Footwear having a lighted toe portion

Abstract

Shoes having a lighted toe portion are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a lighted shoe includes a toe cap having plurality of molded toes and corresponding toenail portions. A plurality of lights can be positioned adjacent to corresponding toenail portions and emit light through the toenail portions.

I/we claim: 
     
         1 . A shoe, comprising:
 a toe portion having a plurality of molded toes, wherein individual molded toes include corresponding toenail portions; and   a plurality of lights, wherein individual lights are positioned adjacent corresponding toenail portions.   
     
     
         2 . The lighted shoe of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of molded toes are shaped to correspond to toes of a foot having a size corresponding to the shoe. 
     
     
         3 . The lighted shoe of  claim 1  wherein the toenail portions are translucent. 
     
     
         4 . The lighted shoe of  claim 3  wherein the toenail portions are paintable to alter a color of light emitted via the lights. 
     
     
         5 . The lighted shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising means for activating the lights. 
     
     
         6 . The lighted shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller having computer readable media storing instructions for flashing the lights in a sequence. 
     
     
         7 . The lighted shoe of  claim 6  wherein the sequence is a first sequence, and wherein the instructions flash the lights in the first sequence followed by a second sequence, different than the first sequence. 
     
     
         8 . A lighted shoe, comprising:
 a molded toe cap having a plurality of molded toes;   a plurality of at least partially transparent toenails, individual toenails positioned on corresponding individual toes;   a plurality of lights, individual lights positioned adjacent corresponding toenails; and   a controller operably coupled to the plurality of lights, wherein the controller is configured to activate the lights.   
     
     
         9 . The lighted shoe of  claim 8  wherein the controller is further configured to activate the lights in a sequence. 
     
     
         10 . The lighted shoe of  claim 8  wherein the toenails are paintable to alter a color of light emitted via the lights. 
     
     
         11 . The lighted shoe of  claim 8  wherein the molded toes are shaped to represent human toes of sizes corresponding to a foot matching a size of the shoe. 
     
     
         12 . The lighted shoe of  claim 8  wherein individual lights are configured to vary a color of emitted light. 
     
     
         13 . The lighted shoe of  claim 8  wherein the controller includes a memory storing instructions for flashing the lights in a series of sequences. 
     
     
         14 . The lighted shoe of  claim 8  wherein the toenails are paintable with an at least partially transparent toenail polish, and wherein the lights are positioned to emit light through the toenails and the toenail polish. 
     
     
         15 . A method for making a lighted shoe, the method comprising:
 forming a base portion;   forming a toecap having a plurality of molded toes, wherein individual toes include corresponding toenail portions, and wherein the toenail portions are at least partially transparent;   positioning a plurality of lights within the toecap, individual lights positioned adjacent to corresponding toenail portions; and   electrically coupling a controller to the plurality of lights, wherein the controller is configured to control activation of the lights to emit light through the toenail portions.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising programming the controller to activate the lights to emit a series of sequences of flashes. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising instructing the application of toenail polish to the toenail portions. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming the plurality of molded toes includes forming the individual toes to correspond to individual toes of a foot having a size corresponding to the shoe. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising programming the controller to activate the lights to emit a plurality of colors of lights. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising positioning a kinetic switch to activate the plurality of lights.