Patent Publication Number: US-2015088012-A1

Title: Light Assembly

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention relates to light assemblies and more particularly but not exclusively to light assemblies to be attached to the arm or a leg of a user. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The visibility of pedestrians and riders is important, particularly after sunset. Although it is known to provide joggers, pedestrians and riders with lights, a disadvantage of these known lights is that they are not easily secured relative to the user. A further disadvantage is that these lights are only effective in a forward (or reverse) direction. 
     It is also known to provide joggers and others exercising with heart rate monitors. It is also known to have in mobile form, such as mobile telephones, GPS functions. 
     A disadvantage of the above discussed devices is that they provide a single function thereby requiring the user to carry several of the devices where more than one function is required. 
     OBJECT 
     It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage. 
     SUMMARY 
     There is disclosed herein a light assembly including: 
     a body of “U” shaped configuration so as to encompass an area within which an object is to be located, the body being formed of resilient material so as to be retained in position secured to the object by being urged into engagement therewith by resilient deformation of the body; 
     at least one light mounted in the body; and 
     a battery mounted in the body and electrically coupled to the light to cause illumination of the light. 
     Preferably, the body is moulded of plastics material. In an alternative form the body is moulded of natural or synthetic rubber. 
     Preferably, the body has a pair of arms joined by a base, and there are at least two lights, each light being mounted in a respective one of the arms. 
     Preferably, each light is a light assembly so as to include an LED module with a battery. 
     In an alternative preferred form, each light is an LED module, and a battery is mounted in the body and is in communication with each light. 
     Preferably, a switch is operable to connect the battery to each light. 
     Preferably, the assembly includes a USB charging port connected to the battery. 
     Preferably, the body is shaped to engage the leg or arm of a user so that the light assembly is secured thereto. 
     There is further disclosed herein an assembly having a switch, the assembly including: 
     a body configured so as to encompass an area within which an object is to be located so that the assembly is mounted on the object, the body including a socket; 
     a battery mounted in the body; 
     conductors operably associated with the battery and switch with the conductors extending to said socket so as to provide contacts to provide electric power; and 
     a module releasably secured in the socket, the module including electrical components engaged with the contacts so that the module is powered by the battery upon operation of the switch by a user. 
     Preferably, the switch is mounted in the body. In an alternative form each module includes a battery. 
     Preferably, said module is a light. 
     Preferably, said module includes an electronic circuit and a screen coupled to the circuit, with the circuit to provide information to be illustrated on the screen. 
     Preferably, the circuit provides an indication of a user&#39;s body function. 
     Preferably, the body function is a user&#39;s pulse. 
     In an alternative preferred embodiment, the electronic circuit provides a GPS function with a user&#39;s location illustrated on the screen and/or provides a signal enabling the user&#39;s location to be determined. 
     Preferably, the socket is a first socket, and said body provides a second socket, with the second socket also having electrical contacts to receive electric power from the battery by operation of the switch, and a further one of the modules located in the socket and an electric contact with the contacts. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic isometric view of a light assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic end elevation of the light assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic side elevation of the light assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic isometric view of a further light assembly; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic end elevation of the light of assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic side elevation of the light assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic isometric view of an assembly to be worn by a user; 
         FIG. 8  is a further schematic isometric view of the assembly of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a parts exploded isometric view of the assembly of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a further schematic parts exploded isometric view of the assembly of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic sectioned side elevation of a module employed in the assembly of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic isometric view of a modification of the assemblies  10  and  20 ; and 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic sectioned side elevation of the assembly of  FIG. 12 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a light assembly  10 . The assembly  10  includes a body  11  formed of plastics material. The body  11  is of a “U” configuration so as to have a pair of generally coextensive arms  12  that are generally arcuate so as to be concave outwardly away from each other, and so as to encompass an area  13 . The arms  12  extend from a base  14  that extends generally normal to the arms  12 . 
     Each of the arms  12  is provided with an LED module  15  that includes a battery and LEDs. The battery would be connected to the LEDs by means of a manual switch  16 . The LEDs may be of different colours. 
     The body  11  is also provided with a USB charging port  17  via which the batteries may be charged. As an alternative, the port  17  may be adapted to engage a charger. 
     The above body  11  is formed of plastics material so as to be resiliently deformable. The arms  12  are shaped to pass about the leg or arm of a user so as to be resiliently deformed and therefore urged back into contact with the user so as to secure the assembly  10  in position. Preferably, the body  11  is coated with a “soft” material such as silicon so that it is comfortable to wear. 
     As a particular example, the assembly  10  could be fixed to a user&#39;s arm for the purposes of making the user more visible, while the user may also use the assembly  10  to indicate an intended direction of travel. In particular the assembly  10  would improve the user&#39;s side visibility. 
     The LED modules  15  face outwardly in opposite directions from the arms  12 . 
     The body  11  may also include sensors that detect a user&#39;s pulse, movement, temperature, etc with the information recorded for later use. The body  11  may also incorporate a GPS function. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 , the base  14  is provided with a higher capacity LiPo battery  18  and a switch  19  that connects the battery  18  to the LED modules  15 . In this embodiment, the modules  15  would not include a battery. 
     The module  15  may include a “chip” so that the module  15  is programmable to produce a desired light sequence. In an alternative embodiment, the “chip” may be included in the body  11 . 
     The module  15  is preferably replaceable or interchangeable. 
       FIGS. 7 to 11  illustrate an assembly  20  to be worn by a user. Typically the assembly  20  would be mounted on a user&#39;s arm. 
     The assembly  20  includes a body  21  of a “U” shaped configuration so as to have a base  22  extending between a pair of generally parallel co-extensive arms  23 . Preferably the body  21  is moulded of plastics material so that it can be resiliently deformed. The body  21  encompasses an area  24  within which an object (typically the wearer&#39;s arm) is located so that the arms  23  are moved apart so as to be resiliently urged inward so as to securely mount the assembly  20  on the user&#39;s arm. That is the user&#39;s arm is clamped between the arms  23 . 
     The body  21  includes an outer portion  25  fixed to an inner portion  26 , with the portions  25  and  26  providing a cavity  27  within which electronic components  28  are housed and secured in position. The components  28  include a board  29  upon which there is mounted a pair of switches  30 , with the board  29  also providing an electric circuit providing a port  31 , typically a USB port. 
     Also mounted in the cavity  27  is a battery  32 , with the battery  32  coupled to the port  31  to provide full charging of the battery  32 . The battery  32  would also be coupled to the switches  30 , the port  31 , battery  32  and an integrated circuit  33 . 
     Also connected to the electric components  28  (integrated circuit  33 ) are wires  34  that extend to conductors  35  so that upon operation of the switches  36 , electric power is delivered to the conducts  35 . 
     Preferably, the outer portion  25  and inner portion  26  snap engage so as to be secured together but are releasable to expose the battery  32  for replacement purposes. 
     The body  21  provides a pair of sockets  36  which in this embodiment are of a cylindrical configuration so as to be surrounded by a threaded section  37 . The inner end of the socket  37  has an aperture  38  within which the contacts  35  are located. 
     Releasably mounted in each socket is a module  39 . In  FIG. 10  several of the modules  39  are illustrated. However it should be appreciated that on one side of the assembly  10  one module  39  may be employed while on the other side of the assembly  10  a different module  39  may be employed. The module  39  is configured to provide a specific function or functions. These functions can include storing and transmitting information relating to the wearer. 
     The modules  39  provide a variety of functions. For example, one module  39  may merely provide a light. As an alternative one of the modules  39  may provide a GPS function. While further another module  39  might provide a read out of data relative to the wearer, such as a pulse, body temperature and blood oxygen level, as examples. As a further alternative, the module  39  may provide a stop watch function. 
     In  FIG. 11  there is schematically depicted an example of a module  39 . In this particular example, the module  39  includes a hollow body  40  having a threaded section  41  that threadably engages the section  37  so that upon rotation of each module  39  about the central axis  42  within one of the socket  36 , relative to the body  21 , the module  39  is either secured in or removed from within the associated socket  36 . 
     The module  39  of  FIG. 11  includes a contact portion  43  having contact areas that engage the contacts  35  so that the module  39  is electrically connectable to the battery  32  via the switches  30  and integrated circuit  33 . The module  39  also includes an electric circuit  44  that might provide a GPS function or electronic circuitry that can detect a user&#39;s pulse, or other function as described above. A screen  45  is electrically coupled to the circuit  44  so as to receive signals therefrom, with the screen  45  then providing a display of information such as a user&#39;s pulse. A transparent protective layer  46  secured to the body  44  and overlays the screen  45 . 
     The GSP function may include a display illustrating a location and/or transmit a signal for the purposes of providing information in respect of the user&#39;s location. 
     As an alternative embodiment, the circuit  44  and screen  45  may merely be replaced with a light assembly. 
     Preferably, the assembly  20  further includes a strap  47  secured to the body  21  by pins  48 . Preferably, the strap  47  would be adjustable in length to aid in securing the assembly  20  to an object, such as a user&#39;s arm. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 12 and 13 , like the embodiments of  FIGS. 7 to 11 , the assembly  50  includes a body  51  of a “U” shaped configuration so as to have a base  52  extending between a pair of generally parallel co-extensive arms  53 . Preferably the body  51  is moulded of plastics material so that it can be resiliently deformed. The body  51  encompasses an area  54  within which an object (typically the user&#39;s arm) is located so that the arms  53  are moved apart so as to be resiliently urged inwardly so as to be securely mounted on the user&#39;s arm. 
     The body  51  includes an outer portion  55  an end portion  56 , with the portions  55  and  56  providing a cavity  57  within which electronic components  58  are housed and secured in position. The components  58  may be the same as the components  28  of the previous embodiment. 
     Like the previous embodiment, the body provides a pair of sockets  36 . Like the previous embodiment, these sockets  66  are of a cylindrical configuration so as to receive modules  69 . The modules  69  may be as previously described and may be identical to the modules  39 . 
     In the above embodiments, the battery  32  is located in the body  21 . However a battery  32  could be provided, as an alternative, in each module  39 . 
     Preferably, the assemblies  10 ,  20  and  50  are waterproof, including the modules  15 ,  39  and  69 . 
     In the above embodiments, the switches, such as the switch  30 , may be a mechanical or electrical switch or maybe motion activated. In a further alternative preferred form, the switch may be remote from the assembly. 
     As an alternative to a USB port to charge the battery or batteries, each battery may be inductively charged. Other charging means such as a pin or “jack” or coaxial connectors may be used. As a further alternative, movement of the assemblies  10 ,  20  and  50  may be used to generate a charge to operate the assemblies  10 ,  20  and  50 , including charging the batteries.