U.S. patent application number 12/583854 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-04 for weight lifting shoes.
Invention is credited to Thomas Jay Zeek.
Application Number | 20100050477 12/583854 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41723255 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100050477 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zeek; Thomas Jay |
March 4, 2010 |
Weight lifting shoes
Abstract
A weight lifting system wherein shoes of substantially normal
fit and construction have additional parts that are designed to
attach to and detach from corresponding hardware on weights and
weight holding devices, and the additional parts on the shoes will
not interfere with walking or other exercises or with the normal
function of the shoe. Structural support for the added parts is
embedded in the sole of the shoe where it will be unnoticeable by
the user. The hardware works quickly and easily and a plurality of
different weights is preferred with the net result being that the
user can quickly and easily pick up and put down weights with their
feet, change the amount of weight, and change weights from foot to
foot and, hence, can easily move from one exercise to another, and
there is no need to remove the shoes when performing other
exercises.
Inventors: |
Zeek; Thomas Jay; (North
Hollywood, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Thomas Jay Zeek
7869 Ventura Canyon Ave. #404
Panorama City
CA
91402
US
|
Family ID: |
41723255 |
Appl. No.: |
12/583854 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61191171 |
Sep 4, 2008 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/132 ;
482/105 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 5/00 20130101; A63B
21/0004 20130101; A63B 21/4015 20151001; A63B 21/072 20130101; A43B
19/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/132 ;
482/105 |
International
Class: |
A43B 5/00 20060101
A43B005/00; A63B 21/065 20060101 A63B021/065 |
Claims
1. a shoe that is substantially normal in fit and construction
further consisting of parts that are designed to attach to and
detach from corresponding hardware that has been added to weights
and weight holding devices and having structural support for said
parts embedded in the sole of the shoe.
2. the shoe of claim 1 wherein said parts protrude from the sides
of the shoe's sole.
3. an assembly consisting of parts that are designed to attach to
and detach from corresponding hardware that has been added to
weights or weight holding devices and structural support for said
parts wherein said structural support can be embedded in the sole
of a shoe of substantially normal fit and construction: a) whereby
said assembly can be secured to a user's foot without interfering
with the user's ability to walk or perform most other exercises, b)
whereby said assembly can be used to secure said weights or weight
holding devices to said user's foot, c) whereby said user can
quickly and easily secure and remove said weights or weight holding
devices to and from their foot, d) whereby said user can perform a
variety of exercises by lifting said weights and can quickly and
easily move from one exercise to another and can walk and perform
other exercises unimpeded without removing said shoe.
4. the assembly of claim 3 wherein said parts are designed to
protrude from the sides of the sole of said shoe.
5. the assembly of claim 3 wherein said structural support is thin
and flat whereby said structural support can alternately be
embedded in the sole of a thin and flexible sandal to be strapped
to the shod foot of said user.
6. the assembly of claim 5 wherein said parts are designed to
protrude from the sides of the sole of said sandal.
7. a weight lifting system consisting of: a) an assembly consisting
of parts that are designed to attach to and detach from
corresponding hardware that has been added to weights or weight
holding devices and structural support for said parts wherein said
structural support can be embedded in the sole of a shoe of
substantially normal fit and construction, b) a means of securing
said assembly to a user's foot wherein said means will not
interfere with the user's ability to walk or perform most other
exercises, and said assembly will not interfere with the normal
function of said means, c) a weight or weight holding device
further consisting of said corresponding hardware.
8. the weight lifting system of claim 7 wherein the means of
securing said assembly to a user's foot is a shoe that is
substantially normal in fit and construction further consisting of
said assembly.
9. the weight lifting system of claim 8 wherein said parts protrude
from the sides of the shoe's sole.
10. the weight lifting system of claim 7 wherein said weights and
weight holding devices have a substantially flat upper surface for
receiving the bottom of said means for securing said assembly.
11. the weight lifting system of claim 8 wherein said weights and
weight holding devices have a substantially flat upper surface for
receiving the bottom of a shoe.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional
Application for Patent No. 61/191,171 filed on Sep. 4, 2008 for
"Weight lifting shoes and their weights" from Thomas Jay Zeek.
[0002] The sandals and weights shown in this application are not
claimed per se in this application and will be claimed in a later
application.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0003] Not Applicable.
SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM
[0004] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] This invention pertains to weight lifting, specifically to a
device that improves the quality and number of exercises that a
person can do with their legs. It is a pair of shoes that enable
the user to easily pick up and put down weights with their feet and
to change weights quickly and they do not interfere with the user's
ability to walk or to do other exercises.
[0006] While exercises for the upper body have always been easy to
do and plentiful, exercises for the legs have been fewer and much
more difficult to coordinate. One of the reasons for this
discrepancy is the simple ability of a person to pick up and put
down weights with their hands, while no such ability exists for leg
exercises.
[0007] This problem is normally addressed by the use of large
expensive weight lifting machines. Machines called leg curl and leg
extension machines take up a lot of room in the user's house and
are only good for a couple of exercises. Other weight lifting
machines such as donkey kick machines are more expensive and for
most people require a gym membership.
[0008] Many devices have been invented for attaching weights to the
user's ankles or feet to increase the number of exercises that can
be done. Weighted shoes have been invented which don't hurt the
ankles like ankle weights do but they make changing and removing
weights difficult, and they hamper walking and other exercises
because they remain heavy. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,517,928 to Shanahan;
3,785,646 to Ruskin; and 6,052,924 to Sabat are examples of such
shoes. Methods of adding weights to normal shoes include weights
that tie into shoelaces U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,709 to Walsh and a sort
of sock that fits over the shoe U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,032 to Glass.
In both of those inventions changing weights is time consuming and
difficult. All of these inventions are hampered by the limited
amount of weight they can employ.
[0009] Closer to the mark have been devices that attach to shoes
and which in turn receive various amounts of weight. U.S. Pat. Nos.
2,114,790 to Venables; 2,849,237 to Simithis; 3,343,836 to James;
and 6,196,950 to Emick are all examples of such devices. All of
these devices are excellent while the user is actually doing the
exercise. They all accommodate heavy weight and in one case the
ease of changing weights rivals my own invention, but all have the
same drawbacks, namely that they interfere with walking and doing
other exercises.
[0010] U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,114,790 and 3,343,836 mentioned above both
use a very thick sole plate through which a dumbbell passes to add
weight. The thickness of the sole plates makes walking awkward and
makes other exercises awkward and dangerous as the user could
easily "fall off their heels." They would have to be removed when
the user is switching between upper body and lower body exercises.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,237 uses a thick sole plate as the actual
weight and carries with it the same problems as above. U.S. Pat.
No. 6,196,950 uses a thin sole plate but changing weights requires
the user to fumble with individual weight plates instead of trading
out the entire weight or weight holding device. The sole plate is
very rigid and flat and not at all conducive to walking.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,927 to Catanzano describes a similar
device in which the sole plate is made up of a plurality of weights
which can be thin but it is rigid and still awkward and is limited
in the amount of weight it can incorporate. U.S. Pat. No. 2,214,052
to Good refers to an exercising boot "preferably made by casting
suitable metal in a shaping form or mold." It is intended to be
worn in place of shoes and not over shoes and therefore will be
difficult to fit properly. Its rigid design again makes walking and
other exercises difficult and dangerous.
[0012] The only invention heretofore that is suitable for heavy
weights, allows quick and easy changing of weights, and considers
the user's ability to walk and to perform other exercises as well
as the user's safety is U.S. Pat. No. 757,983 to Vaile, which
discloses a shoe of substantially normal fit and construction with
some parts added to accommodate the addition and quick removal of
weights, even heavy weights, just like the shoes of my own
invention. The mostly normal construction of Vaile's shoe provides
comfort, safety, and convenience because it can be worn throughout
the user's workout and walking and performing other exercises is
still possible, and it provides a solid dependable base for a
person who is standing on one foot while exercising with the other
foot.
[0013] Vaile's shoe however still carries with it some drawbacks
that need to be addressed.
[0014] The first drawback of Vaile's invention is that the
structural support for the parts that attach to weights comes in
the form of a steel toe section in the front of the shoe. This
steel toe completely eliminates all flexibility in the shoe from
the ball of the foot forward, which interferes with the ability of
the user to bend his or her toes back as would be necessary to for
instance run on a treadmill or perform any other exercise that
involves standing on the toes of either foot.
[0015] A worse drawback of Vaile's steel toe design is that it
prevents the user from pushing their toes down, which may be
necessary to keep from falling over forward when the user is
lifting heavy weights with their upper body, or doing squats with a
barbell on their shoulders.
[0016] Vaile's design also has the drawback of having the weight
over the toes of the user's foot. This weight forward design forces
the user to exercise their ankle and lower leg muscles and upper
leg muscles at the same time. During lateral leg raises for
instance the weight will put a twisting force on the user's ankle.
Being forced to exercise too many muscles at the same time reduces
the effectiveness on the target muscles because the user will get
tired before the target muscles have been fully worked.
[0017] Consequently there remains a need for, and it is the object
of the current invention to provide a means for a person to quickly
and easily pick up and put down heavy weights with their feet that
is supremely safe, that does not hurt, does not hamper walking or
other exercises, and that allows the user to switch back and forth
unimpeded between upper and lower body exercises.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The current invention is a shoe that is normal in every way
except for the addition of a small amount of hardware added for the
purpose of attaching to weights, and a small amount of structural
support for that hardware embedded in the sole of the shoe where it
would be unnoticeable to the user, and weights and weight holding
devices with hardware for attaching to the hardware of the shoes. A
sturdy heel cup for the shoe is desirable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0019] FIGS. 1A, B, C, and D show a top, side, front, and
perspective view of the current invention.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows a weight holding device for use with this
invention including threaded posts 64 and wing nuts 66 for
attaching to the shoes and a platform 60 to hold the shoes in place
and a bar 62 for holding weights.
[0021] FIG. 3 shows the weight holding device of FIG. 2 with
ordinary barbell weights 68 added.
[0022] FIG. 4 shows a top view of a weight holding device for use
with this invention using locking clamps 94 instead of wing nuts
66. The locking nut 86 is not shown in this view.
[0023] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the weight holding device for
use with this invention with the locking clamps 94 open.
[0024] FIG. 6 shows a side view of the weight holding device for
use with this invention with the locking clamps 94 in a closed
position.
[0025] FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of the threaded rod 84
and plunger 82 of the locking clamp 94 and the hole 96 that the
smooth post 90 goes into.
[0026] FIGS. 8A and B show views of the invention being worn by a
user with the weight holding device attached.
[0027] FIGS. 9A, B, and C show a person doing various exercises
using the shoes and the weight holding device that I invented.
[0028] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a weight with hardware
for attaching to the shoes of this invention and a curved bottom
102 to facilitate walking.
[0029] FIGS. 11A and B show two views of this invention using pegs
110 instead of tabs 6. The spacers 111 maintain a constant width to
fit between the hardware in FIG. 12 even across various shoe
sizes.
[0030] FIG. 12 shows an end view of a weight holding device with
hardware to attach to the pegs 110 shown in FIGS. 11A and B.
[0031] FIGS. 13A, B, and C show various views of an assembly which
is to be embedded in the sole of a shoe including the hardware for
attaching to weights and the structural support for that
hardware.
[0032] FIG. 14 shows the same assembly as 13A-C for a smaller shoe
size.
[0033] FIGS. 15A and B are a top and side view of a different
embodiment of the assembly shown in FIGS. 13A-C.
[0034] FIGS. 16A and B are a top and side view of a sturdy heel cup
for the shoe.
[0035] FIG. 17 is a top view of the shoe with abbreviated tabs 32
for latching onto the corresponding hardware on weights, and the
sturdy heel cup 5 glued onto the outside of the shoe.
[0036] FIG. 18 is a side view of the shoe with full tabs 6 and the
heel cup 5 glued onto the shoe.
[0037] FIGS. 19A and B show an alternate use for the tabs 6 and the
tab assembly 116 shown in FIGS. 15A and B wherein the tab assembly
116 is an integral part of a thin and flexible sandal which is to
be strapped to the shod foot of the user.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0038] A preferred embodiment of the shoe of the present invention
is illustrated in FIGS. 1A (top view), 1B (side view), 1C (front
view), and 1D (perspective view).
[0039] The shoe 40a is substantially normal in every way but
further consists of a sturdy heel cup 5 hidden in the heel of the
shoe to help to keep the shoe 40a on the user's foot and a means of
tightening the heel cup 5 comfortably around the user's heel, in
this case the shoe lace 44. FIG. 18 shows how the shoelace 44
tightens the heel cup 5. A separate means for making the shoe fit
the user's foot should be used so that a comfortable fit can be
achieved independently from the tightness of the heel cup 5. A hook
and loop (Velcro.RTM.) shoe strap 42 is used in this example to
make the shoe fit comfortably. In the preferred embodiment the
strap should describe a Z shape to cover more of the user's foot.
The heel cup is shown in FIGS. 16A, 16B, 17, and 18.
[0040] The shoe 40a further consists of hardware in the form of
tabs 6 protruding from the sides of the sole of the shoe which are
designed to attach to corresponding hardware that is permanently
attached to a weight or a weight holding device such as a special
dumbbell, enabling the wearer of the shoe to quickly and easily
pick up and put down weights with their feet and to exercise by
lifting the weights with their legs.
[0041] The tabs 6 in this case are an integral part of an assembly,
in this case a tab assembly 116, shown in FIGS. 15A and B
consisting of the tabs 6 and a main body 114 preferably comprising
a single piece of stiff, sturdy and durable material such as
Lexan.RTM. polycarbonate from SABIC Innovative Plastics, although
any strong and durable material will do, including steel, brass,
bronze, fiberglass, or any of several kinds of plastic, provided
that said material can be firmly glued and is not brittle, or the
tab assembly can be made of several pieces of differing materials.
The tabs 6 also have a notch 24 and a concavity 22 which enable
them to lock onto the hardware that comes with the weights as will
be described in detail later.
[0042] The concavity 22 is made by the addition of an ordinary
metal washer 20 with a notch cut into it but it can also be made by
drilling directly into the base material if the tabs are thick
enough to accommodate that.
[0043] The tab assembly 116 shown in detail in FIGS. 15A and 15B is
passed through a void in the sole of the shoe so that a tab 6
protrudes on each side of the shoe and it is glued into that place
using a glue that is suitable for the materials chosen for the tab
assembly and the sole of the shoe. The tab assembly may further be
mechanically fastened to the sole of the shoe using short deep
thread screws. A thin rubber laminate 31 is then laminated to the
bottom of the entire shoe including the tabs. The thin rubber
laminate 31 can have a thin layer of stretch resistant fabric on
its top side for added strength. While the main body 114 of the tab
assembly 116 is shown in FIGS. 15A and B as a small and nearly
square piece of material it can be made as large as the entire sole
of the shoe and the same is true of the main body 114 of the peg
assembly 115a shown in FIGS. 13A-C and 115b in FIG. 14.
[0044] In the preferred embodiment the distance between the notches
24 in the tab assembly 116 would remain constant over several shoe
sizes so that the distance between the posts 64, 90 on the weights
100 and the weight holding devices 61a, 61b can remain constant.
This would enable different members of a single household to share
weights and weight holding devices or a single person to use the
same weights while their feet grow and their shoe size changes, and
retailers would not have to stock the weights in a large variety of
sizes. About four sizes of tab assembly 116 should be plenty even
if the main body 114 of the tab assembly changes with every shoe
size
[0045] FIG. 2 shows a weight holding device 61a for use with the
shoes 40a in FIGS. 1A-D, 8A and B, 9 A-C, and 18, and the shoes 40b
in FIG. 17, and the sandals shown in FIGS. 19A and B. It consists
of a 1'' diameter bar 62 that is fitted with a platform 60 and two
threaded posts 64 and two wing nuts 66. The approximate dimensions
of the platform 60 are 7'' in width, 2.5'' front to back, and about
0.25'' in thickness, although the thickness is only for strength
and can vary according to the material it is made of. The other
dimensions of the platform can vary according to the size of the
shoe 40a or 40b that is being used since the shoe 40a or 40b needs
to fit between the threaded posts 64, but the platform 60 and the
distance between the posts 64 should be limited to a few sizes to
match the few sizes of the tab assembly 116 for the reasons listed
in paragraph 0044 above. The platform 60 also acts as a weight
collar and prevents the weights 68 from moving any closer to the
user's shoe 40a or 40b and maintains space for the user's fingers
to operate the wing nuts 66.
[0046] The bar 62 is of a standard diameter for accepting normal
barbell weights 68 that are available at most sporting goods
stores.
[0047] FIG. 3 shows the weight holding device of FIG. 2 with normal
barbell weights 68 added to the bars 62. The weights 68 are held
onto the bars 62 with ordinary weight clamps 70 which are also
available at most sporting goods stores. The user of this invention
would ideally have several of these weight holding devices 61a with
a different amount of weight on each or several weights 100 to
completely obviate the need for fumbling with the barbell weights
68, but the invention is still very valuable for picking up and
putting down the weight even if the user only has one.
[0048] The shoes and weights of this invention work by the user
wearing the shoes 40a sliding the tabs 6 under the wing nuts 66 so
that the notches 24 accept the threaded posts 64 and the
concavities 22 are directly under the wing nuts 66. The user then
tightens the wing nuts 66 into the concavities 22 until they are
pressing firmly on the tabs 6 and are mostly surrounded by the
washers 20. The weight 100 or weight holding device 61a is now
locked firmly to the shoe 40a because the notches 24 will not allow
the threaded posts 64 to move left, right, or back; the washers 20
reach around the wing nuts 66 and will not allow them to move
forward; and the wing nuts 66 will not allow the tabs 6 to come up
off of the platform 60. Additionally, the thin rubber laminate 31
on the bottoms of the tabs 6 is being pressed firmly to the
platform 60 which creates friction preventing any horizontal
movement of the shoe on the platform. The user is now free to lift
his or her foot and hence the weight in any manner they desire.
[0049] After performing the desired number of repetitions of a
given exercise the user can quickly and easily remove the weight by
loosening the wing nuts 66 and sliding their foot back off of the
platform 60. The user can then attach the weight to their other
foot or attach a different weight to the same foot and continue
exercising, or they can leave the weights off and do some upper
body exercises with no weights attached to their feet. The shoes
40a will not interfere in any way with push ups, sit ups, walking,
or almost any other exercise. The wing nuts 66 never need to be
removed from the threaded posts 64, only loosened enough to provide
clearance for the washers 20.
[0050] FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 show a top view and side views of a weight
holding device 61b that replaces the threaded posts 64 and wing
nuts 66 with smooth posts 90 and locking clamps 94.
[0051] The locking clamps 94 work in the same way as Visegrip.RTM.
locking pliers and use most of the same components. With the
locking clamps open as is shown in FIG. 5, the shoe 40a is slid
onto the platform 60 so that the notches 24 accept the smooth posts
90. With the concavity 22 mostly encircling the smooth post 90 and
directly under the plunger 82, the user locks the locking clamp 94
down onto the tab 6 by pushing down on the thumb lever 80 which
causes the plunger 82 to go down into the concavity 22. FIG. 6
shows the locking clamp 94 in the position for holding down on a
tab 6. When the user wants to release the clamps they can simply
pull up on the thumb lever 80. This weight holding device also
works with the shoes 40b in FIG. 17.
[0052] The locking clamps 94 can be adjusted by means of the
threaded rod 84. With the locking clamps 94 open as in FIG. 5 the
user can slide the shoe 40a into position and depress the thumb
lever 80. If the user determines that the clamp is too tight or too
loose they can release the clamp and then twist the threaded rod 84
and close the clamp again. When the desired tightness is achieved
the user should tighten the locking nut 86 which will hold the
threaded rod 84 in place. Clamps of this type are available from
Good Hand Inc., 7141 Paramount Blvd., Pico Rivera, Calif.
90660.
[0053] FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of the threaded rod 84
and plunger 82 from the locking clamp 94. This view shows the hole
96 which accepts the smooth post 90 when the plunger 82 goes down
into the concavity 22. The smooth post 90 prevents the plunger 82
from moving on a horizontal plane and makes sure the plunger 82
goes in exactly the right place.
[0054] The hole 96 has to be deep enough to keep the smooth post 90
from hitting the top of the hole 96 because that would prevent the
plunger 82 from fully descending into the concavity 22. There
should always be some air space above the smooth post 90 when the
locking clamp 94 is closed.
[0055] FIGS. 8A and 8B show the shoe 40a with the weight holding
device 61a attached in the proper way.
[0056] FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C show a person using this invention to
perform various exercises.
[0057] FIG. 10 shows a special weight 100 designed specifically for
use with the shoes 40a and 40b of this invention. It has a curved
bottom 102 to facilitate walking a few steps to or from a chair and
it can be made of plastic filled with sand, concrete, lead, etc. or
it can be made of a single piece of cast iron. It can be made in
various sizes.
[0058] FIGS. 11A and 11B show a front view and a perspective view
of a different embodiment of this invention designed for use with
the weight holding device 61c shown in FIG. 12. The tab assembly
116 is replaced by a peg assembly 115a shown in FIGS. 13A-C,
wherein the tabs 6 are replaced by pegs 110 and spacers 111.
[0059] FIG. 12 shows an end view of a weight holding device 61c
which is designed for use with the shoes 40c shown in FIGS. 11A and
11B. The user wearing the shoes 40c engages the weight holding
device 61c by stepping down on it so that the pegs 110 are forced
through the latches 112. The latches 112 have a spring and close
automatically to hold the pegs 110 in place. The spacers 111
contact the sides of the latch mechanisms 131 to prevent any
lateral movement by the shoe 40c. The distance filled by the
spacers 111 should remain constant over several shoe sizes as is
shown in FIGS. 13A-C and FIG. 14 for the reasons discussed in
paragraph 0044 above. When the user of this embodiment of the
invention wants to release the shoe 40c from the latch mechanisms
131 they only have to depress the latch levers 113 and the latches
112 will move out of the way.
[0060] FIGS. 13A-C show a top, side, and front view of an assembly,
in this case a peg assembly 115a, used to make the shoes 40c of
this invention. It consists of a main body 114, pegs 110, and
spacers 111. This is an alternative to the tab assembly 116
described in detail in paragraphs 0041-0043 above. It employs the
same main body 114 and the considerations for the choice of
materials are the same as for that embodiment, except that the pegs
110 should be made of steel.
[0061] The peg assembly 115a is also built into the shoe 40c in
basically the same manner as the tab assembly 116. The peg assembly
115a is passed through a void in the sole of the shoe so that a peg
and spacer protrude from each side. The peg assembly 115a is glued
into that place using a suitable glue and like the tab assembly 116
may be further secured to the shoe sole with short deep thread
screws. The main body 114 is again shown as a small and nearly
square piece of material but as in the tab assembly 116 described
in paragraph 0043 above, the main body can be as large as the
entire footprint of the shoe.
[0062] The difference in construction for shoes 40c using the peg
assembly 115a compared to shoes 40a using the tab assembly 116
rests in the fact that the pegs 110 are higher than the tabs 6 and
therefore the peg assembly 115a should not be in direct contact
with the thin rubber laminate on the bottom of the shoe but should
be placed higher in the sole of the shoe.
[0063] If the main body 114 of the peg assembly 115a is small as
shown in FIGS. 13A-C, a layer of stretch resistant fabric can be
added into the sole of the shoe 40c for added strength, but a
larger main body is preferable and the same is true for the tab
assembly 116.
[0064] FIG. 14 shows a top view of a peg assembly 115b which is the
same in every way as the peg assembly 115a in FIG. 13A except that
the main body 114 is smaller for a smaller shoe size while the pegs
110 and spacers 111 remain the same size and cover the same
distance.
[0065] FIGS. 15A and 15B are a top and side view of the tab
assembly 116 described in detail in paragraphs 0041 through 0043
above.
[0066] FIGS. 16A and 16B are a top and side view of the heel cup 5
hidden in the shoe 40a in FIGS. 1A-D and the shoe 40c in FIGS. 11A
and 11B. FIGS. 17 and 18 show shoes with this same heel cup 5 glued
to the outside of the shoe and FIG. 18 further shows how the
shoelace 44 is used to tighten the heel cup 5 without affecting the
overall fit of the shoe. It should also be noted that the arms of
the heel cup 134 will act as a draw string around the top of the
user's foot in addition to the grip that the heel cup 5 will create
on the user's heel. The shoes may be further engineered to enhance
this feature.
[0067] FIG. 17 shows a top view of a shoe 40b that uses a third
version of hardware for attaching to weights. The tab 6 in FIGS. 1A
to 1D is replaced by an abbreviated tab 32 which has an abbreviated
washer 34 and an abbreviated concavity 36 and an abbreviated notch
38. This can all be made by simply sawing the ends off of the tab
assembly 116 shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B. FIG. 17 also shows the
heel cup 5 glued to the outside of the shoe 40b.
[0068] FIG. 18 shows a side view of the shoe in FIGS. 1A to 1D but
with the heel cup 5 on the outside of the shoe.
[0069] FIGS. 19A and 19B show a thin and flexible sandal which uses
the tab assembly 116 as an integral part of its main body with a
thin rubber laminate 30 and a non slip upper surface 28 as well as
a heel cup and various straps to secure it to the shod foot of the
user. Its thinness and flexibility make it safe and easy to use and
to wear. It is shown as an alternative use for the tabs 6, the tab
assembly 116, or any other such shoe part or assembly.
[0070] Accordingly the reader will see that the shoes and weights
and the various hardware of this invention will provide a method of
lower body exercises that is effective, safe, easy to operate, low
cost, and can be used and kept easily in a small room or
apartment.
[0071] Although the description above contains many specificities,
exact descriptions of the hardware used to attach the weights to
the shoes may be innumerable, and examples shown should not be
construed as limiting the scope of this invention but as merely
providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred
embodiments of this invention. Parts that attach to corresponding
hardware on the weights may be recessed into the sides or the
bottom of the shoe's sole. Additionally, the shoes of this
invention can be boots, loafers using the disclosed heel cup, high
tops, or any other kind of shoe that is found to work.
TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCE NUMERALS USED IN DRAWINGS 5 heel cup 6 tab
20 washer 22 concavity 24 notch 28 non-slip surface 30 thin rubber
laminate 31 thin rubber laminate 32 abbreviated tab 34 abbreviated
washer 36 abbreviated concavity 38 abbreviated notch 40a shoe with
tabs 40b shoe with abbreviated tabs 40c shoe with pegs 42 shoe
strap 44 shoelace 60 platform 61a weight holding device with wing
nuts 61b weight holding device with locking clamps 61c weight
holding device with latch mechanism 62 bar 64 threaded post 66 wing
nut 68 barbell weight 70 weight clamp 80 thumb lever 82 plunger 84
threaded rod 86 locking nut 90 smooth post 94 locking clamp 96 hole
100 special weight 102 curved bottom 110 peg 111 spacer 112 latch
113 latch lever 114 main body of assembly 115a peg assembly 115b
small peg assembly 116 tab assembly 131 latch mechanism 134 arm of
heel cup
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