Abstract:
A necklace with a pendant having fluorescent pigment illuminated by a UV LED. The necklace includes an electrical power source such as a button cell and an electrical switch for selectively controlling the flow of electrical current between the power source and the LED. The fluorescent pigment of the pendant emits visible light in response to being illuminated by ultraviolet light.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to necklaces, jewelry, pendants and the like worn in a loop around the neck of the wearer, and particularly to necklaces having a self-contained power source and source of illumination for a pendant.  
           [0002]    It is known to provide a necklace with a self-contained power source and a source of illumination to light a pendant. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,971 Ohlund. Necklaces with illuminated pendants can include a lamp of the light-emitting diode (LED) or incandescent type, a battery, and an electrical switch and circuit to control the flow of current between the battery and the lamp, with conductors being located within the strand of the necklace.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention provides a necklace including an illuminated pendant having fluorescent pigment illuminated by an ultraviolet (UV) LED. An electrical switch selectively controls the flow of electrical current between an electrical power source and the UV LED.  
           [0004]    Other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of a necklace with an ultraviolet illuminated pendant according to the present invention.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the battery housing of FIG. 1.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a front view, partially in section, of another embodiment of a necklace with an ultraviolet illuminated pendant according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0008]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.  
         [0009]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 2 , one embodiment of the present invention is a necklace  10  that includes a behind-the-neck battery housing  12 , a necklace strand  14 , and a pendant  16 . Battery housing  12  includes a top shell  18  and a bottom shell  20  shaped and sized to contain a plurality of AG3 or other suitable button cells  26  and a printed circuit (pc) board  22 , the pc board being supported by means of standoffs  24  and  28 . The pendant may be illuminated by a flasher which may include an integrated circuit (IC), e.g., an AP3761-03 IC from Advanced Microelectronic Products, Inc., Taiwan, surface mounted on the pc board and configured to be triggered by a switch  30  which may be a metal dome pushbutton switch. A U-shaped through-slot  32  in top shell  18  defines a cantilevered switch actuator  34  that can be depressed elastically by the wearer to contact and actuate switch  30 . A pair of screws  36  secure the top shell and bottom shell together, with the pc board sandwiched between, and with the button cells held in place between the pc board and the bottom shell.  
         [0010]    Strand  14  of necklace  10  is preferably a cord having an electrical conductor therein and is mechanically secured at one end  38  to battery housing  12 . The opposite end  40  of strand  14  is mechanically secured and electrically connected to an electrical connector  42  that is removably inserted into the battery housing. Connector  42  serves as a clasp to close the loop of the necklace and also serves to complete a circuit for illumination of the pendant as will be described.  
         [0011]    Pendant  16  is mechanically connected to strand  14  by a barrel connector  44  which houses an ultraviolet (UV) LED  48  that extends partially into and edge-lights the pendant. Each lead of the UV LED connects to the electrical conductor of a respective branch of strand  14  and thereby to the flasher circuit within battery housing  12  when the clasp is closed. The circuit may be configured such that, once the IC is triggered by actuation of the momentary switch, the LED flashes in one-shot mode, i.e., for a predetermined period of time. Alternatively, the circuit may be configured to provide simple on-off operation of the LED.  
         [0012]    Pendant  16  may be disc-shaped or may be made in other shapes, and is preferably formed of injection molded plastic material that is translucent or transparent. It is illuminated by UV LED  48  such that ultraviolet light entering the edge of the pendant is transmitted and guided throughout the plastic material of the pendant. The plastic material of the pendant  46  preferably has fluorescent pigment mixed therein prior to molding. In an alternative configuration that may be desirable for some applications, fluorescent pigment may be applied as a coating to the pendant surface. The ultraviolet light excites the fluorescent pigment and causes the pendant  46  to glow, creating a novel and pleasing aesthetic effect, and also back-lighting any indicia, design or graphics that may be provided on the pendant.  
         [0013]    UV LED  48  emits light having a wavelength in the range of about 390 to about 410 nm, more preferably having a peak of about 390 nm to about 410 nm, and most preferably having a peak of about 400 nm. A suitable UV LED is the DL50PLDW503 UV LED available from Shue Kwong Optic Electronic Company, Shenzhen, China. The plastic material of pendant  16  may be a polycarbonate material that is mixed with fluorescent pigment and injection molded into a planar sheet or other desired shape. Alternatively, the plastic material may be polystyrene, PVC, ABS or acrylic materials. The pigment may be mixed at a ratio of about 1 to 2 grams of pigment per kilogram of plastic material. The fluorescent pigment may be a pigment that is commercially available from Wen Lee Plastic Pigment Company, Tungguong, China, such as Part No. 61113 (green), Part No. 31461 (blue), Part No. 238 (red). or Part No, 2600 (yellow).  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an illuminated necklace  50  according to the present invention in which a complete flasher circuit is contained within an oval-shaped housing  52  proximate the pendant  54  and held on a nonconductive necklace strand  56  by a swivel  58 . The circuit includes a stacked arrangement of three button cells  60 , an IC  62  and a UV LED  64  as shown in the drawing. The LED and the remainder of the circuit components may be the same as described above, except that in this embodiment the flasher circuit is actuated by simply twisting threaded parts  66  and  68  of the housing relative to each other sufficiently to complete an electrical connection between the button cells and the IC. The circuit is preferably configured to continually energize the LED or to provide continual flashing thereof. The necklace of this embodiment includes a simple mechanical clasp  70  such as a snap-fit clasp and has relatively greater weight distribution toward the front of the necklace than the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0015]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected. For example, it is also contemplated that fluorescein dye may be mixed with ink to be applied to a surface of the pendant to form a logo or other indicia desired to be illuminated.