compartment  24 , as best seen in the sectional view of  FIG. 2 , with the cuff.  
         [0023]     A lighting module  26  is received and held in the compartment  24 . As best seen in the exploded view of  FIG. 4 , the module  26  includes a battery  28 , typically a flat circular disk battery commonly used in cameras, a battery holder  30  having a resilient finger  32  for engaging one side of the battery, a planar 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  38 A, B, C, D also mounted on the board  34 , and a motion-responsive switch  40  electrically connected to the processor  36 , the battery  28 , and the light sources  38 A, B, C, D in the manner illustrated in the circuit of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0024]     The switch  40  includes an electrically conductive outer sleeve  42  in which an electrically conductive coil spring  44  is mounted for movement between an open position in which the spring is located out of physical conductive contact with the sleeve  42 , and a closed position in which the spring contacts the sleeve  42 . Motion of the spring is caused by movement of the wearer and, to aid such spring motion, the free end of the cantilevered spring  44  can be weighted.  
         [0025]     In the 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 determined by the processor. The pattern may be predetermined or random. The flashing can occur immediately when the closed position is reached, or after a time delay. The flashing is terminated after a predetermined time, or after a randomly chosen time interval. Continuous illumination is contemplated, but not preferred to minimize power consumption.  
         [0026]     The light sources are light emitting diodes operative for emitting light of the same or different colors. Each diode includes a pair of planar electrodes, as best seen in  FIG. 3 , which are flush-mounted on an exterior planar surface of the board  34 .  
         [0027]     As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the module  26  is encapsulated in a synthetic plastic material which is preferably light-transmissive. The encapsulated module has smooth, flattened major surfaces and has a circular or ovoidal disk shape. All of the components of the module are potted inside the encapsulated plastic, and there are no exposed rough edges. The encapsulating plastic was not shown in  FIG. 4  so as not to encumber this drawing.  
         [0028]     Water is prevented from entering and damaging the module by the aforementioned seal  20 , by the aforementioned encapsulating plastic, and by an envelope comprised of juxtaposed plastic sheets  46 ,  48  (see  FIG. 2 ) which are sealed about their periphery and which sandwich the module therebetween.  
         [0029]     In use, the module is mounted on an exterior surface of the cuff  18  and is positioned away from the wearer&#39;s leg. Even if a force presses the module against the wearer&#39;s leg, there is no discomfort, because the module has no exposed rough edges and is cushioned by the material of the sock. As the wearer moves, the light emitted by the module passes through the light-transmissive encapsulating plastic, the light-transmissive envelope, and the light transmissive overlay and illuminates the graphic thereon. If the wearer does not wish the lights to be visible, then the cuff is unfolded such that the overlay faces the wearer&#39;s leg. Again, there is no discomfort, because the overlay and the module have no exposed rough edges.  
         [0030]     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, also may find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.  
         [0031]     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a motion-responsive illuminated stocking, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0032]     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.