Athletic training shoe inserts and method of fabrication

Abstract

An athletic training shoe weighted insert including a metallic powder filled thermoplastic elastomer is formed. A method of manufacturing the athletic training shoe weighted insert with a desired softness or durometer and a desired specific gravity includes the steps of selecting a metallic powder filler, with a desired specific gravity, and a thermoplastic elastomer, and a plasticizer that will produce the desired softness of the weighted insert. The method includes a compounding step of combining the thermoplastic elastomer, metallic powder and plasticizer into a pelletized compound with a desired quantity or percentage of the metallic powder filler to bring the specific gravity to the desired level and to achieve the desired softness. In a preferred embodiment the pelletized compound is then formed into the finished insert by use of the plastic injection molding process.

1 . An athletic training shoe weighted insert comprising a metallic powder filled thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         2 . An athletic training shoe weighted insert as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the thermoplastic elastomer includes a thermoplastic elastomer with plasticizer having a shore A of approximately 0 to 10 Shore A. 
     
     
         3 . An athletic training shoe weighted insert as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the thermoplastic elastomer includes one of a thermoplastic polyurethane, styrenic block copolymer (SBS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), and styrene-ethylene-ethylene-styrene (SEEPS). 
     
     
         4 . An athletic training shoe weighted insert as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the metallic powder includes a powder of a desired specific gravity. 
     
     
         5 . An athletic training shoe weighted insert as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the metallic powder includes one of iron, carbonyl iron, water atomized iron, zinc, copper, and tungsten. 
     
     
         6 . An athletic training shoe weighted insert as claimed in  claim 1  including up to ninety percent metallic powder. 
     
     
         7 . An athletic training shoe weighted insert as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the metallic powder includes particles with a size in a range of 5 to 65 microns. 
     
     
         8 - 17 . (canceled)