CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

[0003] Because of the variety of possible uses of footwear, there are often competing considerations when it comes to optimizing the features of the shoe. For example, features that improve the stability of the shoe (such as rigidity) might be at odds with features that make the shoe more comfortable to the wearer (such as flexibility). Moreover, footwear that is designed for training exercises may benefit from a variety of unique features that depend on the specific exercises that are envisioned, any of which may compete with the other design considerations of the shoe. If the shoe is to be usable for climbing a rope, for example, special consideration might be given to gripping the rope as well as to protecting the material of the shoe from damage due to abrasion with the rope. If the shoe is to be usable for performing a handstand pushup against a wall, the optimal friction between the heel of the shoe and the wall may be a significant concern. Any features implemented to benefit specific training exercises in this way must be balanced with the other design considerations of the shoe.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] The present disclosure contemplates footwear for overcoming the above drawbacks associated with the related art. One aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure is a training shoe. The training shoe may comprise a bottom sole, a midsole disposed above at least a portion of the bottom sole, one or more panels attached to one or both of the midsole and the bottom sole to define an enclosure for a person’s foot, and a sidewall comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The sidewall may be disposed on at least a portion of the midsole and at least a portion of the one or more panels so as to define part of an external surface of the training shoe. The sidewall may extend upward past a bottom of the enclosure on an outer side of the training shoe where the enclosure encloses an outer part of the person’s foot. The sidewall may extend upward past the bottom of the enclosure on an inner side of the training shoe where the enclosure encloses an inner part of the person’s foot. The sidewall may extend from the outer side of the training shoe to the inner side of the training shoe along a rear of the training shoe where the training shoe encloses a heel of the person’s foot.

[0005] The sidewall may extend upward past the bottom of the enclosure by at least 10 mm on the outer side of the training shoe. The sidewall may extend upward past the bottom of the enclosure by at least 15 mm on the outer side of the training shoe. The sidewall may extend upward past the bottom of the enclosure by at least 10 mm on the inner side of the training shoe. The sidewall may extend upward past the bottom of the enclosure by at least 15 mm on the inner side of the training shoe. The sidewall may extend to a height above the bottom sole of at least 25 mm on the outer side of the training shoe. The sidewall may extend to a height above the bottom sole of at least 25 mm on the inner side of the training shoe. The sidewall may be grooved or ridged to promote grippiness. Along the rear of the training shoe, the sidewall may be pointed in a rearward direction.

[0006] The midsole may define part of the outer surface of the training shoe above the sidewall at the rear of the training shoe. The midsole may define part of the outer surface of the training shoe in front of the sidewall on the outer side of the training shoe and in front of the sidewall on the inner side of the training shoe. The midsole may comprise an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA).

[0007] The one or more panels may comprise a microfiber. The sidewall may be glued to the microfiber of the one or more panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a training shoe for a left foot, showing a rear and an inner side thereof;

[0010] Figure 2 is a right side view of the training shoe, showing the inner side thereof; [0011] Figure 3 is a left side view of the training shoe, showing an outer side thereof; [0012] Figure 4 is a rear view of the training shoe;

[0013] Figure 5 is a front view of the training shoe;

[0014] Figure 6 is a top view of the training shoe;

[0015] Figure 7 is a bottom view of the training shoe;

[0016] Figure 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the training shoe taken along the line 8-8 in Figure 4;

[0017] Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the training shoe taken along the line 9-9 in Figure 8;

[0018] Figure 10 shows a pair of training shoes being used for a rope climbing exercise;

[0019] Figure 11 is a closeup view one of the pair of training shoes where it contacts the rope; and

[0020] Figure 12 shows the training shoe being used for a handstand pushup exercise.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The present disclosure encompasses various embodiments of training shoes. The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of several currently contemplated embodiments and is not intended to represent the only form in which the disclosed invention may be developed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and features in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure. It is further understood that the use of relational terms such as first and second and the like are used solely to distinguish one from another entity without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities.

[0022] Figures 1-9 are views of a training shoe 10 for a left foot. While not separately illustrated, the training shoe 10 may also be symmetrically designed for a right foot. The resulting pair of training shoes 10 may advantageously be worn during various training exercises including rope climbing (see Figures 10 and 11) and handstand pushups (see Figure 12). The training shoe 10 may include a bottom sole 12 (which may be made of rubber such as 70 durometer rubber that is textured for traction, for example), a midsole 14 disposed above at least a portion of the bottom sole 12, and one or more panels 20, which may be attached to one or both of the midsole 14 and the bottom sole 12 to define an enclosure 22 for a person’s foot (see Figures 8 and 9). The panel(s) 20, which may be made of microfiber, for example, may comprise an upper, vamp, quarter, etc. that surround the foot while the training shoe 10 is being worn. The midsole 14 may typically comprise an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) such as a 60 durometer EVA, for example, for comfort and shock absorption.

[0023] To provide additional lateral stability and support, and in particular for the benefit of the envisioned training exercises, a sidewall 16 comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) (e.g., 70-80 durometer, preferably 75 durometer, and typically stiffer than the material of the midsole 14) may be disposed on at least a portion of the midsole 14 and at least a portion of the panel(s) 20 so as to define part of an external surface of the training shoe 10. As shown, for example, the sidewall 16 may extend upward from the bottom sole 12 to partially cover the midsole 14 in some areas and to completely cover the midsole 14 in other areas. Unlike in the case of conventional training shoes, the sidewall 16 of the training shoe 10 may extend upward above the midsole 14 in some areas to cover part of the panel(s) 20. In particular, the sidewall 16 may extend upward on the outer side of the training shoe 10 corresponding to an outer part of the person’s foot (visible in Figure 3), on the inner side of the training shoe 10 corresponding to an inner part of the person’s foot (visible in Figures 1 and 2), or both, preferably high enough upward to provide the panel(s) 20 with protection from rope climbing abrasion and to aid in traction on one or both sides of the training shoe 10 (e.g., to help grip the rope as shown in Figures 10 and 11). At the same time, the sidewall 16 may extend along the rear of the training shoe corresponding to a heel of the person’ s foot (visible in Figures 1 and 4). As a result, the smooth heel area of the TPU may allow the wearer of the training shoe 10 to slide the training shoe 10 against the wall easily during handstand pushups (see Figure 12), with minimal friction and without the stutter that is experienced with conventional shoes.

[0024] As best seen in the cross-sectional views of Figures 8 and 9 (which are taken along the line 8-8 in Figure 4 and the line 9-9 in Figure 8, respectively), the sidewall 16 may extend upward past a bottom 23 of the enclosure 22 on the outer side and/or on the inner side of the training shoe 10. In this regard, the top of the midsole 14 (on which an insole 21 may be provided as shown) may define the bottom 23 of the enclosure 22. At its highest point on each side of the training shoe 10 (i.e., on the inner side shown in Figure 2 and on the outer side shown in Figure 3), the sidewall 16 may extend above the bottom 23 of the enclosure 22 by a distance D _m ax as depicted in Figures 8 and 9. For simplicity, Figure 9 refers to the distance on both inner and outer side as D _m ax, but it is noted that these two distances may or may not be the same. Advantageously, the sidewall 16 may extend upward past the bottom 23 of the enclosure 22 by at least 10 mm (e.g., D _m ax > 10 mm), preferably by at least 15 mm (e.g., D _m ax > 15 mm) or even by at least 20 mm (e.g., D _m ax > 20 mm), on either or both of the inner and outer sides of the training shoe 10. In this way, the sidewall 16 may prevent damaging abrasion of the training shoe 10, and particularly of the panel(s) 20, while also providing an effective gripping surface during a rope climbing exercise as described in more detail below. Relatedly, it is contemplated that the sidewall 16 may extend to a height H _m ax of at least 25 mm above the bottom sole 12, preferably at least 30 mm, on inner and/or outer sides of the training shoe 10 (see Figures 2 and 3), with the heights H _m ax on inner and outer sides being the same or different depending on the particular design of the training shoe 10 and envisioned exercises.

[0025] As noted above, the sidewall 16 may extend from the outer side of the training shoe 10 to the inner side of the training shoe 10 along a rear of the training shoe 10 where the training shoe 10 encloses a heel of the person’s foot (see Figures 1 and 4). In this regard, the sidewall 16 may be formed as a one-piece, continuous band of TPU that wraps from one side of the training shoe 10 to the other along the rear of the training shoe 10 and is adhered (e.g., glued) to the panel(s) 20 midsole 14, and/or bottom sole 12. It is contemplated that the height of the side wall 16 at the rear of the training shoe 10 may be less than on the outer/inner sides of the training shoe 10, such that the sidewall 16 may only partially cover the midsole 14 in this region. As such, the midsole 14 may define part of the outer surface of the training shoe 10 above the sidewall 16 at the rear of the training shoe 10 and may thus be partially visible in this region as best seen in Figure 4, for example. The midsole 14 may also define part of the outer surface of the training shoe 10 in front of the sidewall 16 on the outer side of the training shoe 10 (see Figures 3, 5, and 6) and in front of the sidewall 16 on the inner side of the training shoe 10 (see Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6). In this regard, the continuous band of TPU that forms the sidewall 16 may terminate prior to reaching the front of the training shoe 10 on either side of the training shoe 10, such that the sidewall 16 wraps only around the rear of the training shoe 10 and not the front. As best seen in Figure 9, the bottom of the sidewall 16 may have a small, inward-pointing edge 15 (e.g., 8 mm by 1 mm thick) that folds underneath the midsole 14 where the sidewall 16 abuts the bottom sole 12. The edge 15 may help to hold the sidewall 16 in place and promote better contact (e.g., for application of adhesive) between the sidewall 16 and the bottom sole 12 in order to ensure structural integrity of the training shoe 10 during manufacture and use. [0026] Figures 10 and 11 show a pair of training shoes 10 (left and right) being used for a rope climbing exercise, with Figure 11 being a closeup view of one of the training shoes 10 where it contacts the rope 30. As depicted, the athlete wearing the training shoes 10 may wrap the rope 30 under and around one foot and position the other foot on or tightly beside the wrapped foot to keep the rope 30 in place. Using leg power, the athlete may then propel upward and repeat the steps until tapping a ceiling target or otherwise completing the exercise. During these motions, the TPU sidewall 16 may protect the sides of the training shoe 10 by reducing abrasion on the fabric of the panel(s) 20. At the same time, the three-dimensional shape of the sidewall 16 may create grippiness to aid in rope climbing and reduce slippage. In this respect, as best seen in Figure 11, the sidewall 16 may be grooved (see grooves 18) or ridged (see ridges 19) to promote grippiness and prevent the rope 30 from easily sliding along the sidewall 16.

[0027] Figure 12 shows the training shoe 10 being used for a handstand pushup exercise. Here, the athlete wearing the training shoes 10 may position his/herself upside down and do pushups against a wall 40. As the athlete’s arms lift his/her body up and down, the heel of the training shoe 10 drags along the wall 40. Owing to the smoothness of the TPU (due to its relative hardness as compared to the other materials of the training shoe 10), the sidewall 16 slides against the wall 40 easily with minimal friction and without stutter that would typically result from dragging the rubber bottom sole 12 against the wall 12. Preferably, the sidewall 16 may be pointed in the rearward direction along the rear of the training shoe 10 so as to exhibit a protrusion 17 that extends past the bottom sole 12 as illustrated (see Figures 1-3 in addition to Figure 13). In this way, it can be assured that the TPU sidewall 16, rather than the bottom sole 12, will contact the wall 40 so that the athlete can benefit from the smoothness of the TPU sidewall 16 against the wall 40. [0028] Owing to the various features of the embodiments described herein, the training shoe 10 may be balanced for comfort in the midsole 14 and upper fabric of the panel(s) 20 and stability in the flat bottom sole 12, in the lateral support from the sidewall 16, and throughout reinforcement in the upper. An 8-10 mm (e.g., 9 mm) midsole drop may bridge the gap between stiff, clunky training shoes and flexible, fast running shoes. Articulation of the forefoot in the bottom sole 12 may allow for improved movement and performance. In addition to improving stability and support, the TPU sidewall 16 may provide protection of the upper fabric from rope climbing abrasion and aid in traction during various training exercises as described above. [0029] The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.