Frontal sole exercise device

• US 5,339,542 A
• Filed: 05/20/1993
• Issued: 08/23/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: METAPRO
• Original Assignee: METAPRO
• Inventors: Kim, John Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hilliard, Thomas P.
• Application Number:
  US08/065,314
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 36/7.2, 36/7.4, 36/81, 36/112, 36/7.5, 36/106, 36/132, 36/7.1 R, 36/88, 36/1, 36/77 R, 36/114
• US Class Current: 36/7.2
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/20 Heel-less overshoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/18 Attachable overshoes for sporting purposes

Abstract

An exercise device for strengthening the muscles and ligaments of the feet, legs and lower torso. The device comprises a platform element, front and rear securing straps, a footbed and a tractive sole. The rear securing straps are attached substantially below the upper level of the platform element, helping to preclude inadvertent egress from the device while in use. The front securing straps are for substantially securing the forward portion of the foot to the device.

Claims

1. A frontal sole exercise device for removably attaching to a user'"'"'s foot disposed in footwear, the footwear having a forward and a rearward portion, the exercise device comprising:

a platform element having an upper and a lower surface, the upper surface of the platform element for receiving the forward portion of the footwear, the lower surface including a tractive sole, the upper surface including a footbed for receiving the forward portion of the footwear, the footbed having a wall, the wall having an inner portion and an outer portion, the outer portion being thicker than the inner portion, the footbed being substantially horizontally level, the platform element having sufficient thickness for causing weight of the user to be borne by the forward portion of the footwear when removably attached to the exercise device, the platform element having a width wider than the widest width of the forward portion of the footwear, the platform element being approximately half to one-third the length of the footwear;

at least one front strap affixed to the platform element for removably attaching the forward portion of the footwear to the upper surface, the front strap including at least one fastening means in operative combination with the front strap for adjusting the length of the front strap for removably attaching the forward portion of the footwear to the platform element; and

at least one rear strap affixed to the platform element for removably attaching the rearward portion of the footwear to the platform element, the rear strap including at least one of the fastening means in operative combination with the rear strap for adjusting the length of the rear strap for removably attaching the rearward portion of the footwear to the platform element;

the footwear removably attached to the exercise device with the front strap and the rear strap for causing weight of the user to be borne by the forward portion of the footwear.

2. The exercise device of claim 1 wherein platform element includes a rearward bevel, the rearward bevel being sloped upward from the lower surface toward the upper surface of the platform element.

3. The exercise device of claim 1 wherein the platform element includes at least one opening defined therein.

4. The exercise device of claim 1 wherein the fastening means includes a ring.

5. The exercise device of claim 1 wherein the platform element is made of ethylene vinyl acetate.

6. The exercise device of claim 1 wherein the fastening means comprises hook and loop type material.

7. The exercise device of claim 1 wherein the rear strap is affixed to the platform element substantially below the upper surface of the platform element.

8. A frontal sole exercise device for removably attaching to a user'"'"'s foot disposed in footwear, the footwear having a forward and a rearward portion, the exercise device for contact with a ground plane, the exercise device comprising:

a platform element having an upper and a lower surface, the upper surface of the platform element for receiving the forward portion of the footwear, the upper surface including a footbed for receiving the forward portion of the footwear, the footbed including a wall, the wall having an inner portion and an outer portion, the outer portion thicker than the inner portion, the footbed being horizontally level, the platform element having sufficient thickness for causing weight of the user to be borne by the forward portion of the footwear when removably attached to the exercise device, the platform element including a bevel, the bevel sloped upward from the lower surface toward the upper surface, the platform element having a width wider than the widest width of the forward portion of the footwear, the platform element being approximately half to one-third the length of the footwear;

pairs of front straps affixed to the platform element for removably attaching the forward portion of the footwear to the upper surface, the pairs of front straps each including at least one first ring in operative combination with the pairs of front straps for individually adjusting the length of each of the pairs of front straps for removably attaching the forward portion of the footwear to the platform element;

one pair of rear straps affixed to the platform element for removably attaching the rearward portion of the footwear to the platform element, the pair of rear straps including at least one second ring in operative combination with the pair of rear straps for adjusting the length of the pair of rear straps for removably attaching the rearward portion of the footwear to the platform element, the one pair of rear straps being attached to the platform element near a ground plane of contact between the platform element and the ground plane; and

a tractive sole attached to the lower surface of the platform element;

the footwear removably attached to the exercise device with the front strap and the rear strap for causing weight of the user to be borne by the forward portion of the footwear.

9. The exercise device of claim 8 wherein the pairs of front straps and the pair of rear straps each comprise hook and loop type material.

10. The exercise device of claim 8 wherein the pair of rear straps are affixed to the platform element substantially below the upper surface of the platform element.

11. The exercise device of claim 8 wherein the tractive sole is formed integrally with the platform element.

12. The exercise device of claim 8 wherein the platform element is made of polyethylene, and the tractive sole is made of rubber.