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Blinky Entry
Blinkys are small electronic devices that make very bright light (usually
flashing) using LEDs and small batteries. They are often sold by vendors
at night-time events that have fireworks displays such as 4th of July,
Canada Day, or Guy Fawkes Night. They are also popular at raves, new year's
eve parties and night time sporting events.
Other names
There is no industry standard or official name for Blinkys, but most
common names use some combination of the terms, flash, magnet, strobe,
body, blink, light, and/or jewellery. Common examples are, Blinkys, Blinkies,
Blinkees, Body Lights, Blinky Body Lights, Magnetic Flashers, or Flashing
Jewelry.
Blinky has also recently become the registered trademark of Blinky Ltd.
A Cheshire (UK) company that specializes in solar powered flashing LCD
promotional merchandise, despite the previous industry wide use of the
term for the devices described here.
Construction
Body
A typical blinky is a small metal cylinder that has threads on one end
and a very small etched circuit board on the other. The threaded end is
open to accept small button cell batteries, and another cylinder that
screws on to hold them in place. The circuit board can be round and inside
the cylinder, or larger, shaped, and glued to the outside of the cylinder
end. Common designs have a rubber gasket inside the front (between the
batteries and circuit board). Tightening the base causes the gasket to
flatten and allows the batteries to complete the circuit with the back
of the circuit board.
Back
The most common designs use a set of strong magnets, one at the back
of the Body Light, and another that can be removed. This allows the Body
Light to be easily attached to clothes, or stuck on any magnetic metal
such as buttons or belt buckles. Clips are often used to make earrings,
a loop can make a pendant, or a ring can be welded to the back to make
a finger ring. Double sided adhesive pads are sometimes used to stick
the blinky directly to the body, most often in the navel.
Circuit board
The Circuit Board typically has anywhere from 2 to as many as 25 micro-LEDs.
Current LED technology allows for every colour of the rainbow, even Infra-Red
(for military/police), and Ultra-Violet (black light). Blue, White, Violet,
and Ultra-Violet LEDs often need 2 or more batteries because of their
high voltage requirements. Because it is an etched circuit board the front
can be constructed to flash in a variety of ways, especially where there
are multiple LEDs in multiple colours. A clear silicone gel, or acrylic
plastic protects the fragile LEDs on the front (outside) of the board.
Shaped boards have literally hundreds of variations combined with imprinting.
Common shapes (besides the classic small round) are stars, hearts, flowers,
flags, animals, holidays (like Halloween), and sports team logos.
Uses
Most often Blinkys are used for amusement at raves, parties and night
time events. But they can have other uses as well such as:
* Blinkys imprinted with company logos at conventions.
* Safety lights for children during Halloween, or night time events.
* Fun and safety during camping trips.
* Emergency flashers for disabled automobiles or lost hikers (most blinkys
have over a 1 mile visibility range at night).
Blinky batteries
While a few blinkys are made to be used once (like glow sticks), most
can be reused with a fresh set of batteries. Typical blinkys use three
AG3/AG4, or two CR927 batteries (see List of battery sizes). Although
such batteries cost about $3 at watch stores, they can be had for $15
per hundred from online stores. (However, watch stores usually install
the battery in your watch, which can be very difficult, while blinkies
are usually just 'twist, remove, replace, and twist'.)
Similar devices
Although the term 'Blinky', 'Body Light' or 'Flashing Body Light' usually
means the round or shaped devices listed above the term has also come
to sometimes broadly define a large group of similar items. These include:
- Body Lights that don’t flash, but rather stay on brightly or
slowly change colours.
- Any small novelty that makes light, like a light up whistle, or a
light up keychain.
- Light up batons, mouth pieces, jewellery, or fibre optic wands.
- Electroluminescent wire and badges
- Clothing with flashing LED's, like belt buckles or shoes. In the case
of the shoes, which are usually running shoes or attractive women's
sandals, the flashing light is in the heel. The light starts flashing
when the person wearing the shoes walks, runs, etc..
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