They Invented What? (No. 198)

U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,930:  Illuminating necklace.

JW Note:  Wishing you a Safe and Happy Saint Patrick’s Day 2011.

The invention claimed is:

1. An illuminated necklace, comprising:
          a plurality of ornamental lamp fixtures, an elongated flexible support member, said elongated flexible support member adapted for attachment to at least some of said plurality of ornamental lamp fixtures at selected spaced apart distances therebetween;
          at least some of said ornamental lamp fixtures further comprising at least one light emitting device located therein, each one of said light emitting devices comprising a pair of conductive elements extending therefrom, and wherein each of said ornamental lamp fixtures further comprising at least one light emitting device is not affixed to said elongated flexible support member;
          at least some of said ornamental lamp fixtures not including a light emitting device, said at least some of said ornamental lamp fixtures not including a light emitting device further comprising an attachment base, said elongated flexible support member secured to said attachment base;
           a pair of flexible electrical conductors, said pair of flexible conductors co-extensive with said elongated flexible support member, said pair of flexible conductors electrically attached to each pair of conductive elements of each of said at least one light emitting device, and said pair of flexible electrical conductors looping around said flexible support member, and bypassing all of the at least some ornamental lamp fixtures not including a light emitting device, said pair of electrical conductors arranged to supply power in parallel to each one of said light emitting devices;
          a battery housing, said battery housing comprising a positive battery contact and a negative battery contact and containing a battery;
          an electrical power switching circuit, said electrical power switching circuit intermittently energizing and de-energizing differential voltage between said pair of flexible electrical conductors, to energize and de-energize each of said light emitting devices, so that a blinking illuminated necklace is provided, and wherein each of said ornamental lamp fixtures comprises a fixture body, and wherein each of said lamp fixture bodies has a similar size and shape.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said ornamental lamp fixture bodies provides a visual impression of substantially identical size and shape.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of ornamental lamp fixtures are of the same color as a light emitting device located therein.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least some of said plurality of ornamental lamp fixtures are of different color than a light emitting device located therein.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ornamental lamp fixtures comprise a transparent orange pumpkin shaped design.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said pumpkin shaped design further comprises a pumpkin face comprising a pair of eyes, a nose, and a mouth.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ornamental lamp fixtures comprise a transparent green shamrock shaped design.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ornamental lamp fixtures comprise a transparent red heart shaped design.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ornamental lamp fixtures comprise a bulbous shaped design.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the color of one of said plurality of ornamental lamp fixtures is selected from one of the following: (a) red or pink; (b) brown; (c) violet or purple; (d) green; (e) blue; (f) gray or silver; (g) orange; (h) yellow or gold; or (i) black.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the color of light emitted from one of said light emitting devices is selected from one of the following: (a) red or pink; (b) violet or purple; (c) green; (d) blue; (e) white; (f) orange; or (g) yellow or gold.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elongated flexible member comprises a thread.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said light emitting devices blink in unison.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the rate of blinking is at least 100 times per minute.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the rate of blinking is between about 130 times per minute and about 170 times per minute.

16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein between each ornamental lamp fixture having a light emitting device therein, two or more ornamental lamp fixtures are provided not having a light emitting device therein.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, comprising 6 or more light emitting devices.

18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said battery housing further comprises an on-off switch.

19. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein in a plurality of batteries are provided, and wherein said plurality of batteries is disposed in series fashion within said battery housing.

20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a flexible battery casing, said battery casing comprising a tubular member sized and shape for receiving in close mating engagement said plurality of batteries, said tubular member arranged so that first and second electrical contact surfaces remain exposed outside of said tubular member, said flexible battery casing sized and shaped for securing said plurality of batteries within said battery housing.

21. An illuminated necklace, comprising: a plurality of ornamental lamp fixtures, each of said ornamental lamp fixtures comprising a translucent body, each of said plurality of ornamental lamp fixtures providing a visual impression of substantially identical translucent body size and shape, an elongated flexible support thread, said elongated flexible support thread adapted for attachment to at least some of said plurality of ornamental lamp fixtures at selected spaced apart distances therebetween; at least six or more of said ornamental lamp fixtures, each of said fixtures further comprising at least one light emitting device located therein, each one of said light emitting devices comprising a pair of conductive elements extending therefrom, and wherein each of said ornamental lamp fixtures further comprising at least one light emitting device is not affixed to said elongated flexible support thread; at least some of said ornamental lamp fixtures not including a light emitting device, said at least some of said ornamental lamp fixtures not including a light emitting device further comprising an attachment base, said elongated flexible support thread secured to said attachment base; a pair of flexible electrical conductors, said pair of flexible conductors co-extensive with said elongated flexible support thread, said pair of flexible conductors electrically attached to each pair of conductive elements of each of said at least one light emitting device, and said pair of flexible electrical conductors looping around said flexible support thread, and bypassing all of the at least some ornamental lamp fixtures not include a light emitting device, said pair of electrical conductors arranged to supply power in parallel to each one of said light emitting devices; a battery housing, said battery housing comprising a positive battery contact and a negative battery contact, and an on-off switch; a plurality of batteries disposed in series; a flexible battery casing, said flexible battery casing comprising a tubular member sized and shape for receiving in close mating engagement said plurality of batteries, said tubular member arranged so that a first and a second electrical contact surface remains exposed outside of said tubular member, said flexible battery casing sized and shaped for securing said plurality of batteries within said battery housing; adjacent said battery housing, an electrical power switching circuit, said electrical power switching circuit intermittently energizing and de-energizing differential voltage between said pair of flexible electrical conductors, to energize and de-energize each of said light emitting devices, so that a blinking illuminated necklace is provided wherein said light emitting devices blink in unison at least 100 times per minute; and wherein each of said ornamental lamp fixtures comprises a fixture body, and wherein each of said lamp fixture bodies has a similar size and shape.