US2473877A - Luminescent shoe - Google Patents

Description

June 21, 1949.

' I J. GOLDSTEIN INVENTOR. V 6 4 7') 3- 41 HIS ATTORN Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to shoes and to the combination of a shoe used in the proper sense of foot-wear to which phosphorescent or other material or the like is applied. The present invention is particularly applicable to slippers which are frequently placed by the bed side at night and are not readily visible in darkness, when the individual wants to put them on. It is highly useful, not only to see easily such slippers or shoes, but to be able to locate the left and the right and also to put them on without turning on the lights.

The invention has other utilities and is applicable also to shoes to make them visible in the dark. For the purpose of locating the shoes at night to put them on, the phosphorescent area may be placed on the instep of the shoe on the inside in the vicinity of the front portion of the heel. The phosphorescent material may also be so protected that even though the sock bears against it, it will be protected and preserved. The phosphorescent coating may also be placed on the vamp of the shoe on the heel or on the quarter above the heel.

Various constructions illustrating embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a slipper with the phosphorescent material applied on the inside surface.

Figure 2 shows a modification of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a section taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figures 4, 5 and 6, show further modifications of the invention.

In the figures, the phosphorescent or other equivalent material may be formed of some activated metallic salts or such substances as zinc sulphide or sulphides of calcium strontium, cadmium barium or the like to which colored pigment may be added and combined in a lacquer or some plastic or synthetic plastic material, such, for instance, as cellulose acetate, vinyl chloride, or any of the other numerous thermoplastics to which such phosphorescent materials may be added. The phosphorescent material if applied to plastics may be formed in a sheet form and cemented to the shoe. Such an arrangement is shown in Figure 1 where a plastic strip l on the inside of which may be printed a word left or some other indication to indicate that it is the left shoe is applied to the inside of the shoe. Such indication may take the form of an L or an arrow directed inward towards the other foot. This indication is painted or impressed upon the underside of the plastic strip which is sumciently 2 transparent to permit the phosphorescent material to become activated and also to be visible in the darkness.

If desired the strip may be formed of a letter R, L, an arrow or the like and have incorporated in it as part of the plastic filler or part or" the plastic material the activated solid to produce the proper phosphorescent effect. When placed on the inside sock lining or inner sole of the shoe, it is preferable to place it adjacent to the heel pad and instep partially occupying either one or both. If desired, as indicated more readily in Figure 2, the indication may be in the form of a circular disc embedded in the sock lining or inner sole in the heel pad or in the instep or extended partly over both sections. In this case the disc 2 may be placed in a recess so that its top surface is level with the surface of the inner sole or sock lining, and this may be covered, if desired, with a transparent strip of material as indicated at 3 in Figure 3. The phosphorescent disc 2 may carry the imprint of a trade-mark or label of the manufacturer and such other indications as may be desired.

In an arrangement indicated in Figure 4 which shows the invention as applied to a slipper, the slipper may have a cross strip extended diag onally across the vamp as indicated by 5. This strip may be bordered at each side by a phosphorescent border, as, for instance, 6 and I.

In the arrangement of Figure 6, the phosphorescent material may be applied to the quarter as shown in the area 8. This area is very suitable for such material as the counter of the shoe will make the region stiff so that the material will not readily crack or peel off because of flexing or bending the shoe and because also the shoe is visible from behind as one is walking along.

In the arrangement of Figure 5, the phosphorescent material may be applied in strips 9 along the side of the vamp, indicating the opening of the foot and also whether the shoe is left or right because of the direction of the curves and their alignment.

While the term phosphorescent material is used, it is to be understood in a general sense to mean material which may be activated to produce light after the activating source has been removed.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A shoe having a phosphorescent material applied as an integral part of the shoe to the region of the heel pad and visible part of the instep indicating the location where the forward part of the foot may be inserted when stepping into the shoe.

2. A shoe having a phosphorescent material applied as an integral part of the shoe to a visible part thereof providing a left or right indication and indicating in association therewith where the forward part of the foot may be inserted when stepping into the shoe.

3. A shoe having a phosphorescent material applied as an integral" part of the shoe to a visible part thereof" indicating in association therewith where the foot is to be inserted.

4. A shoe having a phosphorescent material" applied as an integral part of the shoe toa strip diagonally across the vamp surface, forward of the throat of the vamp for indicatingin associ ation with said throat where theafoot is to be-v inserted when putting on the shoe.

5. A shoe having a phosphorescent material applied as an integral part of the shoe in strips beginningattheuppen edgaofthe vamp and ex:-; tending: inv successive elongated. curves alongv the side section of the vamp forward ofthe. throat of: the vamp for indicating. in' association with said;throat.where thefoot is to' be inserted when putting; on the -.shoe.-

6. A. shoe: having. a phosphorescent. material applied aszan'. integral part. of. the shoe comprising a plastic; sheet having phosphorescent materialtherein, andmeanszapplying said sheet to the instep/ofv the; shoe; near the heel pad incli-- eating thelocation where-the forward part of the.

foot maybe: insertedwhen stepping into the shoe.

7. A. shoe having a phosphorescent material" applied as an integralpart of the shoe comprising. a translucentplastic sheet. having phosphorescent material applied on: one side thereof and means securing said sheetv to the instep of the shoe with the phosphorescent material on the under side thereof indicating the location where the forward part of the foot may be inserted when stepping into the shoe.

8. A shoe having a phosphorescent material applied as an integral part of the shoe comprising a translucent plastic sheet having phosphoresce-nt material applied on one side thereof, the instep of the shoe near the heel pad being slightly recessed to receive the plastic sheet making the: upper surface: thereof level with the surface of" the' instep and means" securing said sheet to the instep of the shoe with the phosphorescent material on the underside of the sheet-whereby the position of said phosphorescent material will indicate the location where the forward part of-the foot may be inserted when stepping. into. the. shoe.-

JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of" this patent:

UNITED STATES: PATENTS Number Name I Date 1 1,291,739 Booth Jan. 2 1, 1919* 1,321,024 Frank- Novz 4, 1919* 1,349,396 VanCl-ifi Aug. 1-0, 1920' 1,467,132 Bilst'eih- Sept. 4; 192(3 1,630,730 Daugherty-* May 31, 1927 2,290,690"- Lehman July'21, 1942 2,310,740 Leavy Feb. 9, 1943" 2,341,009 Axelra'd Feb. 8, 1944 OTHER. REFERENCES.

Luminescence of. Liquids: and: Solids. by Pa. Pringsheim and: M. Vogel Interscience' Publishers

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