Harness for lighted sport article

Abstract

A harness (10) for illuminating an article is provided. The harness (10) includes elongate members (12) of elastic material that can be releasably secured to an exterior surface of the article. The elongate members (12) include light stick securing portions (19) to releasably secure a light stick such as a chemi-luminescent light stick (20).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a lighted sport article. More specifically, the present invention relates to a harness for securably maintaining a light to a sports article, for example, a recreational ball. BACKGROUND OF RELATED TECHNOLOGY [0002] Sport articles, such as balls, rackets and the like, have been illuminated for recreational play during dark hours of the evening or nighttime. Illuminated sports articles, however, are often specifically designed and manufactured to provide such lighted articles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,458 describes a ball made of translucent material having a light source positioned within the ball. When the light source is activated, the ball is illuminated via its translucent material of construction. The ball, however, is made of two releasable halves which connect to activate the light source and to form the playing shape of the ball. [0003] Other designs have included a light source within a ball without havi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] In one aspect of the present invention, a harness for attachment of lights to an article is provided. The harness includes, but is not limited to, at least two elongate members having opposed interior and exterior surfaces defining a wall therebetween and opposed ends. Each of these members has a hole through the wall. The hole is of a size to securably hold a light source. Desirably, one of the surfaces is a substantially planar surface. The harness may further include a first elongate connecting member securably attached to one end of each of the elongate members, and a second elongate connecting member securably attached to the other end of each of the elongate members. Desirably, the elongate members and the connecting members have elasticity to releasably secure the harness over an external surface of the article.

[0013] Moreover, the harness of the present invention may include elongate members that have an elastic portion. The elastic portion or, alternatively, the elastic members themselves may be made from elastic material selected from the group consisting of natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, elastic plastics or elastic textiles. The use of elastic materials facilitates the securement of the harness over the article and further facilitates the securement of the light source to the elongate members.

Problems solved by technology

Such designs complicate the design and increase the cost for manufacturing an illuminated sports ball.

Such hollow tubular members make the harness bulky and also limit the type and size of light stick useful to one that can be releasably secured within the hollow tubular members.

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