Apparel item with integrated lighting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12495845-B2
Application number	US-202418654994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2024
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

Aspects herein are directed to an apparel item having an integrated lighting system and method of forming the apparel item having the integrated lighting system. The integrated lighting system comprises a power supply unit affixed to the apparel item, one or more light arrays having visible light sources affixed to the apparel item, and one or more conductive traces affixed to the apparel item, where the conductive traces extend from the power supply unit to the light arrays and electrically couple the two such that the light arrays are powered when the power supply unit is operating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparel system having an integrated lighting system, the apparel system comprising:
a first apparel item comprising an inner panel and outer panel of a first leg portion; at least a first light array affixed to the inner panel; and a reflective material affixed to the outer panel adjacent to a joint area; conductive traces affixed to the inner panel; and a mesh material affixed to the outer panel and positioned adjacent to the first light array.

2 . The apparel system of claim 1 , wherein the joint area is a knee area.

3 . The apparel system of claim 1 , wherein the joint area is a hip area.

4 . The apparel system of claim 1 , further comprising a second light array affixed to a second leg portion and a second reflective material affixed to the second leg portion.

5 . The apparel system of claim 4 , wherein the second reflective material is affixed to the second leg portion adjacent to a knee area.

6 . The apparel system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second apparel item having an outer panel and an inner panel, the second apparel item configured to be worn over the first apparel item, such that the outer panel of the first apparel item is adjacent to the inner panel of the second apparel item, at least a portion of the second apparel item formed of a material that is substantially translucent, and wherein the reflective material is located on the outer panel of the first apparel item, such that the material that is substantially translucent is positioned above the reflective material.

7 . The apparel system of claim 6 , further comprising a second reflective material affixed to the outer panel of the second apparel item at a different location than the reflective material.

8 . The apparel system of claim 6 , wherein the first light array and the reflective material are affixed to the first leg portion adjacent to an ankle area, and wherein the material that is substantially translucent is positioned above the first light array.

9 . The apparel system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second apparel item having an outer panel and an inner panel, the second apparel item configured to be worn under the first apparel item, such that the outer panel of the second apparel item is adjacent to the inner panel of the first apparel item; a material that is substantially translucent of at least a portion of the first apparel item; and conductive traces affixed to the outer panel of the second apparel item adjacent to the material that is substantially translucent.

10 . A method of manufacturing an apparel item, the method comprising:
affixing a first light array to an inner panel of a first leg portion of a first apparel item; affixing a reflective material to an outer panel of the first leg portion adjacent to a joint area; affixing conductive traces to the inner panel; and affixing mesh material to the outer panel adjacent to the first light array.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising affixing a second light array to a second leg portion and a second reflective material to the second leg portion adjacent to a different joint area than the joint area of the reflective material of the first leg portion.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising, forming at least a portion of a second apparel item from a material that is substantially translucent and affixing a second light array to the second apparel item configured to be worn over the first apparel item.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first light array and the reflective material are affixed to the first leg portion adjacent to an ankle area.

14 . An apparel item comprising:
an inner panel and an outer panel; a first leg portion; at least a first light array affixed to the inner panel; a reflective material affixed to the outer panel of the first leg portion adjacent to a joint area; conductive traces affixed to the inner panel; and a mesh material affixed to the outer panel and positioned adjacent to the first light array.

15 . The apparel item of claim 14 , wherein the first light array is affixed to the outer panel such that light sources of the first light array are visible through one or more openings formed in the outer panel of the first leg portion.

16 . The apparel item of claim 15 , the apparel item comprising a second leg portion having a second light array affixed to the outer panel such that light sources of the second light array are visible through one or more openings formed in the outer panel of the second leg portion.

17 . The apparel item of claim 14 , further comprising a second reflective material affixed to the outer panel of the first leg portion adjacent to a different joint area than the joint area of the reflective material.

18 . The apparel item of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the outer panel is of a material that is substantially translucent.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Carbo Jr Jorge E
• Fisher Kimberly R
• Fockele Alice
• Koshkaroff Iustinia
• Morgan Amir H
• Pezzimenti Luke A

Classifications

• A41D1/005

  with embedded cable or connector · CPC title

• A41D1/08

  specially adapted for sporting purposes · CPC title

• F21Y2115/15

  Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• A41D27/00

  Details of garments or of their making (buttons, pins, buckles, slide fasteners or the like A44B) · CPC title