U.S. patent application number 11/211691 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for joint protector.
This patent application is currently assigned to KAO CHEN ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Chih-Chuan Wang.
Application Number | 20070044196 11/211691 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37801979 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070044196 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang; Chih-Chuan |
March 1, 2007 |
Joint protector
Abstract
A joint protector includes an elastic sleeve, which has a first
opening and a second opening through which the sleeve is mountable
on a limb of a person, and a lighting unit fastened to an outside
wall of the sleeve for giving off light to show the presence of the
joint protector.
Inventors: |
Wang; Chih-Chuan; (Taichung
County, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
KAO CHEN ENTERPRISE CO.,
LTD.
TAICHUNG HSIEN
TW
|
Family ID: |
37801979 |
Appl. No.: |
11/211691 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/24 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/1225 20130101;
A63B 2225/74 20200801; A61F 13/06 20130101; A63B 2071/125 20130101;
A61F 13/061 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/024 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/06 20060101
A41D013/06 |
Claims
1. A joint protector comprising: a sleeve made of an elastic
material, said sleeve having a first opening and a second opening;
and a lighting unit fastened to said sleeve, said lighting unit
including a circuit board, at least one light emitting element, and
a battery, said circuit board having a control circuit, said at
least one light emitting element being mounted on said circuit
board and electrically connected to said control circuit, said
battery being installed in said circuit board and electrically
connected to said control circuit for providing electricity to said
at least one light emitting element subject to the control of said
control circuit.
2. The joint protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least
one light emitting element includes three light emitting
diodes.
3. The joint protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circuit
board comprises a control switch for controlling the supply of
electricity from said battery to said at least one light emitting
element.
4. The joint protector as claimed in claim 3, wherein said control
switch is a vibration switch which is actuated by vibration.
5. The joint protector as claimed in claim 3, wherein said control
switch is a manual switch.
6. The joint protector as claimed in claim 4, wherein said
vibration switch is a mercury switch.
7. The joint protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve
further has a third opening through the inside and outside of said
sleeve; said lighting unit further comprises a shield made of a
flexible light-transmittable material, said shield having a front
wall marked with a warning sign, a back wall, an accommodating
chamber that accommodates said circuit board, an opening formed in
said back wall in communication between said accommodating chamber
and said third opening of said sleeve, and a flange extending
around said back wall and bonded to said sleeve around said third
opening with a glue.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to joint protecting apparatus
and more particularly, to a joint protector with light source
means.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] When making a physical exercise in the open space, for
example, running, jogging, climbing, etc., the knees receive much
pressure from the body. Further, when playing a sports game, for
example, a ball game, the knees may be injured accidentally. During
recovery period, the injured knee may be protected with a knee
protector, for example, a kneepad. A protector of this kind
provides a certain protective effect, however it does not give a
warning signal to other people not to touch the injured area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to
provide a joint protector, which is equipped with a light source to
show the presence of the joint protector.
[0006] To achieve this object of the present invention, the joint
protector comprises a sleeve and a lighting unit. The sleeve is
made of an elastic material, having a first opening and a second
opening through which the sleeve is mountable on a limb of a
person. The lighting unit is fastened to the outside wall of the
sleeve, comprising a circuit board, at least one light emitting
element, and a battery. The circuit board comprises a control
circuit. The at least one light emitting element is respectively
mounted on the circuit board and electrically connected to the
control circuit. The battery is installed in the circuit board and
electrically connected to the control circuit for providing
electricity to the at least one light emitting element subject to
the control of the control circuit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a joint protector according to
the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the circuit board used in
the joint protector according to the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the circuit board used
in the joint protector according to the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the present invention, showing
the joint protector fastened to the knee.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a joint protector 1 is shown
comprising a sleeve 10 and a lighting unit 20.
[0012] The sleeve 10 is made of an elastic material, having a first
opening 11 at one end, a second opening 12 at the other end, and a
third opening 13 in the periphery through the inside and outside of
the sleeve 10.
[0013] The lighting unit 20 is fastened to the sleeve 10, comprised
of a circuit board 21, a shield 22, three light emitting elements
211, a control switch 212, and a battery 213.
[0014] The shield 22 is made of a flexible light-transmittable
material, having a front wall 221, a back wall 222, an
accommodating chamber 223, and a flange 224. The accommodating
chamber 223 is formed on the inside of the shield 22 between the
front wall 221 and the back wall 222. Further, an opening 225 is
formed in the back wall 222 in communication with the accommodating
chamber 223. The flange 224 extends outwards around the back wall
222 and bonded to the outside wall of the elastic sleeve 10 around
the third opening 13 by glue. The front wall 221 is marked with a
warning sign, for example, the sign of "DANGEROUS".
[0015] The circuit board 21 is housed in the accommodating chamber
223, comprising a control circuit 214, a rack 215 disposed at the
back side, and a battery chamber 216 defined in the rack 215. The
battery 213 is inserted into the battery chamber 216 and
electrically connected to the control circuit 214. When installed,
the battery 213 is aimed at the third opening 13 so that the user
can replace the battery 213 conveniently when battery power is
low.
[0016] The three light emitting elements 211 are light emitting
diodes mounted in the front side of the circuit board 21 and
electrically connected to the control circuit 214. The control
switch 212 is installed in the front side of the circuit board 21
and electrically connected to the control circuit 214. The control
switch 212 can be a manual switch or vibration switch adapted to
control the supply of battery power from the battery 213 to the
light emitting elements 211. The control circuit 214 controls the
lighting mode of the light emitting diodes 211, for example,
controlling the light emitting elements 211 to flash in a proper
order, or to flash at the same time.
[0017] FIG. 4 shows an application example of the present
invention. The leg is inserted through the first opening 11 and
second opening 12 of the elastic sleeve 10, enabling the elastic
sleeve 10 to be secured to the knee. According to this embodiment,
the control switch 212 is a mercury switch that switches on the
circuit upon a vibration. When the user is moving, the control
switch 212 is alternatively switched on and off, thereby causing
the light emitting elements 211 to flash, thereby giving a warning
signal to other people not to touch the user's injured knee so as
to prevent a secondary injury.
* * * * *