Spending too much time making this thing...

[blokeinamoke]

So ive always had it in my mind to make a set of gloves for when riding at night or in winter that act as hand signal indicators... after seeing the old guy on new inventors with his big orange thing that goes on ya wrist i figured i could do that... but for a set of gloves.




finished that one in around an hour and a half (yes im slow and crap at soldering....) attach to cycling glove and hazzah!

a little basic at the moment and obviously needs a bit of refinement but its fun!

yeh just a note... this is the first one and its for use on my flat bar roady.... ive got a second set in the woodworks for use when in the drop-downs... just a little harder with the tilt switches is all...

Just thought id share...

-Matty

[Chaderotti]

Don't know whats on the other side but you could chop down that PCB quite a bit. Less but larger LEDS, little single cell lithium polymer cell in a small pouch sown on to the glove.
Hell instead of a PCB you could put everything into some sort of flexible plastic/silicone.

[zues]

Genius
I hope you make a million

[blokeinamoke]

Don't know whats on the other side but you could chop down that PCB quite a bit. Less but larger LEDS, little single cell lithium polymer cell in a small pouch sown on to the glove.
Hell instead of a PCB you could put everything into some sort of flexible plastic/silicone.

the LED's are already 5.5mm dont know how much larger i can get? already is just a 3v Li cell, as for the flex plastic silicone, if i could i would, but i dont know where to start!

[Chaderotti]

Don't know whats on the other side but you could chop down that PCB quite a bit. Less but larger LEDS, little single cell lithium polymer cell in a small pouch sown on to the glove.
Hell instead of a PCB you could put everything into some sort of flexible plastic/silicone.

the LED's are already 5.5mm dont know how much larger i can get? already is just a 3v Li cell, as for the flex plastic silicone, if i could i would, but i dont know where to start!

The picture isn't too fantastic so it's kinda hard to see.
If you're looking for a business partner...

[Mark Kelly]

To do it properly, put surface mount LEDs on a flexible (Kapton) printed circuit. These can be cut to shape if required but for small volumes you are better off drafting it on to a rectanglular piece and cutting it by hand (to fit the back of the glove f'rinstance). It might be simpler to put the main components on a rigid board and just the LEDs on the FPC (though that means you need two sets of circuit fabrication). If you based the circuit on something like the ADP1610 DC step-up driver you could probably do this reasonably cheaply: they are about $2 each.

If you need some help designing the printed circuit PM me. If what you want is simple enough I'll do it for free.

BTW you could incorporate a tilt sensor so the thing turned on automatically when you put your hand out.

[Chaderotti]

mercury switches?
are those even legal anymore?

[hartleymartin]

Don't know whats on the other side but you could chop down that PCB quite a bit. Less but larger LEDS, little single cell lithium polymer cell in a small pouch sown on to the glove.
Hell instead of a PCB you could put everything into some sort of flexible plastic/silicone.

the LED's are already 5.5mm dont know how much larger i can get? already is just a 3v Li cell, as for the flex plastic silicone, if i could i would, but i dont know where to start!

There are some pretty powerful far tinier LED's out there. Your idea looks good. I'm just wondering whether or not it is a good idea to try and integrate them into a glove. Could they be worn like a wrist-watch on both wrists? Could you integrate some sort of timer chip to make them flash like indicators?

I'm not nit-picking, I think that it's pretty brilliant of you to come up with that. I'm just not convinced that glove-mounted ones are such a great idea. Stick a pair onto some gloves and I'll be happy to be proven wrong.

[blokeinamoke]

Don't know whats on the other side but you could chop down that PCB quite a bit. Less but larger LEDS, little single cell lithium polymer cell in a small pouch sown on to the glove.
Hell instead of a PCB you could put everything into some sort of flexible plastic/silicone.

the LED's are already 5.5mm dont know how much larger i can get? already is just a 3v Li cell, as for the flex plastic silicone, if i could i would, but i dont know where to start!

There are some pretty powerful far tinier LED's out there. Your idea looks good. I'm just wondering whether or not it is a good idea to try and integrate them into a glove. Could they be worn like a wrist-watch on both wrists? Could you integrate some sort of timer chip to make them flash like indicators?

I'm not nit-picking, I think that it's pretty brilliant of you to come up with that. I'm just not convinced that glove-mounted ones are such a great idea. Stick a pair onto some gloves and I'll be happy to be proven wrong.

Yeh, i was thinking that originaly Marto, but it had already been done, so im trying to take that idea, compress it and put it nicely integrated into a glove (with obvious change in design to incorporate summer gloves, winter gloves etc...)

or perhaps i could make it with 2 silicone loops, a big one for the wrist and a small one for a finger or 2 that way it can just slip onto and over any glove... thats a nice idea... means having to figure out how people make those silicone things first!


Thanks for all the input guys.

-Matty

[Chaderotti]

A rigid wrist bangle sort of thing to hold the important bits, then the leds and wire molded into silicone which then uses velcro or something to be 'pinned' on to the glove?
The stuff I've seen which is supposedly 'silicone' is a two part mixture, mix up both parts then put into some sort of mold (clay) for several hours. The mold could consist of all the channels and cut outs for the leds?

[AUbicycles]

I really like the idea - I think the arrow wont be recognisable for other vehicles - not certain that with the glare as to whether you can show and communicate 'direction'.
One thing I would try, is putting 3M reflective tape behind the LEDs - so when signaling you also get the advantage of car lights reflecting.

One negative is that typically they will always be on - so probably distracting when riding (blinding at night) so if you havn't already though about it you would need to think about some kind of proximity setup (like a smart card) so that they only light up when your hands move away from the handlebars. The circuit is broken when you hands are on or close to the handbars. A few different solutions for this.


For interest, check out LEDwear who have waterproof jackets and backpacks with LEDs and see how they integrate the LEDs. While it will be challenge to build your own in a similar fashion, it is a good reference.

I look forward to more.

Cheers
Christopher

[Mark Kelly]

I use Dow Corning two part silicones like the 30XX series (theres a link to the PDF on their mould making materials on this page: http://www.dowcorning.com/applications/ ... CCSF=333EN

[blokeinamoke]

Cheers Chris, as aformentioned the lights are tilt activated so being on whilst riding wont be an issue, for drop bars the smart card idea would be good and rather optimal! Ive been thinkin about putting reflective tape bright yellow or clear whatever, but if im going with the silicone set up then i wont have room for the tape, if its a solid mounted pcb integrated into the glove then yeh... sweet!

Thanks for the info Mark, did you get my PM perchance?

-Matty

[Stuey]

mercury switches?
are those even legal anymore?

Dunno, but I think either Jaycar or Altronics still sells them. They also sell the 'rolling ball' type.

[Nate]

You could hook up a small micro switch on the palm of your hand or finger etc - when its off the bars --> lights up!
Use a normally closed type of switch, just go into jaycar & have a look.
or you could mount the switch to the back of a finger - when your hand is closed its off, open the hand & straighten the fingers & its on - it'd be more comfortable

Chad is on the money with the bracelet (sorta) - forget mounting it on the back of the palm, its a very odd shape & it changes when you move your hand making a good fit close to impossible.

Get a bracelet going instead - even pinch one of those dodgy silicone ones & tinker with it.
3 super bright LEDs & you should be away.
maybe something like: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.as ... BCATID=635
All you need is a battery & switch - i'd forget circuitry too complex & will start to consume power, keep it simple