Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to illuminated devices, and more particularly to illuminated footwear such as shoes, slippers, and sandals. 
         [0002]    Illuminated shoes and other forms of lighted footwear are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,131 to Rondini, U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,635 to Mott, U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,858 to Stone, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,069 to Chien. The Rondini patent discloses a pressure switch located in the heel portion of a sandal for activating a timer for flashing LEDs located in straps of the sandal when the sandal is worn. The Mott patent discloses a piezoelectric sensor molded within a shoe sole for triggering a lighting circuit that can include a microprocessor. The Stone patent discloses a counter circuit and logic gated for sequentially illuminating LEDs upon activation of a pressure switch located in an insole. The Chien patent discloses the use of electro-illuminated strips incorporated in a lace or strap. 
         [0003]    While the prior art does exhibit a variety of decorative features it is believed that none is entirely satisfactory, having one or more of the following disadvantages:
       1. They are unreliable in that piezoelectric sensors located in sole regions subject to flexing can become degraded or inoperative over time, and conventional pressure switches can stick in an open or closed condition;   2. They are unreliable in that sensitive components are not sufficiently protected from moisture, etc.;   3. They exhibit excessive power consumption; and   4. They fail to present a desired level of attractiveness.       
 
         [0008]    Thus there is a need for improved illuminated footwear that overcomes at least some of the above disadvantages. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    The present invention meets this need by providing footwear having an encapsulated integrated circuit module that incorporates an inertia switch for activating the integrated circuit from a deep sleep state thereby to drive an array of illuminators that are variously incorporated in the footwear. In one aspect of the invention, a display apparatus includes an encapsulated circuit module enclosing an inertia switch including a stationary element and an elastic element, the elements being electrically conductive and making contact when the switch is subjected to an effective acceleration, the module also enclosing a battery-powered logic circuit electrically connected to the inertia switch, and an end portion of a wiring harness that incorporates a plurality of illuminators, the harness connecting the illuminators to plural points of the logic circuit. 
         [0010]    Preferably the activation sequence includes a repeated plurality of activation cycles, successive activation cycles being spaced by an inter-cycle rest interval. Further preferably, the activation sequence has a single pair only of the activation cycles. Preferably at least some of the illuminators are flashed sequentially at least once in each activation cycle. Further, the sequential flashings can be spaced by an intra-cycle interval, the intra-cycle interval being shorter than the inter-cycle rest interval. 
         [0011]    The logic circuit of the display apparatus is preferably a CMOS integrated circuit. Preferably an ON/OFF switch is connected to the logic circuit for selectively producing a deep sleep state in which the logic circuit is unresponsive to the inertia switch. The CMOS integrated circuit can include a control switch and a clock circuit, the control switch being connected to the inertia switch and the clock circuit, the clock circuit being connected to the ON/OFF switch, the deep sleep state being produced by the clock circuit being disabled in response to operation of the ON/OFF switch. Preferably the ON/OFF switch makes momentary contact, the deep sleep state being entered and exited in response to alternate activations of the ON/OFF switch. 
         [0012]    Preferably the battery is sealingly encapsulated together with the logic circuit in the enclosure. Alternatively, a rechargeable battery module powers the logic circuit, and the display apparatus can further include a protective charging circuit. 
         [0013]    In another aspect of the invention, lighted footwear includes the display apparatus in a footwear structure including a sole having toe and heel portions, and an upper for confining a wearer&#39;s foot on the sole, wherein the encapsulated enclosure is located within the heel portion of the sole, and the illuminators are distributed on the footwear structure for external view. The upper can have a closure in the form of a fastening strap, at least some of the illuminators being located on the fastening strap. 
         [0014]    Preferably an ON/OFF switch is connected through the wiring harness to the logic circuit, the ON/OFF switch being located on the upper for selectively blocking the activation sequence. Preferably the CMOS integrated circuit includes a control switch and a clock circuit, the control switch being connected to the inertia switch and the clock circuit, the clock circuit being connected to the ON/OFF switch, the deep sleep state being produced by the clock circuit being disabled in response to operation of the ON/OFF switch. Preferably the ON/OFF switch makes momentary contact, the deep sleep state being entered and exited in response to alternate activations of the ON/OFF switch. 
         [0015]    When the display apparatus includes the rechargeable battery module, the shoe can further include the protective charging circuit, with the charging circuit being located in the sole or in a fastening strap of the shoe. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, where: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a shoe incorporating the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective phantom view showing the shoe of  FIG. 1  in further detail; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective detail view a circuit module within region  3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an electrical schematic of a display apparatus incorporating the circuit module of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is an electrical schematic showing an alternative configuration of the display apparatus of  FIG. 4  as implemented in the shoe of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of an integrated circuit portion of the circuit module of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic side view showing an alternative configuration of the shoe of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the shoe of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is an elevational perspective detail view showing a heel portion of another alternative configuration of the shoe of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a side perspective view showing a further alternative configuration of the shoe of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a plan view of a printed circuit strip within region  11  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is a plan view as in  FIG. 11 , showing a printed circuit providing a triangular illumination pattern; 
           [0029]      FIG. 13  is a plan view as in  FIG. 11 , showing a printed circuit providing an elliptical illumination pattern; 
           [0030]      FIG. 14  is a timing diagram of a display sequence according to the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 15  is an electrical schematic showing another alternative configuration of the display apparatus of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 16  is a timing diagram as in  FIG. 14 , showing an alternative display sequence as produced by the display apparatus of  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 17  is a side perspective view as in  FIG. 1 , showing a further alternative configuration of the shoe; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 18  is a side perspective view showing an alternative configuration of the shoe of  FIG. 17 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]    The present invention is directed to a display apparatus having flashing illuminators, and footwear incorporating the display apparatus. With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, a shoe  10  includes as main structural elements a sole  12  having a toe portion  14  and a heel portion  16 , and an upper  18  including a pair of fastening straps, respectively designated first strap  20  and second strap  22 . 
         [0036]    According to the present invention the shoe  10  also incorporates a display apparatus  24  comprising a rigidly sealingly encapsulated circuit module  26  enclosed within the heel portion of the sole  12 , a plurality of illuminators  28 , and a wiring harness  30  electrically connecting the illuminators  28  to the circuit module  26 , the harness  30  being depicted by dashed lines in  FIG. 1 . Further, the illuminators  28  can include a plurality of sole illuminators  32  and an additional plurality of strap illuminators  34 . It will be understood that the harness  30  can include individual pairs of conductors connecting each of the illuminators  28  to the circuit module  26 , and portions of at least some of the conductors can be bundled together using suitable sleeving or ties (not shown). As further described below with reference to  FIG. 14 , the display apparatus  24  is configured for flashing the illuminators in an activation sequence that can include a repeated plurality of activation cycles, there being preferably two such activation cycles in the sequence for enhanced attractiveness of the illuminated display. 
         [0037]    As further shown in  FIG. 2 , the harness  30  can include a printed circuit strip  36  that extends within the fastening strap  20  for connecting the strap illuminators  32 , and a miniature electrical connector  38  can be interposed in conductors of the harness that extend between the circuit strip  36  and the circuit module  26  the connector  38  facilitating manufacture and assembly of the shoe  10 . 
         [0038]    With further reference to  FIG. 3 , the circuit module  26  includes a circuit board  40 , an inertia switch  42 , and a battery  44 , the components of the circuit module being encapsulated within a rigid potting material  46 . An exemplary implementation of the inertia switch  42  is a spring switch that is enclosed within a transparent housing  48 , being commercially available as Model SW-28020P from Yueqing Xietong Electronics Co., Ltd. of Yueqing City, Zhejiang, China. The housing  48  advantageously provides clearance for the spring switch within the potting material  46 . The battery can be a commonly available CR2032 LiMn button battery, which provides 210 ma/A at 3 volts. 
         [0039]    With further reference to  FIG. 4 , a display apparatus  23  includes a logic circuit  50  having separate electrical connections to a plurality (4) of the illuminators  28 , the illuminators being light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the illuminators also having a common connection to the battery  44 , the battery also powering the logic circuit  50 , the logic circuit being preferably in the form of a CMOS integrated circuit. The inertia switch  42  is connected to a trigger input of the logic circuit and, optionally, an ON/OFF switch  52  is connected to a corresponding input of the logic circuit  50 . When present, the ON/OFF switch  52  selectively blocks initiation of the activation sequence. Preferably the ON/OFF switch is configured as a momentary push-button, alternate operations of the switch producing a “deep sleep” condition of the logic circuit  50  that is unresponsive to the inertia switch  42 . The physical arrangement is preferably as shown and described above in connection with  FIG. 3 , the inertia switch  42 , the battery  44 , and the logic circuit  50  being connected through the circuit board  40 , the logic circuit  50  being packaged as a surface-mount device. 
         [0040]    With further reference to  FIG. 5 , the display apparatus  24  of  FIG. 2  is configured much like that of  FIG. 4 , except that there are seven of the illuminators  28 , three of them being connected to separate outputs of the logic circuit  50  as in  FIG. 4  and providing the sole illuminators  32 , four of them being connected in parallel to a single output of the logic circuit  50  and providing the strap illuminators  34 . 
         [0041]    With further reference to  FIG. 6 , an exemplary and preferred implementation of the logic circuit  50  includes a clock  54  that is enabled by the ON/OFF switch  52 , the clock feeding a control switch  56  that produces a control signal  58  in response to the inertia switch  42  conditionally when the clock is enabled. A pseudo-random number generator  60  feeds a buffer  62 , the buffer being responsive to the control signal  58  for activating a delay timer  64  with a random number  66 , the timer in turn feeding an inverter  68  that activates a light sequence generator  70  for driving the illuminators  28 . The battery provides a VDD voltage of between 2.2 and 5 volts to the clock, the control switch, the pseudo-random number generator, the buffer, the delay timer, the inverter, and the sequence generator. The sequence generator provides a common voltage V to the illuminators, there being five separate generator outputs designated L 1 , L 2 , L 3 , L 4 , and L 5  for independently pulsing the illuminators  28 . Four of the illuminators  28  are shown in  FIG. 6 , corresponding to the circuit diagram of  FIG. 4 , the output L 5  being unused. Preferably the sequence generator  70  is programmable for utilizing a single integrated circuit configuration to provide a variety of predetermined activation sequences. To this end, the sequence generator is provided with three program inputs designated K 1 , K 2 , and K 3 . Using suitable jumper connections  72 , as many as eight different activation sequences can be provided in a single configuration of the sequence generator. The flashing can be simultaneous or sequential. 
         [0042]    With further reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , an alternative configuration of the shoe, designated  10 ′, incorporates the optional but preferred ON/OFF switch  52  (not shown) within the first strap  20 , the switch being hidden by a flexible cover  74 . Further, counterparts of the strap illuminators  34  are implemented as triangular pattern illuminators  76  as further described below in connection with  FIG. 13 . In addition, the shoe  10 ′ is provided with markings simulating the head of a fearsome carnivore. In particular, opposite sides of the upper  18  have teeth markings  78  and lip markings  80 . This motif is enhanced by the inclusion of a pair of oppositely disposed eye illuminators  82  that are located within respective eye markings  84  forward of the second strap  22 . Additionally, an elongate counterpart of the triangular pattern illuminator, designated  86 , is spaced below the lip marking  80  on an outside portion of the upper  18 , and a diamond pattern illuminator  88  is spaced rearwardly of the illuminator  86  above the heel portion  16  of the sole  12 . 
         [0043]    With further reference to  FIG. 9 , another alternative configuration of the shoe, designated  10 ″, incorporates counterparts of the sole illuminators  34 , being implemented as elliptical pattern illuminators  90  that are spaced along the heel portion  16  of the outsole  12 , the illuminators  90  being further described below in connection with  FIG. 12 . Also, the ON/OFF switch  52  (not shown) is located under a counterpart of the flexible cover  74  on the upper  18 , above the illuminators  84 . 
         [0044]    With further reference to  FIG. 10 , a further alternative configuration of the shoe, designated  10 ″, has counterparts of the illuminators  28  located in a spaced array on the upper  18  below the first strap  20 . Counterparts of the elongate triangular illuminator  86  and the diamond pattern illuminator  88  can be provided on the shoe  10 ″. 
         [0045]    With further reference to  FIG. 11 , a rectangular flexible circuit board  92  that can be used in the flexible circuit strip  36  of  FIG. 2  includes a pair of printed circuit traces, designated positive trace  94  and negative trace  95 , the traces defining respective solder pads  96  and  97  for external wiring, and mounting pad patterns  98  for four surface-mount LEDs. The pad patterns  98  are advantageously configured for enhanced heat dissipation from the LEDs to be mounted thereon. In particular, the positive trace  94  has respective semicircular enlargements  100  forming one side of each pad pattern, and the negative trace  95  has oppositely extending semicircular enlargements  101 , and an inwardly projecting minor enlargement  102  extending to directly under where the LED is intended to be mounted. The circuit board preferably includes a protective covering  104  having openings  105  and  106  for exposing the solder pads  96  and  97 , and the pad patterns  98 , the openings being depicted by broken lines in  FIG. 11 . Preferably the covering includes a suitable adhesive and an electrically conductive layer that is isolated from the traces  94  and  95  to provide electromagnetic shielding. 
         [0046]      FIG. 12  shows a circuit module  110  for providing the triangular illuminators of the shoe  10 ′ of  FIGS. 7 and 8 , including a printed circuit board  112  and a triangularly spaced array of surface-mount LEDs  114 . A common trace  115  includes a common solder pad  116  and is connected to one side of each LED. Individual traces  117  connect opposite sides of the LEDs to corresponding solder pads  118 . A counterpart of the protective covering  104  has counterparts of the openings  105  and  106  for exposing the solder pads  116  and  118 , and pad patterns for the LEDs  114 , the openings being depicted by broken lines as in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 13  shows a circuit module  120  for providing the elliptical illuminators of the shoe  10 ″ of  FIG. 9 , including a printed circuit board  122  and another spaced array of surface-mount LEDs  114 . A common trace  125  includes a common solder pad  126  and is connected to one side of each LED. Individual traces  127  connect opposite sides of the LEDs to corresponding solder pads  128 . As in the circuit module  110  of  FIG. 12 , a counterpart of the protective covering  104  includes counterparts of the openings  105  and  106  for exposing the solder pads  126  and  128 , and pad patterns for the LEDs  114 . 
         [0048]    With further reference to  FIG. 14 , the display apparatus  24  is operative for producing a display sequence  130  in which successive activations of the inertia switch  42  flash the illuminators  28  in timed activation sequences S, each such sequence including a plurality of preferably two activation cycles C. In each activation cycle a first subset of the illuminators, such as one or more of the illuminators  28  being connected to the output L 1  of the light sequence generator  70  of the logic circuit  50 , is flashed for a pulse duration P 1 . Following a first delay D 1  from the beginning of the cycle a second subset of the illuminators being connected to the output L 2  of the generator  70  is similarly flashed for a pulse duration P 2 . Following an inter-cycle rest interval R, the cycle C is repeated, there being a second delay D 2  between the onset of the one cycle C and that of a next cycle. In  FIG. 14  the repeated cycle has the illuminator(s) connected to the output L 1  being flashed for a pulse duration P 3 , and similarly for the output L 2 , a pulse duration P 4 . Typically each of the pulse durations is for the same amount of time, such as 0.24 ms, with delays between pulses being, for example, 0.14 ms. In  FIGS. 14 , P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , and P 4  would each be 0.24 ms, D 1  would be 0.38 ms, etc. Of course it will be understood that the durations may be different if desired. As indicated above, there are preferably two only of the cycles C in each activation sequence; further, it is preferred that a new activation sequence is prevented until after a third delay D 3  from the onset of a prior sequence, the third delay D 3  being greater than the sum of the first delay D 1 , the second delay D 2 , and the pulse duration P 4 . 
         [0049]    With further reference to  FIG. 15 , another configuration of the display apparatus, designated  25 , is configured much like that of  FIG. 5 , except that of the seven of the illuminators  28 , three of them are connected in parallel to a single output of the logic circuit  50  and providing the strap illuminators  34 , four of them being connected in parallel to a single output of the logic circuit  50  and providing the sole illuminators  32 . It will be understood that the connections to the sole and strap illuminators  32  and  34  can be reversed such that the sole illuminators operate in unison whereas the strap illuminators  34  are independently activated. 
         [0050]      FIG. 16  is an exemplary timing diagram of the display apparatus  25  of  FIG. 15 , having a counterpart of the display sequence, designated  130 ′. In each activation cycle C of the sequence  130 ′ there are two pulses from output L 1 , followed, sequentially, by a pulse from each of the outputs L 2 , L 3 , L 4 , and L 5 , respectively, the two activation cycles C being separated by a counterpart of the inter-cycle rest interval R. 
         [0051]    With further reference to  FIG. 17 , another alternative configuration of the shoe, designated  11 , has a pair of rechargeable battery cells, collectively designated  44 ′ substituted for the battery  44 . In the exemplary configuration shown in  FIG. 17 , the rechargeable battery cells  44 ′ are located within the heel portion  16  but external to the circuit module  26 . A protective charging circuit  132  for the rechargeable cells  44 ′ is located in the sole  12 , and a charging plug  134  for powering the charging circuit is located at an edge portion of the sole  12 . A rechargeable lithium polymer battery pack providing 3.7 Volts at 500 mA suitable for providing the rechargeable battery cells  44 ′ is commonly available from a variety of sources. Similarly, protective charging circuits for these rechargeable battery packs are also available. The charging plug  134  can be configured for receiving a mini-USB cable. 
         [0052]    With further reference to  FIG. 18 , yet another alternative configuration of the shoe, designated  11 ′, has a counterpart of the charging circuit, designated  132 ′, located within the second fastening strap  22  of the shoe. Preferably the charging circuit  132 ′ incorporates flexible circuitry permitting physical flexing of the second fastening strap  22 . It will be understood that the placement of the rechargeable battery cells  44 ′, as well as the charging circuit  132  or  132 ′ and the charging plug  134  may be dictated by the structural configuration of the shoe. 
         [0053]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. For example, the charging plug can transmit signals for altering the display sequence, and the protective charging circuit can be located externally of the shoe. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not necessarily be limited to the preferred versions contained herein.

Technology Category: 2