US 5,473,518 AGranted

Removable flashing light housing for an athletic shoe

OwnerTerry M. Haber, William H. Smedley +1inventors

InventorsTerry M. Haber, William H. Smedley, Clark B. Foster

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A flashing light housing that is adapted to be removably attached to the rear (i.e. heel) of any shoe, such as, for example, a sneaker, sport shoe, training shoe, or the like, without requiring factory alterations to the shoe. A manually accessible light control switch is operable by the wearer to selectively control the energization of a flashing light source that is carried at the interior of the housing. An attachment hook extends from the housing to fit over the top of and around the heel of the shoe, whereby the housing will be suspended from the heel. A resilient attachment band is connected to and extends outwardly and in opposite directions from the flashing light housing. The attachment band is adapted to be fastened to the sole of the shoe at each of a first side and an opposite side thereof, whereby to hold the housing against the heel. By virtue of the foregoing, the flashing light housing is characterized by a large viewing area that is easily visible to on-lookers.

Claims16

Dependent claims

For attachment to a shoe having a toe portion at one end, a heel portion at the opposite end and a sole extending between the toe and heel portions, a light housing comprising:

a voltage source;
a light source;
electronic circuit means to connect said voltage source to said light source;
lens means surrounding said voltage source, said light source and said electronic circuit means, said lens means having an opening extending therethrough;
manually operable switch means connected in said electronic circuit means and being movable between closed and opened switch positions to either energize said light source or disable said light source;
a movable switch control button located at a manually accessible side of said lens means, such that a movement of said switch control button in a first direction moves said switch means to said closed switch position to energize said light source, and a movement of said switch control button in an opposite direction moves said switch means to said opened switch position to disable said light source;
a switch arm extending through the opening in said lens means and connected between said movable switch control button at the manually accessible side of said lens means and said switch means at the opposite side of said lens means, said switch arm translating a movement of said switch control button into a corresponding movement of said switch means to said closed or opened switch positions;
first attachment means by which to suspend said lens means from the heel of the shoe;
and
second attachment means by which to couple said lens means to each of a first side and an opposite side of the shoe at locations between the toe and heel portions thereof.

7 more elements

For attachment to a shoe having a toe portion at one end, a heel portion at the opposite end, and a sole extending between the toe and heel portions, a light housing comprising:

a voltage source;
a light source;
electronic circuit means to connect said voltage source to said light source;
a base at which to support said voltage source, said light source and said electronic circuit means;
lens means attached to said base to surround said voltage source, said light source and said electronic circuit means;
manually operable switch means connected in said electronic circuit means and being movable between closed and opened switch positions to either energize said light source or disable said light source;
attachment means connected to said lens means and adapted to be connected to the sole of the shoe at each of a first side and an opposite side thereof in order to secure said lens means and said base against the heel of the shoe;
and
first and second threaded screws extending through said attachment means for receipt by respective ones of said first and second sides of the sole for connecting said attachment means to the sole and securing said lens means and said base against the heel of the shoe.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.