Abstract:
Described is an apparatus for a lighted whistle connectable to a predetermined article. A housing forms an outer shape of said whistle and has therein an inner cavity. A mouthpiece adapted for a user to blow air thereinto has an opening in fluid connection with said inner cavity and a sound hole opening providing an air outlet from said inner cavity. A power source is connected in an electrical circuit with a light source and a switch. A connector for connecting said whistle to a predetermined article is positioned on the housing.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority from application Ser. No. 10/274,848, filed on Oct. 21, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,913, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/756,458, which was filed on Jan. 9, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,939, and which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to the field of whistles and, more particularly, to a whistle having a light and structured for connection to a variety of items or to be worn by a user, particularly as a pendant. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Accessory lights of various kinds have become popular for enhancing the appearance of clothing and utilitarian articles. Some such accessory lights may additionally provide added visibility to the wearer in low light conditions, thereby serving as aids in promoting the user&#39;s safety. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   With the foregoing in mind, the present invention describes a whistle comprising a light source therein to provide illumination and increased visibility for the user. 
   The present lighted whistle preferably comprises a housing which forms the whistle and has a connector for connecting the whistle to a predetermined article; a power source positioned within the housing; a light source positioned within the housing and connected to the power source; and a switch positioned within the housing connected to the power source and to the light source so as to energize the light source. The switch may be a manually operated switch, may include a photo sensor responsive to the level of ambient light, may be preferably responsive to motion, or may include a combination of such switches. A preferred switch is motion activated, and is responsive to motion energy such as vibration, for example vibration generated by walking or other physical movements by a person wearing the lighted whistle. The light source is energized when the switch or combination of switches is activated, thereby lighting not only the whistle itself but also the article to which the light is connected, and increasing the visibility of the person wearing the whistle. 
   In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing provides both the structural features of the whistle, an enclosure for protecting the electrical components of the lighted whistle and, preferably, also serves to connect the whistle to an article, or to a lanyard serving to allow wearing the lighted whistle as a pendant. The housing comprises a material which allows light emitted by the light source to shine therethrough so that it may be seen by an observer. In a most preferred embodiment, the housing material includes a fluorescent compound responsive to light emitted by the light source, so that the lighted whistle device glows with fluorescence. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Some of the features, advantages, and benefits of the present invention having been stated, others will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of the lighted whistle of the present invention, in use by a person; 
       FIG. 2  shows the whistle of  FIG. 1  in use connected to a lanyard suitable for wearing the whistle as a pendant; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the whistle of  FIG. 1  in use connected in a key ring; 
       FIG. 4  is a cutaway view of the present lighted whistle showing a light source made with chip-on-board light-emitting diodes; and 
       FIG. 5 . is an exploded view of the lighted whistle of  FIG. 1  showing the electrical components according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   The whistle of claim  1 , wherein said power source, light source, and switch are positioned within said housing is a compartment separated from said inner cavity. 
   The whistle of claim  1 , wherein said housing is substantially waterproof. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. Unless otherwise defined, any technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. Any publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, however, the present specification, including any definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods and examples given are illustrative in nature only and not intended to be limiting. Accordingly, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these illustrated embodiments are provided solely for exemplary purposes so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and from the claims. 
     FIGS. 1 through 5  illustrate the present invention, a lighted whistle  10 . The lighted whistle  10  preferably comprises a housing  12  which forms the outer form and structure of a typical whistle, and also encloses the electrical components of the device. A first portion of the housing defines the whistle and includes a mouthpiece  14  or nozzle, a sound hole  16 , and an inner cavity  18 . A second portion of the housing encloses the electrical components of the device preferably adjacent the inner cavity  18  of the whistle  10 . These electrical components include a power source  20 , a light source  22 , and a switch  24  connected in a circuit  26  together with the power source and light source. The light source may also include a protective clear dome or lens  27  which may also double as or form part of a wall separating the inner cavity of the whistle from a compartment holding the electrical components of the device. The housing  12  also provides a connector  28  serving to connect the lighted whistle  10  to a desired article  30 , which could be a lanyard allowing wearing the lighted whistle as a pendant. 
   As known in the art, a “whistle” comprises a small wind instrument for making whistling sounds by means of the breath. Typically, but not exclusively, a whistle will emit a high-pitched, shrill, or sharp musical sound useful for attracting attention. Some whistles, but not all, will include a small ball free in the sound cavity of the whistle. The ball rattles around the cavity when a user blows air into the whistle and intermittently blocks the sound hole so as to produce a sound characterized by very short interruptions. The skilled should understand, however, that while a particular type of whistle is shown in the figures for purposes of illustration, the invention is intended to include all other styles of whistles as well. 
   The power source  20 , preferably at least one battery, is positioned within the housing  12  connected in the electrical circuit  26 . A light source  22 , which those skilled in the art will know may be any suitable light, but which preferably includes at least one light emitting diode (LED), is positioned within the housing  12  and is connected to the power source  20  through the electrical circuit  26 . A switch  24  is connected to the power source  20  and to the light source  22  through the electrical circuit  26  so as to close the circuit and energize the light source  22 , provided there are no other switches open in the circuit. A preferred switch  24  is a motion sensitive switch, such as a tremor switch, which will automatically close the circuit in response to movement of the device. As described above, the switch  24  in the invention may include a single device which may be manually operated, or may be motion sensitive, or photosensitive, or may include more than one of these devices in the electrical circuit. For example, a photosensitive switch would prevent energizing of the light source  22  when ambient light is sufficient. 
   The present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 2–3 , includes the lighted whistle  10  in combination with a connector  28  which engages with the lighted whistle, the connector serving for connecting the lighted whistle to a predetermined article  30 . The skilled will recognize, however, that the lighted whistle  10  may be manufactured having the first and second portions of the housing being one integral part or being separable, for example, to provide access to the power source  20  so as to allow a user to change it for a new battery when needed. 
   In any embodiment, the connector may include a device such as a cord or lanyard  32 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , for hanging the light from an article. A ring  33  as commonly employed for key chains and shown in  FIG. 3  may also be used, or both a lanyard and ring. A cord or lanyard, as described and shown in  FIG. 2 , could serve depending on length to wear the disclosed lighted whistle as a pendant around the neck or other body part of the user. 
   As noted above, the housing  12  for the lighted whistle  10 , best shown in  FIGS. 1–3  and  5 , preferably comprises a translucent or transparent material so as to allow light emitted by the light source  22  to shine through the housing. In addition, the housing  12  preferably is best fabricated from ultrasonically sealed plastic material, thereby comprising a substantially waterproof enclosure for the electrical components of the lighted whistle  10 . The lighted source  22  may be configured to emit light in one or more colors. The light source  22  itself may emit colored light, or may include multiple individual light sources or LEDS such as shown in  FIG. 4 , each emiting a different color. Additionally, the housing  12  may comprise material having one or more colors to thereby produce multiple colors as the light source is energized. Most preferably in such an embodiment the light source  16  is capable of emitting a plurality of colors and may be controlled by a microprocessor chip  34  to emit such colors sequentially or in any other desired pattern. 
   In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the light source  22  may preferably be a light-emitting diode (LED) which emits at least some light in the ultraviolet or near-ultraviolet range (UV-LED), and the housing  12  may be fabricated to include a fluorescent compound responsive to the ultraviolet or near-ultraviolet light. The skilled will know that various fluorescent compounds are available which fluoresce in predetermined colors responsive to UV or near-UV light. For example, fluorescein isothiocyanate fluoresces in a yellow-green color, rhodamine compounds fluoresce in a reddish color, and calcofluor white fluoresces in a bright yellow-white light. 
   Particularly useful and aesthetic applications of this aspect of the invention include forming the housing  12  to display an emblem or image which is lit as movement begins. The image may advantageously comprise an advertisement. Such an advertisement may include a corporate mark or a team logo, for example, for a professional or collegiate athletic team. In such an embodiment the light source  22  could emit light coordinated with the team&#39;s colors. 
   A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 1–3  and  5 , wherein the lighted whistle includes a motion sensitive switch which has a first contact electrically connected to a pole of the power source. The power source or sources and the remaining electrical components are preferably positioned in a compartment separated from the whistle&#39;s inner cavity  18  and spaced apart from the whistle&#39;s mouthpiece  14 . A cap  36 , which is preferably matingly threaded with the remaining portion of the whistle housing  12 , closes off the compartment wherein the electrical components are positioned. A coil spring  38  or other biasing member is positioned between the cap  36  and the power source(s)  20  and urges the batteries into the switch for closing an electrical contact when the cap is sufficiently tightened onto the whistle housing. This is, of course, in a manually operable switch embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIGS. 1–3 , wherein the switch is operated by tightening the cap onto the batteries. 
   In a motion sensitive switch embodiment of the invention, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the first contact is positioned suspended adjacent a second contact, which in this case is a switch contact plate. Movement of the lighted whistle device  10  causes the first contact, a small contact spring  40 , to vibrate sufficiently to touch the second contact  42 , thereby closing the electrical circuit, and energizing the light source. When movement ceases, vibration of the switch contact is reduced and eventually stops, the first contact moves away from the second contact, and the electrical circuit is opened, turning off the light source. As seen in  FIG. 5 , a sleeve  44  may be employed to stabilize the position of the electrical components in relation to one another. If desired, the sleeve  42  may be metallic and may be incorporated into the electrical circuit. In this embodiment a first contact is preferably a spring coil  38  formed from a wire which is electrically connected to a pole of the power source, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The vibrational characteristics of the first contact  38  depend on factors known in the art, including the gauge of wire used to make the spring coil, the number of coils in the spring, the tensile strength of the wire and, therefore, its bendability. Careful control of such characteristics will allow fabrication of a contact of predetermined sensitivity to motion, and of predetermined residual contact after motion stops. A microprocessor chip  34  positioned on the circuit board  26  may also be configured for controlling the rate at which the light source is energized. 
   For example, the chip  34  can minimize the energizing of the light source  22  due to random movement such as experienced during shipment. Additionally, the chip  34  could be configured to provide a low power use mode responsive to random movement of the whistle, thereby helping conserve energy in the power source. 
   The invention may be used in a variety of ways. For example, it could be used by a runner or a person walking, particularly at night or in low light conditions, both to increase the visibility of the person to others and to provide a sound signal which could be used in emergencies. The lighted whistle would also be very useful if connected to a personal flotation device such as used in boats and personal water craft. A person falling overboard would be more easily located by both the sound signal and the emitted light. Uses to which the invention may be put are only limited by the user&#39;s imagination. 
   In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed a typical preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, the terms are used in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. The invention has been described in considerable detail with specific reference to these illustrated embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that various modifications and changes can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the foregoing specification and as defined in the appended claims.