SINGLE CONTINUOUS ASSEMBLY EL LIGHTING FOR GARMENTS
A safety vest is sized to be worn by a human, wherein the vest has a front and back and left and right sides each having a shoulder portion. An EL strip is provided on each side of the vest extending from the bottom of the vest upwards toward the shoulder portion. A power source is supported by the vest and connected to the EL lamp strips to supply electrical energy to the strips so that they emit EL light, wherein the EL light emitted by the EL strip is a safety yellow color, and wherein other portions of the vest are a safety orange color. Further safety articles of clothing and devices are also described.
1 . Apparatus, comprising:
a garment sized to be worn by a human, the garment having a front and back and left and right sides each having a shoulder portion;
a single continuous EL lighting assembly supported by the garment and extending at least from one of the sides to another of the sides, wherein the assembly includes EL lighting elements; and
the EL lighting assembly including at least two conductors connecting at least one of the EL lighting elements to a source of power, and further wherein the conductors include at least one turn in direction.
2 . Apparatus according to claim 1 further including at least one power source supported by the garment and connected to the conductors to supply electrical energy to the EL lighting elements so that they emit EL light.
3 . Apparatus comprising:
a single continuous EL lighting assembly including at least two separate EL lighting elements;
at least two conductors carrying power to at least one of the EL lighting elements and between the at least one EL lighting element and at least one other EL lighting element;
the conductors in the single continuous EL lighting assembly being flexible so that they can bend to form at least one turn in direction.
4 . Apparatus according to claim 3 further including a power source supported by the garment and connected to the conductors to supply electrical energy to the EL lighting elements so that they emit EL light.
5 . Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the EL lighting assembly is attached to a garment to illuminate multiple portions of the garment.
6 . Apparatus comprising:
a single continuous EL lighting assembly including at least two separate EL lighting elements;
at least two conductors carrying power to at least one of the EL lighting elements and between the at least one EL lighting element and at least one other EL lighting element; and
the conductors between the EL lighting elements sized so that the EL lighting elements can be spaced apart on a garment when the assembly is attached to the garment to illuminate more than one portion of the garment.
7 . Apparatus according to claim 6 further including a power source supported by the garment and connected to the conductors to supply electrical energy to the EL lighting elements so that they emit EL light.
8 . Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the EL lighting assembly is attached to a garment to illuminate multiple portions of the garment.
9 . Apparatus according to claim 6 further including at least some of the conductors in the single continuous EL lighting assembly being flexible so that they can bend to form at least one turn in direction.
10 . A method of illuminating a human, comprising:
attaching a single continuous EL lighting assembly including at least one EL lighting element and a number of conductors to an article of clothing;
the single continuous EL lighting assembly extending from a front side of the article of clothing to a back side of the article of clothing wherein the assembly includes at least one turn;
connecting a power source to the EL assembly; and
illuminating the at least one EL lighting element while wearing the article of clothing.