Hard-sided suitcase including lighting
A hard-sided suitcase may include polycarbonate shells for forming one or more storage compartments. The suitcase may include fiber-optic fibers or other light emitting devices for providing lighting to the hard-sided suitcase. The fiber-optic fibers may be placed on or within the polycarbonate shells. The suitcase may include a lighting mechanism or controller for sending light through the fiber-optic fibers. The lighting mechanism may be configured to send colored light through the fibers, and to change the light pattern being illuminated at a random and/or predetermined interval. A power source may power to the lighting mechanism. The power source, when switched on, may cause the lighting mechanism to send the light through the fiber-optic fibers. Light emitting diodes may also provide illumination. The lighting mechanism may control the lighting of the light emitting devices individually and simultaneously to facilitate a wide range of potential illumination patterns.
1. A hard-sided suitcase comprising:
at least one polycarbonate shell forming a storage compartment of the hard-sided suitcase;
a plurality of fiber-optic fibers for providing lighting to the hard-sided suitcase, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of fiber-optic fibers are placed on a surface of the at least one polycarbonate shell;
a lighting mechanism configured to output light through the plurality of fiber-optic fibers, wherein the lighting mechanism is configured to output at least one color of light through the plurality of fiber-optic fibers, and to change the output of the light so that, in a first mode, the light is rotated between the plurality of fiber-optic fibers randomly, and, in a second mode, the light is rotated between the plurality of fiber-optic fibers and at least one predetermined interval; and
a power source configured to provide power to the lighting mechanism,
wherein a light pattern of illumination of the surface of the hard-sided suitcase is user-selectable between at least the first and second modes.
2. The hard-sided suitcase of claim 1 , wherein the light pattern of illumination generated by the plurality of fiber-optic fibers comprises a plurality of colors.
3. The hard-sided suitcase of claim 2 , wherein the light pattern of illumination generated by the plurality of fiber-optic fibers highlights particular areas of a decorative pattern on the surface of the at least one polycarbonate shell.
4. The hard-sided suitcase of claim 3 , wherein the lighting mechanism is powered by a rechargeable battery located within the suitcase or a wall of the suitcase.
5. A suitcase comprising:
a hard or soft shell forming a storage compartment of the suitcase;
a plurality of fiber-optic fibers for providing lighting to the hard or soft shell, wherein the plurality of fiber-optic fibers are positioned on or in the vicinity of a surface on the hard or soft shell;
a lighting mechanism configured to send light through the plurality of fiber-optic fibers, wherein the lighting mechanism is configured to send at least one color of light through the plurality of fiber-optic fibers, and to change a manner in which the light is being sent through the plurality of fiber-optic fibers so that, in a first mode, the light is rotated between the plurality of fiber-optic fibers randomly; and
a power source configured to provide power to the lighting mechanism, wherein, when switched on, the power source causes the lighting mechanism to send light through the plurality of fiber-optic fibers, and when the power source is switched off, the lighting mechanism does not send light through the plurality of fiber-optic fibers.
6. The suitcase of claim 5 , wherein, in the first mode, the lighting mechanism simultaneously sends light of a plurality of colors through different ones of the plurality of fiber-optic fibers.
7. The suitcase of claim 5 , wherein the lighting mechanism is configured to change the manner in which the light is being sent though the plurality of fiber-optic fibers so that, in a second mode, the light is rotated between the plurality of fiber-optic fibers at predetermined intervals.
8. The suitcase of claim 7 , comprising a control that allows a user to select between the first and second modes.
9. The suitcase of claim 8 , wherein the lighting mechanism is configured to send light of a plurality of colors through the plurality of fiber-optic fibers, and color and on/off states are rotated between the fiber-optic fibers.
10. The suitcase of claim 5 , wherein the lighting mechanism is configured to control a light traveling through each individual ones of the plurality of fiber-optic fibers.
11. The suitcase of claim 5 , wherein a light pattern of illumination generated by the plurality of fiber-optic fibers highlights particular areas of a decorative pattern on the surface of the hard or soft shell of the suitcase.
12. The suitcase of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of fiber-optic fibers are powered by a rechargeable battery located within the suitcase or a wall of the suitcase.
13. A suitcase comprising:
a hard or soft shell forming a storage compartment of the suitcase;
light emitting devices configured to provide illumination of a surface of the hard or soft shell with light of a plurality of colors, wherein the light emitting devices are positioned on or within the hard or soft shell; and
a controller configured to control lighting of the light emitting devices in a plurality of user-selectable modes, wherein the plurality of user-selectable modes comprises a random mode in which at least one of color and on/off states is rotated randomly between the light emitting devices.
14. The suitcase of claim 13 , wherein, in the random mode, color and on/off states are rotated randomly between the light emitting devices.
15. The suitcase of the claim 13 , wherein the plurality of user-selectable modes comprises a predetermined pattern mode in which light is sent to pre-selected ones of the light emitting devices that have been predetermined to make a pattern of illumination.
16. The suitcase of claim 15 , wherein the pattern of illumination generated by the light emitting devices highlights particular areas of a decorative pattern on the surface of the hard or soft shell of the suitcase.
17. The suitcase of claim 13 , wherein the light emitting devices are powered by a rechargeable battery located within the suitcase or a wall of the suitcase.
18. The suitcase of claim 13 , wherein the power source may be turned on and off by a switch located on the suitcase, and the light emitting devices comprise at least one of light emitting diodes and optical fibers.
19. The suitcase of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of user-selectable modes comprises a predetermined sequencing mode in which at least one of color and on/off states is rotated between the light emitting devices according to a predetermined timing sequence.
20. The suitcase of claim 13 , comprising a touch display screen connected to the controller for providing for selection of the user-selectable modes from a menu displayed on the touch display screen.