U.S. patent application number 10/964169 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-13 for armband light.
Invention is credited to Michael C. Kemery, Barry M. Plocher.
Application Number | 20060076376 10/964169 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36144254 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060076376 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kemery; Michael C. ; et
al. |
April 13, 2006 |
Armband light
Abstract
An armband light that includes an armband light section with a
flat, flexible light and a power source forming one end of an
armband. The flat, flexible light is wrapable about a user's arm or
other limb. An armband spring section includes a planar wrap spring
and forms another end of the armband. A fastener fastens the
armband light section and the armband spring section together to
secure the armband light to a user's arm.
Inventors: |
Kemery; Michael C.;
(Portland, OR) ; Plocher; Barry M.; (Portland,
OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IPSOLON LLP
111 SW COLUMBIA
SUITE 710
PORTLAND
OR
97201
US
|
Family ID: |
36144254 |
Appl. No.: |
10/964169 |
Filed: |
October 12, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/222 ;
224/267 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45F 2005/008 20130101;
G08B 5/38 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/222 ;
224/267 |
International
Class: |
A45F 5/00 20060101
A45F005/00 |
Claims
1. An armband light, comprising: an armband light section with a
flat, flexible light and a power source forming one end of an
armband, the flat, flexible light being wrapable about a user's arm
or other limb; an armband spring section with a planar wrap spring
forming another end of the armband to engage the user's arm or
other limb under compression; and a fastener for fastening the
armband light section and the armband spring section together.
2. The armband light of claim 1 in which the flat, flexible light
is an electroluminescent light panel.
3. The armband light of claim 1 in which the planar wrap spring is
a snap-wrap spring.
4. The armband light of claim 1 in which the planar wrap spring
forms only a partly open loop.
5. The armband light of claim 1 further comprising a frame that
covers and supports the periphery of the flat, flexible light, the
frame including on its surface a reflective material to reflect
light.
6. The armband light of claim 1 further comprising a resilient
section attached between the armband light section and the armband
spring section.
7. An armband light, comprising: an armband light section with an
electroluminescent light panel and a power source forming one end
of an armband, the electroluminescent light panel being wrapable
about a user's arm or other limb; an armband spring section with a
planar snap-wrap spring forming another end of the armband; and a
fastener for fastening the armband light section and the armband
spring section together.
8. The armband light of claim 7 further comprising a resilient
section attached between the armband light section and the armband
spring section.
9. The armband light of claim 7 further comprising a frame that
covers and supports the periphery of the flat, flexible light, the
frame including on its surface a reflective material to reflect
light.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to safety lights for people
engaged in activities in low-light conditions in the presence of
hazardous equipment and, in particular, to an armband that includes
such a light.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] People participate in many work- and recreation-related
activities in low-light or dark conditions despite the presence of
potentially dangerous machinery or equipment, including
automobiles, which are operated by other people. In many of these
activities the safety of participants is at least partly dependent
on their being seen by the equipment operators or drivers. For
purposes of illustration the following description refers to
generally recreational activities such as walking or running
outdoors where automobiles pose the primary hazard. It will be
appreciated, however, that the description would be similarly
applicable to any activities that occur in low-light conditions in
the presence of equipment operated by others.
[0003] Runners and walkers commonly increase their visibility to
motorists in low-light or dark conditions by wearing light- or
bright-colored clothing, or reflective items such as reflective
vests, bands, patches, etc. Light- or bright-colored clothing and
reflective items are generally passive in that they rely on ambient
or other light sources to provide increased visibility. Generally
reflective items are only effective when illuminated from a narrow
range of directions and when the observer is in narrow range of
viewing positions. If either the illumination angle or the viewing
position is outside it's narrow range, reflective items fail to
provide their characteristic bright reflectance.
[0004] Accordingly, the present invention provides an armband light
that includes an armband light section with a flat, flexible light
and a power source forming one end of an armband. The flat,
flexible light is wrapable about a user's arm or other limb. An
armband spring section includes a planar wrap spring and forms
another end of the armband. A fastener fastens the armband light
section and the armband spring section together to secure the
armband light to a user's arm.
[0005] The planar wrap spring is characterized as having a spring
bias that wraps toward or around itself within a single plane. The
wrapping of the planar wrap spring within a single plane is
distinguished from a conventional helical spring in which spring
coils extend over a range of multiple planes. The planar wrap
spring is sized to fit around a user's arm or other limb under
compression and may form a partial loop (e.g., C-shaped), or a
complete or overlapping loops the wrap around a user's arm.
[0006] The armband light of the present invention provides active
illumination that increases the safety of the user in low-light or
dark conditions. The armband light is compact, lightweight, and
unobtrusive and compatible with a wide range of activities
including walking, running, etc. The flexible light wraps around
the user's arm to provide active illumination in a very wide range
of directions.
[0007] Additional description and implementations of the present
invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the
preferred embodiment thereof, which proceeds with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an armband light of the present
invention on user's arm.
[0009] FIGS. 2A and 2B are fragmentary front views of the armband
light.
[0010] FIGS. 3A and 3B are fragmentary rear views of the armband
light.
[0011] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a snap wrap spring in its flat and
rolled configurations.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an armband light 10 that fits upon a
user's arm 11 or other limb to provide illumination indicating
presence of the user. For example, armband light 10 could be worn
by a jogger or walker in low-light or night-time conditions to
increase visibility to motorists or others. It will be appreciated
that such uses are merely exemplary and in no way limit that scope
or use of armband light 10.
[0013] Armband light 10 includes a light section 12 with a light
source 14 (indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 2A), such as a
flexible electro-luminescent flat light panel or other flat and
flexible light source, that is secured between a flexible backing
panel 16 (FIG. 3A) and a front frame 18 (FIG. 2A) with an opening
20. Frame 18 holds edges of light source 14 so that light generated
by it is visible through opening 20, which may include a
transparent cover, a translucent cover, or no cover. In one
implementation, frame 18 is secured to backing panel 16 by
stitching. It will be appreciated, however, that frame 18 may be
secured to backing panel 16 with adhesives, bonding, welding, etc.
Frame 18 may optionally include a reflective surface to reflect
light incident upon it from other sources.
[0014] Light section 12 includes a case 22 that contains a battery
(not shown) for powering light source 14 and a user-operable switch
24 with which the user turns light source 14 on and off. Switch 24
controls a circuit for delivering electrical power to light source
14 in a conventional manner known in the art. Case 22 includes a
battery access panel 26 for accessing and replacing the battery. A
tab 28 with a fastener 30 (FIG. 3A) extends from case 22.
[0015] In one implementation, switch 24 is positioned on a front
face of case 22, and battery access panel 26 is a rotating-type
panel that is positioned on a rear face of case 22. In this
implementation fastener 30 is either hooks or loops (e.g., hooks)
of a hook and loop fastener material (e.g., Velcro.RTM.) that faces
in the direction of the rear face of case 22.
[0016] A spring section 34 includes a planar wrap spring 36 (FIG.
2B, outlined in dashed lines) contained between a fastener 37 that
is complementary to fastener 30 (e.g., a strip of loops of a hook
and loop fastener) and a flexible backing panel 38. Fastener 37 is
positioned on a front side to mate and connect with complementary
fastener 30. For example, fastener 37 and backing panel 38 are
secured together to contain spring 36, such as by stitching,
adhesives, bonding, welding, etc. A resilient (e.g., elastic)
section 40 may be connected between light section 12 and spring
section 34.
[0017] Planar wrap spring 36 is characterized by having a spring
bias that wraps toward or around itself within a single plane. The
wrapping of planar wrap spring 36 within a single plane is
distinguished from a conventional helical spring in which spring
coils extend over a range of multiple planes. Planar wrap spring 36
is sized to fit around at least part of a user's arm under
compression and may formed as a partial loop (e.g., C-shaped), or a
complete or overlapping loop the wraps around the user's arm.
[0018] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate one implementation in which planar
wrap spring 36 is a snap-wrap spring 36A that has a stable straight
state or configuration (shown in a plane view in FIG. 4) and a
stable wrapped state (shown in a side view in FIG. 5). In its
straight state, snap-wrap spring 36A is generally flat and elongate
and has a slight curvature in a direction 42 transverse (e.g.,
perpendicular) to and along its length 44. Snap-wrap spring 36A may
be snapped to its wrapped state merely by a user flattening the
curve at any point along the length. Snap-wrap spring 36A may be
straightened into its straight state merely by a user unwrapping
spring 36A until the curve across its length holds it straight.
[0019] Armband light 10 provides active illumination that increases
the safety of the user in low-light or dark conditions. Armband
light 10 is compact, lightweight, and unobtrusive and compatible
with a wide range of activities including walking, running, etc.
Flexible light source 14 wraps around the user's arm to provide
active illumination in a very wide range of directions.
[0020] In view of the many possible embodiments to which the
principles of our invention may be applied, it should be recognized
that the detailed embodiments are illustrative only and should not
be taken as limiting the scope of our invention. Rather, we claim
as our invention all such embodiments as may come within the scope
and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto.
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