Motion activated apparel flasher

• US 6,012,822 A
• Filed: 11/26/1996
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Joseph Robinson
• Original Assignee: William Joseph Robinson
• Inventors: Robinson, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dority, Carroll B.
• Application Number:
  US08/756,493
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/103, 362/105, 362/106, 362/108, 362/800, 315/200 A, 36/137
• US Class Current: 362/103
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0036 with fluorescent or phosphorescent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0072 made at least partially of transparent or translucent materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/36 with light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light flasher for an article of apparel includes one or more lamps that produce light visible from the exterior of the apparel. A switch, which may be of the mechanical or electronic variety, causes a switch closure responsive to motion of the apparel. A circuit, attached to the switch and the light, causes the lights to illuminate in a series of random duration flashes for a predefined time interval in response to the closure of the switch.

Claims

1. A light flasher for an article of apparel, comprising:

light generating means for producing light visible from the exterior of said apparel;

switch means for causing switch closures responsive to motion of said apparel; and

circuit means, coupled to said switch means and to said light generating means, for generating random lighting control signals to cause said light generating means to illuminate in a series of random-duration flashes for a predefined time interval in response to at least one of said switch closures.

2. A light flasher as defined in claim 1, wherein said light generating means comprises one or more light emitting diodes.

3. A light flasher as defined in claim 1, wherein said light generating means comprises one or more electroluminescent panels.

4. A light flasher as defined in claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises:

contact means, disposed in a sealed container, forming a pair of contacts; and

,

liquid mercury, also disposed in said container, for engaging and shorting said contacts in response to motion of said apparel.

5. A light flasher as defined in claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises:

first contact means forming a fixed contact; and

,

second contact means, resiliently biased away from said first contact means, for temporarily contacting said first contact means in response to movement of said apparel.

6. A light flasher as defined in claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises:

piezoelectric transducer means for generating the electrical equivalent of a mechanical switch closure in response to motion of said apparel.

7. A light flasher as defined in claim 1, wherein said circuit means comprises:

signal generator means, coupled to said light generating means, for generating said random lighting control signals;

monostable multivibrator means, coupled to said switch means, for enabling said signal generator means for a predetermined time interval responsive to at least one of said switch closures.

8. A light flasher as defined in claim 7, wherein said signal generator means comprises:

oscillator means for defining a clock signal;

shift register means, coupled to said oscillator means, for shifting pulses, said random lighting control signals being an output of said shift register means; and

feedback logic, coupled between the output and input of said shift register means, for loading the input of said shift register means, whereby the contents of said shift register are random.

9. A light flasher as defined in claim 1, wherein said light generating means comprises:

a first source of light coupled to said circuit means; and

a second source of light coupled to said circuit means in opposite phase to said first source of light, whereby said first and second sources generate light at opposite times.

10. A light flasher for an article of apparel, comprising:

switch means, disposed on said apparel, for causing a switch closure;

light generating means, coupled to said switch means, for producing control signals that cause random-duration flashes for a definable time interval in response to at least one of said switch closures.

11. (Amended) A method for producing random light flashes from an article of apparel, comprising:

sensing motion of said apparel;

generating a series of random width control signals in response to said sensed motion; and

using said control signals to light at least one light.