Footwear

Abstract

In a first broad form, the present invention provides an apparatus for use with a shoe having a sole, the apparatus including: at least one display adapted for mounting on a surface of the shoe; and a means of adjusting the at least one display between at least a first and a second colour state.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to the field of footwear and, in particular, relates to the field of sporting and / or recreational type footwear.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The soles of shoes tend to wear out over time as they are used. However, such deterioration is not always readily apparent to the user by visual inspection, and as such, the user may inadvertently continue to use the shoe which may be detrimental to the user's physical well-being.[0003]In particular, the failure to replace a shoe once its cushioning capacity has deteriorated to a potentially harmful extent, may result in excessive stress being transferred to the user's joints by continual use of the worn out shoe.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION[0004]The present invention seeks to alleviate at least one of the problems discussed above in relation to the prior art.[0005]The present invention involves several different broad forms. Embodiments of the invention may include one or any combination of th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]Typically, the ECP display includes a polymer material that is adapted to change colour when a charge is applied to the polymer material. Advantageously, ECP displays tend to be flexible and resilient such that they lend themselves to be integrated into the structure of a shoe. In contrast, prior art displays such as LCD displays tend to be relatively rigid, prone to damage, and / or relatively inflexible in terms of being integrated into a surface of the prior art shoe. A further advantage in the use of an ECP-type display in contrast to that of an LCD or LED type display is that a constant electrical signal does not need to be applied to the ECP display in order for it to retain its colour state.

[0057]Typically, the present invention includes a colour detection device for detecting a colour characteristic of the adjacent environment relative to the shoe in use. For instance, this may include a colourimeter device, a “light wand”, or the like. Typically, the colourimeter may provide an output signal to the processor which in turn may output a control signal to the display which instructs the display to adjust to a colour state which approximates the detected colour characteristic. Advantageously, the ability of the display to adaptively change to a colour state which approximates a colour characteristic of the surroundings may assist the shoe in being camouflaged within its surroundings. Typically, in this type of application, a plurality of displays may be disposed upon the shoe surface so as to substantially cover the shoe surface. This may for instance be particularly useful as an application for combat-related footwear where the ability to “blend in” to surroundings may be crucial. Alternatively, the “camouflaging” ability of the present invention may also be advantageous in a civilian capacity whereby the shoe may be adapted to change colour to match any number of coloured outfits which may be worn by the user.

[0071]In certain embodiments of the present invention, the processing device may be programmed to provide the user with an option of selecting a particular operating format from a series of pre-defined operating formats wherein each of the pre-defined operating formats may be adapted to suit a particular class of user. For instance a first operating format may adapted to suit users falling within a relatively light weight range of between 50-65 Kg whilst a second operating format may be adapted to suit users falling within a relatively heavier weight range of between 66-85 Kg and so on. In respect to the first operating format, the predetermined threshold value against which deterioration of the shoe's cushioning capacity is compared may be set at a higher level taking into account that the relatively lower weight range of the user may result in a prolonged cushioning life of the sole throughout its use. Conversely, where the second operating format is selected, the predetermined threshold value against which deterioration of the shoe's cushioning capacity is compared, may typically be set at a relatively lower level in view of the relatively shorter cushioning life expectancy of the sole throughout its use. User selection of a particular operating format may be facilitated by having the options displayed to the user, for instance, in the form of an interactive menu displayed on GUI of the user control device.

[0074]Advantageously, by providing the user with a means of selecting a more suitable operating format to suit his or her needs, this may allow greater flexibility in the commercialisation of the present invention in that a single shoe may be able to accommodate a broader cross-section of the market.

Problems solved by technology

The soles of shoes tend to wear out over time as they are used.

However, such deterioration is not always readily apparent to the user by visual inspection, and as such, the user may inadvertently continue to use the shoe which may be detrimental to the user's physical well-being.

In particular, the failure to replace a shoe once its cushioning capacity has deteriorated to a potentially harmful extent, may result in excessive stress being transferred to the user's joints by continual use of the worn out shoe.

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