There are many different types of bags such for example as satchels, shoulder bags, briefcases, sports bags, post bags and rucksacks. For persons walking outdoors in early winter mornings when it is dark, in late afternoons when it is becoming dark, and at night, it would be an advantage if the persons could more readily be visible, especially to motorists. This applies especially to children and elderly persons who are most prone to being knocked down by vehicles in the dark or in conditions of poor visibility.

The present invention is based upon the realisation that most persons tend to carry some kind of bag when they are walking outside. The bag thus provides a means by which a person carrying the bag can be made more visible.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment, the present invention provides a bag comprising a body portion for receiving articles, a carrying portion by which the bag is carried, and a battery-powered warning light, the warning light being such that it is a strip of light which is made of an electroluminescent material.

The provision of the bag with the strip of light made of the electroluminescent material provides a number of advantages. Firstly, the bag is able to become illuminated for providing a warning of the presence of a person carrying the bag in the dark or in conditions of poor visibility. Secondly, the use of the eletroluminescent material means that the strip of light is extremely robust and is able to withstand knocks that will inevitably come from general use of the bag and that would destroy a filament-type light. Thirdly, the light afforded by the electroluminescent material is a cold light and the strip of light does not become hot as would be the case with a filament-type light. This in turn means that there is no heat available to damage either the bag or a part of a person's body that might come into contact with the light.

Preferably, the strip of light is a flexible strip of light. This enables the bag then easily to be folded. Many bags are manufactured with thin flexible body portions so that the bag can be folded when not in use and it is advantageous that the strip of light does not adversely affect the ability of the bag to be folded.

Preferably, the strip of light is formed as a permanent part of the bag. This avoids the strip of light being pulled off of the bag during use, for example by young children.

The bag may be one in which the strip of light comprises a bead portion and a flange portion by which the strip of light is attached to the remainder of the bag. The bead portion and the flange may form part of an extrusion, for example an extrusion of a plastics material such for example as polyvinyl chloride.

The flange portion may be fastened to a seam of the bag. The fastening is preferably effected by sewing but it may be effected by other means if desired, for example an adhesive.

Advantageously, the strip of light of light may be one continuous strip of light bent to a desired shape on the bag.

The strip of light may follow a path around a periphery of the bag. In such a case, the strip of light will usually be visible from all angles and there will thus be no blind spots where the strip of light is not visible during carrying of the bag. Also, by following the periphery of the bag, the strip of light is able to show the shape of the bag in outline when the strip of light is illuminated.

The strip of light may comprise a first electrode which is a centrally positioned longitudinally extending electrode, and a second electrode which is a helically wound electrode.

The bag may include an electronic circuit for causing the strip of light emit a continuous light.

Alternatively, the bag may include an electronic circuit for causing the strip of light to emit a pulsating light. In the case of the pulsating light, the electronic circuit may include timer means for causing the pulsating light. An electronic circuit giving the pulsating light will normally use less current than an electronic circuit giving the continuous light. For example, the light may be pulsed so that it is on for one second and off for two seconds. Advantageously, a pro rata saving in electricity may occur.

The bag may include an inverter for providing power for the electronic circuit from at least one battery.

If desired, the bag may have a first one of the strips of light on a front face and such that a white light is emitted during operation of the strip of light, and a second one of the strips of light on a rear face and such that a red light is emitted during operation of the strip of light.

The bag may be one in which at least one battery is housed in a battery pouch. The battery pouch is preferably formed as an integral part of the inside of the body portion of the bag.

Preferably, as indicated above, the body portion of the bag is foldable. Also as indicated above, the bag may be any suitable and appropriate type of bag including a satchel, a shoulder bag, a briefcase, a sports bag, a post bag or a rucksack. Any suitable and appropriate type of carrying portion may be employed depending upon the type of bag. Thus, for example, the carrying portion may be one or more shoulder straps or a handle.

The electroluminescent material may comprise a dielectric layer with a light-emitting phosphor layer sandwiched between two conductive surfaces. The primary purpose of the dielectric layer is to allow the electro- luminescent strip of light to withstand voltages without shorting between the conductive surfaces. The electroluminescent strip of light illuminates when powered with alternating current, for example from a battery and an inverter.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first bag in an open condition; Figure 2 shows the bag of Figure 1 in a closed position and being carried by a person; Figure 3 shows a second bag; Figure 4 shows a third bag; Figure 5 shows part of a battery-powered warning light used on the bags shown in Figures 1-4; Figure 6 shows a first way of securing the battery- powered warning light of Figure 5 to the remainder of a bag; Figure 7 shows a second way of securing the battery-powered warning light of Figure 5 to the remainder of a bag; and Figure 8 shows a circuit for the battery-powered warning light.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a bag 2 comprising a body portion 4 for receiving articles, a carrying portion 6 by which the bag 2 is carried, and a battery-powered warning light which is such that it is a strip of light 8. The strip of light 8 is a flexible strip of light which is made of an electroluminescent material.

The strip of light 8 is a single continuous strip of light which is bent to follow the periphery of the body portion 4 of the bag 2. Thus, when the strip of light 8 is illuminated, the outline shape of the body portion 4 can be seen. Still further, because the strip of light 8 extends along the edges of the bag, the strip of light 8 can be seen from multiple angles so that there is no tendency for the strip of light 8 to be masked by the bag.

The strip of light 8 is powered by a battery 10 housed in a battery pouch 12. As shown is Figure 1, the battery pouch 12 is formed as an integral part of the inside of the body portion 4 of the bag 2. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the body portion 4 of the bag 2 has a flip over lid 14 for closing the bag 2. As can be seen from Figure 2, the bag 2 is being carried by a person 16.

Figure 3 shows a person 18 carrying a bag 20 which is in the form of a rucksack. The bag 20 has a body portion 22 and a carrying portion in the form of a pair of shoulder straps 24.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the bag 20 is provided with a battery pouch 12 which is on the outside of the body portion 22. The battery pouch 12 may alternatively be provided on the inside of the body portion 22.

Figure 4 shows a bag 26 in the form of a briefcase.

The bag 26 has a body portion 28 and a carrying portion in the form of a handle 30. A battery pouch 12 is provided as shown inside the body portion 28.

In all of the bags 2, 20, 26, the strip of light 8 is provided around the periphery of the bag. The strip of light 8 advantageously follows edge beading of the bag. The strip of light 8 is able to be formed as a permanent part of the bag 2, 20, 26 by attaching the strip of light to the beading.

Figure 5 shows how the strip of light 8 can be formed to be attached to the beading of the bag 2, 20, 26. More specifically, the strip of light shown in Figure 5 comprises a bead portion 32 and a flange portion 34. The flange portion 34 is attached to the remainder of the bag 2, 20, 26 by being fastened to the seam of the bag. The fastening is effected by sewing but it may be effected by other means if desired, for example by using an adhesive.

As can be seen from Figure 5, the strip of light 8 is such that the illumination comes from the bead portion 32. More specifically, the strip of light 8 is encased in an extruded plastics sheath which forms the flange portion 34 and the outer part of the bead portion 32. The strip of light 8 itself comprises a first electrode 36 which is a centrally positioned longitudinally extending electrode. The first electrode 36 may be made of copper wire or a similar material. A second electrode 38 is a helically wound electrode which is wound around a phosphor coating 40 which surrounds the first electrode 36. The second electrode 38 is a fine wire electrode. The plastics coating forming the bead portion 32 and the flange portion 34 is a clear plastics coating so that it does not interfere with the emission of light from the strip of light 8.

Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown the strip of light 8 with the bead portion 32 and the flange portion 34 sandwiched between a piece of fabric 42 and a piece of trim 44. The strip of light 8, the fabric 42 and the trim 44 are secured together by two lines of stitching 46 as shown which passes through the flange portion 34, the fabric 42 and the trim 44.

Figure 7 illustrates how the strip of light 8 can be positioned between two pieces of fabric 42 and held together by a line of stitching 48. The fabric 42 in Figures 6 and 7 can be any suitable and appropriate type of material depending upon the type of bag 2 intended to be made.

Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown an electrical circuit 50 which is a low power electrical circuit 50 and which is employed in the battery pouch 12 for providing electricity as required to the strip of light 8.

The circuit 50 comprises resistors R1, R2, R4, R5 and R6, capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4, transistors T1 and T2, and a transformer TFl. An on/off switch 51 is formed by a pair of contacts 52. The capacitors C1 and C2 and the resistor R4 form an oscillator circuit which is completed by the primary of the transformer TF1. The primary of the transformer TF1 is driven by transistor T2. Power for the circuit 50 comes from the battery or batteries in the battery pouch 12.

The circuit 50 operates such that the inverter means (not shown) is kept in the off position by the resistor R6 which ensures that the transistor T1 is normally in the off condition. When the contacts 52 are made, then the transistor T1 is switched on. The transistor T1 then fires, through the resistor R1, the oscillator circuit formed by the capacitors C1, C2 and the resistor R4. The primary of the transformer TF1 completes the oscillator circuit. The primary of the transformer TF1 is driven by the transistor T2 as shown.

The completed oscillator circuit is tuned to capacitor C2. The capacitor C4 removes ripples in the direct current. The capacitor C3 matches the capacitance required for the electroluminescent material in the strip of light 8 and stops the circuit 50 from generating high off load voltages. The resistor R5 adjusts the current required. By using the centre tap to feed back, it is able to create effectively 9v-0-9v with a 9 volt battery.

The electroluminescent material illuminates when powered by the alternating current from the inverter means. The circuit 50 gives a continuous light along the strip of light 8.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, other types of bag to those shown may be employed. If it should be desired to cause the electroluminescent material to provide a pulsating strip of light, then a timer device may be connected in the circuit 50. The bag may contain any suitable and appropriate articles in the body portion.