Synthetic sand frontal training shoe

• US 6,312,361 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1999
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kenneth Scott Hayes
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Scott Hayes
• Inventors: Hayes, Kenneth Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hwang, Victor K.
• Application Number:
  US09/415,514
• Time in Patent Office: 759 Days
• Field of Search: 482/14, 482/15, 482/51, 482/74, 482/79, 482/105, 36/28, 361/06, 361/14, 361/32
• US Class Current: 482/51
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/20 Heel-less overshoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/068 using user's body weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4001 Arrangements for attaching the exercising apparatus to the user's body, e.g. belts, shoes or gloves specially adapted therefor weights worn on the user's body A63B21/065; exoskeletons in general B25J9/0006, for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about A61H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4015 to the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/10 for feet or toes

Abstract

An athletic training shoe that is designed to simulate beach training (exercising in sand) so as to provide the user with all of the positive effects of beach training which result in improved running speed, vertical jump, pedal agility and quickness. Such benefits are easily understood where greater demands are placed on an athlete'"'"'s muscles when walking, running, or jumping on a beach as opposed to other common surfaces. The muscles of the lower leg are strengthened and elongated simultaneously as they are put through a broader range of motion. The athletic training shoe is comprised of a highly pliable, foot-receiving member which places the user'"'"'s foot in an ample depth of sand simulating material contained by a material holding element, positioned specifically under the front portion of the user'"'"'s foot. This causes the user'"'"'s weight and momentum to be supported by the muscles of the lower leg and foot that control flexion of the foot and toes. Straps are used to secure the user'"'"'s foot in the foot-receiving member as well as to affix and position the material holding element under the front portion of the user'"'"'s foot. When worn during a variety of plyometric and agility exercises, an intensified overall workout results.

Claims

1. An athletic training shoe for simulating a deep sand training environment where an individual'"'"'s forefoot digs into deep sand during push-off, the athletic training shoe comprising:

a material-holding element having a front, a bottom, and pliable sides;

a foot-receiving member attached to the material-holding element such that only a bottom, forefoot portion of said foot-receiving member overlies said material-holding element;

a volume of sand simulating material contained within said material-holding element and filling said material-holding element to a depth up to at least said bottom of said forefoot portion of said foot-receiving member;

a bottom sole member attached to said bottom of said material-holding element;

a plurality of securing straps connecting said bottom sole member to said foot-receiving member to affix and position said material-holding element therebetween;

said sand simulating material is a force-absorbent material providing substantially no resilient rebounding force; and

wherein said depth of said volume of sand simulating material is of a depth such that said forefoot portion of said foot-receiving member displaces a quantity of said sand simulating material when an individual wearing the athletic training shoe pushes-off to simulate the deep sand training environment, and further wherein said plurality of securing straps repositions said material-holding element and said sand simulating material relative to said foot-receiving member for a subsequent push-off event.

2. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, wherein said foot-receiving member has a heel portion that is cantilevered relative to said material-holding element, such that only said forefoot portion of said foot-receiving member is directly supported by said sand simulating material within said material-holding element.

3. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, wherein said bottom sole member includes traction elements for engagement with a ground surface.

4. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, wherein said bottom sole member has an upright front end portion to protect a front portion of said material-holding element.

5. The athletic training shoe of claim 4, wherein said upright front end portion of said bottom sole member includes traction elements.

6. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, wherein said plurality of securing straps comprises at least one rear securing strap, at least one side securing strap, and at least one front securing strap.

7. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, wherein said plurality of securing straps are adjustable to accommodate various foot sizes and to adjust a relative position of said bottom of said forefoot portion of said foot-receiving member to said volume of sand simulating material.

8. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, wherein said sand simulating material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of sand, synthetic sand, liquid, gel, foam, foam-rubber, and hybrid material.

9. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, wherein said foot-receiving member comprises a pliable, elastic sock.

10. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable heel strap attached to the foot-receiving member to permit fitting said foot-receiving member to various foot sizes.

11. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, wherein said sand simulating material comprises polyolefin granules.

12. The athletic training shoe of claim 1, wherein the depth of said sand simulating material is between 2 to 3 inches.

13. An athletic training shoe for use in simulating exercising in sand such as in training on a beach, said athletic training shoe comprising:

a material-holding element adapted to be positioned under only a front portion of a user'"'"'s foot corresponding to the ball of the foot and forward including the toes, said material-holding element containing a prescribed depth of sand simulating material;

a foot-receiving member substantially pliable so as to allow the ball of the user'"'"'s foot and the user'"'"'s toes to be active in push-off within said sand simulating material, a front portion of said foot-receiving member attached to said material-holding element and a rear, bottom portion of said foot-receiving member unattached to said material-holding element;

a sizing heel strap adjustably attached to said foot-receiving member so that said foot-receiving member can securely fit a range of foot sizes;

a bottom sole member;

at least one rear securing strap to conjoin said foot-receiving member to said bottom sole member thereby affixing and positioning said material-holding element therebetween;

at least one side securing strap to conjoin said foot-receiving member to said bottom sole member thereby affixing and positioning said material-holding element therebetween; and

at least one front securing strap to conjoin said foot-receiving member to said bottom sole member thereby affixing and positioning said material-holding element therebetween, wherein said sand simulating material is a force-absorbent material providing substantially no resilient rebounding force.

14. The athletic training shoe of claim 13, wherein said sand simulating material comprises synthetic sand.

15. The athletic training shoe of claim 13, wherein said sand simulating material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a liquid, a gel, a gas, a foam, a foam-rubber, and a hybrid material.

16. The athletic training shoe of claim 13, wherein said bottom sole member is constructed of a durable, semi-pliable material having an upright front portion and a bottom portion, said upright front portion and said bottom portion having traction elements thereon.

17. The athletic training shoe of claim 13, wherein said at least one side securing strap is adjustable to accommodate a range of foot sizes and to vary the depth of sand simulating material encountered by a user'"'"'s foot.

18. The athletic training shoe of claim 13, wherein said at least one front securing strap is adjustable to accommodate a range of foot sizes and to vary the depth of sand simulating material encountered by a user'"'"'s foot.

19. The athletic training shoe of claim 13, wherein the prescribed depth of said sand simulating material is between 2 to 3 inches.

20. The athletic training shoe of claim 13, wherein said foot-receiving member comprises an elastic sock.