Description:The following specification describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be designed:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of agricultural spraying systems, specifically to a novel footwear-operated foliar spray system. This system provides an economical, energy-independent, and user-friendly alternative to conventional handheld pump sprayers. Unlike traditional systems, where pressure is manually generated using a hand-operated lever, this invention incorporates a pumping mechanism within the footwear sole that utilizes the natural walking motion (GAIT cycle) of the user to generate and maintain air pressure in the foliar spray tank. This innovation eliminates the need for manual pumping, reducing operator fatigue and increasing efficiency during spraying operations. The invention is particularly advantageous for small and marginal farmers, offering a low-cost and hands-free solution for field spraying applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional foliar spraying systems require manual operation of a pump handle to generate pressure within the foliar spray tank. This process can be physically demanding and inefficient, especially during prolonged use in agricultural fields. To overcome this challenge, the present invention proposes a footwear-based pumping system integrated into a specially designed shoe. The footwear features an embedded air bladder within the sole, sealed with a flexible diaphragm. This air bladder is calibrated to respond to the pressure exerted during a typical human gait cycle. As the operator walks, the system compresses and decompresses the air bladder in a controlled manner, thereby generating and sustaining the required air pressure within the foliar spray tank. This continuous pressure maintenance allows for consistent spraying without the need for manual intervention, improving ease of use and overall spraying productivity.
OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a footwear-operated foliar spray system that eliminates the need for manual hand-pumping, thereby reducing physical effort and operator fatigue during agricultural spraying operations.
Additional objectives of the invention include:
• To utilize the natural walking motion (GAIT cycle) of the operator to generate and maintain air pressure in the foliar spray tank, ensuring continuous and uniform spraying.
• To develop a low-maintenance and efficient alternative to conventional handheld or motorized sprayers, particularly beneficial for small and marginal farmers.
• To design an integrated air compression mechanism within the footwear sole, consisting of an air bladder and diaphragm, calibrated to operate effectively with typical human gait cycles.
• To enhance user convenience and operational safety by offering a hands-free spraying method, thereby allowing the operator to focus on direction and coverage.
• To provide a low-maintenance solution that does not rely on external power sources such as batteries or fuel.
• To enable portability and ease of use, making the system adaptable for use in various types of terrains and crop conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a footwear-operated foliar spray system that provides an efficient and user-friendly alternative to conventional manual or motorized sprayers used in agriculture. In one embodiment of the invention, the system comprises a specially designed footwear integrated with an air compression mechanism, which includes an air bladder embedded within the sole and sealed with a flexible diaphragm. The said air bladder is configured to compress and decompress in accordance with the user’s natural walking motion (gait cycle), thereby generating air pressure. The generated air pressure is transferred through a connecting tube to a foliar spray tank. The pressure buildup inside the foliar spray tank facilitates the spraying of liquid through a nozzle without the need for manual hand pumping or an external power source. The footwear-based design allows continuous and automatic pressure generation during walking, ensuring uniform spraying with minimal physical effort. The system is portable, low-maintenance, and particularly beneficial for small and marginal farmers, providing a sustainable and convenient solution for foliar application in agricultural fields for fertilizer spray, sanitization, pesticides, medical disinfectants. The invention overcomes the limitations of existing manual sprayers by integrating the pumping action into the operator's gait, thereby reducing fatigue and improving operational efficiency. In one embodiment, a cylindrical-shaped diaphragm is installed in the heel, heel-to-midfoot, or forefoot region of both shoes, depending on the design embodiment, which gets compressed as the operator walks and continuously transfers air through a connecting pipe into the foliar tank. To ensure that the pressure in the foliar spray tank does not exceed the required limit, a pressure release valve is installed on the foliar spray tank.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1: Isometric view of footwear-operated foliar spray system
Figure 2: Left side cut-section view of footwear with integrated air bladder.
Figure 3: Working mechanism of footwear-operated foliar spray system during one GAIT cycle.
Figure 4: Isometric view of foliar spray tank
Figure 5: Isometric view of spray gun
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The footwear-operated foliar spray system (100) provides an economical, simple, and effective solution for agricultural spraying. In conventional hand-operated foliar sprayers, an operator must use a hand-operated lever to pressurize the foliar spray tank, which is tiring and relatively difficult to operate.
To address this issue, the present design (100) integrates an air bladder (204) fabricated from elastomeric material preferably made of silicon rubber or thermoplastic elastomers into the sole of a footwear (207). The air bladder is placed from heel to midfoot region. The internal volume of this air bladder is approximately 193 cm³. Two pipes are connected to this air bladder —one for air intake (203) and another for air output (205). Each pipe is equipped with a one-way air flow valve, labeled (202) and (206) respectively, to control the direction of airflow.
Atmospheric air enters the concealed air bladder (204) through the intake valve (202) via the intake pipe (203), and is subsequently transferred to the foliar spray tank (400) through the output pipe (205) and outlet valve (206). In one embodiment, footwear of size 8 (UK) was utilized for prototyping, though the invention is not limited by shoe size. The transfer of atmospheric air from the air bladder to the foliar spray tank is driven by the natural walking movement (300) of the operator. A gait cycle is defined as the interval between the initial heel strike of one foot and the next heel strike of the same foot.
During walking, the movement of the air bladder drives air through the system. On initial heel strike (301), the air is pushed toward the outlet channel (302). When the foot is in the resting position (303), the air bladder has fully compressed and expelled its air. As the foot is lifted off the ground, the air bladder expands (304), drawing in atmospheric air via the air inlet channel and inlet opening (305), refilling the bladder for the next cycle.
Under normal walking conditions, the average gait cycle duration is approximately 1.0 to 1.2 seconds. During regular walking, the combined air bladders integrated into both shoes displace around 390 cm³ of air into the foliar spray tank every 1.2 to 1.3 seconds.
A 15-liter capacity foliar spray tank (400) is connected with output channel pipe (403). The spraying liquid is filled into the foliar spray tank through the airtight lid (401) provided at the top of the foliar spray tank. A pressure release check valve (402) is integrated into the foliar spray tank (400). This valve restricts the maximum internal pressure to 4 bar, ensuring operational safety.
In a standard hand-operated agricultural foliar spray system, the foliar spray tank capacity is typically 15 liters, with approximately 5 liters of internal space allocated for air compression. For normal and safe operation, the foliar spray tank is generally pressurized to 3–4 bar. In one embodiment, the combined output of both footwear displaces approximately 360–400 cm³ every 1–1.3 s; consequently, pressurizing the 5 L air space of the foliar spray tank to 3 bar gauge requires roughly 38–54 seconds (typically 40–50 s) under normal walking conditions, assuming no leakage and ideal conditions.
A spray gun (500) is connected to the foliar spray tank through a connecting pipe (102). Once the required pressure is built up, pressing the trigger (501) sprays the mist formed inside the foliar tank through the nozzle (502).
9–10 gait cycles (~10–12 seconds) are sufficient to initiate spraying at low pressure, while achieving 3 bar gauge requires approximately 40–50 seconds under normal walking conditions.
The complete design of the footwear-operated foliar spray system, along with all connections, can be seen in the provided diagram (100). In this system, both the left and right footwear are connected to the foliar tank through output pipes (101). During normal walking, air is compressed into the foliar tank through these connections. The fully wearable foot-operated foliar spray system, as worn by the operator, is illustrated in diagram (103).

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
• Eliminates the need for manual hand-pumping.
• Utilizes the natural human gait cycle to generate and maintain pressure.
• Provides safe operation with an automatic pressure release valve to limit pressure.
• Wearable design adaptable for varied terrains and agricultural field conditions.
• Operates without reliance on external energy sources such as batteries or fuel.
, C , Claims:We Claim:
1. A footwear-operated foliar spray system comprising:
a) at least one footwear having a sole;
b) an air bladder integrated within said sole, the bladder being sealed with a flexible diaphragm and configured to compress and decompress in response to pressure applied during a user’s gait cycle;
c) at least one intake valve permitting entry of atmospheric air into the air bladder during expansion;
d) at least one outlet valve and outlet channel permitting compressed air to flow from the air bladder to a foliar spray tank;
e) a foliar spray tank adapted to receive and store said compressed air along with a liquid spraying solution; and
f) a spray gun connected to the foliar spray tank, wherein the compressed air generated by the user’s gait cycle maintains pressure in the foliar spray tank sufficient to spray the liquid through the spray gun nozzle without manual pumping or external power.

2. The footwear-operated foliar spray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air bladder is positioned in the heel region, extends from heel to midfoot, or forefoot region of the footwear sole.

3. The footwear-operated foliar spray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the volume of the air bladder is in the range of 150–250 cm³, preferably about 193 cm³.

4. The footwear-operated foliar spray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the footwear pair comprises two air bladders, one in each shoe, connected in parallel to the foliar spray tank for enhanced airflow.

5. The footwear-operated foliar spray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foliar spray tank has a capacity between 10–20 liters, preferably 15 liters, and is equipped with a pressure release valve limiting maximum pressure to about 4 bar.
6. The footwear-operated foliar spray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spray gun comprises a trigger-actuated nozzle adapted to deliver a fine mist.

7. The footwear-operated foliar spray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is made of elastomeric material selected from natural rubber, silicone rubber, or thermoplastic elastomers.

8. The footwear-operated foliar spray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein 9–10 gait cycles of the user generate sufficient pressure in the foliar spray tank for initiating spraying.

9. The footwear-operated foliar spray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foliar spray tank is adapted as a backpack or waist-mounted container for operator convenience.

10. The footwear-operated foliar spray system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a safety valve or automatic pressure limiter to prevent over-pressurization.

11. A method of operating a footwear-operated foliar spray system comprising the steps of:
a) compressing an air bladder embedded in a footwear sole during a user’s gait cycle;
b) directing compressed air through an outlet valve into a foliar spray tank;
c) building pressure within the foliar spray tank; and
d) spraying a liquid solution through a nozzle using the built-up pressure.