FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to athletic training equipment , and more particularly to a piece of training footwear with an uneven bottom surface .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In hockey and other ice sports the maj ority of the training is focussed on core and lower body exercises in order to enhance the stride and stability of the skater . The di f ficulty of the training is that it requires speciali zed equipment such as skates permitting concentration or focusing of the weight and downward force of the body of the wearer onto narrow skate edges . It would be desirable to maximi ze and develop of f ice training opportunities for skaters as well as similar core exercises for use by non-skating athletes and other individuals . The ability to train of f ice , practicing balance and strengthening core muscles in a similar fashion as skaters on ice , would it is believed to be beneficial across the athletic spectrum .

Non-skaters wishing to train in this fashion would not necessarily be able to skate or enj oy training on ice or of f ice using skates , since non-skaters may find that footwear uncomfortable and non-benef icial . I f it were possible to develop footwear with an uneven surface on the bottom exhibiting an axially oriented downward ridge similar to a skate blade , that allowed for similar muscle activation and training opportunities as is experienced by skaters in of f ice or of f ice training applications using skates with narrow blades , it is believed that this would be commercially valuable .

Safety of the use of such an uneven surface footwear product would also be paramount . I f it were possible to provide uneven surface footwear that included upwardly tapered sides alongside the ridge to the outsole of the shoe , or an axially oriented ridge which blended into the player outsole surface at the heel and toe end of the associated shoe or footwear article , it is believed that this would provide further commercial viability and safety in operation and use . SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one of the present invention is to provide an uneven surface training footwear that substantially prevents a user from falling over .

Another obj ect of the present invention is to provide an uneven surface training footwear that substantially prevents a user' s foot from rolling over .

Another obj ect of the present invention is to provide an uneven surface training footwear having an outsole with a ridge which are of unitary manufacture .

Another obj ect of the present invention is to provide an uneven surface training footwear having an outsole with a ridge with suf ficient gripping ability to substantially prevent slippage between the ridge and a training surface .

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a training footwear having a toe end and a heel end and comprising an upper with an outsole j oined to the bottom thereof and extending downwardly therefrom . The outsole has a downward facing surface-engaging outsole bottom having an axial ridge extending downwardly from the outsole bottom along a center line of the outsole substantially from the toe end to the heel end of the footwear . The axial ridge comprises a toe end and heel end corresponding to the toe end and heel end of the footwear . The toe end and heel end of the ridge are each tapered upward to the outsole bottom at each of the toe end and heel end of the footwear . The outsole and the ridge are of unitary manufacture .

According to the aspect of the present invention, there is provided a training footwear having a toe end and a heel end and comprising an upper with an outsole j oined to the bottom thereof and extending downwardly therefrom . The outsole has a downward facing surface-engaging outsole bottom having an axial ridge extending downwardly from the outsole bottom along a center line of the outsole substantially from the toe end to the heel end of the footwear . The axial ridge comprises a toe end and heel end corresponding to the toe end and heel end of the footwear . The toe end and heel end of the ridge are each tapered upward to the outsole bottom at each of the toe end and heel end of the footwear . The outsole and the ridge are of unitary manufacture . The axial ridge comprises a substantially flat bottom surface , a left-hand side surface , and a right-hand side surface . The lefthand side surface and the right-hand side surface extend upwards from the bottom surface of the ridge in the direction of a respective left-hand side edge and right-hand side edge of the outsole bottom . The left-hand side surface and the right-hand side surface form tapers upward toward the respective left-hand side edge and right-hand side edge of the outsole bottom .

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an outsole for use as a component of a training footwear article having a toe end and a heel end and comprising an upper for attachment of the outsole to the bottom thereof and extending downwardly therefrom . The outsole has a downward facing surface-engaging outsole bottom having an axial ridge extending downwardly from the outsole bottom along a center line of the outsole substantially from the toe end to the heel end of the footwear . The axial ridge comprises a toe end and heel end corresponding to the toe end and heel end of the footwear . The toe end and heel end of the ridge are each tapered upward to the outsole bottom at each of the toe end and heel end of the footwear . The outsole and the ridge are of unitary manufacture .

According to the other aspect of the present invention, there is provided an outsole for use as a component of a training footwear article having a toe end and a heel end and comprising an upper for attachment of the outsole to the bottom thereof and extending downwardly therefrom . The outsole has a downward facing surf ce-engaging outsole bottom having an axial ridge extending downwardly from the outsole bottom along a center line of the outsole substantially from the toe end to the heel end of the footwear . The axial ridge comprises a toe end and heel end corresponding to the toe end and heel end of the footwear . The toe end and heel end of the ridge are each tapered upward to the outsole bottom at each of the toe end and heel end of the footwear . The outsole and the ridge are of unitary manufacture . The axial ridge comprises a substantially flat bottom surface , a left-hand side surface , and a right-hand side surface . The lefthand side surface and the right-hand side surface extend upwards from the bottom surface of the ridge in the direction of a respective left-hand side edge and right-hand side edge of the outsole bottom . The left-hand side surface and the right-hand side surface form tapers upward toward the respective left-hand side edge and right-hand side edge of the outsole bottom .

The advantage of the present invention is that it provides an uneven surface training footwear that substantially prevents a user from falling over .

A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an uneven surface training footwear that substantially prevents a user' s foot from rolling over . A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an uneven surface training footwear having an outsole with a ridge which are of unitary manufacture .

A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an uneven surface training footwear having an outsole with a ridge with suf ficient gripping ability to substantially prevent slippage between the ridge and a training surface .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which :

Figures 1 to 3 are simpli fied block diagrams illustrating in a side view, a rear view and a bottom view, respectively, a training footwear according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figures 4 and 5 are simpli fied block diagrams illustrating in two cross-sectional views two variations of the training footwear according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figures 6 to 8 are simpli fied block diagrams illustrating in a bottom view and two cross-sectional views , respectively, another variation of the training footwear according to the preferred embodiment of the invention; and,

Figures 9 to 11 are simpli fied block diagrams illustrating in a bottom view and two cross-sectional views , respectively, yet another variation of the training footwear according to the preferred embodiment of the invention .

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Unless defined otherwise , all technical and scienti fic terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs . Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described .

While the description of the preferred embodiments hereinbelow is with reference to a runner having an outsole with an uneven bottom surface , it will become evident to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto , but may also be provided in conj unction with other types of footwear such as , for example , sneakers or boots , or for use as a component of a training footwear article for attachment to the bottom of a respective upper of the training footwear article .

As described hereinbelow, the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an uneven surface training footwear with an outsole thereof having a downward facing surfaceengaging outsole bottom an axial ridge extending downwardly from the outsole bottom along a center line of the outsole substantially from the toe end to the heel end of the training footwear .

The uneven surface training footwear of the present invention permits for the simulation of skates by an athlete during of fice training, physical workouts etc . without the risk of damaging the of f-ice training surface , since the training footwear of the present invention has a nondestructive , noncutting ridge that prevents damaging the of f-ice training surface . Furthermore , the training footwear has suf ficient gripping ability to substantially prevent slippage between the training footwear and the of f-ice training surface , thus enabling use on various surfaces that do not provide suf ficient gripping interaction but are easily available such as , for example , concrete surfaces and asphalt surfaces of a driveway or road .

The toe end and heel end of the ridge are each tapered upward to the outsole bottom at each of the toe end and heel end of the footwear which substantially prevents a user from falling over during vigorous training or i f the user is not used to skating but wishes to practice balance and strengthen the core muscles . Furthermore , the left-hand side surface and the right-hand side surface of the ridge form linear or convex shaped tapers upward toward the respective left-hand side edge and right-hand side edge of the outsole bottom to provide suf ficient support such that a user' s foot is substantially prevented from rolling over .

Referring to Figures 1 to 11 an uneven surface training footwear

100 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is provided . The training footwear 100 has a toe end 100A and a heel end 100B and comprises an upper 102 with an outsole 104 j oined to the bottom 102A thereof and extending downwardly therefrom . The upper 102 is designed, for example , to form a runner, a boot , a sneaker, or other type of footwear known in the art , according to user preferences . Preferably, the upper 102 comprises ankle support portion 103 to provide suf ficient ankle support and, therefore , reduce the risk of inj ury . The upper 102 may be made in a conventional manner using materials known in the art such as , for example , leather, synthetics , or textiles .

The outsole 104 has a downward facing surface-engaging outsole bottom 104A with an axial ridge 106 extending downwardly from the outsole bottom 104A along a center line 101 of the outsole 104 substantially from the toe end 100A to the heel end 100B of the training footwear 100 , as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 . The axial ridge 106 comprises a toe end 106A and a heel end 106B corresponding to the toe end 100A and the heel end 100B of the training footwear 100 . The toe end 106A and the heel end 106B of the ridge 106 are each tapered upward to the outsole bottom 104A at each of the toe end 100A and the heel end 100B of the training footwear 100 . The toe end 106A and the heel end 106B may be tapered upward in a linear manner, as illustrated in Figure 1 , but is not limited thereto . Alternatively, the toe end 106A and heel end 106B may be tapered, for example , in a convex or concave curved manner, as well as the toe end 106A may be tapered di f ferently than the heel end 106B, for example , with the toe end 106A being convex curved and the heel end 106B being concave curved .

The width W of the ridge 106 and the lengths of the toe end 106A and the heel end 106B along the center line 101 may be determined according to user preferences . For example , the width W may be determined to be similar to the width of an ice skate blade for users accustomed to skating such as hockey players , or may be determined to be substantially wider than an ice skate blade for users that are not accustomed to skating but wish to practice balance and strengthen the core muscles . The outsole 104 and the ridge 106 are of unitary manufacture made of a suf ficiently rigid plastic or rubber material using, for example , a conventional molding technique . The outsole 104 is then adhered to the bottom 102A of the upper 102 in a conventional manner to form the uneven surface training footwear 100 . Preferably, the surface-engaging outsole bottom 104A has a high coef ficient of friction to minimi ze the likelihood of slippage of the surface-engaging outsole bottom 104A on the training surface . Preferably, the axial ridge 106 comprises a substantially flat bottom surface 108 with a toe end 108A and a heel end 108B, a left-hand side surface 110.1, and a right-hand side surface 110.2, as illustrated in Figures 3 to 5 with Figures 4 and 5 illustrating cross-sectional views along section 1-1 indicated in Figure 3. The left-hand side surface 110.1 and the right-hand side surface 110.2 extend upwards from the bottom surface 108 of the ridge 106 in the direction of a respective left-hand side edge 104A.1 and right-hand side edge 104A.2 of the outsole bottom 104A. The left-hand side surface 110.1 and the right-hand side surface 110.2 form tapers upward toward the respective left-hand side edge 104A.1 and right-hand side edge 104A.2 of the outsole bottom 104A. Preferably, the left-hand side surface 110.1 and the right-hand side surface 110.2 are tapered in a linear manner, as illustrated in Figure 4, or convex curved manner, as illustrated in Figure 5, to provide sufficient side support such that a user' s foot is substantially prevented from rolling over.

Depending on design preferences, the taper of the left-hand side surface 110.1 and the right-hand side surface 110.2 are determined to be constant along the ridge 106 from the toe end

100A to the heel end 100B of the training footwear 100, as illustrated in Figures 3 to 5 . Alternatively, the taper of the left-hand side surface 110 . 1 and the right-hand side surface 110 . 2 are determined to vary along the ridge 106 , for example , in dependence upon a width of the outsole bottom 104A, as illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 with Figures 7 and 8 illustrating cross-sectional views along sections 2-2 and 3-3 indicated in Figure 6 , respectively .

As is evident to a person of skill in the art , the taper may vary in various manners other than extending from the ridge 106 to the respective left-hand side edge 104A. 1 and right-hand side edge 104A. 2 of the outsole bottom 104A, as illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 , depending on design preferences . Furthermore , the taper may change from location to location between, for example , linear, convex curved, and concave curved .

Depending on design preferences , the width W of the bottom surface 108 of the ridge 106 is determined to be constant along the ridge 106 from the toe end 100A to the heel end 100B of the training footwear 100 , as illustrated in Figures 3 to 5 . Alternatively, the bottom surface 108 of the ridge 106 has a width W that varies from the toe end 100A to the heel end 100B of the training footwear 100 , for example , in dependence upon a width of the outsole bottom 104A, as illustrated in Figures 9 to 11 with Figures 10 and 11 illustrating cross-sectional views along sections 4-4 and 5-5 indicated in Figure 9 , respectively . Various other variations of the width W of the bottom surface 108 of the ridge 106 may be envisioned depending on design preferences .

As is evident to a person of skill in the art , the training footwear 100 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention may easily be adapted to fit various conventional shapes and si zes of footwear .

The outsole 104 of the training footwear 100 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention as described hereinabove may also be provided for use as a component of a training footwear article for attachment to the bottom of a respective upper of the training footwear article .

The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred embodiments . However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modi fications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein .