# US 5,704,140 A · Training device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,140 A - Document ID: US5704140A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/751,302 - Filed: 1996-11-18 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1996-11-18 - Inventors: George S. Fields - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704140A ## CPC - A43B 7/1495: {with arch-supports of the bracelet type} - A43B 7/20: Ankle-joint supports or holders - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract A training device has a ramp means to be worn on a bottom of a sole of a shoe which has an upper section with toe and heel portions and an ankle portion above the heel portion. The sole has longitudinally spaced apart heel and toe sections and the training device and the ramp means having an underside contoured to be placed against the bottom of the sole. The ramp means has, in substantially longitudinal serial relationship, a ramp down section, a parallel section, and a ramp up section. The ramp down section ramps away from the underside in a heel to toe direction with reference to the shoe. The parallel section has a parallel surface that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by the underside and longitudinally extends from the ramp up surface in the heel to toe direction. The ramp up section ramps away from the parallel surface to the underside. The training device includes a shoe attaching means for attaching the ramp means to the shoe and the ramp means has a longitudinal length shorter than the sole. The training device may further include an ankle support wrapped around the ankle portion of the shoe under a strapping means of the shoe attaching means. The parallel section of the ramp means may be positioned under an instep section of the shoe and the ramp down section may be positioned under a ball area of the sole which substantially corresponds to a position in the shoe for supporting a ball of the foot. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A training device to be worn on a bottom of a sole of a shoe, the shoe having an upper with toe and heel portions and an ankle portion above the heel portion, and the sole having longitudinally spaced apart heel and toe sections, said training device comprising: a ramp means having an underside contoured to be placed against the bottom of the sole, said ramp means having in substantially longitudinal serial relationship a ramp down section, a parallel section, and a ramp up section, said ramp down section has a ramp down surface which ramps away from said underside in a heel to toe direction with reference to the shoe, said parallel section is positioned between said ramp down and ramp up sections and has a parallel surface that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by said underside and longitudinally extends from said ramp up surface in said heel to toe direction, said ramp up section has a ramp up surface longitudinally extending from said parallel surface and which ramps away from said parallel surface to said underside in said heel to toe direction, a shoe attaching means for attaching said ramp means to the shoe, and said ramp means having a longitudinal length shorter than the sole, and said ramp up and down surfaces have transversely extending ramp widths that are substantially narrower than a transversely extending middle width of said parallel surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A training device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ramp means is shorter than the sole and said strapping means is attached to said ramp means such that said ramp down surface is positioned substantially in front of the heel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A training device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said ramp means further comprises a block of hard elastomeric material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A training device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shoe attaching means comprises: a first strapping means for wrapping over the shoe in a position above said parallel surface, a second strapping means for wrapping around and behind the ankle portion of the shoe, and said strapping means is attached to said ramp means such that said ramp down surface is positioned substantially in front of the heel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A training device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said ramp means is shorter than the sole and said strapping means is attached to said ramp means such that said ramp down surface is positioned substantially in front of the heel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A training device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said ramp means further comprises a block of hard elastomeric material. ### Claim 7 A training device comprising: a shoe having an upper section attached to a sole, said upper section having a heel portion and an ankle portion above the heel portion, said sole having longitudinally spaced apart heel and toe sections, a ramp means mounted to a bottom of said sole, said ramp means having in substantially longitudinal serial relationship a ramp down section, a parallel section, and a ramp up section, said ramp down section has a ramp down surface which ramps away from said underside in a heel to toe direction with reference to the shoe, said parallel section is positioned between said ramp down and ramp up sections and has a parallel surface that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by said underside and longitudinally extends from said ramp up surface in said heel to toe direction, said ramp up section has a ramp up surface longitudinally extending from said parallel surface and which ramps away from said parallel surface to said underside in said heel to toe direction, a shoe attaching means for attaching said ramp means to said shoe, and said ramp means having a longitudinal length shorter than a sole length of said sole, and said ramp up and ramp down surfaces have transversely extending ramp widths that are substantially narrower than a transversely extending middle width of said parallel surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A training device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said strapping means is attached to said ramp means and said longitudinal length is such that said ramp down surface is positioned substantially in front of the heel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A training device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said ramp means further comprises a block of hard elastomeric material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A training device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said shoe attaching means comprises a first strapping means for wrapping over the shoe in a position above said parallel surface and a second strapping means for wrapping around and behind said ankle portion of said shoe. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A training device as claimed in claim 8 further comprising: a longitudinally extending shoe length line extending substantially between backwardmost and forwardmost points of said sole, transversely extending linear edges of said ramp up and ramp down surfaces, an orientation line normal to said linear edges, and said ramp means mounted to said bottom of said sole such that said orientation line is acutely angled with respect to said shoe length line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A training device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said ramp means further comprises a block of hard elastomeric material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A training device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said shoe attaching means comprises a first strapping means for wrapping over the shoe in a position above said parallel surface and a second strapping means for wrapping around and behind said ankle portion of said shoe. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) A training device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said longitudinal length of said ramp means is about fifty percent shorter than said sole length. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A training device as claimed in claim 14 further comprising: a longitudinally extending shoe length line extending between backwardmost and forwardmost points of said sole, transversely extending linear edges of said ramp up and ramp down surfaces, an orientation line normal to said linear edges, and said ramp means mounted to said bottom of said sole such that said orientation line is acutely angled with respect to said shoe length line. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A training device as claimed in claim 15 wherein said ramp up and ramp down surfaces have transversely extending ramp widths that are substantially narrower than a transversely extending middle width of said parallel surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A training device as claimed in claim 16 wherein said shoe attaching means comprises a first strapping means for wrapping over the shoe in a position above said parallel surface and a second strapping means for wrapping around and behind said ankle portion of said shoe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A training device as claimed in claim 17 further comprising: an ankle support wrap wrapped around said ankle portion of said shoe and under said second strapping means, a third strapping means attached to said support wrap for strapping to and wrapping around an ankle portion of said shoe, and a fourth strapping means attached to said support wrap for strapping under said sole of said shoe. ### Claim 19 (depends on 8) A training device as claimed in claim 8 further comprising an instep section of said sole longitudinally disposed between said heel and toe sections and said parallel section is positioned under said instep section. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A training device as claimed in claim 19 wherein said sole includes a ball area which corresponds to a position said shoe for a ball of the foot, said ball section disposed in front of said instep section of said sole, and said ramp down section is positioned under at least a substantial portion of said ball area. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A training device as claimed in claim 20 further comprising: a longitudinally extending shoe length line extending between backwardmost and forwardmost points of said sole, transversely extending linear edges of said ramp up and ramp down surfaces, an orientation line normal to said linear edges, and said ramp means mounted to said bottom of said sole such that said orientation line is acutely angled with respect to said shoe length line. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A training device as claimed in claim 21 wherein said shoe attaching means comprises a first strapping means for wrapping over the shoe in a position above said parallel surface and a second strapping means for wrapping around and behind said ankle portion of said shoe. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A training device as claimed in claim 22 further comprising: an ankle support wrap wrapped around said ankle portion of said shoe and under said second strapping means, a third strapping means attached to said support wrap for strapping to and wrapping around an ankle portion of said shoe, a fourth strapping means attached to said support wrap for strapping under said sole of said shoe, and a flap attachment means having padded extension flaps extending from said ankle support wrap and that can be overlapped and secured together.