# US 5,704,705 A · Shoe with an EL light strip > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,705 A - Document ID: US5704705A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/712,484 - Filed: 1996-09-11 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1994-04-12 - Inventors: Tseng-Lu Chien - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704705A ## CPC - A43B 3/36: with light sources - A43B 1/0036: {with fluorescent or phosphorescent parts} - A43B 1/0054: {provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances} - A43B 1/0072: {made at least partially of transparent or translucent materials} - A43B 3/34: with electrical or electronic arrangements - A43B 3/38: with power sources - H05B 33/02: Details - Y10S 362/802: Position or condition responsive switch - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A lighted shoes having a EL light strip incorporated with D.C. power battery, circuit, function interface, transformer. The EL light strip can put inside of transparent parts of heel or/fix on the shoes surface to get bright light for dark environment application. The flexible strip have transformer to convert the D.C. power into certain specification of A.C. electric pulse to trigger the light strip for illumination. ## Claims ### Claim 1 In a shoe, comprising: a shoe bottom; an upper shoe surface connected to the shoe bottom; a lighting arrangement; and a DC power supply; the improvement comprising: an EL strip; means including a DC-AC converter connected to the DC power supply for converting direct current supplied by the DC power supply into an alternating current having a frequency capable of activating the EL strip; a function interface connected between the DC-AC converter and the EL strip; a switch for controllably disconnecting the EL strip from the power supply; and means including a hollow transparent shoe heel fixed in the shoe bottom for enclosing the EL strip, DC power supply, the DC-AC converter, the function interface, and the switch within the shoe bottom, wherein the EL strip is located in a relatively outer portion of the hollow transparent shoe heel and the DC power supply, the circuit, the function interface, and the switch are located in a relatively inner portion of the hollow transparent shoe heel so that light emitted from the EL strip is visible from a periphery of the hollow transparent shoe heel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the EL strip is enclosed in a soft transparent sleeve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transparent sleeve has transparent ink screen-printed thereon. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transparent sleeve has non-transparent ink screen-printed thereon. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additional EL strips of different colors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch is a mechanical switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch is an electrical switch. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means including a transformer for converting the DC power to a signal having a predetermined voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function interface includes means for providing pulse signals to the EL strip in order to provide special effects selected from the group consisting of random flashing, and steady state, chasing, sequential and fade in-out effects. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the EL strip attaching means comprises double-sided tape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch is selected from the group consisting of a tilt-sensitive switch, a vibration-sensitive switch, a motion-sensitive switch, a photosensitive switch, and a heat-sensitive switch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, further comprising means including glue for fixing the hollow transparent shoe heel in the shoe bottom. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, further comprising means including double-sided adhesive tape for fixing the transparent shoe heel in the shoe bottom. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of solid supports formed in the hollow transparent shoe heel for strengthening the hollow transparent shoe heel. ### Claim 15 In a shoe, comprising: a shoe bottom; an upper shoe surface connected to the shoe bottom; a lighting arrangement; and a DC power supply; the improvement wherein: the lighting arrangement is an EL strip, the shoe bottom is a transparent shoe bottom, and the EL strip is substantially fixed along a contour of the transparent shoe bottom and light emitted from the EL strip is visible through the contour of the transparent shoe bottom. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, wherein the EL strip is enclosed in a soft transparent sleeve. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A shoe as claimed in claim 16, wherein the transparent sleeve has transparent ink screen-printed thereon. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A shoe as claimed in claim 16, wherein the transparent sleeve has non-transparent ink screen-printed thereon. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a plurality of additional EL strips of different colors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, wherein the switch is a mechanical switch. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, wherein the switch is an electrical switch. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, further comprising means including a transformer for converting the DC power to a signal having a predetermined voltage. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, wherein the function interface includes means for providing pulse signals to the EL strip in order to provide special effects selected from the group consisting of random flashing, and steady state, chasing, sequential and fade in-out effects. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, wherein the EL strip attaching means comprises double-sided tape. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, further comprising an outside housing connected to the upper shoe surface for receiving at least one of the DC power supply, the circuit, the function interface, and the switch. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, wherein the switch is selected from the group consisting of a tilt-sensitive switch, a vibration-sensitive switch, a motion-sensitive switch, a photosensitive switch, and a heat-sensitive switch. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) A shoe as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a plurality of solid supports formed in the shoe bottom for strengthening the hollow transparent shoe heel.