Pliable illuminated fabric articles
US5371657A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 1993 |
| Grant date | Dec 6, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 13, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S362/806
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An illuminated fabric article (10) includes a flexible substrate sheet (34) to which conductive ink traces (38) and lights (20) attach. The substrate sheet (34) has a low resilience so as not to press against skin (12) after it wrinkles or otherwise deforms to accommodate body (14) curves and movement. A cloth material having a thin flexible polymer film (40) applied over a woven cloth backing (42) represents one example of a suitable substrate sheet (34). A conductive ink which remains flexible after curing is applied to the substrate sheet (34) to form the conductive traces (38), which convey electrical energization to the lights (20). Each light (20) attaches to the substrate sheet (34) and to the conductive traces (38) through the use of a non-conductive adhesive patch (64) and two conductive adhesive patches (66). The lights (20) on the substrate sheet (34) are arranged to be visible from an exterior side (28) of a textile ( 26) so that they may be visually perceived from a distance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.