Products incorporating piezoelectric material

Claim 2

A shoe that lights, comprising a sole; pressure sensor means incorporated within the sole comprising piezoelectric material for generating trigger signals upon application of pressure to the material, the sole imparting pressure to the material when impressed against a surface; a light emitting diode (LED); power means for powering the LED; monstable multivibrator circuit means interconnecting the pressure sensor means, the LED and the power means, wherein the circuit means responds to the trigger signals to control the power means to power the LED in response to the pressure imparted by the sole on the material; wherein the circuit means comprises input means for accepting the trigger signals from the pressure sensor means and transmitting the trigger signals to the circuit means, the input means including sensitivity resistive means across which the trigger signals are applied for controlling the sensitivity of the piezoelectric material; output leads for transmitting a signal generated by the circuit means to the LED, including a first resistive means for limiting the current through the LED; a second resistive means coupled with a capacitive means to form a resistive-capacitive (R-C) combination timing means for determining the length of time the signal is generated by circuit means; and means for applying the voltage developed across the capacitive means of the R-C timing circuit means to the input of the monostable multivibrator circuit means.

Claim 3

The shoe of claim 1, wherein the LED is positioned at the rear of the shoe and is visible from behind the shoe.

Claim 4

The shoe of claim 1, wherein the LED is positioned within the shoe and includes optic fibers leading from the LED to the outside of the shoe to conduct light from the LED to the outside of the shoe.

Claim 5

The shoe of claim 3, wherein the optic fibers include a plurality of notches for permitting the emission of light therefrom.

Claim 6

The shoe of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor means comprises a plurality of pressure sensors.

Claim 7

The shoe of claim 1, wherein the output means comprises a plurality of LEDs.

Claim 8

The shoe of claim 6, wherein the plurality of LED's are arranged sequentially in the upper of the shoe to form a bar graph display of information produced by the pressure sensor means and the circuit means.

Claim 9

The shoe of claim 7, wherein the circuit means comprises a microprocessor means to provide preprogrammed control of the plurality of LEDs.

Claim 10

A lighted shoe comprising a sole; pressure sensor means incorporated within the sole comprising a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymeric piezoelectric material for generating trigger signals upon application of pressure to the material; the sole imparting pressure to the material when impressed against a surface; a light emitting diode (LED); a battery for powering the LED; a monostable multivibrator circuit means interconnecting the pressure sensor means, the LED and the battery, wherein the circuit means responds to the trigger signals to control the battery to power the LED in response to the pressure imparted by the sole on the material; wherein the circuit means comprises input means for accepting the trigger signals from the pressure sensor means and transmitting the trigger signals to the circuit means, the input means including a sensitivity resistive means across which the trigger signals are applied; output leads for transmitting a signal generated by the circuit means to the LED, including a first resistive means for limiting the current through the LED; a second resistive means coupled with a capacitive means to form a resistive-capacitive (R-C) combination timing means for determining the length of time the signal is generated by the circuit means; means for applying the voltage developed across the capacitive means of the R-C timing circuit means to the input of the monostable multivibrator circuit means; a sealed capsule incorporated within the sole for encapsulating the battery and circuit means, the capsule comprising a base having a cylindrical portion and a lip thereon; a lower sealing ring sized to receive the cylindrical portion of the base and to coact with the lip; means for releasable accepting leads from the pressure sensor means; an upper sealing ring sized to receive the cylindrical portion of the base, the upper sealing ring and the lower sealing ring co-acting to position and hold leads from the pressure sensor means and the LED and to seal the capsule; circuit board means for supporting the circuit means, the circuit board means sized to be accepted within the cylindrical portion of the base, the circuit board means being in electrical contact with the leads and the battery; the battery sized to be received within the cylindrical portion of the base, the battery being in electrical contact with the circuit means on the circuit board means; a contact spring means positioned within the cylindrical portion of the base, one end of the contact spring means contacting the negative terminal of one battery and the other end contacting the circuit means on the circuit board means; and a cap threadably attachable to the base, the cap and the base co-acting to close and seal the capsule.

Claim 11

A lighted shoe comprising a sole; pressure sensor means incorporated within the sole comprising a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymeric piezoelectric material for generating trigger signals upon application of pressure to the material; the sole imparting pressure to the material when impressed against a surface; a light emitting diode (LED); a battery for powering the LED; a monostable multivibrator circuit means interconnecting the pressure sensor means, the LED and the battery, wherein the circuit means responds to the trigger signals to control the battery to power the LED in response to the pressure imparted by the sole on the material; wherein the circuit means comprises input means for accepting the trigger signals from the pressure sensor means and transmitting the trigger signals to the circuit means, the input means including a sensitivity resistive means across which the trigger signals are applied; output leads for transmitting a signal generated by the circuit means to the LED, including a first resistive means for limiting the current through the LED; a second resistive means coupled with a capacitive means to form a resistive-capacitive (R-C) combination timing means for determining the length of time the signal is generated by the circuit means; means for applying the voltage developed across the capacitive means of the R-C timing circuit means to the input of the monostable multivibrator circuit means; a sealed capsule incorporated within the sole for encapsulating the battery and circuit means, the capsule comprising a base having a cylindrical portion and a lip thereon; a lower sealing ring sized to receive the cylindrical portion of the base and to coact with the lip; means for releasable accepting leads from the pressure sensor means; an upper sealing ring sized to receive the cylindrical portion of the base, the upper sealing ring and the lower sealing ring co-acting to position and hold leads from the pressure sensor means and the LED and to seal the capsule; circuit board means for supporting the circuit means, the circuit board means sized to be accepted within the cylindrical portion of the base, the circuit board means being in electrical contact with the leads and the battery; the battery sized to be received within the cylindrical portion of the base, the battery being in electrical contact with the circuit means on the circuit board means; a contact spring means positioned within the cylindrical portion of the base, one end of the contact spring means contacting the negative terminal of one battery and the other end contacting the circuit means on the circuit board means; and a cap threadably attachable to the base, the cap and the base co-acting to close and seal the capsule.