WO2006107283A1

WO2006107283A1 - Footwear for relaxation and muscle training

Info

Publication number: WO2006107283A1
Application number: PCT/SI2006/000008
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mario Herzog; Milan Hercog
Original assignee: Mario Herzog; Milan Hercog
Priority date: 2005-04-03
Filing date: 2006-03-24
Publication date: 2006-10-12
Also published as: SI21988A

Abstract

Footwear, with foldable sole or heel (1) can be used especially for relaxation, and training of the muscles, in particular for needs of sportsmen, or for relaxing of feet and legs in cases of fixed positions of the body which last for long time (eg. during overseas flights etc. ). The invention in comprised of footwear with body (8) mounted on bearings or in some other way inset into said heel or attached onto said heel. Said body extends above heel plane (this body is for purposes of this application known also as massaging body). Said heel can be folded (3), turned or its orientation can be changed in some other fashion in such a way that said body which extends above the heel plane becomes pivot for user of said footwear.

Description

FOOTWEAR FOR RELAXATION AND MUSCLE TRAINING

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Technology Field

Shoe manufacturing, footwear industry, accessories for sport and recreation.

Description of the Problem

Technical problem which is solved according to this invention, is embodiment of footwear enabling an user both a massage of a heel as well as training of a sole of a user's foot.

Atate ofthe Art

In the area of the massaging footwear there are several solutions to be found. Common to all is constant massage of particular part of the sole, may it be in the heel section, middle section, front section, or combination thereof. None of known solutions permits exercises by keeping the balance and massage, within the same shoe or same piece of footwear.

Description of New Invention

The invention solving the above referenced technical problem is footwear, with foldable sole or heel. The invention can be used especially for relaxation, and training of the muscles, in particular for needs of sportsmen, or for relaxing of feet and legs in cases of fixed positions of the body which last for long time (e.g. during overseas flights etc.). The user may, in a way of example, walk by using said footwear and during the walk stimulates his legs by means of a massaging element. The user can fold foldable heel, and uses a pivot point created in this fashion for exercises on keeping of balance. The user can, with help of rotating massaging element, in sitting position move the legs forward and backward and either directly stimulate the soles of user's feet, or produce electricity with use of an element for transforming energy from rotation of said rotating massaging element into electrical current (charge), said current or charged discharged into the user's soles of the feet, or by means of mechanism transforms rotation of said rotating massaging element triggers small massaging elements which then in turn stimulate the user's sole of the foot.

Footwear, for purposes of this application, means a piece of footwear such as a shoe, slipper, or other form of footwear.

The invention is comprised of footwear with body mounted on bearings or in some other way inset into said heel or attached onto said heel. Said body extends above heel plane (this body is for purposes of this application known also as massaging body). Said heel can be folded, turned or its orientation can be changed in some other fashion in such a way that said body which extends above the heel plane becomes pivot for user of said footwear.

Said footwear may be of any sort or form. It can be a clog, a shoe, a sports shoe, slippers, or other form of footwear.

Said heel is in particular embodiment performed in two parts. In the lower part, a massaging body is set, while the upper part features an opening through which the massaging element protrudes. It is self evident that said massaging element must extend above the lower part heel plane at least as the thickness of said upper part of the heel, if said footwear should have in addition to pivoting function (i.e. function of pivoting of the user around or keeping the balance by said user) also massaging function.

The embodiment of the lower part of the heel according to invention is separable from the upper part of said heel whereby the upper part of the heel is connected to remaining portion of the footwear, and can indeed form an integral part of remaining portion of the footwear. The lower part may be attached to the remainder of the footwear, or on the upper part of the heel, with a hinge around which said lower part of said heel can be rotated to be transformed from the massaging position into pivoting position, i.e. position which enables pivoting of the user or keeping of user's balance.

The massaging body (also referred to as massaging element for purposes of this application) itself can be a sphere, or part of a sphere, a cylinder or part of said cylinder, a cube, prism, or some other form, depending on desired effect. The massaging body can be set into the receptacle (i.e. part of the heel into which said massaging body is set) in such a way that its position is fixed relative to the receptacle, e.g. glued into receptacle, it can be mounted on bearing (in this case, it rotates around its own axis, and we refer to it as rotating massaging body, or element). The massaging body, such as a sphere, can also be inset into receptacle to move freely, similarly to setting applied to a ball when inserted into a cage of ball bearings, or ball of a computer mouse (in that case, for purposes of this application, we refer to freely moving massaging body, or element).

According to this invention, the subject of invention can be practiced also by having sole in two parts instead of heel in two parts. In this case, the part of the user body which is massaged, is not heel but some other part of the user's sole. Also, the invention can be performed by having foldable both heel and some other sole's part, and consequently a massage of two points on the user's sole, as well as embodiment of double pivot in folded position, i.e. pivot used by the user of the footwear during keeping the balance.

In addition, there is no need for the massaging element after the folding to be in center of gravity of the user of the footwear. The massaging body can be built in such a way to position itself in off-center relative to the center of gravity of the user. This additionally stimulates the user of the footwear, and forces his/her muscles into increased activity. The massaging body can also be built in such a way that the user can pull it out partially from its receptacle (setting) in order to additionally increase height of the center of gravity and requires additional skill in keeping the balance.

Rotating massaging body can be attached to the footwear in such a fashion that its rotation is transformed into electrical charge, electrical impulses, or electrical current by means of transforming device as known in state of the art. These electrical impulses or electrical current are then transferred to the body of the user of the footwear using conducting padding between user sole and the footwear. In particular embodiment, said padding can provide for discharge of electrical charge locally, and controllably, in such a fashion that pre-determined points on the sole of the user are stimulated. Also, the padding is known in state of the art, the novelty is especially in source of work due to rotation which by means of elements from state of the art produces electrical current or electrical charge. This description is valid also for freely moving massaging element.

The rotating massaging element can be in particular embodiment attached in such a way that the rotating momentum due to rotation of rotating massaging element by means of transport means as known in state of the art is transported onto the conveyor belt under a padding, or in the padding between said footwear and sole of the user of the footwear in such a fashion that said conveyer belt causes intermittent protrusion and retraction of small massaging elements within said padding (in a way of example, buttons, or bulges), or their vibration. This description is valid also for freely moving massaging element.

Below, the subject of invention is presented with figures whereby these figures present part of this patent application, as follows:

Figure 1 represents basic schematics of operation of invention and shows a foldable heel (1) with a massaging element (8) in its basic position, the foldable heel during folding (2), the foldable heel in its folded position (3), the massaging element (4), a pivot or a hinge (5), a sole (6), an upper part of the heel (7). Figure 2 shows the schematics of operation of this invention with various improvements, such as additional protrusion of massaging element (9), off-center position of the massaging element toward inner part of said sole (10), off-center position of the massaging element toward front part of said sole (11), off-center position of the massaging element toward outer part of said sole (12), off-center position of the massaging element toward back part of said sole (13), a pivot or a hinge (14).

Figure 3 shows subject of invention with rotating massaging element (15), said rotating massaging element mounted on bearings (16), and comprising the foldable heel (2), the pivot or the hinge (5), the sole (6), small massaging elements in a padding (17).

In basic embodiment, said footwear is performed with the foldable heel (1) in its basic position. Said massaging element (8) is protruded above the foldable heel (I)₅ through the sole or upper part of the heel (7) in such a fashion that it protrudes also above the upper part of the heel. In such a case of course the massaging element directly leans against the heel or other appropriate part of the body of the user (or his/her clothing, sock, etc.), and performs local pressure on said heel or other appropriate body part of the user. During motion of the leg the user hinWherself alone massages his/her heel or other part of the user in direct contact (either directly, or through clothing, e.g. the sock) with the massaging element.

If the user wishes to change a function of the footwear, he folds (switches) the foldable heel (1) from the basic position into the folded position (3). In this case, the massaging element becomes a body in connection with a ground. If the massaging element is in a shape of a sphere, a connecting area between said massaging element and the ground is rather small, and the user, standing on such sphere, or part thereof, actually keeps balance. With such keeping the balance the user appropriately subjects his/her muscles which cooperate in keeping the balance to load, these muscles in legs as well as in other parts of the body, all of which has beneficial effect on the body. The massaging element (8) according to this invention is set into said foldable heel (1), either fixed, or rotatable. In addition, said massaging element (8) can be in a form of a sphere, cylinder, prism, or some other body, and has either smooth, or uneven (e.g. creased) surface.

The foldable heel (1) could be instead foldable front part of the sole (6), whereas said massaging element protrudes through front part of the sole and consequently massages the front part of the sole. After it is folded, such foldable heel (1) (in this case, foldable sole, but for sake of clarity we retain same, albeit technically incorrect, expression) could also serve as a pivot, for training and loading of muscles of the user or for keeping the balance of the user.

In the embodiment, shown in Figure 2, the subject of this invention can have also additional functions. It is not necessary for subject of the invention to feature all additional functions, the subject can have only some of the functions as presented in Figure 2.

For example, the massaging element (9) is movable, both in normal direction as well as in the plane of the sole. The massaging element (9) can be additionally pulled out whereby the distance between the sole and the ground is achieved which means that the user needs better skills in keeping the balance. In addition, the massaging element (9) can be moved left (10), or right (12), front (11), or back (13), or sideways relative to the centered position. In all of these cases the users needs better skills in keeping the balance, and loads certain parts of the muscles more than it would if the massaging element would be in central position where the user would only keep the balance without need to overcome additional momentum which arises due to off-center position of the massaging element (9).

In the embodiment, shown in Figure 3, the massaging element can be rotatable (15). Rotating massaging element (15) is either mounted on the bearings (16) and consequently rotates around a single axis, or it is set within a cage, similarly to balls in ball bearings, in such a case we call this element freely movable massaging element. Otherwise, the other functions of the footwear are intact.

The rotating massaging element (15) can be attached to, or positioned in proximity to a device, known in state of the art (such as a dynamo, or some of induction devices) which transforms movements (rotation) of rotating massaging element (15) into electrical power. This electrical power can then in form of impulses travel alongside the user's sole, and stimulates user's leg on predetermined positions (this system of distribution known in state of the art, such as experiments for production of vapor bubbles in particular positions). At the same time, the rotating momentum can be transported with help of transporting mechanism onto small massaging elements within the padding (17), which may vibrate, move inside and outside of setting positions, or perform combination of these movements, or stimulate the user is some other way, otherwise known in the state of art.

Claims

1. Footwear, characterized in that it has a massaging element (4) set into a heel (1) or some other part of said footwear, whereby a part of this massaging element protrudes over a plane of the heel (1) or other part of said footwear.

2. Footwear according to claim ^"1, characterized in that it comprises at least said heel (1), said heal capable of folding, turning, or in some other fashion changing its orientation in such a fashion that said massaging element (4) protruding above heel's plane becomes pivot for a user of said footwear.

3. Footwear according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one part of a sole, said part of said sole capable of folding, turning, or in some other fashion changing its orientation in such a fashion that said massaging element (4) protruding above heel's plane becomes pivot for a user of said footwear.

4. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said heel (1) is executed in two parts whereas there is said massaging element inset into a lower part of the massaging element (4), and further, there is an opening left in said upper part (7) through which said massaging element (8) protrudes, whereas the protruding part of said massaging element (8) protrudes above said plane of said heel for at least the a thickness of said upper part of said heel (7).

5. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said lower part of said heel (1) is separable from said upper part of said heel (7) whereas said upper part of said heel (7) is either attached to the rest of said footwear, or its integral part.

6. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said lower part of said heel (1) is attached to the rest of said footwear, or to said upper part of said heel (7), in both cases with a hinge (5) around which said lower part of said heel (1) can be rotated to become from a massaging position into balance keeping position, i.e. the position enabling rotating of said user of said footwear or keeping the balance of said user.

7. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said massaging element (8) is either a sphere, or part of a sphere, or a cylinder, or part of a cylinder, or a prism.

8. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that a surface of said massaging element (8) is either smooth, or uneven, preferably creased..

9. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said massaging element (8) is mounted on bearings within said heel (1) in such a way that it rotates around its own axis (16).

10. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said massaging element (8) is inset into said heel in such a way that it moves freely within its setting.

11. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said massaging element (8) is set into said footwear in such a way that after said heel has been folded said massaging element is in off-center position (10, 11, 12, 13) relative to a center of gravity of footwear.

12. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said massaging element (9) is built into said footwear in such a way that it can be pulled out of its setting in order to increase a distance between a ground and a center of gravity in order to require additional skill of said user of said footwear.

13. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said massaging element (8) is set into said footwear in such a way that rotating of said massaging element is transformed by means known in state of the art into electrical current or electrical impulses whereby these impulses or electrical current are then by means of conducting padding between said sole of said user and said footwear transported onto a body of said user, preferably in such a way that discharge of electrical charge occurs locally in order to stimulate predetermined points on said sole of said user.

14. Footwear according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that said massaging element (8) is set into said footwear in such a way that rotation of said massaging element is transported onto a conveyer belt under a padding, or, alternatively, inside said padding between said footwear and said sole of said user in such a way that said conveyer belt causes intermittent protrusion and retraction of small massaging elements within said padding (17), preferably buttons or bulges, or vibration thereof.

15. Use of said footwear, characterized in that said user switches a function of said footwear in such a way that said foldable heel (1) is folded from basic into folded position (3) whereby said massaging element becomes the element in connection with said ground.