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The disclosure and prior art relates to footwear devices and more particularly pertains to a new footwear device for assisting in controlling weight application to an injured lower appendage.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a shoe that is configured to position around and reversibly couple to a foot of a user. A control module that comprises a power module and a microprocessor is coupled to the shoe. The microprocessor is operationally coupled to the power module. A plurality of sensors is coupled to and positioned in a sole of the shoe. The sensors are operationally coupled to the microprocessor. The sensors are configured to measure pressure applied to the sole from the foot that is positioned in the shoe and to relay a pressure measurement to the microprocessor. A speaker is coupled to the shoe. The speaker is operationally coupled to the microprocessor. The microprocessor is positioned to compel the speaker to emit an audio alert should the pressure measurement exceed a threshold limit.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
In another embodiment, the shoe 12 comprises a sole 14. A first panel 16 is coupled to and extends from the sole 14 to define a heel end 18 and opposing sides 20 of the shoe 12. Each of a pair of first straps 22 is coupled to and extends from the first panel 16 proximate to a respective opposing end 24 of the first panel 16. A first connector 26 is coupled to a respective first strap 22. A second connector 28 is coupled to a respective first strap 22. The first connector 26 and the second connector 28 are opposingly positioned. The second connector 28 is complementary to the first connector 26. The second connector 28 is positioned to reversibly couple to the first connector 26 to mutually couple the first straps 22 to couple the shoe 12 to the foot of the user. A toe end 30 of the shoe 12 is open. In yet another embodiment, the first connector 26 and the second connector 28 comprise a first hook and loop fastener 32.
In another embodiment, each of a pair of second straps 34 is coupled to and extends from the first panel 16 proximate to a respective first strap 22. A first coupler 36 is coupled to a respective second strap 34. A second coupler 38 is coupled to a respective second strap 34. The first coupler 36 and the second coupler 38 are opposingly positioned. The second coupler 38 is complementary to the first coupler 36. The second coupler 38 is positioned to reversibly couple to the first coupler 36 to mutually couple the second straps 34 to couple the shoe 12 to the foot of the user. In yet another embodiment, the first coupler 36 and the second coupler 38 comprise a second hook and loop fastener 40.
A control module 42 is coupled to the shoe 12. The control module 42 comprises a power module 44, a microprocessor 46, a controller 48, and a screen 50. In one embodiment, the power module 44 comprises at least one battery 52. The microprocessor 46 is operationally coupled to the power module 44. The controller 48 and the screen 50 are operationally coupled to the microprocessor 46. The controller 48 is positioned at a surface 54 of the shoe 12 so that the controller 48 is accessible to the user. The screen 50 is positioned adjacent to the controller 48 so that the screen 50 is configured to be viewed by the user. The controller 48 is positioned to program a threshold limit into the microprocessor 46. The microprocessor 46 is positioned to compel the screen 50 to display the threshold limit that is programmed into the microprocessor 46. The microprocessor 46 also is positioned to compel the screen 50 to flash red as a visual alert to the user should the pressure measurement exceed the threshold limit.
In one embodiment, the controller 48 comprises a first button 56, a second button 58, and a third button 60. The first button 56 is configured to be depressed to compel the microprocessor 46 to increase the threshold limit. The second button 58 is configured to be depressed to compel the microprocessor 46 to decrease the threshold limit. The third button 60 is configured to be depressed to compel the microprocessor 46 to set the threshold limit.
A plurality of sensors 62 is coupled to and positioned in the sole 14 of the shoe 12. The sensors 62 are operationally coupled to the microprocessor 46. The sensors 62 are configured to measure pressure applied to the sole 14 from the foot that is positioned in the shoe 12. The sensors 62 are configured to determine a pressure measurement and to relay the pressure measurement to the microprocessor 46. In one embodiment, the plurality of sensors 62 comprises a second panel 64. The second panel 64 is flexible. In another embodiment, the second panel 64 is shaped substantially complementarily to the sole 14.
A speaker 66 is coupled to the shoe 12. The speaker 66 is operationally coupled to the microprocessor 46. The microprocessor 46 is positioned to compel the speaker 66 to emit an audio alert should the pressure measurement exceed the threshold limit. In one embodiment, the speaker 66 is positioned in the sole 14 proximate to the heel end 18 of the shoe 12.
In use, the second connector 28 is positioned to reversibly couple to the first connector 26 to mutually couple the first straps 22 to couple the shoe 12 to the foot of the user. A toe end 30 of the shoe 12 is open. The controller 48 is positioned to program the threshold limit into the microprocessor 46. The sensors 62 are configured to determine the pressure measurement and to relay the pressure measurement to the microprocessor 46. The microprocessor 46 is positioned to compel the speaker 66 to emit the audio alert should the pressure measurement exceed the threshold limit.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.