FR2529296A1 - Motorcyclists leather jacket with safety lighting system - includes battery and switch in pocket to power parallel circuit of LEDs in panels on jacket surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The leather jacket intended to be worn by a motorcyclist includes two T-shaped elements (2,3) incorporated in the front panels. Each element carries light emitting diodes (4) at the ends of the branches of the T. A larger T-shaped element fits into the back of the jacket and straight LED supporting elements are attached to the backs of the sleeves. All the diodes are connected together by a pair of wires (8). A battery (9) and printed circuit board (10) are situated in a pocket of the jacket along with a control switch. This has three positions - off, continuously on, or flashing under the control of the circuit (10). The lights are fitted into small holes in the leather jacket along with a band of flexible reflective material.

Description

 The present invention relates to an improved security device comprising the combination of any support whatsoever, with an electronic signaling assembly fixed in any suitable place of said support, said assembly comprising a low voltage energy source, an electrical network d interconnection, and one or more light signaling complexes connected by said network to said source, each complex comprising, regularly distributed over its surface, light sources with permanent or intermittent illumination, preferably constituted by light-emitting diodes, for example diodes LED.

The invention also relates to the applications of this device, and it relates in particular to the safety clothing likely to be worn by users who may be in a dangerous situation. In this particular field and without the wording being limiting, the following may be cited as possible applications of the invention: jackets, vests, jackets, pants, coveralls, gloves, boots, helmets, particular motorcyclists or those of the
Police who operate at night, or who must get off their vehicles to repair them in the middle of road traffic, or who must be reported on the roadway after an accident, or who must be reported in the middle of heavy road traffic among other illuminated vehicles, while the signaling lighting of their own vehicle is completely or partially hidden by the bodies of neighboring vehicles.

 Mention may also be made, as possible applications of the invention, of the clothing of hunters, of skiers (signaling or research in the night or in the fog), the combinations of underwater divers sailing in deep waters, therefore in relatively poorly lit backgrounds.

 In an extension of the possible applications one can also cite the backpacks carried by users requiring signaling (for example pedestrian veloci circulating at night), rescue boats, buoys, road beacons, and even collars for dogs, and finally without any particular security destination, fashion clothes, artistic clothes for the show, or clothes for advertising purposes.

 If the invention relates more particularly to the aforementioned devices as a whole and to the garments or others which comprise their application, the invention also relates to the particular constitution, that is to say the structure of the light signaling complexes applied on or in said supports.

 According to the invention, these complexes are flexible linear strips of a certain width at the surface of which project the light-emitting diodes regularly distributed, said strips being able moreover to take any other geometric shape suitable for the desired signaling> and s' extend in a particular way according to the shape of the support on or in which they are attached.

 For example, such strips are inserted, with the electrical interconnection network in the lining of a motorcycle leather jacket, the light-emitting diodes protruding through small openings drilled in the leather of the jacket.

 According to one variant, a reflective strip is applied to the external face of the garment, a strip on the surface of which the light-emitting diodes are distributed so that the effect of light signaling and consequently the safety conditions is further increased.

 In another variant, the complexes supporting the diodes are no longer inserted into the lining of a garment for example, but they are attached directly to the apparent surface of the support, the assembly taking place by gluing and / or stitching by adhesive tape or self-adhesive.

 It also falls within the scope of the invention the new product constituted by the light signaling complex in the form of a continuous strip, independent of any support, said strip being made of a flexible material, for example a foam made of cellular synthetic resin, containing the interconnection network cables, and from place to place the diodes projecting from one of the faces of the strip, the latter being intended to be fixed subsequently by adhesive or self-adhesive in or on its final support ( garment for example) after being cut to the desired length.

 In this case, means of connection with the network (for example small "crocodile" clips) are provided for connecting the strip (s) to each other with the low voltage source, which, in the case of application to a garment, can be accommodated in one of the pockets of said garment. A user who does not have a garment originally fitted in accordance with the invention, can then buy a certain length of strip, cut it as he likes, and mount it himself on his garment and then make the connections without any particular technical difficulties.

 The control assembly accommodates in a pocket of clothing (for example) comprises batteries or batteries of low weight and low volume, a manual selector for controlling the flashing or permanent operation of the light-emitting diodes, and a printed circuit board constituting Ta central flashing.

 The invention finally comprises a particular assembly of the diodes whose electrodes, after having crossed, and having been stuck on a possible reflective tape, itself stuck and / or sewn on the leather of the garment, pass through a small insulating disc embedded in a protection and fixing capsule (for example in araldite) the successive capsules corresponding to each diode being glued in the flexible strip of cellular synthetic resin, while the interconnection cables connect the capsules to each other thanks to the fact that the ends of said electrodes stop precisely in the thickness of said capsules.

 Other features and advantages of the invention will appear during the description which follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples.

- Figure I is a schematic front view of a safety jacket conforming to i.nvaatton - - Figure 2 is a view of the same jacket seen from the back;
- Figure 3 is the electrical diagram of the connection of the diodes to the electronic control unit and to the low voltage source;
- Figure 4 is the electrical diagram showing the constitution and connection of the source and the printed circuit (central);
- Figure 5 shows a vertical sectional view of a "strip" fixed in a garment, made to the right of a light emitting diode;
- Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of such a strip;
- Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of such a strip.

 In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the jacket 1 is equipped on its front face with two complexes 2 and 3, in the shape of a "T", with light signaling, each end of the "T" being provided by light-emitting diodes "LEDs" such as 4 in appropriate numbers depending on the size of the signaling surface.

 On its rear side, the jacket has a complex 5 in the shape of a "T" in the middle of the back, and two other longitudinal complexes 6 and 7 behind the sleeves.

 All the diodes, suitably connected to each other (as will be seen in FIG. 3) are connected by a network 8, to a low-voltage electrical source, and to a printed circuit board 10 playing the flashing unit line, a selector 11 manually accessible allowing the assembly to be switched off lla, or by flashing ignition of diodes llb, or by continuous ignition llc. The assembly 9, 10, 11 is housed in a front pocket of the jacket.

 The composition of the bands, their surface, their design, their number, their location, their length and their width is completely arbitrary.

Figure 3 shows the connection of the diodes to each other in the same complex 2, 3 or 5, and from one complex to another. The network 8 ends at the central 10, and the central 10 at the low voltage source 9. There is at 11 at crack 4 the manual selector,
The composition of circuit 10 is conventional and does not form part of the invention.

 In FIG. 5, it can be seen that the diode 4 is glued by its base to a reflective strip 12, which is glued and / or sewn onto the visible face of the skin (leather) 13 of a jacket 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Under the internal face of the skin 13 of the garment is stuck a small insulating disc 14 embedded in a protective and fixing capsule 15 for example of araldite, which is housed in the internal face of a flexible band 16 of cellular synthetic resin it even bonded, or self-bonded under the skin 13. The electrodes 4a and 4b lead into the thickness of the capsule 15. Hence a perfect seal of the assembly described, at all levels. The cables 17 and 18 belonging to the network 8 are soldered to the ends of the electrodes 4a and 4b.

 We find in Figures 6 and 7 the same reference numbers with respect to the same bodies previously described.

 It goes without saying that one can, without departing from the scope of the present invention, make any modifications to the embodiments which have just been described.

Claims (9)

 1.- An improved security device comprising the combination of any support whatsoever, with an electronic signaling assembly fixed at any suitable location on said support, said assembly comprising a low voltage energy source (9), an electrical network of interconnection (8), and one or more light signaling complexes (2, 3, 5, 6, 7) connected by said network to said source, each complex comprising, regularly distributed on its surface, permanently illuminated light sources or intermittent, preferably constituted by light-emitting diodes, for example LED diodes (4).  2.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the complexes are flexible linear strips of a certain width at the surface of which project the light-emitting diodes regularly distributed, said strips being able moreover take any other geometrical shape appropriate to the signaling sought, and extend in a particular way depending on the shape of the support on or in which they are attached.  3.- Device according to claim 2, characterized in that such bands are inserted, with the electrical interconnection network in the lining of a motorcycle leather jacket, the light emitting diodes projecting through small drilled openings in the leather of the jacket.  4.- Device according to claim 3, characterized in that a reflective strip is applied on the outer face of the garment, strip on the surface of which are distributed light emitting diodes so that the effect is further increased light signaling and therefore the safety conditions.  5.- Device according to claim 4, character-  because the complexes supporting the diodes  are no longer inserted into the lining of a garment by  example but they are reported directly on the on  visible surface of the support, assembly taking place by  bonding and / or sewing, by adhesive tape or self-adhesive  lant.  6.- Light signaling complex in the form of a continuous strip, independent of any support, said  strip being made of a flexible material (16), by  example a foam in synthetic honeycomb resin, con  holding the cables (17, 18) of the interconnection network  (8), and from place to place the diodes projecting from  one of the faces of the strip, the latter being intended for  be fixed later by glue or self-adhesive in  or on its final support (clothing for example)  after being cut to the desired length.  7.- Complex according to claim 6, characterized  by the fact that means of connection with the network,  (for example small "crocodile" clips) are provided for  connect the strip (s) together with the source  low voltage, which, in the case of application to a  garment, can be accommodated in one of the pockets of said  clothing.  8.- Device according to claim 1, character  laughed at by the fact that the control assembly housed in  a pocket of clothing contains batteries  (9) low weight and low volume, a selector ma  manual (11) for controlling the cli operation  gnotant or permanent light-emitting diodes, and a  printed circuit board (10) constituting the central  flashing.  9.- Device according to claim 1, character-  made by the fact that it includes a particular assembly  diodes whose electrodes, (4a, 4b) after having crossed, and having been stuck on a reflective tape possibly (12), itself stuck and / or sewn on the leather (13) of the garment, pass through a small insulating disc (14) embedded in a protection and fixing capsule (15) (for example in araldite), the successive capsules corresponding to each diode being glued in the flexible strip of cellular synthetic resin (16), while the interconnection cables (17, 18) connect the capsules to each other, thanks to the fact that the ends of said electrodes stop precisely in the thickness of said capsules (15).