Weights for Weight Lifting Shoes and Sandals

Abstract

Weights and weight holding devices with hardware that is designed to attach to corresponding parts on shoes or sandals. The hardware works quickly and easily 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 enabling the user to easily move from one exercise to another, and there is no need to remove the shoes or sandals when performing other exercises or walking.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application for Patent No. 61/400,463 for Weight Lifting Sandals and Their Weights filed on Jul. 27, 2010 by Thomas Jay Zeek.

This application claims inventions shown in Provisional Application for Patent No. 61/191,171 filed on Sep. 4, 2008 for “Weight lifting shoes and their weights” and shown again in Regular patent application Ser. No. 12/583,854 for “Weight Lifting Shoes” filed on Aug. 26, 2009 filed by Thomas Jay Zeek.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to weight lifting, specifically to weights and weight holding devices that work with a pair of shoes or sandals that enable the user to easily pick up and put down the weights with their feet and to change weights quickly to improve the quality and number of exercises that a person can do with their legs, and the shoes or sandals do not interfere with the user's ability to walk or to do other exercises.

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.

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.

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.

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.

U.S. Pat. Noa. 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.

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.

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, although not as heavy as the weights in the system claimed herein. 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.

Vaile's shoe however still carries with it some drawbacks that need to be addressed.

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.

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.

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.

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

The current invention is weights and weight holding devices having a basically flat upper surface for receiving the bottom of shoes or sandals and having hardware added to them for attaching to corresponding hardware on the shoes or sandals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cast iron weight 12 with hardware to attach to shoes or sandals, and threaded holes 18 and weight bars 20 to accept additional weight.

FIG. 2 shows the cast iron weight 12 of FIG. 1 with weight bars 20 attached and ordinary barbell weights 68 added.

FIG. 3 shows the cast iron weight 12 of FIG. 1 with two more cast iron weights 24 & 26 that can be added to it.

FIG. 4 shows the cast iron weights of FIG. 3 held together with the weight bars 20.

FIG. 5 is a weight holding device 34a with hardware to attach to shoes or sandals.

FIG. 6 shows the weight holding device 34a of FIG. 5 with ordinary barbell weights added.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a weight holding device 34b that has locking pliers type clamps 36 to attach shoes or sandals.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the weight holding device 34b with the clamps 36 open.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the weight holding device 34b with the clamps 36 closed.

FIG. 10 shows a cross sectional view of the threaded rod 44 and plunger 42 of the locking clamp 36 and the hole 48 that the smooth post 50 goes into.

FIGS. 11A-B are a perspective view and end view of a weight holding device 34c with hardware to attach to pegs 59 shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a shoe 60c which has pegs 59 for use with the weight holding device 34c shown in FIGS. 11A-B.

FIGS. 13A-B are a perspective and top view of a tab assembly 90 that can be embedded in the sole of a shoe or sandal so that the shoe or sandal will work with the weights of this invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a short sandal 61 for use with weights and weight holding devices of this invention.

FIGS. 15A-B are a front & perspective view of a shoe 60a for use with weights and weight holding devices of this invention.

FIGS. 16A-B show weight holding devices of this invention correctly attached to sandals 62 which are strapped to a user's shod foot.

FIG. 17 shows a weight holding device of this invention correctly attached to a shoe 60a which is being worn by the user.

FIGS. 18A-C show a person doing various exercises with weight holding devices of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in FIGS. 1-4.

The weight 12 is a 101b. piece of cast iron and it has threaded posts 14 with wing nuts 16 to attach it to corresponding hardware on a shoe or sandal, and it has a flat upper surface for accepting the bottom of the shoe or sandal. It can also be made of plastic filled with concrete or any other suitable material. Weights of this kind can be anywhere from 2 to 100 lbs or more.

The threaded posts 14 are designed to be accepted by slots 94 in tabs 96R & 96L that protrude from the sides of weight lifting shoes or weight lifting sandals such as those shown in FIGS. 14 and 15A-B. The wing nuts 16 should then be twisted down into concavities 92 in those tabs so that the shoe or sandal and hence the user's foot will be secured to the weight. FIGS. 16A-B, FIG. 17, and FIGS. 18A-C show weight lifting sandals and shoes correctly attached to a weight holding device 34a that uses the same threaded posts 14 and wing nuts 16 as the weight 12 in FIGS. 1-4.

With the weights attached to the weight lifting shoes or weight lifting sandals the user is able to do several different weight lifting exercises including donkey kicks, leg curls, leg extensions, lateral leg raises and several others. FIGS. 18A-C show some of the exercises that can be done with these weights.

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 16 and sliding their foot back off of the flat upper surface. 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 and sandals that work with these weights will not interfere in any way with pushups, sit ups, or almost any other exercise. The wing nuts 16 never need to be removed from the threaded posts 14, only loosened enough to provide clearance out of the concavities 92.

The distance between the threaded posts 14 can vary according to the size of the shoe 60a or sandal 61 or 62 that is being used since the shoe or sandal needs to fit between the threaded posts 14, but the distance between the posts 14 should be limited to only a few sizes to match a few sizes of tab assembly 90 so that retailers don't have to stock different weights for every shoe size and weights can be shared by different members of a household and kept when the user's shoe size changes. The weights and weight holding devices of this invention can also be made in a way that allows for adjustment of the distance between the threaded posts.

The weight 12 has threaded holes 18 in the ends to accept the threaded ends 22 of the weight bars 20 if the user wants to add more weight. The weight bars 20 are of a standard diameter to accept ordinary barbell weights available at most sporting goods stores. The weight 12 can be used with or without the weight bars 20 in place. Of course weights can be made without the threaded holes.

FIG. 2 shows the weight 12 with the weight bars 20 screwed into the threaded holes 18 and ordinary barbell weights 68 added to the weight bars. The barbell weights 68 are held in place by weight collars 70 that are available at most sporting goods stores.

It should be noted that the barbell weights 68 in this setup also serve the function of wheels which make it easier for the user to move to & from a chair when the weight 12 is attached. Additionally some lightweight wheels could be permanently affixed to the weight or could be sold with the weight to facilitate moving around when the user doesn't want to add ordinary barbell weights.

FIG. 3 shows the weight 12 with two boat shaped weights 24 and 26 that can be added and held in place by the weight bars 20. The boat shaped weights 24 and 26 have smooth holes 28 on each end for the weight bars 20.

FIG. 4 shows the weight 12 inside of the medium boat shaped weight 24 inside of the large boat shaped weight 26 all held together by the weight bars 20. Adding weights this way leaves more room on the weight bars 20 for ordinary barbell weights. There are many other ways that weight can be added to the basic weight 12 too numerous to detail.

A second embodiment of this invention is the weight holding device 34a shown in FIG. 5. The weight holding device 34a is not necessarily a weight in its own right but it can be made as heavy as one desires.

It consists of a 1″ diameter bar 32 that is fitted with a platform 30 and two threaded posts 14 and two wing nuts 16. The approximate dimensions of the platform 30 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 distance between the threaded posts 14 can vary according to the size of the shoe 60a or sandal 61 or 62 that is being used since the shoe or sandal needs to fit between the threaded posts 14, but the platform 30 and the distance between the posts 14 should be limited to a few sizes for the same reasons mentioned in paragraph above. The platform 30 also acts as a weight collar and prevents the weights 68 from moving any closer to the user's shoe or sandal and maintains space for the user's fingers to operate the wing nuts 16. The bar 32 is of a standard diameter for accepting normal barbell weights that are available at most sporting goods stores.

FIG. 6 shows the weight holding device of FIG. 5 with normal barbell weights 68 added to the bar 32. The weights 68 are held onto the bar 32 with ordinary weight clamps 70 which are also available at most sporting goods stores. The user of this invention would ideally have several weights or several of these weight holding devices 34a with a different amount of weight on each 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.

FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 show a top view and side views of a weight holding device 34b that replaces the threaded posts 14 and wing nuts 16 with smooth posts 50 and locking clamps 36. FIG. 7 is shown without the locking nuts 46.

The locking clamps 36 work in the same way as Visegrip® locking pliers and use most of the same components. With the locking clamps open as is shown in FIG. 8, the shoe 60a or sandal 61 or 62 is slid onto the platform 30 so that the notches 94 in the tabs 96L & 96R accept the smooth posts 50. With the concavities 92 mostly encircling the smooth posts 50 and directly under the plungers 42, the user locks the locking clamps 36 down onto the tabs 96L & 96R by pushing down on the thumb levers 40 which causes the plungers 42 to go down into the concavities 92. FIG. 9 shows the locking clamp 36 in the position for holding down on a tab 96L. When the user wants to release the clamps they can simply pull up on the thumb levers 40.

The locking clamps 36 can be adjusted by means of the threaded rods 44. With the locking clamps 36 open as in FIG. 8 the user can slide the shoe or sandal into position and depress the thumb levers 40. If the user determines that a clamp is too tight or too loose they can release the clamp and then twist the threaded rod 44 and close the clamp again. When the desired tightness is achieved the user should tighten the locking nut 46 which will hold the threaded rod 44 in place. Clamps of this type are available from Good Hand Inc., 7141 Paramount Blvd., Pico Rivera, Ca. 90660.

FIG. 10 shows a cross sectional view of the threaded rod 44 and plunger 42 from the locking clamp 36. This view shows the hole 48 which accepts the smooth post 50 when the plunger 42 goes down into the concavity 92. The smooth post 50 prevents the plunger 42 from moving on a horizontal plane and makes sure the plunger 42 goes in exactly the right place.

The hole 48 has to be deep enough to keep the smooth post 50 from hitting the top of the hole 48 because that would prevent the plunger 42 from fully descending into the concavity 92. There should always be some air space above the smooth post 50 when the locking clamp 36 is closed.

FIGS. 11A and B show a perspective view and an end view of a weight holding device 34c which is designed for use with the shoe 60c shown in FIG. 12. The user wearing the shoe 60c engages the weight holding device 34c by stepping down on it so that the pegs 59 are forced through the latches 54. The latches 54 have a spring and close automatically to hold the pegs 59 in place. The spacers 58 contact the sides of the latch mechanisms 52L & 52R to prevent any lateral movement by the shoe 60c. The distance filled by the spacers 58 should remain constant over several shoe sizes for the reasons discussed in paragraph above. When the user of this embodiment of the invention wants to release the shoe 60c from the latch mechanisms they only have to depress the latch levers 56L & 56R and the latches 54 will move out of the way.

FIGS. 13A & 13B show a perspective & a top view of a tab assembly 90 that can be installed in the sole of a shoe or can be an integral part of the sole of a sandal so the shoe or sandal can be attached to the weights & weight holding devices of this invention.

A similar assembly that has pegs 59 instead of tabs 96L & 96R is used to make the shoe 60c in FIG. 12 and can also be used to make sandals with pegs.

FIG. 14 shows a weight lifting sandal 61 which has the tab assembly 90 integrally installed in its sole. The sandal has an adjustable heel yoke 150 and straps 154,156, and 158 so that it can be strapped to the user's normally shod foot. FIGS. 16A & B and FIGS. 18B & C show a similar sandal 62 correctly strapped to the user's shod foot and the weight holding devices of this invention correctly attached to the sandals.

FIGS. 15A & B show a front and perspective view of a shoe 60a that has a tab assembly 90 installed in its sole. The shoe 60a has a strap 82 to make it fit the user's foot and a shoe lace 84 so that the tightness around the top edge of the shoe can be adjusted independently of the tightness of the rest of the shoe. FIGS. 17 and 18A show the shoe on a user's foot and the weight holding device of this invention correctly attached to the shoe.

FIGS. 16A & B and FIG. 17 show weight holding devices of this invention correctly attached to footwear that is designed to work with them.

FIGS. 18A-C show a person doing various exercises with the weight holding devices of this invention.

Accordingly the reader will see that the weights and weight holding devices 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.

Although the description above contains many specificities, exact descriptions of the hardware used to attach the weights and weight holding devices to the shoes or sandals may be innumerable, including hardware on the weights that attaches to hardware that is recessed into the sides or the bottom of a shoe's sole. 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.

REFERENCE NUMERALS USED IN DRAWINGS
12  weight
14  threaded post
16  wing nut
18  threaded hole
20  short weight bar
22  threaded end
24  medium boat shaped weight
26  large boat shaped weight
28  smooth hole
30  platform
32  bar
34a weight holding device with wing nuts
34b weight holding device with locking clamps
34c weight holding device with latch mechanism
36  locking clamp
40  thumb lever
42  plunger
44  threaded rod
46  locking nut
48  hole
50  smooth post
52L left latch mechanism
52R right latch mechanism
54  latch
56L left latch lever
56R right latch lever
58  spacer
59  peg
60a shoe with tabs
60c shoe with pegs
61  short sandal
62  full footprint sandal
67  thin rubber laminate
68  barbell weight
70  weight clamp
82  shoe strap
84  shoelace
90  tab assembly
92  concavity
94  slot
96L left tab
96R right tab
150 heel yoke
154 long strap
156 medium strap
158 toe strap
170 buckle
172 non-slip surface

Claims

1. a weight having a substantially flat upper surface for receiving the bottom of a shoe or sandal, said weight further consisting of hardware that is designed to attach to corresponding parts on the shoe or sandal, wherein said corresponding parts are designed to attach to such hardware

a. whereby a person can quickly and easily secure and remove said weight to and from their foot, b. whereby said person can perform a variety of leg exercises by lifting said weight and can quickly and easily move from one exercise to another.

2. the weight of claim 1 further consisting of a means for attaching additional weight to it.

3. the weight of claim 2 wherein said means is a bar of a standard diameter to accept ordinary barbell weights available at most sporting goods stores.

4. the weight of claim 2 wherein said means is detachable.

5. a weight holding device consisting of

a. a means for having weights affixed to it,

b. a substantially flat upper surface for receiving the bottom of a shoe or sandal,

c. hardware that is designed to attach to corresponding parts on said shoe or sandal, wherein said corresponding parts are designed to attach to such hardware i. whereby a person can quickly and easily secure and remove said weight holding device to and from their foot, ii. whereby said person can perform a variety of leg exercises by lifting said weights and can quickly and easily move from one exercise to another.

6. the weight holding device of claim 5 wherein said means is a bar of a standard diameter to accept ordinary barbell weights available at most sporting goods stores.