Flashing shoes

Abstract

Provided is a pair of shoes (e.g., sandals) each comprising a strap formed on a top of a sole, a plurality of light emitting members spaced along the strap, a battery mounted in a compartment of the sole, a switch provided on one side of the sole, and a circuit including the battery, the light emitting members, and the switch. A person wearing the shoes may turn on the switch to enable the circuit for causing the light emitting members to flash continuously in order to warn drivers behind the person.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to shoes and more particularly to such a pair of shoes (e.g., sandals) having flashing capability for increasing walking safety in the night or along a poorly lighted road.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are a wide variety of shoes commercially available. A number of popular types of shoes are sports shoes, jogging shoes, and sandals due to the craze of sports and leisure activity throughout the world. It is not unusual that a pedestrian or a person wearing sports shoes, jogging shoes or sandals walking on the road being hit by a running car from behind, particularly in the night or along a poorly lighted road. Thus, continuing improvements in the exploitation of safety shoes are constantly being sought.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pair of shoes each comprising a sole; a strap formed on a top of the sole; a plurality of light emitting members spaced along the strap; a battery mounted in a compartment of the sole; a switch provided on one side of the sole; and a circuit including the battery, the light emitting members, and the switch, wherein the switch is operative to enable the circuit for causing the light emitting members to flash continuously in order to warn drivers behind a wearer walking in the street. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of flashing shoe according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe being flashed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a shoe (e.g., sandal) 6 constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. The shoe 6 comprises a sole 1, a strap 2 formed of flexible material in the shape of hose, a plurality of light emitting members (e.g., LEDs (light-emitting diodes) or EL (electroluminescent) members) 3 spaced along the strap 2, a battery 4 including two cells 4 coupled in series and received in a bottom compartment of the sole 1, and a switch 5 provided on an inner side of the sole 1. A circuit is formed by the electrically connected cells 4, the light emitting members 3, and the switch 5.

In operation, a person, for example, wearing the sandals walking in the night or along a poorly lighted road, may push or slide the switch 5 to enable the circuit for causing the light emitting members 3 to flash continuously in order to warn drivers behind the person. Note that such flashing mechanisms may be installed in a pair of dancing shoes or the like.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A pair of shoes each comprising:

a sole;

a strap formed on a top of the sole;

a plurality of light emitting members spaced along the strap;

a battery mounted in a compartment of the sole;

a switch provided on one side of the sole; and

a circuit including the battery, the light emitting members, and the switch,

wherein the switch is operative to enable the circuit for causing the light emitting members to flash.

2. The shoes of claim 1, wherein the light emitting members are LEDs or EL members.

3. The shoes of claim 1, wherein the shoes are a pair of sandals.

4. The shoes of claim 1, wherein the shoes are a pair of dancing shoes.