# US 11,441,770 B2 · Method for manufacturing illuminated athletic wear > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,770 B2 - Document ID: US11441770B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/058,315 - Filed: 2019-05-24 - Published: 2021-07-08 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-25 - Assignees: Timothy Polanowski - Applicants: Timothy Polanowski - Inventors: Timothy Polanowski; Douglas Pemberton; Shannon Wheeler; Kelsey Schroeder; Brett Potter; Matthew Jennings - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441770B2 ## CPC - F21V 33/0008: {Clothing or clothing accessories, e.g. scarfs, gloves or belts} - A41D 1/06: Trousers - A41D 27/085: {Luminous ornaments} - F21V 23/002: {Arrangements of cables or conductors inside a lighting device, e.g. means for guiding along parts of the housing or in a pivoting arm} - F21V 23/003: {the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array} - A41D 13/01: with reflective or luminous safety means {(visible signalling arrangements G08B5/00)} - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract A method of manufacturing an illuminated athletic wear garment and an improved illuminated athletic wear garment. The method may include applying a first conductive trace to a surface of a first piece of fabric of the illuminated athletic wear garment and applying a second conductive trace to the surface of the first piece of fabric of the illuminated athletic wear garment. The method may further include affixing a plurality of lights to the illuminated athletic wear garment. The lights may each be connected to the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace. The first conductive trace and the second conductive trace may each be at least ¼ inch wide. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing an illuminated athletic wear garment, comprising: applying a first conductive trace to a first piece of fabric of the illuminated athletic wear garment; applying a second conductive trace to the first piece of fabric of the illuminated athletic wear garment; applying a water-resistant overlay to the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace; affixing a plurality of lights to the illuminated athletic wear garment, wherein the plurality of lights are each connected to the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace, wherein the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace are affixed to the water-resistant overlay and wherein a water-resistant underlay is applied to the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace, thereby forming a conductive trace sheet, and wherein the conductive trace sheet is affixed to the first piece of fabric of the illuminated athletic wear garment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein edge margins of the water-resistant overlay cover a portion of a surface of the first piece of fabric. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive trace sheet is affixed to the first piece of fabric before the plurality of lights are affixed to the illuminated athletic wear garment, and wherein the conductive trace sheet contains at least one hole corresponding to each of the plurality of lights. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of lights are affixed to the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace by a conductive adhesive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising sewing the first piece of fabric with others so as to form the illuminated athletic wear garment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace each extend into a waistband of the illuminated athletic wear garment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lights are connected physically to the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace in parallel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace are each stretchable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of any of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lights comprise of at least three lights. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of any of claim 1, further comprising: applying a data conductive trace to the surface of the fabric, wherein the plurality of lights each include a control module, wherein the data conductive trace is formed of a plurality of data conductive trace segments, wherein each control module comprises a connection to the first conductive trace, a connection to the second conductive trace, an input connection to one of the plurality of data conductive trace segments, and an output connection configured for connection to another of the plurality of data conductive trace segments, and wherein an illumination of each of the plurality of lights is individually controllable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a control module of a first of the plurality of lights receives an input data signal through the input connection and transmits an output signal through the output connection. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of lights are LED lights. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the illumination of the plurality of lights is individually controllable in terms of at least one of an on/off state, a color, and a power level. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace comprise a metal. ### Claim 15 An illuminated athletic wear garment, comprising: a first conductive trace affixed to the illuminated athletic wear garment; a second conductive ink trace affixed to the illuminated athletic wear garment; a data conductive trace affixed to the illuminated athletic wear garment; and a plurality of lights each connected to the first conductive ink trace and the second conductive ink trace, wherein the plurality of lights are each connected to the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace, wherein the plurality of lights each include a control module, wherein the data conductive trace is formed of a plurality of data conductive trace segments, wherein each control module comprises a connection to the first conductive trace, a connection to the second conductive trace, an input connection to one of the plurality of data conductive trace segments, and an output connection configured for connection to another of the plurality of data conductive trace segments, and wherein an illumination of each of the plurality of lights is individually controllable. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The illuminated athletic wear garment of claim 15, further comprising a water-resistant overlay applied to the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The illuminated athletic wear garment of claim 16, wherein edge margins of the water-resistant overlay cover a portion of the outer surface of the illuminated athletic wear garment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The illuminated athletic wear garment of claim 15, wherein the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace comprise a metal. ### Claim 19 A method of manufacturing an illuminated athletic wear garment, comprising: applying a first conductive trace to a first piece of fabric of the illuminated athletic wear garment; applying a second conductive trace to the first piece of fabric of the illuminated athletic wear garment; applying a data conductive trace to the surface of the fabric, and affixing a plurality of lights to the illuminated athletic wear garment, wherein the plurality of lights are each connected to the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace, wherein the plurality of lights each include a control module, wherein the data conductive trace is formed of a plurality of data conductive trace segments, wherein each control module comprises a connection to the first conductive trace, a connection to the second conductive trace, an input connection to one of the plurality of data conductive trace segments, and an output connection configured for connection to another of the plurality of data conductive trace segments, and wherein an illumination of each of the plurality of lights is individually controllable.