US20110047831A1

US20110047831A1 - Proprioceptive element with adjustable height

Info

Publication number: US20110047831A1
Application number: US12/546,784
Authority: US
Inventors: Avi Elbaz; Amit Mor
Original assignee: Apos Medical and Sports Technologies Ltd
Current assignee: Apos Medical and Sports Technologies Ltd
Priority date: 2009-08-25
Filing date: 2009-08-25
Publication date: 2011-03-03
Also published as: WO2011024162A1

Abstract

A proprioceptive element including a base for attachment to a bottom surface of a sole of a shoe, the base including a flange nut with a first set of threads formed thereon, a height adjustment ring including a threaded portion which mates with the first set of threads of the flange nut of the base, and a bulbous cap element having a curved outer contour and which is attached to the height adjustment ring, wherein turning of the height adjustment ring on the flange nut of the base adjusts the height of the bulbous cap element with respect to the base.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to footwear for training, developing and enhancing proprioceptive and kinesthetic skills and neuromuscular control, and particularly to bulbous, proprioceptive (biomechanical) elements with adjustable height that are disposed on the bottom of the footwear.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Proprioception refers to the ability to know where a body part is located in space and to recognize movements of body parts (such as fingers and toes, feet and hands, legs and arms). Kinesthesia is a related term, and refers to the sensation by which position, weight, muscle tension and movement are perceived. In some of the medical literature, proprioception refers to the conscious and unconscious appreciation of joint position, while kinesthesia refers to the sensation of joint velocity and acceleration. Proprioception is often used interchangeably with kinesthesia, and herein as well, the terms will be used interchangeably.
U.S. patent to Elbaz and Mor describes novel proprioceptive and kinesthetic exercise apparatus, which provides significant advantages over other prior art apparatus, such as tilt boards or shoes with a single protrusion. The apparatus includes two bulbous protrusions protruding from the underside of footwear, instead of the single ball of the prior art boards and shoes. One of the protuberances is positioned more posteriorly than the other protuberance. The extra protrusion may significantly increase the possibilities and enable walking, and accelerate and improve the results of proprioceptive and kinesthetic treatment plans.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide further features to U.S. patent. As is described more in detail hereinbelow, in the present invention the proprioceptive (biomechanical) elements have adjustable height.
There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention an article including a proprioceptive element including a base for attachment to a bottom surface of a sole of a shoe, the base including a flange nut with a first set of threads formed thereon, a height adjustment ring including a threaded portion which mates with the first set of threads of the flange nut of the base, and a bulbous cap element having a curved outer contour and which is attached to the height adjustment ring, wherein turning of the height adjustment ring on the flange nut of the base adjusts the height of the bulbous cap element with respect to the base.
The flange nut of the base may be formed with a second set of threads, and the proprioceptive element further may include a locking ring including threads which mate with the second set of threads of the flange nut of the base, wherein the locking ring may be arranged for tightening against the height adjustment ring.
The height adjustment ring may include an outer rim that has markings at different places on its perimeter. The markings may indicate a direction for turning the height adjustment ring to lower and raise the bulbous cap element with respect to the base. The bulbous cap element may be attached to a cap support element which may be attached to the height adjustment ring.
The inner perimeter of the threaded portion of the height adjustment ring may be formed with a plurality of axial grooves, spaced from one another around the inner perimeter. A peg may be disposed in a channel formed in the base, the peg being arranged to click against the axial grooves when the height adjustment ring may be turned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a proprioceptive element with adjustable height for use with footwear, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 2 and 3 are simplified, exploded perspective and side-view illustrations, respectively, of the proprioceptive element of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-3, which illustrate a proprioceptive element 10 constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. All the parts of proprioceptive element 10 may be made of any suitable plastic or elastomer.
The proprioceptive element 10 may include a base 12 adapted for attachment to a bottom surface of a sole of a shoe (not shown). Base 12 may comprise a flange nut 14 with inner and outer threads 16 and 18, respectively, formed thereon. Flange nut 14 is preferably cylindrical and relatively short in height. A flange 20 of flange nut 14 may include mounting provisions 22 (e.g., mounting holes) for attachment to the sole (such as by means of rivets, screws, etc.). Alternatively, flange 20 may be attached to the sole by adhesive or other means.
A height adjustment ring 24 may be provided, which has a threaded portion 26, such as with outer threads formed thereon, which mate with the inner threads 16 of flange nut 14. Ring 24 may include an outer rim 28, which may be tapered inwards and have markings 30 at different places on its perimeter. (For example, the markings 30 may include “low” with an arrow pointing in the clockwise direction (as viewed from above) and “high” with an arrow pointing in the counterclockwise direction (as viewed from above).) Ring 24 may include an inner shoulder 32 surrounded by resilient tabs 34, which may taper inwards. The inner (non-threaded) perimeter of threaded portion 26 may be formed with a plurality of axial grooves 35, spaced from one another around the inner perimeter.
A bulbous cap element 36 may be provided, which may be attached to a cap support element 38. Bulbous cap element 36 may have a curved outer contour, whose cross-section may have any curvilinear shape, such as without limitation, the shape of a conic section, that is, the shape of a circle, ellipse, parabola or hyperbola. Bulbous cap element 36 may include one or more mounting lugs 40 (two are shown in the non-limiting illustrated embodiment) depending from a flat surface 42 thereof, which may be press-fit into mounting holes 44 formed in cap support element 38. The cap support element 38 may have a support leg 46 depending from a flat surface 48 thereof. The bulbous cap element 36 may be press fit (e.g., snapped) into the cap support element 38 and the two parts may be press fit into height adjustment ring 24 by clamping or snapping over resilient tabs 34.
A locking ring 50 may be provided, which has inner threads 52 formed therein, which mate with the outer threads 18 of flange nut 14. Locking ring 50 may be formed with a plurality of knobs 54, spaced from one another around the perimeter of locking ring 50.
In operation, in order to adjust the height of proprioceptive element 10, height adjustment ring 24 is turned on flange nut 14. For example, clockwise turning brings height adjustment ring 24 closer to base 12 and thus lowers the height of bulbous cap element 36. Similarly, counterclockwise turning moves height adjustment ring 24 further from base 12 and thus raises the height of bulbous cap element 36. A peg 56 may be disposed in a channel 58 formed in base 12. The peg 56 may be arranged to “click” against grooves 35 of threaded portion 26 when the height adjustment ring 24 is turned. Locking ring 50 may be tightened against ring 24 to “lock” ring 24 in place.
A set of bulbous cap elements 36 may be provided having different weights and/or different elasticity. This may increase the possibilities for exercise and rehabilitation programs.
Proprioceptive elements 10 may be attached to footwear. A user may attach the footwear to his/her foot and perform a variety of maneuvers in a proprioceptive and/or kinesthetic exercise plan for the lower foot, upper leg and even upper torso and other body parts and organs. For example, the footwear may be used to reestablish neuromuscular control during rehabilitation of joints, to restore the mechanical and functional stability of the neuromuscular system, to improve or rehabilitate anticipatory (feed-forward) and reflexive (feed-back) neuromuscular control mechanism, and to regain and improve balance and postural equilibrium.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a proprioceptive element comprising a base for attachment to a bottom surface of a sole of a shoe, said base comprising a flange nut with a first set of threads formed thereon;

a height adjustment ring comprising a threaded portion which mates with the first set of threads of said flange nut of said base; and

a bulbous cap element having a curved outer contour and which is attached to said height adjustment ring, wherein turning of said height adjustment ring on the flange nut of said base adjusts the height of said bulbous cap element with respect to said base.

2. The article according to claim 1, wherein the flange nut of said base is formed with a second set of threads, and the proprioceptive element further comprises a locking ring comprising threads which mate with the second set of threads of the flange nut, wherein said locking ring is arranged for tightening against said height adjustment ring.

3. The article according to claim 1, wherein said height adjustment ring comprises an outer rim that has markings at different places on its perimeter.

4. The article according to claim 3, wherein said markings indicate a direction for turning said height adjustment ring to lower and raise said bulbous cap element with respect to said base.

5. The article according to claim 1, wherein said bulbous cap element is attached to a cap support element which is attached to said height adjustment ring.

6. The article according to claim 1, wherein an inner perimeter of the threaded portion of said height adjustment ring is formed with a plurality of axial grooves, spaced from one another around the inner perimeter.

7. The article according to claim 6, further comprising a peg disposed in a channel formed in said base, said peg being arranged to click against said axial grooves when the height adjustment ring is turned.

8. The article according to claim 1, comprising a set of bulbous cap elements having different weights.

9. The article according to claim 1, comprising a set of bulbous cap elements having different elasticity.