Step-counting shoe

• US 9,095,184 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shen-Ko Tseng
• Original Assignee: Shen-Ko Tseng
• Inventors: Tseng, Shen-Ko
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, THOMAS M
• Application Number:
  US13/848,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20130247424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 310/318, 310/319, 310/338, 310/339
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/36 with light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources

Abstract

A step-counting shoe comprises a power generation device, a pedometer device, and a display device. When the step-counting shoe is applied with a force, the power generation device produces electrical energy by electromagnetic induction or piezoelectric effect without external power supply, so as to generate power for the pedometer device and the display device automatically during the user walking. Additionally, the present invention provides a variety of types of power generation devices, so a suitable power generation device can be adopted depending on the power demand, thickness of step-counting shoe, and/or costs.

Claims

1. A step-counting shoe, comprising:

a shoe body having a bottom;

a power generation device configured to the bottom, comprising;

a first housing having an at least one first halving joint;

a second housing having an at least one second halving joint, wherein the second halving joint is removably assembled to the first halving joint for forming a space between the first housing and the second housing;

a magnetic component mounted on the first housing and inside the space;

an induction coil mounted on the second housing and inside the space, the induction coil configured around the periphery of the magnetic component; and

a first piezoelectricity module configured between the magnetic component and the second housing;

a pedometer device coupled with the power generation device, utilized for recording a number of steps; and

a display device coupled with the power generation device, the display device having an at least one LED unit, and utilized for showing the number of steps;

wherein, when the power generation device is applied with a force, relative motion is produced between the first housing and the second housing for causing the induction coil to generate a magnetic flux to produce an induced current, and meanwhile, the first piezoelectricity module absorbs the pressure between the magnetic component and the second housing to produce a first electric charge.

2. The step-counting shoe of claim 1, wherein the LED unit of the display device uses flicker frequency or luminous color to show the number of steps correspondingly.

3. The step-counting shoe of claim 1, further comprising:

a control device coupled with the pedometer device and the display device, utilized for controlling the display device to show the number of steps; and

an electricity storing device coupled with the induction coil and the first piezoelectricity module, utilized for storing the induced current and the first electric charge to supply power to the display device.

4. The step-counting shoe of claim 3, further comprising:

a second display device coupled with the electricity storing device, the second display device having an at least one LED unit, and utilized for showing the dump energy of the electricity storing device.

5. The step-counting shoe of claim 1, further comprising:

a rectifying device coupled with the power generation device for receiving the induced current and the first electric charge to generate a direct current; and

an interface device coupled with the rectifying device for supplying the direct current to an external electronic apparatus.

6. The step-counting shoe of claim 1, wherein the power generation device comprises:

a first flexible component configured between the first housing and the second housing, when the power generation device is applied with the force, relative motion is produced between the first housing and the second housing, and the first flexible component provides a resilience to the first housing or the second housing.

7. The step-counting shoe of claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectricity module comprises:

an elastomer having a first elasticity coefficient; and

a piezoelectricity component configured in the elastomer for producing the first electric charge, the piezoelectricity component comprising a plurality of piezoelectricity units, each piezoelectricity unit having a second elasticity coefficient and comprising a piezoelectric material and a metal sheet;

wherein, the second elasticity coefficient is larger than the first elasticity coefficient.

8. A step-counting shoe, comprising:

a shoe body having a bottom;

a power generation device configured to the bottom, comprising;

a first housing having an at least one first halving joint;

a second housing having an at least one second halving joint, wherein the second halving joint is removably assembled to the first halving joint for forming a space between the first housing and the second housing;

a magnetic component mounted on the first housing and inside the space;

an induction coil mounted on the second housing and inside the space, the induction coil configured around the periphery of the magnetic component;

a third housing having a third halving joint, and utilized for holding the first halving joint; and

a second piezoelectricity module configured between the second housing and the third housing;

a pedometer device coupled with the power generation device, utilized for recording a number of steps; and

a display device coupled with the power generation device, the display device having an at least one LED unit, and utilized for showing the number of steps;

wherein, when the power generation device is applied with a force, relative motion is produced between the first housing and the second housing for causing the induction coil to generate a magnetic flux to produce an induced current, and meanwhile, the second piezoelectricity module absorbs the pressure between the second housing and the third housing to produce a second electric charge.

9. The step-counting shoe of claim 8, wherein the LED unit of the display device uses flicker frequency or luminous color to show the number of steps correspondingly.

10. The step-counting shoe of claim 8, further comprising:

a control device coupled with the pedometer device and the display device, utilized for controlling the display device to show the number of steps; and

an electricity storing device coupled with the induction coil and the second piezoelectricity module, utilized for storing the induced current and the second electric charge to supply power to the display device.

11. The step-counting shoe of claim 10, further comprising:

a second display device coupled with the electricity storing device, the second display device having an at least one LED unit, and utilized for showing the dump energy of the electricity storing device.

12. The step-counting shoe of claim 8, further comprising:

a rectifying device coupled with the power generation device for receiving the induced current and the second electric charge to generate a direct current; and

an interface device coupled with the rectifying device for supplying the direct current to an external electronic apparatus.

13. The step-counting shoe of claim 8, wherein the power generation device comprises:

a first flexible component configured between the first housing and the second housing, when the power generation device is applied with the force, relative motion is produced between the first housing and the second housing, and the first flexible component provides a resilience to the first housing or the second housing.

14. The step-counting shoe of claim 8, wherein the power generation device further comprises:

a second flexible component configured between the second housing and the third housing, when the power generation device is applied with the force, relative motion is produced between the second housing and the third housing, and the second flexible component provides a resilience to the second housing or the third housing.

15. The step-counting shoe of claim 8, wherein the second piezoelectricity module comprises:

an elastomer having a first elasticity coefficient; and

a piezoelectricity component configured in the elastomer for producing the second electric charge, the piezoelectricity component comprising a plurality of piezoelectricity units, each piezoelectricity unit having a second elasticity coefficient and comprising a piezoelectric material and a metal sheet;

wherein, the second elasticity coefficient is larger than the first elasticity coefficient.

16. A step-counting shoe, comprising:

a shoe body having a bottom;

a power generation device configured to the bottom, comprising;

a first housing having an at least one first halving joint;

a second housing having an at least one second halving joint, wherein the second halving joint is removably assembled to the first halving joint for forming a space between the first housing and the second housing;

a magnetic component mounted on the first housing and inside the space; and

an induction coil mounted on the second housing and inside the space, the induction coil configured around the periphery of the magnetic component;

a pedometer device coupled with the power generation device, utilized for recording a number of steps; and

a display device coupled with the power generation device, the display device having an at least one LED unit, and utilized for showing the number of steps;

wherein, when the power generation device is applied with a force, relative motion is produced between the first housing and the second housing for causing the induction coil to generate a magnetic flux to produce an induced current.

17. A step-counting shoe, comprising:

a shoe body having a bottom;

a power generation device configured to the bottom, comprising;

an elastomer having a first elasticity coefficient; and

a piezoelectricity component configured in the elastomer for producing

a first electric charge, the piezoelectricity component comprising a plurality of piezoelectricity units with each other, one of piezoelectricity units having a second elasticity coefficient and comprising a piezoelectric material and a metal sheet;

a pedometer device coupled with the power generation device, utilized for recording a number of steps; and

a display device coupled with the power generation device, the display device having an at least one LED unit, and utilized for showing the number of steps;

wherein, the second elasticity coefficient is larger than the first elasticity coefficient.