Shoe with luminous effect

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe with luminous effect.

[0002] Rain boots, particularly but not exclusively for children, are currently known which in order to stimulate the interest of the potential buyer and to respond to the requirements of fashion are marketed in different colors or with particular decorations.

[0003] Shoes, particularly sports or casual shoes for children, are also known which have a particular luminous effect due to the propagation of light outside the sole.

[0004] This effect is due to the presence of lights, typically of the LED type, which are connected to a battery-based power source inserted manually in the sole of the shoe, usually under the insole, in a seat provided as a consequence of the molding of the sole or of the shoe proper and covered by the insole.

[0005] This type of shoe suffers drawbacks.

[0006] The LED-based luminous device in fact can be easily reached and tampered with and therefore can be dangerous especially for children.

[0007] Moreover, a luminous device inserted in the manner described above in the shoe is not perfectly waterproofed, since it can be subject to moisture due to perspiration of the foot or infiltrations of water. Consequently, the noxious substances contained in less than perfectly insulated batteries may propagate until they make contact with the foot.

[0008] US 2007/0205535 A1 discloses a method of injection molding an article of footwear with a flashing circuit capsule in the heel thereof. The article of footwear comprises an upper and a sole interconnected by an injection molded vamp. The heel is injection molded with a transluscent PVC material whereby light emitting diodes (LEDs), when generating light beams, are visible through the heel. A vibration actuated circuit capsule including LEDs is encapsulated in a clear plastic material. The encapsulated circuit module is positioned within a capsule locating cavity of an injection molded sole. A sock upper is injection molded to the peripheral side wall of the sole at the same time as the vamp cavity and upper last cavity together with capsule sealing cavity arranged at the heel of the sole.

[0009] The aim of the present invention is to provide a shoe with a particular luminous effect that is due to the presence of a lighting device that is installed in the sole and not removable, particularly by children, ensuring higher safety levels than shoes of the known type.

[0010] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a shoe with luminous effect wherein the lighting device be insulated in a waterproof manner, preserving its operation and ensuring higher levels of safety for the health of the user.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to propose a shoe with luminous effect that is structurally simple and can be manufactured with known technologies and with low costs.

[0012] In accordance with the invention, there is provided a shoe with luminous effect as defined in the appended claims.

[0013] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the shoe, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of the shoe according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the shoe according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a part of the shoe according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of another part of the shoe according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of another shoe model according to the invention.

[0014] With reference to the figures, the shoe according to the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and in the illustrated example consists of a rain boot for children.

[0015] Figures 3 and 4 show two corresponding halves of a shoe 10 shown in cross-section.

[0016] By viewing Figure 3, it is evident that a lighting device 11, enclosed in a protective sealing enclosure 14 embedded in the plastic material of a sole part 12 that is permeable to light, is part of the shoe 10.

[0017] The lighting device 11 is of the LED type and operation depends on vibrations which, transmitted during walking, light the LEDs.

[0018] The sole 13 of the shoe 10 is made of plastic material and in particular the sole part 12 is advantageously overmolded on the lighting device 11 enclosed in the protective enclosure 14.

[0019] Conveniently, the protective enclosure 14 is transparent and resistant to pressure and to the injection-molding temperature. The protective enclosure 14 is made of transparent plastic material and can be replaced equivalently with a container having the same characteristics.

[0020] In greater detail, the lighting device 11 has a central body 15 around which LEDs 16 are arranged and is overmolded with the material of an insole 17 of the sole 13, except for the regions in which the LEDs 16 are present, being accommodated in a seat 18 that lies below the insole 17 and is integral therewith. The seat 18 therefore is provided in one piece with the insole 17 during the same injection molding step. In particular, the lighting device 11 is arranged conveniently in the heel region, where the thickness of the sole part 12 is greater and the sole 13 does not flex while walking.

[0021] The sole part 12 is overmolded on the insole 17, wrapping around the seat 18, and in this manner the lighting device 11 is substantially immersed in the sole part 12.

[0022] As an alternative, the shoe 10 can be manufactured by overmolding the insole 17 on the sole part 12.

[0023] As shown clearly in Figure 4, the seat 18 is provided with openings 19. Said openings are four in number, i.e., the two shown in the figure and two more on the other shoe half 10 shown in Figure 3, in which they are not visible because they are covered by the lighting device 11.

[0024] Protrusions 20 of the central body 15 protrude from the openings 19, are mutually equidistant and support the LEDs 16. Such LEDs are arranged advantageously substantially on four opposite corners in order to obtain a substantially uniform light distribution within the sole part 12.

[0025] The insole 17 is provided in one piece with the upper 21 of the shoe 10, which thus comprises, in the illustrated example, also the quarter of the boot, since they are provided in a single injection-molding step and in a single mold.

[0026] As an alternative, only the lower part of the upper can be injection-molded and portions of quarter made of other materials can be sewn thereto, as occurs for example in après-ski boots.

[0027] The sole part 12 is instead overmolded on the insole 17, with the seat 18 integral therewith (as already anticipated, as an alternative the insole 17 can be overmolded on the sole part 12) and on a tread 22 and conveniently is made of a single plastic material that makes it entirely permeable to light. In the illustrated example, it in fact constitutes the midsole of the shoe 10; however, in other models it can constitute only a portion thereof that is permeable to light at the heel.

[0028] Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of another rain boot model, in which the sole part 12 that is permeable to light, in this case also the midsole, is less covered by the tread 22 than the previous example, the bottom plan view of which is shown in Figure 2.

[0029] Operation of the boot according to the invention is as follows.

[0030] The lighting device 11 is sensitive to the vibrations transmitted by walking, which therefore light the LEDs 16. Even with small movements of the foot, the lighting device 11 emits intermittent light beams.

[0031] The particular shape of the lighting device 11 allows to distribute the light within the sole part 12 in a substantially uniform manner in all directions.

[0032] The example shown describes and illustrates a rain boot, but the same inventive concept can be applied for the production of footwear in general, such as also mules, shoes and après-ski boots.

[0033] It should be noted that following the overmoldings, the tread, the sole part or midsole, and the insole are mutually associated so as to constitute the sole substantially in one piece, completely insulating the lighting device embedded therein.

[0034] In this manner, the possibility that infiltrations of water or sweat might reach the lighting device, compromising its operation or causing the propagation of noxious substances contained in the batteries, or that the device is tampered with, is excluded.

[0035] The lighting device in fact can be reached only after destroying the shoe.

[0036] In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, since by achieving perfect insulation of the lighting device it ensures higher safety levels than shoes of the known type, especially for children, in addition to making it impermeable, preserving its operation.

[0037] Another advantage of the shoe according to the invention is that it achieves diffuse lighting of the sole part, visible from the outside by way of the particular arrangement of the LEDs in the lighting device, which achieves a new particular luminous effect that is capable of stimulating the interest and curiosity of the potential buyer also for rain boots or for apres-ski boots.

[0038] Moreover, the shoe is structurally simple and can be manufactured with known technologies and with low costs. During the production of the shoe, the lighting device is in fact inserted directly in the mold, with a lower labor cost.

[0039] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims.

[0040] In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art. This application claims priority of the Italian Patent Application No. PD2013A000307.

[0041] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A shoe (10) with luminous effect, comprising a lighting device (11) which is enclosed in a protective sealing enclosure (14) that is embedded in the plastic material of a sole part (12) that is at least partially permeable to light and at least partially visible from the outside, said lighting device (11) being provided with a central body (15), around which LEDs (16) are arranged, and is overmolded with the material of an insole (17), except for the regions in which said LEDs (16) are located, being accommodated in a seat (18) that lies below said insole (17) and is integral therewith, said sole part (12) wrapping around said seat (18).

2. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said seat (18) is provided with openings (19) from which protrusions (20) of said central body (15) protrude which are mutually equidistant and support said LEDs (16).

3. The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said insole (17) is provided in one piece with an upper (21) of said shoe (10), said insole (17) and said upper (21) being provided in a single step of injection of plastic material.

4. The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sole part (12) is overmolded on said insole (17), with said seat (18) integral therewith, and on a tread (22).

5. The shoe according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said insole (17) is overmolded on said sole part (12).

Ansprüche

1. Ein Schuh (10) mit Lichteffekt, der eine Beleuchtungsvorrichtung (11) umfasst, die in ein abdichtendes Schutzgehäuse (14) eingeschlossen ist, welches in das Kunststoffmaterial eines Sohlenteils (12) eingebettet ist, welches zumindest teilweise lichtdurchlässig und zumindest teilweise von außen sichtbar ist, wobei die Beleuchtungsvorrichtung (11) mit einem zentralen Körper (15) ausgestattet ist, um den herum LEDs (16) angeordnet sind, und mit dem Material einer Brandsohle (17) überspritzt ist, ausgenommen die Bereiche, in denen sich die LEDs (16) befinden, untergebracht in einem Sitz (18), der unterhalb der Brandsohle (17) liegt und integral damit ist, wobei der Sohlenteil (12) den Sitz (18) umgibt.

2. Der Schuh gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Sitz (18) mit Öffnungen (19) versehen ist, aus denen Vorsprünge (20) des zentralen Körpers (15) herausragen, die äquidistant zueinander sind und die LEDs (16) tragen.

3. Der Schuh gemäß einem oder mehreren der obigen Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Brandsohle (17) einteilig mit einem Schaft (21) des Schuhs (10) ausgebildet ist, wobei die Brandsohle (17) und der Schaft (21) in einem einzigen Schritt des Einspritzens von Kunststoffmaterial geformt werden.

4. Der Schuh gemäß einem oder mehreren der obigen Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Sohlenteil (12) auf die Brandsohle (17), mit dem damit integralen Sitz (18), und auf eine Laufsohle (22) überspritzt ist.

5. Der Schuh gemäß einem oder mehreren der obigen Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Brandsohle (17) auf den Sohlenteil (12) überspritzt ist.

Revendications

1. Chaussure (10) à effet lumineux, comprenant un dispositif d'éclairage (11) qui est enfermé dans une enveloppe de protection étanche (14) qui est noyée dans la matière plastique d'une partie de semelle (12) qui est au moins en partie perméable à la lumière et au moins en partie visible de l'extérieur, ledit dispositif d'éclairage (11) étant pourvu d'un corps central (15), autour duquel sont placées des DEL (16), et est recouvert par le moulage du matériau d'une semelle première (17), sauf les régions dans lesquelles se trouvent lesdites DEL (16), étant logé dans un siège (18) qui se trouve sous ladite semelle première (17) et est intégré à celle-ci, ladite partie de semelle (12) enveloppant ledit siège (18).

2. Chaussure selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que ledit siège (18) est pourvu d'ouvertures (19) par lesquelles des protubérances (20) dudit corps central (15) font saillie, qui sont mutuellement équidistantes et supportent lesdites DEL (16).

3. Chaussure selon l'une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce que ladite semelle première (17) est formée d'un seul tenant avec une tige (21) de ladite chaussure (10), ladite semelle première (17) et ladite tige (21) étant formées en une seule étape d'injection de matière plastique.

4. Chaussure selon l'une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce que ladite partie de semelle (12) est moulée sur ladite semelle première (17), avec ledit siège (18) intégré à celle-ci, et sur une semelle (22).

5. Chaussure selon l'une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce que ladite semelle première (17) est moulée sur ladite partie de semelle (12).

Drawing