LED lighting module

Abstract

Multi-pin LEDs are secured to a ribbon assembly with substantially watertight mountings through use of glue while an LED embedded wire is created by electrically connecting together the axial leads of a plurality of axial LEDs with two conductive wires that are wound around the axial leads and then the resultant subassembly is protected and encased by two pieces of tape. Light effect material is spaced apart from LEDs to create a visually interesting light effect through use of microscopic sized structural components that disperse light and create a noticeable optical effect.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally in the field of a LED lighting module that can be used in a variety of different products, examples of which include, but are not limited to, footwear and clothing.

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 an article of footwear, such as footwear or garments, that includes at least one light source (e.g., an LED) and a light effect material that is maintained at an acceptable distance from the at least one light source so as to create a visually interesting effect for a viewer viewing the at least one light source through the light effect material.

The present invention can utilize a multi-pin LED ribbon wire assembly. In connection with multi-pin LEDs, a centering device with a wedge can be located between an LED base and the ribbon wire assembly to cause the conductive cores to be biased toward the LED leads. Glue can be applied to a top surface of the insulative material where it is pierced by an LED lead and/or on its bottom surface if the LED lead pierces through it. A control module can be connected to the ribbon wire assembly and protected by a watertight bag that surrounds the control module and is sealed with a watertight seal about the ribbon wire assembly. The ribbon wire assembly can be secured to a shoe sole by a molding process while the control module is attached to the ribbon wire assembly after the molding process. The ribbon wire assembly and the control module can both be secured to a surface, such as that of a garment, through use of an appliqué wall which may include a light effect material (e.g., a material with reflective elements) that is maintained at an acceptable distance from an LED so as to create a visually interesting effect for a viewer viewing the LED through the light effect material. The light effect material can also be used without an appliqué wall, such as being incorporated as a layer of fabric in a garment or other article of manufacture, and its distance from an LED can be varied to vary the visually interesting effect.

The present invention can also utilize a composite LED embedded wire in which two layers of tape replace the insulation covering normally needed on an insulated, conductive wire, and also provide a packaging element that now allows light to be emitted in more directions, while still also providing a very flexible, and watertight, string of LEDs, all of which is accomplished without the use of any solder or the need for any components that would otherwise be required in prior soldering processes, such as copper wire.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide improved LED lighting modules, especially with respect to modules that can be incorporated into articles of manufacture, such as, for example, garments and footwear.

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 preferred embodiment set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view that illustrates an LED positioned to be inserted down into a ribbon wire while FIG. 1B illustrates the LED mounted and secured to the ribbon wire assembly with glue. FIGS. 1C and 1D illustrate the same views as FIGS. 1A and 1B except a centering device is inserted between the LED and the ribbon wire assembly but does not puncture the insulative coatings of wires in the ribbon wire assembly. FIGS. 1E and 1F illustrate another centering device in which the insulative coatings are punctured and a part of the centering device acts as an insulator while biasing the conductive wires toward the LED leads.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view that illustrates an LED lighting module according to one aspect of the present invention in which a ribbon wire assembly has been connected to a control unit, a watertight bag has been secured to the ribbon wire assembly to make the control unit watertight, and then this assembly has been secured to a surface through use of an appliqué wall.

FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate bonding of two exposed conductors of two insulated wires to axial leads of an axial LED.

FIG. 5 illustrates a composite LED embedded wire according to one aspect of the present invention while FIG. 6 is an exploded assembly drawing showing the parts included in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an exploded assembly drawing showing the composite LED embedded wire of FIG. 5 being connected to a battery and electronics in a new assembly.

FIG. 8 illustrates an LED spaced behind a light effect material of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates one light effect material according to the present invention that uses shiny filament woven fabric.

FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of multiple LEDs behind a light effect material according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates a light effect material according to the present invention in which a surface of a material, such as PVC, creates the light effect while FIG. 12 illustrates use of the light effect material illustrated in FIG. 11.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate what a viewer would perceive when viewing two different light effect materials spaced apart from three LEDs according to the present invention.

FIGS. 15-17 are related to the light effect material illustrated in FIG. 11. FIG. 15 illustrates a sheet of light effect material with square repeating patterns while FIG. 16 provides details regarding one such square pattern and adjacent squares. FIG. 17 is a side view that conceptually illustrates smaller squares, as illustrated in FIG. 16, some of which are creating visible light effects and some of which are not.

FIG. 18 illustrates an article of footwear which has a removable piece of light effect material in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 19 illustrates an article of footwear which has a removable piece of light effect material in accordance with the present invention and also separates the light effect material in a piece that is movable away from one or more LEDs.

FIG. 20 illustrates a skirt with LEDs according to the present invention incorporated into the skirt. FIGS. 21A and 21B are side views illustrating two ways the skirt can be constructed in accordance with one aspect of the present invention.

FIGS. 22A and 22B illustrate an appliqué in accordance with the present invention affixed to a pair of pants.

FIG. 23 is a side view while FIG. 24 is an exploded view illustrating one appliqué constructed in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will first be described in comparison to a standard ribbon wire assembly in which one or more multi-pin LEDs are soldered to a ribbon wire that is connected to a control module containing a power source. In contrast to such assemblies, the present invention discloses an improved method for connecting multi-pin LEDs to a ribbon wire assembly by causing the multi-pin LED leads to pierce an insulative coating of a wire and then come into contact with the conductive elements of the wire while the multi-pin LED is held in place, and sealed, by use of a glue, an especially preferred example of which is a cyanoacrylate adhesive.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are illustrative of the process for inserting a bi-pin LED into a ribbon wire assembly 19. Multiple bi-pin LEDs 10 can be inserted into a ribbon wire assembly 19, as is illustrated in FIG. 2, and, while the present application illustrates use of a two lead LED 10, and a ribbon wire assembly 19 with two wires, the same concepts described herein can be used with LEDs having additional leads inserted into a ribbon wire assembly with additional wires (e.g., inserting a three lead LED into a ribbon wire assembly with three wires), and thus using an illustration of a two lead LED and a ribbon wire assembly with two wires is not meant to be limiting, but simply illustrative.

It is especially preferred that the leads of the bi-pin LED, in this case two leads denoted 11, have knife-like or sharp edges, 11E, to aid in the insertion of such leads into the wires 20 of ribbon wire assembly 19. A wire, for purposes of illustration, will have an outer insulative coating 21 and an inner conductive wire 22. Inner conductive wire 22, used with a bi-pin LED, will generally consist of a single strand of solid wire, although multiple strands can also be used without impacting the import of the present invention. While inner conductive wire 22 is typically made of copper, other types of conductive material can also be used over short distances that will be used in lighting modules constructed in accordance with the present invention, so inner conductive wire 22 can also be an aluminum wire or many other conductors, such as graphite and conductive polymers, so as to avoid the cost of copper wire. Accordingly, in connection with the present disclosure, reference to a “conductive wire” means any conductive material, whether solid, stranded or some other configuration, suitable for use inside of an insulative outer wiring material. It should also be noted that the insulative outer wiring material can have an outer jacket and include other non-conductive material located between such outer jacket and conductive wire 22, or the insulative material can be a unitary material, without an outer jacket, that surrounds the conductive wire. Accordingly, in its broadest form, this aspect of the present invention is meant to apply to any type of wire that has a conductive core surrounded by insulative material.

It is especially preferred that bi-pin LED leads 11 being inserted into wire 20 in accordance with the present invention are spaced so that they will be on the outside of conductive wires 22, as is illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1D, so that adjacent conductive wires 22 are biased against leads 11 after insertion due to resiliency of insulative coatings 21. In this regard, as sharp edges 11E come into contact with inner conductive wires 22, the knife edges, which were initially used to help pierce insulative coatings 21, will cause conductive wires 22 to move slightly toward each other, thus creating a bias to return outwardly to their original positions, which helps to maintain electrical contact between leads 11 and conductive wires 22. While such biasing is especially preferred, it may also be acceptable, depending upon the construction of wire 20, for knife edges 11E to actually pierce into conductive wires 22. Also, a separate centering device 13 (examples of which are illustrated in FIGS. 1C-1F) can be affixed to bi-pin LED 10 to assist in centering and insertion of leads 11 into ribbon wire 19. It is especially preferred that centering device 13 have two holes into which leads 11 are inserted and a centering wedge 13W, which can preferably have the shape of a pyramid (see FIGS. 1C and 1E), which serves to force insulative coatings 21 of adjacent wires out toward leads 11, thus helping to bias conductive wires 22 against leads 11 after assembly, as is illustrated in FIG. 1D. Centering device 13, which is made of non-conductive plastic (and, preferably, plastic that is able to sustain high temperatures), can also be configured so that it has a wedge that pierces insulative coatings 21 and actually comes into contact with conductive wires 22 of adjacent wires 20 so that it drives them apart from each other and toward leads 11, as is shown in FIG. 1F.

When bi-pin LED 10 is mounted to ribbon wire assembly 19, glue G can be used both to help secure and waterproof the resulting assembly. There are several ways that glue can be used during such assembly, examples of which will now be described.

One method of using glue G is to apply it to tips 11E before they are inserted into insulative coatings 21 of wires 20, or to apply glue (e.g., as drops) to the tops of insulative coatings 21 into which tips 11E will be inserted. After insertion, additional glue G can be applied to bottom of insulative coatings 21 pierced by tips 11E, as is illustrated in FIG. 1B. Alternatively, glue might only be applied to the bottom of insulative coatings 21 after insertion, in a post insertion step.

It is especially preferred that leads 11 of bi-pin LED 10 are substantially isolated from contact with an outside environment once bi-pin LED is mounted to a ribbon wire assembly 19. If bi-pin LED 10 is mounted flush with ribbon wire assembly 19, leads 11 will extend from bi-pin LED base 10B directly into top 21T of insulative coating 21 with no or substantially no exposed surface area because base 10B will slightly deform and flatten top 21T; alternatively, if glue is applied at this location, any portion of leads 11 that might otherwise be exposed can still be sealed by a coating of glue (as is illustrated in FIG. 1B). The portion of a lead 11 inside of wire 19 is insulated from the outside environment by being inside of wire 19. If knife edges 11E extend through conductive wire to puncture bottom 21B of insulative coating 21, exposed knife edges 11E can, in an especially preferred embodiment, be either completely or substantially completed sealed by glue applied at such location, as is illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1D.

A ribbon wire assembly with one or more bi-pin LEDs secured to it as described above will be completely, or at least substantially, watertight, so that it can be exposed to an environment with water (or even washed) without causing a failure of the bi-pin LED. The manner of insertion of the bi-pin LEDs will also ensure that such bi-pin LEDs remain mounted in place on the ribbon wire assembly during normal use, even when the ribbon wire assembly is washed in a washing machine (assuming its ends are also protected or sealed). As a result of such structure, such a ribbon wire assembly can be used with a control module without the need of insulating the ribbon wire assembly with the control module which, in turn, leads to simpler and cheaper construction opportunities, along with greater design flexibility.

The present invention builds upon the improved method for connecting multi-pin LEDs to a ribbon wire assembly by connecting such a ribbon wire assembly to a control module without the need for sealing the entire assembly in a watertight package.

FIG. 2 illustrates a ribbon wire assembly in accordance with the present invention, mounted with multiple LEDs, which is connected to a control module 5 having a power source and control electronics, such as a motion detector switch, electronics for controlling the sequencing of the LEDs, and the like. Control module 5 is mounted to a first end of the ribbon wire assembly and a watertight bag 6 is sealed around the control module to the ribbon wire assembly to protect control module 5 while leaving ribbon wire assembly 19 outside of it exposed to the environment. Watertight bag 6 can be sealed about ribbon wire assembly 19 by a shrink wrap step, a heat seal, a sonic weld, a clamp, glue or some other sealing means, depending upon the construction of watertight bag 6 (which can take any number of shapes, but a bag that fits snugly about control module 5 helps to eliminate unnecessary bulk) so that a watertight seal is formed between watertight bag 6 and ribbon wire assembly 19. Terminating end 19T of ribbon wire assembly 19 (i.e., the end distant from control module 5) can be sealed from the environment by a heat seal, a cap, glue (such as already described) or a combination of such seals or other sealing means. The resultant structure, LED lighting module 1, can be incorporated into a variety of articles of manufacture, illustrative examples of which are garments and footwear, without concern over the necessity of protecting ribbon wire assembly 19 and LEDs 20 from the environment.

Because LED lighting module 1 does not require its LEDs to be sealed from the environment, it can be used in a variety of ways for a variety of products, including many new ways in which it can be used with footwear and with garments, many of which will become more apparent with the discussion below.

Lighting modules for footwear have traditionally been incorporated into the shoe during its manufacture, which means such modules are subjected to high heat requirements during manufacture of the shoe, where oven temperatures in the range of 90 to 140 degrees Celsius can cause damage and also melt some PVC materials used in a wire (which is why it is especially preferable to use silicone rubber as the insulative material). The present invention helps to solve the problem of high heat applied to lighting modules during the shoe manufacturing process by separating a ribbon wire assembly with mounted LEDs from a central module so that only the ribbon wire assembly with mounted LEDs is subjected to the higher oven temperatures used during the manufacturing process in which the sole or other parts of a shoe are molded. After such a ribbon wire assembly and mounted LEDs have been molded into a shoe sole, the control module can be attached to the ribbon wire assembly (such as, e.g., using a connection process disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 13/294,095, filed Nov. 10, 2011, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference) and then a waterproof bag 6 can be secured about control module 5, with the manufacturing process completed without the need for subjecting control module 5 to the oven temperatures, which lessens the possibility of heat generated failures that are expensive because any such failure typically results in failure of the entire shoe, not just the control module.

One way LED lighting module 1 can easily be used apart from footwear is to include it with an appliqué or patch that can be conveniently attached to an article of manufacture, such as, for example, a garment, by heat sealing, stitching or glue or another attachment mechanism. An example of such an appliqué is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 in which an outer appliqué wall 40 holds LED lighting module 1 against a surface S, such as a surface of a garment, backpack, or other article of manufacture. If appliqué wall 40 is to be stitched or bonded to surface S, it may be desirable to leave an appliqué border 40B for use in forming stitches or for bonding, while the rest of appliqué wall 40 may extend outwardly from surface S and form a pocket 40P in which LED lighting module 1 is held. Note that surface S does not need to be watertight, although it certainly might be; if S is a non-watertight fabric, such as, for example, cotton or a cotton blend in a garment, pocket 40P will not be watertight when the garment is washed, but components in control module 5 will be protected by watertight bag 6 (which is sealed) while the LEDs and ribbon wire will still be protected from water, even during a washing, because of the inventive structure already described herein. Note also that while FIG. 3 illustrates appliqué wall 40 being used as an outside surface with respect to underlying surface S, it can also be used as an inside surface with respect to the underlying surface S so that the appliqué is located underneath surface S, rather than being on top of surface S. Further note that appliqué wall 40 need not be permanently attached to surface S and, might instead, be detachable from surface S by a detachable connection mechanism, an example of which is a hook and loop fastener, such as a Velcro® fastener. One of many advantages of a detachable appliqué wall is that a variety of different LED lighting modules 1 might be used in an article of manufacture with such a detachable appliqué, depending upon user selection, and such units might be periodically varied.

So far the present invention has been described as using an improved method for connecting LEDs to a ribbon wire assembly by reference to LEDs with a multi-pin structure, which is the most common type of LED in use today that is not surface mounted. Such LEDs have two or more pins (or leads) 11 which exit a base structure holding a semiconductor die which has an epoxy lens/case or dome (see FIG. 1A). Light from such an LED is emitted from the semiconductor die. When strings of such bi-pin LEDs are manufactured, one lead will typically be placed into contact with a conductive wire of one insulated, conductive wire and the other lead will typically be placed into contact with a conductive wire of another insulated, conductive wire, the leads most commonly being held in place by a solder process once the insulative coating has been removed to allow the leads to make electrical contact with the conductive wire. Once one or more LEDs are mounted on the insulated, conductive wire, light will not be emitted down through the base or through the insulated, conductive wire to which the LED is attached.

One problem associated with such strings of LEDs in common use today is that the string relies upon solder to securely connect the LEDs to the conductive wire. Use of solder raises environmental concerns and is costly, not only in terms of solder, but in terms of the type of wire which will bond with solder, and also the labor involved in the soldering process. As already noted above, the present invention can do away with all such concerns by eliminating the need for solder bonding, simplifying the underlying structure, and creating an LED embedded wire that can be manufactured inexpensively through the use of automated processes that do not require solder, while still achieving a superior product in terms of having a low profile from a smaller dome profile.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an axial LED, shown generally as 100 in FIG. 4, has positive and negative axial leads 101. Multiple axial LEDs can be aligned so that their axial leads are in a single plane and parallel to each other as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The axial leads of one side of the LEDs are connected together by a conductive wire 106 that can be done by an automated wire looping process while the axial leads of the other side of the LEDs are connected together by a second conductive wire 106 that can be done by another automated wire looping process. While multiple loops might be used to secure the conductive wire to the axial leads, it has been found that a single loop 107 will work. Once the axial LEDs 100 have had their axial leads electrically connected together by two conductive wires 106, this subassembly can be secured, and waterproofed, by using two strips of clear tape 105. While it is especially preferred that each of the two strips of clear tape 105 have an adhesive layer, so that the two adhesive layers come together to bond with each other and hold the subassembly of axial LEDs and conductive wires between the two pieces of clear tape, only one inner side of one of the strips of clear tape 105 need have an adhesive on it. Also, it is especially preferred that at least one of such pieces of tape 105 have clear fibers in it for adding strength and durability to the resulting composite LED embedded wire.

While this aspect of the present invention has been described as using two strips of tape 105, it has already been noted that one of such strips may not have adhesive on it, and thus might not be considered a piece of “tape,” but a plastic strip. Accordingly, for purposes of the present invention, “tape” shall include any layers of material that can be bonded together or connected together to form a watertight covering, similar to two pieces of tape stuck together. Also, although it is not especially preferred, because it requires the use of heat, and is not as easily automated, shrink wrap materials, such as a polyolefin or other compositions, can be used to encase and seal a series of axial LEDs whose axial leads have been electrically connected together in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

It should be noted that strings of axial LEDs do not have to have all of their axial leads connected in series if the string is to be used with an alternating current so that one group of axial LEDs will light at one time with one polarity of current while a second group of axial LEDs will light at another time with current of an opposite polarity.

It is also worth noting that there may be certain applications in which one or both pieces of tape 105 may have a color or have some other characteristic applied over their whole surface, or a portion of such surface, so as to create a preselected affect upon the light given off by one or more axial LEDs contained within a composite LED embedded wire according to the present invention.

A composite LED embedded wire according to this aspect of the present invention can be used in a variety of applications, including, to name only a few, clothing, footwear, Christmas lights, and anywhere where a string of LEDs is desired. If a composite LED embedded wire according to the present invention is used in clothing, excess tape 105 can be used to provide a surface which can be stitched so that the composite can easily be incorporated into a piece of clothing.

Another advantage of the present invention is that an axial LED can have a lower profile dome 104 than the dome of a bi-pin LED. In addition, whereas a string of prior art bi-pin LEDs will not emit light in more than 180 degrees, a composite LED embedded wire 108 in accordance with the present invention can emit light in a more spherical fashion because an axial LED does not require a base through which anode and cathode leads exit, nor is it mounted on top of insulative, conductive wires.

A composite axial lead LED embedded wire according to the present invention will waterproof its components, other than conductive wire leads 109 extending out beyond the waterproofing protection of two opposing layers of tape 105, while being extremely flexible and low profile. In fact, composite axial lead LED embedded wire according to this aspect of the present invention can be wound around a spool, in the fashion of a ribbon, for storage, for use in assembly, or for application. Indeed, a composite axial lead LED embedded wire according to the present invention can quickly and easily be connected to a battery 117 by use of a connector 118 and, if desired, optional additional electronics 119 can also be electrically connected to perform additional functions such as a motion switch, sequencing of the axial lead LEDs 100, and the like. Once a composite axial lead LED embedded wire 108 is connected to a battery 117, and optional electronics 119, the new resulting assembly can quickly and easily be waterproofed and sealed from the environment by use of two additional pieces of tape 105 functioning in the same fashion as tape 105 included in composite LED embedded wire 108. Indeed, in a very simple application, a composite axial lead LED embedded wire 108 could be connected to a battery 117 to create a one-time, disposable LED light source, such as might be used in an emergency. Alternatively, rather than using tape 105, a composite axial lead LED embedded wire could be connected to a battery 117 through a more robust connection which allows for battery 117 to be replaced or recharged, and electronics 119 might contain an on/off switch or electronics for connection to a regular power source, in which case a plug or other hardware can also be incorporated for use to connecting such power source, and any such plug or other hardware might be protected in its own packaging or even be connected through additional use of tape so as to create a simple, inexpensive and easy to install system. Also, in any such structure, one of the pieces of tape can have two-sided adhesive so that the composite axial lead LED embedded wire can be secured, by a simple taping action, to a variety of surfaces, depending upon particular applications.

While the present invention has described a composite axial lead LED embedded wire in which axial lead LEDs are electrically connected to conductive wires without the use of solder, which allows such conductive wires to be made of metal such as aluminum, the teachings set forth herein could also be used to assemble a less preferred embodiment, which would still represent an advance over the prior art, in which the axial lead LEDs are in fact soldered to conductive wire, such as copper, and then the resultant assembly is encased by tape as described herein when no solder is used.

Also, while axial lead LEDs are particularly well suited to use in strings, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a single axial lead LED can be singularly connected to a conductive wire as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In such use insulative coating 21 is stripped from conductive wire 22 and glue G is used to secure the two exposed conductive wires to axial leads 102 and 103, preferably after the exposed conductive wires have been wrapped about the axial leads.

There are several specific applications in which it may be desirable not to secure a LED lighting module to a surface through an appliqué wall, one example of which is illustrated in FIGS. 21A and 21B in which it is desirable for the distance between LED lighting module 1 and another fabric to vary. In FIG. 21A a light effect material is incorporated into a fabric layer 61 while in FIG. 21B the light effect material is attached to a fabric layer 61, such as a sheer material, and a spacer is also affixed to the string of LEDs to insure some spacing between the LEDs and the light effect material.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, it has been found that there are a variety of fabrics and/or materials that can accentuate the effect of multiple LEDs (whether they be multi-pin or axial lead LEDs, or a combination of the two) lit together or in a sequence, especially if the distance between the LEDs and the fabrics and/or materials is varied between acceptable limits. For ease of reference and for definitional purposes, such fabrics and/or materials will hereinafter be generically referred to as “a light effect material.”

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 viewers 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 (see FIGS. 8 and 9).

FIG. 8 illustrates an LED spaced apart from a light effect material (the LED can be a bi-pin LED or an axial lead LED). The LED has a semiconductor die which emits light and, in one especially preferred embodiment of the present invention, the light effect material has elements which create the light effect that is roughly the size, or within several orders of size magnitude, as that of the width of a semiconductor die used in an LED. Also, although the distance Y between the LED and the light effect material can vary, it has been found that a distance of 10 times that of the LED (z in FIG. 8) is effective where the light effect material has a thickness x which is roughly the same as z.

One 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 footwear.

FIG. 9 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. 9, 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.

Another example of material that can function as a light effect material according to the present invention is a material with microscopic reflective and/or refractive elements that serve to disperse light. One example of such a material is illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 16. 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. Note that the reflective and/or refractive elements in this example have a pyramidal shape (see FIG. 11) when viewed up close, but alternating squares of such shapes are configured at different angles as is illustrated in FIG. 16 in which the triangular lines represent the base lines of the pyramidal shapes illustrated in FIG. 11 and the top pyramidal points of FIG. 11 would be located in the centers of the triangles shown in FIG. 16 (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. 12.

In connection with the light effect material illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 16, 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. 17 as a simple alternating pattern of squares that do and not create a light effect. (In connection with FIG. 17, 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. 16, but the LED, for purposes of illustration only, is not drawn to such scale in FIG. 17). However, the alternating patterns can be designed in more complex patterns to create desired effects, examples of which are illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 15.

In FIG. 13, 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. 15, 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. 16 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. 14.

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.

Because different light effect materials can be used to create different light effects, it may be desirable to allow different light effect materials to be alternated in a given article of manufacture. This concept is illustrated in FIG. 18 in which a light effect material 200 can be removably fastened to an article of footwear 201 by any number of fasteners 202, such as, for example, a snap or a magnet, which allows different light effect materials to be worn on a given article of footwear at different times, which also allows for customization of footwear by a user. Also, different removable light effect materials might have different colors, if a color effect is desired, and they can also contain printed graphic material, allowing for greater customization, especially if the graphic material is tied into a light effect created by the material. In addition, an additional layer of material, containing color and/or graphics, might be applied on top of light effect material, to change the visual effect created, and such additional layer of material might itself be removable from the light effect material.

FIG. 18 also illustrates an especially preferred way in which LEDs can be incorporated into a piece of footwear in a manner which minimizes the profile of space needed to utilize a light effect material in accordance with the present invention. Because it is desirable to incorporate LEDs in the toe area of a shoe, LEDs can be incorporated in a toe cap or a separate space of toe box as is illustrated in FIG. 18 in which three LEDs 203 are situated so that they are at the level of the midsole and pointed upwardly through a transparent area toward a light effect material located in the upper. (In connection with such a construction, it is especially preferred that the LED toe lights be mounted in the end of the toe cavity as close to the sole as possible.) The transparent area can be hollow, meaning its top surface is formed by the light effect material, or it can be filled with a transparent material, such as PVC or a polyurethane, or it can have a pillow-like construction (illustrated in FIG. 18) in which the area is sealed by transparent material, but it has air inside of the area instead of a transparent solid material. An advantage of this construction is that it allows for a sizable gap between the LEDs and the light effect material without requiring any additional increase in profile of the light effect material in the upper. A similar construction can be used along other areas of the shoe (e.g., LEDs can also be mounted in any location of the outsole, or around the entire outsole, if desired, with the spacing needed to create a good light effect) and, if desired, such a concept can be used around the entire periphery of the shoe. In connection with any such structure, including one in the toe area, it is especially preferred, when the transparent area is not filled with a solid material, that the walls extending from the midsole up to the light effect material be shiny, or even reflective.

Alternatively, light effect material in accordance with the present invention can be incorporated into any location of a piece of footwear in which an acceptable spacing is achieved between one or more LEDs and the light effect material. Another example of this is illustrated in FIG. 19 in which the light effect is constructed as a panel 211 which is removably inserted into a slit 212 or pocket of a strap 213 which itself is removably adjustable relative to one or more LEDs 214 mounted in the tongue 215 of the footwear. Different panels of different light effect material might be inserted to achieve different visual effects, and differing panels of light effect material might be colored and/or have different graphics (or be without any graphics). Because the strap of the footwear illustrated in FIG. 19 can be adjusted by a person wearing the footwear, such a person might adjust the strap in different ways to achieve different light effects based upon differences in spacing between the light effect material held by the strap and LEDs embedded in the footwear's tongue.

It is also worth noting that a person of ordinary skill in the art, armed with the present disclosure, could choose to create different lighting effects by using combinations of different light effect materials in a single application, such as side-by-side, or by combining multiple light effect materials together in an overlapping configuration in which each light effect material adds its own effect to a total overall effect. Such a designer can also create a number of new effects by using multi-sequenced LEDs as taught in my U.S. Ser. No. 14/199,689, filed Mar. 6, 2014, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference. Accordingly, the use of light effect materials, with the other inventive concepts disclosed herein, opens up a vast variety of designer choices not obtainable before the present invention.

A light effect material according to the present invention, in order to be useful for garment, must be capable of being integrated into a garment and provide a desired optical effect when it is backlit at an acceptable distance (or over a range of acceptable distances). This means the light effect material will either need to be a fabric or be a material that can be incorporated into for use with an LED lighting module in accordance with the teachings set forth herein.

One way in which a light effect material can be incorporated into a garment is to use the light effect material as a covering layer over another layer containing one or more LED lighting modules and, in such an embodiment, it is especially preferred that the outer layer of light effect material be free to move and vary its distance with respect to the underlying layer containing at least one LED lighting module. An example of a garment 60 that can employ such a construction is a skirt, an example of which is illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21. In this illustrative example, outer garment layer 61 is made of, or contains, a light effect material 50 which is positioned so as to be located over LED lighting module 80 mounted to inner garment layer 62 when the skirt is in a resting position (light effect material 50 might also be attached or affixed behind a see through outer fabric). However, if a person is wearing the skirt and moving about, such as running or maybe twirling about, outer garment layer 61 might start to vary its distance from LED lighting module 1 (see FIG. 2), thus varying the optical effect. Light effect material 50 might be distanced from LED lighting module 1 in a resting mode (e.g., when it hanging on a rack) by a number of means, such as pleats or stiffeners other mechanisms, that can be used to create a resting distance between LED lighting module 1 and outer garment layer 61 that creates a light effect. Also, because LED lighting module 1 can have a ribbon assembly 19 with multiple LEDs 20 of various colors, the different LEDs might themselves be located at different distances from light effect material 50 with which they are paired.

Another way in which a light effect material can be incorporated into a garment is to use the light effect material inside of an appliqué or patch or even use light effect material 50 to make outer appliqué wall 40.

It should also be noted that while the present invention has already described use of an appliqué with garments above, additional variations are possible, especially when such articles of manufacture are specifically designed for use with specific garments. Thus, for example, appliqué 300 might be affixed to a pair of pants 250 as illustrated in FIG. 22. Appliqué 300 may contain an opaque area or pattern or design printed material on an outer material layer 303 that obscures control module 305 and its surface and light effect material 302 may be designed to bring out certain aesthetic design features that compliment the pattern or design printed material observable to one viewing appliqué 300.

Appliqué 300 can be constructed in any of a number of different ways, an example of which is illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24. While light effect material 302 is illustrated as being positioned underneath outer material layer 303, it is also possible that the two layers can be combined in a single layer such that a surface of this single layer has the light effect material while other portions of the surface contain opaque or printed design material. A transparent spacer material, one example of which has a pillow-like construction 301, is used to space light effect material 302 away from LEDs 100 which can be affixed to the spacer by adhesive on spacer 302 or by a separate tape layer 304 illustrated in FIG. 24 (or by any other suitable means, depending upon the construction of materials being used, such as tape used with composite LED embedded wire 108). Other suitable spacer materials might include bubble wrap type of material or even clear solid spacers, but hollow spaced materials are especially preferred due to reduces cost and weight. The appliqué illustrated in FIG. 24, for purposes of illustration only, shows use of composite LED embedded wire 108 and two other wires having a single LED affixed at its end, which can be an axial lead LED 100 or a multi-pin LED. Control unit 305 is illustrated as having three inputs to its interior (two conductive wires 22 and one composite LED embedded wire 108), but this number can be varied. And, rather than using a control unit 5 and a separate bag 6 (as illustrated in FIG. 2), FIG. 24 illustrates an alternative control unit 305 which might take the form of a case, in which the power source and control electronics are housed, and a potting or other material could be added to effectively create a watertight seal around the electronics inside of the case, thus creating a sealed watertight control module which does not need a watertight bag 6 to create a watertight seal.

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. For example, although not preferred, it is possible that a ribbon block assembly might only have one wire and shorts between LED placements so that the resulting assembly would function as a string of lights in series, each of the LEDs being mounted and secured to the single wire with glue in accordance with the teachings set forth herein. Further modifications are also possible in alternative embodiments without departing from the inventive concept.

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 apparatus, comprising: a ribbon assembly with two wires, each wire comprising a conductive core surrounded by an insulative material; anda light emitting diode (“LED”) with two leads mounted and secured to the ribbon assembly so that the LED is substantially watertight;wherein each LED lead pierces into the insulative material and is in electrical contact with the conductive core of a given wire; andwherein the at least one LED is secured to the ribbon assembly through the use of a glue.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a centering device with a wedge located between a base of the LED and the ribbon assembly, said wedge causing the conductive cores of the two wires to be biased toward the two leads.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each LED lead pierces into a top surface and out through a bottom surface of the insulative material.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the glue is applied to bottom surface of the insulative material.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each LED lead comes into contact with the glue before it pierces the top surface of the insulative material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional LED mounted and secured to the ribbon assembly through use of the glue so that the at least one additional LED is substantially watertight and each LED lead of said at least one additional LED pierces the insulative material and is in electrical contact with the conductive core of its given wire.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a control module connected to a first end of the ribbon assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a watertight bag that surrounds the control module and is sealed with a watertight seal about the ribbon assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the conductive core is comprised of aluminum.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the ribbon wire is secured to a shoe sole by a molding process and the control module is sealed with the watertight seal about the ribbon assembly after the ribbon wire is secured to the shoe sole by the molding process.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the ribbon wire and the control module are secured to a surface through use of an appliqué wall.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the appliqué wall is comprised of a light effect material.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the light effect material is maintained at an acceptable distance from a chosen LED of the LED and the at least one additional LED to create a visually interesting effect for a viewer viewing the chosen LED through the light effect material.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the light effect material is comprised of a material with a plurality of dispersive elements.