Exercise shoe with forward and rearward angled sections

• US 5,507,106 A
• Filed: 06/17/1994
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marcus Fox
• Original Assignee: Marcus Fox
• Inventors: Fox, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilliard, Thomas P.
• Application Number:
  US08/261,852
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 36/103, 36/134, 36/135, 36/25 R, 36/91, 36/106, 36/112, 36/114, 36/81, 36/169, 36/110, 36/33, 36/11.5, 36/31, 602/3, 602/23, 602/27, 602/10
• US Class Current: 36/103
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/143 provided with wedged, concave or convex end portions, e.g. for improving roll-off of the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/145 Convex portions, e.g. with a bump or projection, e.g. 'Masai' type shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/148 Wedged end portions

Abstract

An athletic shoe having a shoe body including a shoe upper, a heel portion, a toe portion, and a sole member mounted to the shoe body extending from the heel to the toe of the shoe body. The bottom of the sole member is covered with ground contacting sole to provide proper traction, and includes a first angle portion below the heel of the shoe body, a second angle portion below the toe of the shoe body, and a platform section therebetween.

Claims

1. An exercise shoe for the strengthening the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of a leg and foot of a wearer, comprising

a shoe body including an opening to receive the foot of the wearer, a bottom portion, a heel formed at one end of said shoe body, a toe formed at an opposite end of said shoe body, and an instep portion intermediate said toe and said opening;

and

a substantial sole member mounted to said bottom portion of said shoe body and having a first angle section extending downwardly from said heel to a position vertically under said instep portion of said shoe body at an angle and expanding laterally outwardly, a platform portion having a substantially flat ground engaging surface extending from said first angle section toward said toe, and a second angle section intersecting said platform portion opposite said first angle section, extending upwardly from said platform portion to said toe of said shoe body at an angle having a slope substantially greater than the slope of said first angle section , with said platform portion having a predetermined thickness, a width greater than said shoe body so as to extend laterally beyond said bottom portion to stabilize the shoe against lateral and rotational movement and having a shortened length less than the length of said second angle section such that the shoe tends to pivot forwardly naturally to prevent the wearer from walking flat footed;

whereby as the wearer walks, the weight of the wearer is shifted and redistributed so that the foot of the wearer is forced to pivot forwardly and to become aligned with the leg of the wearer and the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the leg are exercised and subjected to stresses to strengthen and train the muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

2. The exercise shoe of claim 1 and wherein said sole member includes a bottom surface spaced from said bottom portion of said shoe body and having a tread formed therein.

3. The exercise shoe of claim 1 and wherein said sole member is formed from a substantially rigid plastic material.

4. The exercise shoe of claim 1 and wherein said platform laterally overlaps said shoe body on opposite sides thereof by between 1/2 to 21/2 inches.

5. The exercise shoe of claim 2 and further including a plurality of cleats attached to said bottom surface of said sole member.