Footwear display device

• US 5,457,900 A
• Filed: 03/31/1994
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avery Joe Roy, David T. Waller, Stewart Kirchner
• Original Assignee: Avery J. Roy
• Inventors: Roy, Avery J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US08/220,830
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 36/137, 36/136, 36/139, 362/103, 362/802, 362/267, 315/323, 315/241 S
• US Class Current: 36/137
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0078 provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration A43B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/36 with light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/42 where power is generated by conversion of mechanical movement to electricity, e.g. by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/005 forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A piece of footwear (12) includes a stroboscopic display device (10). The display device (10) includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (14) along a single array. The plurality of LEDs 14 are strobed or switched on and off through a set non-random fashion such that the plurality of LEDs (14) display a two-dimensional graphic image when the footwear (12) is moved through a step. A control (16) calculates the velocity of the step to determine the rate at which the LEDs (14) are to be strobed.

Claims

1. A light emitting display device (10) adaptable to be mounted to footwear (12), said light emitting display device comprising:

a plurality of lighting units (14) switchable between a light emitting state and a dormant state, said light emitting display device (10) characterized by

a control (16) for calculating velocity of the footwear (12) as it moves through a stepping motion and for strobing each of said plurality of lighting units (14) independently thereof and at a rate based on said velocity such that said plurality of lighting units (14) display a graphic message.

2. A device (10) as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said plurality of lighting units (14) including a one dimensional array of lighting units.

3. A device (10) as set forth in claim 2 further characterized by said control (16) including a strobing circuit (18) for strobing each of said plurality of lighting units (14) independently of each other.

4. A device (10) as set forth in claim 3 further characterized by a cell (20) for storing energy, said cell (20) electrically connected to said control (16) and said plurality of lighting units (14).

5. A device (10) as set forth in claim 4 further characterized by a motion switch (22) for disconnecting said cell (20) from said control when the velocity of the footwear (12) is zero.

6. A device (10) as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by a housing (24) for housing said control (16) and said cell (20) therein and for mounting said plurality of lighting units (14) thereto.

7. A device (10) as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by each of said plurality of lighting units (14) being a light emitting diode.

8. A device (10) as set forth in claim 7 further characterized by said graphic message including alphanumeric symbols.

9. A light emitting display device (10) adaptable to be mounted to footwear (12), said light emitting display device (10) comprising:

a piece of footwear (12);

a housing (24) fixedly secured to said footwear (12);

a plurality of lighting units (14) fixedly secured to said housing (24) switchable between a light emitting state and a dormant state, said light emitting display device (10) characterized by

a control circuit (16) for calculating velocity of the footwear (12) as it moves through a stepping motion and for strobing each of said plurality of lighting units (14) independently thereof and at a rate based on said velocity such that said plurality of lighting units (14) display a graphic message.

10. A light emitting display device (10) adaptable to be mounted to footwear (12), said light emitting display device comprising:

a plurality of lighting units (14) switchable between a light emitting state and a dormant state, said light emitting display device (10) characterized by

a control (16) for calculating the average time the footwear (12) moves through a stepping motion and for strobing each of said plurality of lighting units (14) independently thereof and at a rate based on said average time such that said plurality of lighting units (14) display a graphic message.

11. A device (10) as set forth in claim 10 further characterized by said plurality of lighting units (14) including a one dimensional array of lighting units.

12. A device (10) as set forth in claim 11 further characterized by said control (16) including a strobing circuit (18) for strobing each of said plurality of lighting units (14) independently of each other.

13. A device (10) as set forth in claim 12 further characterized by a cell (20) for storing energy, said cell (20) electrically connected to said control (16) and said plurality of lighting units (14).

14. A device (10) as set forth in claim 13 further characterized by a motion switch (22) for disconnecting said cell (20) from said control when the average time of the stepping motion of the footwear (12) is zero.

15. A device (10) as set forth in claim 14 further characterized by a housing (24) for housing said control (16) and said cell (20) therein and for mounting said plurality of lighting units (14) thereto.

16. A device (10) as set forth in claim 15 further characterized by each of said plurality of lighting units (14) being a light emitting diode.

17. A device (10) as set forth in claim 16 further characterized by said graphic message including alphanumeric symbols.

18. A method for displaying a graphic two dimensional display on a piece of footwear (12) using a plurality of lights (14) arranged in a single dimension, the method including the steps of:

moving each of the plurality of lights (14) through a light emitting state and a dormant state;

moving the piece of footwear (12) through a step to create a two dimensional graphic display; and

calculating the average time the plurality of lights (14) move through a step so that the plurality of lights (14) switch between the emitting state and the dormant state in a period dependent on the average time of the step of the footwear (12).