The present invention generally relates to promotional items and in particular to promotional items having fluorescing or phosphorescing ink indicia that become readable upon illumination by a light source located within the item.
The free distribution of promotional items to a target group is a common feature of marketing campaigns. Common promotional items include pens, watches, key chains, flashlights, penlights, alarm clocks, pocket calculators, picture frames, swizzle sticks, magnifying glasses, and side view mirrors. Such promotional items are otherwise conventional items that have been customized to include printed indicia related to the object of the marketing campaign, the objects including a political candidate, a product, a brand, commemorative event, or personal sentiment. A marketer derives value from producing and distributing such promotional items in that the recipient in deriving benefit from the utilitarian functions of the promotional item is at the same time reintroduced to the branding printed indicia. However, promotional materials only partially serve intended marketing purposes owing to the stigma a recipient may associate with the promotional target or a recipient's concern about the perception of others with respect to the marketing target. As a result, a promotional item is often relegated to use in a specific environment or placed into storage, thereby lessening the promotional impact of the item. Alternatively, a promotional item in constant use by a recipient tends to induce a saturation effect such that the recipient no longer is cognizant of the branding printed indicia even being present on the promotional item. Thus, there exists a need for a promotional item having printed indicia thereon formed in invisible ink that becomes intensely visible upon activating a light source suitable for stimulating the invisible ink, the light source activation occurring through the utilitarian activation of the promotional item.
A promotional item includes a housing having printed thereon ink forming indicia. The ink emits visible light through fluorescence or phosphorescence upon illumination by a wavelength greater than 365 nanometers and less than 420 nanometers. A light emitting diode within the housing is in optical communication with the ink and is characterized by having an emission wavelength of between 365 nanometers and 420 nanometers. A battery within the housing forms an electrical circuit with the light emitting diode to create an emissive wavelength that in turn stimulates visible light emission from the ink. In instances where the ink is an invisible ink absent emission from the light emitting diode, the ink is essentially indiscernible to the unaided eye.
The present invention has utility as a high perceptive impact promotional item. An inventive promotional item includes those items given away, sold, or bartered to enhance the recognition or perception of a design, brand, or other subject embodied in the printed indicia. An inventive promotional item includes printed indicia formed in an emissively stimulatable ink. The ink printed indicia fluorescing or phosphorescing upon activation of a light emitting diode (LED) contained within the inventive promotional item and having an emissive wavelength sufficient to induce stimulated emission in the ink. While the present invention is disclosed with respect to particular promotional item embodiments of a pen and a watch, it is appreciated that the inventive concept of ink that becomes discernable upon illumination by an LED within the promotional item. These illustratively include a pen, watch, key chain, flashlight, penlight, alarm clock, pocket calculator, picture frame, swizzle stick, magnifying glass, or a vehicle side view mirror. The common feature of inventive embodiments being stimulated emission from an ink displayed on the item by way of an LED housed within the item.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The button 22 upon depression closes an electrical circuit between a battery 32 and a light emitting diode 34. Preferably, electronic circuitry 36 is part of the electrical circuit and has the function to limit the emission time of the LED 34 to a preselected amount of time. The housing 20 has an optically transparent or translucent sheath 38 thereon. The sheath 38 preferably formed of a polymeric plastic material that is in optical communication with the emissions from the LED 34. It is appreciated that the housing 20 is readily formed as a unitary injection molded and optically transparent or translucent component. Printed indicia 37 are added to the pen 10 in a region visible on the exterior thereof and receiving optical emission from the LED 34. The printed indicia are formed in ink which is defined herein to include a dye or pigment that emits light in the visible portion of the light spectrum upon stimulation by an equal or shorter wavelength. Preferably the dye or pigment has minimal visibility under ambient visible light and is commonly known as an invisible ink. Optionally, a transparent protective overcoat protects ink printed indicia from abrasion (not shown). In order to stimulate an invisible ink to fluoresce or phosphoresce, preferably the LED 34 has an emission wavelength of between 365 nanometers and 420 nanometers. More preferably, the LED 34 has an emission wavelength between 365 nanometers and 405 nanometers. The battery 32 is chosen to have a voltage sufficient to power the LED 34 within a single cell, or as multiple cells in series. Alternatively, the electronic circuitry 36 includes circuitry that serves to step up the battery voltage and deliver a higher voltage alternating current with which to drive the LED 34, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,028 which is incorporated herein by reference.
It is appreciated that the barrel 18 is readily constructed either from a transparent or translucent material, or having a transparent or translucent sheath (not shown) such that portions of the housing 20 and the barrel 18 are in optical communication with the LED 34 such that invisible ink indicia are readily illuminated in both the barrel and housing portions of the inventive pen 10.
In a pen lacking a spring-biased ink reservoir that moves between extended and retracted positions, it is appreciated that LED illumination is readily triggered by removal of a pen cap, the removal of the cap activating a pressure switch mounted on the exterior surface of the pen and preferably within the half of the pen proximal to the writing tip. The activation of the LED as with the embodiments depicted in
Referring now to
As part of the electrical circuit that activates LED 56, electronic circuitry limits the duration of LED activation to extend the operating lifetime of the watch 50 and to minimize user saturation to the invisible ink indicia.
It is appreciated that an electronic circuit as described herein for selectively activating an LED emitting a wavelength of between 365 and 420 nanometers is readily incorporated into a key chain, flashlight, penlight, alarm clock, pocket calculator, picture frame, swizzle stick, magnifying glass, or a vehicle side view mirror by one skilled in the art such that emission therefrom falls into a stimulatable ink patterned onto the item. The LED emission transmitted to the ink by way of a transmissive ink substrate and/or an overlying transmissive sleeve.
Although the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that various modifications and alterations can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/465,978 filed Apr. 28, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60465978 | Apr 2003 | US |