Apparatus attachable to a shoe for deploying a rescue signal

• US 5,574,432 A
• Filed: 01/04/1996
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steven R. Mccarthy
• Original Assignee: Steven R. Mccarthy
• Inventors: McCarthy, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/582,955
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/574, 340/690
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0297 Robbery alarms, e.g. hold-up alarms, bag snatching alarms

Abstract

An apparatus attachable to a shoe for deploying a rescue signal includes a base attachable to a rear section of a conventional shoe. The base comprises strips coupled to a lower extent thereof and extended horizontally therefrom. The strips each have a plurality of buttons coupled thereto. The base also comprises a slot formed on an top surface thereof. Also included is a restraining unit adapted to secure about an upper extent of the shoe. The restraining unit comprises an annular band adapted to slidably insert within the slot of the base. The restraining unit further includes a pair of generally triangular members attached to the band and extended downwardly therefrom. The triangular members each have a plurality of buttonholes coupleable to the buttons disposed on the strips of the base. A metal rod is adapted to insert within a lateral bore formed in a heel of the shoe and further within a pair of apertures formed in the strips. Finally, a signalling mechanism situated within the base deploys a rescue signal upon the manual activation thereof or upon the failure to respond to an alarm adapted to indicate the cessation of a predetermined amount of time.

Claims

1. An apparatus attachable to a shoe for deploying a rescue signal comprising, in combination:

a base with a generally rectangular configuration having an arcuate outboard surface, an arcuate inboard surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of side edges defining an interior space, the inboard surface having an opening formed therein with a removable arcuate cover for allowing selective access to the interior space, the base further comprising a pair of generally rectangular strips coupled to a lower extent of the side edges and extended horizontally therefrom, the strips each having a plurality of linearly aligned buttons coupled thereto and a tab formed at a central extent thereof and extended downward therefrom with each tab having an axially aligned aperture formed therein, the base also comprising a lip extending upwardly from the top surface and coinciding with the outboard surface thereof, the lip having a plurality of horizontal members coupled thereto and extending in an inboard radial direction and a plurality of flanges coupled to an inboard end of each horizontal member and extending downwardly in a skewed outboard direction thereby defining a slot, whereby the inboard surface of the base is adapted to abut a rear extent of a shoe with the strips extending along each side extent thereof;

a restraining unit comprising an annular band having a top periphery and a bottom periphery with the top periphery having a smaller circumference than the bottom periphery whereby the annular band is adapted to be slidably inserted within the slot of the base, the annular band having a pair of clips attached to a front extent thereof for allowing the coupling and decoupling thereof, the annular band further comprising a pair of generally triangular members attached at a tip end thereof to the front extent of the band and extended downwardly therefrom with a plurality of linearly aligned buttonholes releasably coupleable to the buttons disposed on the strips of the base, whereby the restraining unit is adapted to secure about a portion of the shoe corresponding to an ankle of a user and further bind the base to the shoe;

a metal rod with a threaded end and a bolt end adapted to insert within a lateral bore formed in a heel of the shoe and further within the apertures of the tabs located on the strips, the rod further comprising a nut for coupling with the threaded end of the rod and firmly fastening the base to the shoe; and

signalling means disposed within the interior space for providing a signal upon the manual activation thereof and further for providing a signal upon the failure to respond to an alarm adapted to indicate an end of a predetermined amount of time, the signalling means further comprising display means for depicting a time remaining in the predetermine amount of time.

2. A rescue apparatus comprising signalling means for providing a signal upon the manual activation thereof and further for providing a signal upon the failure to respond to an alarm indication means adapted to indicate a cessation of a predetermined amount of time, wherein the signalling means further comprises display means for depicting a time remaining in the predetermined amount of time.

3. A rescue apparatus comprising signalling means for providing a signal upon the manual activation thereof and further for providing a signal upon the failure to respond to an alarm indication means adapted to indicate a cessation of a predetermined amount of time;

a housing adapted to attach to a conventional shoe and further contain the signalling means and alarm indication means, wherein the housing comprises a base with a generally rectangular configuration having an arcuate outboard surface, an arcuate inboard surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of side edges defining an interior space for containing the signalling means and alarm indication means, the inboard surface having an opening formed therein with a removable arcuate cover for allowing selective access to the interior space, the base further comprising a pair of generally rectangular strips coupled to a lower extent of the side edges and extended horizontally therefrom, the strips each having a plurality of linearly aligned buttons coupled thereto and a tab formed at a central extent thereof and extended downward therefrom with each tab having an axially aligned aperture formed therein, the base also comprising a lip extending upwardly from the top surface and coinciding with the outboard surface thereof, the lip having a plurality of horizontal members coupled thereto and extending in an inboard radial direction and a plurality of flanges coupled to an inboard end of each horizontal member and extending downwardly in a skewed outboard direction thereby defining a slot, whereby the inboard surface of the base is adapted to abut a rear extent of a shoe with the strips extending along each side extent thereof;

a restraining unit comprising an annular band having a top periphery and a bottom periphery with the top periphery having a smaller circumference than the bottom periphery whereby the annular band is adapted to be slidably inserted within the slot of the base, the annular band having a pair of clips attached to a front extent thereof for allowing the coupling and decoupling thereof, the annular band further comprising a pair of generally triangular members attached at a tip end thereof to the front extent of the band and extended downwardly therefrom with a plurality of linearly aligned buttonholes releasably coupleable to the buttons disposed on the strips of the base, whereby the restraining unit is adapted to secure about a portion of the shoe corresponding to an ankle of a user and further bind the base to the shoe; and

a metal rod with a threaded end and a bolt end adapted to insert within a lateral bore formed in a heel of the shoe and further within the apertures of the tabs located on the strips, the rod further comprising a nut for coupling with the threaded end of the rod and firmly fastening the base to the shoe.