Abstract:
A garment 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 garments and, more particularly, to a garment which is illuminated in response to motion by a wearer.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Garments are, of course, worn by men, women and children, As advantageous as the known garments have been, improvements can still be made in their use, particularly for providing a more visually stimulating appearance.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
     Objects of the Invention  
       [0005]     Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a visually stimulating, eye-catching display on a garment.  
         [0006]     Still another object of the present invention is to promote safety when wearing the garment.  
       Features of the Invention  
       [0007]     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 garment, preferably constituted of cloth. The garment 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.  
         [0008]     An overlay is attached to the garment. The overlay bounds with the garment 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.  
         [0009]     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 garment. 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 garment and/or a sealed envelope in which the module is sealingly contained and/or a synthetic plastic material for encapsulating the module.  
         [0010]     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.  
         [0011]     In accordance with this invention, the flashing lights create an eye-catching display whether the garment is worn by day or by night. In addition, the flashing lights enhance the wearer&#39;s safety, especially at night, since the wearer is more visible. Still further, many wearers wear garments to bed and, should such wearers walk at night, then the lights serve as a nightlight to guide their way in the dark.  
         [0012]     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  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a garment in accordance with this invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged sectional view taken on line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an encapsulated lighting module for use with this invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the lighting module prior to assembly and encapsulation; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is an electrical schematic of a circuit used in the lighting module of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral  10  generally identifies a garment, such as a shirt or blouse. The garment is preferably made of such materials as cotton, wool, nylon, silk, or like cloth material.  
         [0019]     An overlay  20  is attached to the garment  18 . The overlay  20  is fused to the garment 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 clown face, thereon. The overlay forms a compartment  24 , as best seen in the sectional view of  FIG. 2 , with the garment.  
         [0020]     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 .  
         [0021]     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.  
         [0022]     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.  
         [0023]     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 .  
         [0024]     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.  
         [0025]     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.  
         [0026]     In use, the module is mounted on an exterior surface of the garment. Even if a force presses the module against the wearer, there is no discomfort, because the module has no exposed rough edges and is cushioned by the material of the garment. 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.  
         [0027]     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. For example, the garment need not be a shirt as illustrated, but can be any clothing article, including hats and gloves.  
         [0028]     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a motion-responsive illuminated garment, 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.  
         [0029]     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.