Patent Application
20060196089
This invention relates to articles of footwear, and, more particularly, to a shoe having one or more black light LEDs operative to direct ultraviolet light over one or more designs containing phosphors which are located on the outsole and/or upper of the shoe causing the designs to glow.
For a number of years, articles of footwear and various items of clothing have been sold with decorative arrays of light sources such as light emitting diodes (LEDs). This has been particularly popular in children's footwear where the LEDs are arranged to complement other design elements of the shoe, including cartoon characters and the like.
LEDs are used in a variety of ways in children's shoes to create different visual effects. For example, one or more LEDs may be mounted at one end of a clear polymer strip formed with etchings or other designs on its inner and/or outer surfaces. The polymer strip is effective to transmit the light emitted by the LED from one end toward the other, and the etchings or other surface markings on the strip reflect the light in a desired pattern. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,273.
Other visual effects are obtained using LEDs of different colors and/or varying how the LEDs are illuminated. LEDs are currently available in red, green, blue and white. Designers often employ LEDs of one or more colors arranged in designs located on the upper of the shoe or its outsole to obtain a desired effect. More recently, color mixing LEDs have been proposed in which primary color chips of red, green and blue are arranged side-by-side in a housing and selectively illuminated for a predetermined time period to produce other colors. For example, combining red and green light produces purple, and orange light is produced by combining red and green. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,193 and U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2003/0231513.
With respect to illumination of LEDs in shoes and other articles of clothing, a typical design includes a module having a battery, a switch, and, conventionally, an integrated circuit (“IC”). The IC is connected by wires to LEDs positioned along the outsole, upper or tongue of the shoe, or at a desired location on another article of clothing. The IC is effective to turn on and off the LEDs, often in a flashing sequence, to enhance the visual effect and draw attention to the shoe or other article of clothing. In many designs, the IC is enabled by a switch operative in response to motion or pressure.
In one embodiment, this invention is directed to an article of footwear in which designs appearing on the outsole and/or upper of the shoe are exposed to ultraviolet light emitted from one or more black light LEDs to produce a unique visual effect.
The article of footwear of this invention takes advantage of the fluorescent properties of phosphors. Phosphors are substances that fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet radiation, and are present in some paints, fabrics and plastics. In the present invention, one or more designs which contain phosphors are “painted” or otherwise applied to the outsole and/or upper of the article of footwear. Additionally, the material forming the outsole, the laces and/or other white-colored portions of the article of footwear may contain phosphors. When exposed to emissions from one or more “black light” LEDs, these designs and white areas of the footwear fluoresce while the surrounding areas are unaffected thus producing a unique visual effect.
Sunlight and specially designed artificial lights produce ultraviolet radiation in three bands according to wavelength, e.g. UVA (320-400 nanometers), UVB (280-320 nanometers) and UVC (below 280 nanometers). Black light LEDs are provided with filters which allow relatively benign UVA light, and some blue and violet visible light, to pass through while absorbing everything else. Items containing phosphors which are placed in the path of emissions from black light LEDs give off visible white light, e.g. a “glow,” and this results in a striking effect when used in shoes and other articles of clothing according to the present invention.
The structure, operation and advantages of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring now to the FIGS., a shoe 10 is shown having an outsole 12 connected to an upper 14. It should be understood that any other article of footwear is considered within the scope of this invention, and the shoe 10 is shown for purposes of illustration. As such, the term “upper” is meant to broadly encompass essentially any shoe element mounted to the outsole of an article of footwear such as the straps of a sandal, etc.
In the embodiment of
The embodiment of
Referring to
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.
For example, the FIGS. depict one or more black light LEDs mounted to a shoe having designs containing phosphors located in the path of ultraviolet radiation emitted from the black light LED(s). It should be understood that the combination of one or more black light LEDs 18, the electrical circuit 30 and the designs 16, 20, 22, 24 and/or 28 could be employed in articles of clothing other than footwear.
Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
