Articles with flashing lights

• US 20040051474A1
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cheerine Development Limited
• Original Assignee: Cheerine Development Limited
• Inventors: Wong, Wai Kai
• Granted Patent: US 6,906,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/085 Luminous ornaments

Abstract

Illuminating devices may be added to clothing and accessories worn by persons. Articles to which the illuminating devices may be added include footwear, hair-control articles, belts, suspenders, backpacks, purses, book-bags, vests and the like. The illuminating devices are necessarily compact in nature, consisting primarily of flashing lights and a power-and-control circuit that controls and enables the flashing of the lights. The lights may be flashed sequentially, in-phase, randomly, or in other desirable patterns, and the lights may also fade-on or fade-off. Controls may include an inertial switch, a push-button or touch-switch, and an on-off toggle switch.

Claims

1. An illuminating system for a personal item, the system comprising:

a switch for controlling the illuminating system;

a plurality of secondary gates;

means for storing and generating at least two patterns of signals that control the secondary gates, the means for storing and generating connected to the plurality of secondary gates and the switch; and

a plurality of lamps for illuminating the personal item, the plurality of lamps selected from the group consisting of incandescent lamps, LEDs, bi-color LEDs, and tri-color LEDs, wherein the means for storing and generating causes the plurality of lamps to flash in a pattern selected by the user with the switch.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal item is selected from the group consisting of a shoe, a shoe lace, a back-pack, a hair care item, a belt, a garment and an outer garment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the pattern is selected from the group consisting of a random pattern, a sequence, a reverse sequence, a pattern with a delay, an in-phase pattern, fading in and fading out.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for controlling a length of time the illuminating system is turned on, the means selected from the group consisting of a diode, a switch, a resistor and a capacitor, an oscillator and a microprocessor controller.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is selected from the group consisting of an inertial switch, a touch switch and an on/off switch.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power supply connected to at least the means for storing and generating.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a primary gate connected electrically to the secondary gates.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the primary gate is a transistor and further comprising a capacitor connected between a base of the transistor and a terminal selected from the group consisting of a collector and an emitter of the transistor.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the primary gate is a transistor and further comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of a resistor and a diode connected between a gate of the transistor and the means for storing and generating at least two patterns of signals.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary gates are transistors and further comprising a capacitor for each of at least two secondary gates, the capacitor connected between a base of the transistor and a terminal of the transistor selected from the group consisting of a collector and an emitter of the transistor.

11. An illuminating system for a personal item, the system comprising:

a power supply;

a primary gate connected electrically to the power supply;

at least two switches for controlling the primary gate, the switches electrically connected to the primary gate and the power supply;

a plurality of secondary gates electrically connected to the primary gate and the power supply;

means for storing and generating a pattern of signals that control the secondary gates, the means for generating connected to the plurality of secondary gates and the power supply;

a plurality of lamps for illuminating the personal item, the plurality of lamps selected from the group consisting of incandescent lamps, LEDs, bi-color LEDs, and tri-color LEDs, wherein the means for generating causes the plurality of lamps to flash in a pattern.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the primary gate and the secondary gates is a transistor, and further comprising a capacitor for at least one transistor that is a primary gate or a secondary gate, said capacitor connected electrically to a base of the transistor and to a terminal selected from the group consisting of a collector and an emitter of the transistor.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the personal item is selected from the group consisting of a shoe, a shoe lace, a back-pack, a hair care item, a belt, a garment and an outer garment.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the pattern is selected from the group consisting of a random pattern, a sequence, a reverse sequence, a pattern with a delay, an in-phase pattern, fading in and fading out.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a user selects the pattern with at least one of the switches.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for controlling a length of time the illuminating system is turned on, the means selected from the group consisting of at least one of the switches, a diode, a resistor and a capacitor, an oscillator, and a microprocessor controller.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the switch for controlling the primary gate is selected from the group consisting of an inertial switch, a touch switch and an on/off switch.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the primary gate is a transistor and further comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of a resistor and a diode connected between a gate of the transistor and the means for storing and generating a pattern of signals.

19. A method for illuminating a personal item with a flashing light system, the method comprising:

selecting at least one pattern of signals from at least two patterns of signals stored in a memory of the system;

generating the at least one pattern of signals to control a plurality of secondary gates and lamps, wherein the lamps are selected from the group consisting of incandescent lamps, LEDs, bi-color LEDs, and tri-color LEDs; and

controlling a timing and the at least one pattern of illumination with a primary gate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the pattern is selected from the group consisting of a random pattern, a sequence, a reverse sequence, a pattern with a delay, an in-phase pattern, fading in and fading out.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein a user controls the pattern of illumination with at least one switch.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein a user controls the timing of illumination with at least one switch.