Lighted translucent hat

Abstract

A hat is provided, comprising a brim, a crown, electroluminescent (EL) wire forming an outline at least around the brim and the crown, a battery pack secured to the underside of the crown, and a controller, secured to the underside of the crown and electrically coupled to the battery pack and the EL wire, configured to control the current applied to the EL wire. The brim and crown are formed from a translucent material. A method of manufacturing a hat is also provided, comprising: providing a translucent material, forming a brim and crown of the translucent material, securing an electroluminescent (EL) wire around at least the brim and crown, providing a battery pack, providing a controller, electrically coupling the EL wire to the battery pack and controller, and securing the battery pack and controller to the underside of the crown.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A hat, comprising:
 a brim;   a crown including a crease portion, wherein the crown includes a left crease portion adjacent to a left side of the crease portion and a right crease portion adjacent to a right side of the crease portion;   electroluminescent (EL) wire embedded within a perimeter of the hat such that the EL wire forms an outline of the hat and that the EL wire disburses light throughout the hat, wherein a glow of the hat is enhanced when the EL wire is in a lighted state and the light is disbursed throughout the hat, and wherein translucent material of the hat provides color to the hat when the EL wire is in an unlighted state; and   a controller configured to control current applied to the EL wire.   
     
     
         2 . The hat of  claim 1 , wherein the EL wire is embedded within a perimeter of the crease portion and embedded within a perimeter of a bottom portion of the crown that intersects with the brim. 
     
     
         3 . The hat of  claim 1 , where the EL wire is embedded within a perimeter of the brim and embedded within a perimeter of the left crease portion and a perimeter of the right crease portion. 
     
     
         4 . The hat of  claim 1 , wherein the EL wire is embedded within a portion of the bring that extends from a bottom portion of the crown that intersects with the brim to an edge of the brim. 
     
     
         5 . The hat of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery pack secured to the crown of the hat. 
     
     
         6 . The hat of  claim 1 , wherein the hat comprises a plurality of ventilation holes. 
     
     
         7 . The hat of  claim 1 , wherein the EL wire is electrically coupled to a battery pack and to the controller. 
     
     
         8 . The hat of  claim 1 , wherein the controller provides a plurality of programmed light sequences that are selectable by a wearer of the hat. 
     
     
         9 . The hat of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of programmed light sequences comprise a continuously on light sequence, a plurality of fixed rate flashing sequences, a plurality of pattern-based flashing sequences, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The hat of  claim 1 , further comprising a microphone and sound-activated circuitry to convert a sound into a control signal. 
     
     
         11 . The hat of  claim 10 , wherein the EL wire is configured to flash in accordance with the sound via the control signal. 
     
     
         12 . The hat of  claim 1 , wherein the hat includes black light reactive material embedded into the translucent material of the hat. 
     
     
         13 . The hat of  claim 1 , wherein a design is applied to the brim, the crown, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The hat of  claim 1 , wherein the EL wire comprises a plurality of EL wires, and wherein the controller is configured to control each of the EL wires of the plurality of EL wires separately. 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a hat, comprising:
 forming a brim and a crown from translucent material, wherein the crown includes a crease portion, wherein the crown includes a left crease portion adjacent to a left side of the crease portion and a right crease portion adjacent to a right side of the crease portion; and   embedding electroluminescent (EL) wire within a perimeter of the hat such that the EL wire forms an outline of the hat and that the EL wire disburses light throughout the hat, wherein a glow of the hat is enhanced when the EL wire is in a lighted state and the light is disbursed throughout the hat, and wherein the translucent material of the hat provides color to the hat when the EL wire is in an unlighted state.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing a battery pack for the hat. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising a controller for the hat. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising electrically coupling the EL wire to a controller and to a battery pack. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising facilitating selection of a plurality of lighting programs via a controller. 
     
     
         20 . A hat, comprising:
 a crown including a crease portion, wherein the crown includes a left crease portion adjacent to a left side of the crease portion and a right crease portion adjacent to a right side of the crease portion;   electroluminescent (EL) wire embedded within a perimeter of the hat such that the EL wire forms an outline of the hat and that the EL wire disburses light throughout the hat, wherein a glow of the hat is enhanced when the EL wire is in a lighted state and the light is disbursed throughout the hat, and wherein translucent material of the hat provides color to the hat when the EL wire is in an unlighted state; and   a controller configured to control current applied to the EL wire.