Shoes for posture correction and kegel exercises

Abstract

Disclosed is a shoe technology for correcting posture and performing Kegel exercises by using body weight while walking, the technology comprising: torque generation members which have upper plates and lower plates in a pair of left and right shoes, and in which the upper plate rotates with respect to the lower plate when compressed in the vertical direction and the rotational directions thereof at the left and right sides are opposite to each other; a rotatable rotation support plate which is coupled to the upper portion of the torque generation member so as to support the weight of a user while walking, and which has a curved surface corresponding to the shape of the bottom of a foot of the user; and a gap part present between an inner surface of the shoe and the rotation support plate.

Description

Posture correction and Kegel exercise shoes

[0001] It is about a technology that enables posture correction and Kegel exercises while walking.

[0002] Kegel exercises, developed in 1948 by American gynecologist Arnold Kegel (MD), are strength exercises for the pelvic floor muscles and have been found to be effective in treating urinary and fecal incontinence and improving sexual function, and the external rotator muscles of the hip joint are known to play an important role in posture correction.

[0003] Walking is an easy, safe, and beneficial exercise; while the extensor and flexor muscles of the hip, knee, and ankle joints are primarily used during the process, the hip external rotators and pelvic floor muscles are rarely used, and it appears that no known techniques exist to strengthen these muscles through walking.

[0004] Walking is a good way to exercise the extensor and flexor muscles of the hip, knee, and ankle joints, which are used during walking; however, since the external rotator muscles of the hip and pelvic floor muscles are rarely used, posture correction and Kegel exercise effects could not be expected during the walking process.

[0005] A technology for a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe is disclosed, comprising: a torque generating member having an upper plate and a lower plate in a pair of left and right shoes, wherein the upper plate rotates relative to the lower plate when compressed in the vertical direction, and the direction of rotation on the left and right sides is opposite to each other; a rotatable support plate coupled to the upper part of the torque generating member to support the weight of a user during walking, having a curved surface corresponding to the shape of the user's sole, and a gap existing between the inner surface of the shoe and the rotatable support plate.

[0006] You can expect the benefits of strengthening the muscles necessary for posture correction and Kegel exercises while walking, without the burden of additional time and cost.

[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe equipped with a first embodiment of the torque generating member of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the operating principle of a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe combined with a first embodiment of a torque generating member.

[0009] Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the operating principle of a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe equipped with a gap and a rotating support plate in the midsole of the shoe.

[0010] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the operating principle of a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe equipped with a rotating support plate having a compression absorbent portion formed in the midsole of the shoe.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a torque generating member.

[0012] FIG. 6 is a side view of a first embodiment of a torque generating member.

[0013] Figure 7 is a perspective view after cutting at line II' of Figure 6.

[0014] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram using a perspective view of a first embodiment of a torque generating member.

[0015] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of a torque generating member.

[0016] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the principle of one embodiment of an insole in which a second pressure absorption portion is formed.

[0017] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating the principle of the second embodiment of the second compression absorption part.

[0018] FIG. 12 is an enlarged side view of the cross-section along the line II-II' of FIG. 11.

[0019] FIG. 13 is an enlarged side view of the cross-section along the line III-III' of FIG. 4.

[0020] FIG. 14 is a plan view of one embodiment of an insole with an exposed portion formed thereon.

[0021] FIG. 15 is a plan view of an insole with an exposed portion formed in another embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 16 is a plan view of an insole provided on a torque-forming member combined with a midsole.

[0023] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail together with the attached drawings. The main movements that occur in the lower limbs of the human body during walking are flexion and extension of the hip joint, flexion and extension of the knee joint, and flexion and extension of the ankle joint. The muscles used at this time are the flexor muscles and extensor muscles of the hip, knee, and ankle joints that are oriented upward and downward, while the external rotator muscles of the hip joint and pelvic floor muscles, which are oriented left and right, are hardly used.

[0024] The applicant, as a physician in rehabilitation medicine, has disclosed a number of techniques (KR 100834470, etc.) for strengthening the external rotation muscles of the hip joint by utilizing the external rotation of the foot, based on the observation that functional anatomy allows only flexion and extension in the knee and ankle joints and not rotation, and that rotational movement of the foot bypasses the ankle and knee joints to induce rotational movement of the hip joint. Furthermore, on April 17, 2016, at the inaugural academic conference of the Korean Society of Gynecological Medicine (Sejong University Gwanggaeto Convention Hall), the applicant presented clinical results showing that, in the process of strengthening the strength of the external rotation muscles of the hip joint using the above techniques, the effects of Kegel exercises are maximized by strengthening the strength of the piriformis muscle and the obturator internus muscle, which are pelvic floor muscles that are external rotation muscles of the hip joint and also target muscles for Kegel exercises.

[0025] Based on the principle of the clinical results above, the applicant filed for Korean registered patent 10-2377445 (posture correction and Kegel exercise device), which is a technology that causes rotational movement in the pedestrian's foot during walking and utilizes this rotational movement to obtain the effects of external rotation muscles of the hip joint and Kegel exercises, and intends to file for the present invention, which is an improved invention of the said patent.

[0026] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, a first embodiment of the torque generating member (160) of the present invention may be implemented by being coupled to the midsole (130) of a shoe (100), FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the operating principle of a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe coupled with the first embodiment of the torque generating member (160), FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the operating principle of a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe in which a gap portion (250) and a rotational support plate (150) are provided in the midsole (130) of the shoe (100), FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the operating principle of a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe in which a rotational support plate (150) with a compression absorbing portion (251) formed in the midsole (130) of the shoe (100) is provided.

[0027] FIGS. 5 and FIGS. 6 are a perspective view and a side view, respectively, of a first embodiment of a torque generating member (160); FIGS. 7 is a perspective view after cutting along line II' of FIGS. 6; FIGS. 8 is an explanatory diagram using the perspective view of the first embodiment of the torque generating member (160); and FIGS. 9 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the torque generating member (161).

[0028] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the operating principle of an embodiment of an insole (120) having a second compression absorbing portion (252) formed therein, FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating a second embodiment of the second compression absorbing portion (252), FIG. 12 is a side view with an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line II-II' of FIG. 11, FIG. 13 is a side view with an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line III-III' of FIG. 4, and FIG. 14 to 16 are plan views of an embodiment with exposed portions (121, 122) applied thereto.

[0029] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment in which a torque generating member (160) is inserted into the interior of a midsole (130). As partially illustrated in FIG. 2, a portion of the upper part of the torque generating member (160) may be made to protrude further than the upper part of the midsole (130), and the upper part of the torque generating member (160) may be formed integrally with the lower part of the rotational support plate (150).

[0030] An insole (120) used for cushioning the shoe (100) may be provided on the upper part of the rotating support plate (150), and it is possible to fix the bottom surface of the insole (100) and the rotating support plate (150) with an adhesive so that they move as a single unit, and it is also possible to make the insole (120) and the rotating support plate (150) as a single unit while making the hardness of the insole (120) lower than that of the rotating support plate (150) by applying a different injection molding technique.

[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 2, compared to the pre-mid-stance phase (a: pre-mid-stance phase) during walking, where the user's body weight is not placed on the rotating support plate (150), in the stance phase (b: mid-stance phase) where the body weight is placed on the rotating support plate (150), the rotating support plate (150) is pressed downward by the body weight, and the front part of the rotating support plate (150) rotates around the heel side of the rotating support plate (150) by the rotating force generated by the torque generating member (160).

[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 3, so that the rotation of the rotating support plate (150) is not hindered by collision with the inner wall of the middle window (130), a gap (250) can be provided between the rotating support plate (150) and the inner wall of the middle window (130) when the rotation of the rotating support plate (150) is not taking place (a).

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to smoothly rotate the rotating support plate (150) by forming a pressure absorbing part (251) on one side of the rotating direction of the rotating support plate (150). As shown in FIG. 13, when the rotating support plate (150) rotates (a→b), the pressure absorbing part (251) can absorb pressure by forming a folded structure to absorb pressure or by being made of a material with lower hardness than the surrounding material.

[0034] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the torque generating member (160) of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a side view of the first embodiment of the torque generating member (160), FIG. 7 is a perspective view after cutting at line II' of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram using the perspective view of the first embodiment of the torque generating member (160) of the present invention.

[0035] As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8, a plurality of spiral members (232) made of an elastic material are connected to an upper plate (210) and a lower plate (220), and a torque generating member (160) is implemented such that rotational movement occurs as the spiral members (232) are pressed downward by the weight of a pedestrian.

[0036] The direction of rotation is determined according to the direction of the spiral of the spiral member (232). For example, as shown in FIG. 8, if the spiral member (232) is formed to rotate in a clockwise direction relative to the lower plate (220), the upper plate (210) rotates in a clockwise direction relative to the lower plate (220).

[0037] Conversely, if the spiral member (232) is formed to rotate in a counterclockwise spiral direction relative to the lower plate (220), the upper plate (210) will rotate in a counterclockwise direction relative to the lower plate (220).

[0038] During the walking process, the torque generated by the pedestrian's body weight pressing the torque generating member (160) through the rotating support plate (150) attached to the left and right shoes (100) of the pedestrian is transmitted to both left and right feet, and this force bypasses the non-rotating joints, such as the ankle and knee joints, and induces a rotational movement of the right hip joint, thereby causing the movement of the pelvic floor muscles, including the external rotator muscles of the left and right hips, the piriformis muscle, and the obturator internus muscle, to move in the lateral direction, so that posture correction exercises and Kegel exercises are possible through continuous walking.

[0039] By making the rotational support plates (150) of both shoes (100) rotate in opposite directions, internal or external rotational movements can be performed simultaneously in both shoes (100), and the intensity of the muscle exercise can be adjusted by controlling the magnitude of the rotational force generated in the torque generating member (160) by the elasticity, length, and cross-sectional area of ​​the spiral member (232), and naturally, it is possible to perform the muscle exercise in the left and right shoes with the same intensity or differently.

[0040] It is possible to implement the attachment of one torque generating member (160) to the heel portion of one shoe (100), and although not shown in the drawing, it is also possible to attach a torque generating member (160) to the toe portion of the shoe (100) and to attach a plurality of torque generating members (160) to the shoe (100).

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, by implementing a guide portion (240) that is located on the inner side of the spiral member (232) and is coupled to the upper part of the lower plate (220) and protrudes in the upper direction of the lower plate (220), it is possible to prevent the direction of the spiral rotational movement from being deformed due to the repeated pressure of the spiral member (232), and although not shown in the drawings, it is also possible for the guide portion (240) to be formed to protrude in the lower direction of the upper plate (210).

[0042] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the torque generating device (161) of the second embodiment is implemented such that a plurality of rivet passage grooves (222) formed on the lower outer wall of the upper plate (211) and a plurality of spiral grooves (234) corresponding to the plurality of rivet passage grooves (222) are provided on the outer wall of the lower plate (221), and a plurality of through rivets (235) that can move along the rivet passage grooves (222) and the spiral grooves (234) are provided so that when the slider (233) is pressed up and down, it can be implemented to move while rotating in a spiral direction.

[0043] The elastic member (237) provided inside the slider (233), which has an outer wall attached to the upper part of the lower plate (221), can guide the guide member (241) attached to the upper part of the lower plate (221) to be positioned inside the elastic member (237) during the process in which torque is generated as it is pressed up and down by the user's weight while walking.

[0044] As shown in the left insole (120) illustrated in FIG. 10, by forming a second pressure absorbing part (252) equipped with a plurality of penetration parts (253) penetrating the upper and lower surfaces, the insole (120) can rotate without being obstructed by the inner surface of the shoe (100) when the insole (120) rotates into the inside of the shoe (100) and is blocked by the inner surface of the shoe (100) and pressure is applied to one side of the insole (120) in the direction of the arrow (b), so that the second pressure absorbing part (252) is pressed and its size decreases in the width direction of the insole (120), allowing it to rotate without being obstructed by the inner surface of the shoe (100).

[0045] As shown in the left insole (120) in FIG. 11, a second pressure absorption portion (252) may be provided with a fold portion (254) designed to be folded in a direction that absorbs pressure applied to the insole (120), and as shown in FIG. 10, a penetration portion (253) may be formed inside the insole (120), or as shown in FIG. 11, a penetration portion (253) may be formed with one side of the insole (120) open.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 12, a second pressure absorption part (252) is formed with a folded part (254) that folds in the direction of pressure when pressure is applied to the side of the insole (120), so that the insole (120) can rotate smoothly.

[0047] Although not shown in the drawing, various methods may be possible, such as changing the shape of the insole (120) to absorb pressure by making it out of a material with lower hardness compared to the surrounding area.

[0048] It is also possible to form the insole (120) separately from the rotating support plate (150), or to combine the insole (120) and the rotating support plate (150).

[0049] Additionally, although not shown in the drawing, the insole (120) and the torque generating member (160, 161) may be directly joined by fixing the lower surface of the insole (120) and the upper surface of the torque generating member (160, 161) with an adhesive, or by forming Velcro male and female surfaces corresponding to the lower surface of the insole (120) and the upper surface of the torque generating member (160, 161), respectively. In the case where the rotational support plate (150) is not provided between the insole (120) and the torque generating member (160, 161) in this manner, the insole (120) may be made of a material with high hardness so that the concentration of the user's body weight on the rotational support plate (150) is reduced.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 14, the upper portion of the torque generating member (160) is exposed so that the user's body weight can directly press the torque generating member (160) by forming an exposed portion (120) inside the insole (120). As shown in FIG. 15, it is also possible to remove a part of the insole so that a part of the exposed portion (122) comes into contact with the outside of the insole (120). Although not shown in the drawings, a cushion portion is provided on the upper portion of the torque generating member (160) so that the user can walk while feeling comfortable.

[0051] Although not shown in the drawing, the hardness of the insole (120) in the area adjacent to the exposed portion (121, 122) is lower than that of other non-adjacent portions, thereby preventing interference by the insole (120) around the exposed portion (121, 122) when the user's body weight presses the torque-forming member (160).

[0052] The torque generating device (160, 161) of various embodiments of the present invention can be applied to shoes of various purposes and forms, as well as slippers. Some preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the rights of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and all technologies of the patent claims of the present invention and their equivalents should be considered to be included within the scope of the rights of the present invention.

Claims

1. In a pair of shoes, left and right, A torque generating member having an upper plate and a lower plate, wherein when compressed in the vertical direction, the upper plate rotates relative to the lower plate, and the directions of rotation on the left and right sides are opposite to each other; A rotatable support plate coupled to the upper part of the torque generating member to support the user's body weight during walking, and having a curved surface corresponding to the shape of the user's sole; A posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe equipped with a gap portion existing between the inner surface of the shoe and the rotational support plate.

2. In a pair of shoes, left and right, A torque generating member having an upper plate and a lower plate, wherein when compressed in the vertical direction, the upper plate rotates relative to the lower plate, and the directions of rotation on the left and right sides are opposite to each other; A posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe equipped with: a rotatable support plate coupled to the upper part of the torque generating member to support the user's body weight during walking, having a curved surface corresponding to the shape of the user's sole, being rotatable, and having a compression absorbing portion formed thereon.

3. In a pair of shoes on the left and right, A torque generating member having an upper plate and a lower plate, wherein when compressed in the vertical direction, the upper plate rotates relative to the lower plate, and the directions of rotation on the left and right sides are opposite to each other; A rotatable insole having a second pressure-absorbing portion formed therein that changes shape in response to pressure when pressure is applied from one side of the shoe; a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe equipped with the above.

4. In Claim 3, A posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe further comprising: a rotatable support plate provided at the bottom of the insole to support the user's body weight during walking, and having a curved surface corresponding to the shape of the user's sole; and a rotatable support plate.

5. In any one of claims 1 to 3, The above shoes are posture correction and Kegel exercise shoes that are slippers.

6. From a pair of shoes on the left and right, A torque generating member having an upper plate and a lower plate, wherein when compressed in the vertical direction, the upper plate rotates relative to the lower plate, and the directions of rotation on the left and right sides are opposite to each other; An insole provided on the upper portion of the torque generating member, wherein an exposed portion is formed to expose the upper plate of the torque generating member; a posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe equipped with this.

7. In Claim 6, A posture correction and Kegel exercise shoe having the characteristic that the hardness of the insole in the exposed portion and the adjacent portion is lower than that of the insole in other non-adjacent portions.

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