EXERCISE APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME

• US 20110092339A1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey David Stewart
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey David Stewart
• Inventors: Stewart, Jeffrey David
• Granted Patent: US 8,617,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/52
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/18 Resilient soles skating boots provided with resilient means A43B5/1658
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/184 the structure protruding from the outsole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/38 Elevating, i.e. height increasing with elevated heel parts inside A43B7/16; lengthening pieces for natural legs A61F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0046 Details of the support elements or their connection to the exercising apparatus, e.g. adjustment of size or orientation attachments of resisters or weights to the body of the user A63B21/4001; using rollers, wheels, castors or gliding means to be moved over the floor or guide tracks A63B22/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0405 involving a bending of the knee and hip joints simultaneously A63B23/0476 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 25/10 Elastic bouncing shoes fastened to the foot

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes a pair of step-up apparatuses wearable on feet of a user. Each step-up apparatus is configurable between an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration to simulate a selected motion when the user wearing the pair of step-up apparatuses travels by foot. One of the step-up apparatuses moves towards the expanded configuration while the other step-up apparatus moves towards the compressed configuration.

Claims

1-55. -55. (canceled)

56. An exercise footwear apparatus, comprising:

a self-expanding sole assembly movable between an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration, the sole assembly comprising;

a lower sole;

an upper sole movable with respect to the lower sole; and

an expansion mechanism that generates a resistive force to allow the upper sole spaced apart from the lower sole to move towards the lower sole, the expansion mechanism configured to allow the self-expanding sole assembly to begin to collapse an appreciable amount after a user steps onto the self-expanding sole assembly and after a substantial portion of the user'"'"'s weight is supported by the sole assembly, and the expansion mechanism is capable of expanding the sole assembly upon removal of the substantial portion of the user'"'"'s weight without providing any significant propelling force.

57. The exercise footwear apparatus of claim 56, wherein the expansion mechanism includes a delay mechanism configured to delay collapse of the sole assembly until the substantial portion of the user'"'"'s weight is supported by the sole assembly.

58. The exercise footwear apparatus of claim 56, wherein the expansion mechanism has a first state of operation to provide a first rate of collapse and a second state of operation to provide a second rate of collapse after the sole assembly has partially collapsed at the first rate of collapse, the second rate of collapse is substantially greater than the first rate of collapse.

59. The exercise footwear apparatus of claim 56, wherein the expansion mechanism has a first state of operation to provide a first resistive force and a second state of operation to provide a second resistive force, the first resistive force is different from the second resistive force.

60. The exercise footwear apparatus of claim 56, further comprising:

a sensor; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller commands the expansion mechanism based on at least one signal from the sensor so as to delay collapse of the sole assembly at least until the substantial portion of the user'"'"'s weight is supported by the sole assembly.

61. The exercise footwear apparatus of claim 56, further comprising a controller configured to command the expansion mechanism to substantially prevent any appreciable collapsing of the sole assembly for a period of time.

62. The exercise footwear apparatus of claim 56, wherein the exercise footwear apparatus has a locked state to keep the self-expanding sole assembly in the compressed configuration.

63. The exercise footwear apparatus of claim 56, wherein the expansion mechanism does not expand to provide any appreciable propelling force as the user steps off a support surface.

64. An exercise device comprising a sole assembly configured to support a user, the sole assembly including a self-expanding actuating mechanism having a first state of operation to provide a first rate of collapse and a second state of operation to provide a second rate of collapse after the actuating mechanism has partially collapsed at the first rate of collapse, the second rate of collapse is substantially greater than the first rate of collapse.

65. The exercise device of claim 64, further comprising:

a sensor; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller determines the first rate of collapse and the second rate of collapse based on at least one signal from the sensor.

66. The exercise device of claim 65, wherein the actuating mechanism in the first state of operation inhibits movement of the sole assembly to substantially prevent any appreciable collapse of the sole assembly as the user applies pressure to the sole assembly.

67. The exercise device of claim 65, wherein the actuating mechanism in the first state of operation inhibits movement of the sole assembly to substantially prevent any appreciable collapse of the sole assembly as the user applies pressure to the sole assembly and the second state of operation is a non-resistive state of operation for allowing the sole assembly to fall freely towards a collapsed configuration.

68. An exercise system, comprising:

a pair of step-up apparatuses wearable on feet of a user, each step-up apparatus configurable between an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration to simulate a selected motion when the user wearing the pair of step-up apparatuses travels by foot, at least one of the step-up apparatuses including

a sensor, and

a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller being configured to command the least one step-up apparatus to begin to collapse the at least one step-up apparatus based on a signal from the sensor.

69. The exercise system of claim 68, wherein the controller is configured to determine different rates of collapse based on at least one signal from the sensor.

70. The exercise system of claim 68, wherein the controller commands the at least one step-up apparatus to allow the step-up apparatus to collapse based on a time delay.

71. The exercise system of claim 68, wherein the controller is configured to command the at least one step-up apparatus based on at least one signal from the sensor so as to delay collapse of the at least one step-up apparatus at least until a substantial portion of the user'"'"'s weight is supported by the at least one step-up apparatus.

72. The exercise system of claim 68, wherein the controller has stored executable programs for controlling exercise intensity, targeting desired muscles, or providing a desired simulated movement.