EL GARMENT LIGHTING USING FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT ELEMENTS
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 continuous EL lighting assembly routed to each side of the garment extending from the front to the back over the shoulder portion, wherein the assembly includes EL lighting elements and conductors carrying power to the EL lighting elements; and
wherein at least a portion of the EL lighting assembly includes a flex-circuit.
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 according to claim 1 further wherein there are traces on the flex-circuit used for one or more of the conductors.
4 . Apparatus comprising a continuous EL lighting assembly including at least two separate EL lighting elements, and wherein the continuous EL lighting assembly includes at least one flex-circuit portion having trace conductors thereon running alongside one another, and further wherein the assembly is sized to be attached to a garment so that the EL lighting elements may be exposed on portions of the garment to provide EL lighting.
5 . Apparatus according to claim 4 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.
6 . Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the EL lighting assembly is attached to a garment to illuminate multiple portions of the garment.
7 . Apparatus according to claim 4 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 further including the at least four conductors in the continuous EL lighting assembly being flexible so that they can bend to form at least one substantially right angle turn in direction.
9 . 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 continuous EL lighting assembly routed from at least one of the sides of the garment to another side of the garment, wherein the assembly includes at least two separate EL lighting elements and conductors carrying power to the EL lighting elements;
and wherein at least a portion of the EL lighting assembly includes a flex-circuit connecting at least two of the EL lighting elements.
10 . Apparatus according to claim 9 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.
11 . Apparatus according to claim 9 further wherein there are traces on the flex-circuit used for one or more of the conductors.
12 . Apparatus comprising:
a continuous EL lighting assembly including at least two separate EL lighting elements;
wherein the continuous EL lighting assembly includes at least one flex-circuit portion having trace conductors thereon running alongside one another;
the flex-circuit portion connecting at least two of separate EL lighting elements; and
further wherein the assembly is sized to be attached to a garment so that the EL lighting elements may be exposed on portions of the garment to provide EL lighting.
13 . Apparatus, comprising:
a garment sized to be worn by a human;
at least two EL lighting elements attached to the garment so that they are visible on the outside of the garment; and
wherein a flex-circuit component is used to connect the at least two EL lighting elements.