Face Mask with UV Light and Light Effect Material

Abstract

Ultraviolet light from one or more LEDs is dispersed by a light effect material containing a plurality of dispersive elements so as to create dispersed UV light which disinfects air within a chamber formed by UV-limiting material.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally in the field of articles of manufacture, and particularly masks, which include a lighted effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lighting systems have been used before both with footwear and with clothing, examples of which are set forth in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,649,755 and 7,347,577, the disclosures of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference. If a lighting module is to be used with clothing, it must not only be durable, but it must also be washable. One way this has been done before is to include both the lighting module and the lights within a pouch that is waterproof, such as is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,857,477. However, such a pouch has a number of limitations, and the present invention therefore seeks to improve such prior devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to using a light effect material with a plurality of dispersive elements to disperse UV light emitted by one or more LEDs within a cavity formed by UV-limiting material so as to be effective in disinfecting air contained within the cavity which can be used in a mask or other facial cavity.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to use a face covering which disperses UV light through use of a light effect material to disinfect air breathed in or out by the wearer of the face covering.

This and further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art in connection with the drawings and the detailed description of the invention set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an LED spaced behind a light effect material while FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of multiple LEDs behind a light effect material.

FIG. 3 illustrates a light effect material in which a surface of a material, such as PVC, creates the light effect while FIG. 4 illustrates use of the light effect material illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate what a viewer would perceive when viewing two different light effect materials spaced apart from three LEDs.

FIGS. 7-9 are related to the light effect material illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 7 illustrates a sheet of light effect material with square repeating patterns while FIG. 8 provides details regarding one such square pattern and adjacent squares. FIG. 9 is a side view that conceptually illustrates smaller squares, as illustrated in FIG. 8, some of which are creating visible light effects and some of which are not.

FIG. 10 illustrates one light effect material that uses shiny filament woven fabric with an LED being shown emitting light behind the fabric relative to a viewer viewing the LED from the opposite side of the fabric.

FIG. 11 illustrates an assembly in which all of the electronics, except for an on/off switch, are enclosed within a potting material.

FIG. 12 is an exploded view which illustrates how the assembly of FIG. 11 can be included within another larger insertable assembly which can be inserted into a pocket as is illustrated in FIG. 13 in which two assemblies are each being inserted into a pocket, one also having an additional loose layer of light effect material being inserted with it into a pocket.

FIG. 15 is an exploded view which illustrates a lighting assembly while FIGS. 14 and 16 are, respectively, top and side views of the lighting assembly of FIG. 15 assembled.

FIG. 17 is an exploded view which illustrates addition of a metalized layer to the assembly of FIG. 11.

FIGS. 18-19 illustrate how a light effect can enhance a visual design in a light effect material (or metalized layer), FIG. 18 showing the visual design without the light effect activated while FIG. 19 shows the design with the light effect activated.

FIG. 20 is a side view which illustrates both use of a large flap covering a pocket as well as use of a metalizing layer (by itself or with a light unit) to create a light effect in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 21 is a front view of FIG. 20 with the extended flap raised up above the pocket.

FIG. 22 illustrates an article of manufacture having a chamber in which one or more light assemblies can move about so as to create a sparkling viewing effect seen from many different angles while FIG. 23 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view of yet another article of manufacture, similar to that set forth in FIGS. 22 and 23, except that it relies upon movement of one or more wired LEDs rather than one or more light assemblies.

FIG. 25 illustrates another article of manufacture having a chamber in which one or more light assemblies can move about so as to create a sparkling viewing effect which has a more limited viewing area than that of the article of manufacture shown in FIG. 22.

FIGS. 26-28 illustrate a face mask in accordance with the present invention, with FIG. 26 being a cross sectional view and FIG. 28 being an exploded view, while FIG. 27 is a plan view of one version of a light effect material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The concept of use of a light effect material is disclosed and discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,445,641, 9,506,643, 9,557,049 and 9,706,803. Light effect material is maintained at an acceptable distance from a light source using one or more LEDs behind it relative to a viewer so as to create a visually interesting effect for the viewer viewing the light source through the light effect material. More particularly, the general effect of the light effect material is that the light effect viewed by the viewer is over a larger viewing area than what the viewer sees along the exact same viewing path with the light effect material removed from the viewing path, and the light effect is more visually interesting. The light effect material may be incorporated into a garment inside of an application or patch, and multiple layers of the light effect material may be used.

A light effect material creates a visually interesting effect in which light from an LED behind such material, relative to a viewer on the other side of the material, will see a dispersed pattern of light created by the material, when the light effect material is located at an acceptable distance between a viewer and one or more LEDs. A light effect material must be sufficiently sheer or transparent to allow light from an LED to pass through it and be seen by a viewer's eye, but it must also have a structure that allows some of the light from the LED to reflect along its structural components to disperse light and create a noticeable optical effect. It is for this reason that a light effect material, if it is located directly adjacent to an LED, will have little or no noticeable optical effect, whereas the same will be true if it is located too far away from an LED. In choosing a material with dispersive elements, it is especially desirable to choose a clear or white material with prismatic properties instead of a colored material when the material is being used with multi-colored LEDs, so that the color of the material with reflective elements does not interfere with the color of the LEDs. In connection with such a light effect material, it is important that the reflective and/or refractive elements are sufficiently small so that they give the appearance of creating multiple points of light for each LED, rather than simply acting as a prism or a large multifaceted lens. Also, it is especially useful if multiple LEDs are spaced apart from light effect material so that multiple LEDs, especially of different colors, can overlap each other to create blended light effects.

FIG. 1 illustrates an LED spaced apart from a light effect material (the LED can be a bi-pin LED, an axial lead LED or a surface mount LED). The LED has a light emitting die which rests on a base and is covered with a dome. The light emitting die of the LED emits light and, in one especially preferred embodiment, the light effect material has active elements which create the light effect that are roughly the size, or within several orders of size magnitude, as that of the width of the semiconductor die used in an LED. Also, although the distance Y between the LED and the light effect material can vary, it has been disclosed that a distance of around 10 to 2000 times that of the LED (Z in FIG. 1) is effective where the light effect material has a thickness X which is roughly the same as Z.

An example of a material that can function as a light effect material, which is an especially preferred embodiment, is a material with microscopic reflective and/or refractive elements on its outer surface relative to an LED (meaning that rays of light emitted from the LED will pass into an inner surface of the light effect material and then exit the light effect material at its outer surface and then continue on to a viewer) that serve to disperse light. One example of such a material is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 8. In this example the light effect material is created as a surface layer of a larger piece of material, such as PVC or polyurethane, and the microscopic reflective and/or refractive elements can be machined or cut into the sheet or created by a molding process. The reflective and/or refractive elements in this example have a pyramidal shape (see FIG. 3) when viewed up close, but alternating squares of such shapes are configured at different angles as is illustrated in FIG. 8 in which the triangular lines represent the base lines of the pyramidal shapes illustrated in FIG. 3 and the top pyramidal points of FIG. 3 would be located in the centers of the triangles shown in FIG. 8 (except that such points and the angled surfaces converging at such points are not shown so that the size of the pyramidal base lines can be accurately set forth). Note also that the elements extend away from the surface relative to the location of one or more LEDs, as is illustrated in FIG. 4.

In connection with the light effect material illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 8, alternating squares of repeating patterns, each different from an adjacent square, help create a mosaic like surface having microscopic surfaces. Due to the differences in the microscopic elements of such light effect material, some squares of microscopic surfaces may create a light effect that can be viewed by a viewer, while others will not, which is conceptually illustrated in FIG. 9 as a simple alternating pattern of squares that do and not create a light effect. (In connection with FIG. 9, it is worth noting that the physical size of the LED semiconductor die is actually roughly the same as a single base line of one of the pyramids of one of the squares illustrated by FIG. 8, but the LED, for purposes of illustration only, is not drawn to such scale in FIG. 9). However, the alternating patterns can be designed in more complex patterns to create desired effects, examples of which are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7.

In FIG. 5, a viewer at a certain distance views a circle of lights, such as twelve, about a central, dimmer light, all of which are produced by a single LED. This effect is conceptually illustrated in FIG. 7, albeit with a different number of lights, in which the squares without any cross hatching represent squares of the light effect material having microscopic elements that create a viewable effect whereas the squares with cross hatching do not create a viewable effect (at least at the particular distance from which the material is being viewed by a viewer).

While FIG. 8 illustrates a light effect material in which microscopic elements are arranged in a mosaic pattern that can be used to achieve recognizable patterns, microscopic elements can also be arranged randomly, or nearly randomly, to achieve a different light effect, such as that which is illustrated in FIG. 6.

Another example of material that can function as a light effect material according to the present invention is a shiny filament fabric material, which may or may not be sheer, in which light appears to travel along structural fabric components to disperse light and create an optical effect. In such fabrics, the further the fabric is away from the light source, the greater the optical effect that is observable, up to a limit in which the effect is lost because the distance is too great. Such a light effect material can be used on its own or affixed to another layer of material, such as, for example, transparent PVC, which can then be incorporated into the structure of an article of manufacture, one example of which is footwear.

FIG. 10 illustrates a light effect material that uses a woven fabric material in which the shiny filaments of the woven fabric help create a light effect. As illustrated in FIG. 10, an LED is located behind the woven fabric light effect material and a viewer sees a light effect in which the linear fabric material is illuminated within a certain distance emanating away from a central point of the

LED behind the light effect material relative to a viewer. The result, in this instance, is a design in which the light from a single LED is greatly enhanced to give a light effect more equivalent to that of several LEDs.

Multiple light effect materials can be layered on top of each other to create a hybrid light effect. Thus, for example, two sheets of light effect material, such as are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 7, can be layered on top of each other—in this example, the thickness of the light effect material, between its inner surface and its outer surface where the dispersive elements are located, serves as a transparent space between the two layers of dispersive elements located on the outer surface of the two sheets of light effect material, thus enhancing the hybrid light effect.

Accordingly, a variety of different light effect materials can be used to create different light effects. Common to all such materials is use of very small, or microscopic, elements which create visible light effects in which an LED is no longer viewed as simply a single point source of light, but as something more akin to that which is produced by additional LEDs.

One or more sheets of light effect material can be used as an outer surface of a lighting element, or they can be protected by an outer transparent layer. It is especially preferred, if an outer protective transparent layer is used, that the outer surface of a light effect material located next to the outer transparent layer material be sealed so that liquid, which may contain soap and the like, is not allowed to reach the dispersive elements of the outer surface of the light effect material during a wash cycle so that no residue is trapped or deposited on the dispersive elements that might diminish their light dispersive effect.

When a lighting unit is being manufactured, the light effect material and spacing mechanism can be thought of as half the unit, the other half being the LEDs and electronics used to power the LEDs, such as a power source (which can be one or more batteries), a control device powered by the power source for controlling electric current provided to the LEDs (which may have a light sequencer or timer or other electronics, all of which can be contained on a PCB), a switch (such as a motion detector switch, an example of which is U.S. Pat. No. 9,396,887) and one or more electrical connectors (such as conductive wires) to connect the LEDs to the control device. With such a construction, both of said halves, namely the lighting half and the electronics half, can be separated, if desired, or combined into a single unit and the LEDs can be mounted on a PCB with the other electronics, depending upon designer choice.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,863,615 and 10,145,546 disclose a lighting unit can be removably inserted into a pocket which can be made of light effect material.

In accordance with the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 9,863,615, a self-contained insertion assembly 400 is manufactured which contains all of the electronics and LEDs in a single assembled unit which can include (or not) a light effect material and is removably inserted into a pocket prepared in a garment or other item of manufacture. The pocket is designed to keep the unit correctly orientated if orientation is required for a switch while also allowing for easy removal and or replacement of one or more units and/or sheets of light effect material while still also allowing for a light effect to be visible outside of the pocket.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, a battery 6 is directly mounted to a PCB 8 which also contains one or more LEDs 5, electronics 2 and a switch 3 (which may either be mounted directly to the surface of PCB 8 to which the other components are mounted or, if desired, mounted in a recess or hole formed in PCB 8 to reduce the elevation profile of switch 3). LEDs 5, electronics 2 and battery 3 are mounted to the same surface of PCB 8 and the LEDs are arranged so that a distance D between them and other components such as battery 6 and switch 3 minimizes light emitted from the LEDs coming into direct contact with the elevational profile of such components which will interfere with the pattern of light emitted due to shadow effects. If an on/off switch 4 is included, it can be connected by wires 20 to the same surface of PCB 8 to which LEDs 5 are mounted, as is illustrated in FIG. 11. The assembly described so far (but not on/off switch 4), once assembled, is encased in a clear potting material P to create an assembly 410. It is especially desirable that potting material P is used to create the transparent space with a preselected distance needed between LEDs 5 and light effect material 50 so as to create a light material viewing effect.

Assembly 410, in an especially preferred embodiment, is combined with light effect material 50 and two pieces of plastic material 401 and 402 to create a further assembly 400. It is especially preferred that plastic material 402 is self-sealing to plastic material 401 and allows for attachment 410 to be stuck to it. In an alternative embodiment, plastic material 401 may itself be a light effect material 50, thus removing the need for three sheets of material illustrated in FIG. 12. In another alternative embodiment, assembly 410 may be included within another structure, such as a clear envelope or the like, and then attached to light effect material 50 (e.g., by using clear adhesive or tape or the like), and then assembly 410 or assembly 400 and (any additional structure) and one or more sheets of light effect material 50 (all of which will hereinafter collectively be referred to in any combination or sub-combination, for ease of reference, as removable assembly 500) may be removably inserted into a pocket 501 designed for receiving removable assembly 500, an example of which is shown in FIG. 13.

It is desirable for pocket 501 to have some type of reversible closing mechanism 503 to retain removable assembly 500 within it, and such closure mechanism can take any number of forms, examples of which include, but are not limited to, a zipper, a snap, a button, or a hook and loop fastener, which may or may not use a separate flap of material 502 which partially covers pocket 501 and is used in connection with reversible closing mechanism 503. In an especially preferred embodiment, pocket 501 has a clear portion 505, a border 506 and some attachment mechanism 507 (e.g., stitching or heat seal) for attaching pocket 501 to a surface of a garment (such as a piece of clothing or shoe) or other article of manufacture (e.g., a backpack, toy or something else). Alternatively, pocket 501 itself might be attached to a surface, such as that of a cell phone, by an adhesive layer or the like. It is worth noting that clear portion 505 may include its own artwork or be comprised of light effect material 50, or have light effect material 50 attached to it, in alternative embodiments, and may also be a sheer material, rather than a clear material.

Use of multiple pockets 501 on a single surface or garment, especially when combined with multiple sheets of light effect material 50 that are easily combined or removed from a single pocket, and the possibility of differing removable assemblies 500 (which might have different numbers of LEDs, or colors of LEDs, or patterns of lighting) create the possibility of a great many customizable variations of light effect viewable on the single surface or garment. Also, multiple removable assemblies 500 and differing sheets of light effect material 50 might be sold in a kit for use in customizing a given garment or for use in replacing a removable assembly 500 in a given pocket or garment. Indeed, a garment with a specially designed pocket 501 might be sold or shipped separate from a removable assembly 500 designed for use in such garment.

In accordance with the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 10,145,546, a compact, inexpensive lighting assembly 600, illustrated in FIGS. 14-16, can be manufactured which is useful when combined with light effect material 50.

In an especially preferred embodiment, battery 6 is mounted to an underneath side 8U of PCB 8 through use of battery mount 6M while other electronic components are mounted on top side 8T of PCB 8 to produce a very compact electronic assembly 601. (Note that battery 6 can also be mounted on top side 8T if size is not an issue and a larger PCB is acceptable for a given application.) The electronic components mounted on top side 8T include multiple LEDs 5, electronics 2 and an on/off switch 4 (as well as a motion switch, if desired). PCB 8 can be a flexible circuit or use a rigid circuit board.

After electronic assembly 601 is assembled it is inserted into a first plastic piece 602 with a cavity 602C and bottom housing 602B so that top side 8T is more proximate to bottom housing 602B than underneath side 8U and then a second plastic piece 603 is placed over the first plastic piece 602 and sealed to form lighting assembly 600 which has a watertight seal which protects electronic assembly 601 which is now sealed between plastic pieces 602 and 603. The watertight seal may be made by any number of conventional sealing means, examples of which include a shrink wrap step, a heat seal, a sonic weld, a clamp, glue or some other sealing means, and it is desirable that any edges be rounded and/or softened so as to avoid sharp edges. It is important to note that it is especially desirable that depth 602D of cavity 602C be sufficient so that bottom plastic housing 602B is spaced apart from contact point 4C of on/off switch 4 so that applying pressure to bottom plastic housing 602B, such as by finger activation, causes bottom plastic housing 602B to bend down until contact is made with contact point 4C for either turning switch 4 on or off or for activating changes in different operational modes of LEDs, examples of which include a chase sequence, simultaneous blinking or all on at once. Also, depth 602D provides space between LEDs 5 and any light effect material 50 so as to create a light material viewing effect.

While it is possible that light effect material 50 can be used for bottom plastic housing 602B, it need not be, and light effect material 50 can be placed on or apart from bottom plastic housing 602B so as to create a lighting unit removably insertable within a pocket, or it can also be incorporated into an article of manufacture, such as a piece of jewelry, a novelty item or as a decorative patch.

First and second plastic pieces 602 and 603 can be made of any suitable material, such as materials in common use for clam shell packaging today, which means that production of lighting assembly 600 can be automated, and then lighting assembly 600 can be incorporated into a suitable article of manufacture, depending upon its intended use. It is especially desirable that plastic piece 602 be clear so as to allow light emitted from LEDs 5 to pass through it.

Lighting assembly 600 can be used to replace assembly 410, as previously described, or it can be used to replace assembly 400, as also previously described. It can be used to create removable assembly for insertion into a pocket, or it can be incorporated into an article of manufacture, such as a shoe, where it may or may not be replaceable, depending upon designer choice. And, because of the compact size in which a multi-LED lighting unit 600 can be produced, multiple lighting units 600 can be used in a given application, either with or without light effect material 50; for example, multiple lighting units 600 can be used in a given insert, with light effect material, for insertion into a pocket, so that the lighting units 600 can create different light material viewing effects designed to complement or enhance graphics included with the pocket insert or to be lighted by the pocket insert.

A pocket insert (or a similar article of manufacture which may also be secured to another article of manufacture by any suitable means, either permanently or removably), can include electronics 2 which include a controller, a motion activated switch and wireless connectivity, such as Bluetooth, so that any lighting unit, such as what might be placed in a pocket, can be remotely controlled by a portable personal electronic device, such as, for example, a cellphone, tablet, or computer. (Thus, it should be noted that electronics 2 is not necessarily a singular device as depicted in FIGS. 14-16, although it may be, depending upon desired electronics, designer choice and manufacturing considerations, an example of which might include use of an ASIC chip.) Furthermore, sound can be included in electronics 2 via one or more sound devices, and one or more controllers can coordinate sound and light material viewing effects, either with preprogrammed selections, or through wireless control via a portable personal electronic device, which might allow a user to coordinate preselected patterns via the means for providing wireless connectivity or control activation of noise device(s) and LEDs according to one or more user inputs transmitted from a portable personal electronic device.

U.S. Pat. No. 10,364,973 discloses a metalized layer can be added between a light effect material and the viewer so that components creating a light material viewing effect are masked by the metalized layer when the light material viewing effect is not activated whereas the metalized layer enhances a visual design (such as artwork) when the light material viewing effect is activated.

It has been previously disclosed that what I shall refer to as a “metalized layer” can be added outside of a light effect material relative to a ray path drawn from an LED and this metalized layer will create highly desirable visual effects. When the LED is not energized and producing light, the metalized layer will give the appearance of a metalized layer of material, thus hiding what is found underneath it; however, when the LED is energized, the light effect will still be created and visible on the metalized layer. To create this special visual effect, the metalized layer needs to contain a light deposition of metal, but not be opaque. The metalized layer can be its own layer of material attached to the light effect material or another layer located between the light effect material and the metalized layer. It is also contemplated that the metalized layer might be deposited on the outer surface of the light effect material (relative to an LED).

Due to the visual effect created by the metalized layer when no light is creating a light effect, the metalized layer can be incorporated into an aesthetic design of an article of manufacture (e.g., but not limited to, clothing or shoes), one example of which might be to give the appearance of a metalized button, bar, square or other shape, so that the visible portion of an article of manufacture capable of creating a light effect is the visual image of the metalized layer when no light effect is being created. Thus, for example, a metalized layer 75 can be added to self-contained insertion assembly 400 previously described in FIG. 12 as is illustrated in FIG. 17. It should be noted that a metalized layer 75 can be used in any previous embodiment already described which creates a light effect.

Visual designs can also be created on the metalized layer (or on a light effect material or outer surface when it is not being used with a metalized layer) which take advantage of the light effect to highlight a portion of the aesthetic design or the light effect (visible either with or without a metalized layer) may be incorporated into a larger design of an article of manufacture, examples of which are illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19.

FIGS. 18 and 19 also illustrate how a light effect material and/or metalized layer can be incorporated into the design of an article of manufacture, such as a garment or shoe, as a pocket-like receptacle for receiving an electronic assembly used to create a light effect. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, an article of manufacture, such as shirt 700, contains artwork 701 which includes a portion of artwork 702 which incorporates an active light effect into its design; the additional artwork can be incorporated in a light effect material or metalized layer, either of which themselves could be incorporated into the article of manufacture, such as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 as pocket 703. Once the light effect is activated, as illustrated in FIG. 19 as 705, the light effect now adds an electronic effect to artwork 701 (and, if present, 702). In FIGS. 18 and 19, a self-contained insertion assembly 400 can be added inside of pocket 703 and this assembly can have extended sides of material (see FIG. 13) so that it fits the pocket and makes it large enough so that it will not represent a choking hazard to young children. The pocket, as already discussed earlier, can have a closure mechanism to hold the self-contained insertion assembly 400 inside of it. Another advantage of such a design is ease of manufacturing assembly, given that the pocket can be made directly in the article of manufacture and then a self-contained insertion assembly 400 can easily be inserted into the pocket (and, if desired, closed within the same); further, such a design facilitates the use of multiple self-contained insertion assemblies, and multiple pockets create opportunities for personal customization.

Accordingly, the addition of a metalized layer greatly increases designer choice and aesthetic designs that can be created with a light effect material. The metalized layer can cover all of the light effect material or less than of the light effect material, depending upon designer choice.

In accordance with the disclosure of U.S. Pub. No. 2019-0316767 A1, light effect material may be incorporated into a flap which extends down over all, or substantially all, of the length of a pocket (rather than just being a top flap, as is illustrated in FIG. 13) while a lighting module is held within the pocket, the spacing between the flap and the lighting module held within the pocket creating the needed distance, or additional distance, between the light source and the light effect material so as to create or accentuate a light material effect. Of course, if the flap also contains a transparent spacing material (e.g., bubble wrap or the like) the transparent spacing material, plus the natural spacing between the flap and the pocket, can be used in creating a light material effect. Also, if the flap is not secured, and it is allowed to move around during physical activity, such as when a person wearing a garment is physically active, movement of the flap will cause the light material effect to vary, due to the varying distance between the light effect material on the flap and the lighting module held within the pocket.

U.S. Pat. No. 10,767,851 discloses that one or more light assemblies can be located within a chamber in which they can move about so as to create what I call a sparkling viewing effect in which the light material viewing effect attributable to any given LED is seen to move about light effect material as its electronic assembly moves within the chamber when such given LED is emitting light.

A chamber 710 can have one or more viewing surfaces which may be planar, curved or a complex shape. One example of this concept is illustrated in FIG. 22 in which an article of manufacture 700 has a shell 702 (see FIG. 23) attached to handle 701. Note that shell 702 need not be circular and can, for the sake of illustration, be another shape, such as a cone, rectangle or cylinder, or have a non-geometric shape, such as a replica of an object, a few examples of which are a head, body, figurine, car, airplane and the like; alternatively, a simpler shape can be used for the shell and an outer artistic shape or shell can then be attached to the inner shell. At least a portion of shell 702 (if not the entire shell) is transparent so that light emitted from within it is visible outside the shell, and at least a portion of such transparency (and, in an especially preferred embodiment, all of such transparency) is configured with one or more light effect materials and, optionally, a metalized layer, to create one or more light material viewing effects (as is taught and discussed in my earlier applications), and one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that varying between transparency and not in shell 702, and the type of light effect material with or without a metalized layer, creates a great deal of designer choice useful in creating ornamental light viewing effects.

Chamber 710 is configured to hold one or more light assemblies (a non-limiting example of which is previously described assembly 400) which can move about within chamber 710. Such movement causes light emitted from a given LED on a given light assembly to be emitted from different locations of shell 710. If one or more light assemblies are sealed within the chamber during manufacture, they can be activated when there is motion of the chamber (e.g., by a motion detector device or circuit contained within electronics of, or in communication with, the one or more light assemblies) or by a signal originating from outside of the chamber by a wireless communication device. If a wireless communication device, such as a portable personal electronic device, is used to activate LEDs contained within the chamber, the same device can be used to communicate with a controller to select or alternate a pattern of which LED lights are activated at the same or different intervals of time, as well as to activate sound (e.g., musical tunes) if such capability is included in the electronics of a given light assembly; in one such especially preferred embodiment, the sequencing of LEDs is synchronized with music to create a combined effect, such as a simulated fireworks display synchronized to music typically displayed at a fireworks display in the United States on the Fourth of July. Chamber 710, in an especially preferred embodiment, contains air, although it can also contain a fluid, including a viscous fluid, to create a lava lamp-like effect. In alternative preferred embodiments, one or more light assemblies can be removably inserted into chamber 710 by a consumer or person using article of manufacture 700 through a reversible closing mechanism, a non-limiting example of which is illustrated in FIG. 23 as a movable flap 703 secured by the closure mechanism of latch 704, and such assemblies can be configured with their own on/off switches. It is worth noting that multiple articles of manufacture 700 can be designed so that they are synchronized to be used simultaneously at an event, such as a concert, sporting event, fireworks display and the like, and they can all display light and/or sound effects triggered simultaneously (e.g., in a sporting event, they can all exhibit a certain preselected pattern in the event of a scoring event) when they are triggered by a wireless communication broadcast to all of the articles of manufacture simultaneously, and that other articles of manufacture which do not contain a chamber 710, such as other items already described, one example of which is shirt 700 illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, can also have light effects and/or sound effects triggered by the same broadcast communication.

If chamber 710 is configured so that it is viewable from a variety of different viewing planes, such as spherical chamber 710 shown in FIG. 22, as opposed to having a more limited planar viewing plane as shown in FIG. 25, it is especially desirable to use a lighting assembly which has LEDs located in different, or opposing, viewing planes. One way this can be done for opposing viewing planes is to simply connect two light assemblies, such as 400, back-to-back, as is shown in FIG. 23; alternatively, a lighting assembly can be designed with multiple PCBs, or with LEDs located on a front and back side of a PCB.

Wired LEDs can also be allowed to move with chamber 710 to create a sparkle effect, and FIG. 24 illustrates one embodiment of such an article of manufacture in which an LED is simply connected to positive and negative wires, 5P and 5N, respectively, which are then connected to electronics 850 which can be configured within a suitable location of article of manufacture 700, such as handle 701. Electronics 850 can include a power source or, in a less preferred embodiment, be wired to a power source. Of course, multiple LEDs can be connected to one pair of wires, and multiple wires of one or more LEDs can be located within chamber 710.

This brings me now to my present invention which can use concepts, embodiments, processes and disclosures of my prior inventions in a new way in connection with facial coverings so as to use a light effect material to disperse ultraviolet light (“UV”) emitted from one or more LEDs to disinfect air breathed into and out of a facial covering, one example of which is a mask.

A recent article by Lindsay Kalter, entitled “Coronavirus Puts UV in the Disinfect and Spotlight,” published at https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200519/coronavirus-puts-uv-in-the-disinfectant-spotlight, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein as if set forth in its entirety, states “[t]he coronavirus pandemic has breathed new lift into a decades-old technique that can zap viruses and bacteria: ultraviolet light.” The article goes on to make reference to UVC light (which can be defined as having wavelengths between 200 and 290 nanomerters) and specifically refers to far-UVC which it states is shorter than conventional germicidal wavelength—about 222 nm, rather than 254 nm—and references work being performed with this wavelength. For purposes of the present application, ultraviolet light will be defined as any ultraviolet light (whether it is far-UVC or UVC or UVA or UVB) which is effective for disinfecting air from viruses and bacteria. Accordingly, the present invention is not as concerned with the frequency of UV in question, but how it is used.

In connection with an especially preferred embodiment of the present invention, an article of manufacture, such as a face mask or a face shield, incorporates light effect material into an inner cavity configured inside of a UV-limiting layer (such as an opaque material) which can be closed to shield UV from being emitted outside of the inner cavity. The shielding effect created by the UV-limiting layer prevents UV from causing a problem to skin and eyes of a person wearing the article of manufacture or other persons that might be located anywhere near it. It is preferable that there be a reversible closure mechanism, similar to closure mechanism 503 for pocket 501 or movable flap 703/latch 704 for chamber 710, both of which were described earlier, so that there can be easy access to the inner cavity, which allows an assembly to be inserted into or removed from the inner cavity. A removable assembly might contain light effect material, a light assembly (similar to light assembly 400 previously described), and spacers to create a first transparent space between LEDs and the light effect material and a second transparent space on the opposite side of the light effect material and the UV-limiting layer to create a zone in which UV dispersed from the light effect material disinfects air contained within said second transparent space. The first and second transparent spaces might be isolated from each other or be areas located within a single inner cavity. The light assembly may have LEDs located on a PCB (as is illustrated in FIG. 11) and/or be connected by wires (as is illustrated in FIG. 24 or FIG. 14 of U.S. Pat. No. 9,557,049). The removable assembly can also be designed to be more minimal, so that light effect material is not included in it and, instead, more permanently incorporated into a mask or other structure; alternatively, in a less preferred embodiment, the entire structure already described, including the UV-limiting layer, might be a removable assembly incorporated into a face mask or a face mask.

In connection with the present invention, when a mask or face shield is to be worn by a user, it is important that the overall article of manufacture be breathable. Thus, if the article of manufacture is a mask, it is preferable that the UV-limiting layer have an inner layer next to the wearer's skin and an outer layer further away from the wearer's skin, both of which are breathable, both of which shield UV from being emitted outside an inner cavity configured between the two layers, both of which also serve as a filter to limit the spread of germs and viruses from and to a person wearing the mask. In such a mask, the light effect material needs to be configured both to promote disinfection of air within the second transparent space as well as breathability through the overall thickness of the mask. This can be accomplished by limiting the surface area and/or thickness of the light effect material, as well as by incorporating multiple openings and/or breathable areas of non-light effect material in the layer of light effect material, or by strategically locating multiple layers of light effect material (as opposed to a single layer) within the inner cavity. And, while breathability is a concern, it may also be desirable to promote reflection of UV within the inner cavity, to increase its effectiveness for disinfecting air contained within the inner cavity (e.g., by configuring either the outer and/or the inner UV-limiting layers with reflective properties).

LEDs used within the inner cavity may utilize different UV frequencies, one of which may be, for example, 222 nm, and one or more such LEDs may also emit visible light so that a visible light effect is incorporated within the mask. (In this regard, it might be desirable to have a visual indicator which indicates that the mask is in fact on, and its battery is not dead or electronics are not inoperable or not functioning, to promote confidence for both its wearer and persons coming into contact with the person wearing the mask.)

As should be apparent now to a reader of this description, there are a number of ways in which the teachings set forth herein can be used to disinfect air in a portable unit worn by a user by emitting UV from at least one LED which is dispersed into dispersed UV light which disinfects air contained in an inner cavity configured within a chamber formed by a UV-limiting material wherein the at least one LED and light effect material are configured so that a plurality of dispersive elements in the light effect material disperse said UV light.

The present invention will now be described in even greater detail by use of one illustrative example of a mask illustrated in FIGS. 26-28. In this example, a mask, generally designated as 800, has an inner UV-limiting layer 801 and an outer UV-limiting layer 802 which are configured to define an inner cavity, generally designated as 805. Two ear straps 808 are attached to outer UV-limiting layer 802. A light effect material 50, with a plurality of openings 50O and breathable areas 50B (see FIG. 27), is affixed to outer UV-limiting layer 802 while a reversible closing, generally designated as 803, allows removable light assembly 820 to be removably inserted into first transparent space 811. A plurality of inner spacers (two of which are shown in phantom lines in FIG. 26 and in FIG. 28), generally designated as 821, is configured to maintain first transparent space 811 while a plurality of outer spacers (two of which are shown in phantom lines in FIG. 26 and in FIG. 28), generally designated as 822, is configured to maintain second transparent space 812; inner and outer spacers 821 and 822 can be separate or connected together and located in openings of light effect material 50.

Although the foregoing detailed description is illustrative of preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that additional embodiments thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Further modifications are also possible in alternative embodiments without departing from the inventive concepts already described.

Accordingly, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that still further changes and modifications in the actual concepts described herein can readily be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed inventions.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture, comprising: an inner ultraviolet light (“UV”)-limiting layer; andan outer UV-limiting layer;wherein the inner UV-limiting layer and the outer UV-limiting layer are configured so as to define an inner cavity which can be closed to shield UV from being emitted outside of the said inner cavity;one or more light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) located within the inner cavity;an electronic assembly comprising a power source which powers the one or more LEDs and electronics;a light effect material with a plurality of dispersive elements configured within the inner cavity so that light emitted from the one or more LEDs is dispersed by the plurality of dispersive elements so as to create a light material viewing effect; andmeans for causing said one or more LEDs to emit light within the inner cavity;wherein the chamber is configured with a first transparent space created between the light effect material and the one or more LEDs and a second transparent space created between the light effect material and the outer UV-limiting layer;wherein the light material viewing effect is created for a viewer who can view light emitted from a given LED through a first viewing path that begins with the given LED and then passes through the first transparent space, the light effect material, the second transparent space, and the outer UV-limiting layer to the viewer;wherein a non-light material viewing effect is created for the viewer who can view light emitted from the given LED through a second viewing path in which the light effect material has been removed and the second viewing path begins with the given LED and then passes through the first transparent space, the second transparent space, and the outer UV-limiting layer to the viewer;wherein the viewer perceives the light material viewing effect to extend over a wider area than the non-light material viewing effect when the first viewing path and the second viewing path have an identical preselected distance;wherein at least of the LEDs is configured to emit UV light effective for disinfecting air contained within the inner cavity in the first and second transparent spaces.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, further comprising a mask configured to be worn on a head of a person and attachment means for attaching the article of manufacturing to the mask.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 2, wherein the attachment means is comprised of a cavity to hold the article of manufacture.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 2, wherein the attachment means is comprised of at least one fastener.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein the at least one fastener is comprised of a hook and loop closure mechanism.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 2, wherein the light effect material has a plurality of openings configured to help promote circulation of air through said light effect material.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 2, wherein at least one of the inner UV-limiting layer and the outer UV-limiting layer is configured to help promote reflection of UV light within the inner cavity.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 2, wherein said means for causing said one or more LEDs to emit light within the inner cavity is activated when the mask is worn on the head of the person.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 2, wherein the one or more LEDs is comprised of a first LED which emits at a first UV frequency and a second LED which emits at a second UV frequency.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first UV frequency and the second UV frequency is comprised of a far-UV frequency of approximately 222 nanometers.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 2, wherein the light effect material is configured with a breathable pattern which includes a breathable area which does not contain dispersive elements.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 2, wherein the breathable area is comprised of an opening.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 2, wherein the breathable area is comprised of a breathable fabric.

14. An article of manufacture, comprising: an inner ultraviolet light (“UV”)-limiting layer; andan outer UV-limiting layer;wherein the inner UV-limiting layer and the outer UV-limiting layer are configured so as to define an inner cavity which can be closed to shield UV from being emitted outside of the said inner cavity;one or more UV light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) located within the inner cavity;an electronic assembly comprising a power source which powers the one or more UV LEDs and electronics;a light effect material with a plurality of dispersive elements configured within the inner cavity, wherein each dispersive element disperses multiple rays of UV from a single ray of UV which is dispersed by said dispersive element; andmeans for causing said one or more UV LEDs to emit light within the inner cavity;wherein the chamber is configured with a first transparent space created between the light effect material and the one or more UV LEDs and a second transparent space created between the light effect material and the outer UV-limiting layer; andwherein UV emitted from the one or more UV LEDs is effective for disinfecting air contained within the inner cavity.

15. A method for disinfecting air in a portable unit worn by a user, comprising: emitting ultraviolet light (“UV”) from at least one light emitting diode (“LED”) which is dispersed into dispersed UV light which disinfects air contained in an inner cavity configured within a chamber formed by a UV-limiting material wherein the at least one LED and light effect material are configured so that a plurality of dispersive elements in the light effect material disperse said UV light.