Dynamoelectric shoes

• US 5,495,682 A
• Filed: 03/01/1995
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shi-Hiu Chen
• Original Assignee: Shi-Hiu Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Shi-Hiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US08/396,711
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 36/2.6, 36/137, 36/139, 219/211
• US Class Current: 36/2.6
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/35 with electric heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/40 Batteries
• 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: F03G 5/06 other than of endless-walk type
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/063 operated by the leg or foot

Abstract

A dynamoelectric shoe includes a shoe sole having a heel portion formed with a compartment unit, a pressure-operated electric generator unit provided inside the compartment unit, and a rechargeable battery unit. The electric generator unit includes a hollow base, a pivot plate mounted pivotally in the hollow base, a volute spring biasing the pivot plate so as to position normally the latter in an upwardly inclining position, a driving gear secured to the pivot plate, a unidirectional gear set meshing with the driving gear, a speed increasing gear set driven rotatably by the unidirectional gear set, a press plate having a rear end mounted pivotally on an open top of the hollow base and a front end provided with a push plate which extends into the open top of the hollow base and which abuts against the pivot plate, and an alternator unit which has a rotor drive shaft that is driven by the speed increasing gear set. The alternator unit produces a voltage signal when the rotor drive shaft rotates due to repeated application of pressure on the press plate during use. The rechargeable battery unit is connected electrically to the alternator unit and includes an electrical socket mounted on the shoe sole. The rechargeable battery unit is charged by the voltage signal from the alternator unit.

Claims

1. A dynamoelectric shoe comprising:

a shoe sole having a heel portion formed with a compartment unit;

a pressure-operated electric generator unit provided inside said compartment unit, said electric generator unit including a hollow base with a longitudinal partition plate provided therein, a pivot plate disposed in said hollow base on one side of said partition plate, said pivot plate having one end fixed to a shaft which extends through said partition plate and which mounts pivotally said pivot plate to said hollow base, a volute spring having one end connected to said shaft and biasing said shaft so as to position normally said pivot plate in an upwardly inclining position, a driving gear secured on a distal end of said shaft, a unidirectional gear set including a smaller gear wheel which meshes with said driving gear and a larger gear wheel, a speed increasing gear set driven rotatably by said larger gear wheel of said unidirectional gear set, a press plate having a rear end that is mounted pivotally on an open top of said hollow base and a front end that is provided with a downwardly projecting push plate which has a distal end that extends into said open top of said hollow base and that abuts against said pivot plate, and an alternator unit which is disposed in said hollow base and which has a rotor drive shaft that is provided with a gear member which meshes with said speed increasing gear set, said alternator unit producing a voltage signal when said gear member rotates due to repeated application of pressure on said press plate during use; and

a rechargeable battery unit connected electrically to said alternator unit and provided in said compartment unit of said hollow base, said rechargeable battery unit including an electrical socket mounted on said shoe sole and being charged by said voltage signal from said alternator unit.

2. The dynamoelectric shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hollow base has a side panel opposite to said partition plate and formed with an oval-shaped axle hole, said unidirectional gear set further having a gear axle with a first end mounted pivotally on said partition plate and a second end extending into said oval-shaped axle hole;

whereby, when pressure is applied on said press plate, said push plate pushes said pivot plate downwardly to rotate said shaft in a first direction, thereby winding said volute spring and rotating said driving gear therewith to drive rotatably said unidirectional gear set and cause said gear axle of said unidirectional gear set to pivot to an upper end of said oval-shaped axle hole in order to enable said unidirectional gear set to mesh with said speed increasing gear set; and

when said pressure on said press plate is relieved, said volute spring unwinds to rotate said shaft in a second direction in order to return said pivot plate to said upwardly inclining position and in order to rotate said driving gear to drive rotatably said unidirectional gear set and cause said gear axle of said unidirectional gear set to pivot to a lower end of said oval-shaped axle hole in order to enable said unidirectional gear set to disengage said speed increasing gear set.

3. The dynamoelectric shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein said speed increasing gear set includes a smaller gear wheel which is driven rotatably by said larger gear wheel of said unidirectional gear set and a larger gear wheel which meshes with said gear member of said alternator unit.

4. The dynamoelectric shoe as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rechargeable battery unit further comprises:

a rechargeable battery cell connected electrically to said electrical socket;

a battery charger circuit receiving said voltage signal from said alternator unit so as to charge said rechargeable battery cell;

a charging control circuit including means for deactivating said battery charger circuit so as to stop charging of said rechargeable battery cell when voltage across said rechargeable battery cell exceeds a predetermined limit; and

a supplementary current supplying circuit for providing additional current to said electrical socket when a plug is inserted into said electrical socket.

5. The dynamoelectric shoe as claimed in claim 4, wherein said rechargeable battery unit further comprises a rectifier circuit connected electrically to said alternator unit so as to rectify said voltage signal.

6. The dynamoelectric shoe as claimed in claim 4, wherein said charging control circuit further comprises means for detecting if said plug is inserted into said electrical socket, and means for deactivating said supplementary current supplying circuit when said plug is not inserted into said electrical socket.

7. The dynamoelectric shoe as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a heat generating unit that is formed as an insole and that is disposed on said shoe sole, said heat generating unit including upper and lower insole layers and a heating element clamped between said upper and lower insole layers, said heating element including a metal conductor winding connectable electrically to said rechargeable battery cell.