Lighted hand-holdable novelty article

• US 6,012,820 A
• Filed: 01/13/1998
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Weber, Michael F., Whitney, Leland R., Benson, Olester Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/006,294
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 362/102, 362/806, 362/293, 362/253, 362/186, 362/202, 362/205, 362/206, 362/19, 428/4, 428/5, 446/485, 40/555, 28/143, 28/145, 28/147
• US Class Current: 362/19
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/00 Clubs for gymnastics or the like , e.g. for swinging exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/02 with illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/22 Optical, colour, or shadow toys puzzles with optical elements A63F9/0613; kaleidoscopes G02B27/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

Hand-holdable novelty article comprising a handle, a light source and a plurality of sections of color shifting film. The light source is preferably disposed within an end of the handle. The plurality of sections of color shifting film extend from the end of the handle. During use, light from the light source interacts with the plurality of strands of color shifting film, producing a brilliant colored effect. Movement of the plurality of sections of color shifting film produces multiple colors.

Claims

1. A novelty article comprising:

a handle including an end;

a plurality of sections of color shifting film extending from said end; and

a light source connected to said handle, wherein when activated, said light source illuminates at least a portion of said plurality of sections of color shifting film, wherein said color shifting film comprises alternating layers of at least a first and second polymeric material, wherein at least one of said first and second polymeric materials is birefringent, wherein the difference in indices of refraction of said first and second polymeric materials for visible light polarized along first and second axes in the plane of said layers is at least about 0.05, and wherein the difference in indices of refraction of said first and second polymeric materials for visible light polarized along a third axis mutually orthogonal to said first and second axes is less than about 0.05.

2. The novelty article of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source electrically coupled to said light source.

3. The novelty article of claim 2, wherein said power source is a battery.

4. The novelty article of claim 2, further comprising:

a switch operably connected between said power source and said light source for controlling activation of said light source.

5. The novelty article of claim 1, wherein said light source is proximate said end of said handle.

6. The novelty article of claim 1, wherein said light source is remote from said end of said handle, and said handle is configured to transmit light from said light source to at least a portion of said sections of color shifting film.

7. The novelty article of claim 1, wherein said light source is configured to emit visible light.

8. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein said light source is switchable between a powered state and an unpowered state, at least a portion of said plurality of sections of color shifting film being configured to exhibit a more brilliant color when said light source is in said powered state than in said unpowered state.

9. The novelty article of claim 7, further comprising:

a second plurality of sections extending from said first end of said handle, wherein said second plurality of sections is non-color shifting film.

10. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein at least a first portion of said plurality of sections is a first color shifting film and at least a second portion of said plurality of sections is a second color shifting film different from said first color shifting film.

11. The novelty article of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of said first and second color shifting films are configured such that when viewed from a fixed location, said portion of said first color shifting film exhibits a first color and said portion of said second color shifting film exhibits a second color different from said first color.

12. The novelty article of claim 7, further comprising:

an attachment body for connecting a portion of each of said plurality of sections of color shifting film to said end of said handle.

13. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of sections of color shifting film is a strand having a proximal end attached to said end of said handle and a distal end extending therefrom.

14. The novelty article of claim 13, wherein said plurality of sections of color shifting film includes at least twenty strands of color shifting film.

15. The novelty article of claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of strands includes an intermediate portion between said proximal end and said distal end, and further wherein each of the plurality of strands is flexible such that in a first position, said intermediate portion is flat and in a second position said intermediate portion is curved.

16. The novelty article of claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of strands is configured such that movement of said handle moves each of said plurality of strands from said first position to said second position.

17. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of sections is configured to be relatively rigid such that contact between said plurality of sections of color shifting film produces a sound.

18. The novelty article of claim 7, further comprising:

a sound device connected to said handle.

19. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein said plurality of sections of color shifting film are configured in the form of a flower.

20. The novelty article of claim 7, further comprising a filter disposed between said light source and said plurality of sections of color shifting film.

21. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein at least one of said plurality of sections of color shifting film exhibits a trademark indicia.

22. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein said plurality of sections of color shifting film form a trademark.

23. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein an outer surface of said handle displays a trademark indicia.

24. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein at least one of said plurality of sections of color shifting film exhibits a copyrightable material indicia.

25. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein said plurality of sections of color shifting film form copyrighted material.

26. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein an outer surface of said handle displays copyrighted material.

27. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein said light source comprises an incandescent lamp.

28. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein said light source comprises a black light lamp.

29. The novelty article of claim 7, wherein said light source comprises a halogen lamp.

30. A novelty article comprising:

a handle including an end;

a plurality of sections of color shifting film extending from said end; and

a light source connected to said handle, wherein said plurality of sections of color shifting film are configured in the form of a bow, and wherein when activated, said light source illuminates at least a portion of said plurality of sections of color shifting film, wherein said color shifting film comprises alternating layers of at least a first and second polymeric material, wherein at least one of said first and second polymeric materials is birefringent, wherein the difference in indices of refraction of said first and second polymeric materials for visible light polarized along first and second axes in the plane of said layers is at least about 0.05, and wherein the difference in indices of refraction of said first and second polymeric materials for visible light polarized along a third axis mutually orthogonal to said first and second axes is less than about 0.05.

31. A pom-pon comprising:

a handle including an end;

a light source connected to said handle; and

a plurality of strands of color shifting film extending from said end of said handle, a portion of each of said plurality of strands being in close proximity to said light source, wherein said color shifting film comprises alternating layers of at least a first and second polymeric material, wherein at least one of said first and second polymeric materials is birefringent, wherein the difference in indices of refraction of said first and second polymeric materials for visible light polarized along first and second axes in the plane of said layers is at least about 0.05, and wherein the difference in indices of refraction of said first and second polymeric materials for visible light polarized along a third axis mutually orthogonal to said first and second axes is less than about 0.05.

32. The pom-pon of claim 31, wherein each of said plurality of strands includes a first end attached to said handle, an intermediate portion and a second end, each of the plurality of strands being configured such that in a motion state, movement of said handle forces said intermediate portion to curve.