Shoe Apparatus

• US 20100115799A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brady Welter, Ralph R. Welter
• Original Assignee: Brady Welter, Ralph R. Welter
• Inventors: Welter, Ralph R., Welter, Brady
• Application Number:
  US12/270,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20100115799A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/137
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/36 with light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/44 with sensors, e.g. for detecting contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/48 with transmitting devices, e.g. GSM or Wi-Fi®
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/50 with sound or music sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/12 Dancing shoes

Abstract

A shoe apparatus includes a shoe sole and a shoe upper atop the shoe sole. The shoe apparatus includes at least one sensor for determining when at least a portion of the shoe sole is compressed and includes at least one speaker. A processor is in data communication with the at least one sensor and the at least one speaker, the processor having programming to actuate the at least one speaker to output sound when the at least one sensor detects the compression. The processor may also be in communication with at least one light, the processor having programming to actuate the light when the sensor detects that a wearer has taken a step. At least one battery is in electrical communication with the at least one speaker and the processor.

Claims

1. A shoe apparatus, comprising:

a shoe sole;

a shoe upper atop said shoe sole;

at least one sensor for determining when a wearer has taken a step;

a speaker;

a processor in data communication with said at least one sensor and said speaker, said processor having programming to actuate said speaker to output sound when said at least one sensor determines that the wearer has taken a step; and

means for powering said speaker and said processor.

2. The shoe apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light in data communication with said processor, and wherein said processor includes programming to actuate said light when said at least one sensor determines that the wearer has taken a step.

3. The shoe apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one sensor is housed in said shoe sole;

said speaker is housed in either said shoe sole or said shoe upper; and

said processor is housed in either said shoe sole or said shoe upper.

4. The shoe apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a harness configured for aftermarket attachment to said shoe sole and said shoe upper, and wherein said at least one sensor is housed in said harness.

5. The shoe apparatus of claim 4, wherein said speaker and said processor are housed in said harness.

6. The shoe apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a transmitter in data communication with said at least one sensor;

a receiver in data communication with said processor; and

a remote unit separate from said shoe sole, said shoe upper, and said harness;

wherein said speaker, said processor, and said receiver are housed in said remote unit.

7. The shoe apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a rechargeable battery in electrical communication with said transmitter, said rechargeable battery being in selective electrical communication with a charging power source through inductive coupling.

8. The shoe apparatus of claim 4, wherein said harness includes:

a sole portion configured for placement lowerly adjacent said shoe sole;

a forward strap configured for attachment to said shoe upper; and

a rear strap configured for attachment to said shoe upper.

9. The shoe apparatus of claim 8, wherein one of:

(a) said harness is resiliently elastic to attach to said shoe sole and said shoe upper without an adjustable fastening element;

or

(b) said harness includes an adjustable fastening element to attach said harness to said shoe sole and said shoe upper.

10. The shoe apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for powering said speaker and said processor includes a rechargeable battery in electrical communication with said speaker and said processor, said rechargeable battery being in selective electrical communication with a charging power source through inductive coupling.

11. The shoe apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is a switch or a piezoelectric transducer.

12. The shoe apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one sensor is a plurality of sensors; and

said processor has programming to actuate said speaker to output sound based on which sensor determines that the wearer has taken a step.

13. The shoe apparatus of claim 1, wherein said speaker is a plurality of speakers.

14. A shoe apparatus, comprising:

a shoe sole;

a shoe upper atop said shoe sole;

at least one sensor for determining when at least a portion of said shoe sole is compressed;

at least one speaker;

a processor in data communication with said at least one sensor and said at least one speaker, said processor having programming to actuate said at least one speaker to output sound when said at least one sensor detects said compression; and

at least one battery in electrical communication with said at least one speaker and said processor.

15. The shoe apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

said at least one sensor is a plurality of sensors spread apart to determine when different regions of said shoe sole are compressed;

said plurality of sensors determine amounts of compression of said shoe sole regions; and

said processor has programming to actuate said speaker to output sound based on sensor determination of which shoe sole region is compressed and amount of compression.

16. The shoe apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a harness configured for aftermarket attachment to said shoe sole and said shoe upper;

a transmitter in data communication with said at least one sensor;

a receiver in data communication with said processor; and

a remote unit separate from said shoe sole, said shoe upper, and said harness;

wherein said at least one sensor and said transmitter are housed in said harness; and

wherein said speaker, said processor, and said receiver are housed in said remote unit.

17. A shoe apparatus, comprising:

a harness for aftermarket attachment to a shoe sole and a shoe upper, said harness having a sole portion configured for placement lowerly adjacent said shoe sole, a forward strap configured for attachment to said shoe upper, and a rear strap configured for attachment to said shoe upper;

at least one sensor for detecting an influx of pressure thereon, said at least one sensor being housed in said harness sole portion;

at least one speaker;

a processor in data communication with said at least one sensor and said at least one speaker, said processor having programming to actuate said at least one speaker to output sound when said at least one sensor detects said pressure; and

at least one battery in electrical communication with said at least one speaker and said processor.

18. The shoe apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a transmitter in data communication with said at least one sensor;

a receiver in data communication with said processor; and

a remote unit separate from said shoe sole, said shoe upper, and said harness;

wherein said speaker, said processor, and said receiver are housed in said remote unit.

19. The shoe apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a rechargeable battery in electrical communication with said transmitter, said rechargeable battery being in selective electrical communication with a charging power source through inductive coupling.

20. The shoe apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

said at least one sensor is a plurality of sensors, respective sensors being located at different regions of said harness sole portion; and

said processor has programming to actuate said speaker to output sound based on which sensor detects influx of pressure.