Equipment for enabling a user to engage in physical activity, and use of such equipment

Abstract

Equipment that includes a shoe/footwear and a range of footwear elements, and a method of using such equipment, each of such elements being configured to enable a user to perform a type of physical activity that is different from the types of physical activity enabled by the other footwear elements in the range of footwear elements.

1 . Equipment for enabling a user to engage in any of a range of physical activities, comprising:
 a shoe configured to receive a foot of the user, the shoe comprising:
 a sole assembly configured to support the foot of the user; 
 a flexible upper comprising a lower portion adjoining the sole assembly and configured to cover the foot of the user, and 
   at least one footwear element comprising:
 a sole assembly configured to support the sole assembly of the shoe; 
 a flexible upper comprising a lower portion adjoining the sole assembly of the footwear element and configured to cover the shoe; 
   said at least one footwear element comprising a range of footwear elements;   each of the range of footwear elements being configured to receive the shoe and being configured to enable the user to perform at least one type of a range of types of physical activities that is different from types of physical activity enabled by others of the footwear elements in the range of footwear elements.   
     
     
         2 . Equipment according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the footwear elements internally comprises a housing configured to receive the shoe.   
     
     
         3 . Equipment according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the footwear elements comprises functional members configured to facilitate practicing one of the types of physical activities from among the different types of physical activities; and   the functional members of each of respective ones of the range of footwear elements being different from the functional members of the others of the footwear elements in the range of footwear elements.   
     
     
         4 . Equipment according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the functional members of each of the footwear elements are rigidly connected to a respective one of said footwear elements.   
     
     
         5 . Equipment according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the sole assembly of each of the footwear elements has an inner surface configured to be in contact with the sole assembly of the shoe, and an outer surface opposite the inner surface; and   at least a portion of the functional members of each of the footwear elements is carried by the outer surface of the sole assembly of a respective one of the footwear elements.   
     
     
         6 . Equipment according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 one of the footwear elements comprises notches and tread blocks on the outer surface of the sole assembly as the functional members; and   the sole assembly of the one of the footwear elements being devoid of through-holes between the inner and outer surfaces.   
     
     
         7 . Equipment according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 one of the footwear elements comprises spikes projecting away from the outer surface of the sole assembly as the functional members.   
     
     
         8 . Equipment according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 at least one of the footwear elements is configured to be mounted on at least one apparatus and comprises a fastening element configured to cooperate with a locking mechanism provided on the apparatus for reversibly retaining the footwear element on the apparatus.   
     
     
         9 . Equipment according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the sole assembly of each of the footwear elements extends along an extension direction between a tip and a heel; and   the fastening element comprises:
 at least a front portion configured to be mounted in a vicinity of the tip of the sole assembly of the footwear element; and 
 a fastening device configured to be reversibly retained in the locking mechanism, the fastening device being at least partially provided on the front portion of the fastening element. 
   
     
     
         10 . Equipment according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the fastening device of the fastening element comprises:
 at least one pin extending perpendicular to the extension direction at a distance from the outer surface of the sole assembly; 
 the pin is configured to cooperate with two jaws of the locking mechanism that are movable between a locking position, in which said jaws are moved closer to one another to clamp the pin, and a retracted position, in which said jaws are spaced apart to enable the pin to be positioned between the jaws. 
   
     
     
         11 . Equipment according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the upper of at least one of the footwear elements further comprises an upper portion extending from the lower portion away from the sole assembly as at least one of the functional members.   
     
     
         12 . Equipment according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the shoe is a first of a pair of shoes, the pair of shoes comprising a second shoe;   the first and second shoes are respectively configured to receive a pair feet of the user, and to be received within a range of pairs of the footwear elements;   each of the pairs of footwear elements is configured to enable the user to perform at least one type of a range of types of physical activities that is different from types of physical activity enabled by others of the pairs of footwear elements in the range of pairs of footwear elements.   
     
     
         13 . Method of using equipment according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 inserting a foot in the shoe;   then inserting the shoe in a first of the range of footwear elements to practice a first type of physical activity;   then removing the shoe from the first of the range of footwear elements; and   then inserting the shoe in a second of the range of footwear elements to practice a second type of physical activity that is different from the first type of physical activity.