Electroluminescent communication system between articles of apparel and the like

• US 20080062677A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kristian Konig, Marcel Konig
• Original Assignee: Kristian Konig, Marcel Konig
• Inventors: Konig, Marcel, Konig, Kristian
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/103
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0036 with fluorescent or phosphorescent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements

Abstract

An article of apparel, or household fabric, having a power source, a switch and at least one electroluminescent or fabric strip for illuminating the article of apparel, or household article. In addition, the present invention can be used in a peer to peer network. The article may have a communication system including a transmitter and a receiver. Furthermore, the present invention can have electric circuitry that can be integrated with the electrical components so as to create different visual effects in response to signals from the communication system. The electroluminescent strips of the present invention can be designed to follow the contour of a trademark, logo, or character. Also, the electroluminescent strips can be designed to follow the stitching of the sneaker and follow the sneaker lace path. Switches of the present invention can include, preferably, a toggle switch, or if desired a pressure switch, a reed switch, or the like. The power source implemented is preferably a rechargeable battery.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate, each of said substrates having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top and bottom surfaces being joined by an edge around the perimeter of said substrates, at least a portion of said first substrate being positioned over a portion of said second substrate such that said bottom surface of said first substrate contacts at least a portion of said top surface of said second substrate, said article further comprising an electroluminescent strip, said strip being positioned such that an outer surface of the strip contacts at least an edge of said first substrate, said electroluminescent strip being operatively connected to a power source and a switch for activating said strip

2. The article according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of said strip contacts said edge of said first substrate and at least a portion of the top surface of said second substrate.

3. The article according to claim 1 wherein said electroluminescent strip is a wire.

4. The article according to claim 3 wherein said article is an article of clothing.

5. The articles according to claim 4 wherein the article of clothing is a footwear.

6. The article according to claim 5 wherein a portion of said footwear is manufactured from a light emitting textile.

7. The article according to claim 3 wherein said power supply is operatively connected to a computing means said computing means controlling the illumination of said electroluminescent strip.

8. The article according to claim 3 wherein said power supply is operatively connected to a computing means said computing means controlling the illumination of said electroluminescent fabric.

9. The article according to claim 8 wherein said computing means is programmed to display one or more alphanumeric characters.

10. The article according to claim 3 further comprising a mobile computing device using wireless local area networks (WLAN).

11. The article according to claim 10 wherein said computing means stores personal data of the user and creates a profile of said user.

12. The article according to claim 11 wherein said personal data comprises preference as to one or more of music, food, movies.

13. The article according to claim 12 wherein when said article is within a certain range of a second article, said second article having its own profile, said mobile computing device of each article causing said computing device of each article to exchange at least a portion of the data in said profiles of each of said article with another and signal that the profile is being exchanged.

14. The article according to claim 5 wherein said footwear has apertures for threading a shoelace therethrough, said electroluminescent strip being threaded through said apertures.

15. The article according to claim 13 wherein said computing means is programmed to alert the user at specific times.

16. The article according to claim 15 wherein said computing means has a remote control bypass.

17. The article according to claim 16 wherein said remote control bypass is located in a button on said user.

18. The article according to claim 1 further comprising a communication system that permits one article to communicate with another article.

19. The article according to claim 18 wherein the communication system includes at least one transmitter on one article and at least one receiver on a second article.

20. The article according to claim 19 wherein said articles are footwear.

21. The article according to claim 20 further comprising a motherboard.

22. The article according to claim 21 further comprising a power inverter.

23. The article according to claim 22 wherein said footwear has an electroluminescent fabric thereon

24. The article according to claim 12 wherein said personal data includes at least a device identification number.

25. The article according to claim 23 wherein said communication system in said article automatically connects to the communication system in other articles.

26. The article according to claim 25 wherein said communication system automatically connects to an access point via wireless or wired network.

27. The article according to claim 26 wherein said communication system sends information to a computer.

28. The article according to claim 27 wherein said communication system sends information a website.

29. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper member and a sole/heel member, at least a portion of said footwear having and an electroluminescent material secured thereto, said electroluminescent material being operatively connected to a power source and a switch for activating said material, said article further comprising a communication system that permits said article to communicate with another such article.

30. The article according to claim 29 wherein the communication system includes at least one transmitter on one article and at least one receiver on a second article.

31. The article according to claim 30 wherein said article of footwear has a transmitter and a receiver.

32. The article according to claim 31 wherein said electroluminescent material becomes illuminated when said receiver receives a signal from a transmitter not present on said article of footwear.

33. The article according to claim 32 further comprising a motherboard.

34. The article according to claim 33 further comprising a power inverter.

35. The article according to claim 34 wherein said article of footwear has an electroluminescent fabric thereon.

36. The article according to claim 35 wherein said article of footwear has an electroluminescent wire thereon.

37. The article according to claim 36 further comprising a mobile computing device.

38. The article according to claim 37 wherein said computing means stores personal data of the user and a profile of said user.

39. The article according to claim 38 wherein said personal data comprises one or more of personal, business, advertising, classified, recreational data about a user.

40. The article according to claim 39 wherein when said article is within a certain range of a second article, said second article having its computing device with its own profile, said mobile computing device of each article causing said computing device of each article to exchange at least a portion of the data in said profiles of each of said article with another and signal that the profile is being exchanged.