Wearable exercise apparatuses

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes a pair of apparatuses wearable on feet of a user. Each apparatus is configurable between expanded configurations and compressed configurations to simulate a selected motion when the user wearing the pair of apparatuses travels by foot. One of the apparatuses can move towards an expanded configuration while the other apparatus moves towards a compressed configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wearable footwear apparatus, comprising:
 an articulating step-up sole assembly including
 a support platform having a toe support region and a heel support region; and 
 a swing arm mechanism movable between an expanded configuration and an unexpanded configuration, the swing arm mechanism including
 a pivotable sole plate for contacting the ground, the sole plate having a forward portion and a heel portion, the forward portion being rotatably coupled to the support platform at a location forward of the heel support region, and 
 a resistance device that is configured to keep the swing arm mechanism in the expanded configuration while a user raises most of the user's body mass onto the swing arm mechanism and, after the user raises most of the user's body mass onto the swing arm mechanism, is configured to allow the heel support region to move towards the heel portion of the sole plate to lower the user's body towards the ground. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sole plate is rotatable about an axis of rotation that is positioned proximate to the toe support region. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the axis of rotation is positioned underneath the user's toes or ball of the user's foot during use. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a pin extending through the sole plate and the support platform. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support platform rotates an angle of at least 10 degrees relative to the sole plate as the swing arm mechanism moves from the expanded configuration to the unexpanded configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a rearward end of the heel portion is positioned forward of the back of the user's heel when the swing arm mechanism is in the unexpanded configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a rearward end of the heel portion is positioned approximately below the center of the user's heel when the swing arm mechanism is in the unexpanded configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the swing arm mechanism has a V-shaped configuration and the sole plate is rotatable about an axis of rotation that is located underneath the toes or ball of the user's foot. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the resistance device comprises a locking device that keeps the swing arm mechanism in the expanded configuration until the locking device unlocks in response to body movement of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the resistance device comprises a locking device that keeps the swing arm mechanism in the expanded configuration for a predetermined length of time after the user steps on the footwear apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a locking mechanism that keeps the swing arm mechanism in the expanded configuration when locked and that allows the swing arm mechanism to move to the unexpanded configuration when unlocked; and   a release mechanism connected to the locking mechanism, wherein the release mechanism unlocks the locking mechanism in response to at least one of movement of the user's body or a predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         12 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a foot restraining system having at least one strap for wrapping around and holding the user's foot against the support platform.   
     
     
         13 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shoe upper connected to the articulating step-up sole assembly.   
     
     
         14 . An exercise system, comprising:
 a first footwear apparatus wearable on a foot of a user, the first footwear apparatus including a first articulating step-up sole assembly and at least one first sensor;   a second footwear apparatus wearable on the other foot of the user, the second footwear apparatus including a second articulating step-up sole assembly and at least one second sensor; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor, the controller being programmed to control operation of the second footwear apparatus based on one or more signals from the at least one first sensor.   
     
     
         15 . The exercise system of  claim 14  wherein the controller is programmed to determine at least one of a desired rate of collapse of the second footwear apparatus, a time delay for collapse, and target configurations of the second footwear apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . The exercise system of  claim 14  wherein the controller comprises at least one of a smartphone, a tablet, or a computer. 
     
     
         17 . The exercise system of  claim 14  wherein the controller is physically coupled to one of the first footwear apparatus and the second footwear apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . A footwear apparatus wearable on a user's foot, the footwear apparatus having a raised V-shaped configuration for supporting the user's body mass and a lowered configuration, the footwear apparatus being movable away from the raised V-shaped configuration after the user has stepped up and onto the footwear apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the footwear apparatus is movable away from the raised V-shaped configuration in response to a force applied by the user. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a locking device that prevents collapsing of a self-expanding heel assembly as the user initially steps onto the heel assembly, the locking device unlocking to allow the heel assembly to collapse after at least most of the user's mass is supported by the heel assembly.   
     
     
         21 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a locking device that prevents collapsing of a self-expanding heel assembly as the user initially steps onto the heel assembly, the locking device unlocking to allow the heel assembly to collapse after at least most of the user's mass is supported by the heel assembly.   
     
     
         22 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a locking device that prevents collapsing of a self-expanding heel assembly as the user initially steps onto the heel assembly, the locking device unlocking to allow the heel assembly to collapse after at least most of the user's mass is supported by the heel assembly.   
     
     
         23 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the heel assembly includes a weight-bearing portion for supporting the mass of the user without collapsing, the weight-bearing portion extending along a portion of a longitudinal length of the footwear apparatus. 
     
     
         24 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a sole plate connected to the weight-bearing portion in a cantilevered fashion.   
     
     
         25 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a step-up mechanism that is locked when a user applies forces to a first section of the step-up mechanism and begins to collapse when the user applies forces to another section of the step-up mechanism.   
     
     
         26 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the step-up mechanism changes configurations based on relative forces applied by a user when most of the user's mass is held above a support surface by the step-up mechanism. 
     
     
         27 . The footwear apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a step-up mechanism that changes configurations based on relative forces applied by a user when most of the user's mass is held above a support surface by the step-up mechanism.