The patent 'Fabric with illuminated changing display' from inventor Harry L. Wainwright describes a fabric illuminated by the outer ends of a large number of optical fibers associated with the outer surface of the fiber in a manner to form an illuminated changing display of several figures.

The fibers extend along the inner surface of the fabric and are gathered into several bundles each of which engages a connector housing containing light sources. The light sources connect with a power source and an electronic control device which sequentially causes each light source to be activated in a programmed manner.

Each light source emits light to the inner ends associated with a bundle of optical fibers. The light travels through each fiber of the bundle to the outer ends of the fibers where the light is emitted.
The outer ends of the optical fibers can be arranged in any shape for form characters or symbols or any image.

Patent issue date: Oct. 17, 1989

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