Abstract:
A clear, frosted, or colored, transparent and/or translucent, plastic, or composite skateboard, snowboard, or any sports board material, that is illuminated with replaceable, rechargeable, or self-charging battery powered light emitting diodes which are placed inside the board within an inexpensive, drop-in, modular housing, which serves as a light engine and provides light that is transmitted through the interior of the board itself in order to illuminate light altering elements which are embedded inside the board and/or etched, printed or applied to the surface of the board. This glowing light creates unique artistic light patterns, flashing sequences, and glowing designs throughout the interior and exterior of the board.

Description:
This nonprovisional utility patent application claims the benefit of a prior provisional patent application filed by William L Tunnicliffe, application No. 61/246,116, filing date Sep. 26, 2009. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to illuminated sports boards and pertains, more specifically, to using compact and powerful LED lights to illuminate skateboards and project light out from the skateboards. 
     Previous illuminated skateboards apply, affix, insert, or attach light bulbs to existing wooden skateboards in order to project light out from discrete and isolated areas within the board or to project light from discrete and isolated areas attached to the outer surface of the board and/or the truck and wheel assemblies attached to the skateboard. These lights are connected by wire to separate battery power and electrical component compartments that are externally affixed or attached to the sports board and are not easily replaced. 
     Some examples of illuminated sports boards that affix light bulbs or light strips or light panels to solid, non-clear composite and/or wooden skateboards are seen in the following U.S. patents: 
     Bailey, U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,636 shows a solid wooden skateboard that has LED lights affixed to a plurality of recesses on the side of the board. Light shines out only from these discrete areas and the board itself is not illuminated. The LED lights are not easily replaceable and the battery compartment is externally attached to the board. 
     Wood, U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,196 shows a wooden skateboard with a groove around the periphery within which a string of LED lights are permanently embedded and affixed. Skid bars with LED lights mounted in them are also shown with wires that attach to an externally mounted power and battery compartment. These external mountings are bulky and interfere with the normal and traditional operation and riding of the skateboard. If these lights fail due to the normal wear and tear of riding a skateboard, they are not easily replaced. The skateboard itself is not illuminated, the LED lights only project light out from the edge, or surface, of the board. 
     Seifert, U.S. Pat. No. 7,048,284 shows a wooden skateboard with a peripheral groove and a hollow central slit which hold embedded and affixed LED light strings. These light strings are attached by wires to electrical power components contained within a protective housing mounted between one of the trucks and the bottom surface of the skateboard deck. These electrical connections cannot be replaced by the skateboard user and they add additional weight and bulk to the skateboard. 
     Seifert, U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,733 shows an electro-luminescent sheet attached to the top surface of the skateboard and covered with a permanent layer of resin for protection. This light source cannot be replaced by the user, and it only serves to project light out from the surface of the solid wooden skateboard. 
     These inventions only project light out from the LED light source and they do not illuminate the board material itself. These inventions have bulky external power compartments that alter the weight, appearance, and performance of the skateboards as compared to traditional, non-illuminated skateboards. Additionally, the LED light sources are not easily replaced by the user in the event the LED bulbs break, wear out, or fail to operate properly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a unique new style of illuminated skateboard which utilizes a battery or self-powered internal light source that is transmitted through a clear and/or translucent skateboard in order to project light out of the skateboard and to also project light throughout the interior of the skateboard in order to illuminate frosted, colored or translucent graphic elements that are either embedded inside the board, or etched, frosted, or printed on the surface of the board. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a compact, modular lighting compartment that holds all the LED lights, power, and electronic control components that are needed to illuminate the skateboard. This LED lighting module is easily removed and replaced by the skateboard user in order to replace batteries, change worn out LED lights, or to switch LED lighting options for customized use. 
     Another object of the invention is to create an illuminated skateboard that glows from within and also projects light out to the surrounding area. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to create an illuminated skateboard that has no externally attached or mounted power sources that would alter the accepted and traditional shape and weight characteristics of conventional skateboards. The flexibility characteristics of conventional skateboards can also be matched by using the present invention. 
     The above objects, as well as further objects and advantages, are attained by the present invention which may be described briefly as an illuminated skateboard that glows and illuminates from within the skateboard itself. 
     The present invention is comprised of the following components:
         The skateboard component transmits and refracts light from an LED source mounted inside the board itself. The board functions as a light pipe that disperses and transmits the LED light by refraction through the transparent and/or translucent plastic material that the board is composed of. Clear or colored plastics are used as a raw material for the skateboard component. These plastics can also be combined with structural components as stiffening agents to increase rigidity, such as hexagonal plastic webbing, extremely rigid clear plastic strips, carbon fiber rods, wood strips, or metal rods. The skateboard component is a contoured, or flat, elongated oval shape which provides a surface for which to ride on. The composition of the plastics and/or the embedded structural supports provides for a wide variety of choices in the flexibility and rigidity of the board component.   The lighting component is an inexpensive, drop-in, modular light housing, the light engine, which uses an LED light array to transmit the light throughout the light pipe, the board itself, and through a variety of refractive, reflective, and diffusive light altering elements. This lighting module is placed inside a matching hole or space, which has been pre-bored or molded into the board. This module is easily removed and replaced. Light Emitting Diodes of all different colors are used to provide the lighting component of the illuminated skateboard. These LEDs are small enough to fit inside the board. They are arranged in an outward facing pattern, from a 1 degree to 360 degree pattern, within a small, inexpensive, modular, drop-in plastic housing which is inserted, or embedded, into a pre-molded hole in the board. If no visible wiring is to be seen, the rechargeable LED lighting module is placed in the clear, frosted, or colored plastic, or composite, skateboard directly above the skateboard trucks and wheels. In the case of lighting compartments which have replaceable batteries or show visible wiring connections to a wheel based battery recharging system, the LED module can be placed anywhere within the board. This LED compartment can be cylindrical, square, hexagonal, or any shape desired so long as it fits, in height, within the thickness of the board and provides the desired transmission of the LED light source. This lighting module also holds the battery and electronic devices used to power the LEDs. The LED bulbs surround these electronics and face out into the interior of the skateboard in a 1 degree to 360 degree spread, in order to project, or shine, light through the interior plane of the clear plastic board. Bulbs can also be placed facing up or down as an option to shine light up and out of the module, or down below the module. The LED light can also be directed through fiber optic light tubes emanating from the light engine and embedded in the board, or through additional LED lights attached by wires to the central LED lighting module. The LEDs inside the lighting module are turned on by passing a magnet over a magnetic switch inside the lighting module, or by pushing a watertight, sealed, flush mounted toggle switch on the top of the module, or the top or bottom, of the board.   The light catching components of the board are frosted, outlined, colored, mirrored, dyed or printed patterns which are embedded inside the board, or etched, scratched, printed, or physically applied onto the outer surface of the board. These patterns provide a reflective, refractive, light altering component, which afters the light emitted from the embedded LEDs and shines brightly. Additional light altering components include any frosted or light altering materials embedded within the board which can reflect, block, or after the LED light and create distinctive patterns, graphics, or artwork. Fluorescent and phosphorescent patterns can also be embedded within the board, or mixed into the plastic composition itself in order to after the light.   The electronic control component includes electronic devices which create many options for flashing, strobing, alternating, and constant shining of the LED light. An on/off switch and an LED driver are also included in the electronic control component. This electronic control component is built into the modular, drop-in, LED light housing and provides a wide variety of options for inexpensive removal and replacement.   A power source component provides power for the LEDs and is also contained within the LED lighting module. If the battery is not rechargeable, it is mounted on top of the lighting module which is affixed in the board. A sealed top opens to provide for replacement of the used power cell. The battery component can also be a rechargeable based power system which uses either an external recharger, an axial driven generator, or a self enclosed magneto generator embedded inside the board. The generator is wired to the batteries or super capacitors inside the LED lighting module. In the case of the magneto generator, the magneto generates a small charge every time a small magnet, embedded inside the skateboard wheel below the pickup, turns past it. This charge is sent to the batteries or super capacitors inside the lighting compartment and gradually recharges them. For snowboards, other boards, or non-mechanically recharging skateboards, the rechargeable system utilizes an external recharger to recharge the batteries.   A customized truck component provides additional lighting options. The self-contained, drop-in, LED lighting module, which includes batteries and electronics, provides the user with the choice to use any traditional wheel and truck assembly to attach to the board, unlike other illuminated skateboards which use custom trucks to house power and electronic controls for lighting systems. Even if the LED module is self charging, traditional truck and wheel assemblies can be used, with the exception of the wheels themselves which must have an embedded magnet within at least one wheel but are, in all other respects, identical to traditional wheels. However, the LED lighting module can also be augmented with an optional custom LED truck and wheel assembly in order to provide greater power, additional lighting options, additional battery options, or additional light transmission from the custom truck that adds to, augments, modifies and/or enhances the light transmission in the board above, such as adding a complimentary flashing strobe pattern, providing a headlight projection that strobes in synch with the glowing board, or providing a variety of light effects that are controlled by the LED lighting module and work in conjunction with the glowing board above this custom wheel and truck assembly.   A personalized artistic component of the board is provided by external scratching from repeated use and/or deliberate scratching or etching, printing or dyeing. This external scratching, or any marks that frost, etch, or add light altering properties to the surface of the board, will also catch light from the embedded LEDs and shine. This is an additional design element for the user of the board and is a unique component completely unlike any existing illuminated skateboard designs. Personalized, custom designs will glow, as will scratches from ordinary use. The board user can buff out these scratches to diminish the glow, leave them as is to maintain the glow, or add to the scratches to enhance the glow. The board user can also attach traditional grinding rails, or runners, to the bottom of the board to further control the degree of scratching, and the consequent addition of glowing elements, that occurs. The internal nature of the light source combined with the affect it has on translucent or refractive elements added to the surface of the board, provides a unique and widely varied opportunity to customize the boards with additional glowing elements and designs. Another unique artistic opportunity is created by laminating, or embedding into the center of the board certain clear materials, such as rigid acrylics, that can fracture easily within the shatterproof polycarbonate exterior. Any cracking or fractures inside the board, within the rigid core, will be contained by the flexible, durable exterior and this cracking will catch the light and provide additional glow to the board. The degree to which these fractures occur can be enhanced or diminished by the composition of the core and will provide an additional aesthetic choice for the user of the board.       

     These components work together to create a unique glowing skateboard, which is illuminated by an inexpensive, drop-in, LED lighting module that serves as a light engine. This light engine provides a light source that is transmitted through the interior of the board itself, and refracted through a variety of light altering substances inside the board and on the surface of the board, in order to create a wide variety of light patterns and designs that are unlike any other skateboard lighting effects. These lighting effects are unique because they are created from inside the material of the board, through the transmission of a light source that is emanating from within the board itself. 
     The clear plastic skateboard can be injection molded with a single plastic polymer, or a combination of different polymers, or it may be laminated with multiple layers of the same plastic, or it may be laminated with multiple layers of different plastic sheets, such as acrylic, polyethylene, polypropylene and polycarbonate. These different layers are used to combine the properties of these plastics in order to provide a virtually unbreakable plastic exterior with a rigid plastic interior. This lamination, and/or injection molding process, is used to create a clear plastic board that matches all the characteristics of a traditional wood board, such as flexibility and durability. It also provides for a wide variety of new options in the flexibility and durability of the board. The clear plastic boards can be augmented with embedded structural supports, such as metal strips, rigid plastic bars, hexagonal plastic sheets, or wood rods, to further control the flexibility of the board. This same variety of rigidity versus flexibility is attained in crystal clear boards, without any embedded structural supports, by combining, through injection molding and/or lamination, a core of clear, highly rigid plastic with a clear, highly flexible, extremely durable, and virtually shatterproof plastic, such as a polycarbonate, which forms the exterior of the board. Varying the composition of this mix provides a wide range of flexibility for the boards while maintaining a shatter resistant exterior surface on which to ride. Clear illuminated snowboards, surfboards and other boards can also operate in all the same ways as their traditional wood, metal, Styrofoam, or composite counterparts and the same techniques for manufacturing the clear material can also provide a similarly wide range of flexibility in all these types of sports boards. 
     The illuminating LEDs are placed inside the board within a self-enclosed, sealed modular housing. There can also be multiple LED modules placed inside the board in multiple locations. These multiple light modules have the ability to communicate to each other via modulated light, or hard wiring, in order to create multiple synchronized lighting patterns and effects. The LED modules can also be molded permanently into the board and connected with wires to a removable battery and electronic compartment. Additional LEDs can also be molded permanently into the board and connected to the main, self-enclosed, removable LED module with wires to provide additional illuminating graphic elements. The LED light engine can also transmit light through fiber optic tubes which are attached to the LED bulbs and direct the transmission of the light to specific points inside the board or out to the outer edge, top, or bottom surface of the board, creating points of light that project outward, up, or down from the board. These fiber optic tubes create an artistic pattern or design within the board and can vary the amount of light they leak out in order to provide a wide array of options for additional light patterns within the board design. With respect to these fiber optic tubes and the refraction of light from a central LED light engine, the inexpensive, modular, drop-in LED light housing can be used in conjunction with fiber optic tubes to provide an embedded LED lighting system for existing wooden laminated skateboards, or snowboards. For this system, the fiber optic tubes can be glued, in any desired pattern, into a single layer of plywood, or molded into a sheet of plastic or composite material, which will be used in the existing seven-layer skateboard lamination process. The fiber optic tubes will all originate from one common point in the plywood, where the drop-in, modular LED light engine will be placed either during, or after the lamination process. This fiber optic/plywood sheet will then be laminated into a traditional wooden skateboard, the lighting module will be connected, and this process will create a single piece, wooden skateboard with embedded points of LED light projecting out from inside of it. A single sheet of clear polycarbonate with frosted edges can also be used in the traditional lamination process to create a clear, central, polycarbonate layer within the seven-layer wooden lamination process. The frosted edges of this sheet will catch the light from the LED light engine embedded in the wooden board and create a glowing core. Additional holes bored into the wooden skateboard layers and filled with clear polycarbonate during the lamination process would direct additional light out from the central polycarbonate core of the board, down from the bottom of the board, or up from the top of the board. These unique applications combined with the inexpensive modular light compartment that can be replaced, or recharged, will create a glowing skateboard from traditional wooden lamination that does not use externally applied light bulbs like existing illuminated skateboard designs employ. Another method for retrofitting an existing laminated wooden skateboard is to bore thin holes for the fiber optic tubes to feed through the core of the horizontal plane, or thickness, of the board and connect to one or more LED modules that have been placed into the wooden board by boring out a hole which receives and secures the module into the board, either above the trucks or in other locations. 
     The clear, frosted, or colored transparent, or translucent, plastic or composite board material used in conjunction with the LED lighting module can also be used to create illuminated boards for other sports which use boards to ride, float, or glide on: such as longboards, streetboards, vigorboards, freeboards, caster boards, snowboards, skis, surfboards, parachute sky surf boards, wind surfing boards, skim boards, paddle boards, boogey boards, snow sleds, water skis, and kayaks. 
     The system of using an embedded LED lighting module which shines inside of a clear, frosted, or colored translucent material in order to make embedded elements glow can also be used to create any injection molded, laminated, or shaped clear or translucent illuminated object, such as illuminated bicycle helmets, motorcycle helmets, martial arts headgear, car racing helmets, paintball armor, hunting vests, kneepads, wrist guards, or any safety gear that will glow brightly during day or night and provide greater safety for the wearer. 
     The embedded LED lighting module which shines inside of a clear, frosted, or colored translucent object in order to make embedded elements glow can also be used in a wide variety of toys, toy vehicles, action figures, cases, covers, purses, shoes, fashion accessories, and any other objects which can be molded into a clear substrate within which the LED light engine transmits light. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a top view of a clear plastic skateboard illuminated by the LED lighting module inserted in the board. 
         FIG. 1A  shows a bottom view of the clear plastic skateboard and the placement of the LED lighting module. 
         FIG. 1B  shows a detail side view of the LED light beam. 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view of a clear polycarbonate skateboard that has embedded structural support rods. 
         FIG. 2A  shows a side view of the embedded structural supports. 
         FIG. 2B  shows a bottom view of structural support rods. 
         FIG. 3  shows a detail side view of structural supports. 
         FIG. 3A  shows a detail top view of translucent support elements. 
         FIG. 3B  shows a detail side view of honeycomb plastic support elements. 
         FIG. 4  shows a detail top view of the LED lighting module. 
         FIG. 4A  shows a detail side view of the LED lighting module. 
         FIG. 5  shows a detail side view of the self-charging power system. 
         FIG. 5A  shows a detail top view of the self-charging power system. 
         FIG. 6  shows a top view of a method for embedding additional LED lights into the skateboard. 
         FIG. 6A  shows a bottom view of embedding additional LED lights. 
         FIG. 7  shows a top view of additional options for embedding additional LED lights. 
         FIG. 7A  shows a side view of embedded additional LED lights. 
         FIG. 8  shows a top view of fiber optic tubes used as the central layer in the traditional seven-layer wooden lamination process. 
         FIG. 8A  shows a side view of the fiber optic tubes and the composite sheet embedded between six wooden sheets. 
         FIG. 8B  shows a top view of a clear plastic sheet that will be used as the central layer in the seven-layer wooden lamination process. 
         FIG. 8C  shows a side view of the clear plastic sheet embedded in the central layer of a seven-layer laminated wooden board. 
         FIG. 9  shows the electronic components for the illuminated skateboard. 
         FIG. 9A  shows the power source for the illuminated skateboard. 
         FIG. 10  shows a side view of a clear polycarbonate bicycle helmet that is illuminated by the LED light module. 
         FIG. 10A  shows an interior view of the removable LED lighting module embedded flush within the clear polycarbonate material. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a top view of a clear plastic skateboard  1  illuminated with LED light beams  2  which emit from the LED lighting module  3  inserted in the board. Embedded graphic components  5  and surface etched graphic components  4 , 6  are shown to indicate how the graphic components catch light beams  2  from the LED module  3  and glow within the board and on the surface of the board. 
       FIG. 1A  shows a bottom view of the clear plastic skateboard  7  and the placement of the LED lighting module  8  which is inserted in the board above the truck and wheel assembly  9  so that the module is flush to both the top and bottom surfaces of the board. Embedded and surface etched graphic components  10 ,  11 ,  12  are shown to indicate how they catch light from the LED module. The placement of a push button on/off switch  13  is indicated, and the letter “M”  13   a  indicates the placement of another type of on/off switch that is comprised of a magnetic on/off switch built into the electronic components of the LED module  8 . 
       FIG. 1B  shows a detail side view of the LED light beam  14  traveling through the board  15  and illuminating the frosted edge of the board  16 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a top view of a clear polycarbonate skateboard  17  that has embedded structural support rods  18  for added rigidity. The embedded supports  18  also include wires  19  which connect the magneto  20  to the rechargeable battery and recharge power supply components, labeled “PS”,  21  inside the LED lighting module  22 , which is mounted in the center of the board. 
       FIG. 2A  shows a side view of the structural supports  23 , such as carbon fiber rods, embedded in the clear skateboard  24 . Wires  25  run inside the embedded structural supports  23  and connect to the electronic components inside the LED lighting module  26 . 
       FIG. 2B  shows a bottom view of structural support rods  27 , such as steel, rigid acrylics, and carbon fiber rods, embedded in the clear injection molded all polycarbonate plastic skateboard  28 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a detail side view of structural supports  29 , such as steel, rigid acrylics, and carbon fiber rods, embedded in the center of a clear injection molded all polycarbonate plastic material  30  in order to add rigidity and support to the skateboard which is the same thickness as traditional seven-ply laminated wooden skateboards. 
       FIG. 3A  shows a detail top view of translucent honeycomb plastic support elements  31  embedded in the clear plastic material  32  to increase rigidity and to catch light from the LED light beam  33  which emanates from the LED light module  34 . 
       FIG. 3B  shows a detail side angle view of honeycomb plastic support elements  35  embedded in the clear plastic material  36  to increase rigidity. This honeycomb material  35  can be arranged as a graphic element that catches light by utilizing frosted, colored, or printed hexagonal plastic material  35 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a detail top view of the LED lighting module  36  which is mounted flush within the clear plastic board  37 , and which holds outward facing LED bulbs  38  that shine light beams  39  throughout the interior of the board. The electronic control components  40  lie at the base of the lighting module  36  and are connected to the LED bulbs  38  and the rechargeable battery and/or super capacitor and switch components  41  with wires  42 . 
       FIG. 4A  shows a detail side view of the LED lighting module  43  which is mounted flush within the clear plastic board  44 , with outward facing LED bulbs  45  that shine light beams  45   a  throughout the interior of the board. Battery and/or super capacitor and switch components  46  are also contained within the module  43  and the electronic control components  47  are contained inside the module on a layer below, or within, the LED bulbs  45 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a detail side view of the self-charging power system which indicates the magnet  48  embedded in the skateboard wheel  49  which spins past the magneto  50  embedded in the board, which is connected via wires  51  to the battery components  52  in order to charge the battery and provide power for the LED light module  53 . Placement of the company trademark  54  is indicated on the front of truck assembly  55  of the wheels. 
       FIG. 5A  shows a detail top view of the self charging power system which indicates the magnet  56  embedded in the skateboard wheel  57  which spins past the magneto embedded in the board  58  which relays a charge through the wires  59  connected to the battery components  60 , recharges the battery, and provides power for the LED light module  61  which shines light beams  62  from the LED bulbs  63  in order to illuminate the graphic elements  64  embedded in the board. 
       FIG. 6  shows a top view of a method for embedding additional LED lights  65  into the skateboard  66  and connecting them with wires to the LED light modules, indicated by a graphic OX symbol,  67 ,  68  that are inserted into the skateboard  66 . The LED modules  67 ,  68  then control and power these additional LED lights  65 . 
       FIG. 6A  shows a bottom view of a method for embedding additional LED lights  69  and connecting them to the LED light modules  70  that are inserted into the skateboard  71 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a top view of additional options for embedding additional LED lights  72 , 73 , 74  in the clear skateboards  75 , 76 , 77  and connecting them to the LED modules, indicated with the graphic symbol “OX”,  78  which power and control the illumination of the additional LED lights  72 , 73 , 74 . 
       FIG. 7A  shows a side view of embedded additional LED lights  79  in the clear skateboards  80  which are connected to two LED modules  81 , 82  which power and control their illumination. The magnet  83  embedded in the wheel  84  spins past the magneto recharging system  85  which is connected by wire  86  to one LED module  82  in order to power the batteries inside the LED module  82  which will power all LED lights. 
       FIG. 8  shows a top view of fiber optic tubes  87  molded into a solid, non clear, composite sheet  88  which will be used as the central layer in the traditional seven layer wooden lamination process which is currently used to create traditional wooden skateboards. These fiber optic tubes lead to a hole  89  bored into the composite sheet  88  to receive the LED light module and transmit light from the module in order to project light out from the edges of the wooden board. 
       FIG. 8A  shows a side view of the fiber optic tubes  90 ,  90   a ,  90   b  and the composite sheet  91  embedded between six wooden sheets  92 , 92   a ,  92   b ,  92   c ,  92   d ,  92   e  in order to form the central layer of the traditional seven-layer laminated wooden skateboards and to project light out from the edges of the board through the fiber optic tubes  90 , 90   a ,  90   b.    
       FIG. 8B  shows a top view of a clear plastic sheet  93  with frosted edges that will be used as the central layer in the seven-layer wooden lamination process, which is currently used to create traditional wooden skateboards. This clear sheet  93  leads to a hole  94  bored into the clear plastic sheet  93  to receive the LED light module and transmit light from the module in order to project light out from the edges of the wooden board. 
       FIG. 8C  shows a side view of the clear plastic sheet  95  with frosted edges  96  embedded in the central layer of a seven-layer laminated wooden board  97  which will be used to make a wooden skateboard with a central glowing core layer  95 , 96 . 
       FIG. 9  shows a block diagram of the electronic components for the illuminated skateboard. 
       FIG. 9A  shows a block diagram of suggestions for the electronics power source for the illuminated skateboard. 
       FIG. 10  shows a side view of a clear polycarbonate bicycle helmet  98  that is illuminated by the LED light module  99  embedded within the helmet material. A replaceable battery and power supply component  100  is housed in the LED light module  99  along with the electronic control components  101 , the LED light bulbs  102 , and a flush push button control switch  103 , which control the LED lights  102  and turn them on and off. The LED light bulbs  102  emit light beams  102   a  which illuminate graphic elements  104  embedded in the helmet  98  or etched onto the helmet surface. 
       FIG. 10A  shows an interior view of the removable LED lighting module  105  embedded flush within the clear polycarbonate material  106  of the helmet. The LED module  105  houses the electronic control components  107 , switch components  108 , a replaceable battery  109  and wires  110  which connect all components to the LED bulbs  111  which are arranged in an outward facing pattern to project light beams  112  out into, and throughout, the interior of the clear polycarbonate material  106 . 
     It is to be understood that the above detailed description of the invention is provided by way of example only. A variety of details of design, construction, and manufacturing techniques may be modified without departing from the true nature and the general scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.